October 18th - St. Luke the Evangelist

Today is the feast of St. Luke the Evangelist. The feast is of double rite and the liturgical colour is red. It is also the twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost and the third Sunday of October. The Sunday after Pentecost is commemorated at both Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass. St. Luke was probably born in Antioch and in St. Paul's writings is described as a physician. He was a companion of St. Paul and the author of a Gospel that addressed itself to the non-Jewish world.

The feast began yesterday with the celebration of first Vespers. The antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc, from the Common of Apostles, were sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Lugebat autem Judam. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted because of the double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory, antiphons and pslams are taken from the Common of Apostles but the lessons in the first nocturn are what are now from the proper for Evangelists. In the 1568 Breviary the reader is directed to the Incipit liber Ezechielis Prophetae for the first Sunday of November. The lessons are considerably longer than those found in the modern editions of the Breviary. The modern three lessons are all read by the penultimate sentence of the second lesson in the 1568 edition. In the second nocturn the lessons are proper to the feast of St. Luke and from St. Jerome on Ecclesial Writers. These are the same as in the modern books. In the third nocturn the lessons are from the Common of Evangelists with a homily by St. Gregory. These are significantly longer than those found in the modern editons, with all of the modern three lessons contained within the eighth and ninth lessons of the modern books. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum are again sung, this time with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150). After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime the antiphon Hoc est praeceptum meum is sung with the festal Psalms (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii). Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Credo is sung. The preface is of the Apostles and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are of the feast. A commemoration of the Sunday is sung after the collect of the feast. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

October 11th - XXII Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. This year it is the second Sunday of October. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the account of the Pharisees trying to trap the LORD over tribute to Caesar and the LORD's rebuttal of "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God those things that are God's."

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Vespers for Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Refulsit solfor the Saturday before the second Sunday of October. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine were sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Primo dierum omnium. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) are sung. The lessons are from the First Book of the Machabees. The first lesson continues with part of the text from what is the second lesson in the modern books, Tunc ordinavit... until ...in locum immundum. The second lesson begins Et cogitavit... (from the middle of the modern second lesson) and continues with what is now part of the modern third lesson with Et acceperunt... until ...et mensam in templum. The third lesson begins Et incensum posuerunt... until ...qui prosperavit eis, i.e. continuing with vv. 52-55. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the Book on the City of God of St. Augustine. The fourth and fifth lessons are slightly longer than those in the modern books. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Hiliary on St. Matthew's Gospel. These are the same as in the modern editions of the Breviary. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150) are sung. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine are sung.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect chosen by the Dean or Rector. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

October 4th - St. Francis of Assisi

Today is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. It is of double rite and the liturgical colour is white. Today is also the twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost and the first Sunday of October.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Domine, quinque talenta etc from the Common of Confessor non-pontiffs were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung, the antiphon on the Magnificat being Adaperiat Dominus for the Saturday before the first Sunday of October. The Suffrages were omitted as the feast is a double.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Confessorum etc and the Office hymn Iste Confessor. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3) the lessons are the Incipit of the first Book of Machabees. The first lesson is the same as in mondern editions. The second lesson is longer and continues with what are the first sentences of the modern third lesson ending ... in oculis eorum. The third lesson begins Et destinaverunt... and continues beyond the end of the modern third lesson (ut facerent malum.) until ... et accepit spolia terrae Aegypti, i.e. vv. 17 - 20 are included. In the second nocturn (Pss. 4, 5 & 8) the lessons for St. Francis are the same as those found in the modern books. In the third nocturn (Pss. 14, 20 & 23) the seventh and eighth lesson are as on the feast of St. Matthias with the Gospel Confiteor tibi Pater... These lessons are now found (in a slightly shorter version) in the Common of Abbots. The ninth lesson is the three lessons of the homily of the XXI Sunday. These are significantly longer than those in the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Domine, quinque talenta are again sung, this time with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150). After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime the antiphon Domine, quinque talenta is sung with the festal Psalms (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii). Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung, and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are of the feast. A commemoration of the Sunday is sung after the collect of the feast. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Icon of St. Francis, shewing his life, from here.

September 27th - XX Sunday after Pentecost

The twentieth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. This year it is the fifth Sunday of September. The Gospel pericopes from St. John give the account of the healing of the ruler's son at Capharnaum.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Vespers for Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Domine, Rex omnipotensfor the Saturday before the fifth Sunday of September. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine were sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) are sung. The lessons are the Incipit of the book of Esther. The first lesson continues with part of the text from what is the second lesson in the modern books, Cumque implerentur... until ...marmoreis fulciebantur. The second lesson begins Lectuli quoque... (the last sentence of the modern second lesson) and continues with all of what is all of the modern third lesson and then Itaque die septimo... until ...venire contempsit (vv 10-12). The third lesson is absent completely from the modern books, Unde iratus rex... until ...quae melior est illa, accipiat. (vv. 13-19). In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the Book of Offices of St. Augustine. These are slightly longer than those in the modern books and arranged differently. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Gregory on St. John's Gospel. These are significantly longer than in the modern editions. By the eighth lesson all three modern lessons have been read and there is additional material from the homily to complete the eighth lesson. The ninth lesson is not found at all in the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150) are sung. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine are sung.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect chosen by the Dean or Rector. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the feast of SS Cosmas and Damian (transferred from today). Then the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

September 20th - XIX Sunday after Pentecost

The nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost is, this year, the fourth Sunday of September. The Sunday is of semi-double rite and the liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes contain the parable of the wedding feast from St. Matthew's Gospel with the sobering concluding words of the LORD Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi. The Vigil of St. Matthew the Apostle was anticipated yesterday in the Ember Saturday of September. At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Vespers for Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Adonai, Domine for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of September. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of SS Eustace and Companions followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine . At Compline the Dominical preces were sung. At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) are sung. The lessons are the Incipit of the book of Judith. These lessons are the same as in the modern editions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from St. Ambrose on Elias and fasting. These are significantly longer than those in the modern books. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Gregory on St. Matthews's Gospel. The seventh lesson does not appear in the modern editions. The eighth lesson consists of the modern seventh and half of the modern eighth lessons. The text of the ninth lesson consists of the rest of the modern eighth and ninth lessons and the inclusion of further texts from St. Gregory. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150) are sung. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of SS Eustace and Companions is sung followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine. At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces. Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Eustace and Companions, the third collect is A cunctis. The Credo is sung, the Common Preface is sung. Vespers are first Vespers of the feast of St. Matthew the Apostle with a corresponding change of liturgical colour to red. The antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with the psalms for first Vespers from the Common of Apostles (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted because of the double feast. Art: Jerome Nadal