April 11th - Dominica Resurrectionis - Holy Pascha

The Sunday of the Resurrection is the Queen of Feasts, the most important of all liturgical celebrations. The Sunday is of double rite.

At Mattins the invitatory is the triumphal proclamation of the Resurrection, Surrexit Dominus vere, Alleluia. There is no Office hymn at any of the Hours until Vespers on the following Saturday afternoon. Mattins has a single nocturn consisting of three psalms (Pss. 1, 2 & 3) and three lessons. The lessons are taken from a homily by St. Gregory on St. Mark's Gospel. The lessons are the same as those found in the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung after the third lesson.

At Lauds the antiphons Angelus autem Domini etc are sung with the usual festal psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150). After the last antiphon has been repeated Haec dies is sung in place of the chapter and hymn. The antiphon on the Benedictus is Et valde mane etc. Benedicamus Domino with a double Alleluia and its response are sung at both Lauds and Vespers of the Octave.

At Prime and the Hours the usual festal psalms are sung but without antiphons. Haec dies replaces the chapter, responsories etc. At Prime the Martyrology is read again, having not been read for the days of the Triduum. Before the announcement of the following day and moon is sung "Hac die quam fecit Dominus, Solemnitas solemnitatum, et Pascha nostrum Resurrectio Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi secundum carnem" to the tone of the Passion.

Mass is sung after Terce. Vidi aquam replaces the Asperges during Paschaltide. At Mass the Gloria is sung, the Creed is sung, the preface, communicantes and Hanc igitur are proper. Ite, missa est with a double Alleluia is the dismissal.

At Vespers the anitphons Angelus autem Domini etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 113. Again Haec dies replaces the chapter and hymn. The antiphon on the Magnificat is Et respicientes etc. At Compline the usual psalms are sung with a triple Alleluia after them. The the Nunc dimittis is sung followed by Haec dies and the collect Visita quaesumus.

The feast of St. Leo is transferred to Monday, 19th April.

April 4th - Palm Sunday

(A 15th century Russian Icon of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem from Wikipedia

[Apologies for the lateness of this posting - the last ten days have been somewhat busy ones]

Palm Sunday is a privileged semi-double Sunday. It is the sixth Sunday in Lent and the beginning of Great or Holy Week.

At Vespers, yesterday morning, the antiphons and psalms of Saturday (Pss.143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The chapter was proper to the Sunday, the Office hymn was Vexilla regis prodeunt. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper to the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins, as last week and daily until the Triduum, the invitatory is Hodie, si vocem Domini audieritis, Nolite obdurare corda vestra from Ps. 94 and a special rubric indicates the omission of that verse in the psalm. The hymn is Pange, lingua. The antiphons given in the Psalter for Sundays are used. As usual Mattins has three nocturns and nine lessons. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung. The lessons in the first nocturn are from the book of Jeremiah. These are the same, as are their responsories, as those found in 'modern' versions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 and 17 are sung and the lessons are from a sermon on the Passion by St. Leo. The fifth lesson begins with the words Qui ut humanum genus and incorportates what is now the sixth lesson from Fefellit ergo illum.. until famulatae sunt Redemptori. The sixth lesson, Quod ergo...justitiae esse propositum is not found in the 'modern' Breviary. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are a homily of St. Ambrose, their arrangement is slightly different to that found in the modern books. The Te Deum is omitted as on other Lenten Sundays and a ninth responsory, Circumderunt me viri mendaces..., sung in its place.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to Palm Sunday, Dominus Deusetc, and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The hymn is Lustra sex. The versicle after the hymn Eripe me, chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday.

At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 53, 92, 118(i), 118(ii) and Quicumque, the 'Athanasian' Creed. The Dominical preces are sung. At all the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper.

The Asperges, the magnificent Blessing and Procession of Palms and Mass takes place after Terce. The ministers wear violet folded chasubles. At Mass there is only one collect. The Passion according to St. Matthew is sung, the Creed is sung, the preface is of the Holy Cross and the dismissal, Benedicamus Domino.

Vespers are of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung. The additional Offices of the Little Office of the BVM, the Office of the Dead, the Gradual Psalms and the Penitential Psalms and Litany are omitted in Great Week.

March 28th - Passion Sunday

Passion Sunday is the fifth and penultimate Sunday in Lent. It is a semi-double Sunday of the first class.

At Vespers, yesterday morning, the antiphons of Saturday, Benedictus etc., were sung with psalms 143, 144, 145, 146 and 147. The chapter, Fratres: Christus assistens Pontifex, was proper to the Sunday, taken from Hebrews. The Office hymn was Vexilla regis. From this Vespers until Trinity the Suffrages are omitted. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Hodie, si vocem Domini audieritis, Nolite obdurare corda vestra from Ps. 94 and a special rubric indicates the omission of that verse in the psalm. The hymn is Pange, lingua. The same invitatory and hymn are sung until Spy Wednesday inclusive. The antiphons given in the Psalter for Sundays are sung. As usual Mattins has three nocturns and nine lessons. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung. The lessons in the first nocturn are the the Incipit of the book of Jeremiah. These are substantially longer than in the modern editions of the Breviary. The first lesson runs from Verba Hieremiae until verse 10, ... et aedifices, et plantes. The second lesson runs from verse 11, Et factum est verbum Domini to verse 16, ...et adoraverunt opus manuum suarum. The third lesson begins with verse 17, Tu ergo accinge lumbos tuos.., and continues until verse 3 of the second chapter, ... mala venient super eos, dicit Dominus. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 and 17 are sung and the lessons are from a sermon by St. Leo. These again are longer than those found in the modern editions. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are a homily of St. Gregory, again slightly longer than in the modern books. The Te Deum is omitted as on other Lenten Sundays and a ninth responsory, Quis dabit capiti meo aquam etc, sung in its place.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to Passion Sunday, Vide Domine etc, and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The hymn is Lustra sex. The versicle after the hymn Eripe me, chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday. The Suffrages are not sung.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons are proper, Ego daemonium etc. At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 53, 92, 118(i), 118(ii) and Quicumque, the 'Athanasian' Creed. The Dominical preces are sung. At all the Hours the chapters are proper.

Mass is sung after Terce. The ministers wear folded chasubles. In Mass there is no Gloria, the second collect is Ecclesiae for the Church. There is no third collect in Passiontide. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the preface of the Cross is sung. Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms of Sunday are sung. The hymn Vexilla regis prodeunt is sung. After Vespers of the Sunday Vespers of the Dead are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung. After Mattins of Monday Mattins of the Dead are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

March 21st - Fourth Sunday of Lent

The fourth Sunday in Lent is of semi-double rite. No feast my be celebrated if it falls on such a Sunday. The feast of St. Benedict is transferred to Monday. The Gospel pericopes from St. John describe the multiplication miracle of the five barley loaves and two fishes to feed the Five Thousand.

At Vespers, yesterday morning, the antiphons and psalms (143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were of Saturday, the chapter proper to the Sunday. The Lenten hymn Audi benigne conditor was sung. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages were sung of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc,(if the Officium Parvum had not been celebrated), the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Non sit vobis and the hymn is Ex more. These are both used throughout the first four weeks of Lent. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the third chapter of the Book of Exdodus and the story of Moses and the Burning Bush. The second lesson includes part of what is now the third lesson in modern editions: Dixitque Moyses ad Deum...immolabis Deo super montem istum. The third lesson begins Ait Moyses ad Deum and continues with the addition of verses 16 through to 19. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from St. Basil and are longer than in modern editions. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are a homily of St. Augustine, again slightly longer than in the modern books.

At Lauds the antiphons, Tunc acceptabis etc., are proper to the Fourth Sunday and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The hymn is Jam Christe sol justitiae. The versicle after the hymn Angelis suis, chapter, antiphon at the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday (the versicle and its response being used throughout Lent). The Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc are sung.

At the 'Little Hours' the antiphons, Acceptit ergo etc., are sung. At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 53, 92, 118(i), 118(ii) and Quicumque, the 'Athanasian' Creed. The Dominical preces are sung.

At Mass there is no Gloria, the second collect is A cunctis nos, the third collect is Omnipotens. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the preface of Lent is sung. Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal and the ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle rather than folded chasubles.

Vespers are of the following feast of St. Benedict. The antiphons Domine, quinque talenta etc., are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter is Beatus vir, the hymn Iste confessor is sung. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal