March 12th - Fourth Sunday in Lent

The fourth Sunday in Lent is of semi-double rite. The liturgical colour of the Sunday is violet. The feast of St. Gregory the Great 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) of Saturday were sung, the chapter was 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. The Te Deum is omitted and in its place a ninth responsory, Attendite, popule meus etc., is sung.

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 Office 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. Gregory with a colour change to white. The antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc., are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter is also Ecce sacerdos magnus and Office hymn is Iste confessor. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted. As a feast of nine lessons is celebrated on Monday Vespers, Mattins and Lauds of the Dead are omitted (as is the Officium Parvum).

Art: Jerome Nadal

March 5th - Third Sunday in Lent

The third Sunday in Lent is of semi-double rite. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke recount the LORD casting out evil from a demoniac.

At Vespers, yesterday morning, the antiphons and psalms (143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were of Saturday, the chapter proper. 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, 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. 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 Book of Genesis and the story of Joseph. The first lesson includes the first sentence of the second lesson in modern editions: Invidebant...considerabat. The second lesson is longer than in modern editions and includes the text from the modern third lesson Audiens autem...et reddere patri suo. The third lesson begins Confestim igitur and continues until the end of verse 34 rather than verse 28. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from St. Ambrose on Joseph. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are a homily from the Venerable Bede.

At Lauds the antiphons, Fac benigne etc., are proper to the Sunday and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The hymn is Jam Christe sol justitiae. The chapter, antiphon at the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday. 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 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 all the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper.

In 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 folded chasubles in place of dalmatic and tunicle.

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

After Vespers of the Sunday Vespers of the Dead are sung. In practice this Vespers was often joined with Mattins and Lauds of the Dead which are also prescribed in Lent after Mattins and Lauds of Monday.

Art: Jerome Nadal

February 27th - Second Sunday in Lent

The Second Sunday of Lent is of semi-double rite. No feast can take precedence over it or any such a Sunday. The Gospel pericope is St. Matthew's account of the LORD's Transfiguration.

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 of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc were sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Non sit vobis and the hymn is Ex more. 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 twenty-seventh chapter of the Book of Genesis. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from St. Augustine's Book against Liars. The fourth lesson is several sentences longer than the lesson found in more modern editions. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are from a homily from St. Leo on the Gospel. The eighth lesson contains part of the text of the modern ninth lesson and the ninth lesson contains more material than that found in the modern editions. In place of the Te Deum a ninth responsory is sung, Cum audisset Jacob.

At Lauds the antiphons, Domine labia mea aperies etc., are proper to the Second Sunday and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Jam Christe sol justitiae. The versicle after the hymn Angelis suis, chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday (the versicle and its response being used throughout Lent). 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 etc are sung.

At Prime and the Hours the antipons are proper to the Sunday, Domine bonum est etc. At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 53, 92, 118i, 118ii and Quicumque, the 'Athanasian' Creed. The Dominical preces are sung. At all the Hours the antiphons, as noted, and chapters are proper.

In Mass the ministers wear folded chasubles. 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. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino sung by the deacon facing the altar and celebrant.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The antiphons and psalms of Sunday are sung. The Office hymn is the beautiful Ad preces nostras Deitatis aures. After the collect of the day the Suffrages are sung of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc.

After Vespers of the Sunday Vespers of the Dead are sung. In practice this Vespers was often joined with Mattins and Lauds of the Dead which are also prescribed in Lent after Mattins and Lauds of Monday.

February 20th - First Sunday in Lent

The First Sunday in Lent is of semi-double rite. No feast can take precedence over it or any such Sunday. The Gospel pericopes at Mattins and Mass are St. Matthew's account of the LORD's temptation by Satan in the desert.

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, 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 Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. The second lesson is longer than that found in modern versions of the Breviary with the addition of Propter quod...Dominus omnipotens, vv. 17 & 18. The third lesson also is longer, beginning at the first verse of Ch. 7 with Has ergo habentes...pro vobis preceding the text found in modern editions which begin at the fourth verse. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from St. Leo and again give more of his sermon than found in modern editions. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are a homily from St. Gregory on the Gospel. Yet again the text found in the Tridentine Breviary is truncated in later editions. A ninth responsory, Angelis suis Deus mandavit de te, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to Quadragesima Sunday, Cor mundum crea in me Deus etc., and are 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 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.

In Mass there is no Gloria, the second collect is A cunctis nos, the third collect 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 folded chasubles in place of dalmatic and tunicle.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The antiphons and psalms of Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) are sung. The Office hymn is Ad preces nostras Deitatis aures. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages are sung of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc.

After Vespers of the Sunday Vespers of the Dead are sung. In practice this Vespers is often joined with Mattins and Lauds of the Dead which are also prescribed in Lent after Mattins and Lauds of Monday.

Art: Jerome Nadal