August 13th - XII Sunday after Pentecost

The twelfth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. This year it is the third Sunday of August and Sunday within the Octave of St. Lawrence. The liturgical colour of the day is red.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Laurentius ingressus est etc were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. From the chapter, O Altitudo, the Office was of the Sunday with the Office hymn O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Omnis sapientia for the Saturday before the third Sunday of August. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the Octave of St. Lawrence and of SS Hippolytus and Cassian. The Suffrages were omitted due to the Octave as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

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 Wisdom. The first lesson is longer than the form given in the modern editions. It continues Spiritus enim ... superveniente iniquitate. The second lesson begins Benignus est enim and continues until quod mentitur occidit animam - what is now the end of third lesson. The text of the third lesson is not found in the modern editions Nolite zelare ...qui sunt ex parte illius, vv. 12-16. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from St. Ambrose. Lessons IV and V are substantially longer than those in the modern books with additional text not appearing in the modern editions, lesson VI is longer by a sentence. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Bede on St. Luke's Gospel. These are longer than those found in modern editions with lessons seven and eight comprising of the text of the modern third nocturn lessons. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read as one and the ninth lesson is of SS Hippolytus & Cassian. 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 commemorations are sung of the Octave of St. Lawrence and of SS Hippolytus & Cassian. The suffrages are omitted due to the occurring Octave.

At Prime (Pss. 53 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung but the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave, the third collect is of SS Hippolytus & Cassian. The Creed is sung and the common preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the Octave of St. Lawrence and of St. Eusebius. The Suffrages are omitted due to the Octave as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal

August 6th - The Transfiguration of the LORD

The feast of the Transfiguration of the LORD is a feast of double rank and its liturigcal colour is white. A commemoration is made of the XI Sunday after Pentecost.

At first Vespers yesterday afternoon the, proper, antiphons Assumpsit Jesus Petrum et Jacobum etc were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Quicumque Christum quaeritis. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Christus Jesus, splendor Patris etc and the collect was proper to the feast. Commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of the Dedication of Sancta Maria ad Nives, followed by a commemoration of Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat was Ego in altissimis for the Saturday before the second Sunday of August) and a commemoration of SS Xystus, Felicissimus and Agapitus. Because of the double feast the Suffrages were omitted at Vespers and, at Compline, the Dominical preces were omitted for the same reason. At Compline, and at all the Hours, the hymns have the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine, Qui apparusti hodie, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula and its melody.

At Mattins the invitatory is Summum Regem gloriae, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is as at Vespers. In the first nocturn the antiphons are proper, Paulo minus etc, are sung with psalms 8, 28 & 44. The lessons in the first nocturn are from the Second Epistle of St. Peter. These are identical to those found in modern editions. In the second nocturn the antiphons Illuminans etc are sung with psalms 75, 83, and 86. The lessons are from a sermon of St. Leo. Again, these are identical to those found in modern edtions of the Breviary. In the third nocturn the antiphons Thabor et Hermon etc are sung with psalms 88, 96 and 103. The homily in the third nocturn is taken from St. Chrysostom's 57th homily on St. Matthew's Gospel. The eighth lesson is shorter in the Tridentine Breviary ending with ... a melioribus confirmari. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday. The three lessons of the homily are read as one to form the ninth lesson. This is from St. Bede on St. Luke's Gospel and its constituent lessons are longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions with lessons seven and eight comprising of the text of all three lessons in the later books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Assumpsit Jesus Petrum et Jacobem etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Amor Jesu dulcissime. The antiphon on the Benedictus is Et ecce vox de nube dicens etc. Following the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of SS Xystus etc.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns have the proper Doxology as noted above. The antiphons from Lauds are sung at the Hours in the usual order. At Prime the festal psalms are sung (53, 118i & 118ii), the verse in the short response is Qui apparuisti and the lectio brevis is Sustulit me.

Mass is sung after Terce. Where it is the custom, after the Asperges, a blessing of grapes takes place. The introit is Illuxerant. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect of SS Xystus etc. The Credo is sung, the Preface of the Nativity is sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers all is sung as was sung at first Vespers except the antiphon on the Magnificat, Et audientes, which is proper to second Vespers. After the collect of the feast commemoration are sung of the Sunday and of the following Office of St. Donatus. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

July 30th - X Sunday after Pentecost

The tenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and the liturgical colour is green. This year it is the first Sunday of August.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Haec est Virgo sapiens etc (not doubled - from the feast of St. Martha) were sung with psalms 109, 110, 112, 121, 126 & 147). From the chapter the Office was of the Sunday with O Altitudo and the Office hymn O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Sapientia for the Saturday before the first Sunday of August. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of St. Martha and then of SS Abdon & Sennen 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 Parable of Solomon. Their arrangement is different from that found in the modern editions. The first lesson continues as far as ut addatur gratia capiti tuo et torques collo tuo (i.e. vv 7 & 8 now forming the opening of the second lesson. The second lesson begins Fili mi, si te lactaverint... and continues, through what is now the third lesson and concludes, animas possidentium rapiunt. The third lesson is not found in the modern books and consists of vv 20 - 27: Sapientia foris praedicat...vos tribulatio et angustia. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the writings of St. Ambrse on Psalm 118. These are the same as those found in modern recensions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine on St. Luke's Gospel. These lessons are considerably longer in the Tridentine Breviary than the form found in post-Clementine editions so the text of the ninth lesson is now entirely absent 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 a commemoration is sung of SS Abdon & Sennen 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 etc.

At Prime (Pss. 53, 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 Abdon & Sennen and the third collect is A cunctis. The Credo is sung, 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 etc are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

July 23rd - IX Sunday after Pentecost

The ninth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and the liturgical colour of the day is green (from Mattins onwards). The semi-double feast of St. Apollinaris is transferred to Monday.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of St. Mary Magdalene. White vestments were worn. The antiphons Dum esset Rex etc were sung with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was Lauda mater Ecclesia. This hymn was replaced with Pater superni luminis in the 1602BR. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline due to the double feast.

{An engaging setting of the Office hymn by Guerrero)

The Office of the Sunday begins 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 and the lessons are the Incipit of the Fourth Book of the Kings. The first lesson includes what is now the text of the second lesson in post-Clementine editions and ends Idcirco de lectulo ... sed morte morieris. The second lesson begins Qui dixit eis (the modern third lesson) but continues until the end of verse 12 of the first chapter. The third lesson, not present in modern editions begins Iterum misit principes and continues until verse 17. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the writings of St. Augustine. These are substantially longer than than those found in modern recensions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. Again the version in the Tridentine Breviary is considerably longer than that found in the post-Clementine 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 etc are sung.

At Prime (Pss. 53, 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 is chosen by the Dean or Rector. The Credo is sung, the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the following, transferred, feast of St. Apollinaris followed by a commemoration of St. Christina and 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 etc. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.