December 17th - Third Sunday of Advent

The Third Sunday of Advent is of semi-double rite. The liturgical colour is violet but today at Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle rather than planetis plicatis and the organ may be played.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The chapter, Fratres: Gaudete in Domino semper was of the Sunday. The Office hymn was Conditor alme siderum. The Suffrages were omitted. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Prope est jam Dominus and the hymn is Verbum supernum. In the first nocturn the antiphons Veniet ecce Rex etc are sung with Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14. The lessons in the first nocturn are taken from the prophet Isaiah. The first lesson is longer than that found in modern editions and continues until the penultimate sentence of the modern second lesson: justitiam discent habitatores orbis. The second lesson begins Misereamur impio... and continues all through the text of the modern third lesson and beyond: Indulsisti genti Dominie ... murmuris doctrina tua eis. The third lesson is absent from the modern editions and begins Sicut quae concepit... and continues until ... non operiet ultra interfectos suos. (vv. 17 -21). In the second nocturn the antiphons Gaude et laetare etc are sung with Pss. 15, 16 and 17. The lessons are taken from a sermon of St. Leo. These are substantially longer than in the modern editions of the Breviary. The sixth lesson text is completely absent from the modern editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gabriel Angelus etc are sung with Pss. 18, 19 and 20. The homily is from St. Gregory's writing on St. John's Gospel. These are the same as those found in the modern editions. A ninth responsory, Docebit nos Dominus, is sung and the Te Deum omitted in the Office of Advent.

At Lauds the antiphons Ecce veniet etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The hymn is Vox clara ecce intonat. As noted above for Vespers the Suffrages are omitted in Advent.

At Prime the first antiphon from Lauds, Ecce veniet, is sung with the usual Dominical psalms 53, 117, 118(i), 118(ii) and Quicumque. In the short responsory the versicle Qui venturus es in mundum replaces Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris. The Dominical preces are sung. At the other Hours the other antiphons of Lauds are sung in the usual order.

Mass is sung after Terce. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle rather than folded chasubles. The Gloria in not sung, the second collect is of the Blessed Virgin in Advent, Deus, qui de beate, the third collect Ecclesiae. The Creed is sung, the preface is the Common Preface. As the Gloria was not sung, the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino sung by the deacon facing the altar.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The antiphons Ecce veniet etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Conditor alme siderum. The antiphon on the Magnificat is O Sapientia etc which is proper to the 17th day of December. Although the Sunday is of semi-double rite the antiphon (and the other 'O' antiphons) are sung entire both before and after the Canticle with the choir standing. After Vespers of the Sunday, after Benedicamus Domino and its response, Vespers of the Dead are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal

December 10th - Second Sunday of Advent

The Second Sunday of Advent is of semi-double rite and the liturgical colour is violet.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons Benedictus etc were sung with the psalms of Saturday (Pss.143, 144, 145, 146 & 147). The chapter, Fratres, quaecumque scripta sunt, was from Romans and the Office hymn was Conditor alme siderum. After the collect a commemoration was sung of St. Melchiades. The Suffrages are omitted during Advent. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem venturum and the hymn is Verbum supernum. In the first nocturn the antiphons Veniet ecce Rex etc are sung with Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14. The lessons in the first nocturn are taken from the prophet Isaiah. The first lesson, about the wondrous Jesse Tree, is longer than that found in modern editions and continues with the first lines of the modern second lesson: Et percutiet... until ...cinctorium renum ejus. The second lesson begins Habitabit lupus... and continues until two-thirds through the modern third lesson, ...sicut aquae maris operientes. The third lesson begins In die illa radix Jesse... and continues until ... et hostes Juda peribunt, i.e. the addition of vv. 11 -13 from the eleventh chapter. In the second nocturn the antiphons Gaude et laetare etc are sung with Pss. 15, 16 and 17. The lessons are taken from the Exposition on Isaiah by St. Jerome. These are substantially longer than in the modern editions of the Breviary. The fourth lesson comprises the entirety of the modern fourth and fifth lessons. The fifth lesson contains text absent from the modern sixth and the sixth lesson text is completely absent from the modern editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gabriel Angelus etc are sung with Pss. 18, 19 and 20. The homily is from St. Gregory's writing on St. Matthew's Gospel. Again, these are significantly longer than those in the modern editions with the sevent lesson comprising of all of the modern seventh and eighth lessons. The eighth lesson contains all of the modern ninth and an equal amount of text from the St. Gregory's homily that is absent from the modern editions and the ninth lesson is completely absent from the modern Breviary. A ninth responsory, Ecce Dominus veniet, is sung and the Te Deum omitted in the Office of Advent.

At Lauds the antiphons Ecce in nubibus caeli etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The hymn is Vox clara ecce intonat. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Melchiades. As noted above for Vespers the Suffrages are omitted in Advent.

At Prime the first antiphon from Lauds, Ecce in nubibus caeli, is sung with the usual Dominical psalms 53, 117, 118(i), 118(ii) and Quicumque. In the short responsory the versicle Qui venturus es in mundum replaces Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris. The Dominical preces are sung. At the other Hours the other antiphons of Lauds are sung in the usual order.

Mass is sung after Terce. The ministers wear folded chasubles. The Gloria in not sung, the second collect is of St. Melchiades, the third collect is of the Blessed Virgin in Advent, Deus, qui de beate. The Creed is sung, the preface is the Common Preface. As the Gloria is not sung, the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino.

At Vespers the antiphons Ecce in nubibus caeli etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 113. The Office hymn is Conditor alme siderum. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Damasus. The Suffrages are omitted but at Compline the Dominical preces are sung. As the feast of St. Damasus tomorrow is semi-double rite there is no Office of the Dead.

Art: Jerome Nadal

December 3rd - First Sunday of Advent

The season of Advent begins at the chapter of Vespers of the Saturday before Advent Sunday. The first Sunday of Advent is of semi-double rite. During Advent bishops exchange their violet choir cassock for a black one with mozzeta or mattelletum with violet linings. Cardinals of the Court of Rome wear their 'winter' violet merino apparel (in contrast to their summer mourning dress of violet watered-silk) in place of their watered-silk scarlet.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung (note the contrast with the post 1911-13 books where the antiphons of Lauds are sung). The chapter, Fratres, hora est jam nos etc., marked the beginning of Advent. The Office hymn was Conditor alme siderum. After the collect of the Sunday the usual Suffrages were omitted. From this Vespers the Marian Antiphon sung is Alma Redemptoris Mater. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem venturum and this is sung in the Dominical and ferial Offices of Advent until the third Sunday. The hymn is Verbum supernum. In the first nocturn the antiphons Veniet ecce Rex etc are sung with Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14. The lessons in the first nocturn are the Incipit of the prophet Isaiah. The first lesson is longer than that found in modern editions and continues with the first lines of the modern second lesson: Vae genti peccatrici... until ..abalienati sunt retrorsum. The second lesson begins Super quo percutiam... and continues until the end of the modern third lesson, ...Gomorrha similes essemus. The third lesson is absent from the modern books. It begins Audite verbum Domini... and continues until sanguine plenae sunt, i.e. VV. 10 - 15. In the second nocturn the antiphons Gaude et laetare etc are sung with Pss. 15, 16 and 17. The lessons are taken from the writing sof St. Leo on the fast of the tenth month. These are substantially longer than in the modern editions of the Breviary. The fourth lesson comprises the entirety of the modern fourth and fifth lessons. The fifth lesson contains text absent from the modern sixth and the sixth lesson text is completely absent from the modern editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gabriel Angelus etc are sung with Pss. 18, 19 and 20. The homily is from St. Gregory's writing on St. Luke's Gospel. Again, these are significantly longer than those in the modern editions with the seventh lesson comprising of all of the modern seventh and eighth lessons. The eighth lesson contains all of the modern ninth and an equal amount of text from the St. Gregory's homily that is absent from the modern editions and the ninth lesson is completely absent from the modern Breviary. A ninth responsory, Ecce dies veniunt, is sung and the Te Deum omitted in the Office of Advent.

At Lauds the antiphons In illa die etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The hymn is Vox clara ecce intonat. As noted above for Vespers the Suffrages are omitted in Advent.

At Prime the first antiphon from Lauds, In illa die, is sung with the usual Dominical psalms 53, 117, 118(i), 118(ii) and Quicumque. In the short responsory the versicle Qui venturus es in mundum replaces Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris for all of Advent except when an occuring feast has a proper versicle. The Dominical preces are sung. At the other Hours the other antiphons of Lauds are sung in the usual order.

Mass is sung after Terce. During Advent the deacon and sub-deacaon do not wear the dalmatic and tunicle but violet folded chasubles, an ancient feature of the Roman liturgy. The Gloria in not sung, the second collect is of the Blessed Virgin in Advent, Deus, qui de beate, the third collect is Ecclesiae. The Creed is sung, the preface is the Common Preface. As the Gloria was not sung, the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino sung by the deacon facing the altar.

At Vespers the antiphons In illa die etc are sung with the Dominical psalms (Pss.109, 110, 111, 112 &113). The Office hymn is Conditor alme siderum. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Barbara. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung. Vespers of the Dead are sung in choir after Vespers of the Sunday. After Mattins and Lauds of Monday, Mattins and Lauds of the Dead are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

November 26th - XXVII and Last Sunday after Pentecost

Today is the twenty-seventh and last Sunday after Pentecost. It is also the fifth Sunday of November. The day is of semi-double rite and the liturgical colour, from Mattins, is green. The texts for the Sunday in the missal are those for the twenty-fourth, the last, Sunday. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the prophetic words of the LORD concerning the last days and the coming of the Antichrist.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of St. Catharine of Alexandria. The antiphons Haec est Virgo sapiens etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was Jesu corona virginum. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung, the antiphon on the Magnificat was Super muros tuosfor the Saturday before the fifth Sunday of October. This was followed by a commemoration of St. Peter of Alexandria. The Suffrages were omitted due to the double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

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) the lessons are the Incipit of Micheas the Prophet. The first lesson is longer than that found in the modern editions of the Breviary. After ... et super excelsa terra the lesson continues Et consumenter montes, from the second lesson in the modern Breviary, until ... in peccatis domus Israel. The second lesson begins Quod scelus Jacob?... and continues until usque ad Hierusalem, i.e the end of the modern third lesson. The third lesson begins In Geth nolite annciare and continues until ...in deceptionem regibus Israel (vv. 10 - 14). These verses are absent from the modern editions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the writings of St. Basil on the thirty-third psalm. These are identical to those found in the modern Breviaries. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The seventh lesson continues with the first sentence of the modern eighth lesson Potest autem... in praesentem diem stetit. The eighth lesson begins Abominatio quoque secundum... and continues until Apostoli habere prohibentur, the end of the modern ninth lesson. The text of the ninth lesson, absent from the modern books, begins Vae autem praegnantibus... and continues until ne temporum mora fides concutiatur credentium. Today the the eighth and ninth lessons are read together as the eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is the historic lesson for the feast of St. Peter of Alexandria. 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 St. Peter of Alexandria 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 St. Peter of Alexandria, the third collect is A cunctis. The Credo and the Common Preface are sung.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms of Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) are sung. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. 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. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

November 19th - XXVI Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins onwards, is green. This year it the the fourth Sunday of November and texts are taken from the sixth Sunday after Epiphany. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the parables of the mustard seed and leaven.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of the feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul, the colour of that feast being white. The antiphons Domum tuam Domine etc were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 147. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat being Qui caelorum for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of November. Following the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of St. Pontianus. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted due to the double feast.

At Mattins the liturgical colour changes to green and 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) the lessons are the Incipit of the book of Osee. The first lesson is longer than that found in the modern editions of the Breviary and continues Et dixit Dominus... until ...conteram arcum Israel in valle Jezrahel. The second lesson begins Et concepit adhuc..., approximately a third through the modern second lesson, and continues until ... et non numerabitur (the last third of the modern third lesson). The third lesson begins Et erit, in loco ubi dicetur eis... and continues past the end of the modern third lesson Dicite fratribus vestris... until ... interficiam eam siti, i.e. Cap. 2, vv. 1 -3. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the writing of St. Augustine on the City of God. These are longer than those found in the modern Breviaries: the fourth lesson includes half the text of the modern fifth lesson, the fifth lesson includes the remaining text of the modern fifth lesson and all of the modern sixth. The sixth lesson is not found in the modern editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. These lessons are the same as in the modern books. The eighth and ninth lessons are read together as the eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is of St. Pontinaus. 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 St. Pontianus 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. 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 St. Pontianus, the third collect is A cunctis. The Credo and the common preface are 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 the Suffrages of 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.