September 15th - Octave Day of the Nativity of the BVM

The Octave-Day of the feast of the Nativity of the BVM is of double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins, is white. The double feast outranks the semi-double sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost which, this year, is the third Sunday of September.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross were sung. The antiphons O magnum pietatis opus etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Vexilla regis. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the following Octave-Day, of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Ne reminiscaris for the Saturday before the third Sunday of September) and of St. Nicomedes. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline. Hymn of Iambic metre, throughout the Octave have been sung with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc.

At Mattins the invitatory is Nativitatem Virginis Mariae celebremus: * Christum ejus Filium adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Quem terra. In the first nocturn the antiphons Benedicta tu etc are sung with Pss. 8, 18 & 23. The lessons are from occurring Scripture, the Incipit of the Book of Tobias, with the responsories of the feast. The first lesson continues with what, in the post-Clementine editions, the beginning of the second lesson Deinique, cum irent... to ...ministraret omnem decimationem. The second lesson begins Haec et his similia.. to ... salutis dabat eis, what is the end of the third lesson in the later editions. The third lesson, absent from modern editions, begins Cum autem venisset... and continues until ...solicitus exhibebat. (vv. 16 - 20). In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with Pss. 44, 45 & 86. The lessons are taken from the writing of St. Cyril of Jerusalem. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude, Maria Virgo etc are sung with Pss. 95, 96 & 97. The homily is from St. Chrysostom on St. Luke's Gospel. The ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons of the homily for the Sunday, from St. Ambrose on St. Luke. These are slightly longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Nativitas gloriosae etc are sung with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The Office hymn is O gloriosa Domina. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Nicomedes. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime the first of the antiphons sung at Lauds is sung with Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii. The lectio brevis is In plateis. Both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. The other Hours have the antiphons of Lauds sung in the usual order.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect is of St. Nicomedes. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the BVM and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Nativitas gloriosae etc., are sung with Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. After the collect of the Octave-Day commemorations are sung of the Sunday, of SS Cornelius and Cyprian and of SS Euphemia and Others. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

September 8th - The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin

The Nativity of the Mother of God is a double feast with Octave. The liturgical colour of the feast, and of its Octave, is white. The feast takes precedence over the fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost which is, this year, the second Sunday of September.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Nativitas gloriosae etc were sung, doubled, with the psalms from the Common of the BVM (Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147). The Office hymn was Ave, maris stella. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect are proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung (the antiphon on the Magnificat being In omnibus his for the Saturday before the second Sunday of September). At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc.

At Mattins the invitatory is Nativitatem Virginis Mariae celebremus: * Christum ejus Filium adoremus Dominum, the hymn, from the Common, Quem terra, pontus, aethera. In the first nocturn the antiphons Benedicta tua etc are sung with psalms 8, 18 & 23. The lessons in the first nocturn are the Incipit of the Song of Songs, with its exquisite imagery. These are the same as in modern editions of the Breviary. The responsories are proper to the feast, Hodie est nata est beata Virgo Maria etc. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with psalms 44, 45 & 88. The lessons are taken from a sermon attributed to St. Augustine. These are longer than those found in the modern books. The fourth lesson continues with Eva enim luxit..., the beginning of the modern fifth lesson, to ...ista edidit innocentem. The fifth lesson begins Mater generis nostri and contains all the remaining text of the modern fifth lesson and additional text too. The sixth lesson is the same as in the modern editions. The responsories are again proper to the feast, Nativitas gloriosae etc. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude, Maria virgo etc are sung with psalms 95, 96 & 97. St. Jerome provides the homily on St. Matthew's Gospel. The seventh lesson is the same as that found in the modern Breviary, the eighth a sentence longer with the addition of Naason autem genuit Salmon princeps Iudae, sicut in Numeris legimus. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday formed of the three lessons from St. Augustine on St. Luke's Gospel. The entire seventh lesson (of the Sunday) is absent from modern editions: Miracula Domini nostri ... quam suscitare iterum moriturum. The eighth lesson is significantly longer than that found in the post-Clementine editions. The ninth lesson is the same as that found in the modern books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Nativitas gloriosae etc are again sung, this time with the festal psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150)). The hymn is O gloriosa Domina. After the collect of the day commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Hadrian.

At Prime the first of the antiphons used at Vespers and Lauds, Nativitas gloriosae etc, is sung with the festal psalms (Ps. 53, 118i & 118ii). In the short responsory the versicle Qui natus es is sung. The short lesson is In plateis. At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Doxology and tone of the Incarnation.

Mass is sung after Terce. In some countries a blessing of seeds, figs, grapes or other fruits takes place (the fruits in question depending on the climate of the place. The introit is Salve, sancta Parens, the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, (in private Masses the third collect is of St. Hadrian). The Creed is sung and the preface is of the BVM, Et te in Nativitate and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Second Vespers all is sung as yesterday except the antiphon on the Magnificat which is proper, Nativitas tua etc., and after the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Gorgonius.

Icon: Russian, 18th century

September 1st - XIV Sunday after Pentecost

The fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. This year it is also the first Sunday of September and its liturgical colour is green.

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 was O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Cum audisset Job for the Saturday before the first Sunday of September. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of St. Giles and the SS Twelve Brothers 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 Job. The first lesson is longer than that found in the post-Clementine editions and continues until ...et biberunt cum eis in what is now the modern second lesson. The second lesson begins Cumque in orbem... and continues until Circuivi terram et perambulavi eam. The third lesson begins Dixitque Dominus ad eum... and continues until ...Satan a facie Domini(v.12). In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory the Great. These are the same as those in the modern books. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine on St. Matthew's Gospel. The lessons are longer than those found in the modern Breviary. The seventh lesson includes most of the text of the modern eighth lesson, the eighth lesson contains text not found in the later editions and the ninth lesson contains the text of the modern ninth lesson and, in addition, several more sentences. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read as one and the ninth lesson is of St Giles. This is the same as that found in the later books. 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 St. Giles and of the SS Twelve Brothers 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) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Giles, the third collect is of the SS Twelve Brothers. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). 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 are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

August 25th - XIII Sunday after Pentecost

The thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. This year it is the fourth Sunday of August. The liturgical colour, from Mattins onwards, is green. In Rome the feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle is observed today.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of the feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle. The antiphons Juravit Dominus etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn was Exsultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Sapientia for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of August) and of St. Louis of France. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the liturigial colour changes to green. 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 Ecclesiasticus. The first lesson is longer than the form given in the post-Clementine editions. It continues Radix sapientiae ... illius quis intellexit?, what is now the first sentence of the second lesson. The second lesson begins Unus est altissimus.. and continues until defunctionis suae benedicitiur - what is now the middle of the third lesson. The text of the third lesson begins Dilectio Dei... and continues until ...et receptacula a thesauris illius (v.21). In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory the Great. These are the same as those found in the modern books. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine 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 three third nocturn lessons. The ninth lesson is absent from the post-Clementine editions. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form the eighth lesson of the Sunday and the ninth lesson formed of the two lessons given for St. Louis. These are longer than those found in the later books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Dominical psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150) are sung. The Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Louis 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 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 of St. Louis, 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). The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Zephyrinus 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 etc. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung..

Art: Jerome Nadal