December 17th - Ember Wednesday in Advent

Ember Wednesday in Advent is a greater ferial day of simple rite and its liturgical colour is violet.

At Mattins the invitatory is Prope est and the Office hymn is Verbum supernum. Mattins has a single nocturn of twelve psalms (Pss. 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 65 & 67). The lessons are taken from a homily of St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. The lessons are all significantly longer than those found in the later editions of the Breviary.

At Lauds the first of several sets of proper antiphons that are used until the Vigil of the Nativity are sung Prophetae praedicaverunt etc. The psalmody is ferial consisting of Pss 50, 64, 62-66, the Canticle of Anna, and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Vox clara. After the antiphon on the Benedictus, Missus est Angelus etc., is repeated the ferial preces are sung with the choir kneeling. The preces include the psalm De profundis.

At Prime the first antiphon Prophetae praedicaverunt is sung with psalms are Pss. 53, 25, 118(i) and 118(ii). The longer set of ferial preces are sung, kneeling at Prime and the shorter set at the other Little Hours.

Mass is sung after None. The texts are proper, the introit being Rorate, caeli etc. After the Kyrie there immediately follows the dialogue Oremus sung by the celebrant, Flectamus genua sung by the deacon and Levate sung by the sub-deacon. This is followed by the collect Praesta, quaesumus and an additional OT lesson and gradual. After this the celebrant sings Dominus vobiscum and the collect Festina, quaesumus. The second collect is Deus, qui de beatae and the third collect Ecclesiae. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino sung by the deacon facing the altar. The ministers wear violet folded chasubles. With the celebration of the Eucharist the Office of the Ember Day ends.

At Vespers psalms 126, 127, 128, 129 & 130 are sung. The Office hymn is Conditor alme siderum. At the Magnificat the Great 'O' antiphon O Sapientia is sung. Uniquely for ferial days, the Great 'O' antiphons are sung in their entirety both before and after the canticle and the choir stands. The ferial preces are sung with the choir kneeling and include the psalm Miserere mei Deus. The collect of the preceding Sunday is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung, with the choir kneeling.

December 14th - Third Sunday of Advent

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

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of the feast of St. Lucy of Syracuse - a poignant reminder that at the darkest time of the year (in the northern hemisphere) a Light to lighten the Gentiles is coming soon. The, proper, antiphons Orante sancta Lucia etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 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. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

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. The Suffrages are omitted being 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 Suffrages are omitted. After Benedicamus Domino and its response, Vespers of the Dead are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

December 8th - Conception of the BVM

The Conception of the BVM is a double feast and its liturgical colour is white. In the 1570 Missale Romanum no texts are given for the feast but a rubric refers to the Nativity of the BVM with a direction to change the word Nativity to Conception. In the 1568 Breviary the user is again referred to the feast of the Nativity but lessons are printed for the first and second nocturns.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Conceptio gloriosae Virginis Mariae etc were sung with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The chapter was Ab initio et ante saecula and the Office hymn was Ave maris stella. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Gloriosae Virginis Mariae Conceptionem etc and the collect Famulis tuis etc. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the second Sunday of Advent. The Suffrages were omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc. The Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Conceptionem Virginis Mariae celebremus: Christum ejus Filium adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Quem terra pontus aethera. In the first nocturn the antiphons Benedicta tu etc are sung with psalms 8, 18 & 23. The lessons are taken from the twenty-fourth chapter of the Book of Ecclesiasticus beginning at the fifth verse, Ego ex ore Altissimi etc. The first lesson is followed by the responsory Hodie concepta est beata Virgo Maria etc. The lessons are the same as those found in the editions of Clement VIII and Urban VIII. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with psalms 44, 45 & 86. The lessons are from a sermon of St. Ambrose from his Book on Virgins. These are significantly longer than those found in the Clementine (1602) edition of the Breviary. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude Maria Virgo etc are sung with psalms 95, 96 & 97. The homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Conceptio gloriosae Virginis Mariae etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is O gloriosa Domina. The antiphon on the Benedictus is Conceptionem hodiernam etc. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Advent feria.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons Conceptio gloriosae Virginis Mariae etc are sung with the festal psalms. The hymns have the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc. At Prime the versicle in the short responsory is changed to Qui natus es de Virgine and the lectio brevis is In plateis.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass formula is Salve sancta parens. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Advent feria. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the BVM.

At Vespers the antiphons Conceptio gloriosae Virginis Mariae are again sung with the psalms of the BVM. The Office hymn is Ave maris stella. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Advent feria. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc and the Dominical preces are omitted.

December 7th - Second Sunday of Advent

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

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc were sung, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 131. The chapter was Fratres: Quaecumque scripta sunt and the Office hymn was Conditor alme siderum. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the preceding Office of St. Nicholas of Myra was sung. The Suffrages were omitted being Advent but the Dominical preces were sung at Compline.

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 the post-Clementine 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 Office hymn is Vox clara ecce intonat.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 of the Blessed Virgin in Advent, Deus, qui de beate and the third collect is Ecclesiae. The Creed is sung, the preface is the Common Preface. As the Gloria is not sung, the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing the altar.

At Vespers there is a colour change to white and the antiphons Conceptio gloriosae Virginis Mariae are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave maris stella. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. The Suffrages are omitted. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc. The Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal

November 30th - First Sunday of Advent

The first Sunday of Advent is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is violet. During Advent bishops exchange their violet choir cassocks for black ones with a 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 dress. The Office of St. Andrew the Apostle is transferred to Monday.

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

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem venturum and this is sung in both the Dominical and ferial Offices of Advent until the third Sunday. The Office 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 as the Te Deum omitted in the Office of Advent.

At Lauds the antiphons In illa die etc, proper to Advent Sunday, are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Vox clara ecce intonat. There are no commemorations and 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 occurring 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-deacon 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 there is a colour change to red and first Vespers of St. Andrew the Apostle are sung. The antiphons Salve crux etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn is Exsultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal

November 23rd - XXVII and last Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-sixth and last Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgcial colour is green. It is also the fifth Sunday of November. . 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.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Cantantibus organis etc were sung with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126, & 147. From the chapter the Office was of the Sunday with the Office hymn O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the on the Magnificat was Super muros tuosfor the Saturday before the fifth Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Cecilia 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 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. 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 are sung.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The texts of the XXIV Sunday are used. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or rector of the place. 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 commemorations are sung of the transferred feast of St. Clement and of St. Chrysogonus 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 are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal