The great feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is a double feast with an Octave. The liturgical colour for the feast and Octave is white. The celebration of the feast on June 24th is ancient and is mentioned by the Council of Agde in 506 and in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum. The Octave Day of Corpus Christi is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.
At first Vespers yesterday the antiphons, Ipse praeibit etc, were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Ut queant laxis resonare fibris. The hymn famously rises through a scale in its verses: Ut (Doh), Resonare, Mira, Famuli, Solve, Labii. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Octave Day of Corpus Christi. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation, Gloria tibi Domine, Qui natus es de Virgine etc.
At Mattins the invitatory is proper Regem Praecursoris Dominum, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is Antra deserti teneris sub annis. The antiphons and responsories are proper for all three nocturns. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2 & 3) the lessons are taken from the Incipit of the Prophet Jeremiah. These are identical to those found in the modern editions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 4, 5 & 8) the lessons are taken from a sermon by St. Augustine on the saints. The first lesson is slightly shorter than that found in the modern books with the omitted text beginning the second lesson. In the third nocturn (Pss. 14, 20 & 23) the homily is from the writings of St. Ambrose on the first chapter of St. Luke's Gospel. These are the same as in modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.
At Lauds the antiphons Elisabeth Zachariae etc are sung with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150). The Office hymn is O nimis felix. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Octave Day of Corpus Christi.
At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. The antiphons of Lauds are sung with the Dominical psalms. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) the lectio brevis is Reges videbunt.
Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass is proper, De ventre. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave Day of Corpus Christi. The Creed is sung - as the feast falls within the Octave of Corpus Christi - and the preface is of the Nativity. The last Gospel is of the Sunday.
At second Vespers the antiphons sung at Lauds are sung again with the psalms from Vespers for the Common of Apostles. The hymn Ut queant laxis is again sung, the rest of the Office is proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Octave Day of Corpus Christi. At Compline Te lucis has the Doxology of the Incarnation.
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I am very interested in the rubrics regarding the overlapping of two or more octaves. Obviously, today is a very interesting day, since we have the relatively rare occurrence of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist and the Octave Day of Corpus Christi.
ReplyDeleteCan I ask a question regarding the ranking of octaves? What happens if the Octave of the Dedication of the Church should overlap with another octave? Which octave outranks the other? As a practical example, what would happen if the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Baptist in the city of -------- were to celebrate the Anniversary of its Dedication on 21 June? What office would be celebrated on 25-27 June, i.e. on the days within both octaves? Would it be of the Octave of the Dedication with a commemoration of the Octave of Saint John?
And, incidentally, how would the feast of the Dedication of the Cathedral be celebrated in the rest of the diocese? Would it be a solemn feast with an octave, or would it be an ordinary double feast?
TFD,
ReplyDeleteThank you for such interesting questions. The precedence amongst overlapping Octaves depends on the nature and rank of their feasts. The rules concerning precedence of feasts (of the same rank) grew ever more complex, particularly after 1911-13 with quality, dignity, external solemnity etc. Basically, the Dedication Octave would come before an Octave in the Universal Calendar like St. John the Baptist. There had been an-ongoing difference of opinion as to whether the feast of the dedication of a church was a feast of the LORD which SRC finally confirmed as late as 1896.
Prior to 1911-13 the Octave of the feast of the Dedication of the Cathedral was observed only by secular clergy with the Religious observing the feast as second class, without Octave, only when they were based within the Cathedral's city.
Very interesting, thank you!
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