August 15th - The Assumption

Gaudeamus omnes in Domino , diem festum celebrantes sub honore beate Mariae Virginis: de cujus Assumptione gaudent Angeli et collaudant Filium Dei. (Introit)

The feast of the Assumption is of double rite with an Octave. The liturgical colour of the feast, and Octave, is white. The tenth Sunday after Pentecost is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

At first Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Assumpta est Maria etc were sung with Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was Ave maris stella. After the collect of feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung, the antiphon on the Magnificat being Omnis sapientia for the Sunday before the third Sunday of August. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation Gloria tibi Domine etc.

At Mattins the invitatory, Venite, adoremus Regem regum, Cujus hodie ad aethereum Virgo Mater assumpta est in caelum, is proper to the feast. The Office hymn is Quem terra, pontus. In the first nocturn the antiphons Exaltata est etc are sung with psalms 8, 18 & 23. The lessons in the first nocturn are taken from the Incipiunt of the Canticle of Canticles. These are the same as those found in later editions of the Breviary until the 1950s when this most venerable of Offices was destroyed by wicked men. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with psalms 44, 45 & 86. The lessons are from a sermon of St. Athanasius. The more familiar texts from St. John Damascene appear in the Clementine edition of the Breviary. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude, Maria virgo etc are sung with psalms 95, 96 & 97. The homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from St. Augustine's 27th Sermon on the Words of the Lord. These are the same as those found in the post-Clementine editions. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form an extended ninth lesson and the ninth lesson is formed from the three lessons given for the homily of the Sunday. These are from a homily of St. Augustine on St. Luke's Gospel and are considerably longer than those found in post-Clementine editions so the text of the ninth lesson (appointed for the Sunday) is now entirely absent the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Assumpta est Maria etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is O gloriosa Domina. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns are sung with the proper Doxology and tone, Gloria tibi Domine etc. In the short responsory at Prime Qui natus es de Virgine is sung, both today and throughout the Octave, and the lectio brevis is In plateis.

Mass is celebrated after Terce. The Mass formulary, Gaudeamus, is a particularly beautiful set of texts. The Gloria is sung. The second collect is of the Sunday. The Epistle is a sublime cento from the Book of Wisdom that also forms the chapters at the Office. The gradual Propter veritatem is very ancient. The Credo is sung, the preface is of the BVM and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

In the afternoon at second Vespers all is sung as at first Vespers except the antiphon on the Magnificat which today is Hodie Maria Virgo caelos ascendit: gaudete, quia cum Christo regnat in aeternum. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

Icon: The Dormition by Theophanus the Greek, 14th century.

August 8th - IX Sunday after Pentecost

The ninth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the second Sunday of August. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke's Gospel contain the account of the LORD casting out the money lenders in the temple. The semi-double feast of SS Cyriacus, Largus & Smaragdus is transferred to Monday.

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 Ego in altissimis for the Saturday before the second Sunday of August. 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 were sung. 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)the lessons are from the Incipit of the Book of Ecclesiastes. The second lesson is longer than that found in modern editions of the Breviary and continues with what is now the beginning of the third lesson, Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israel... until ...ut occuparentur in ea. The third lesson begins Vidi cuncta... and continue until ...addit dolorum ending with the last verse of Ch. 1. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the homily of St. Chrysostom against concubines. These are considerably longer than those found in modern recensions so that the text of the sixth lesson is entirely absent from the modern books. 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. The Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. 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 commemorations are sung of the following, transferred, feast of SS SS Cyriacus, Largus & Smaragdus and of St. Romanus 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.

August 1st - St. Peter ad Vincula

The feast of St. Peter ad Vincula, St. Peter in Chains, is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. It is the dedication feast of the Basilica of St. Peter ad vincula in Rome. Today is also the first Sunday of August and the eighth Sunday after Pentecost which is commemorated in the Office and Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Herodes rex etc were sung, doubled, with the psalms for first Vespers of Apostles, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Petrus beatus catenarum laqueos. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of St. Paul the Apostle, the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Sapientia for the Saturday before the first Sunday of August) and of the Holy Machabees.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn Quodcumque vinclis. In the first nocturn the antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung with psalms 18, 33 & 44 from the Common of Apostles. The lessons are from the twelfth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. These are the same as those found in the modern editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum etc are sung with psalms 46, 60 & 63. The lessons in the second nocturn are hagiographical and tell of Eudoxia, daughter of the Emperor Theodosius, receiving part of the chains in Rome from her mother Eudocia and seeing them re-united with links that had been preserved there. Again, these are the same as those found in modern books. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel as on the feast of SS Peter and Paul. The eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form the eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is formed of the texts for the homily of the Sunday. These are from St. Jerome on St. Luke's Gospel and are longer than those found in later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Herodes rex etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The hymn is Jam bone pastor Petre. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of St. Paul the Apostle, the Sunday and of the Holy Machabees.

At Prime the antiphon Herodes rex is sung with psalms 53, 118i & 118ii. Quicumque is omitted. The lectio brevis is Et Petrus as se reversus dixit.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Paul, the third collect of the Sunday and the fourth of the Holy Machabees. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Apostles and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At second Vespers the antiphons Herodes rex etc are again sung, at this Office with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn is Petrus beatus catenarum laqueos. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of St. Paul, the Sunday and of St. Stephen.

Icon: Orthodox Monastery Icons

July 25th - St. James the Apostle

The feast of St. James the Apostle is of double rite. The liturgical colour of the day is red. Today is also the seventh Sunday after Pentecost and the Sunday is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass. St. James, often referred to as St. James the Great to distinguish him from St. James the Less (May 1st), suffered martyrdom by the sword under Agrippa I. His remains were tranferred to Santiago di Compostella in northern Spain, resulting in the city becoming a major pilgrimage destination in Medieval times. The Vigil of St. James was observed yesterday.

At first Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc, from the Common of Apostles, were sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The texts, apart from the collect, are taken from the same Common. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted because of the double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Aeterna Christi munera. In the first nocturn the antiphons from the Common, In omnem terram etc., are sung with psalms 18, 33 & 44. The lessons come from St. Paul's first Epistle to the Corinthians. The first and second lessons are the same as those found in modern editions of the Breviary but the third lesson is substantially longer continuing Rogo ergo vos... until ...et spiritu mansuetudinis, i.e. the inclusion of vv. 16-21. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum etc are sung with psalms 46, 60 & 63. In the second nocturn the hagiographical lessons are proper to the feast of St. James. The fourth and sixth lessons are the same as those found in modern editions but the fifth lesson begins with the additional two words Verum Jacobus. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The lessons are from a homily of St. Chrysostom on St. Matthew's Gospel. These are virtually the same as in the modern Breviary. The eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form the eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons of the homily for the Sunday. These are from St. Hiliary on St. Matthew's Gospel and are the same as in modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum are again sung, this time with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150). After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Christopher. The Suffrages are omitted due to the double feast.

At Prime the antiphon Hoc est praeceptum meum is sung with the festal Psalms (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii). Quicumque and the Dominical preces are both omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, (in private Masses the third collect is of St. Christopher). The Credo is sung. The preface is of the Apostles and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Second Vespers are of the feast. The antiphons Juravit Dominus etc are sung with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Icon: Eighteenth century Russian icon of St. James from Wikipedia.