May 8th - The Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel

The feast of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The fifth Sunday after Pascha is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Stetit Angelus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Tibi Christe splendor Patris. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross was omitted due to the double feast. At Compline (Pss. 4, 30 vv 1-6, 90 & 133) the Dominical preces were also omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Archangelum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is again Tibi Christe splendor Patris. In the first nocturn the antiphon Concussum est mare etc is sung, doubled, with Pss 8, 10 & 14. The lessons are from the Prophet Daniel. These are the same as those found in the later books. In the second nocturn the antiphon Michael Archangeli etc is sung with Pss 18, 23 & 33. The lessons recount the apparition of St. Michael at Gargano at the time of Gelasius I. Again, these are the same as those in later editions. In the third nocturn the antiphon Angelus etc is sung with Pss 95, 96 & 102. The homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. These lessons are longer than those found (on 29th September) in the later books. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form an extended eight lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed from the three lessons appointed for the homily of the Sunday. These are from St. Augustine. The seventh lesson (of the Sunday) is longer than in modern recensions including Unde qui hoc... nomine non petit from the 'modern' eighth lesson (sharp eyed readers will notice the non). The eighth lesson runs Qui vero quod est de illo ... proculdubio tunc erit plenum, i.e. continuing into half of what is now the ninth lesson. The ninth lesson begins Quidquid ergo petitur and continues for several more sentences absent from the post-Clementine books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Stetit Angelus etc are sung with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Christe sanctorum decus Angelorum. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Paschal Commmemoration of the Cross is omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns have the Doxology of Paschaltide. The antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order, at Prime the lectio brevis is Factum est praelium etc and the Domincial preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung, the preface is of Paschaltide and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Stetit Angelus etc are sung with Pss 109, 110, 111, 112 & 137. The Office hymn is, again, Tibi Christe splendor Patris. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Gregory Nazianzen and of the Sunday. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology of Paschaltide and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the double feasts.