January 7th - Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany

Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke's Gospel describe the Finding in the Temple with the LORD debating with the learned doctors to the amazement of those who witnessed this manifestation of Him.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of the feast of the Epiphany. The antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn was Hostis Herodes impie. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung. The Suffrages were omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine, Qui apparuisti hodie etc as are the hymns of the Hours throughout the Octave. The Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christus apparuit nobis, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is Hostis Herodes impie. In the first nocturn Pss. 28, 45 & 46 are sung. The lessons are the Incipit of St. Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians. The lessons are longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions: The first lesson includes the modern second lesson Gratias ago Deo meo ... Christi, Domini nostri. The second lesson begins Obsecro autem, the same as the modern third lesson. The third lesson is absent from the modern editions, Gratias ago Deo...prudentiam reprobabo, i.e. vv. 14 - 19. The first responsory is Hodie, the other responsories as on the feast. In the second nocturn Pss. 65, 71 & 85 are sung and the lessons are from a sermon of St. Leo (again these are longer than in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary). In the third nocturn Pss.86, 95 & 96 are sung and the homily is from St. Augustine, the lessons are the same as in the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons from the feast, Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung, not doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The chapter is proper to the Sunday and the Office hymn is O Sola magnarum urbium. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Octave, the antiphon on the Benedictus is Ab Oriente etc., proper to the 7th January.

At the Hours the psalms of Lauds are used in the usual sequence. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii) the versicle Qui apparuisti hodie is sung (as it is for the entire Octave) and the lectio brevis is Sicut enim in uno corpore etc. The Dominical preces are omitted being within the Octave.

The Mass In excelso throno is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave. Being a Sunday within an Octave there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the communicantes and Hanc igitur are of the Epiphany.

At Vespers the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are again sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Hostis Herodes impie. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the Octave is sung, the antiphon on the Magnificat being proper to the 7th January, Videntes stellam Magi. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Domincal preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal