January 13th - Octave Day of the Epiphany

The Octave Day of the Epiphany is of double rite and its liturgical colour, like that of the feast and the days within the Octave, is white. When the Epiphany and its Octave day fall on a Sunday the Sunday within the Octave is anticipated on the Saturday. Yesterday, in the Office of the anticipated Sunday the lessons in the first nocturn were from the sixteenth chapter of Romans, Commendo autem etc.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116 as were sung as first Vespers of the Epiphany. The Office hymn was Hostis Herodes impie. The collect was proper to the Octave Day. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the anticipated Sunday within the Octave.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christus apparuit nobis, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Hostis Herodes impie. The special arrangement being for the feast only. The antiphons Afferte Domino etc are sung, doubled, with the psalms of the feast. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Epistle to the Corinthians, Paulus vocatus Apostolus. These are significantly longer than those found in the later editions. The first responsory is Hodie. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Gregory the Theologian. Again, these are significantly longer than those found in the post-Clementine books. In the third nocturn the homily if from St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel. Yet again, these are longer than those found in the later books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is O sola magnarum urbium. The collect is proper to the Octave Day Deus, cujus Unigenitus.

At the Hours the hymns have the Doxology and melody of the Epiphany. The antiphons and psalms are sung as on the feast but with the proper collect of the Octave Day.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass formulary is the same as on the feast except the orations and Gospel are proper. The Gloria is sung, the Creed is sung and the preface and communicantes are of the Epiphany.

At Vespers the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is, again, Hostis Herodes impie. After the collect of the Octave Day commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Hilary of Poitiers and of St. Felix.


Icon: Russian, 15th century, Wikipedia

January 6th - The Epiphany of the LORD

The feast of the Epiphany is of double rank with an Octave. The liturgical colour of the feast and its Octave is white.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc were sung, doubled, with the psalms from the First Vespers of the Common of Apostles (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). The chapter, Surge, illuminare, Jerusalem was from Isaiah, the Office hymn was Hostis Herodes impie. For the feast and its octave a Doxology in honour of the LORD's manifestation is sung at all hymns of Iambic metre: Gloria tibi Domine, Qui apparuisti hodie, Cum Patre, et Sancto Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. The rest of the Office is proper. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology and tone of the feast.

Mattins begins, without Domine labia me, invitatory and hymn, with with the first antiphon of the first nocturn, Afferte Domino. Psalms 28, 45 & 46 are sung. The lessons in the first nocturn are from Isaiah. These are the same as in the post-Clement editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn the antiphons Omnis terra adoret te etc are sung with psalms 65, 71 & 85 and the lessons are from a sermon on the Epiphany by St. Leo. The fifth and sixth lessons are longer than those found in the post-Clement editions. In the third nocturn the antiphon Venite adoremus eum etc is sung with Ps. 94, Venite , the usual invitatory psalm, in a responsorial manner. Psalms 95 and 96 are also sung in the third nocturn. The homily on St. Matthew's Gospel if from St. Gregory. These are considerably longer than those found in the later editions. The text of the last sentence of the eighth lesson and the entire ninth lesson are absent from the post-Clementine books. The Te Deum is sung.

After the last lesson of Mattins (or after Compline) the celebrant vested in amice, alb, stole and cope and assisted by deacon and subdeacon celebrates the solemn Blessing of the Waters. The rite (which can be found in the Marquess of Bute's excellent study 'The Blessing of Waters on the Eve of the Epiphany') contains antiphons, a Litany, an OT reading, a Gospel, numerous lengthy prayers, a preface, Sanctus, Pater noster etc., and culminates in a Cross being plunged by the celebrant into the waters whilst the choir sings Baptizatur Christus, et sanctificatur omnis mundus: et tribuit nobis remissionem peccatorum: aqua et Spiritu omnes purificamur. (Christ is baptized, and all the world is hallowed, and He granteth unto us the remission of sins. We are purified by water and the Spirit). There are clearly strong parallels with other solemn blessings such as that used for the Palms and the font on Holy Saturday.

At Lauds the antiphons Ante luciferum genitusetc are sung, doubled, with the psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The chapter is Surge, illuminare from Isaiah and the Office hymn is O sola magnarum urbium.

At the Little Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii), in the short responsory, a versicle Qui apparuisti hodie is sung today and during the Octave, the short lesson is Omnes de Saba. The Doxology Gloria tibi Domine, Qui apparuisti gentibus etc is sung at the hymns of the Little Hours.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass, Ecce advenit, is proper. The Gloria and Credo are sung. The preface and communicantes in the Canon are proper to the feast. After the Gospel of the Mass the Moveable Feasts for the year are traditionally announced.

At Vespers the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 11, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Hostis Herodes impie. The antiphon on the Magnificat is Tribus miraculis. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

December 30th -Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity of the LORD

Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons, not doubled, and psalms from second Vespers of the Nativity were sung. The chapter was of the Sunday. The Office hymn was Jesu, Redemptor omnium. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of St. Thomas of Canterbury, of the Octave of the Nativity and of the Octaves of St. Stephen, St. John and the Holy Innocents. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christus natus est nobis, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Christe, Redemptor omnium,> The antiphons, not doubled, and psalms are as on the feast of the Nativity of the LORD. In the first nocturn the Incipit of the Epistle to the Romans is read. The first lesson is identical to that found in the later editions (in the post-1914 Breviary Romans begins on the 29th December not the 30th). The second lesson is longer and continues with about half of the verses from the modern third lesson, Nolo autem vos ignorare fratres (...) qui Romae estis, evangelizare. The third lesson begins Non enim erubesco... and continues until ...se esse sapientes, stulti facti sunt, i.e. until v. 22. The responsories of the Octave are sung. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Leo on the Nativity. These are longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions so the fourth and fifth lessons contain the text of the later fourth, fifth and sixth. The sixth lesson is absent from the later editions. In the third nocturn the homily is taken from St. Augustine's writings on the second chapter of St. Luke's Gospel. These are marginally longer than those found in the later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons from the Nativity, Quem vidistis etc., are sung, without doubling, with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The chapter is proper to the Sunday and the Office hymn is A solis ortus cardine. The versicle is Verbum caro etc and its respond Et habitavit etc. The antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the Octave of the Nativity, and of the Octaves of St. Stephen, St. John and the Holy Innocents.

At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. The hymns of the Hours are sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i, & 118ii) the lectio brevis is proper to the Sunday, Itaque jam non est servus.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass formulary is Dum medium etc. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave of the Nativity, the third collect of the Octave of St. Stephen, the fourth collect of the Octave of St. John and the fifth collect of the Octave of the Holy Innocents. The Creed is sung and the preface and communicantes are of the Nativity.

At Vespers the antiphons, not doubled, and psalms of the Nativity are sung. From the chapter the Office is of the following feast of St. Sylvester of Rome. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday, the Octave of the Nativity, and of the Octaves of St. Stephen, St. John and of the Holy Innocents. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

December 23rd - Fourth Sunday of Advent

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

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The chapter, Fratres: Sic nos existimet homo was from the first Epistle to the Corinthians and the Office hymn was Conditor alme siderum. The antiphon on the Magnificat was O Rex Gentium which was sung entire both before and after the Canticle with the choir standing. After the collect of the Sunday the usual Suffrages are omitted being Advent. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Prope est jam Dominus and 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 taken from the prophet Isaiah. The first and second lessons are the same as those found in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. The third lesson is slightly longer continuing Viderunt insulae ... eum clavis, ut non moveretur, (i.e. the addition of Cap. 41 vv. 5 -7). 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 on fasting in the tenth month. These lesson 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. Luke's Gospel. These are the same as those found in the modern editions. A ninth responsory, Intuemini, is sung and the Te Deum omitted in the Office of Advent.

At Lauds the antiphons Canite tuba in Sion etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The hymn is Vox clara ecce intonat. The antiphon on the Benedictus is proper to the 23rd December, Ecce completa sunt etc. As noted above for Vespers the Suffrages are omitted in Advent.

At Prime the first antiphon from Lauds, Canite tuba in Sion, is sung with the usual Dominical psalms 53, 117, 118i, 118ii 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 folded chasubles. The introit is the delightful Rorate, caeli. 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 and the common preface is sung. 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 from Lauds, Canite tuba in Sion etc, are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Conditor alme siderum. The antiphon on the Magnificat is O Emmanuel etc which is sung entire both before and after the Canticle with the choir standing. The Suffrages are omitted. Following Vespers of the Sunday Vespers of the Dead are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal