August 30th - XII Sunday after Pentecost

The twelfth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and is, this year, the first Sunday of September. The liturgical colour is green from the Office of Mattins onwards.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist were sung. The antiphons Herodes enim tenuit etc were sung, doubled, with the psalms from the Common of Martyrs (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115). After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat was Cum audisset Job for the Saturday before the first Sunday of September) and of SS Felix and Adauctus. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the liturgical colour changes to green. 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) are sung. The lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Job. The first lesson continues until ...et biberunt cum eis in what is now the modern second lesson. The second lesson begins Cumque in orbem... and continues until Circuivi terram et perambulavi eam. The third lesson begins Dixitque Dominus ad eum... and continues until ...Satan a facie Domini(v.12) In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory the Great. These are the same as those in the modern books. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Bede on St. Luke's Gospel. These lessons are longer than those found in modern editions with lessons seven and eight comprising of the text of all of the later third nocturn lessons. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form an extended eighth lesson of the Sunday and the ninth lesson is that appointed in the Breviary for SS Felix and Adauctus. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite148-49-150) are sung. The Office hymn is Ecce . After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of SS Felix and Adauctus is sung followed by the 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.

At Prime (Pss. 53, 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Felix and Adauctus, the third collect is A cunctis. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are of Sunday (Ps. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). After the collect of the day a commemorations are sung of St. Giles and of Twelve Holy Brothers followed by the Suffrages of 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.


Art: Jerome Nadal