November 15th - XXIII Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and is the fourth Sunday of November. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the passages where the LORD heals a woman with an issue of blood and raises Jairus' daughter from the dead.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Vespers for Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Qui caelorum for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of November. 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 Primo dierum omnium. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are the Incipit of the book of Osee. The first lesson is longer than that found in the modern editions of the Breviary and continues Et dixit Dominus... until ...conteram arcum Israel in valle Jezrahel. The second lesson begins Et concepit adhuc..., approximately a third through the modern second lesson, and continues until ... et non numerabitur (the last third of the modern third lesson). The third lesson begins Et erit, in loco ubi dicetur eis... and continues past the end of the modern third lesson Dicite fratribus vestris... until ... interficiam eam siti, i.e. Cap. 2, vv. 1 -3. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the writing of St. Augustine on the City of God. These are longer than those found in the modern Breviaries: the fourth lesson includes half the text of the modern fifth lesson, the fifth lesson includes the remaining text of the modern fifth lesson and all of the modern sixth. The sixth lesson is not found in the modern editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The seventh lesson contains the text of both the modern seventh and eighth lessons. The eighth lesson consists of all of the text found in the modern ninth lesson and additional text absent from the modern books. The text of the ninth lesson is entirely absent from the later editions of the Breviary. 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 Aeterne. After the collect of 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 are sung.

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 A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung..

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator. 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. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

November 8th - Octave Day of All Saints

The Octave Day of All Saints is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, and the third Sunday of November, is commemorated in the Office and at Mass. This year the second Sunday of November and its week are omitted. 

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn was Christe Redemptor omnium. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Sunday (the antiphon being Muro tuo for the Saturday before the third Sunday of November) and of the Four Crowned Martyrs. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper and the hymn, Christe Redemptor omnium, is again sung as on the feast. In the first nocturn the antiphons Novit Dominus etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 1, 4 and 8. The lessons in the first nocturn are taken from occurring scripture i.e. from the third Sunday in November, the Incipit of the book of Daniel the Prophet. These are almost the same as in the modern editions of the Breviary but, unusually the Tridentine third lesson is slightly shorter ending ... facies cum servis tuis. In the second nocturn the antiphons Domine, qui operati etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 14, 23 and 31. The lessons are from St. Cyprian's writings. These are longer than those found in the modern editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Timete Dominum etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 33, 60 and 96. The homily is from St. Augustine. These lessons are identical to those found in the modern editions. Today the ninth lesson appointed for the Four Crowned Martyrs is omitted and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons appointed for the homily of the twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost. These are from St. Hiliary on St. Matthew's Gospel and are the same as those found in later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc are sung with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 99, 92, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150). The Office hymn is Jesu salvator saeculi. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of the Four Crowned Martyrs. The antiphons of Lauds are sung at the Hours in the usual way. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. The lectio brevis is proper to the feast and octave, Benedictio et claritas.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect of the Four Crowned Martyrs. The Creed is sung, the common preface is sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday. 

At Vespers the antiphons Vidi turbam magnam are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. From the chapter, Vidi civitatem, the Office is of feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. The Office hymn is Urbs beata Jerusalem. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Octave Day of All Saints, of the Sunday and of St. Theodore. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline. Icon: All Saints Antiochian Orthodox Church, Illinois.

November 1st - All Saints

The feast of All Saints is a double feast with Octave. The universal celebration of this feast developed from the dedication of the Pantheon to St. Mary and the Martyrs. This dedication took place on May 13th 610. In some places, and the in Byzantine East to this day, a celebration of All Saints took place after Trinity Sunday. The celebration of the feast spread and Gregory IV transferred the feast and dedication to November 1st in 835. Louis the Pious spread the celebration throughout his empire and the feast entered the Universal Calendar. Sixtus IV gave the feast an Octave in the fifteenth century. The liturgical colour for the feast, and its Octave, is white. The feast was preceded yesterday by a Vigil. The twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost, and first Sunday of November, is commerated in the Office and at Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Christe Redemptor omnium. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Vidi Dominum for the Saturday before the first Sunday of November). The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem regum Dominum, Venite adoremus: Quia ipse est corona sanctorum omnium. The Office hymn is Christe Redemptor omnium. In the first nocturn the antiphons Novit Dominus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 1, 4 and 8. The lessons are taken from the book of the Apocalypse. These are the same as in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn the antiphons Domine, qui operati etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 14, 23 and 31. The lessons are the same as in the modern editions but these are attributed to St. Augustine rather than St. Bede. In the third nocturn the antiphons Timete Dominum etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 33, 60 and 96. The homily in the third nocturn is from St. Augustine. The lessons are the same as in the modern editions. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form an extended eighth lesson of the feast. The ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons appointed for the Sunday. These are from a homily of St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The seventh lesson, of the Sunday, is longer than that found in the modern editions and contains the text Quod ut manifestius...to si et ipsi dimittant minora peccantibus, about half of the modern eighth lesson. The eighth lesson (of the Sunday) begins Si autem ob factam and continues with all the remaining text of the modern eighth lesson but then continues Oblatus est ei unus... to ...et peccatoris appellari stultitiam, text not found in the modern books. The ninth lesson (of the Sunday) begins Sed quo modos.. and continues to..nec a prudentibus viris recipiendae text which, again, is absent from the modern books and then continues with Sic et Pater meus and the rest of the text of the modern ninth lesson. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 99, 92, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Jesu salvator saeculi. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday anf of St. Caesarius.

The antiphons sung at Lauds, Vidi turbam magnum etc, are used at the Hours in the usual order. Prime has the festal arrangement (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii) and the lectio brevis, Benedictio et claritas, is proper to the feast and sung throughout the Octave. Both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

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

At second Vespers the antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc are again sung with psalms from the Common of Apostles but the fifth psalm is Ps. 115, Credidi. The Office hymn is, as yesterday, Christe Redemptor omnium. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. The Suffrage is omitted. After Benedicamus Domino and its response Vespers of the Dead are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Image: Missale Romanum 1572 Paris Google Books.

October 25th - XX Sunday after Pentecost

The twentieth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the fourth Sunday of October. The Gospel pericopes from St. John's Gospel give the account of the healing of the ruler's son at Capharnaum.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Vespers for Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Exaudiat Dominus for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of October. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of SS Chrysanthus and Daria 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 . At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Primo dierum omnium. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are the Incipit of the Second book of Machabees. The first lesson is longer than that found in the modern editions of the Breviary. After ... sumus orantes pro vobis the lesson continues Regnante Demetrio anno ... until ... mensis Casleu (vv. 7 - 9). The second lesson is absent from the modern editions. It begins Anno centesimo octogesimo ... and continues until Per omnia benedictus Deus, qui tradidit impios (vv. 10 - 17). The third lesson contains the text of both the modern second and third lessons. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the writing of St. Chrysostom on the Psalms. These are longer than those found in the modern Breviaries. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Gregory on St. John's Gospel. These lessons are significantly longer than in the modern editions. By the eighth lesson all three modern lessons have been read and there is additional material from the homily to complete the Tridentine eighth lesson. The ninth lesson is entirely absent from the modern editions. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read together as an extended eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is comprised of the two lessons, read as one, appointed for the feast of SS Chrysanthus and Daria. 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 Aeterne. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of SS Chrysanthus and Daria is sung followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine.

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 of SS Chrysanthus and Daria, the third collect is A cunctis. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Evaristus 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 . At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal