January 16th - Second Sunday after the Epiphany

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel fragment at Mattins and the Gospel at Mass are St. John's account of the Marriage Feast at Cana. The semi-double feast of St. Marcellus is transferred to Wednesday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Domine quinque talenta etc, from the Common of a Confessor non-Bishop, were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. From the chapter, O Altitudo, Vespers were of the Sunday, the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of St Paul the first Hermit. After the commemoration 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 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 Epistle to the Galatians. The first and second lessons are the same as those in the post-Clement editions of the Breviary. The third lesson is longer and continues Cum autem placuit (...) eum diebus quindecim, i.e. the addition of vv. 15 - 18. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from St. Augustine's Expositon on the Epistle to the Galatians. These are the same as those found in later editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. Again, the lessons are the same as those found in later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150 are sung. The Office hymn is Aeterne rerum conditor. After the collect of the Sunday 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 of the BVM Deus, qui salutis, the third collect is Ecclesiae. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

After None there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the double feast of St. Anthony the Abbot are sung. The antiphons Domine quinque talenta are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Iste Confessor. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal

January 9th - Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany

The 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.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc were sung, not doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The chapter, Fratres: Obsecro vos, was proper to the Sunday. The Office hymn was Hostis Herodes impie. After the collect of the Sunday within the Octave commemorations were sung of the Octave of the Epiphany (the antiphon on the Magnificat being proper to the third day within the Octave, the 8th January, Lux de luce. 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 tomorrow.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christus apparuit nobis, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is Hostis Herodes impie. The antiphons and psalms are as on the second day within the Octave. In the first nocturn the Incipit of St. Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians is read. 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 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 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 the festal psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150). The chapter is proper to the Sunday, as sung at Vespers yesterday, 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 Hodie caelesti etc.

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, not doubled, 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 as on the feast, Tribus miraculis. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Domincal preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal

January 2nd - Octave Day of St. Stephen the Protomartyr

The Octave Day of St. Stephen the Protomartyr is of double rite and its liturgical colour, fron Mattins until after None, is red.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Circumcision were sung. The antiphons O admirabile commercium were sung with Pss. Pss.109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The versicle and its respond and the antiphon on the Magnificat were proper to second Vespers of the feast. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Octave Day of St. Stephen.

At Mattins the invitatory is as on the feast, Christum natum, qui beatum hodie coronavit Stephanum. The Office hymn is Deus, tuorum militum sung with the Doxology of the Nativity. In the first nocturn the antiphons In lege Domini etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 1, 2 & 3 all from the Common of a Martyr. The lessons are from the seventh and eighth chapters of the Acts of the Apostles with responsories proper to the feast. The first lesson begins Tabernaculum tesmimonii fuit cum patribus (7:44) and continues until the end of verse 50. This lesson is absent from the modern (pre-1911) books. The second lesson begins Dura cervice... and continues until the end of verse 55, ...a dextris virtutis Dei, i.e. including the first sentence of the 'modern' second lesson. The third lesson begins Exclamantes autem... and continues until ...planctum magnum super eum. In the second nocturn the antiphons Filii hominum etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 4, 5 & 8 and the lessons are from a sermon of St. Augustine. These lessons are significantly longer than those found in the later books. In the third nocturn the antiphons Justus Dominus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 10, 14 & 20. The homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The ninth lesson is a sentence longer than that found in the modern books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the proper antiphons, Lapidaverunt Stephanum etc., are sung, doubled, with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150). The Office hymn is Martyr Dei, qui unicum sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. After the collect of the feast, proper to the Octave Day, commemorations are sung of the Octave of St. John and the Octave of the Holy Innocents.

At Prime the antiphon Lapidaverunt Stephanum is sung with the festal psalms (53, 118i & 118ii). The short responsory has the versicle of the Incarnation and the lectio brevis is Positis autem. At the other Little Hours the antiphons sung at Lauds are used in the usual order. The hymns of the Little Hours have the tone and Doxology of the Incarnation.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung and the second collect is of the Octave of St. John, the third collect of the Octave of the Holy Innocents. The Credo is sung. The preface is of the Nativity.

In the afternoon the liturgical colour changes to white and Vespers are from the chapter of the following Octave Day of St. John. The antiphons Lapidavernunt Stephanum etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The chapter is Qui timet Deum etc., and the Office hymn Exultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of St. John commemorations are sung of the Octave Day of St. Stephen and the Octave of the Holy Innocents.

December 26th - St Stephen the Protomartyr

The feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr is a double feast with an Octave. The liturgical colour of the day is red. Many saints, originally more than now, were celebrated around the Nativity of the LORD. These were described as the 'comites Christi' . e.g. St. James the Lesser and King David. In 'modern' calendars we are left with St. Stephen, St. John the Evangelist, and the Holy Innocents. Yesterday a commemoration of St. Stephen was sung at Second Vespers of the Nativity. The feast takes complete precedence over the Sunday which is transferred to after the comites Christi feasts.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper, Christum natum, qui beatum hodie coronavit Stephanum. The Office hymn is Deus, tuorum militum sung with the Doxology of the Nativity. In the first nocturn the antiphons In lege Domini etc are sung with psalms 1, 2 & 3 all from the Common of a Martyr. The lessons are from the Acts of the Apostles with responsories proper to the feast. The first lesson consists of the text of both the first and second lessons in the post-Clementine editions. The second lesson has the entire text of the third lesson and continues Audivimus enim eum (...) tamquam faciem angeli, i.e. with the inclusion of vv. 14-16 of chapter 6. The third lesson, entirely absent from the later editions is from chapter 7 vv. 1-8. In the second nocturn the antiphons Filii hominum etc are sung with psalms 4, 5 & 8 and the lessons are from a sermon of St. Fulgentius on St. Stephen's martyrdom. The lessons are longer than those found in the later editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Justus Dominus etc are sung with psalms 10, 14 & 20. The homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The seventh and eighth lessons are marginally longer than those found in the later books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the proper antiphons, Lapidaverunt Stephanum etc., is sung with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150). The Office hymn is Martyr Dei, qui unicum sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Octave of the Nativity.

At Prime the antiphon Lapidaverunt Stephanum is sung with the festal psalms (53, 118i & 118ii). The short responsory has the versicle of the Incarnation and the lectio brevis is Positis autem. At the other Little Hours the psalms of Lauds are used in the usual order. The hymns of the Little Hours have the tone and Doxology of the Incarnation.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung and the second collect is of the Nativity. The Credo are sung. The preface and communicantes are of the Nativity.

Vespers are Second Vespers of the Nativity, but from the chapter they are of St. Stephen. The chapter is proper, the hymn Deus tuorum militum. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of St. John the Evangelist and the Octave of the Nativity of the LORD.

December 19th - 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 (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The Office hymn was Conditor alme siderum. The Great 'O' Antiphon O Adonai, proper to the 18th of December, was sung entire both before and after the Magnificat. The Suffrages, being Advent, were omitted. 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 as 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 Office hymn is Vox clara ecce intonat. The Suffrages are omitted.

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 is Qui venturus es in mundum. 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 etc. 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.

At Vespers the antiphons Canite tuba in Sion etc are again sung now with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Conditor alme siderum. The Great 'O' antiphon on the Magnificat is O radix Jesse. The Suffrages are omitted. After Benedicamus Domino and its response Vespers of the Dead are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal