February 13th - Quinquagesima Sunday

Quinquagesima Sunday is of semi-double rite and it liturgical colour is violet. The Epistle consists of perhaps one of the most famous pericopes in the NT, St. Paul's discourse to the Corinthians on faith, hope and charity. The Gospel from St. Luke has the story of the granting of sight to the man born blind. This Sunday corresponds in the Byzantine rite to the Sunday of Forgiveness, or Cheesefare Sunday, the Sunday being the last day dairy products are eaten until Pascha.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. The chapter, antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper to Quinquagesima Sunday. 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 etc were sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins, as for the previous Sundays, the invitatory is Praeoccupemus and the Office hymn is Primo dierum. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung. The lessons, from Genesis, are the beginning of the story of Abraham. These are the same as those in found in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from St. Ambrose on the Patriarch Abraham. The fifth lesson is, unusually, slightly shorter than in later editions: Sed ideo addidit...Sequere Deum. The sixth lesson begins at the preceding verse to modern editions, Facto praevenit... In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are from a homily from St. Gregory on the Gospel. These are the same as those found in the later editions. The ninth responsory, Caecus sedebat, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to Quinquagesima Sunday, Secundum multitudinem etc., and are sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The versicle after the hymn Aeterne, chapter, antiphon at the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday. 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 etc are sung.

At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 53, 92, 118i, 118ii and Quicumque. The Dominical preces are sung. At all the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper to the Sunday

In Mass the Gloria is omitted, the second collect is A cunctis nos, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector of the place. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung. Following the general rule as the Gloria is not sung Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle and the organ may be played.

Vespers are of the Sunday with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Lucis Creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the following feast of St. Valentine is sung 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 etc. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

February 6th - Sexagesima Sunday

Sexagesima Sunday is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is violet. The Gospel pericopes are from St. Luke and the parable of the sower with his seed landing on rock, amongst weeds and the good ground. In the Kalendar of the Byzantine rite Sexagesima corresponds to the Sunday of the Last Judgement or Meatfare Sunday, the last day on which meat is eaten until Pascha.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Qui es tu etc were sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 147. From the chapter, Fratres: Libenter suffertis, the Office was of the Sunday. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Agatha and of St. Dorothy 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, as for Septuagesima Sunday, the invitatorium is Praeoccupemus and the hymn Primo dierum. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung. The lessons continue to be taken from Genesis are read concerning the story of Noah. The lessons are longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. The first continues Videns autem Deus ...me fecisse eos, i.e with most of the text of the modern second lesson. The second lesson begins Noe vero invenit ... and continues with all of the modern third lesson and the addition of verse 16: Fenestram in arca facies ... tristega facies in ea. The third lesson, the text of which is entirely absent from the modern books, begins Ecce ego ... and continues until Fecit igitur omnia quae praeceperat illi Deus, Gen. 6:17 - 22. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from St. Ambrose on Noah and the Ark. These are identical to those found in the modern edtions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20 the lessons are taken from a homily of St. Gregory. The eighth and ninth lessons are slightly longer than in the modern editions. A ninth responsory, Cum turba plurima, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to the Sunday, Secundum magnam misericordiam etc., and are sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The versicle after the hymn Aeterne, chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are all proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Dorothy 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 etc.

At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 53, 92, 118(i), 118(ii) and Quicumque. The Dominical preces are sung. At the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper.

In Mass there is no Gloria, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung. Following the general rule as the Gloria is not sung Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal by the deacon facing the altar. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) of Sunday are sung, the chapter is proper to Sexagesima Sunday as in the antiphon at the Magnificat, Vobis datum est etc. 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 are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

January 30th - Septuagesima Sunday

Septuagesima Sunday is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is violet. At Mattins the book of Genesis is begun with the account of the Creation. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew at Mattins and Mass contain the parable of the labourers in the vineyard. Yesterday the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany was anticipated as a day of simple rite with a single nocturn of the twelve ferial psalms and three lessons.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms (143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas and the antiphon on the Magnificat was proper to the Sunday, Dixit Dominus etc. 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 the conclusion of Vespers to Benedicamus Domino and its response a double Alleluia is added and after that Alleluia is not heard again until Holy Saturday. At Compline and at the beginning of all the Hours until the Triduum Laus tibi Domine Rex aeterne gloriae is sung in place of Alleluia. The Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatorium is Praeoccupemus as on preceding Sundays and the Office hymn is Primo dierum. 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 Genesis. These are the same as those found in modern editions. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from the Enchiridion of St. Augustine. These are substantially longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions and the sixth lesson is not found in the later books, the fifth lesson effectively having been divided into two. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are from a homily of St. Gregory on the Gospel of the labourers in the vineyard. Again, these are longer than those found in the modern editions. Today the text given for the eighth and ninth lessons are joined and an extended eighth lesson is read. The ninth lesson is that given for SS Faustinus and Jovita. The Te Deum is omitted and in its place a ninth responsory, Ubi est Abel frater tuus, is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to the Sunday, Miserere mei Deus etc, and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The versicle after the hymn Aeterne rerum conditor, chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to Septuagesima Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Santa Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc are sung.

At the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper to the Sunday. At Prime the order of psalmody is changed from the usual order. Under the antiphon Conventione autem Pss. 53, 92, 118i, 118ii and Quicumque are sung. The Dominical preces are also sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle. The Gloria is omitted, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect chosen by the Dean or rector. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino , sung by the Deacon facing the altar.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) of Sunday are sung, the chapter is proper to Septuagesima Sunday as in the antiphon at the Magnificat, Simile est etc. 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 are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

January 23rd - Third Sunday after the Epiphany

The third Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew record the LORD healing the leper and the centurion's servant.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Isti sunt sancti etc, from the Common of Several Martyrs, were sung, not doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. From the chapter the Office was of the Sunday. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas and the antiphon on the Magnificat was Suscepit Deus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of SS Vincent & Anastasius and then of St. Emerentiana 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 is 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 found in the modern editions, the third lesson is longer and continues Cum autem placuit ... diebus quindecim (vv. 15 - 18). In the second nocturn, Pss. 15, 16 & 17, the lessons are an Exposition on Galatians by St. Augustine. These are the same as in the modern editions. In the third nocturn, Pss. 18, 19 & 20, the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. These are the same as in the modern editions. The eighth and ninth lessons are read as one and the ninth lesson is the historical lesson for St. Emerentiana. 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 rerum conditor. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Emerentiana 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 St. Emerentiana, the third collect is Deus, qui salutis. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

At Vespers (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) the Office hymn is Lucis Creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Timothy followed by the 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