May 15th - Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension

Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The theme of Thursday's great feast of the Ascension continues with the majority of the texts used today coming from the feast itself.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons for the feast, Viri Galilaei etc were sung, not doubled, with the psalms as sung on the feast (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). The chapter was of the Sunday, the Office hymn for the Ascension, Jesu nostra redemptio, and the antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were both proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of the Octave. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Ascension Doxology, Gloria tibi Domine, Qui scandis super sidera, Cum Patre et Sancto Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. The Dominical preces were omitted because of the Octave.

At Mattins the invitatory is Alleluia, Christum Dominum ascendentem in coelum, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn at Mattins is Aeterne Rex altissime. In the first nocturn the antiphons Elevata est etc are sung with Pss. 8, 10 & 18. The lessons are the Incipit of the First Epistle of St. John and the responsories are of the feast. The lessons are the same as those found in post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn the antiphons Exaltare Domine etc are sung with Pss. 20, 29 & 46. The lessons are taken from a sermon on the Ascension by St. Augustine, These are the same as those in the modern editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Nimis exaltatus etc are sung with Pss. 96, 98 & 102. The homily on the Gospel from John is also from St. Augustine, these are the same as those in the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Viri Galilaei etc are sung with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The chapter is of the Sunday, the Office hymn is of the Ascension Jesu nostra redemptio. The antiphon on the Benedictus, versicle & respond and collect are proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the Octave is sung.

At the Little Hours the hymns are sung with the Doxology of the Ascension. At Prime the festal psalms (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii) are sung rather than the Dominical ones (117, 118i, 118ii) the short lesson is Si quis loquitur. The Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave. The Creed is sung and the preface and communicantes are of the Octave.

At Vespers the antiphons Viri Galilaei etc are again sung with the psalms of the feast. The chapter is of the Sunday, the Office hymn Jesu nostra redemptio. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Octave. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave.

May 8th - The Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel

The feast of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The fifth Sunday after Pascha is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Stetit Angelus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Tibi Christe splendor Patris. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross was omitted due to the double feast. At Compline (Pss. 4, 30 vv 1-6, 90 & 133) the Dominical preces were also omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Archangelum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is again Tibi Christe splendor Patris. In the first nocturn the antiphon Concussum est mare etc is sung, doubled, with Pss 8, 10 & 14. The lessons are from the Prophet Daniel. These are the same as those found in the later books. In the second nocturn the antiphon Michael Archangeli etc is sung with Pss 18, 23 & 33. The lessons recount the apparition of St. Michael at Gargano at the time of Gelasius I. Again, these are the same as those in later editions. In the third nocturn the antiphon Angelus etc is sung with Pss 95, 96 & 102. The homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. These lessons are longer than those found (on 29th September) in the later books. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form an extended eight lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed from the three lessons appointed for the homily of the Sunday. These are from St. Augustine. The seventh lesson (of the Sunday) is longer than in modern recensions including Unde qui hoc... nomine non petit from the 'modern' eighth lesson (sharp eyed readers will notice the non). The eighth lesson runs Qui vero quod est de illo ... proculdubio tunc erit plenum, i.e. continuing into half of what is now the ninth lesson. The ninth lesson begins Quidquid ergo petitur and continues for several more sentences absent from the post-Clementine books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Stetit Angelus etc are sung with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Christe sanctorum decus Angelorum. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Paschal Commmemoration of the Cross is omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns have the Doxology of Paschaltide. The antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order, at Prime the lectio brevis is Factum est praelium etc and the Domincial preces are omitted.

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

At Vespers the antiphons Stetit Angelus etc are sung with Pss 109, 110, 111, 112 & 137. The Office hymn is, again, Tibi Christe splendor Patris. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Gregory Nazianzen and of the Sunday. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology of Paschaltide and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the double feasts.

May 1st - SS Philip & James Apostles

The feast of the Holy Apostles SS Philip and James is of double rite and its liturgical colour is red. The fourth Sunday after Pascha is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

At first Vespers yesterday afternoon, the antiphon proper to the feast, Domine, ostende nobis Patrem etc, were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter was Stabant justi and the Office hymn Tristes erant Apostoli. The the antiphon on the Magnificat, Non turbetur etc., and collect were are proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschaltide Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins there are the usual three nocturns. The invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum Venite adoremus, the antiphons Stabunt justi etc and the Psalms are from the Common of Apostles. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of letter of St. James from the fourth Sunday after Easter, these are the same as those found in the post-Clementine editions. These lessons are followed by the responsories from the Common, Beatus vir, qui metuit Dominum, alleluia etc. In the second nocturn the lessons are proper to the feast. Again, these are the same as in the later revisions. The Gospel in the third nocturn is from St. John and the pericope contains the passage where the LORD tells St. Philip that if he wishes to see the Father to see Him and that in the Father's house there are many mansions. These are substantially longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions, the text of the Tridentine ninth lesson missing from later editions except for the first sentence. Today the eighth and ninth lessons of the feast are read together to form an extended eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons appointed for the homily of the Sunday. This homily is from St. Augustine and, unusually, the same as in post-Clememtine editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Domine ostende nobis Patrem etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Paschale mundo gaudium and is sung with the Paschal Doxology. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. At the Hours the same antiphons are sung in the usual sequence. The Office hymns have the Paschal Doxology and the festal psalms are sung at the Hours. At Prime the lectio brevis is Scimus quoniam.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass is proper, Exclamaverunt etc. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. TheCredo is sung, the preface is that of the Apostles and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At second Vespers the antiphons Domine ostende nobis Patrem are again sung, doubled, this time with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn is Tristes erant Apostoli. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Athanasius and of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

April 24th - Third Sunday after Pascha

The third Sunday after Pascha, it is of semidouble rite and its liturgical colour, until Vespers, is white. It is sometimes referred to as Jubilate from the first words of the introit at Mass, Jubilate Deo omnis terra etc.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Sancti tui etc, from the Common of a Martyr in Paschaltide, were sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. From the chapter the Office was of the Sunday and Office hymn was Ad cenam Agni providi. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. George was sung followed by the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross, consisting of the antiphon Crucem sanctam subiit qui infernum confregit, accinctus est potentia, surrexit die teria, Alleluia, the versicle Dicite in nationibus, alleluia and its respond Quia Dominus regnavit a ligno, alleluia followed by the collect Deus, qui pro nobis etc. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory and hymn are sung as previous Sundays of Paschaltide. Again, at the nocturns the psalms are sung under one antiphon. 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 the Apocalypse. The lessons are the same as in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are taken from the a sermon by St. Augustine. These too are the same as in the later editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine. This is, again, the same as in the later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds psalms 92, 99 & 62-66 are sung under the nine-fold Alleluia. Benedicite is sung under the antiphon Surrexit Christus and psalms 148-49-150 are sung under the antiphon Alleluia. The Office hymn is Aurora lucis rutilat. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is sung. The antiphon for the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross at Lauds is Crucifixus surrexit a mortuis, et redemit nos, alleluia, alleluia.

At the Hours the psalms are sung under an antiphon consisting of a four-fold Alleluia. At Prime the Dominical psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii and Quicumque) as are the Dominical preces. At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Paschal Doxology.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is Concede nos (of the BVM), the third collect Ecclesiae. The Credo is sung and the preface is of Paschaltide.

At Vespers there is a colour change to red and first Vespers of the feast of St. Mark are sung. The antiphons Sancti tui etc. are again sung, this time doubled, with Pss. 19, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Tristes erant Apostoli, sung with the Paschal Doxology. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted. At Compline, Te lucis, is sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal