June 26th - V Sunday after Pentecost

The fifth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, being this year the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, is white. The semi-double feast of SS John & Paul is transferred this year to Monday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Elisabeth Zachariae etc were sung, not doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. From the chapter, O Altitudo , the Office was of the Sunday and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of the preceding day within the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. 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 the Kings. These are identical to the lessons found in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are taken from St. Gregory's Book on Morals. The fifth lesson is slightly longer and the sixth lesson considerably longer than those found in the later editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Gospel fragment has the additional words Amen dico vobis. The lessons, from the ninth chapter of the first book on the LORD's Sermon on the Mount, are all longer than those found in the later books. 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 Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is sung. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime (Pss. 53, 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung but the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloriais sung, the second collect is of the Octave of St. John. Today there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the common preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday, with psalms (109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator optime. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following, transferred, feast of SS John & Paul and of the Octave. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal