August 14th - XII Sunday after Pentecost

The twelfth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. This year it is the third Sunday of August and the Sunday within the Octave of St. Lawrence and its liturgical colour is red. The Vigil of the Assumption was anticipated yesterday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Laurentius ingressus est etc were sung, not doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. From the chapter, O Altitudo, the Office was of the Sunday and the Office hymn O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Omnis sapientia for the Saturday before the third Sunday of August. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of the Octave of St. Lawrence and of St. Eusebius. The Suffrages were omitted due to the Octave as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) are sung. The lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Wisdom. The first lesson is longer than the form given in the modern editions. It continues Spiritus enim ... superveniente iniquitate. The second lesson begins Benignus est enim and continues until quod mentitur occidit animam - what is now the end of third lesson. The text of the third lesson is not found in the modern editions Nolite zelare ...qui sunt ex parte illius, vv. 12-16. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from St. Ambrose. Lessons IV and V are substantially longer than those in the modern books with additional text not appearing in the modern editions, lesson VI is longer by a sentence. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Bede on St. Luke's Gospel. These lessons are longer than those found in modern editions with lessons seven and eight comprising of the text of all of the later third nocturn lessons. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite148-49-150) are sung. The Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the Octave of St. Lawrence and of St. Eusebius. The Suffrages are omitted.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave of St. Lawrence, the third collect is of St. Eusebius. The Credo is sung and the Common preface is sung.

At Vespers there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the feast of the Assumption are sung. The antiphons Assumpta est Maria etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave maris stella. The Suffrages are omitted. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation Gloria tibi Domine etc and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal

August 7th - XI Sunday after Pentecost

The eleventh Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. This year it is the second Sunday of August. The liturgical colour, from Mattins onwards, is green.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Transfiguration of the LORD were sung. The antiphons Assumpsit Jesus Petrum et Jacobum etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Quicumque Christum quaeritis. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Sunday and of St. Donatus. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine, Qui apparusti hodie, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula and its melody.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14)the lessons are from the Incipit of the Book of Ecclesiastes. The second lesson is longer than that found in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary and continues with what is now the beginning of the third lesson, Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israel... until ...ut occuparentur in ea. The third lesson begins Vidi cuncta... and continue until ...addit dolorum ending with the last verse of Ch. 1. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the homily of St. Chrysostom against concubines. These are considerably longer than those found in modern recensions so that the text of the sixth lesson is entirely absent from the later books. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the lessons are from a homily of St. Gregory on St. Mark's Gospel. These are the same as those found in the post-Clementine editions. The eighth and ninth lessons are read as one and the ninth lesson is of St. Donatus. 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 St. Donatus 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) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect of St. Donatus, the third collect is A cunctis. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following Office of SS Cyriacus & Others 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

July 31st - X Sunday after Pentecost

The tenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, until None, is green. This year it is the first Sunday of August.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Vespers for Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Sapientia for the Saturday before the first Sunday of August. 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 Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) are sung. The lessons are the Incipit of the Parable of Solomon. Their arrangement is different from that found in the modern editions. The first lesson continues as far as ut addatur gratia capiti tuo et torques collo tuo (i.e. vv 7 & 8 now forming the opening of the second lesson. The second lesson begins Fili mi, si te lactaverint... and continues, through what is now the third lesson and concludes, animas possidentium rapiunt. The third lesson is not found in the modern books and consists of vv 20 - 27: Sapientia foris praedicat...vos tribulatio et angustia. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the writings of St. Ambrose on Psalm 118. These are the same as those found in modern recensions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine on St. Luke's Gospel. These lessons are considerably longer in the Tridentine Breviary than the form found in post-Clementine editions so the text of the ninth lesson is now entirely absent the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Dominical 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 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 of the place. The Creed and the common preface are sung.

At Vespers there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of St. Peter ad Vincula are sung. The antiphons Herodes rex etc are sung, doubled, with the psalms for first Vespers of Apostles, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Petrus beatus catenarum laqueos. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of St. Paul the Apostle, the Sunday and of the Holy Machabees. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal

July 24th - IX Sunday after Pentecost

The ninth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. Its liturgical colour until None is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke's Gospel contain the account of the LORD casting out the money lenders in the temple. The Vigil of St. James the Apostle was anticipated yesterday and commemorated in the Office of and Mass of St. Apollinaris. In Cathedral and Collegiate churches a Mass of the Vigil was sung after None.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Qui me confessus fuerit etc were sung, not doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of St. Apollinaris and St. Christina 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 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 Fourth Book of the Kings. The first lesson includes what, in later editions, is the text of the second lesson in post-Clementine editions and ends Idcirco de lectulo ... sed morte morieris. The second lesson begins Qui dixit eis (the modern third lesson) but continues until the end of verse 12 of the first chapter. The third lesson, not present in modern editions begins Iterum misit principes and continues until verse 17. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the writings of St. Augustine. These are substantially longer than than those found in modern recensions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. Again the version in the Tridentine Breviary is considerably longer than that found in the post-Clementine editions. 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 St. Christina 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 (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. Christina, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed and the common preface are sung.

In the afternoon there is a colour change to red and first Vespers of St. James the Apostle are sung. The antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc, from the Common of Apostles, are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn is Exsultet caelum laudibus. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.