August 12th - IX Sunday after Pentecost - Sunday within the Octave of St. Lawrence

The ninth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is red due to being the Sunday within the Octave of St. Lawrence. This year it is also the third Sunday of August. The Sunday is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

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. Clare. 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. 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. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the Octave of St. Lawrence and of St. Clare. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime Pss. 53, 117, 118(i) & 118(ii) 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. Clare. The Creed and the common preface are sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following day within the Octave of St. Lawrence and of SS Hippolytus and Cassian. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline being within an Octave.

Image: Fifteenth century painted panel featuring St. Lawrence from the Rood screen of St. Helen's Church, Ranworth, Norfolk.

August 5th - Dedication of St. Mary of the Snows

This feast of the Dedication of St. Mary of the Snows is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The eighth Sunday after Pentecost, and the second Sunday of August, is commemorated in the Office and at Mass. The feast commemorates the dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major or Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Popular tradition records that a miraculous fall of snow delineated the original ground plan of the church that was dedicated during the pontificate of Liberius. The feast appears in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum. In the late Middle Ages it appears in Radolfo di Rivo's Liber de officis Ecclesiasticis as a feast particular to the Diocese of Rome. S Pius V made it a double feast in the 1568 Breviary and Clement VIII raised it to a greater double thirty or so years later.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc were sung, doubled, with the psalms of first Vespers from the Common of feasts of the BVM, Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was Ave, maris stella. Following the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Dominic and of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Ego in altissimis for the Saturday before the second Sunday of August). The Suffrages were omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung to the melody of hymns in honour of the Incarnation with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc. The Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Sancta Maria Dei Genitrix Virgo * Intercede pro nobis and the Office hymn is Quem terra. In the first nocturn the antiphons Benedicta tu etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 8, 18 & 23. The lessons Ego sapientia are from the Proverbs of Solomon. These are the same as in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 44, 45 & 86. The lessons, proper to the feast, have a minor re-arrangement in comparison to those found in the post-Clementine editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude Maria Virgo etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 95, 96 & 97. The homily is from the Venerable Bede on St. Luke's Gospel. These are longer than those found in the later editions. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read as one, to form an extended eighth lesson of the feast, and the ninth lesson is formed from the three lessons of the homily of the Sunday which is from St. Jerome on St. Luke's Gospel. Again, the texts are longer than that found in later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is O Gloriosa Domina. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. The Suffrages are omitted.

At the Hours the hymns have the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation. At Prime Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii), the versicle in the short responsory is Qui natus es and the short lesson In plateis. Both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass formularly is Salve, sancta Parens. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung and in the preface of the BVM Et te in Festivitate is inserted. The last Gospel is of the Sunday.

After None first Vespers of the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord are sung. The antiphons Assumpsit Jesus Petrum et Jacobum etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Quicumque Christum quaeritis. The antiphon on the Magnificat is Christus Jesus, splendor Patris etc and the collect is proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the preceding Office of the Dedication of Sancta Maria ad Nives, of the Sunday, and of SS Xystus, Felicissimus and Agapitus. The Suffrages are omitted. At Compline, Te lucis has the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine, Qui apparusti hodie, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula and its melody. The Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Masolino di Panicale: Fondazione della basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

July 29th - VII Sunday after Pentecost

The seventh Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is also the first Sunday of August. The semi-double feast of St. Martha is transferred to Monday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Isti sunt sancti 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 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 commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of SS Nazarius, Celsus, Victor and Innocent and of SS Felix, Simplicius Faustinus and Beatrice 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 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 editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Hiliary on St. Matthew's Gospel. These lessons are the same as in the post-Clementine editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-49-150)= are sung. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of SS Felix, Simplicius, Faustinus and Beatrice 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, 118(i) & 118(ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Felix, Simplicius Faustinus and Beatrice, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed and the common preface are sung.

Vespers are of Sunday with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following, transferred, feast of St. Martha followed 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. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

July 22nd - St Mary Magdalene

The feast of St. Mary Magdalene is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The seventh Sunday after Pentecost is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was Lauda mater Ecclesia. This hymn was replaced with Pater superni luminis in the 1602BR. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline due to the double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper, Laudemus Deum nostrum * In conversione Mariae Magdalenae. The Office hymn is Nardi Maria pystici, replaced in 1602BR by Maria castis osculis. In the first nocturn the antiphons (from the Common of non-Virgins, non Martyrs) are O quam pulchra etc sung with Pss. 8, 18, 23. The lessons are from the Canticle of Canticles. The lessons are considerably longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with Pss. 44, 45, & 47. The lessons are from a sermon of St. Gregory the Great. These are the same as those found in the later editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Nigra sum etc are sung with Pss. 95, 96 & 97. The homily on St. Luke' Gospel is from St. Augustine. These are the same as those found in the modern editions. The eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form the eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons from the homily of the Sunday. These are longer than those found in the later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Aeterni Patris unice. This was replaced by Summi Parentis Unice in 1602BR. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc are sung in the usual order. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii) Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

At Mass, Me expectaverunt, the Gloria is sung. The second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung (as it would be even on a weekday for this most holy Lady) and the Common Preface is sung. The last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At second Vespers the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc are again sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Lauda mater Ecclesia. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Apollinaris.

Icon: Wikipedia.