The fourth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, until Vespers this year, is green. The Vigil of St. John the Baptist was anticipated yesterday.
At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday. Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147, were sung. The chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. 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 and the lessons continue to be taken from the First Book of the Kings. The first lesson is the same as found in modern recensions, the second lesson continues David autem...grandaevus inter viros (from the modern third lesson) and the third lesson begins Abierunt autem ... quadraginta diebus. However, it then continues Dixit autem... sicut Isai - from v. 17 through to half of v. 20. The responsories are Praeparate corda vestra etc. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are taken from a Sermon of St. Augustine. These are the same as found in the post Clementine editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel, but the lessons are longer than in modern 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 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 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 A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector. The Creed and the common preface are sung.
After None there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the feast of St. John the Baptist are sung. The antiphons, Ipse praeibit etc, are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Ut queant laxis resonare fibris. The hymn famously rises through a scale in its verses: Ut (Doh), Resonare, Mira, Famuli, Solve, Labii. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.
Art: Jerome Nadal