February 2nd - Sexagesima Sunday

Sexagesima Sunday is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is violet. The Gospel pericopes are from St. Luke and the parable of the sower with his seed landing on rock, amongst weeds and the good ground. In the Kalendar of the Byzantine rite Sexagesima corresponds to the Sunday of the Last Judgement or Meatfare Sunday, the last day on which meat is eaten until Pascha. The feast of the Purification is transferred to Monday although the blessing of Candles and Procession take place today.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Qui me confessus fuerit etc were sung, not doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 1111, 112 & 115. The chapter was proper to Sexagesima, Fratres: Libenter suffertis and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of the preceding semi-double Office of St. Ignatius of Antioch, 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, as for Septuagesima Sunday, the invitatory is Praeoccupemus and the Office hymn is Primo dierum. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung. The lessons continue to be taken from Genesis are read concerning the story of Noah. The lessons are longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. The first continues Videns autem Deus ...me fecisse eos, i.e with most of the text of the modern second lesson. The second lesson begins Noe vero invenit ... and continues with all of the modern third lesson and the addition of verse 16: Fenestram in arca facies ... tristega facies in ea. The third lesson, the text of which is entirely absent from the modern books, begins Ecce ego ... and continues until Fecit igitur omnia quae praeceperat illi Deus, Gen. 6:17 - 22. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from St. Ambrose on Noah and the Ark. These are identical to those found in the modern edtions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20 the lessons are taken from a homily of St. Gregory. The eighth and ninth lessons are slightly longer than in the modern editions. A ninth responsory, Cum turba plurima, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to the Sunday, Secundum magnam misericordiam etc., and are sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The versicle after the hymn Aeterne, chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are all proper to the Sunday. 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 etc are sung.

At the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper. At Prime, Pss. 53, 92, 118(i), 118(ii), both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

After Terce the celebrant vests in a violet cope and the ministers put on violet folded chasubles. The organ is silent (as is always the case when folded chasubles are used). After the Asperges ceremony the blessing of Candles takes place. At the Epistle corner the celebrant sings five prayers of blessing in the ferial tone. Incense is then blessed, lustral water sprinkled over the candles whilst the celebrant says Asperges me and then the candles are incensed. At the centre of the altar the celebrant receives a candle from the senior canon present, kissing the candle before taking it. If no canon or senior cleric is present the celebrant kneels before the altar and takes his own candle. Candles are then distributed while the antiphon Lumen ad revelationem is sung interpolated into the canticle Nunc dimittis. Those receiving the candles kiss them, first, then the celebrant's hand. At the conclusion of the distribution the antiphon Exsurge, Domine is sung with a Doxology and the candles lighted. After the distribution the celebrant returns with the ministers to the Epistle corner and chants Oremus and the oration Exaudi etc. The procession then takes place. The subdeacon of the Mass takes the processional cross. The procession goes around the church with lighted candles during the singing of three antiphons Adorna thalamum, Responsum accepit Simeon and Obtulerunt. These text are clearly ancient and found, almost verbatim, in the Menaion of the Byzantine rite.

Caeremoniale Episcoporum, 1651, Google Books - note the assistant-deacons in planetis plicatis

After the Procession the celebrant removes the cope and vests in chasuble and the ministers exchange there folded chasubles for violet dalmatic and tunicle. As the Mass is not of the feast candles are not held at the Gospel or during the Canon. In the Mass there is no Gloria, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Creed and the common preface are sung. Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal by the deacon facing the altar.

National Library of Wales, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

After None there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the Purification are sung. The antiphons used on the feast of the Circumcision, O admirabile commercium etc., are sung, doubled, with the psalms of feasts for the Blessed Virgin (Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147). The chapter is proper to the feast and the Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. The antiphon on the Magnificat is proper to the feast Senex Puerum portabat etc. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline. At Compline the melody of Te lucis is that of the Incarnation with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domineetc.

Art: Jerome Nadal

January 26th - Septuagesima Sunday

Septuagesima Sunday is of semi-double rank. The liturgical colour, from Mattins to None this year, is violet. At Mattins the book of Genesis is begun with the account of the Creation. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew at Mattins and Mass contain the parable of the labourers in the vineyard. The third Sunday after the Epiphany was anticipated on Friday as simple rite with the psalmody of the feria and the lessons in the nocturn taken from the homily of the Sunday. The Mass of the Sunday was celebrated without Gloria and Creed.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul were sung. The antiphons, Juravit Dominus etc., were sung, doubled, with the psalms from second Vespers of the Common of Apostles (Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138). The chapter was Saulus adhuc, the Office hymn was Doctor egregie Paule mores instrue and the antiphon on the Magnificat Sancte Paule Apostoli. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of St. Peter the Apostle, of Septuagesima Sunday and of St. Polycarp. At the conclusion of Vespers to Benedicamus Domino and its response a double Alleluia is added and then the Alleluia is not heard until Holy Saturday. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatorium is Praeoccupemus as on preceding Sundays and the hymn Primo dierum. 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 Genesis. These are the same as those found in modern editions. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from the Enchiridion of St. Augustine. These are substantially longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions and the sixth lesson is not found in the later books, the fifth lesson effectively having been divided into two. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are from a homily of St. Gregory on the Gospel of the labourers in the vineyard. Again, these are longer than those found in the modern editions. The Te Deum is omitted and in its place a ninth responsory, Ubi est Abel frater tuus, is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to the Sunday, Miserere mei Deus etc, and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The versicle after the hymn Aeterne rerum conditor, chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to Septuagesima Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Polycarp is sung followed by 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.

At the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper to the Sunday. At Prime, Pss. 53, 92, 118(i), 118(ii), both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle. The Gloria is omitted, the second collect is of St. Polycarp, the third collect is Deus, qui salutis. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual. The Creed and the common preface are sung. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino , sung by the Deacon facing the altar.

After None there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the feast of St. John Chrysostom are sung. The antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). After the collect of the feast a commemoration of Septuagesima Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal

January 19th - Second Sunday after the Epiphany

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins to None this year, is green. The Gospel fragment at Mattins and the Gospel at Mass are St. John's account of the Marriage Feast at Cana.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Chair of St. Peter at Rome were sung. The antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Quodcumque vinclis. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of St. Paul the Apostle, the Sunday and SS Maris, Martha, Abachum & Audifax. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Domincal preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Primo dierum omnium. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are the Incipit of the Epistle to the Galatians. The first and second lessons are the same as those in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. The third lesson is longer and continues Cum autem placuit (...) eum diebus quindecim, i.e. the addition of vv. 15 - 18. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from St. Augustine's Expositon on the Epistle to the Galatians. These are the same as those found in later editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. Again, the lessons are the same as those found in later editions. The eighth and ninth lessons are read as one, extended, eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is of SS Maris, Martha, Abachum & Audifax. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-49-150 are sung. The Office hymn is Aeterne rerum conditor. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of SS Maris, Martha, Abachum & Audifax 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, 118(i) & 118(ii), Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Maris, Martha, Abachum & Audifax, the third collect is of the BVM Deus, qui salutis. The Creed and the common preface are sung.

In the afternoon there is a colour change to red and first Vespers are sung of the double feast of SS Fabian and Sebastian. The antiphons Omnes sancti etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Sanctorum meritis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal