May 4th - Fifth Sunday after Pascha

The fifth Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins this year, is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. John's Gospel describe how the LORD tells His disciples to ask for anything in His name after He has ascended to the Father.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross were sung. The antiphons Helena Constantini mater etc (which are absent from the modern editions) were sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Vexilla Regis prodeunt, sung with the Paschaltide stroph in the sixth verse. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Sunday and of St. Monica. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted due to the double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is Surrexit Dominus vere Alleluia and the Office hymn is O Rex aeterne Domine. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung under a single antiphon Alleluia, Lapis revolutus etc., the lessons are the Incipit of the first Epistle of St. Peter. The lessons are the same as in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are taken from the book of St. Ambrose on faith in the Resurrection. These too are the same as in modern recensions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine. The seventh lesson is longer than in modern recensions including Unde qui hoc... nomine non petit from the 'modern' eighth lesson (sharp eyed readers will notice the non). The eighth lesson runs Qui vero quod est de illo ... proculdubio tunc erit plenum, i.e. continuing into half of what is now the ninth lesson. The ninth lesson begins Quidquid ergo petitur and continues for several more sentences absent from the post-Clementine books. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read as one and the ninth lesson is formed of the two historical lessons given for St. Monica. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds Pss 92, 99 and 62-66 are sung under a single antiphon, the ancient nine-fold Alleluia. Benedicite is sung with the antiphon Surrexit Christus etc, and Pss. 148, 149 and 150 are sung under a single antiphon, a four-fold Alleluia as on previous Sundays. The Office hymn is Aurora lucis rutilat. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Monica followed by the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross.

At the Hours the hyns have the Paschal Doxology and the psalms are sung under an antiphon consisting of a four-fold Alleluia. 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 St. Monica, the third collect is Concede nos. The Creed is sung and the preface is of Paschaltide.

Vespers are of the Sunday, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113 sung under a single antiphon. The Office hymn is Ad coenam Agni providi. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commmemoration of the Cross is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

April 27th - Fourth Sunday after Pascha

The fourth Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Sancti tui etc were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The chapter, Carissimi: Omne datum optimum etc etc, was proper to the Sunday, the Office hymn was Ad coenam Agni providi. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of the preceding Office of SS Cletus and Marcellinus followed by the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross. At Compline Te lucis was sung to the Paschal tone and Doxology and the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory and hymn are sung as previous Sundays of Paschaltide. Again, at the nocturns the psalms are sung under one antiphon. 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 of St. James. The lessons are the same as in post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn, Pss. 15, 16 & 17, the lessons are taken from the Treatise of St. Cyprian on the boon of patience. These too are the same as in modern editions. In the third nocturn, Pss. 18, 19 & 20, the homily is from St. Augustine, again, unusually, the same as in the post-Clememtine editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds Pss. 92, 99 & 62-66 are sung under the nine-fold Alleluia. Benedicite is sung under the antiphon Surrexit Christus and psalms 148-49-150 are sung under the antiphon Alleluia. The Office hymn is Aurora lucis rutilat. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is sung.

At the Hours the Office hymns are sung with the Paschal Doxology and the psalms are sung under a four-fold Alleluia. At Prime, Pss. 53, 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 Concede nos, the third collect is Ecclesiae etc. The Creed and the preface of Paschaltide are sung.

At Vespers Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113 are sung under the single antiphon Alleluia. The Office hymn is Ad cenam Agni providi. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Vitalis followed by the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

April 20th - Third Sunday after Pascha

The third Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. It is sometimes referred to as Jubilate from the first words of the introit at Mass, Jubilate Deo omnis terra etc.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday, Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147, were sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. The Office hymn was Ad cenam Agni providi. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross was sung consisting of the antiphon Crucem sanctam subiit qui infernum confregit, accinctus est potentia, surrexit die teria, Alleluia, the versicle Dicite in nationibus, alleluia and its respond Quia Dominus regnavit a ligno, alleluia followed by the collect Deus, qui pro nobis etc. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory and hymn are sung as previous Sundays of Paschaltide. Again, at the nocturns the psalms are sung under one antiphon. 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 the Apocalypse. The lessons are the same as in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn, Pss. 15, 16 & 17, the lessons are taken from the a sermon by St. Augustine. These too are the same as in the later editions. In the third nocturn, Pss. 18, 19 & 20, the homily is from St. Augustine. This is, again, the same as in the later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds psalms 92, 99 & 62-66 are sung under the nine-fold Alleluia. Benedicite is sung under the antiphon Surrexit Christus and psalms 148-49-150 are sung under the antiphon Alleluia. The Office hymn is Aurora lucis rutilat. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is sung. The antiphon for the Commemoration of the Cross at Lauds is Crucifixus surrexit a mortuis, et redemit nos, alleluia, alleluia.

At the Hours the hymns have the Paschal Doxology. The psalms are sung under an antiphon consisting of a four-fold Alleluia. At Prime, Pss. 53, 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 Concede nos, the third collect Ecclesiae etc The Creed is sung and the preface is of Paschaltide.

Vespers are of the Sunday, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113 sung under a single antiphon, Alleluia. The Office hymn is Ad cenam Agni providi. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commmemoration of the Cross is sung with the antiphon Crucem sanctam subiit qui infernum confregit, accinctus est potentia, surrexit die teria, Alleluia. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal