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