Second Sunday of Advent

The second Sunday of Advent (and the third and fourth) are semi-double Sundays of the second class in rank. This year it is also the Sunday within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception. The Gospel pericopes, from St. Matthew, tell of St. John the Baptist in prison sending two of his followers to meet the LORD. The liturgical colour is violet.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Ecce in nubibus caeli etc were sung with the psalms of Saturday. The Office hymn was Creator alme siderum (sung with the ordinary Doxology, c.f. pre-1911 praxis). After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the Octave and of St. Melchiades. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted being within an Octave.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem venturum and the Office hymn is Verbum supernum. In the first nocturn the antiphons Veniet ecce Rex etc are sung with the usual psalms for Sunday. The lessons are a continuation of Isaiah and today contain the beautiful symbolism of the Rod of Jesse. In the second nocturn the antiphons Gaude et laetare etc are sung and the them of the Rod of Jesse is continued as the lessons are taken from St. Jerome's Expositon on Isaias the Prophet. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gabriel Angelus etc are sung and the homily is from St. Gregory. The Te Deum is omitted and in its place a ninth responsory, Ecce Dominus veniet, is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons, Ecce in nubibus caeli etc are sung with the Sunday psalms. The Office hymn is En clara vox. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the Octave and of St. Melchiades. At Prime the versicle in the responsory is Qui venturus es in mundum (again, c.f. pre-1911 praxis). The Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave.

Mass is sung after Terce, the deacon and subdeacon wear violet folded chasubles. The Gloria is not sung. The second collect is of the Octave, the third collect is of St. Melchiades. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Trinity. Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal by the deacon facing the altar.

At Vespers the antiphons Ecce in nubibus caeli are again sung this time with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Creator alme siderum. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast St. Damasus and of the Octave. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Vespers there are no commemorations. The Octave has been abolished. The Dominical preces are always omitted at Prime and Compline. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle, there is only one collect and the dismissal is Ite, missa est. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal