Using an Ordo Pt 4 - Class I&II feasts

Continuing my series on using an Ordo (and reducing your reliance on them!), today Class  I&II feasts.

 Class I vs Class II: 1 Vespers

 Class I&II feasts are essentially celebrated exactly the same way in the Office.

While the difference in level affects things when there are two competing days (such as Sundays) involved, the only real distinction between them in terms of the how the Office is celebrated is that Class I feasts have a ‘1 Vespers’ in the 1962 rubrics, whereas Class II feasts do not.

And even that distinction is blurred in many of the traditional monasteries, since several do celebrate 1 Vespers for Class II feasts!

 Finding the texts

In essence, if a feast is Class I or II:

·       it will have antiphons for the psalms and canticles, as well as special texts for the chapter, responsory, versicle etc (either specific to the feast or taken from the relevant Common); and

·       it will normally have festal psalms at Matins, Lauds and Vespers. 

In terms of the antiphons to use, the Rule is, if a particular Class I or II feast does not have a set of antiphons for the psalms specific to it set out in the ‘sanctorale’ section of your Office book, you use those in the relevant Common (ie martyr, confessor, virgin, etc). 

Antiphon number four in the set is usually only used at Lauds (for the canticle). 

At Prime, the first antiphon of Lauds is used; at Terce the second; at Sext the third; and at None the fifth. 

A few feasts and days do have separate sets of antiphons for the day hours and/or Vespers, but normally Vespers uses antiphons, 1, 2, 3 and 5 of Lauds. 

December feasts 

There are two feasts in December that illustrate the two possibilities.  

The feast of the Immaculate Conception, on December 8, for example, mostly has its own specific texts, including antiphons for the psalms at all hours, as my Ordo sets out: 

Tuesday 8 December – The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Class I [Patronal feast of the USA and Solesmes Congregation] 

Matins: Three Nocturns, with invitatory, hymn, antiphons, versicles, readings, responsories and collect of the feast, LR 259/MB [16] ff; psalms and canticles of the Common of the BVM. 

Lauds: Festal psalms of Sunday with antiphons, chapter, responsory, hymn, versicle, Benedictus antiphon and collect of the feast, MD [13]/AM 763 ff; commemoration of the Advent day, antiphon, MD 27*/AM 200, versicle, MD 11*/AM 185 and collect (Sunday II), MD 11*/AM 198. 

Prime: Antiphon 1 of Lauds, MD [13]/AM 763. 

Terce to None: Antiphon [2, 3 and 5 respectively], chapter, versicle and collect of the feast, MD [16-7]/AM 766. 

Vespers: Psalms, antiphons, chapter, responsory, hymn and collect of the feast as for 1 Vespers, MD [11]/AM 760 ff; versicle and Magnificat antiphon of 2 Vespers, MD [17]/AM 767; commemoration of the Advent day, antiphon, MD 27*/AM 200, versicle, MD 17*/AM 183, and collect (Sunday II), MD 11*/AM 198. 

The Le Barroux and Divinum Officium Ordos simply tell you the Class of the feast by contrast. 

The other feast is St Thomas, on December 21, which mostly just uses the Common of Apostles: 

Monday 21 December – St Thomas, Class II 

Matins: Three Nocturns, all of the Common of apostles (LR 134/MB 5* ff) except for the readings for Nocturns II&III, Gospel and collect, of the feast. 

Lauds: Festal psalms; antiphons, chapter, responsory, hymn and versicle of the Common of apostles, MD (9)/AM 622 ff; Benedictus antiphon and collect of the feast, MD [22-3]/AM 774; commemoration of the Advent day, antiphon (Nolite timere), MD 43*/AM 219, versicle, MD 11*/AM 185; and collect, MD 47*/AM 228. 

Prime: Antiphon 1 of Lauds of the Common, MD (9)/AM 622. 

Terce to None: Antiphon [2,3 and 5 respectively], chapter and versicle of the Common, MD (11)/AM 625 ff; collect of the feast, MD [23]/AM 774. 

Vespers: Psalms, antiphons, chapter, responsory, hymn and versicle of the Common of apostles, MD (13)/AM 626 ff; Magnificat antiphon and collect of the feast, MD [22-3]/AM 774; commemoration of the Advent day, antiphon, O Oriens, MD 36*/AM 210, versicle, MD 17*/AM 183, and collect, MD 47*/AM 228. 

Questions of precedence 

Another thing to keep in mind is that if a feast or day is Class I:

·       it normally displaces all other feasts or commemorations that would have normally occurred on that day - the key exception being Advent and Lent days, which are still commemorated;

·       the feast starts from 1 Vespers the night before. 

Where a Class I or II feast occurs on a Saturday, if the Sunday is Class II, Vespers will be of the feast, with a commemoration of the Sunday. 

Summary table

 And to finish off this set of notes, here is an updated summary table of everything I have covered so far. 

Day of the week	Level of day	Effect
Sundays (Dominica)	Class I or II only	Start at 1 Vespers of Saturday
	Class I	Antiphons and other texts displace normal Sunday
	Class II	(At least) Canticle antiphons and collect of the Sunday
Weekdays (Feria II-VI, Sabbato)	Can be Class IV – Class I
Monday to Friday (aka feria II-VI)	Class IV	‘Ferial’ or ordinary psalms and texts of season with collect of the liturgical week
Saturday (Sabbato)	Class IV	Office of Our Lady on Saturday (Matins to None)
Monday to Saturday	Class IV + Memorial	Make a commemoration at Lauds
Monday to Saturday	Class III feast	At Matins, Invitatory, hymn, reading, responsory, chapter, versicle and collect of the feast (or from the Common
	With its own antiphons	Festal psalms and antiphons with propers of the feast at Lauds and Vespers; antiphon of the feast at Prime; antiphon, chapter, versicle and collect of the feast at Terce to None.
	Without its own antiphons	Ferial antiphons and psalms at Lauds and Vespers, rest of the feast. Antiphon (of the Common) at Prime. Antiphon, chapter, vesicle and collect at Terce to None.
	If falls on a Saturday, or a Class I feast the next day:	No Vespers.
	Class II	Matins to Vespers, with antiphons and other proper texts for the feast and/or Common.
	Class I	As for Class II feasts but has 1 Vespers

 Tomorrow, I will start looking more specifically at Advent.