This is my annual reminder that Advent is the most complicated season for the Office, so you need to keep your wits about you!
Advent falls into two parts - the days up to and including December 16, and the final week of the season.
For the first part of the season, remember to keep a ribbon on the relevant parts for each hour of the day of 'the Ordinary of Advent' (front of the Diurnal), since these displace the normal texts set out in the psalter section of the book.
Key things to remember:
- Sundays in Advent (from 1 Vespers on Saturday) have proper antiphons at all hours;
- the Sunday antiphons are then used throughout the week at Prime to None;
- there are special Benedictus and Magnificat antiphons for each day of the Advent week;
- the default collect is of the Sunday as usual; and
- on feast days (such as for St Ambrose), a commemoration of Advent, consisting of the canticle antiphon (of the Advent day), versicle (of the season) and collect of the Advent week (in that order), is normally made at both Lauds and Vespers.
The Immaculate Conception
Another key point to note is that this year the feast of the Immaculate Conception falls on a Sunday, and, due to a special rubric just for this feast, displaces the Second Sunday of Advent (which is marked only by a commemoration at Lauds and Vespers).
The Ordo
And just a reminder that if you are struggling, consider buying a copy of the Ordo - the summary version is on the blog, but the full version provides much more detailed instructions.
