February 2025

This Ordo provides a calendar for the liturgical year to aid those saying the Benedictine Office for those familiar with the rubrics of the Benedictine Office.  It can be used in conjunction to the Quick start guide to the Monastic Diurnal.

Those less familiar with the Office, or looking for other supporting material, should consult the more detailed version of this Ordo available through Lulu, the How to say the Benedictine Office notes on the Saints Will Arise blog.

In addition, an English translation of the rubrics can be obtained from Libri Sancti Press.

 ABBREVIATIONS

Com: Commemoration (used for either a feast rated as a memorial, or where a feast or other day displaces another feast or day (such as during Advent and Lent). 

Default collect: The collect used at all hours other than Prime and Compline (which have their own fixed collect), except where displaced by a feast or higher level day. 

 ff: And following pages.

 L&V: Lauds and Vespers

 MD: Monastic Diurnal (St Michael’s, Farnborough editions 2005 - ). 

  

FEBRUARY 2025

 

Third week after Epiphany. 

Ordinary of throughout the year; default collect, MD 148*.

Saturday 1 February – St Ignatius of Antioch, Class III, MD [46]. 1 Vespers of the Purification of the BVM, MD [47] ff, no com of the Sunday.

Fourth week after Epiphany. 

Ordinary of throughout the year, default collect, MD 149-50*. 

Sunday 2 February – Feast of the Purification of the BVM, Class II, MD [49] ff (no com of the Sunday). 

Monday 3 February – Class IV; com of St Blase at Lauds, MD [52]. 

Tuesday 4 February – Class IV. 

Wednesday 5 February – St Agatha, Class II/III, MD [52] ff. 

Thursday 6 February – Class IV. 

Friday 7 February – St Romuald, Class III, MD [58]. 

Saturday 8 February – Class IV; of Our Lady. 1 Vespers of Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, MD 150*.

Fifth week after Epiphany. 

Ordinary of throughout the year, collect, MD 151*.

Sunday 9 February – Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, Class II, MD 150-1*. Com of St Scholastica at Vespers if feast is Class I. 

Monday 10 February – St Scholastica, Class I/II, MD [62] ff. 

Tuesday 11 February – Class IV. 

Wednesday 12 February – Class IV. 

Thursday 13 February – Class IV. 

Friday 14 February – Class IV; com of St Valentine at Lauds, MD [67]. 

Saturday 15 February – Class IV; of Our Lady.  1 Vespers of Septuagesima Sunday, MD 153-4*. 

Septuagesima week. 

Ordinary of throughout the year; no alleluias are said; collect, MD 157-8*. 

During the three weeks of Septuagesimatide, most of the texts used remain the default texts for throughout the year. The key changes to the Office during this period are that:  ·         The Alleluia is solemnly 'buried' with extra Alleluias added to the close of the Office of 1 Vespers of Septuagesima Sunday and thereafter the word alleluia is no longer used in the Office. In the opening prayers of the Office, the alleluia is replaced by 'Laus tibi Domine, Rex aeternae gloriae'; ·         On Sundays, Matins has an invitatory specific to the season (Preoccupemus); ·         At Matins, the alleluias used as antiphons are replaced, in Nocturn II by three antiphons to be found in the psalter.  In addition, each Sundays has a proper antiphon for the third nocturn (used the canticles for throughout the year); ·         At Lauds to None on Sundays, the alleluia antiphons are replaced by antiphons specific to each of the three Sundays, with three sets of antiphons used during the day hours, for Lauds, Prime to None, and the ‘throughout the year’ antiphons at Vespers; and ·         At Vespers, there are antiphons for each day of the relevant Septuagesimatide week for the Magnificat.

Sunday 16 February – Septuagesima Sunday, Class II, MD 154* ff. 

Monday 17 February – Class IV; Magnificat antiphon of the day. 

Tuesday 18 February – Class IV. Magnificat antiphon of the day. 

Wednesday 19 February – Class IV. Magnificat antiphon of the day. 

Thursday 20 February – Class IV. Magnificat antiphon of the day. 

Friday 21 February – Class IV. Magnificat antiphon of the day. 

Saturday 22 February – Chair of St Peter, Class III, MD [68] ff. 1 Vespers of Sexagesima Sunday, MD 162* ff.

Sexagesima week. 

Ordinary of throughout the year; no alleluias are said; collect, MD 167*.

Sunday 23 February – Sexagesima Sunday, Class II, MD 164* ff. 

Monday 24 February – St Matthias, Class II, MD [73-4]. 

Tuesday 25 February – Class IV. Magnificat antiphon of the day. 

Wednesday 26 February – Class IV. Magnificat antiphon of the day. 

Thursday 27 February – Class IV. Magnificat antiphon of the day. 

Friday 28 February – Class IV. Magnificat antiphon of the day.