March 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 - ). 

  

MARCH 2025

 

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. 

Saturday 1 March Class IV; of Our Lady. 1 Vespers of Quinquagesima Sunday, MD 171* ff. 

Quinquagesima week. 

Ordinary of throughout the year; no alleluias are said; collect for M&T, MD 176*, then collects of the day. 

Sunday 2 March Quinquagesima Sunday, Class II, MD 173* ff. 

Monday 3 March Class IV. Magnificat antiphon of the day. 

Tuesday 4 March Class IV. Magnificat antiphon of the day.  

The Office between Ash Wednesday and the First Sunday of Lent

 

Ash Wednesday marks the official start of Lent; the Office however, continues to be said as during the season of Septuagesima, with the following modifications: 

·         there are Patristic readings at Matins;

·         there are canticle antiphons for Lauds and Vespers each day of the week; and

·         two collects are provided for each day, the first used from Matins to None (omitting Prime), the second at Vespers only.

 Under the 1960 rubrics, Class III feasts are reduced to a commemoration at Lauds only.  However, permission has since been given to say them as Class III feasts on an optional basis, and so the notes below generally provide the Class III option as the default. 


Wednesday 5 March Ash Wednesday, Class I. Canticle antiphons and collects of Ash Wednesday, MD 180-1*. 

Thursday 6 March SS Perpetua and Felicity, Class III (or Memorial), MD [74]. 

Friday 7 March St Thomas Aquinas, Optional Class III (or Memorial), MD [75]. 

Saturday 8 March Saturday after Ash Wednesday, Class III. 1 Vespers of the First Sunday of Lent, MD 184* ff.

 

The Office during Lent.

 From Monday following the First Sunday of Lent:

·         The antiphons, hymns (at Matins, Lauds and Vespers) and other texts on weekdays are those of the 'ordinary of Lent', to be found in the 'of time' section of Office books (NM 224-5/MD 190* ff);

·         At Lauds and Vespers, the chapters, hymns, responsory and versicle of the Ordinary of Lent replace those in the psalter section, and the canticle antiphons are proper for each day;

·         At Prime the antiphon is of Lent;

·         At Terce to None the antiphon and chapter is of the season of Lent;

·         Each day there are two sets of collects: the first for use from Matins to None; the second for Vespers; and

·         When a feast displaces the Lent texts, a commemoration of the day is made at both Lauds and Vespers using the relevant canticle antiphon, versicle of the season and hour, and the collect of the hour of the Lent day.

First Week of Lent. 

Ordinary of Lent, MD 190* ff; collects and canticle antiphons of the Lent day. 

Sunday 9 March First Sunday of Lent, Class I, MD 186* ff. 

Monday 10 March Class III, MD 195-6*; com of The Forty Martyrs at Lauds, MD [76]. 

Tuesday 11 March Class III. 

Wednesday 12 March St Gregory the Great OSB, Class II, MD [77] ff; com of Ember Wednesday of Lent at L&V, MD 197*. 

Thursday 13 March – Class III. 

Friday 14 March Ember Day, Class II, MD 198-9*. 

Saturday 15 March Ember Day, Class II, MD 199*. 1 Vespers of the Second Sunday of Lent, MD 199* ff.

Second Week of Lent. 

Ordinary of Lent, MD 190* ff; collects and canticle antiphons of the Lent day. 

Sunday 16 March Second Sunday of Lent, Class I, MD 201* ff. 

Monday 17 March Class III, MD 206*. 

Tuesday 18 March Class III; com of St Cyril of Jerusalem at Lauds, MD [83]. 1 Vespers of St Joseph, MD [84] ff, com of the Lent day. 

Wednesday 19 March St Joseph, Class I, MD [87]; com of Lent day at L&V. 

Thursday 20 March Class III. 1 Vespers of St Benedict, MD [91] ff with com of Lent day. 

Friday 21 March St Benedict, Class I, MD [94] ff; com of Lent day at L&V. 

Saturday 22 March Class III. 1 Vespers of the Third Sunday of Lent, MD 210* ff.

Third Week of Lent. 

Ordinary of Lent, MD 190* ff; collects and canticle antiphons of the Lent day. 

Sunday 23 March Third Sunday of Lent, Class I, MD 212* ff. 

Monday 24 March – Class III. 1 Vespers of the Annunciation, MD [100] ff, com of Lent day. 

Tuesday 25 March Annunciation of the BVM, Class I, MD [102] ff, com of the Lent day at L&V. 

Wednesday 26 March Class III. 

Thursday 27 March Class III; com of St John Damascene at Lauds, MD [106-7]. 

Friday 28 March Class III. 

Saturday 29 March Class III. 1 Vespers of the Fourth Sunday of Lent, MD 221* ff.

Fourth Week of Lent. 

Ordinary of Lent, MD 190* ff; collects and canticle antiphons of the Lent day. 

Sunday 30 March Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday), Class I, MD 223* ff. 

Monday 31 March – Class III. 

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