11 September: SS Protus and Hyacinth, Martyrs, Memorial

Butler's Lives of the Saints offers this on these two early martyrs:

"THE SAINTS whose victory the church commemorates on this day are honoured among the most illustrious martyrs that ennobled Rome with their blood, when the emperors of the world attempted, with the whole weight of their power, to crush the little flock of Christ.

Their epitaph, among the works of Pope Damasus, calls them brothers, and informs us that Hyacinthus sustained the first conflict, but that Protus obtained his crown before him....Their martyrdom, and that of Eugenia, is placed in these acts under Valerian, in 257....

What words can we find sufficiently to extol the heroic virtue and invincible fortitude of the martyrs! They stood out against the fury of those tyrants whose arms had subdued the most distant nations; to whose yoke almost the whole known world was subject, and whose power both kings and people revered. They, standing alone, without any preparation of war, appeared undaunted in the presence of those proud conquerors, who seemed to think that the very earth ought to bend under their feet. Armed with virtue and divine grace, they were an over-match for all the powers of the world and hell; they fought with wild beasts, fires, and swords; with intrepidity and wonderful cheerfulness they braved the most cruel torments, and by humility, patience, meekness, and constancy, baffled all enemies, and triumphed over men and devils. How glorious was the victory of such an invincible virtue! Having before our eyes the examples of so many holy saints, are we yet so dastardly as to shrink under temptations, or to lose patience under the most ordinary trials?"

The Catholic Encyclopedia adds that the grave of St. Hyacinth was found undisturbed in 1845, in a crypt of the above- mentioned catacomb. "It was a small square niche in which lay the ashes and pieces of burned bone wrapped in the remains of costly stuffs.  Evidently the saint had been burnt; most probably both martyrs had suffered death by fire. The niche was closed by a marble slab similar to that used to close a loculus, and bearing the original Latin inscription that confirmed the date in the old Roman Martyrology."

When noon really is noon...

One of the things I like about the traditional Office compared to the new is the constant reminder of nature's cycles - the four Ember Days around the change of the seasons (the Spring one is coming up soon), the differences between the winter and summer Benedictine Office, and the reminders of the time of day in many of the hymns for example.

Awareness of these changing cycles is one of the things we tend to lose in the modern world where most people spend 90% of their day inside, so it is nice to get the occasional prompt to look out the window!

Of course these days, monasteries don't really adjust the start time of Lauds each day to coincide with first light as St Benedict instructs in his Rule: to do so would be utterly impractical.  In late antiquity and the medieval period the day and night were divided into twelve equal hours based on the length of the solar day - so a day 'hour' was longer in summer, shorter in winter.  Today of course, the length of an hour these days is fixed regardless of the time of sunrise and sunset.

Still, if you do have some flexibility in your day, it is nice to be able to adjust the time you say your prayers a little to take note of the shifting seasons.

Right now where I live 'solar noon' actually coincides with actual noon for a few days, giving extra meaning to that phrase about the noonday heat (Et ignibus meridiem) in the hymn for Sext.  And in a few weeks, the length of the day will actually be exactly twelve hours, so the old Roman hour will equal the length of our modern ones - so if one said Prime an hour after sunrise, it really will be the same length of hour as those medieval monks used (well for a day or two anyway!).

For us moderns used to rising at a fixed hour each day, the idea of adjusting everything to the length of the light is hard to imagine.

But if you want to either work out such a schedule for yourself, or at least say the hours at the official times for those few days of the year when the two time systems align, take a look at the schedule of solar noon in time and date.com.

Saturday 4 September I Vespers/Sunday 5 September

The Magnificat antiphon at I Vespers refers to the book of Job: chapter 1:1-11 is read at Matins.

The Benedictus and Magnificat antiphons for Sunday refer to the Gospel, Luke 7:11-16, the raising of the son of the widow of Naim.

Quick Reference Sheet for the Traditional Benedictine Office - Saturday

Summary notes for use in conjunction with the 'How to Say the Office' series - page references are to the psalter section of the Farnborough Monastic Diurnal.

THE OFFICE FOR SATURDAY OF OUR LADY (CLASS IV SATURDAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR) (see below for Class III feasts and above)

Saturday Lauds

• Opening prayers and Psalm 66 as for Monday, MD 58-59;
• Then go to MD 133; use festal canticle (MD 138);
• Chapter, responsory, hymn, versicle and Benedictus antiphon for Our Lady from MD (130) for throughout the year, or as per the season;
• Benedictus from the card, or MD 73;
• Concluding prayers as for Monday, MD 75;
• Collect for Our Lady on Saturday (MD (131) or as per season), see Ordo; if there is a commemoration (memorial), the relevant texts are said immediately after the collect of the day.

Saturday Prime

• Opening prayer and hymn, MD 1-2;
• Antiphon (before and after psalms) for Our Lady on Saturday (MD (131) or for the season);
• Psalms MD 32-37;
• Chapter, versicle and concluding prayers MD 7-9.
Saturday Terce

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Nunc Sancte MD 183;
• Starts MD 183 (opening prayer as per MD 1);
• Antiphon of Our Lady on Saturday (MD (132) or for the season);
• Psalms MD 184-186;
• Chapter and versicle of Our Lady on Saturday (MD (132) or season);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect of Office of Our Lady on Saturday.
Saturday Sext

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Rector potens MD 190;
• Antiphon of Our Lady on Saturday (MD (132) or season);
• Psalms MD 191-193;
• Chapter and versicle of Our Lady on Saturday (MD (132) or season);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect of Our Lady on Saturday.

Saturday None

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Rerum Deus, MD 196-7;
• Antiphon (said before and after psalms) of Our Lady on Saturday (MD (132) or as per season);
• Psalms MD 198-199;
• Chapter and versicle of Our Lady on Saturday (MD 132-133 or as per season);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect of Our Lady on Saturday.

I Vespers of Sunday (Saturday Vespers) – Evening prayer

Note: on some Sundays and feasts, the antiphons, psalms, chapter, hymn etc may be specific to the feast – see Ordo.

• Starts MD 249;
• Antiphon for the Magnificat (MD 209) is particular to the day, for the correct page number see the Ordo;
• Magnificat MD 209-210 or from card;
• Concluding prayers MD 210 (from Kyrie) or MD 255-256;
• Collect of the following Sunday (or feast), see Ordo.

Saturday (and every day) Compline (before sleeping)

• Starts MD 257;
• Choose the Marian antiphon to conclude according to the season (throughout the year it is Salve Regina, MD 268).

SATURDAY ON CLASS III OR ABOVE FEASTS

Saturday Lauds

Note: On some feasts, the festal psalms (under Sunday in the psalter) may be used – see Ordo.

• Opening prayers and Psalm 66 as for Monday, MD 58-59;
• Then go to MD 133; use festal (MD 138) canticle;
• Antiphons, chapter, responsory, hymn, versicle and Benedictus antiphon from MD (130) for the feast, Common, day or season, as per Ordo;
• Benedictus from the card, or MD 73;
• Concluding prayers as for Monday, MD 75;
• Collect of the feast, see Ordo; if there is a commemoration (memorial), the relevant texts are said immediately after the collect of the day.

Saturday Prime

• Opening prayer and hymn, MD 1-2;
• Antiphon of the season (MD 31), day, or feast (see Ordo);
• Psalms MD 32-37;
• Chapter, versicle and concluding prayers MD 7-9.

Saturday Terce

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Nunc Sancte MD 183;
• Starts MD 183 (opening prayer as per MD 1);
• Select antiphon (said before and after psalms) for the season (MD 184), day or feast (see Ordo);
• Psalms MD 184-186;
• Chapter and versicle of season, MD 186ff, or feast (see Ordo);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect for the day (see Ordo).

Saturday Sext

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Rector potens MD 190;
• Select antiphon for the season (MD 190-191), day or feast (see Ordo);
• Psalms MD 191-193;
• Chapter and versicle of season, MD 193ff, day or feast (see Ordo);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect for the day (see Ordo).

Saturday None

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Rerum Deus, MD 196-7;
• Select antiphon (said before and after psalms) for the season (MD 197), day or feast (see Ordo);
• Psalms MD 198-199;
• Chapter and versicle of season (MD 200ff), day or feast (see Ordo);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect for the day.

I Vespers of Sunday (Saturday Vespers) – Evening prayer
Note: Feasts, the psalms may be specific to the feast – see Ordo.

• Starts MD 249;
• Antiphon for the Magnificat (MD 209) is particular to the day, for the correct page number see the Ordo;
• Magnificat MD 209-210 or from card;
• Concluding prayers MD 210 (from Kyrie) or MD 255-256;
• Collect of the following Sunday (or feast), see Ordo.

Saturday (and every day) Compline (before sleeping)

• Starts MD 257;
• Choose the Marian antiphon to conclude according to the season (throughout the year it is Salve Regina, MD 268)

Friday 3 September: St Pius X, Pope and Confessor, 3rd class

Pope Pius X, whose feast we celebrate today, lived from 2 June 1835 to 20 August 1914, and was Pope from 1903 onwards.  He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized.

Pope St Piux X is much enamoured by traditionalists for his tough stance against modernism, promotion of traditional devotional practices and Gregorian chant, promotion of Thomism, and authored an excellent catechism. One of his most important reforms was to publish the first consolidated Code of Canon Law.

Some of his pastoral decisions however are of perhaps more debatable value: he reformed the Roman Breviary, taking it away from its previous alignment with the Benedictine; and encouraged First Communion before Confirmation, reversing the traditional order of reception of the sacraments.

A reluctant starter as Pope (the winner of the first result of the conclave was vetoed by the Emperor Franz Joseph), St Piux X had a strong Marian devotion, was considered by some to be too outspoken in his direct style and condemnations.

His charity was noteworthy: he filled the Apostolic Palace with refugees from the 1908 Messina earthquake; rejected any kind of favours for his family; his brother remained a postal clerk, his favourite nephew stayed on as village priest, and his three sisters lived together close to poverty in Rome; and often referred to his own humble origins, taking up the causes of poor people. "I was born poor, I have lived poor, and I wish to die poor."

Pope Benedict XVI gave a recent General Audience on his saintly predecessor, and its well worth a read.

Quick Reference Sheet for the Traditional Benedictine Office - Friday

Summary notes for use in conjunction with the 'How to Say the Office' series - page references are to the psalter section of the Farnborough Monastic Diurnal.

Friday Lauds

Note: on some feasts, the antiphons, chapter, hymn etc are specific to the feast and the festal psalms (under Sunday in the psalter) may be used – see Ordo.

• Opening prayers and Psalm 66 as for Monday, MD 58-59;
• Then go to MD 118;
• Select either the ferial (MD 123) or the festal (MD 126) canticle depending on season or class of day;
• Benedictus from the card, or MD 73;
• Concluding prayers as for Monday, MD 75;
• Collect of the previous Sunday or feast, see Ordo; if there is a commemoration (memorial), the relevant texts are said immediately after the collect of the day.

Friday Prime

• Opening prayer and hymn, MD 1-2;
• Antiphon (said before and after the psalms) of the season, MD 24, or see Ordo;
• Psalms MD 25-30;
• Chapter, versicle and concluding prayers MD 7-9.

Friday Terce

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Nunc Sancte MD 183;
• Select antiphon (said before and after psalms) for the season, MD 184, or feast (see Ordo);
• Psalms MD 184-186;
• Chapter and versicle of season, MDff, or feast (see Ordo);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect of the week (from the Sunday) or day (see Ordo).

Friday Sext

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Rector potens MD 190;
• Select antiphon (said before and after psalms) for the season, MD 190-191, or feast (see Ordo);
• Psalms MD 191-193;
• Chapter and versicle of season, MDff, or feast (see Ordo);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect of the week (from the Sunday) or day (see Ordo).

Friday None

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Rerum Deus, MD 196-7;
• Select antiphon (said before and after psalms) for the season, MD 197, or feast (see Ordo);
• Psalms MD 198-199;
• Chapter and versicle of season, MD 200ff, or feast (see Ordo);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect of the week (from the Sunday) or day (see Ordo).

Friday Vespers

Note: on some feasts and seasons, the antiphons, psalms, chapter, hymn etc are specific to the day – see Ordo.

• Starts MD 243 (opening prayer as on MD 1);
• Antiphons for the season or day (see Ordo);
• Psalms MD 243-247;
• Magnificat MD 209-210;
• Concluding prayers MD 210-211 (from Kyrie);
• Collect of the previous Sunday or feast, see Ordo.

Friday Compline

• Starts MD 256;
• Choose the Marian antiphon to conclude according to the season (throughout the year it is Salve Regina, MD 268).

Quick Reference Sheet for the Traditional Benedictine Office - Thursday

Summary notes for use in conjunction with the 'How to Say the Office' series - page references are to the psalter section of the Farnborough Monastic Diurnal.

Thursday Lauds (at first light)

Note: on some feasts, the antiphons, chapter, hymn etc are specific to the feast and the festal psalms (under Sunday in the psalter) may be used – see Ordo

• Opening prayers and Psalm 66 as for Monday, MD 58-59;
• Then go to MD 102;
• Select either the ferial (MD 108) or the festal (MD 109) canticle depending on season or class of day;
• Benedictus from the card, or MD 73;
• Concluding prayers as for Monday, MD 75;
• Collect of the previous Sunday or feast, see Ordo; if there is a commemoration (memorial), the relevant texts are said immediately after the collect of the day.

Thursday Prime (early morning)

• Opening prayer and hymn, MD 1-2;
• Antiphon (said before and after the psalms) of the season (MD 20-21) or see Ordo;
• Psalms MD 21-23;
• Chapter, versicle and concluding prayers MD 7-9.

Thursday Terce (mid-morning)

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Nunc Sancte MD 183;
• Select antiphon (said before and after psalms) for the season (MD 184) or feast (see Ordo);
• Psalms MD 184-186;
• Chapter and versicle of season (MD 186-189) or feast (see Ordo);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect of the week (from the Sunday) or day (see Ordo).

Thursday Sext (noon)

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Rector potens MD 190;
• Select antiphon (said before and after psalms) for the season (MD 190-191) or feast (see Ordo);
• Psalms MD 191-193;
• Chapter and versicle of season (MD 193-196) or feast (see Ordo);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect of the week (from the Sunday) or day (see Ordo).

Thursday None (mid-afternoon)

• Opening prayer (Deus…) as per MD 1;
• Hymn Rerum Deus, MD 196-7;
• Select antiphon (said before and after psalms) for the season (MD 197) or feast (see Ordo);
• Psalms MD 198-199;
• Chapter and versicle of season, MD 200ff or feast (see Ordo);
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect of the week (from the Sunday) or day (see Ordo).

Thursday Vespers (early evening)

Note: on some feasts and seasons, the antiphons, psalms, chapter, hymn etc are specific to the day – see Ordo

• Starts MD 235 (opening prayer as on page 1);
• Antiphons for the season (MD 235) or day (see Ordo);
• Magnificat MD 209-210;
• Concluding prayers MD 210-11 (from Kyrie);
• Collect of the Sunday (or feast) - see Ordo.

Compline (before retiring)

• Starts MD 257;
• Choose the Marian antiphon to conclude according to the season (throughout the year it is Salve Regina, MD 268).