LOST FEASTS: January 28: Translation of the Relics of St. Thomas Aquinas

One of the casualties of the revision of the Breviary ordered by Pope St. Pius X, was the feast of the Translation of the Relics of St. Thomas Aquinas.  To commemorate the transferal of the Angelic Doctor's relics to Toulouse on January 28, 1369, the general chapter of that year, with the permission of Pope Urban V, instituted a liturgical feast on January 28.  The feast was given the rank of totum duplex.  A commemoration was also made of the "second feast" of St. Agnes on this day.

January 23: St. Raymond of Pennafort, C., O.P., III Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of St. Raymond of Pennafort, Confessor, of the Order of Preachers.  At the time the 1962 Breviary was published, his feast was III Class and contained a full set of propers for the entire office.  Between then, and the printing of the 1967 English translation of the Breviary, the Order made his feast II Class.  At Lauds, the Psalms of Sunday are prayed and a commemoration of St. Emerentiana, virgin and martyr is made.

January 18: St. Margaret of Hungary, V., O.P., III Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of St. Margaret of Hungary, virgin, of the Order of Preachers.  Though the feast is III Class, all is taken from the Proper of the Saints, and at Lauds the Psalms of Sunday are prayed.  At Lauds and Vespers a commemoration is made of St.  Prisca, virgin and martyr.  In addition, a second commemoration is made at Lauds of the office of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday.  At Pretiosa, the obit of Barnabas of Vercelli, 15th Master General of the Order is read.

St. Francis de Capillas, O.P., St. Peter Sanz, B., O.P., Mm. III Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the protomartyr of China, St. Francis de Capillas. The feast is III Class, so the Ordinary Office is prayed.  At the time of the 1962 calendar, Francis was a blessed. He was canonized by Bl. Pope John Paul II on October 1, 2000.  He was canonized along with Blessed Peter Sanz and his companions, all of whom are recognized as the Martyrs of China.   The traditional feast day for Bl. Peter Sanz and his companions was June 3.  Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P.’s Dominican Rite Calendar (see sidebar) assigns this day as the date for celebrating all of these Dominican Saints who were martyred in China.

Compline During Epiphanytide

One of the unique features of the Dominican Rite of Office is the variability of antiphons at Compline during various seasons and on certain feasts.  This is particularly true during the seasons of Lent, Passiontide, Paschaltide, Ascensiontide, and through out the octave of Pentecost, when the hymn, Little Chapter, and responses change.

Throughout the season of the Epiphany (from the 1st Vespers of the Epiphany of the Lord until January 13th inclusive, the following two (2) antiphons are used at Compline each day.

The antiphon to the Psalms is:

Light from light, you have manifested yourself, O Christ.  The wise men offer gifts to you, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

The Psalms of Sunday are always prayed at Compline during this time, even on the feast of a Saint.

The antiphon at the Nunc dimittis is:

Alleluia.  All those from Sheba shall come, alleluia; they shall bring gold and frankincense, alleluia, alleluia.

Liturgical Meditations For The Entire (Dominican) Year

I recently came into the possession of some old Dominican Third Order pamphlets, primarily from the 1950's and 1960's.  One of them was a pamphlet entitled "Perfection in the Workplace".  It is a summary of the proceedings of a national conference of Dominican Tertiaries which took place in Chicago in 1956.  In the appendix, there is a list of books that were recommended for Tertiaries.  A copy of this list can be found on the right hand sidebar under "Tertiary Reading List".

January 3: St. Zedislavae Berkianae, Mat., O.P., III Class

Today, in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of St. Zedislavae Berkianae, Matron of the Order of Preachers.  The feast is III Class, so the ordinary office is prayed.  All is taken from the Office of a a Non-Virgin outside Paschaltide, except for the Collect prayer below.