Propers for the last days of Advent
  • quilisma
    Posts: 136
    Can anyone help on the subject of organisation of Propers for the last days of Advent? In the Gradual we have a special section for the 17th to 24th, but then the chants are organised by Feria Secunda...Tertia...etc. (Monday, Tuesday, etc.), which would not necessarily fall on the 17th, 18th.... Then there's a special mention of the 19th and 20th. I'm a bit confused. The missal is clearer in this respect as to what should be done.

    I notice that the Propers given in the Gradual recycle some of those given for the Ember days, which are between the 3rd and 4th Sundays. So are the Ferias mentioned those of the 3rd week of Advent? If so, what happens between the 4th Sunday and Christmas - is it just the Sunday Propers repeated? For example, would the Feria Secunda chants be used on any Monday that happens to fall between the 17th and 24th?

    Of course, the questions are largely academic because I have little hope of ever actually singing these at a Mass in our parish!
  • VilyanorVilyanor
    Posts: 388
    You've got it. On the Ferias of Dec 17th through 23rd, use the Propers specified for the day of the week regardless of the number date, except on the 19th and 20th, which have a few date specific antiphons, and regardless of which side of the 4th Sunday they're on.
  • smvanroodesmvanroode
    Posts: 995
    In the first three weeks of Advent, the Sunday propers are repeated on weekdays (with only a couple of exceptions). From December 17 onward, the weekdays Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday have their own proper chants, which are repeated on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (except for the Gradual, which is proper to each weekday).

    The calendar days December 19 and 20 have some proper chants assigned, which fit the readings of the day. For December 24, you can choose any of the Masses for weekdays after December 17.

    So, whereas the orations (Missal) and readings (Lectionary) are chosen for each calendar day of December 17-24, the chants (Roman Gradual) are organised by weekday (Monday through Saturday), except for a small number of chants on December 19 and 20.
  • quilisma
    Posts: 136
    Thanks for the clarification guys. As you can see, I sort of arrived at the correct answer whilst writing, but thought that it might be useful to keep the post, in case other people had a similar question.
  • David Sullivan
    Posts: 355
    For December 24, you can choose any of the Masses for weekdays after December 17.


    Wait a minute, I'm pretty sure December 24 has its own Mass--Introit Hodie scietis. This came up with the 1962 Missal when December 24 fell on a Sunday. I don't have books in front of me, but I think this applies to the 1970 Missal too.
  • dhalkjdhalkj
    Posts: 61
    Hodie scietis is the mass for the Christmas Vigil, so for masses starting in the afternoon Christmas Eve and going up to the midnight mass. When Dec 24 is a Sunday it is Advent IV in the morning so Rorate caeli. When it is a different day of the week the directions say to use one of the three masses suggested for the weekdays and since each mass comes with the mention of two possible weekdays for it to be used you could follow that suggestion. The main need for the rubric would seem to be to forestall the impulse to use Hodie scietis in the morning of Dec 24. Since most parishes are using the midnight mass readings during the time of the vigil mass Hodie scietis is basically no longer used which seems a shame and suggests it might be opportune to adjust the rubric. Will it happen in my lifetime, I wonder. Anybody feel like starting a reform movement?
    Merry Christmas everybody.
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