The Ordinary of Matins for Class III feasts

Given that it is now permissible, on certain days, to celebrate the feasts of those canonised after 1962 as Class III feasts, I thought it might be helpful to post the commons for the different types of feasts, so that all you need is the reading on the particular saint's life.

To start with, for reference purposes, the 'ordinary' texts for a Class III feast.

Please do let me know if you find any errors or have any questions.

Opening prayer

[said three times while the sign of the cross is made over the lips with the thumb]

℣. Dómine, lábia ✠ mea apéries. ℟. Et os meum annuntiábit laudem tuam.

℣. O Lord, ✠ open my lips. ℟. And my mouth shall declare your praise.

Psalm 3
Dómine quid multiplicáti sunt qui tríbulant me? * multi insúrgunt advérsum me.	Why, O Lord, are they multiplied that afflict me? * many are they who rise up against me.
Multi dicunt ánimæ meæ: * Non est salus ipsi in Deo eius.	Many say to my soul: * There is no salvation for him in his God.
Tu autem, Dómine, suscéptor meus es, * glória mea, et exáltans caput meum.	But you, O Lord are my protector, * my glory, and the lifter up of my head.
Voce mea ad Dóminum clamávi: * et exaudívit me de monte sancto suo.	I have cried to the Lord with my voice: * and he has heard me from his holy hill.
Ego dormívi, et soporátus sum: * et exsurréxi, quia Dóminus suscépit me.	I have slept and taken my rest: * and I have risen up, because the Lord has protected me
Non timébo míllia pópuli circumdántis me: * exsúrge, Dómine, salvum me fac, Deus meus.	I will not fear thousands of the people, surrounding me: * arise, O Lord; save me, O my God.
Quóniam tu percussísti omnes adversántes mihi sine causa: * dentes peccatórum contrivísti.	For you struck all them who are my adversaries without cause: * you have broken the teeth of sinners.
Dómini est salus: * et super pópulum tuum benedíctio tua.	Salvation is of the Lord: * and your blessing is upon your people.
Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost:
Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sæcula sæculórum.  Amen.	As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Invitatory antiphon and Psalm 94

[Note; **= Full antiphon; *second half of antiphon only]

** ** Psalm 94
Veníte, exsultémus Dómino, † iubilémus Deo, salutári nostro: † præoccupémus fáciem eius in confessióne, † et in psalmis iubilémus ei.	Come let us praise the Lord with joy: let us joyfully sing to God our saviour. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful noise to him with psalms.
**
Quóniam Deus magnus Dóminus, et Rex magnus super omnes deos: † quóniam non repéllet Dóminus plebem suam: † quia in manu eius sunt omnes fines terræ, † et altitúdines móntium ipse cónspicit.	For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. For in his hand are all the ends of the earth: and the heights of the mountains are his.
*
Quóniam ipsíus est mare, et ipse fecit illud, † et áridam fundavérunt manus eius: † [kneel] veníte, adorémus, et procidámus ante Deum: † plorémus coram Dómino, qui fecit nos, quia ipse est Dóminus Deus noster; † nos autem pópulus eius, et oves páscuæ eius.	For the sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. [kneel] Come let us adore and fall down: and weep before the Lord that made us. For he is the Lord our God: and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
**
Hódie, si vocem eius audiéritis, nolíte obduráre corda vestra, † sicut in exacerbatióne, secúndum diem tentatiónis in desérto: † ubi tentavérunt me patres vestri, † probavérunt et vidérunt ópera mea.	Today if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts: As in the provocation, according to the day of temptation in the wilderness: where your fathers tempted me, they proved me, and saw my works.
*
Quadragínta annis próximus fui generatióni huic, et dixi: † Semper hi errant corde; † ipsi vero non cognovérunt vias meas: quibus iurávi in ira mea: † Si introíbunt in réquiem meam.	Forty years long was I offended with that generation, and I said: These always err in heart. And these men have not known my ways: so I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest.
**
Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. † Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, † et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
* **

Hymn (from the Common or specific to the feast)

Nocturn I

Psalms and antiphons (of the day of the week in the psalter)

Versicle (of the season, in the psalter)

Our Father and Absolution (of the day of the week in the psalter)

Blessing for the reading(s)

In the Office of one reading (summer):

Monday and Thursday

℣. Iube, Dómine, benedícere. Benedictio. In unitáte Sancti Spíritus, * benedícat nos Pater et Fílius. Amen.

℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing. Benediction. In the unity of the Holy Ghost, * may the Father and the Son bless us. Amen.

Tuesday and Friday

℣. Iube, Dómine, benedícere. Benedictio. A cunctis vítiis et peccátis * absólvat nos virtus sanctae Trinitátis. Amen.

℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing. Benediction. Of all faults and sins * may the power of the holy Trinity absolve us. Amen.

Wednesday and Saturday

℣. Iube, Dómine, benedícere. Benedictio. Ad societátem cívium supernórum perdúcat nos Rex Angelórum. Amen.

℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing. Benediction. May He that is the Angels' King to that high realm His people bring. Amen.

In the Office of three lessons (winter):

(1)

℣. Iube, Dómine, benedícere. Benedictio. Ille nos benedícat, qui sine fine vivit et regnat. Amen.

℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing. Benediction. May His blessing be upon us who doth live and reign forever.  Amen.

(2) EITHER (for a single saint; ipsa for a female saint)

℣. Iube, Dómine, benedícere. Benedictio. Cuius festum cólimus, ipse (ipsa) intercédat pro nobis ad Dóminum. Amen.

℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing. Benediction. He whose feast-day we are keeping, be our Advocate with God. Amen.

OR (if there are several saints):

℣. Iube, Dómine, benedícere. Benedictio. Quorum (quarum) festum cólimus, ipsi (ipsae) intercédant pro nobis ad Dóminum. Amen.

℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing. Benediction. They whose feast-day we are keeping, be our Advocate with God. Amen.

(3)

℣. Iube, Dómine, benedícere. Benedictio. Ad societátem cívium supernórum perdúcat nos Rex Angelórum. Amen.

℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing. Benediction. May He that is the Angels' King to that high realm His people bring. Amen.

Reading(s)

Reading: (of the day of the day and/or feast) [Note: In winter, the first two readings are normally of the feria] [at the end of each reading]: ℣. Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. ℟. Deo grátias.

℣. But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us. ℟. Thanks be to God.

Responsory (Of the Common or specific to the feast)

Nocturn II

Psalms and antiphon(s) (of the day of the week)

Chapter and versicle

Chapter (of the Common, as in the psalter, or specific to the feast). At the end of the chapter: ℟. Deo grátias. Versicle (of the Common or specific to the feast)

℟. Thanks be to God.

Concluding prayers

Kýrie, eléison; Christe, eléison; Kýrie, eléison.	Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.
Pater noster, [then said silently until] ℣. Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem. ℟. Sed líbera nos a malo.	Our Father… ℣. And lead us not into temptation. ℟. But deliver us from evil.
℣. Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam. ℟. Et clamor meus ad te véniat.	℣. O Lord, hear my prayer. ℟. And let my cry come unto thee.
Collect [of the feast] [at the end of the collect] ℟. Amen.	℟. Amen.
℣. Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam. ℟. Et clamor meus ad te véniat. ℣. Benedicámus Dómino. ℟. Deo grátias. ℣. Fidélium ánimæ per misericórdiam Dei requiéscant in pace. ℟. Amen.	℣. O Lord, hear my prayer. ℟. And let my cry come unto thee. ℣. O Lord, hear my prayer. ℟. And let my cry come unto thee. ℣. Let us bless the Lord. ℟. Thanks be to God. ℣. May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. ℟. Amen.

Matins readings and responsories for June and July: overview

This Sunday marks the start, in the Benedictine Office, of the post-Easter cycle of  readings, which starts with the four books of Kings (or Samuel I&II and Kings I&II if you prefer).

The inner logic of the reading cycle

There is, it should be noted, a chronological basis for the current reading cycle, which dates back to (at least) the eighth century.

The Matins reading cycle in the Roman and Benedictine Offices, you will recall, started with Genesis in Septuagesimatide, and originally took in the first seven books of the Bible over Lent.

Eastertide took as to the narrative of the aftermath of the Resurrection, in Acts, as well as to last books of the New Testament, the Catholic Epistles and Revelation.

After Easter, we turn to the book of Kings, which effectively picks up from the narrative of Jewish history read during Lent, and deals with the institution of the kings of Israel, to the destruction of the kingdom and the Exile.

Kings is the start of a cycle, which extends from June onwards, that was thought to correspond to four great world monarchies (according to Eusebius and Jerome, and spelt out in Amalarius' commentary on the responsories), namely the Assyrians, the Persians, the Macedonians and the Romans. [1]

The books of Kings can be seen as setting out types for the struggles of the Church Militant, and foretelling and foreshadowing the creation of the true and eternal kingdom of God, yet to be fully realised, above all with David as a type of Christ.

The earlier (?Benedictine) cycle...

In the earliest reading cycle we have preserved for Rome, though, the readings after Eastertide also included Chronicles (which extends the history of the Jewish people up to the authorisation for the restoration of the Temple and Jerusalem). [2]

The evidence we have for this cycle associates it with St Peter's, and the later one, still used in the 1962 Office, with the Lateran.  It is possible though, that the earlier cycle was originally more widely used, but then superseded by an eighth century reorganisation of the Matins readings. [3]

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the older cycle recorded (in Ordos XIV and XVI), is that the reading of Kings and Chronicles continued up to the middle of autumn (mid-November), providing a much lighter reading schedule for the summer months, consistent with the Rule's omission of weekday readings at Matins (and the prohibition on reading Kings after dinner lest it disturb weak minds, in RB 42).

The responsories used during June and July still seem to reflect traces of this earlier, more expansive cycle, including some texts from Chronicles, as the table below illustrates.

Position On Sundays (Benedictine 1962)	Position notes, cantus	Incipit	R source
1	Roman Monday1/Thurs	Praeparate corda vestra	1 (Sam) Kings 7:3
2	Roman Monday 2/Thurs	Deus omnium exauditor	1 Kings 13:17, 37
3	omitted	Deus omnium exauditor	[Ps 151 (Apoc)] v=1 Kings 17:37
4	Roman Monday 3/Fri	Dominus, qui eripuit me	1 Kings 17, 37
5	Roman Tuesday/Fri 1	Percussit Saul mille	1 Kings 18:7; 21:11; 29:5; Sirach 47:4-8
6	Roman Tuesday/Fri 2	Montes Gelboe	2 Kings 1:19-21
7	Roman Tuesday/Fri 3	Ego te tuli	2 Kings 7, 8
8	Roman Wed/Sat 2; Monpp4 on	Exaudísti Dómine	3 Kings 8, 20
9	Roman Wed/Sat1	Peccávi super númerum	Oratio Manasse
10	Roman Wed /Sat3; Rom mon pp4 on no 3	Audi, Dómine, hymnum	3 Kings 8, 28-29
11	Omitted	Dómine, si convérsus	3 Kings 8, 42-43.48
	Rom Mon post Epiph 4 onwards	Recordare Domine	1 Para 21:15-17
	Rom Tues post Epiph. 4 on	Domine si conversus	2 Para 6:24-25
	Roman Tues pp4 on	Factum est	4 Kings 2:12, 11

The second and third Nocturn readings

Just how many Sundays are devoted to the books of Samuel/Kings each year depends on the date of Easter (and hence Pentecost): this year there are seven Sundays (ie up the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost); the theoretical maximum is eleven. I have included the full possible list for reference purposes in the table below.

Sunday/Feast

Nocturn I

Nocturn II

Nocturn III

Gospel

PP2 (within the Octave of Corpus Christi)	1 Kings (Samuel) 1	Chrysostom - Ex Hom. 60 ad pop. Antioch	Gregory the Great – Homily 36 on the Gospels	Lk 14:16-24
[Sacred Heart]		Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XI	Bonaventure	Jn  19: 31-37]
PP3	1 Sam 9-10	St Gregory (attrib)	St Gregory	Lk 15: 1-10
PP4	1 Sam 17	Caesarius Sermon 121	Ambrose On Luke	Lk 5:1-11
PP5	[2 Sam 1	Gregory on Job 4:4	Augustine Sermon on the Mount	Mt 5:20-24
PP6	2 Sam 12	Ambrose Apologia David	Ambrose on Lk 6	Mk 8:1-9
PP7	1 Kings 1	Jerome letter to Neotianum	Hilary on Mt 6	Mt 7:15-21
PP8	1 Kings 9	Augustine City of God 17:8	Jerome letter 121 to Algasiam	Lk 16:1-9
PP9	2 Kings 1	Caesarius Sermon 124	Gregory Hom 39 on Gospels	Lk 19:41-47
PP10	2 Kings 9	Chrysostom on Romans Hom 25	Augustine Hom 115	Lk 18:9-14
PP11	2 Kings 20]	Jerome on Isaiah Bk 11:38	Gregory Homilies on Ezekiel no 1	Mark 7:31-37

Notes

[1] Amalarius of Metz, Liber de Ordine Antiphonarii, PL 105: 1245-; For an interesting discussion of the context, see Graeme Ward (2018), "The Order of History: Liturgical Time and the Rhythms of the Past in Amalarius of Metz's De ordine antiphonarii", in Elina Screen; Charles West (eds.), Writing the Early Medieval West, Cambridge University Press, pp. 98–112.

[2] Ordos XIV and XVI in Michel Andrieu (ed), Les ordines romani du haut moyen age, vol 2, 1961.

[3] Maiani, Brad, Readings and Responsories: The Eighth-Century Night Office Lectionary and the Responsoria Prolixa, The Journal of Musicology, Vol. 16, No. 2 (Spring, 1998), pp. 254-282.  The reorganisation of the Matins reading cycle in this period would also help explain why Monte Cassino initially followed the Roman practice of weekday readings in summer rather than St Benedict's prescriptions on the subject.