Today, in the Roman Rite, is traditionally the Vigil of the Solemnity of SS Peter and Paul.
Before the changes initiated under Pius XII began, S Irenaeus had been put onto this day. So, in the admirable ORDO published by the Saint Lawrence Press (giving the Roman Rite as it was circa 1939), Mass today is of that Saint, with commemorations of two octaves and of the Vigil. Or ad libitum, it is of the Vigil, with commemorations of the Saint and of the octaves.
In 1962, S Irenaeus was moved to July 3 so as to unclutter the observance of the Vigil (octaves had by now been abolished).
Less than a decade after this, the Novus Ordo Calendar put S Irenaeus back onto today.
Summary: (1) Today is the real festival of S Irenaeus (as well as the Vigil of the Apostles). He spent less than a decade (1962-1970) in exile on July 3. As it happens, the Novus Calendar agrees with the pre-Pius XII Calendar. What the 1962 calendar provides is both 'untraditional' AND out of sync with what the Novus part of the Roman Rite does. This is a matter of everybody in the regiment except my 1962 Johnny being out of step.
(2) Would it really be an act of base treachery to Tradition to correct the 1962 Calendar, at least in those places where the pre1962 Calendar and the Novus Calendar are in agreement with each other against 1962?
(3) The Roman Rite, like the Byzantine Rite, should be more welcoming to the custom of observing two commemorations on the same day. As it was before the 1960s.
(4) As happened before Pius XII and Bugnini, there should be more ad libitum in the 1962 missal.
(5) Would it be the ultimate crime to allow the use of Last Gospels of commemorated Sundays and Vigils, as used to happen before Pius XII let Mgr Bugnini loose on the Roman Rite?
But there is yet another Saint with a claim upon today!! We will consider him tomorrow, in connexion with the Apotles SS Peter and Paul.
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14 comments:
As libitum offends against the superior principle: "If it's not forbidden, it's compulsory".
S. Irenaeus' office (extended to the universal church by Benedict XV) displays the admirable feature of Leonine through "alpine" Pian propers...a third nocturn of lessons either from the saint's writings (so today, the adv. haer.), or at least properly patristic (so for S. John Bosco, e.g.).
Sadly, these proper nocturns were lost in the drastic Matins pruning of 1960.
Amen amen.
from my St. Andrew's missal June 28: "Towards the end of the 2nd century when gnostic sects endeavored to undermine the basis of the Christian religion, God raised up St. Irenaeus to oppose them." Please God may they stop shuffling feasts around. It is important what saint's day a person is born on.
The diocese of Westminster is spared these complications: today is the anniversary of the Dedication of the Cathedral.
That's odd, my 'Diocese of Westminster' Ordo says Dedication of the Cathedral 1 July
I fear the reform of the liturgical calendar is the last thing on anyone's mind who counts in the Church; and given who it is that currently counts in the Church, that is probably a good thing.
I gather that before the feast of St Irenaeus was extended to the universal church ( many thanks to Lee) the feast of St Leo II was observed in this country ( until the late C19th?) and in the gloriously crowded calendar of the Roman See itself. I should be interested to know more.G
Th Ordinariate at Warwick Street, however, celebrated S Irenaeus today.
The Roman Breviary of 1915 has Leo II as Semiduplex, with commemoration of St. John and the Vigil (commemorations in lauds only, IX. lesson of the vigil in Matins, vespers of the following without any commemorations, neither of Leo II nor of the Octave). Maybe some people from Ravenna with a good memory were behind the removal of Leo II from today?
(5): Amen to this!
I see the Knott Missal describes Irenaeus as Bishop and Martyr. The earliest author I know of who describes him as a martyr is Gregory of Tours, some 400 years later. I am not convinced.
The Ordinariate, one should hope, follows the old principle that the BCP calendar trumps the Roman one.
I believe they moved the observance to the date of the suppressed titular feast.
Two octaves? One is of John the Baptist, what is the other?
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