Cap. XIV
IN NATALITIIS SANCTORUM QUALITER VIGILIAE AGANTUR

[Ms P, fol. 79v – Paulus Diaconus – 
Ps.-Basil: Ms K¹, fol. 1v; Ms E¹, p. 182]

Ch. 14
HOW VIGILS ARE PERFORMED IN THE FEASTS OF SAINTS

Translated by: Zachary Guiliano

₁In sanctorum vero festivitatibus vel omnibus solemnitatibus, sicut diximus dominico die agendum, ita agatur.

₁On the feasts of saints or on all solemnities, just as we said it must be done on the Lord’s Day, so it should be done [on these].

De solemnitatibus jam superius dictum est. Nunc autem videamus, quare dicatur festivitas. Festivitas dicta a festis diebus quasi festiditas, eo quod in eis sola res divina fit, quibus contrarii sunt fasti, in quibus jus fatur, i. e. dicitur. [Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae VI, c. 18.1]

With regard to solemnities it was said above. However let us now see why it is called a festivity. The festivity is so called from feast days as if from ‘festiveness’, because during them only divine things are done, to which fasti are contrary, during which the law speaks, i.e. is spoken. [Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae VI, c. 18.1]

Adtendendum est in hoc loco, quia, cum dixit festivitatibus, non dixit omnibus, sicut in solemnitatibus, et ideo necesse est causa discretionis; cum dixit festivitatibus, subaudiendum est: praecipuis.

It must be noted in this place that when he discusses feasts, he did not speak about all of them, as [he spoke] with regard to solemnities, and therefore it is necessary for the sake of discretion, that, although he said feasts, it must be heard as ‘special feasts’.

Et hoc intuendum est, quia in eo, quod dixit in sanctorum festivitatibus, subintelligendum est, ut in aliis sanctorum festivitatibus commemoratio fiat sanctorum, sed tamen non sicut in dominico die. Nam si in festivitatibus sanctorum de omnibus sanctis, qui missas suas habent, sive praecipuis sive non praecipuis, intelligatur, difficile videtur, eo quod multae erunt illae festivitates sanctorum, sicut in libro missarum continentur, quia in illo libro multorum sanctorum missae scriptae videntur, ac per hoc aut dimittentur aut cum nimio labore celebrabuntur, et paene nihil aliud faciendum erit propter multitudinem sanctorum. Sed, sicut diximus, cum dicit festivitatibus, subaudiendum est: praecipuis.

And this must be considered, that where he said on the feasts of the saints, it must be understood that the commemoration of the saints should be as it is on the other saints’ festivities but not as on the Lord’s Day. For if on saints’ feasts should be understood with regard to all saints who have their own masses, it seems difficult, because there are many saints’ feasts, as they are contained in the book of masses, since in that book the masses of many saints are seen to be written. And on this account, the saints’ feasts are either set aside or they are celebrated with excessive labor and almost nothing else can be done because of the multitude of saints. But, as we said, when he says ‘on feasts’, it must be heard under the heading: ‘on special feasts’.

Solemnitates attinent ad Christi solemnitates, quamquam de solemnitatibus [page 300] possunt dici festivitates, et festivitates solemnitates, quia non solemnitates separant, sed sanctorum.

Solemnities refer to the solemnities of Christ, even though solemnities [page 300] can be called feasts and feasts solemnities, because they do not separate solemnities, save those of the saints.

Quare dicantur natalitiae de diebus mortium sanctorum, cum illi in ipsis diebus non leguntur nati, sed mortui, haec ratio ita solvitur, quia sicut homines, cum nascuntur, de utero matrum suarum [i. e. cum] exeunt de tenebris viscerum matrum ad hanc lucem, ita sancti in die mortis de tenebris praesentis vitae exeunt et in lucem sempiternae beatitudinis quasi nascendo ingrediuntur.

Why are the deaths of the saints called birthdays, when we read that they were not born on those days but died? The reason is explained in this manner: because as men when they are born from the womb of their mothers go out from the shadows of the mothers’ belly into this light, so the saints, on the day of death, go out from the shadows of this present life and into the light of eternal blessedness as if they enter it by being born.

Solemnitates Christi sunt: Nativitas, Circumcisio, Apparitio, Praesentatio in templo, Coena Domini, Parasceven, Sabbatum sanctum, Pascha, Ascensio, Pentecosten. Festivitates vero sanctorum, quae praecipuae habentur, sunt: XII apostolorum, S. Joannis Baptistae, S. Stephani, S. Laurentii, S. Mariae in medio Augusto et Nativitas ejus, S. Michaelis, S. Martini, S. Caeciliae, S. Agnetis, S. Agathae, et S. Benedicti in quadragesimae diebus, et in Calendis Novembris celebratur festivitas omnium sanctorum. Istae omnes, quia per totum mundum celebrantur, ideo sunt praecipuae. Deinde sunt praecipuae omnium sanctorum, qui in illa civitate requiescunt, ubi eorum corpora sunt humata, veluti sunt S. Ambrosii, SS. Gervasii et Protasii, Victoris, Naboris, Nazarii, Celsi et omnium sanctorum, quorum corpora in propriis provinciis requiescunt.

These are the solemnities of Christ: Christmas, the Circumcision, the Appearing [Epiphany], the Presentation in the Temple, the Lords’ Supper, the Day of Preparation [Good Friday], Holy Saturday, Pascha [Easter], Ascension, and Pentecost. But the feasts of the saints that are considered special are these: the Twelve Apostles, St John the Baptist, St Stephen, St Laurence, St Mary’s feast in the middle of August which is her nativity, St Michael, St Martin, St Cecilia, St Agnes, St Agatha, and St Benedict in the days of Quadragesima [Lent]. Also on the Kalends of November the feast of All Saints is celebrated. All these, because they are celebrated through the whole world, are therefore ‘special’. Then there are those special feasts which are the feasts of all the saints which rest in that city where their bodies are buried, as with St Ambrose, Sts Gervase and Protase, Victor, Nabor, Nazare, Celsus, and all the saints, whose bodies rest in their own provinces.

Reliquorum vero sanctorum, qui non sunt praecipui, veluti sunt S. Romani et aliorum, quamvis eorum missae sint scriptae in sacramentario, ut in decollatione S. Joannis, sicut in illis, qui non sunt praecipui, agendum est. Ita vero debet agi in illis sanctis, qui non sunt praecipui, i. e. solummodo in vespere praeteriti diei lectio memoriter de ipsis sanctis non praecipuis et responsorium similiter et hymnus atque versus seu antiphona in Magnificat vel oratio de ipsis non praecipuis sanctis dicenda sunt. Ad nocturnum autem versus de ipsis non praecipuis sanctis cum tribus responsoriis atque lectionibus, [page 301] si habentur, dicatur, ad matutinum vero totum de ipsis non praecipuis sanctis dicendum est, et veniam petere debent, si non fuerint in dominico die aut in diebus quinquaginta, qui pentecostes vocantur, in quibus non licet genua flecti.

But with regard to the rest of the saints, who are not ‘special’ (such as Saint Romanus and others), although their masses are indeed written in the sacramentary (such as the Beheading of St John): it must be done on those [feasts] as on those which are not ‘special’. And here is how it ought to be done on those [feasts] which are not special, i.e., only during the Vespers of the previous day should there be the reading by memory concerning those non-special saints and likewise the responsory and the hymn and verse or antiphon in the Magnificat, or the prayer about those non-special saints must be said. But at the Night Office, the verse of those non-special saints with the three responsories and readings, [page 301] if there are any, should be said, but at the Office of Matins the whole [service] must be said with regard to those non-special saints, and they ought to ask for pardon,¹ if the feasts are not on the Lord’s Day or in the fifty days that are called Pentecost, in which it is not permitted to genuflect.

Nam caetera officia, i. e. prima, tertia, sexta, nona, vespera, completorium et nocturnae - praeter tres lectiones cum responsoriis tribus - de quotidiano agendum est, et laborandum est in illo die, et sicut in die quotidiano manducandum juxta tempus suum, quod definitum est in regula, i. e. aut ad sextam aut ad nonam, missa vero de illis sanctis, qui non sunt praecipui, canenda est.

For the other Offices, i.e. Prime, Terce, Sext, Nones, Vespers, Compline, and the Night Office – besides the three readings with three responsories— must be done in the daily fashion, and it must be performed on that day and as on every day the meal should be according to the time that is prescribed in the Rule (i.e. either at Sext or at Nones), but the Mass of those non-special saints must be chanted.

Forte dicit aliquis: quare? Quia jam, cum matutinum inde cantasti, initium missae fecisti illius sancti. Vespera vero de illis sanctis praedictis praecipuis ita agenda est, i. e. in die praeterito ad vesperum solummodo dicenda est lectio et responsorium cum gloria et hymnus et versus et antiphona in Magnificat et oratio.

Someone might ask, “Why?” Because when you have finished chanting Matins, you have completed the beginning of the Mass of that saint. But Vespers must be done thus concerning the aforesaid special saints, i.e., on the previous day at Vespers, only the reading and the responsory with the Gloria and a hymn and verse and antiphon in the Magnificat and the prayer must be said.

Ad nocturnas et ad matutinum et prima, tertia, sexta, nona, vespera et missa et completorium ad ipsos sanctos dies pertinentes dicenda sunt.

At the Night Office and at Matins and at Prime, Terce, Sext, Nones, Vespers and Mass and Compline, the things pertaining to the same holy days must be said.

Sequitur: ₂Modus autem supra scriptus teneatur.

It follows: ₂But the way written above must be maintained.

Modus autem intelligitur quantitas.

Way must be understood as ‘quantity.’

Et hoc intuendum est, quia ista quantitas ad lectiones et responsoria et psalmos attinet.

And this must be considered because this quantity pertains to the readings and responsories and psalms.

Verumtamen sciendum est, quia Coena Domini et Parasceve et Sabbatum sanctum et Pascha ad solemnitates Christi attinet. De his quatuor diebus diffinitum est in concilio, ut officium secundum romanam ecclesiam canatur pleniter, et non secundum regulam a monachis.

Nevertheless, it must be known that the Lord’s Supper and the Preparation [Good Friday] and Holy Saturday and Pascha [Easter] pertain to the solemnities of Christ. With regard to those four days it was defined in council that the Office should be chanted completely by the monks, in accordance with the Roman Church and not in accordance with the Rule.

Verum sunt studiosiores monachi, qui in his quatuor diebus nolunt secundum romanam traditionem agere, sed secundum regulam pleniter dicentes, quia, si in aliis diebus non transgredimur regulam in officiis canendis, nec etiam in istis quatuor diebus volumus transgredi. Nam, sicut mihi videtur, melius est, ut in istis [page 302] quatuor diebus regulare officium canatur quam secundum romanos, eo quod, sicut S. Gregorius dicit, nihil nocet in fide catholica et in bonis moribus consuetudines diversae. [not identified] Verumtamen pro ista ratione, i. e. pro istis quatuor diebus facta est synodus in Francia, ut non aliter, i. e. non regulariter facerent monachi, sed sicut ecclesia romana.

Yet there are more zealous² monks who do not wish to act in accordance with the Roman tradition in those four days but to speak fully in accordance with the Rule because, if on other days we do not transgress the Rule in chanting Offices, we also do not want to transgress it in those four days. For, as it seems to me, it is better that in those [page 302] four days the Regular Office should be sung rather than the Roman because as St Gregory says, “There is no harm with regard to diverse customs in the Catholic faith and in good actions.”³ Nevertheless for this reason, i.e., with regard to those four days, there was a synod in Francia that monks should not do otherwise, i.e. not by the Rule, but they should act as does the Roman Church.

Nam piissimus imperator Ludvicus voluit, ut monachi secundum regulam facerent officium; sed quia episcopi dicebant, non esse bonum, ut in his diebus se discordent a romana ecclesia in officiis canendis, deinde fuerunt abbates quidam, qui consenserunt episcopis. Quamquam quidam non consensissent, praevaluerunt episcopi, ita tamen, ut solum in illis tribus diebus, h. e. V. feria, VI. feria et sabbato romanum officium facerent, in dominica vero non consenserunt boni abbates, sed regulariter faciunt officium.

For the most pious Emperor Louis wished that monks should do the Office according to the Rule; but because the bishops said that it is not good that in those days they should be unlike the Roman Church in chanting the Offices, then there were some abbots who consented with the bishops. And although some did not agree, the bishops prevailed, so that only in those three days, i.e., Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, would they do the Roman Office, but the good abbots did not consent to act so upon the Lord’s Day. Instead they do the Office in accord with the Rule.

Deinde sciendum est, quia sunt multi, qui non dicunt Gloriam in responsoriis nocturnis a quinto decimo die Paschae propter passionem. Isti tales, qui ita agunt, non faciunt secundum regulam, eo quod regula in quarto et in tertio responsorio praecipit, semper Gloriam dici. Nos autem in nostro monasterio semper dicimus Gloriam exceptis in his tribus diebus, in quibus officium romanum facimus, i. e. Coena Domini, Parasceve atque Sabbato sancto. Similiter autem contra regulam faciunt, qui (quia?) non cantant Gloriam in Venite exultemus, cum regula praecipiat, semper cantari Gloriam post Venite, et ipsam Gloriam ponit terminum tarde venientibus ad officium nocturnum; ita enim dicit: Si quis ad nocturnas vigilias post Gloriam psalmi nonagesimi quarti, quem propter hoc omnino subtrahendo et morose volumus dici, non occurrerit, non stet in ordine suo. [Regula Benedicti, c. 43.4]

Then it must be known that there are many who do not say the Gloria in the Night Office’s responsories from the fifteenth Day of Pascha [Easter] for the sake of the Passion. The sort who do so act not in accordance with the Rule, because the Rule orders that the Gloria should always be said in the fourth and third responsory. But we in our monastery always say the Gloria except on those three days in which we do the Roman Office, i.e., the Lord’s Supper, the Preparation [Good Friday], and Holy Saturday. But they likewise act against the Rule who do not chant the Gloria in the Venite exultemus. For the Rule orders that the Gloria should always be chanted after the Venite and it places the same Gloria at the end for those coming late to the Night Office. For it says: If someone does not come to the Night Vigils until after the Gloria of the 94th Psalm, which for this reason we wish it to be said in a deliberate fashion and slowly, he should not stand in his place [Regula Benedicti, c. 43.4].

Et iterum sunt multi, qui ad illud responsorium, quod ad matutinum et ad vespertinum canitur, nolunt dicere Gloriam, sed tamen nos dicimus; illi autem, qui nolunt dicere Gloriam, dicunt: ideo nolumus dicere Gloriam, quia regula non praecipit, Gloriam dici. Hi tales nesciunt regulam subtilius intelligere; jubet enim regula, ad novissimum responsorium, sive sit tertium, sive quartum, Gloriam dici, ac per hoc illud [page 303] unum responsorium, ad quod illi nolunt Gloriam dicere, novissimum est, quamvis sit unum, sicut novissimum est illud tertium sive quartum, ad quod cantanda est Gloria.

And again there are many who do not wish to say the Gloria which is chanted at Matins and at Vespers, but we still say it. Moreover they who do not wish to say the Gloria say, 'We do not wish to speak the Gloria because the Rule does not order the Gloria to be said.' This sort does not know how to understand the Rule accurately; for the Rule orders that the Gloria should be said at the last responsory, whether it is the third or fourth. Also because of this, that [page 303] one responsory at which they do not wish to say the Gloria is the last responsory, although it is that one at which the Gloria must be chanted, whether it is the third or fourth.

Talis est sensus in isto uno responso, qualis est in illo loco, ubi de Domino dicit primogenitus et unigenitus; primogenitus enim dicitur, quia primus natus est secundum incarnationem, et unigenitus, quia tantum unus natus est de B. V. Maria, ac per hoc omnis unigenitus potest dici primogenitus, quamvis non omnis primogenitus possit dici unigenitus, quia primogenitus potest dici, sive subsequantur alii, sive non.

For the sense in this one response is the same as in that place where it is said of the Lord that he is both first-begotten and only-begotten. For he is said to be first-begotten because he was the first-born according to the incarnation and he is only- begotten because he was the only one born from the Blessed Virgin Mary. Also, because of this, every only-begotten can be called first-begotten, although not every first-begotten can be called only-begotten, because one can be called first-begotten, whether others follow or not.⁴