Our Lady on Saturday

"Concerning the Service of the Church" (BCP)

The perils of not having an Ordo: on the 3rd, I realize now, I forgot entirely to recite the Saturday Office of the Blessed Virgin, which takes precedence of all 4th class ferias, as the days between before and after Epiphany are!  It reminds me of Mgr Knox's joke - there was a priest who didn't buy an Ordo, and had to write in his parish bulletin "Last Friday was Good Friday, but as this was overlooked, we will celebrate it this Friday".

In any case, the last of the readings from Romans will still be read at Matins (three merged into two) and the Epiphanytide short reading will be read at the end of Prime; but, as the rubrics specify, nulla fit commemoratio feriæ - there shall be no commemoration of the feria - and theEpiphanytide verse Qui apparuisti hodie, used in the short responsory at Prime, which would still have been retained if a saint's day had occurred, will be replaced by the proper Marian verse Qui natus es de Maria Virgine.

The third lesson at Matins will be that appointed for Our Lady's Saturdays in January:

From the Epistle of St. Ambrose the Bishop to Pope Siricius

Epist. 81, alias 7 post initium

Some contentious persons are wont to say: She was virgin when she conceived, but when she brought forth she thereby ceased to be virgin. But where conception hath taken place, childbirth of necessity followeth. For which reason, would not a virgin-conception make a virgin-motherhood? Therefore, if the contentious will not accept the instruction given them by the Church's priesthood, let them at least believe the words which have come down from Christ. Yea, let them believe the declaration of the Angel who said: With God nothing shall be impossible. Or let them believe the Apostles' Creed, which same the Church in Rome hath ever guarded, and held ínviolate. Mary heard the Angel speak, and then made an enquiry: How shall this be? Now this question of hers was no lack of faith, but rather was a questioning in preparation for that obedience of faith which moved her immediately to say: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word. - But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.

R/. Thanks be to God.