In Vigilia Nativitatis Domini

 ~ Duplex I. classis

Wednesday, 12/24/25:

Today is the vigil of Christmas under the 1954 (privileged vigil of the I class) and 1962 (I class vigil) rubrics.

Mass: Proper Mass. Violet. Omit Gloria. Gradual. Omit Alleluia. Omit Credo. Common Preface (1962: optional Preface of Advent). Benedicamus (1954)/Ite (1962). No commemorations or additional prayers under both sets of rubrics.

Today, the altar may be decorated with flowers. At solemn Mass, deacon and subdeacon wear dalmatic and tunicle, respectively, instead of folded chasubles under the 1954 rubrics.

Office: Under 1954, Matins is of simple rite. Proper Invitatory (Hodie scietis) and hymn (Verbum supernum). Under both rubrics, Matins of 1 nocturn of 3 lessons (all proper). At Matins, psalms and antiphons of the feria. At Lauds and the hours, the Office is of double rite under the 1954 rubrics. Psalms of Sunday (Lauds = schema I; Prime = 53, 118.1, 118.2) with proper antiphons. All else from the proper for the vigil. Collect of the vigil. No commemorations at Lauds. Omit suffrage (1954). (LB236 on Twitter/X.)

Introitus
Exod 16:6; 16:7
Hódie sciétis, quia véniet Dóminus et salvábit nos: et mane vidébitis glóriam ejus.
Ps 23:1
Dómini est terra, et plenitúdo ejus: orbis terrárum, et univérsi, qui hábitant in eo.
V. Glória Patri, ...

Collect
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
O God, You Who gladden us year after year with the expectation of our redemption, grant that we, who now welcome with joy Your only-begotten Son as our Redeemer, may also gaze upon Him without fear when He comes as our judge, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end.
R. Amen

Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matt 1:18-21
When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost. And so on.

Homily by St. Jerome, Priest at Bethlehem.
Book of Commentaries, on Matth. i.
Why was the Lord conceived of an espoused virgin rather than of a free? First, for the sake of the genealogy of Mary, which we have obtained by that of Joseph. Secondly, because she was thus saved from being stoned by the Jews as an adulteress. Thirdly, that Himself and His mother might have a guardian on their journey into Egypt. To these, Ignatius, the martyr of Antioch, has added a fourth reason namely, that the birth might take place unknown to the devil, who would naturally suppose that Mary had conceived by Joseph.

Post Communion
P. The Lord be with you.
S. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Grant us, we beseech You, O Lord, to begin a new life with this commemoration of the birth of Your only-begotten Son, Who gives us food and drink in His heavenly sacrament.
Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
R. Amen.