Ascensiontide

The Rubrics for Ascensiontide

Within the Octave
From I Vespers of the Ascension until I Vespers of Pentecost, all Hymns of the ordinary meter, except those with an unchanging Ending, are terminated with the Ascensiontide Doxology, as in the Table of Common Forms.

Within the Octave, and on the Octave Day, the Office is said as on the Feast, except for what is assigned as proper to the respective day; but the Office of the Octave is semidouble until the Octave Day (which is Greater Double).

This Octave (like those of Christmas and the Sacred Heart) has the privilege of third rank, which excludes the celebration therein of any simple Feast, but permits the celebration of all Feasts of semidouble or double rite, (in which case at Vespers and Lauds a Commemoration is made of the Octave, but in no case is the Homily thereof read as the ninth Lesson at Matins. On the Octave Day, however, all Feasts of lower rank than a II Class Double are commemorated, but an occurring I or II Class Double is kept with a Commemoration of the Octave Day, and the Commemoration of an occurring Feast or of the Octave Day follow the rule given above as to the historic ninth Lesson at Matins.

At I Vespers of a Feast kept thus within the Octave, the Commemoration is made of the preceding (ie. with the Antiphon and Versicle of II Vespers of the Ascension): but when the Office is to be resumed, then at II Vespers of the occurring Feast, the Commemoration is of the following (ie. from I Vespers of the Ascension).

If there be celebrated within the Octave, or on the following Friday, an Office which takes its I Nocturm Lessons from the occurrent Scripture, these are said with the Responds given above for the Feast of the Ascension.

At the Hours, Psalms of Sunday with Prime I and proper Versicle : Qui scandis super sidera until the Vigil of Pentecost inclusive.