I class
Red and Violet
The Feast of the Annunciation is transferred to Monday, April 9. It is neither celebrated nor commemorated today.
The altars should be adorned with palm fronds and arrangements, and fittingly the processional cross and other areas of the church may be decorated in the same manner. The altar cross remains veiled in violet per the rubrics of Passiontide.
Funerals are not permitted.
The vestments are red (cope, etc.) for the Blessing of Palms and Procession, and violet for the Mass.
The palms are ceremonially distributed to the faithful after they are blessed (it is licit, however, for the faithful to hold their palms for the blessing). The faithful receive the palms kneeling at the altar rail; they kiss first the palm, then the celebrant’s hand. For the blessing, the palms may be placed on a credence near the altar rail; alternatively, the blessing may be given in the same manner as for candles and ashes, at the Epistle corner of the altar (it is also permitted to hold the palm-blessing ceremony in another location outside the church, with the procession then making its way to the church). The blessing of palms cannot take place without the subsequent procession, and the celebrant of the blessing, procession, and Mass must be the same.
Palm Sunday Mass following the blessing and procession: The Asperges is omitted. No Gloria. The Gospel is the Passion: see notes below. Credo. Preface of the Holy Cross. The rubrics indicate that the prayers at the foot of the altar are omitted, as well as the Last Gospel.
The Gospel is the Passion of St. Matthew (in a second or third Mass, the celebrant is not obliged to repeat the Passion, but may use the alternate Gospel lesson provided: Mt. 27:45ff). The celebrant says Munda cor meum, but omits signing the missal and himself; likewise he omits kissing the missal at the conclusion, and Laus tibi Christe is omitted. For the Passion, incense is not used and the acolytes do not carry their candles. The Passion is ideally sung by three deacons or priests, or by two of them together with the celebrant. Otherwise, the celebrant may sing the Passion with the Gospel tone, or with the Passion tone adapted to one voice, or he may read all of the Passion without chant, or else read the majority of the Passion, chanting the conclusion only (Altera autem die, etc.). The Gospel is to be read or chanted by those constituted in at least the diaconal order; it is not licit for subdeacons, simple clerics or laymen to ceremonially read or chant the Gospel. However, the choir may sing those parts of the Synagoga role which pertain to the crowd.
Palm Sunday Mass apart from the blessing and procession: The prayers at the foot of the altar are those of Passiontide (only the psalm Judica me omitted, the rest retained). No Gloria. The celebrant reads the Passion using the same rubrics given above. Credo. Preface of the Holy Cross. The Last Gospel is Cum appropinquasset as given in the Missal (in this case, the server transfers the Missal back to the Gospel side after Ite missa est and the blessing).
Offices of Sunday in Tempore Passionis
Matins: Invitatorium Hodie si vocem; Hymn Pange lingua; 9 antiphons and psalms of Sunday with verse Erue a framea; 3 lessons proper; no Te Deum
Lauds: Proper antiphons, with psalms of Sunday (2nd scheme); remainder is proper
Prime: Proper antiphon; psalm 53 replaces psalm 117; short lesson Faciem meam
Hours: Proper antiphons, with psalms of Sunday; remainder is proper
II Vespers: Antiphons and psalms of Sunday; remainder is proper