TITLE VIII.--OFFICE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN FOR SATURDAY.

"_In omnibus Sabbatis per annum entra Adventum et Quadragesimam, ac nisi
Quatuor Tempora aut Vigiliae ocurrant_," etc. In all Saturdays
throughout the year, except on the Saturdays of Advent, Lent, Ember Days
or occurring Vigils, or unless a feast of nine lessons has to be said on
the Saturday, then it is laid down in the rubrics that the Office of the
Blessed Virgin should always be said with the rite of a simple office.
The rubrics of the New Psalter (Title I., sec. 6) direct, "_In officio
Sanctae Mariae in Sabbato et in festis simplicibus sic officium
persolvendum est; ad matutinum, Invitatorium et hymnus dicuntur de eodem
officio vel de iisdem Festis; Psalmi cum suis antiphonis et versu de
Feria occurente I. et II. Lectis de Feria cum Responsoriis Propriis vel
de Communi. III. vero lectio de officio vel Festo duabus lectionibus in
unum junctis si quando duae pro Festo habeatur, ad reliquas autem Horas
omnia dicuntur, prouti supra num. 5 in Festis Duplicibus expositum est_."
In the Office of the Blessed Virgin for Saturdays (Decree S.C.R., 26th
January. 1916) the antiphons and Psalms at Matins, Lauds and small Hours
are to be said from the Saturday and from the _capitulum_ onwards all is
to be taken from the office of the Blessed Virgin.

This office is not to be confounded with the _officium parvum Beatae
Mariae._ The office _de Sabbato_ is obligatory throughout the Church.
The _officium parvum_ was only for choir use, an addition to the office
of the day. Saturday, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, is of great
antiquity, as the mention of it in the works of St. Peter Damien, St.