Commemoration (prayer)
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In the Tridentine Mass period of the Roman Rite, when a higher-ranked liturgical celebration impeded the celebration of a lesser that, either permanently or (in a particular year) by coincidence, fell on the same day, the prayer of the lower-ranked celebration was usually added to that of the higher. This additional prayer was referred to as a commemoration of the lesser celebration.
On Sundays lacking the commemoration of a feast of Double rank, or of an Octave, a second and a third prayer was added to that of the Sunday. These were called "seasonal" (in Latin, pro diversitate temporum) prayers, not "commemorations". For instance, from Advent to 2 February, the first of these additional prayers was in honour of Saint Mary and the other was either "Against the persecutors of the Church" or "For the Pope".
At Mass, commemorations are made by adding the Collect, Secret, and Postcommunion of the commemorated celebration after the ones for the higher-ranking celebration. If three or more commemorations are to be made, the conclusion ("Per Dominum..." or its variants) is omitted in all but the first and last. In the Office, commemorations are made only at Vespers and Lauds, using the Antiphon on the Magnificat or Benedictus, the Verse and Respond normally following the hymn, and the Collect, all said after the collect of the current day. Also at Matins, the ninth Lesson is usually read of the commemorated day, except on Sundays and on certain high-ranking feasts.
The revision of the Roman Rite that followed the Second Vatican Council eliminated such multiple prayers, laying down that only one prayer should be used. In many cases, the prayer that, under the previous system, would have been added as a commemoration or a seasonal prayer, may be used as the one prayer, rather than, for instance, the prayer of the ferial Mass being celebrated.
The former "commemorations" must not be confused with the present-day "Memorials", celebrations of saints at a level lower than that of Feast or Solemnity.
