Commemoration
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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 certain Sundays commemorations were excluded, although 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".
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.
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