Versicle and response symbols

Question

I want to properly typeset the versicle and response symbols. The versicle symbol looks like this:

and the response symbol is the same but with "R" instead of "V".

The Comprehensive LaTeX Symbol List provides a solution which requires XeLaTeX and the Junicode font, but is there a way to properly typeset the symbols using pdfLaTeX (i.e. is there a package which provides the symbols)? If not, what is the best way to construct the symbols manually?

I managed to construct something that looks like a versicle with

\newcommand{\versicle}{$\mathbf{\not{\mkern -3mu \mathrm{V}}}$}

but I'm not skilled at constructing symbols and I know that's not right.

I'm open to using XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX if necessary to properly typeset these symbols but I'd like to know if there is a good way to do it with pdfLaTeX.

---

An example of the use of these symbols can be found in, e.g., Wikipedia's article on the Tantum ergo:

Answer 1

A poorman’s version:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx}

\makeatletter
\DeclareRobustCommand{\versicle}{\vers@resp{-0.1em}{V}}
\DeclareRobustCommand{\response}{\vers@resp{0pt}{R}}

\newcommand{\vers@resp@sym}{\raisebox{0.2ex}{\rotatebox[origin=c]{-20}{$\m@th\rceil$}}}

\newcommand{\vers@resp}[2]{%
  {\ooalign{\hidewidth\kern#1\vers@resp@sym\hidewidth\cr#2\cr}}%
}
\makeatother

\begin{document}

\versicle

\response

\end{document}

You may need to fine tune the parameters for a different font.

Answer 2

Here is a possibility with stackengine.

\documentclass[border = 6pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{stackengine}
\newcommand{\versicle}{\kern-0.25em \stackinset{r}{0.33ex}{c}{}{\rotatebox{-30}{\normalsize$\rceil$}}{V}}

\newcommand{\response}{\kern-0.25em\stackinset{r}{0.35ex}{c}{}{ \rotatebox{-30}{\normalsize$\rceil$}}{R}}

\begin{document}

 A \versicle B \quad C \response D 

\end{document}

Answer 3

℣ (U+2123) and ℟ (U+211F) are Unicode characters, so use a font that has these characters (e.g., Noto Serif):

\usepackage{fontspec}
\setmainfont{<name of font with these characters>}

Or you can specify a fallback font, where Nimbus Roman lacks ℣ and ℟, so we use Noto Serif's:

\usepackage{fontspec, newunicodechar} 
\setmainfont{Nimbus Roman}
\newfontfamily{\fallbackfont}{Noto Serif}
\DeclareTextFontCommand{\textfallback}{\fallbackfont}
\newunicodechar{℣}{\textfallback{℣}}
\newunicodechar{℟}{\textfallback{℟}}

^{courtesy: "Define fallback font for specific Unicode characters in LuaLaTeX"}

See page 297 of The Comprehensive LaTeX Symbol List (5 May 2021 rev.).

Answer 4

There is a very simple way to do that: using "gregorio" in LualaTex:

% !TEX TS-program = lualatex

\documentclass{article}    
\usepackage[bitstream-charter]{mathdesign}%I like this font, but you can use another font.
\usepackage{gregoriosyms}    
\begin{document}

\Vbar

\Rbar

\end{document}