149-675: Compline ( / ˈ k ɒ m p l ɪ n / KOM -plin ), also known as Complin , Night Prayer , or the Prayers at the End of the Day , is the final prayer liturgy (or office ) of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours , which are prayed at fixed prayer times . The English word is derived from the Latin completorium , as compline is the completion of the waking day. The word
298-563: A Breviarium Psalterii made an abridgment of the Psalter for the laity, giving a few psalms for each day, and Alcuin had rendered a similar service by including a prayer for each day and some other prayers, but no lessons or homilies. The Breviary proper only dates from the 11th century; the earliest manuscript containing the whole canonical office is of the year 1099, and is in the Mazarin library. Gregory VII (pope 1073–1085), too, simplified
447-437: A book titled Incipit Breviarium sive Ordo Officiorum per totam anni decursionem . From such references, and from others of a like nature, Quesnel gathers that by the word Breviarium was at first designated a book furnishing the rubrics, a sort of Ordo . The usage of "breviary" to mean a book containing the entire canonical office appears to date from the 11th century. Pope Gregory VII (r. 1073–1085) having abridged
596-456: A chapter (capitulum) if it is short, or a lesson (lectio) if it is long. The reading is followed by a versicle. The hour is closed by an oration followed by a concluding versicle. Other components are included depending on the exact type of hour being celebrated. In each office, the psalms and canticle are framed by antiphons , and each concludes with the doxology . Roman Breviary The Roman Breviary ( Latin : Breviarium Romanum )
745-528: A condensation and simplification of the Breviary offices. Some parts of the prefaces at the beginning of the English Prayer-Book are free translations of those of Quignonez. The Pian Breviary was again altered by Sixtus V in 1588, who introduced the revised Vulgate , in 1602 by Clement VIII (through Baronius and Bellarmine), especially as concerns the rubrics, and by Urban VIII (1623–1644),
894-434: A day I praise you", and Psalm 118/119:62, "At midnight I rise to praise you". Of these eight hours, Prime and Compline may be the latest to appear, because the 4th-century Apostolic Constitutions VIII iv 34 do not mention them in the exhortation "Offer up your prayers in the morning, at the third hour, the sixth, the ninth, the evening, and at cock-crowing". The eight are known by the following names, which do not reflect
1043-565: A fairly late date was added the solemn introduction of a benediction with a reading (based perhaps on the spiritual reading which, in the Rule of St. Benedict, precedes compline: RB, Chap. 42), and the confession and absolution of faults. This is absent from parallel forms, such as that of Sarum. The distinctive character and greater solemnity of the Roman form of compline comes from the responsory, In manus tuas, Domine ("Into Thy hands, O Lord"), with
1192-518: A layperson, quite similar to Lutheran use. Compline is called literally, the after-supper ( Greek ( τὸ ) Ἀπόδειπνον [apóðipnon] , Slavonic повечеріе , Povecheriye), has two distinct forms which are quite different in length Small Compline and Great Compline . Both forms include a canon , typically those found Octoechos to the Theotokos , although alternative canons are used on certain forefeasts, afterfeasts and days during
1341-528: A new cover and revised Calendar of the Movable Feasts. Besides these shorter editions of The Divine Office , there used to be A Shorter Prayer During the Day comprising the Psalter for the Middle Hours also published by Collins. The last known reprint year is 1986, but this edition is now out of print. In 2009, Prayer during the day was published by Catholic Truth Society . The Liturgy of
1490-645: A number of hymns composed by himself and his brother Joseph (see Typicon for further details). In the West, the Rule of Saint Benedict modeled his guidelines for the prayers on the customs of the basilicas of Rome . It was he who expounded the concept in Christian prayer of the inseparability of the spiritual life from the physical life. The Benedictines began to call the prayers the Opus Dei or "Work of God." As
1639-409: A part of Catholic , Anglican , Lutheran , Oriental Orthodox , Eastern Orthodox , and certain other Christian liturgical traditions. In Western Christianity , Compline tends to be a contemplative office that emphasizes spiritual peace. In most monasteries it is the custom to begin the "Great Silence" after compline, during which the whole community, including guests, observes silence throughout
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#17327722439951788-618: A part of the canonical hours. By 60 AD, the Didache recommended disciples to pray the Lord's Prayer three times a day; this practice found its way into the canonical hours as well. Pliny the Younger (63 – c. 113 ), mentions not only fixed times of prayer by believers, but also specific services – other than the Eucharist – assigned to those times: "they met on a stated day before it
1937-404: A process that was furthered by the monastic practice of daily reciting the 150 psalms. This took so much time that the monks began to spread it over a week, dividing each day into hours, and allotting to each hour its portion of the Psalter. St Benedict in the 6th century drew up such an arrangement, probably, though not certainly, on the basis of an older Roman division which, though not so skilful,
2086-466: A psalm. The term originally signified a chant by alternate choirs, but has quite lost this meaning in the Breviary. The responsories are similar in form to the antiphons, but come at the end of the psalm, being originally the reply of the choir or congregation to the precentor who recited the psalm. The hymns are short poems going back in part to the days of Prudentius , Synesius , Gregory of Nazianzus and Ambrose (4th and 5th centuries), but mainly
2235-534: A purist who altered the text of certain hymns. In the 17th and 18th centuries a movement of revision took place in France, and succeeded in modifying about half the Breviaries of that country. Historically, this proceeded from the labours of Jean de Launoy (1603–1678), "le dénicheur des saints", and Louis Sébastien le Nain de Tillemont , who had shown the falsity of numerous lives of the saints; theologically it
2384-671: A radical revision of the Roman Breviary, to be put into effect, at latest, on 1 January 1913. See Reform of the Roman Breviary by Pope Pius X . Pope Pius XII allowed the use of a new translation of the Psalms from the Hebrew and established a special commission to study a general revision, concerning which all the Catholic bishops were consulted in 1955. His successor, Pope John XXIII , implemented these revisions in 1960. Following
2533-769: A range of different English Bibles for the readings from Scripture, was published in 1974. The four-volume Liturgy of the Hours , with Scripture readings from the New American Bible , appeared in 1975 with approval from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops . The 1989 English translation of the Ceremonial of Bishops includes in Part III instructions on the Liturgy of the Hours which
2682-749: A result, surviving copies are rare; of those editions which survive at all, many are known only by a single copy. In Scotland the only one which has survived the convulsions of the 16th century is Aberdeen Breviary , a Scottish form of the Sarum Office (the Sarum Rite was much favoured in Scotland as a kind of protest against the jurisdiction claimed by the diocese of York), revised by William Elphinstone (bishop 1483–1514), and printed at Edinburgh by Walter Chapman and Androw Myllar in 1509–1510. Four copies have been preserved of it, of which only one
2831-500: A special meaning, indicating a book furnishing the regulations for the celebration of Mass or the canonical Office, and may be met with under the titles Breviarium Ecclesiastici Ordinis , or Breviarium Ecclesiæ Romanæ . In the 9th century, Alcuin uses the word to designate an office abridged or simplified for the use of the laity. Prudentius of Troyes , about the same period, composed a Breviarium Psalterii . In an ancient inventory occurs Breviarium Antiphonarii , meaning "Extracts from
2980-596: A trans, of the Martyrology, 1908), French and German. Bute's version is noteworthy for its inclusion of the skilful renderings of the ancient hymns by J.H. Newman, J.M. Neale and others. Several editions of the Pius X Breviary were produced during the twentieth century, including a notable edition prepared with the assistance of the sisters of Stanbrook Abbey in the 1950s. Two editions in English and Latin were produced in
3129-864: Is a breviary of the Roman Rite in the Catholic Church . A liturgical book , it contains public or canonical prayers , hymns , the Psalms , readings, and notations for everyday use, especially by bishops, priests, and deacons in the Divine Office (i.e., at the canonical hours , the Christians' daily prayer). The volume containing the daily hours of Catholic prayer was published as the Breviarium Romanum (Roman Breviary) from its editio princeps in 1568 under Pope Pius V until
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#17327722439953278-551: Is complete; but it was reprinted in facsimile in 1854 for the Bannatyne Club by the munificence of the Duke of Buccleuch . It is particularly valuable for the trustworthy notices of the early history of Scotland which are embedded in the lives of the national saints. Though enjoined by royal mandate in 1501 for general use within the realm of Scotland, it was probably never widely adopted. The new Scottish Proprium sanctioned for
3427-577: Is divided as follows: introduction, an optional examination of conscience or penitential rite, a hymn , psalmody with accompanying antiphons , scriptural reading , the responsory, the Canticle of Simeon , concluding prayer, and benediction . The final antiphon to the Blessed Virgin Mary ( Salve Regina , etc.) is an essential part of the Office. The office of Compline (along with
3576-550: Is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Father … Amen. Liturgy of the Hours The Liturgy of the Hours ( Latin : Liturgia Horarum ), Divine Office (Latin: Officium Divinum ), or Opus Dei ("Work of God") are a set of Catholic prayers comprising the canonical hours , often also referred to as the breviary , of the Latin Church . The Liturgy of the Hours forms the official set of prayers "marking
3725-588: Is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Father … Amen. Ending during Fasts: Acclamation: We fall down before you (Ankanimk` araji k`o)… ; Meditation Twelve of St. Gregory of Narek; Meditation 94 of St. Gregory of Narek; Meditation 41 of St. Gregory of Narek; Prayer: In faith I confess (Havatov khostovanim)… by St. Nerses the Graceful; Acclamation: Through your holy spotless and virgin mother (Vasn srbouhvoy)… ; Proclamation: Holy Birthgiver of God (Sourb zAstouatsatsinn), , ; Prayer: Accept, Lord (Unkal, Tēr)… ; Blessed
3874-651: Is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our father… Amen.” The Rest Hour (Armenian: Հանգստեան Ժամ hangstean zham ) is celebrated after the Peace Hour, and is the last of the offices of the day. It may be considered communal worship before sleep. It bears some resemblance in content to compline in the Roman Rite. In the Armenian Book of Hours it is stated in many manuscripts that the Rest Hour commemorates God
4023-640: Is that commonly known as the Gallican. The name is misleading, for it is simply the second revision (A.D. 392) made by Jerome of the old Itala version originally used in Rome. Jerome's first revision of the Itala (A.D. 383), known as the Roman, is still used at St Peter's in Rome, but the "Gallican", thanks especially to St Gregory of Tours, who introduced it into Gaul in the 6th century, has ousted it everywhere else. The Antiphonary of Bangor proves that Ireland accepted
4172-532: Is the one in general use. Gradually there were added to these psalter choir-books additions in the form of antiphons, responses, collects or short prayers, for the use of those not skilful at improvisation and metrical compositions. Jean Beleth , a 12th-century liturgical author, gives the following list of books necessary for the right conduct of the canonical office: the Antiphonarium, the Old and New Testaments,
4321-524: Is the shortening of most feasts from nine to three lessons at Matins, keeping only the Scripture readings (the former lesson i, then lessons ii and iii together), followed by either the first part of the patristic reading (lesson vii) or, for most feasts, a condensed version of the former second Nocturn, which was formerly used when a feast was reduced in rank and commemorated. The Second Vatican Council , in his Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium , asked
4470-614: Is the very backbone of the Breviary, the groundwork of the Catholic prayer-book; out of it have grown the antiphons, responsories and versicles. Until the 1911 reform, the psalms were arranged according to a disposition dating from the 8th century, as follows: Psalms 1–108, with some omissions, were recited at Matins, twelve each day from Monday to Saturday, and eighteen on Sunday. The omissions were said at Lauds, Prime and Compline. Psalms 109-147 (except 117, 118, and 142) were said at Vespers, five each day. Psalms 148-150 were always used at Lauds, and give that hour its name. The text of this Psalter
4619-696: The Liber Orationum Psalmographus , the Book of Psalm-Prayers which originated in the Mozarabic Rite . Shorter editions of the Liturgy of the Hours are also available from various publishers: Christian Prayer (Daughters of St Paul and Catholic Book Publishing Company), Shorter Christian Prayer (Catholic Book Publishing Company) and Daytime Prayer (Catholic Book Publishing Company). In 2007, Liturgy Training Publications released
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4768-675: The Benedictus and Magnificat antiphons for the 3-year cycle on Sundays added in the Liturgia Horarum, editio typica altera . The Psalms are taken from the Revised Grail Psalter with the rest of the biblical texts taken from the New American Bible . This is the only official English edition of the Office that is based on the Liturgia Horarum, editio typica altera . Following the establishment of
4917-839: The Carmelite , the Carthusian , the Dominican , the Premonstratensian , and the Ambrosian. St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, along with the four churches under its jurisdiction, retained its own unique liturgies, psalms, and Latin translations into the 19th century. Many other churches whose local rites predated Pius V's breviary by 200 years or more, such as that of Mantua, continued to use their own breviaries, liturgical calendars, and psalms, as well. Later popes altered
5066-480: The Catholic Church 's Curia office, previously said by non-monastic clergy . Before the advent of printing , breviaries were written by hand and were often richly decorated with initials and miniature illustrations telling stories in the lives of Christ or the saints , or stories from the Bible . Later printed breviaries usually have woodcut illustrations, interesting in their own right but with poor relation to
5215-548: The Council of Trent (1545–1563) and the Catholic Counter-Reformation , every bishop had full power to regulate the Breviary of his own diocese; and this was acted upon almost everywhere. Each monastic community, also, had one of its own. Pope Pius V (r. 1566–1572), however, while sanctioning those which could show at least 200 years of existence, made the Roman obligatory in all other places. But
5364-520: The Gallican Psalter for the Roman. The Franciscans gradually spread this breviary throughout Europe. Pope Nicholas III would then adopt the widely used Franciscan breviary to be the breviary used in Rome. By the 14th century, the breviary contained the entire text of the canonical hours. The Council of Trent in its final session on 4 December 1563 entrusted the reform of the breviary to the then pope, Pius IV . On 9 July 1568, Pope Pius V ,
5513-487: The Latin Catholic , Eastern Catholic , Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox , Assyrian , Lutheran , Anglican , and some other Protestant churches) celebrate the canonical hours in various forms and under various names. The chant or recitation of the Divine Office therefore forms the basis of prayer within the consecrated life , with some of the monastic or mendicant orders producing their own permutations of
5662-727: The Mundelein Psalter , containing Morning, Evening and Night Prayers and the Office for the Dead, with the 1963 Grail translation of the Psalms set to specially composed chant, and with hymns translated from the hymns of the Latin Liturgia Horarum . The Divine Office and the Liturgy of the Hours editions are both based on the Latin 1971 editio typica. In 2009, on the occasion of the Synod of African Bishops in Rome,
5811-849: The New English Bible and Ronald Knox's Translation of the Vulgate . Some of the canticles taken from the Revised Standard Version were amended slightly to conform the English text to the Vulgate in The Divine Office . The intercessions, concluding prayers, antiphons, short responses, responsories, second readings in the Office of Readings, the Te Deum and the Glory be to the Father are all translations approved by
5960-560: The Paschaltide . A further exception is on days when the liturgy to the saint(s) of the day is displaced by, e.g., by a newly canonized or locally venerated saint (or icon), the displaced canon is used and after that are inserted the stichera prescribed for vespers . The Office always ends with a mutual asking of forgiveness. In some traditions, most notably among the Russians , Evening Prayers (i.e., Prayers Before Sleep) are read at
6109-888: The Passionarius (liber) and the Legendarius (dealing respectively with martyrs and saints), the Homiliarius (homilies on the Gospels), the Sermologus (collection of sermons) and the works of the Fathers, besides the Psalterium and the Collectarium . To overcome the inconvenience of using such a library the Breviary came into existence and use. Already in the 9th century Prudentius, bishop of Troyes , had in
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6258-434: The Small Doxology , the Nicene Creed , the Canon followed by Axion Estin , the Trisagion , Troparia for the day, Kyrie eleison (40 times), the Prayer of the Hours, the Supplicatory Prayer of Paul the Monk, and the Prayer to Jesus Christ of Antiochus the Monk . Following these are the mutual forgiveness and final blessing by the priest and the priest's reciting of a litany . Before an all-night vigil , compline in
6407-419: The Syriac Orthodox Church and Indian Orthodox Church , as well as the Mar Thoma Syrian Church (an Oriental Protestant denomination), the office of Compline is also known as Soutoro and is prayed at 9 pm using the Shehimo breviary. In the Coptic Orthodox Church , an Oriental Orthodox denomination, the Compline is prayed at 9 pm using the Agpeya breviary before retiring. There are two offices in
6556-406: The doxology . The verse is omitted if the hour begins with the Invitatory (Morning Prayer/Lauds or the Office of Reading). The Invitatory is the introduction to the first hour said on the current day, whether it be the Office of Readings or Morning Prayer. The opening is followed by a hymn . The hymn is followed by psalmody . The psalmody is followed by a scripture reading. The reading is called
6705-406: The monastic practices of the Desert Fathers of Egypt. After the Second Vatican Council (1962 to 1965), which decided that the hour of prime should be suppressed, Pope Paul VI decreed a new arrangement of the Liturgy of the Hours. The structure of the offices, the distribution of psalms, and the prayers were updated. The distinction, already expressed in the 1960 Code of Rubrics , between
6854-403: The personal ordinariates for former Anglicans in the 2009 apostolic constitution Anglicanorum coetibus , there was sought an Anglican Use form of the Office that reflects Anglican tradition. In the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in England and Wales , the Customary of Our Lady of Walsingham was adopted. In 2020, the Divine Worship: Daily Office was announced as
7003-435: The 1911 reform, the multiplication of saints' festivals, with practically the same festal psalms, tended to repeat the about one-third of the Psalter, with a correspondingly rare recital of the remaining two-thirds. Following this reform, the entire Psalter is again generally recited each week, with the festal psalms restricted to only the highest-ranking feasts. As in the Greek usage and in the Benedictine, certain canticles like
7152-511: The 1962 edition of the Roman Breviary in lieu of the Liturgy of the Hours. Such permit was rescinded by Pope Francis through his apostolic letter Traditionis custodes . At the beginning stands the usual introductory matter, such as the tables for determining the date of Easter, the calendar, and the general rubrics. The Breviary itself is divided into four seasonal parts—winter, spring, summer, autumn—and comprises under each part: These parts are often published separately. This psalm book
7301-427: The 1963 Grail Psalms , while the Scripture readings and non-Gospel canticles are taken from the original 1970 first edition New American Bible . The prayers and intercessions are translated by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL). The ELLC versions are used for items such as the Gospel canticles. An additional feature are psalm-prayers at the end of many Psalms, which were ICEL's translation of
7450-421: The 2004 version of the Book of Common Prayer for the Church of Ireland , along with the 2009 Daily Prayer book of the Church in Wales , restored a form of compline to Anglican worship. Several contemporary liturgical texts, including the American 1979 Book of Common Prayer , the Anglican Church of Canada's Book of Alternative Services , and the Church of England's Common Worship , provide modern forms of
7599-439: The Aaronic priests to offer morning and evening sacrifices. Other inspiration may have come from David's words in the Psalms "Seven times a day I praise you" (Ps. 119:164), as well as, "the just man meditates on the law day and night" (Ps. 1:2). Regarding Daniel "Three times daily he was kneeling and offering prayers and thanks to his God" (Dan. 6:10). In the early days of Christian worship the Sacred Scriptures furnished all that
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#17327722439957748-400: The Acts of the Apostles testifies that the Christian community prayed together. The testimony of the early Church shows that individual faithful also devoted themselves to prayer at certain hours. In various areas the practice soon gained ground of devoting special times to prayer in common." Early Christians were in fact continuing the Jewish practice of reciting prayers at certain hours of
7897-439: The Antiphonary". In the Vita Aldrici occurs sicut in plenariis et breviariis Ecclesiæ ejusdem continentur . Again, in the inventories in the catalogues, such notes as these may be met with: Sunt et duo cursinarii et tres benedictionales Libri; ex his unus habet obsequium mortuorum et unus Breviarius , or, Præter Breviarium quoddam quod usque ad festivitatem S. Joannis Baptistæ retinebunt , etc. Monte Cassino in c. 1100 obtained
8046-440: The Armenian Book of Hours, or Zhamagirk`, it is stated that the Peace Hour commemorates the Spirit of God, but also the Word of God, “when he was laid in the tomb and descended into Hades, and brought peace to the spirits.” Outline of the Peace Hour If the Song of Steps is recited: Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Father … Amen. ; Psalm 34:1–7: I have blessed the Lord at all times ( awrhnets`its` zTēr ) …; Glory to
8195-406: The Breviary are largely drawn from the Gelasian and other Sacramentaries, and they are used to sum up the dominant idea of the festival in connection with which they happen to be used. Before 1910, the difficulty of harmonizing the Proprium de Tempore and the Proprium Sanctorum , to which reference has been made, was only partly met in the thirty-seven chapters of general rubrics. Additional help
8344-406: The Catholic Church in Africa, through Paulines Publications Africa, published a new English edition of the Liturgy of the Hours based on the Liturgia Horarum, editio typica altera . The antiphons and orations in this edition are taken from ICEL's 1975 translation of the Liturgy of the Hours, with independent translations for the offices for the new saints added to the General Roman Calendar as well as
8493-441: The Catholic province of St Andrews in 1903 contains many of the old Aberdeen collects and antiphons. The Sarum or Salisbury Breviary itself was very widely used. The first edition was printed at Venice in 1483 by Raynald de Novimagio in folio; the latest at Paris, 1556, 1557. While modern Breviaries are nearly always printed in four volumes, one for each season of the year, the editions of the Sarum never exceeded two parts. Until
8642-429: The Divine Office grew more important in the life of the church, the rituals became more elaborate. Soon, praying the Office began to require various books, such as a psalter for the psalms, a lectionary to find the assigned scripture reading for the day, a Bible to proclaim the reading, a hymnal for singing, etc. As parishes grew in the Middle Ages away from cathedrals and basilicas, a more concise way of arranging
8791-400: The Divine Office. An English/Latin parallel edition was published by Baronius Press in April 2012. Three English translations are in use. The Divine Office was produced by a commission set up by the Episcopal Conferences of Australia, England and Wales, Ireland and Scotland. First published in 1974 by HarperCollins , this edition is the official English edition for use in the dioceses of
8940-430: The Father (Always with Now and always … Amen .; And again in peace let us pray to the Lord… ; Blessing and glory to the Father … Amen. ; Song of Steps: Psalm 120:1–3: In my distress I cried ( I neghout`ean imoum ) …; Glory to the Father… If the Song of Steps is not said: Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our father … Amen ; Psalm 88:1–2 God of my salvation ( Astouats p`kkout`ean imoy ) …; Glory to
9089-520: The Father, “that he protect us through the protecting arm of the Onlybegotten in the darkness of night.” Outline of the Rest Hour: Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Father … Amen. ; Psalm 43:3–5: Lord, send your light and your truth (Arak`ea Tēr)… ; Glory to the Father…; And again in peace let us pray to the Lord …; Blessing and glory to the Father … Amen.; Psalms 119:41–56, 119:113–120, 119:169–176, 91, 123, 54, Daniel 3:29–34, Luke 2:29–32, Psalms 142:7, 86:16–17, 138:7–8, Luke 1:46–55; Glory to
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#17327722439959238-424: The Father… ; And again in peace let us pray to the Lord … ; Blessing and glory to the Father … Amen. ; Peace with all. In either case the liturgy continues here: Psalms 4, 6, 13, 16, 43, 70, 86:16–17; Glory to the Father… ; Song: Vouchsafe unto us (Shnorhea mez)… ; Glory to the Father… ; Acclamation: At the approach of darkness (I merdzenal erekoyis)… ; Proclamation: And again in peace … Let us give thanks to
9387-419: The Father… ; Acclamation: My soul into your hands ( Andzn im I tzers k`o )… ; Proclamation: And again in peace … Let us beseech almighty God (Aghach`ests`ouk` zamenakaln)… ; Prayer: Lord our God (Tēr Astouats mer)… Ending: Psalm 4; Pre-gospel sequence; Gospel: John 12:24ff; Glory to you, our God ; Proclamation: By the holy Cross (Sourb khach`ivs…)… ; Prayer: Protect us ( Pahpannea zmez)… ; Blessed
9536-438: The First Week of Great Lent, the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete is divided into four portions and read on Monday through Thursday nights. Due to the penitential nature of Great Compline, it is not uncommon for the priest to hear Confession during the liturgy. Great Compline is composed of three sections, each beginning with the call to prayer, "O come, let us worship…": First Part Second Part Third Part In
9685-431: The Gallican version in the 7th century, and the English Church did so in the 10th. Following the 1911 reform, Matins was reduced to nine Psalms every day, with the other psalms redistributed throughout Prime, Terce, Sext, and Compline. For Sundays and special feasts Lauds and Vespers largely remained the same, Psalm 118 remained distributed at the Little Hours and Psalms 4, 90, and 130 were kept at Compline. This contains
9834-405: The Greek tradition precedes great vespers, being read during the great incensing, while in Russian tradition it simply follows little vespers. Great Compline is a penitential office which is served on the following occasions: Unlike Small Compline, Great Compline has portions of the liturgy which are chanted by the Choir and during Lent the Prayer of St. Ephraim is said with prostrations. During
9983-519: The Hours ( Liturgia Horarum in Latin) is published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana in four volumes, arranged according to the liturgical seasons of the church year. The liturgical books for the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours in Latin are those of the editio typica altera (second typical edition) promulgated in 1985 and re-issued by the Vatican Publishing House – Libreria Editrice Vaticana – in 2000 and 2003. Midwest Theological Forum has published an edition iuxta typicam with updating of
10132-404: The Hours , produced by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy , was first published in 1975 by Catholic Book Publishing Company in the USA. This edition is the official English edition for use in the US, Canada and some other English-speaking dioceses. It is in four volumes, an arrangement identical to the original Latin typical edition. The psalms are taken (slightly adapted) from
10281-434: The Lectionary, etc. In this connection it may be pointed out that in this sense the word, as it is used nowadays, is illogical; it should be named a Plenarium rather than a Breviarium, since, liturgically speaking, the word Plenarium exactly designates such books as contain several different compilations united under one cover. The canonical hours of the Breviary owe their remote origin to the Old Covenant when God commanded
10430-420: The Liturgy of the Hours and older Roman Breviary. Prayer of the Divine Office is an obligation undertaken by priests and deacons intending to become priests, while deacons intending to remain deacons are obliged to recite only a part. The constitutions of religious institutes generally oblige their members to celebrate at least parts and in some cases to do so jointly ("in choir"). Consecrated virgins take
10579-446: The Lord ( Gohats`arouk` zTearnē )… ; Prayer: Beneficent Lord (Tēr Barerar)… ; Psalm 27 The Lord is my light (Tēr loys im)… ; Glory to the Father… ; Song: Look down with love (Nayats` sirov)… ; Acclamation: Lord, do not turn your face ( Tēr mi dartzouts`aner )… ; Proclamation: And again in peace … Let us beseech almighty God (Aghach`ests`ouk` zamenakal )…; Prayer: Bestowing with grace (Shnorhatou bareats`) … On non-fasting days
10728-804: The Lord's Prayer), the Nunc Dimittis , and benediction. In the Anglican tradition, Compline was originally merged with Vespers to form Evening Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer . The United States Episcopal Church 's Book of Offices of 1914, the Church of England's 1928 proposed prayer book , the Scottish Episcopal Church 's 1929 Scottish Prayer Book , the Anglican Church of Canada 's 1959/1962 prayer book, and also
10877-624: The Mass was first limited to Sundays and then gradually spread to some feast days. The daily prayer kept alive the theme of gratitude from the Sunday "Eucharist" (which means gratitude). The prayers could be prayed individually or in groups. By the third century, the Desert Fathers began to live out Paul's command to "pray without ceasing" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ) by having one group of monks pray one fixed-hour prayer while having another group pray
11026-531: The Old Testament, to which were soon added readings of the Gospels, Acts, and epistles, and canticles . Other elements were added later in the course of the centuries. The canonical hours stemmed from Jewish prayer . This "sacrifice of praise" began to be substituted for the sacrifices of animals. In Roman cities, the bell in the forum rang the beginning of the business day at about six o'clock in
11175-648: The Pope for a comprehensive reform of the Hours. As a result, in 1970 the Breviary was replaced by the Liturgy of the Hours , which is divided into six different volumes: Advent , Christmas , Lent and Easter and two for the Ordinary Time ; the new Hours were promulgated by Pope Paul VI in his apostolic constitution Laudis canticum . In his apostolic letter Summorum Pontificum , Pope Benedict XVI allowed clerics to fulfill their obligation of prayer using
11324-437: The Roman Breviary of Pope Pius V. Pope Clement VIII instituted obligatory changes on 10 May 1602, 34 years after Pius V's revision. Pope Urban VIII made further changes, including "a profound alteration in the character of some of the hymns. Although some of them without doubt gained in literary style, nevertheless, to the regret of many, they also lost something of their old charm of simplicity and fervour." Pope Pius X made
11473-415: The Roman Breviary. In many places, every diocese, order or ecclesiastical province maintained its own edition of the breviary. However, mendicant friars travelled frequently and needed a shortened, or abbreviated, daily office contained in one portable book, and single-volume breviaries flourished from the thirteenth century onwards. These abbreviated volumes soon became very popular and eventually supplanted
11622-596: The Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church's Latin Church, hoping to restore their character as the prayer of the entire church, revised the liturgical book for the celebration of the Divine Office, and published it under the title "Liturgy of the Hours". The Council itself abolished the office of Prime, and envisioned a manner of distributing the psalms over a period of more than 1 week. In
11771-682: The Song of Moses (Exodus xv.), the Song of Hannah (1 Sam. ii.), the prayer of Habakkuk (iii.), the prayer of Hezekiah (Isaiah xxxviii.) and other similar Old Testament passages, and, from the New Testament, the Magnificat , the Benedictus and the Nunc dimittis , are admitted as psalms. The antiphons are short liturgical forms, sometimes of biblical, sometimes of patristic origin, used to introduce
11920-696: The Southern Cross in Australia, Japan, and Oceania. While developed primarily from the Anglican tradition, the Divine Worship: Daily Office is considered to be a specific use of the Liturgy of the Hours. By the time of Benedict of Nursia (480–548 AD), the monastic Divine Office was composed of seven daytime hours and one at night. In his Rule of St. Benedict , he associated the practice with Psalm 118/119:164, "Seven times
12069-460: The West: three psalms ( 4 , 90 , and 133 ) (Vulgate numbering) said without antiphons , the hymn , the lesson, the versicle Kyrie eleison , the benediction , and the dismissal (RB, Chaps. 17 and 18). The Roman Office of compline came to be richer and more complex than the simple Benedictine psalmody . A fourth psalm was added, In te Domine speravi ( Psalm 30 in Vulgate ). And perhaps at
12218-717: The above countries as well as many other dioceses around the world, especially in Asian and African countries. It is arranged in three volumes: The psalms are taken (with slight adaptations) from the 1963 Grail Psalms, while the Scripture readings and non-Gospel canticles are taken from various versions of the Bible, including the Revised Standard Version , the Jerusalem Bible , the Good News Bible ,
12367-613: The beautifully illuminated breviaries. The beauty and value of many of the Latin Breviaries were brought to the notice of English churchmen by one of the numbers of the Oxford Tracts for the Times , since which time they have been much more studied, both for their own sake and for the light they throw upon the English Prayer-Book. Early printed Breviaries were locally distributed and quickly worn out by daily use. As
12516-434: The bishop presides, for example the vesper on major solemnities. The General Instruction of the Liturgy of Hours in the Roman Rite states: "The public and communal prayer of the people of God is rightly considered among the first duties of the Church. From the very beginning the baptized 'remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers' (Acts 2 :42). Many times
12665-637: The breviary, the missal, the Roman Pontifical and the Roman Ritual . Significant changes came in 1910 with the reform of the Roman Breviary by Pope Pius X . This revision modified the traditional psalm scheme so that, while all 150 psalms were used in the course of the week, these were said without repetition. Those assigned to the Sunday office underwent the least revision, although noticeably fewer psalms are recited at Matins, and both Lauds and Compline are slightly shorter due to psalms (or in
12814-463: The case of Compline the first few verses of a psalm) being removed. Pius X was probably influenced by earlier attempts to eliminate repetition in the psalter, most notably the liturgy of the Benedictine congregation of St. Maur. However, since Cardinal Quignonez's attempt to reform the Breviary employed this principle—albeit with no regard to the traditional scheme—such notions had floated around in
12963-638: The celebration of saints. It is arranged in six volumes: Although most priests and other clerics in the Latin Church now use the Roman breviary, some (such as those in the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter or similar societies) continue to use the breviary as revised by Pope Pius X , the latest edition of which was issued under Pope John XXIII . The motu proprio Summorum Pontificum in 2007 authorized every Latin Church cleric to use this edition to fulfill his canonical obligation to pray
13112-622: The close of the office and are short prayers summing up the supplications of the congregation. They arise out of a primitive practice on the part of the bishop (local president), examples of which are found in the Didachē (Teaching of the Apostles) and in the letters of Clement of Rome and Cyprian. With the crystallization of church order, improvisation in prayer largely gave place to set forms, and collections of prayers were made which later developed into Sacramentaries and Orationals. The collects of
13261-407: The crippled man at the temple gate occurred as Peter and John were going to the temple to pray ( Acts 3:1 ) at the "ninth hour" of prayer (about three pm). The decision to include Gentiles among the community of believers, arose from a vision Peter had while praying at noontime, ( Acts 10:9–49 ) the "sixth hour". The early church was known to pray the Psalms ( Acts 4:23–30 ), which have remained
13410-628: The daily worship of the Armenian Apostolic Church which are recited between sundown and sleep: the Peace Hour and the Rest Hour . These are two distinct liturgies of communal worship. It is the usage in some localities to combine these two liturgies, with abbreviations, into a single liturgy. The Peace Hour (Armenian: Խաղաղական Ժամ khaghaghakan zham ) is the office associated with compline in other Christian liturgies. In
13559-448: The day being divided into liturgical "hours." A detailed account of these will be found in the article Canonical Hours . Each of the hours of the office is composed of the same elements, and something must be said now of the nature of these constituent parts, of which mention has here and there been already made. They are: psalms (including canticles), antiphons, responsories, hymns, lessons, little chapters, versicles and collects. Before
13708-492: The day or night. In the Psalms are found expressions like "in the morning I offer you my prayer"; "At midnight I will rise and thank you"; "Evening, morning and at noon I will cry and lament"; "Seven times a day I praise you". The Apostles observed the Jewish custom of praying at the third, sixth, and ninth hours, and at midnight (Acts 10:3, 9; 16:25; etc.). Hence the practice of seven fixed prayer times has been taught from
13857-650: The day, being hours associated with Christ's Passion." The origin of compline has given rise to considerable discussion among liturgists. In the past, general opinion ascribed the origin of this liturgical hour to St. Benedict , at the beginning of the 6th century. But Jules Pargoire and A. Vandepitte trace its source to Saint Basil . Vandepitte states that it was not in Cæsarea in 375, but in his retreat in Pontus (358–362), that Basil established compline, which hour did not exist prior to his time, that is, until shortly after
14006-616: The days of St. Cyprian and Clement of Alexandria the custom of reciting a prayer before sleep, and that this might be taken as the original source of compline. It is generally thought that the Benedictine form of compline is the earliest western order, although some scholars, such as Plaine, have maintained that the hour of compline as found in the Roman Breviary at his time, antedated the Benedictine Office. These debates apart, Benedict's arrangement probably invested
14155-496: The days of the secular month. The readings of the second Nocturn are mainly hagiological biography, with homilies or papal documents for certain major feasts, particularly those of Jesus and Mary. Some of this material has been revised by Leo XIII , in view of archaeological and other discoveries. The third Nocturn consists of a homily on the Gospel which is read at that day's Mass. Covering a great stretch of time and space, they do for
14304-411: The duty to celebrate the liturgy of hours with the rite of consecration. Within the Latin Church, the lay faithful "are encouraged to recite the divine office, either with the priests, or among themselves, or even individually", though there is no obligation for them to do so. The laity may oblige themselves to pray the Liturgy of the Hours or part of it by a personal vow. The present official form of
14453-471: The end of compline. It is an ancient custom, practiced on the Holy Mountain and in other monasteries, for everyone present at the end of compline to venerate the relics and icons in the church, and receive the priest's blessing. Small compline is prescribed for most nights of the year. It is presided over by a single priest without a deacon. The liturgy is composed of three Psalms (50, 69, 142),
14602-422: The entire Liturgy of the Hours of the Roman Rite is that contained in the four-volume Latin-language publication Liturgia Horarum , the first edition of which appeared in 1971. English and other vernacular translations were soon produced and were made official for their territories by the competent episcopal conferences . For Catholics in primarily Commonwealth nations , the three-volume Divine Office , which uses
14751-719: The episcopal conferences mentioned and confirmed by the Holy See in December 1973. The Gospel canticles ( Benedictus , Magnificat , Nunc Dimittis ) are from the 1963 Grail Translation, but an appendix at the end of the book gives the English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC)) versions of the Gospel canticles as alternatives. Collins also publishes shorter editions of The Divine Office : Between 2005 and 2006, Collins republished The Divine Office and its various shorter editions with
14900-452: The evangelical canticle Nunc Dimittis and its anthem , which is particularly characteristic. The hour of compline, such as it appeared in the Roman Breviary prior to the Second Vatican Council, may be divided into several parts, viz. the beginning or introduction, the psalmody , with its usual accompaniment of antiphons , the hymn , the capitulum , the response, the Nunc dimittis ,
15049-748: The following decade, which conformed to the rubrics of 1960, published by Liturgical Press and Benziger in the United States. These used the Pius XII psalter. Baronius Press 's revised edition of the Liturgical Press edition uses the older Gallican psalter of St. Jerome. This edition was published and released in 2012 for pre-orders only. In 2013, the publication has resumed printing and is available on Baronius' website. Under Pope Benedict XVI 's motu proprio Summorum Pontificum , Catholic bishops, priests, and deacons are again permitted to use
15198-693: The form of the fixed-hour prayers was a hybrid of secular and monastic practice. In the East, the development of the Divine Services shifted from the area around Jerusalem to Constantinople . In particular, Theodore the Studite ( c. 758 – c. 826 ) combined a number of influences from the Byzantine court ritual with monastic practices common in Asia Minor , and added thereto
15347-698: The hour of compline with the liturgical character and arrangement which were preserved in the Benedictine Order , and largely adopted by the Roman Church . The original form of the Benedictine Office, lacking even an antiphon for the psalms, is much simpler than its Roman counterpart, resembling more closely the Minor Hours of the day. Saint Benedict first gave the Office the basic structure by which it has come to be celebrated in
15496-599: The hours of Sunday Vespers and Compline (albeit in English translation) in his Garden of the Soul in the eighteenth century. The Liturgical Movement in the twentieth century saw renewed interest in the Offices of the Breviary and several popular editions were produced, containing the vernacular as well as the Latin. The complete pre-Pius X Roman Breviary was translated into English (by the Marquess of Bute in 1879; new ed. with
15645-550: The hours of each day and sanctifying the day with prayer." The term "Liturgy of the Hours" has been retroactively applied to the practices of saying the canonical hours in both the Christian East and West –particularly within the Latin liturgical rites –prior to the Second Vatican Council , and is the official term for the canonical hours promulgated for usage by the Latin Church in 1971. Before 1971,
15794-585: The hours was needed. So, a sort of list developed called the Breviary , which gave the format of the daily office and the texts to be used. The spread of breviaries eventually reached Rome, where Pope Innocent III extended its use to the Roman Curia. The Franciscans sought a one-volume breviary for its friars to use during travels, so the order adopted the Breviarium Curiae , but substituting
15943-577: The influence of the Roman rite has gradually gone much beyond this, and has superseded almost all the local uses. The Roman has thus become nearly universal, with the allowance only of additional offices for saints specially venerated in each particular diocese. The Roman Breviary has undergone several revisions: The most remarkable of these is that by Francis Quignonez , cardinal of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (1536), which, though not accepted by Rome (it
16092-401: The lips as well as the eyes—it takes about two hours in this way) the whole of the Breviary services allotted for each day. In large churches where they were celebrated the services were usually grouped; e.g. Matins and Lauds (about 7.30 A.M.); Prime, Terce (High Mass), Sext, and None (about 10 A.M.); Vespers and Compline (4 P.M.); and from four to eight hours (depending on the amount of music and
16241-403: The liturgy as performed at the Roman court, and gave his abridgment the name of Breviary, which thus came to denote a work which from another point of view might be called a Plenary, involving as it did the collection of several works into one. There are several extant specimens of 12th-century Breviaries, all Benedictine, but under Innocent III (pope 1198–1216) their use was extended, especially by
16390-635: The liturgy ends here with: Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our father … Amen . On fasting days continue here: Psalm 119; Glory to the Father– ; Hymn: We entreat you (I k`ez hayts`emk`)… During the Great Fast: Evening Chant (varies); Acclamation: To the spirits at rest ( Hogvovn hangouts`elots` )… ; Proclamation: And again in peace … For the repose of the souls (Vasn hangouts`eal)…; Lord, have mercy (thrice); Prayer: Christ, Son of God ( K`ristos Ordi Astoutsoy )…; Blessed
16539-412: The local Breviaries, like that of Sarum. Finally, Nicholas III (pope 1277–1280) adopted this version both for the curia and for the basilicas of Rome, and thus made its position secure. Before the rise of the mendicant orders (wandering friars ) in the 13th century, the daily services were usually contained in a number of large volumes. The first occurrence of a single manuscript of the daily office
16688-613: The middle of the 4th century. François Plaine [ fr ] also traced the source of compline back to the 4th century, finding mention of it in a passage in Eusebius and in another in St. Ambrose , and also in John Cassian . These texts bear witness to the private custom of saying a prayer before retiring to rest. If this was not the canonical hour of compline, it was certainly a preliminary step towards it. The same writers reject
16837-433: The morning (Prime, the "first hour"), noted the day's progress by striking again at about nine o'clock in the morning (Terce, the "third hour"), tolled for the lunch break at noon (Sext, the "sixth hour"), called the people back to work again at about three o'clock in the afternoon (None, the "ninth hour"), and rang the close of the business day at about six o'clock in the evening (the time for evening prayer). The healing of
16986-865: The new Divine Office of the Anglican Use personal ordinariates. There are two editions: the North American Edition released in late 2020 for use by the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter and the Commonwealth Edition to be released in 2021 to replace the Customary in the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham and introduce an office for the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of
17135-462: The newly founded and active Franciscan order. These preaching friars, with the authorization of Gregory IX, adopted (with some modifications, e.g. the substitution of the "Gallican" for the "Roman" version of the Psalter) the Breviary hitherto used exclusively by the Roman court, and with it gradually swept out of Europe all the earlier partial books (Legendaries, Responsories), etc., and to some extent
17284-495: The next prayer. As the format of unbroken fixed-hour prayer developed in the Christian monastic communities in the East and West, longer prayers soon grew, but the cycle of prayer became the norm in daily life in monasteries . By the fourth century, the characteristics of the canonical hours more or less took their present shape. For secular (non-monastic) clergymen and lay people, the fixed-hour prayers were by necessity much shorter. In many churches and basilicas staffed by monks,
17433-537: The night until after the Terce the next day. Compline comprises the final office in the Liturgy of the Hours . From the time of the early Church , the practice of seven fixed prayer times has been taught; in Apostolic Tradition , Hippolytus instructed Christians to pray seven times a day "on rising, at the lighting of the evening lamp, at bedtime, at midnight" and "the third, sixth and ninth hours of
17582-592: The number of high masses) are thus spent in choir. Lay use of the Breviary has varied throughout the Church's history. In some periods laymen did not use the Breviary as a manual of devotion to any great extent. The late Medieval period saw the recitation of certain hours of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, which was based on the Breviary in form and content, becoming popular among those who could read, and Bishop Challoner did much to popularise
17731-443: The obligation to use the promulgated text in all places, and the total prohibition of adding or omitting anything, declaring in fact: "No one whosoever is permitted to alter this letter or heedlessly to venture to go contrary to this notice of Our permission, statute, ordinance, command, precept, grant, indult declaration, will decree and prohibition. Should anyone, however, presume to commit such an act, he should know that he will incur
17880-443: The office of the seasons of the Christian year (Advent to Trinity), a conception that only gradually grew up. There is here given the whole service for every Sunday and weekday, the proper antiphons, responsories, hymns, and especially the course of daily Scripture reading, averaging about twenty verses a day, and (roughly) arranged thus: This contains the lessons, psalms and liturgical formularies for saints' festivals, and depends on
18029-591: The official form for the Latin Church was the Breviarium Romanum , first published in 1568 with major editions through 1962. The Liturgy of the Hours, like many other forms of the canonical hours, consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns , readings, and other prayers and antiphons prayed at fixed prayer times . Together with the Mass , it constitutes the public prayer of the church. Christians of both Western and Eastern traditions (including
18178-555: The opinion of Paulin Ladeuze and Jean-Martial Besse [ fr ] who believe that compline had a place in the Rule of St. Pachomius , which would mean that it originated still earlier in the 4th century. The Catholic Encyclopedia argues that, if St. Basil instituted and organized the hour of compline for the East , as St. Benedict did for the West , there existed as early as
18327-408: The order of prayers, and having simplified the Liturgy as performed at the Roman Court, this abridgment received the name of Breviary, which was suitable, since, according to the etymology of the word, it was an abridgment. The name has been extended to books which contain in one volume, or at least in one work, liturgical books of different kinds, such as the Psalter, the Antiphonary, the Responsoriary,
18476-556: The other daily offices) is included in the various Lutheran hymnals, books of worship and prayer books, such as the Lutheran Service Book and For All the Saints: A Prayer Book for and by the Church . In some Lutheran Churches, compline may be conducted by a layperson with a slight modification to the liturgy. In the Lutheran Service Book, used by the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod , Compline consists of opening versicles from Psalm 92, confession of sins, psalmody, an office hymn, readings from scripture, responsory , prayer (concluded with
18625-457: The pontificate of Pius IX , a strong Ultramontane movement arose against the French breviaries of 1680 and 1736. This was inaugurated by Montalembert , but its literary advocates were chiefly Prosper Guéranger , abbot of the Benedictine monastery Solesmes , and Louis Veuillot (1813–1883) of the Univers . The movement succeeded in suppressing the breviaries, the last diocese to surrender being Orleans in 1875. The Jansenist and Gallican influence
18774-400: The prayer, and the benediction . By way of liturgical variety, the liturgy of initium noctis may also be studied in the Celtic Liturgy , such as it is read in the Antiphonary of Bangor , its plan being set forth by Warren and by Bishop (see Bibliography , below). Introit: Abendlied by Josef Rheinberger ; In the breviary of 1974 Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Hours , compline
18923-451: The psalms, the order for special days breaks in upon the normal order of ferial offices and dislocates the scheme for consecutive reading. The lessons are read at Matins (which is subdivided into three nocturns). The little chapters are very short lessons read at the other "hours." The versicles are short responsories used after the little chapters in the minor hours. They appear after the hymns in Lauds and Vespers. The collects come at
19072-399: The reading of Scripture. Monastic influence accounts for the practice of adding to the reading of a biblical passage some patristic commentary or exposition. Books of homilies were compiled from the writings of SS. Augustine , Hilary , Athanasius , Isidore , Gregory the Great and others, and formed part of the library of which the Breviary was the ultimate compendium. In the lessons, as in
19221-730: The reforms of Paul VI (1974), when replaced by the Liturgy of the Hours . In the course of the Catholic Counter-Reformation , Pope Pius V (r. 1566–1572) imposed the use of the Roman Breviary, mainly based on the Breviarium secundum usum Romanae Curiae , on the Latin Church of the Catholic Church. Exceptions are the Benedictines and Dominicans , who have breviaries of their own, and two surviving local use breviaries: The Latin word breviarium generally signifies "abridgement, compendium". This wider sense has often been used by Christian authors, e.g. Breviarium fidei, Breviarium in psalmos, Breviarium canonum, Breviarium regularum . In liturgical language specifically, "breviary" ( breviarium ) has
19370-461: The service. A traditional form is provided in the 1991 Anglican Service Book . The Common Worship service consists of the opening sentences, the confession of sins, the psalms and other Bible lessons, the canticle of Simeon, and prayers, including a benediction. There are authorized alternatives for the days of the week and the seasons of the Christian year. As a public service of worship, like Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, compline may be led by
19519-428: The succeeding revision, the character of Matins was changed to an Office of Readings so that it could be used at any time of the day as an office of Scriptural and patristic readings. Furthermore, the period over which the Psalter is recited has been expanded from one week to four. The Latin hymns of the Roman Office were in many cases restored to the pre-Urban form, albeit several of them were shortened. This Liturgy of
19668-410: The successor to Pius IV who closed the Council of Trent, promulgated an edition, known as the Roman Breviary, with his Apostolic Constitution Quod a nobis , imposing it in the same way in which, two years later, he imposed his Roman Missal and using language very similar to that in the bull Quo primum with which he promulgated the Missal, regarding, for instance, the perpetual force of its provisions,
19817-420: The third nocturn are patristic homilies on the Gospels, and together form a rough summary of theological instruction. Here are found the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Office for the Dead (obligatory on All Souls' Day), and offices peculiar to each diocese. It has already been indicated, by reference to Matins, Lauds, &c., that not only each day, but each part of the day, has its own office,
19966-437: The three major hours (Matins, Lauds and Vespers) and the minor hours (Terce, Sext, None and Compline) has been retained. All hours, including the minor hours, start with the versicle from Ps 70 (69) v. 2 (as do all offices in the traditional breviary except Matins and Compline): V. Deus, in adiutorium meum intende ; R. Domine, ad adiuvandum me festina ("O God, come to my aid: O Lord, make haste to help me"), followed by
20115-427: The time of the early Church; in Apostolic Tradition , Hippolytus instructed Christians to pray seven times a day "on rising, at the lighting of the evening lamp, at bedtime, at midnight" and "the third, sixth and ninth hours of the day, being hours associated with Christ's Passion." The Christian prayer of that time consisted of almost the same elements as the Jewish: recital or chanting of psalms and reading of
20264-430: The times of day at which in the second millennium they have traditionally been recited, as shown by the use of the word "noon", derived from Latin (hora) nona , to mean midday, not 3 in the afternoon: This arrangement of the Divine Office is described by Benedict. However, it is found in John Cassian 's Twelve books on the institutes of the coenobia and the remedies for the eight principal faults , which describe
20413-427: The western Church, and can particularly be seen in the Paris Breviary. Pope Pius XII introduced optional use of a new translation of the Psalms from the Hebrew to a more classical Latin . Most breviaries published in the late 1950s and early 1960s used this "Pian Psalter". Pope John XXIII also revised the Breviary in 1960, introducing changes drawn up by his predecessor Pope Pius XII. The most notable alteration
20562-466: The whole Psalter every week (which had become a mere theory in the Roman Breviary, owing to its frequent supersession by saints' day services) was made a reality. These reformed French Breviaries—e.g. the Paris Breviary of 1680 by Archbishop François de Harlay (1625–1695) and that of 1736 by Archbishop Charles-Gaspard-Guillaume de Vintimille du Luc (1655–1746)—show a deep knowledge of Holy Scripture, and much careful adaptation of different texts. During
20711-406: The work of medieval authors. The lessons, as has been seen, are drawn variously from the Bible, the Acts of the Saints and the Fathers of the Church . In the primitive church, books afterwards excluded from the canon were often read, e.g. the letters of Clement of Rome and the Shepherd of Hermas . In later days the churches of Africa, having rich memorials of martyrdom, used them to supplement
20860-469: The worshipper in the field of church history what the Scripture readings do in that of biblical history. This comprises psalms, antiphons, lessons, &c., for feasts of various groups or classes (twelve in all); e.g. apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. These offices are of very ancient date, and many of them were probably in origin proper to individual saints. They contain passages of great literary beauty. The lessons read at
21009-406: The wrath of Almighty God and of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul." With the same bull, Pius V ordered the general abolition of all breviaries other than his reformed breviary, with the same exception that he was to make in his Quo primum bull: he allowed those legitimately in use for at least 200 years to continue. Examples of such breviaries are the Benedictine ( Breviarium Monasticum ),
21158-420: Was also strongly felt in Italy and in Germany, where breviaries based on the French models were published at Cologne, Münster, Mainz and other towns. Meanwhile, under the direction of Benedict XIV (pope 1740–1758), a special congregation collected much material for an official revision, but nothing was published. In 1902, under Leo XIII, a commission under the presidency of Louis Duchesne was appointed to consider
21307-399: Was approved by Clement VII and Paul III, and permitted as a substitute for the unrevised Breviary, until Pius V in 1568 excluded it as too short and too modern, and issued a reformed edition of the old Breviary, the Breviarium Pianum or "Pian Breviary"), formed the model for the still more thorough reform made in 1549 by the Church of England , whose daily morning and evening services are but
21456-437: Was first used in this sense about the beginning of the 6th century in the Rule of Saint Benedict ( Regula Benedicti ; hereafter, RB), in Chapters 16, 17, 18, and 42, and he uses the verb compleo to signify compline: " Omnes ergo in unum positi compleant " ("All having assembled in one place, let them say compline"); " et exeuntes a completorio " ("and, after going out from compline")… (RB, Chap. 42). Compline liturgies are
21605-446: Was given by a kind of Catholic Churchman's Almanack, called the Ordo Recitandi Divini Officii , published in different countries and dioceses, and giving, under every day, minute directions for proper reading. In 1960, John XXIII simplified the rubrics governing the Breviary in order to make it easier to use. Every cleric in Holy Orders, and many other members of religious orders, must publicly join in or privately read aloud (i.e. using
21754-444: Was light, and addressed a form of prayer to Christ, as to a divinity, … after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble, to eat in common a harmless meal." By the second and third centuries, such Church Fathers as Clement of Alexandria , Origen , and Tertullian wrote of the practice of Morning and Evening Prayer, and of the prayers at terce, sext, and none. Daily morning and evening prayer preceded daily Mass, for
21903-403: Was produced by the Port Royal school, which led men to dwell more on communion with God as contrasted with the invocation of the saints. This was mainly carried out by the adoption of a rule that all antiphons and responses should be in the exact words of Scripture, which cut out the whole class of appeals to created beings. The services were at the same time simplified and shortened, and the use of
22052-424: Was thought necessary, containing as it did the books from which the lessons were read and the psalms that were recited. The first step in the evolution of the Breviary was the separation of the Psalter into a choir-book. At first the president of the local church (bishop) or the leader of the choir chose a particular psalm as he thought appropriate. From about the 4th century certain psalms began to be grouped together,
22201-427: Was written by the Benedictine order at Monte Cassino in Italy in 1099. The Benedictines were not a mendicant order, but a stable, monastery -based order, and single-volume breviaries are rare from this early period. The arrangement of the Psalms in the Rule of St. Benedict had a profound impact upon the breviaries used by secular and monastic clergy alike, until 1911 when Pope Pius X introduced his reform of
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