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121-508: Such Masses are normally concelebrated by most or all of the priests in a house in the case of a house of an order or other religious community that includes priests. The conventual Mass is therefore the daily "community Mass" for a local religious family – whether a convent, monastery or other house. It is normally linked with the Liturgy of the Hours , at which the community gathers to worship as

242-480: A Lenten sacrifice , in which Christians give up a personal pleasure for the duration of 40 days, is a traditional practice during Lent. During Shrovetide and especially on Shrove Tuesday , the day before the start of the Lenten season, many Christians finalize their decision with respect to what Lenten sacrifices they will make for Lent. Examples include practicing vegetarianism and teetotalism during Lent as

363-677: A vigil ), if the office was ferial the Mass is of the Blessed Virgin; on Vigils in Advent that were not also Ember days, if the office was ferial the Mass was of the Vigil commemorating the feria; on Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday ; on Rogation Tuesday , if the office was ferial the Mass was of Rogation; on Whitsun Eve the office was of the Ascension, but the Mass a Whitsun Mass. When

484-459: A Lenten sacrifice. While making a Lenten sacrifice, it is customary to pray for strength to keep it; many often wish others for doing so as well, e.g. "May God bless your Lenten sacrifice." In addition, some believers add a regular spiritual discipline, to bring them closer to God, such as reading a Lenten daily devotional . For Catholics, Lutherans, Moravians, Anglicans, United Protestants, and Lent-observing Methodists and Reformed Christians,

605-580: A Lenten spiritual discipline, such as reading a daily devotional or praying through a Lenten calendar , to draw themselves near to God . Often observed are the Stations of the Cross , a devotional commemoration of Christ's carrying the Cross and crucifixion . Many churches remove flowers from their altars and veil crucifixes , religious statues that show the triumphant Christ, and other elaborate religious symbols in violet fabrics in solemn observance of

726-590: A Vigil, an Ember day or Rogation Monday fell within an octave (except that of the Blessed Sacrament) the office was of the octave and the Mass of the feria commemorating the octave. Except in Advent and Lent , on Ember days, Rogation days and vigils, if the office was ferial and the Sunday Mass had already been said that week, the conventual Mass could have been one of the Votive Masses in

847-740: A basket in the narthex to collect the previous year's Holy Week palm branches that were blessed and distributed during the Palm Sunday liturgies; on Shrove Tuesday, churches burn these palms to make the ashes used during the services held on the very next day, Ash Wednesday. In historically Lutheran nations, Shrovetide is known as Fastelavn . After attending the Mass on Shrove Sunday , congregants enjoy Shrovetide buns (fastelavnsboller), "round sweet buns that are covered with icing and filled with cream and/or jam." Children often dress up and collect money from people while singing. They also practice

968-666: A body: there are special norms in the rubrics for combining any one of the hours of the Divine Office with the celebration of Mass. The Mass and Office celebrated are those of the day, according to the rubrics and ordo of the order or house. The modern concept of the conventual Mass is laid out in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal . Before the reform of the Missale by Pope Paul VI , concelebration

1089-444: 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 . Lent Lent ( Latin : Quadragesima , 'Fortieth')

1210-434: 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

1331-602: A descendant of Arabic, the term Randan is used, which is distinctive when compared to the dialects of Arabic. Despite the centuries of Catholic influences, the term remains unchanged since the Arab occupation of Malta . The pattern of fasting and praying for 40 days is seen in the Christian Bible , on which basis the liturgical season of Lent was established. In the Old Testament , the prophet Moses went into

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1452-678: A last opportunity for excess before Lent begins. Some of the most famous are the Carnival of Barranquilla , the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife , the Carnival of Venice , Cologne Carnival , the New Orleans Mardi Gras , the Rio de Janeiro carnival , and the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival . In stark contrast to traditions of merrymaking and feasting, Oriental Orthodox Churches practice a pre-Lenten fast in preparation for Lent which

1573-632: 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

1694-645: 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

1815-618: 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

1936-528: A period of fasting before Pascha [Easter]). However it is known that the 40-day period of fasting – the season later named Lent – before Eastertide was clarified at the Nicene Council. In 363-64 AD, the Council of Laodicea prescribed the Lenten fast as "of strict necessity". The 40 days of Lent are calculated differently among the various Christian denominations that observe it, depending on how

2057-439: A period of forty days and forty nights...merited to extinguish the prolonged and severe dryness of the whole world, doing so with a stream of rain and steeping the earth's dryness with the bounty of water from heaven", in the Christian tradition, this is interpreted as being "a figure of ourselves so that we, also fasting a total of forty days, might merit the spiritual rain of baptism...[and] a shower from heaven might pour down upon

2178-471: A pontifical decree of Pope Alexander VI . Until 1741, meat and lacticinia were otherwise forbidden for the whole season of Lent, including Sundays. In that year, Pope Benedict XIV allowed for the consumption of meat and lacticinia during certain fasting days of Lent. Abstinence from alcohol during the season of Lent has traditionally been enjoined "in remembrance of the Sacred Thirst of Our Lord on

2299-671: 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

2420-717: 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

2541-550: 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 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

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2662-501: A version based on the Latin term referring to the 40 days (see above), also has a "great fast" version: postul mare . Dutch has three options, one of which means fasting period , and the other two referring to the 40-day period indicated in the Latin term: vastentijd , veertigdagentijd and quadragesima , respectively. In India, it is called चरम चालीसा ( Charam Chalisa - meaning, "climax forty"). In Maltese , despite being

2783-618: Is a period of grief that necessarily ends with a great celebration of Easter . Thus, it is known in Eastern Orthodox circles as the season of "bright sadness" ( Greek : χαρμολύπη , romanized :  charmolypê ). The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer for Easter through prayer , mortifying the flesh , repentance of sins, almsgiving , simple living , and self-denial . In Lent, many Christians commit to fasting , as well as giving up certain luxuries in imitation of Christ 's sacrifice during his journey into

2904-609: Is also related. According to the Oxford English Dictionary , 'the shorter form (? Old Germanic type * laŋgito - , * laŋgiton -) seems to be a derivative of * laŋgo - long […] and may possibly have reference to the lengthening of the days as characterizing the season of spring'. The origin of the - en element is less clear: it may simply be a suffix , or lencten may originally have been a compound of * laŋgo - 'long' and an otherwise little-attested word *- tino , meaning "day". In languages spoken where Christianity

3025-610: Is broken only after the Paschal (Easter) Divine Liturgy. The Eastern Orthodox Church maintains the traditional Church's teaching on fasting. The rules for lenten fasting are the monastic rules. Fasting in the Orthodox Church is more than simply abstaining from certain foods. During the Great Lent Orthodox Faithful intensify their prayers and spiritual exercises, go to church services more often, study

3146-424: Is celebrated. On the final day of the season, Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras , many traditional Christians, such as Catholics , Lutherans , Anglicans , and Methodists "make a special point of self-examination, of considering what wrongs they need to repent, and what amendments of life or areas of spiritual growth they especially need to ask God's help in dealing with." During Shrovetide, many churches place

3267-845: Is commemorated on Good Friday, and at the beginning of the next week the joyful celebration of Easter, the start of the Easter season , which recalls the Resurrection of Jesus . In some Christian denominations, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday form the Easter Triduum . The English word Lent is a shortened form of the Old English word lencten , meaning " spring season ", as its Dutch language cognate lente ( Old Dutch lentin ) still does today. A dated term in German , Lenz ( Old High German lenzo ),

3388-516: Is described as lasting for a total duration of 40 days, the number of days Jesus, as well as Moses and Elijah , went without food in their respective fasts. In Lent-observing Western Christian denominations, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends approximately six weeks later; depending on the Christian denomination and local custom, Lent concludes either on the evening of Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday), or at sundown on Holy Saturday , when

3509-533: Is immediately followed by the fast of Great Lent without interruption. There are traditionally 40 days in Lent; these are marked by fasting, both from foods and festivities, and by other acts of penance . Fasting is maintained for all 40 days of Lent (regardless of how they are enumerated; see above ). Historically, fasting and abstinence has been maintained continuously for the weekdays of the whole Lenten season, with Sundays being days of abstinence only. The making of

3630-523: Is no earlier incarnation. Second, that it is based on an Egyptian Christian post- theophany fast. Third, a combination of origins syncretized around the Council of Nicea. There are early references to periods of fasting prior to baptism . For instance, the Didache , a 1st or 2nd-century Christian text, commends "the baptizer, the one to be baptized, and any others that are able" to fast to prepare for

3751-768: Is the Monday after Ash Wednesday. The special Ash Wednesday fast is transferred to the first Friday of the Ambrosian Lent. Until this rite was revised by Saint Charles Borromeo , the liturgy of the First Sunday of Lent was festive, celebrated in white vestments with chanting of the Gloria in Excelsis and Alleluia , in line with the recommendation in Matthew 6:16, "When you fast, do not look gloomy." During Lent,

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3872-691: Is the same as the traditional 40-day calculation.) In the Byzantine Rite , i.e., the Eastern Orthodox Great Lent (Greek: Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, meaning "Great 40 Days" and "Great Fast" respectively) is the most important fasting season in the church year. The 40 days of Great Lent include Sundays, and begin on Clean Monday . The 40 days are immediately followed by what are considered distinct periods of fasting, Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday , which in turn are followed straightway by Holy Week . Great Lent

3993-997: Is the solemn Christian religious observance in the liturgical year commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan , according to the Gospels of Matthew , Mark and Luke , before beginning his public ministry . Lent is usually observed in the Catholic , Lutheran , Moravian , Anglican , United Protestant and Orthodox Christian traditions, among others. Some Anabaptist , Baptist , Methodist , Reformed (including certain Continental Reformed , Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches), and nondenominational Christian churches also observe Lent, although many churches in these traditions do not. Which days are enumerated as being part of Lent differs between denominations (see below ), although in all of them Lent

4114-642: 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

4235-873: The Alexandrian Rite , i.e. , the Coptic Orthodox , Coptic Catholic , Ethiopian Orthodox , Ethiopian Catholic , Eritrean Orthodox , and Eritrean Catholic Churches, observe eight continuous weeks of fasting constituting three distinct consecutive fasting periods: As in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the date of Easter is typically reckoned according to the Julian calendar , and usually occurs later than Easter according to Gregorian calendar used by Catholic and Protestant Churches. In Ethiopian Orthodoxy, fasting ( tsome ) lasts for 55 continuous days before Easter ( Fasika ), although

4356-728: 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

4477-839: 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

4598-492: The Daniel Fast during the season of Lent, in which one abstains from "meat, fish, egg, dairy products, chocolates, ice creams, sugar, sweets, wine or any alcoholic beverages" (cf. Daniel 10:3 ). After attending a worship service (often on Wednesday and Friday evenings), it is common for Christians of various denominations to conclude that day's Lenten fast together through a communal Lenten supper , which may be held in

4719-550: The Easter Vigil is celebrated, though in either case, Lenten fasting observances are maintained until the evening of Holy Saturday. Sundays may or may not be excluded, depending on the denomination. In Eastern Christianity – including Eastern Orthodox , Eastern Catholics , Eastern Lutherans , and Oriental Orthodox – Great Lent is observed continuously without interruption for 40 days starting on Clean Monday and ending on Lazarus Saturday before Holy Week . Lent

4840-467: The Forty Hours or for the anniversary of the bishop's consecration or enthronement, etc.) it was said after None. On the Monday of each week (except in Lent and Paschal time) if the office was ferial the conventual Mass was permitted to be a Requiem. But if it were a simple or a feria with a proper Mass, or if the Sunday Mass had not been said, the collect for the dead ( Fidelium ) was added to that of

4961-623: 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 ,

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5082-532: 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, 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

5203-412: The Mass , it constitutes the public prayer of the church. Christians of both Western and Eastern traditions (including 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

5324-430: 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,

5445-424: 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

5566-525: The Roman Rite Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on the evening of Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord's Supper . This comprises a period of 44 days. Historically, the fasting and abstinence were enjoined during the weekdays of Lent and with Sundays being days of abstinence; the obligations of the Lenten fast continue through Good Friday and Holy Saturday, totaling 40 days (with the Eucharistic Fast applying as well). Although Lent formally ends on Holy Thursday, Lenten fasting practices continue until

5687-557: The Romance language group are: Catalan quaresma , French carême , Galician coresma , Italian quaresima , Occitan quaresma , Portuguese quaresma , Romanian păresimi , Sardinian caresima , Spanish cuaresma , and Walloon cwareme . Examples in non-Latin-based languages are: Albanian kreshma , Basque garizuma , Croatian korizma , Irish and Scottish Gaelic carghas , Swahili kwaresima , Filipino kuwaresma , and Welsh c(a)rawys . In other languages,

5808-450: The canonical Hours , the official public service of God in such a church. A conventual Mass then was to be sung or said in all cathedrals and collegiate churches that had a chapter ; in this case it was often called the "chapter" Mass ( missa capituli ), though the official books constantly used the general name "conventual" for this Mass too. A conventual (not chapter) Mass also had to be celebrated daily in churches of regulars who had

5929-492: The date of Easter is calculated, but also on which days Lent is understood to begin and end, and on whether all the days of Lent are counted consecutively. Additionally, the date of Lent may depend on the calendar used by the particular church, such as the ( revised ) Julian or Gregorian calendars typically used by Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant churches, or the Ethiopian and Coptic calendars traditionally used by some Oriental Orthodox churches. Since 1970, in

6050-406: 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

6171-406: 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

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6292-403: 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

6413-427: 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

6534-400: 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

6655-406: 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

6776-416: The Church discourages marriages, but couples may marry if they forgo the special blessings of the Nuptial Mass and limit social celebrations. The period of Lent observed in the Eastern Catholic Churches corresponds to that in other churches of Eastern Christianity that have similar traditions. In Protestant and Western Orthodox Churches that celebrate it, the season of Lent lasts from Ash Wednesday to

6897-429: 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

7018-400: 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

7139-399: The Easter Vigil and additionally, the celebration of Easter is preceded by the Paschal fast. In the Ambrosian Rite , Lent begins on the Sunday that follows what is celebrated as Ash Wednesday in the rest of the Latin Catholic Church , and ends as in the Roman Rite, thus being of 40 days, counting the Sundays but not Holy Thursday. The day for beginning the Lenten fast in the Ambrosian Rite

7260-405: The Episcopal Church, the main U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion, the 1979 Book of Common Prayer identifies Holy Week--comprising Palm/Passion Sunday through Holy Saturday--as a separate season after Lent; but the Days of Special Devotion, to be observed by special acts of discipline and self-denial, include the weekdays of, but not the Sundays in, both Lent and Holy Week, so the practical effect

7381-519: 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

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7502-404: 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

7623-417: The Lenten fast in a positive tone, not as renunciation but as contributing to causes such as environmental stewardship and improvement of health. Even some atheists find value in the Christian tradition and observe Lent. Historically, using the early Christian form known as the Black Fast , the observant does not consume food for a whole day until the evening, and at sunset, Christians traditionally break

7744-438: The Lenten fast of that day with a vegetarian supper (no food or drink is consumed in a day apart from that in the Lenten supper ). In India and Pakistan , many Christians continue this practice of fasting until sunset on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday , with many fasting in this manner throughout the whole season of Lent. Christians of various traditions, including Catholics and Methodists, have voluntarily undertaken

7865-405: The Lenten fast was a 40-day fast that "the entire world" observed. Saint Augustine of Hippo (AD 354–AD 430) wrote that: "Our fast at any other time is voluntary; but during Lent, we sin if we do not fast." Three main prevailing theories exist on the finalization of Lent as a 40-day fast prior to the arrival of Easter Sunday: First, that it was created at the Council of Nicea in 325 and there

7986-406: The Lenten penitential season ends after the Easter Vigil Mass or Sunrise service . Orthodox Christians also break their fast after the Paschal Vigil , a service which starts around 11:00 pm on Holy Saturday, and which includes the Paschal celebration of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom . At the end of the service, the priest blesses cheese, eggs, flesh meats, and other items that

8107-456: 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

8228-523: The Missal appointed for each day in the week. Except in Advent, Lent and Paschal time, on the first day of the month not prevented by a double or semi-double, the conventual Mass was a Requiem for deceased members and benefactors of the community. On doubles, semi-doubles Sundays and during octaves, the conventual Mass was said after Terce , on simples and ferias after Sext, on ferias of Advent and Lent, on Vigils and Ember days after None. There were also occasions on which several conventual Masses are said on

8349-413: 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

8470-437: 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

8591-419: The Scriptures and the works of the Church Fathers in depth, limit their entertainment and spendings and focus on charity and good works. Some other churches that follow the Byzantine Rite , including certain Eastern Catholic and Eastern Lutheran denominations have similar practices as those of Eastern Orthodoxy. Among the Oriental Orthodox , there are various local traditions regarding Lent. Those using

8712-596: 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

8833-696: 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

8954-774: 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 ,

9075-557: The basis of prayer within the consecrated life , with some of the monastic or mendicant orders producing their own permutations of 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

9196-493: 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

9317-512: The canonical Hours, as is explained below. The general rule was that the conventual Mass should correspond to the office with which it forms a whole. It was not allowed to sing two high Masses both conformed to the office on the same day. On the other hand, there were cases in which two different conventual Masses were celebrated. The cases in which the Mass did not correspond to the office were these: on Saturdays in Advent (except Ember Saturday and

9438-615: The case of the conventual Requiem mentioned above, if a simple occurs or if the Mass of the preceding Sunday had not yet been said, the Requiem was celebrated after the Office of the Dead , or if that was not said, after Prime , the Mass of the simple or Sunday after Sext . On All Souls' day (2 November) the Mass of the octave (or feast) was said after Terce, the Requiem after None . When an additional votive Mass had to be said (for instance for

9559-638: 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

9680-404: The church's parish hall . Lenten suppers ordinarily take place in the home setting during the 40 days of Lent during which a family (or individual) concludes that day's fast after a mealtime prayer . Fasting has historically included abstinence from alcohol, meat, lacticinia (dairy products), and other edible produce derived from animals (such as eggs), which has been enjoined continuously for

9801-594: The consumption of alcohol. Quartodeciman Christians end the fast of Lent on the Paschal full moon of the Hebrew calendar , in order to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread beginning on the 14th of Nisan , whence the name derives. For this practice, they were excommunicated in the Easter controversy of the 2nd century A.D. Three traditional practices to be taken up with renewed vigour during Lent; these are known as

9922-407: 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

10043-442: The day before Lent is known as Shrove Tuesday, which is derived from the word shrive , meaning "to administer the sacrament of confession to; to absolve." In these countries, pancakes are associated with Shrove Tuesday because they are a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar – rich foods which are not eaten during the season. The Carnival celebrations which in many cultures traditionally precede Lent are seen as

10164-553: The day instead. These rules concerning the celebration of two or more conventual Masses applied as laws only to chapters. Regulars were not bound to celebrate more than one such Mass each day (corresponding always to the office), unless the particular constitutions of their order imposed this obligation. Liturgy of the Hours The Liturgy of the Hours ( Latin : Liturgia Horarum ), Divine Office (Latin: Officium Divinum ), or Opus Dei ("Work of God") are

10285-544: 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

10406-545: The desert for 40 days; this is known as one's Lenten sacrifice . Prior to the 6th century, Lent was normatively observed through the practice of the Black Fast , which enjoins fasting from food and liquids, with the allowance of one vegetarian meal after sunset. This form of fasting continues in certain denominations, such as the Coptic Orthodox Church . Many Lent-observing Christians also add

10527-544: The dry earth of the whole world, and the abundant waters of the saving bath might saturate the lengthy drought of the Gentiles." In the New Testament , Jesus went into the desert to fast and pray for 40 days and 40 nights; it was during this time that Satan tried to tempt him (cf. Matthew 4:1–3 ). The 40-day and night fasts of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus prepared them for their work. Early Christianity records

10648-411: 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

10769-422: 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

10890-772: 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

11011-593: The evening of Holy Saturday . This calculation makes Lent last 46 days if the 6 Sundays are included, but only 40 days if they are excluded. This definition is still that of the Moravian Church , Lutheran Church , Anglican Church , Methodist Church , Western Rite Orthodox Church , United Protestant Churches , and those of the Reformed Churches (i.e., Continental Reformed , Presbyterian , and Congregationalist ) that observe Lent. (In

11132-475: The event. The custom of veiling is typically practiced the last two weeks, beginning on the fifth Sunday of Lent (known as Judica Sunday or Passion Sunday ) until Good Friday , when the cross is unveiled solemnly in the liturgy. In most Lent-observing denominations, the last week of Lent coincides with Holy Week , starting with Palm Sunday . Following the New Testament narrative, Jesus' crucifixion

11253-407: The faithful have been abstaining from for the duration of Great Lent. Lenten traditions and liturgical practices are less common, less binding, and sometimes non-existent among some liberal and progressive Christians . A greater emphasis on anticipation of Easter Sunday is often encouraged more than the penitence of Lent or Holy Week. Some Christians as well as secular groups also interpret

11374-795: The fast is divided into three separate periods: Tsome Hirkal, the eight-day Fast of Heraclius , commemorating the fast requested by the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius before he reputedly set out to fight the Sassanian Empire and recover the True Cross which had been seized and taken from Jerusalem; Tsome Arba, 40 days of Lent; and Tsome Himamat, seven days commemorating Holy Week . Fasting involves abstention from animal products (meat, dairy, and eggs), and refraining from eating or drinking before 3:00 pm. Ethiopian devotees may also abstain from sexual activity and

11495-693: 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

11616-585: 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

11737-432: The members, but the obligation is satisfied as long as it is said by some priest who celebrates lawfully. The conventual Mass was always, if possible, a high Mass ; but if this was impossible, low Mass was still treated as a high Mass with regard to the number of collects said, the candles, absence of prayers at the end and so on. It was not to be said during the recitation of the office, but at certain fixed times between

11858-433: 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

11979-528: The mountains for 40 days and 40 nights to pray and fast "without eating bread or drinking water" before receiving the Ten Commandments (cf. Exodus 34:28 ). Likewise, the prophet Elijah went into the mountains for 40 days and nights to fast and pray "until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God" when "the word of the Lord came to him" (cf. 1 Kings 19:8–9 ). The early Christian bishop Maximus of Turin wrote that as Elijah by "fasting continuously for

12100-621: The name used refers to the activity associated with the season. Thus it is called "fasting period" in Czech ( postní doba ), German ( Fastenzeit ), and Norwegian ( fasten / fastetid ), and it is called "The Great Fast" in Arabic ( الصوم الكبير – al-ṣawm al-kabīr ), Syriac ( ܨܘܡܐ ܪܒܐ ṣawmā rabbā ), Polish ( wielki post ), Russian ( великий пост – vieliki post ), Ukrainian ( великий піст – velyky pist ), and Hungarian ( nagyböjt ). Romanian , apart from

12221-865: 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

12342-495: 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,

12463-413: The obligation of the public recitation of the office, therefore certainly in churches of monks and canons regular. Whether mendicant friars had this obligation is disputed. Some authors consider them to have been obliged by common canon law, others admit only whatever obligation they may have had from their special constitutions or from custom. Some extended the obligation even to churches of nuns who say

12584-443: 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

12705-434: The office in choir. That friars celebrated a daily conventual Mass according to the rule of monastic churches is admitted by every one (de Herdt., I, 14). A chapter Mass then was a kind of conventual Mass, and falls under the same rules. The obligation of procuring the conventual Mass rested with the corporate body in question and so concerns its superiors ( Dean , Provost , Abbot , etc.). Normally it should be said by one of

12826-426: The sacrament. For centuries it has been common practice for baptisms to take place on Easter, and so such references were formerly taken to be references to a pre-Easter fast. Tertullian , in his 3rd-century work On Baptism , indicates that Easter was a "most solemn day for baptism." However, he is one of only a handful of writers in the ante-Nicene period who indicates this preference, and even he says that Easter

12947-414: The same day. On ferias of Lent, on Ember days, Rogation days and Vigils when a double or semi-double occurs, or during an octave or when a Votive office was said, the Mass corresponding to the office is said after Terce, that of the feria after None. On Ascension eve, if a double or semi-double occurs, the Mass of the feast was said after Terce, that of the Vigil after Sext, that of Rogation after None. In

13068-489: 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

13189-463: 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,

13310-437: 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

13431-518: The three pillars of Lent: Self-reflection, simplicity, and sincerity (honesty) are emphasised during the Lenten season. During pre-Lent , it is customary for Christians to ponder what Lenten sacrifices they will make for Lent. The pre-Lenten period concludes with the opportunity for a last round of merrymaking, known as Carnival , Shrovetide , or Fastelavn , before the start of the sombre Lenten season. The traditions of carrying Shrovetide rods and consuming Shrovetide buns after attending church

13552-549: 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

13673-490: 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

13794-452: The tradition of fasting before Easter. The Apostolic Constitutions permit the consumption of "bread, vegetables, salt and water, in Lent" with "flesh and wine being forbidden." The Canons of Hippolytus authorize only bread and salt to be consumed during Holy Week . The practice of fasting and abstaining from alcohol, meat and lacticinia during Lent thus became established in the Church. In AD 339, Athanasius of Alexandria wrote that

13915-465: The tradition of hitting a barrel, which represents fighting Satan; after doing this, children enjoy the sweets inside the barrel. Lutheran Christians in these nations carry Shrovetide rods (fastelavnsris), which "branches decorated with sweets, little presents, etc., that are used to decorate the home or give to children." In English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada ,

14036-576: The whole duration of the season including Sundays. Throughout Christendom , some adherents continue to mark the season with a traditional abstention from the consumption of meat ( vegetarianism ), most notably among Catholics, Lutherans, and Anglicans. The form of abstention may vary depending on what is customary; some abstain from meat for 40 days, some do so only on Fridays, or some only on Good Friday itself. In Catholicism, lacticinia may be consumed by penitents in Spain and its colonised territories, per

14157-540: 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 ),

14278-425: Was by no means the only favored day for baptisms in his locale. Since the 20th century, scholars have acknowledged that Easter was not the standard day for baptisms in the early church, and references to pre-baptismal periods of fasting were not necessarily connected with Easter. There were shorter periods of fasting observed in the pre-Nicene church ( Athanasius noted that the 4th-century Alexandrian church observed

14399-542: Was earlier established, such as Greek and Latin , the term signifies the period dating from the 40th weekday before Easter. In modern Greek the term is Σαρακοστή ( Sarakostí ), derived from the earlier Τεσσαρακοστή ( Tessarakostí ), meaning "fortieth". The corresponding word in Latin , quadragesima ("fortieth"), is the origin of the terms used in Latin-derived languages and in some others. Examples in

14520-444: 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

14641-586: Was not permitted, and so each priest in a monastery or other house celebrated his own Mass privately, and then participated "in choir" in a conventual Mass celebrated by one of the priests of the house. Prior to the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), as a general rule, churches in which the Divine office was to be said publicly every day also had to have Mass said daily. This Mass was the "conventual" Mass ( missa conventualis ); it completed, with

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