I'm listening and following compline that was livestreamed here but the final Marian antiphon at the end doesn't seem to the prescribed Marian antiphon in my Monastic Diurnal. Can someone explain what they are singing here? According to my Monastic Diurnal, it says *From Feb 2, even if the Feast of Purification has been transferred, through Wed of Holy Week*: the Antiphon is Ave, Regina caelorum. https://kerkdienstgemist.nl/stations/1972/events/recording/174223800001972

I'm guessing there are other publishers, but I'm speaking specifically about the Catholic Book Publishing English version of the Liturgy of the Hours. I was on a retreat last weekend where we used the Shorter Christian Prayer books and I only got a little tripped up when I used my regular Christian Prayer book. After the retreat, my wife got really into it and she wants to pray with me morning and evening prayers, but I only have one set of the 4-volume set as well as one large type and one regular Christian Prayer book. So, just to simplify things and so we might know what to expect throughout the year when praying together or with the parish (using Shorter Christian Prayer), what are the differences between the "Christian Prayer", "Shorter Christian Prayer" and the 4-volume liturgy of the hours sets?

Last year when I visited a Benedictine monastery, I noticed that all the monks were bowing during the first part of the Glory Be during their Hours. What is the history and significance of this? Should lay-people bow too, (or only if the Spirit moves them)? Is it just a Benedictine thing?

I've been searching for some reference to the "usual" distribution of hours in terms of sleep, prayer, reading, working, etc for Western monasteries but cannot find a good reference online. I've computed a distribution based on [this website](https://christdesert.org/prayer/rule-of-st-benedict/chapter-48-the-daily-manual-labor/) but it's very sketchy. I know things vary by rule (Benedictine vs others), by date (Second Vatican Council shortened the Divine Office), local customs, etc. But any rough measure would be of help. My attempt so far for a normal day (no Sunday, no Feast, ...): - Work: 5 hrs - Reading: 2 hrs - Prayer (Mass + Divine Office): 6 hrs - Rest: 8hrs - Communal time (eating, meetings, etc): 3 hrs Is anyone aware of a more "official breakdown" of this? Or perhaps can compute a better distribution? PD: It's also true that in medieval times an hour wasn't fixed in 60 minutes but varied by the time of the year, a practice inherited from Roman times.

Assuming Ken Graham's answer is more correct than Andrew Leach's on this question: https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/79346/if-your-the-cathedral-parish-of-your-diocese-has-burned-down-is-the-feast-day-o And tomorrow is officially a solemnity in the Diocese of Madison, does that change vespers on the eve to Evening Prayer I like on a regular solemnity? I'd imagine the simplest thing would be to just double up the Evening Prayer for the 29th; there's no "Common of Incorporeal Beings" so I wouldn't know what to fall back on.

Ode 5 in the LXX Book of Odes, and in the canon at Byzantine Orthros/Matins, starts at Isaiah 26:9. Why does it skip the first nine verses which open with the introduction making it clear the whole chapter is a song? (‘In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city (etc.)’) And why are the last two/three verses of the chapter not sung?

I very much like the Word on Fire Liturgy of the Hours booklets, I think it's helped me a lot in getting to do things in a most consistent and concise fashion that I'd only be able to pick up on if I lived in a monastic community (which ain't happening any time soon), my question is though, there are several things that augment my standard issue Liturgy of the Hours books. I've got three versions (Common Prayer with hymns, a large type one and the 4 volume one with the Office of Readings) I'd like some sort of commentary on what might be the reasoning for each of these things, I'm leaving off things I understand, like the optionality of Psalm Prayers. 1. There's no Invitatory Psalm or Antiphon 2. The Lord's Prayer is in English and Latin, why? 3. There's no preface to the Lord's Prayer as in the Ordinary 4. Night Prayer has "Let Us Pray" before the final prayer, but the rest of the hours do not 5. Feast days use the antiphons AND psalms from the 4 week psalter, but memorials (like today, the Beheading of St. John the Baptist) use the Week 1 Sunday. When would you use the antiphons from the proper of Holy Women, Martyrs, etc..? 6. On Sunday Evening prayer, there are lots of Alleluia's even between the parts of the Doxology, is that normal?

I've been praying the Morning and Evening prayers in the Liturgy of the Hours pretty consistently for the past few weeks. I've got the four volume set. I'd been praying the Invitatory for Morning Prayer off the card they included, for a while, but I misplaced it so I went to find it in the book and lo and behold it says to repeat the antiphon in between verses. So, what I was wondering is, for private recitation, is repeating the antiphon between verses appropriate and if so, are you supposed to repeat the antiphons for the psalms and canticle as well and the book just doesn't say this because that would be way too much to print?

I'm not familiar with Sung Matins, and was wondering if it's a form of mass, or something outside of mass. They're doing 30 minutes of carrols between the Sung Matins and Solemn High Mass, and is still celebrating in the Usus Antiquior (pre-concilliar use) of the Roman Rite.

Why the protestants, (and I exclude Lutherans & Anglicans, maybe some Methodists too), don't have a daily prayer rule ? Even if it isn't as elaborate as the Catholic or Orthodox ones, they can surely come up with a daily prayer structure. Then why won't/don't they? For example, They could take sections from the Bible, prayers by early saints, church fathers etc and create one. - Dividing the day into section for prayers means people have something common in faith to do daily and a chance to come together & pray. - Even if they are alone, they could pray & have a feeling of praying with others(would be especially comforting to new converts, people who stay alone or at remote places). - People go to the gym at specific times, they eat at specific times. They spare, divide & fix times of the day for every other activity. Then why not for prayer ? - There are parts in the Bible where Apostles are shown going to the temple for their daily prayers at specific hours. Together or alone, they are shown doing it. Protestants go to remote places for new converts, they stress the need for prayer, they stress the need for community, self sufficiency in prayer, they especially stress the need for following the apostles and Bible. Then why isn't the daily prayer practice followed ? **Old Testament** >Psalms 55: 16-18: As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. **Evening, morning and noon** I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. >Psalms 77:2: When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; **at night I stretched out untiring hands**, and I would not be comforted. >Psalms 42:8" **By day** the Lord directs his love, **at night** his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. >Psalms 92:1-3: It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming **your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night**, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. >Psalm 59:16: But I will sing of your strength, **in the morning I will sing of your love**; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. >Psalm 119: 54-56: Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge. **In the night**, Lord, I remember your name, that I may keep your law. This has been my practice: I obey your precepts. >Psalms 119:61-63: Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law. **At midnight I rise to give you thanks** for your righteous laws. I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts. >Psalm 5:3: **In the morning**, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. >Daniel 6:10-11: Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. **Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before**. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. **New Testament (by early believers & apostles)** >Acts 3:1: One day Peter and John were going up to the temple **at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon**. >Acts 10:1-3: At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and **prayed to God regularly**. One day **at about three in the afternoon** he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” >Acts 10:9: **About noon the following day** as they were on their journey and approaching the city, **Peter went up on the roof to pray**. >Acts 10:30: Cornelius answered: "Three days ago I was in my house **praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon**. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me. **Also various parts where Jesus went for prayer.** Edit: I saw how Luther modified his daily Office to suit the Laity. Now I also saw in John Calvin's *Institutes of the Christian Religion* his opinion for a daily prayer rule. >*50 . But although it has been said above (sec. 7, 27, &c.), that we ought always to raise our minds upwards towards God, and pray without ceasing, yet such is our weakness, which requires to be supported, such our torpor, which requires to be stimulated, that **it is requisite for us to appoint special hours for this exercise, hours which are not to pass away without prayer, and during which the whole affections of our minds are to be completely occupied**; namely, when we rise in the morning, before we commence our daily work, when we sit down to food, when by the blessing of God we have taken it, and when we retire to rest.* >*29 . This assiduity in prayer, though it specially refers to the peculiar private prayers of individuals, extends also in some measure to the public prayers of the Church. These, it may be said, cannot be continual, and ought not to be made, except in the manner which, for the sake of order, has been established by public consent. This I admit, and hence certain hours are fixed beforehand, hours which, though indifferent in regard to God, are necessary for the use of man, that the general convenience may be consulted, and all things be done in the Church, as Paul enjoins, “decently and in order,” (1 Cor. 14:40).* >*31 Here, if any error is committed through imprudence or forgetfulness, no crime is perpetrated; but if this is done from contempt, such contumacy must be disapproved. In like manner, it is of no consequence what the days and hours are, what the nature of the edifices, and what psalms are sung on each day. **But it is proper that there should be certain days and stated hours, and a place fit for receiving all**, if any regard is had to the preservation of peace. For what a seed-bed of quarrels will confusion in such matters be, if every one is allowed at pleasure to alter what pertains to common order?* An article on this from a mennonite perpective.

I went to solemn vespers for the first time in my life last Friday and it was super awesome. I brought my liturgy of the hours book with, thinking I might need it, but they provided a card with the whole thing on it. Complete with some sort of music part where one word was underlined and it corresponded to what note to change to. So it was like "Lord come to my assistance" and "assist" was underlined because the pitch changed there. So, my question is, since my breviary doesn't have that cool stuff in it, how does one learn how to do it? For both personal recitation and for leading small groups in it? Are the pitch changes solely based on the meter? And why do we switch people intoning the words every other line? When doing small group Liturgy of the Hours, we usually break it up into the paragraphs.

Nov 9, feast of St. John Lateran, feast, evening prayer, no psalm prayer. Nov 10, St Leo, pope and Doctor, memorial,, evening prayer, psalm prayer. Nov 11, St Martin of tours, bishop, memorial, evening prayer, no psalm prayer Why some days are there psalm prayers, other days not?

For the laity, when praying the Liturgy of the Hours in private, is it more in keeping with tradition to you pray out loud or silently or does it matter? Also, do you change the way you repeat antiphons and responses when praying in private or praying silently as opposed to praying out loud or singing/chanting it?

In Divine office or Liturgy of the Hours as it is practiced in Catholic Church there's nothing bad for Protestants (or at least nothing of which I know that Protestants consider bad); prayer is good for all Christians and Psalms are a good basis. However, most Protestants don't pray this way. Why? Did any of the reformers condemn it? Or did this tradition just fade away over time? EDIT: I'm adding [tag:history], because I'm interrested mostly in the time when Liturgy of Hours vanished from practice of most Protestants (16th or 17th century? I don't know exactly). Modern Protestants' point of view has some value, but the best answer shouldn't rely on practice/ doctrine nowadays. I know that some denominations practice it (especially Lutherans); these are excluded from "protestantism" for this question's sake. I imagine citation of some reformer, founder of some denomination, or at least a notable convert who prayed Liturgy of Hours before (i.e. former Catholic priest) or at least knew the practice and wrote anything about it. I'm not sure whether such a source is even available. Less direct citations + few words on context and how it applies to Liturgy of Hours are also OK. For example some of early criticisms against prayer in someone other's words, including words of Bible, by someone who influenced some of the major branches of Protestantism. Such a criticism could apply if it sounds plausible to audience accustomed to Liturgy of Hours, though not necessarily understanding its significance - so "vain repetitions" as Narnian suggested are based on ignorance of the prayer's structure and therefore not acceptable to anyone knowing it, but fear of praying "only at set times" as LCIII mentioned could be easily accepted by someone who prayed it regularly for a long time, but didn't discover its value as a backbone of constant prayer. An answer based solely on reasoning and Bible citations can be (temporarily) accepted as well if at least some of its points likely played role in the beginning of Protestantism. However, if some answer with solid historical reasoning and/or citations appears later, I will definitely accept the new one instead.

According to the [Code of Canon Law 1174](http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_P47.HTM) , priests and deacons are obliged to recite the liturgy of the hours (divine office). If they do not do so, do they commit a sin (moral law)? Or is it only a "legal transgression" (Church law)? The text of the Canon Law does not seems to specify the consequence. > Can. 1174 §1 Clerics are obliged to recite the liturgy of the hours, in accordance with Can. 276, §2, n. 3; members of institutes of consecrated life and of societies of apostolic life are obliged in accordance with their constitutions.

In the Roman Office, people, when singing the Marian antiphon, are expected to kneel while saying the Marian antiphon except on Sundays (Compline of the Roman Office by Benjamin Bloomfield . What should be the posture of a person when singing the Marian antiphon of the Evensong of the Divine Office within the Personal Ordinariates?

I'm wondering how the liturgy of the hours looks different in different quarters of the church. When Byzantine Christians pray the Divine Office, how is it different to when Latin Christians pray the Divine Office? How about Copts? etc. What do they have in common and what is different between them? If this question is too broad, please scope it to a comparison of only the Latin and Byzantine rites.

At my troop's [Federation of North American Explorers](http://www.fneexplorers.com/) meetings, the leaders and the boys pray the Liturgy of the Hours together sometimes for our prayer at the end of meetings. We often do it with half the group on one side of the altar and half on the other trading verses. Is this the expected format when doing "call and response" in the Liturgy of the Hours for Evening Prayer? Generally speaking, I would like to know what a little of what seminarians are taught in their formation. 1. One side says "God come to my assistance", the other says "Lord Make haste to help me. 2. One side says "Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit" The other says "As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be" 3. We sing a hymn together 4. One side says the Antiphon, the other side repeats the Antiphon 5. The psalms and canticles we split every 2 lines or so, 6. Another "Glory Be" as above, then 7. Repeat the Antiphon as above. 8. same for the next two psalms (unless otherwise noted) 9. One lucky boy reads the reading. He doesn't say "A reading from the Letter of St. James" nor does he conclude with "The word of the Lord". 10. The responsory is read verbatim 11. The Magnificat is read with antiphons the same way as the Psalms. 12. We all say the Our Father together. 13. One lucky boy says the closing prayer. 14. The conclusion is sung call-and-response style. So, I'm guessing that's partly made up, and partly right. I'd like it to be 100% right, so please let me know where I'm wrong!

One of the most confusing bits of the Liturgy of the Hours is the concluding prayer for the offices. There are lots of bits in different brackets, and the "long ending" (through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns...") is never included in the text. Can anyone clarify which bit is said at which offices? Does it depend on whether you are reciting it in common or alone? For example, today's concluding prayer at Lauds (Thursdays in Advent): > Show forth your power, Lord, and come
Come in your great strength and help us.
Be merciful and forgiving,
and hasten the salvation which only our sins delay.
(We make our prayer) through our Lord.
(Through Christ our Lord.)

Here's a YouTube video of an English-language setting of the Angelus that appears to be popular among Anglo-Catholics (it's used at Pusey House)...I've not been able to find the name of the hymn tune. Link: [The Angelus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJx7VTDiy4M) And here's the specific wording of this variant: > The angel of the Lord brought tidings to Mary: And she conceived by > the Holy Ghost. > > Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; > blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb > Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the > hour of our death. Amen. > > Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it unto me according to thy word. > > Hail Mary, &c. > > And the Word was made flesh: And dwelt among us. > > Hail Mary, &c. > > Pray for us, holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy > of the promises of Christ. Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy > grace into our hearts; that as we have known the incarnation of thy > Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his cross and > passion we may be brought to the glory of his resurrection. Through > Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.