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| c XVI, Image by Saiko, Musée d'art et d'histoire de Genève |
Just to wish everyone a joyous Easter!
And a reminder that the Benedictine Office reverts, this week, to its Benedictine form, so that the psalms at Matins on Sunday, Lauds and Vespers are festal, but those at the other hours are of the day of the week as usual (with the antiphons and other texts of the Octave however).
I have to say that the reasons for this are obscure to me: from ancient times until the post Trent books, most Benedictines seem to have continued the practice of the Triduum and followed the Roman Office this week, most notably in its truncated three psalm version of Matins, a practice attested to as ancient by a seventh century instruction to the monks recorded in the Liber Pontificalis.
Even odder, in my view, is the use of the (Roman origin) 'festal' psalms of Matins and Lauds (including through Eastertide on Sundays) in imitation of the Roman Office's avoidance of Psalm 50 on feasts, since the actual psalms of the Benedictine ferial Office are, in my view, rather more appropriate to the season than the festal psalms. In particular, use of Psalm 92 and 99 means that Psalm 117, the quintessential Resurrection psalm, is not sung in the Benedictine Office at all in Eastertide!
A case perhaps for some judicious reform!
The Ordo
But in any case, here are the detailed rubrics for the week so far as the official rubrics go.
Sunday 20 April – Easter Sunday, Class I with a Class I Octave
Note: Matins and Lauds are included in the Vigil, so do not need to be said by those who attended it.
Matins (if said): Three Nocturns, all of the feast, for the chants, LR 82/NM 334 ff.
Lauds (if said): Festal psalms (MD 44 ff) with antiphons, chapter, responsory, hymn, versicle, Benedictus antiphon and collect of the feast, MD 328*/AM 453 ff.
Prime: Antiphon 1 of Lauds, MD 328*/AM 453.
Terce to None: Antiphon, chapter, versicle and collect of the feast, MD 331*/AM 457 ff.
2 Vespers: Antiphons of Lauds (omitting the fourth) with psalms of Sunday, chapter, responsory, hymn, versicle, Magnificat antiphon and collect of the feast, MD 332*/AM 458 ff.
Compline: Marian Antiphon, Regina Caeli, MD 267-8/AM 176 or 179-80, henceforward.
Monday 21 April – Class I
[The feast of St Anselm is not marked in the Office this year.]
Matins:
Option 1: Two
nocturns with the invitatory antiphon and hymn of Easter Sunday, MB 568 ff;
psalms and antiphons for Nocturns I & II of the feast, readings,
responsories, chapter and collect, MB 586 ff.
Option 2: Two
nocturns with psalms of the day, one antiphon for each Nocturn (Iesum qui
crucifixus est/Venite et videte) with readings and rest, MB 586 ff.
Option 3: All of the feast except the readings, responsories and collect, NM 346 ff.
Lauds to Compline: All as for Easter Sunday (with festal psalms at Lauds and Vespers), except for the canticle antiphons and collect, MD 335*/AM 460-1.
Tuesday 22 April – Class I
Matins: See above, Option 1&2: MB 589 ff; Option 3: NM 351 ff.
Lauds to Compline: All as for Easter Sunday (with festal psalms at Lauds and Vespers), except for the canticle antiphons and collect, MD 336*/AM 462.
Wednesday 23 April – Class I
[The feast of St George is not marked in the Office this year.]
Matins: Two nocturns with Invitatory antiphon and hymn of Easter Sunday; antiphon for each Nocturn with psalms of the day of the week; versicles, three readings, responsories, chapter and collect, MB 593/NM 355 ff.
Lauds to Compline: All as for Easter Sunday (with festal psalms at Lauds and Vespers), except for the canticle antiphons, and collect, MD 336-7*/AM 462-3.
Thursday 24 April – Class I
Matins: Two nocturns, NM 357 ff.
Lauds to Compline: All as for Easter Sunday (with festal psalms at Lauds and Vespers), except for the canticle antiphons and collect, MD 337*/AM 463-4.
Friday 25 April – Class I
[The feast of St Mark is not marked in the Office this year.]
Matins: Two nocturns, NM 359 ff.
Lauds to Compline: All as for Easter Sunday (with festal psalms at Lauds and Vespers), except for the canticle antiphons and collect, MD 337-8*/AM 464-5.
Saturday 26 April – White Saturday, Class I
[The feast of St Cletus is not marked in the Office this year.]
Matins: Two nocturns, NM 360 ff.
Lauds to None: All as for Easter Sunday (with festal psalms at Lauds and Vespers), except for the Benedictus antiphon and collect, MD 338*/AM 465.
1 Vespers of Low Sunday: Psalms of Saturday under one antiphon (Alleluia); chapter, responsory, hymn, versicle, Magnificat antiphon and collect, MD 339*/AM 473 ff.
