Ordo for March 2024

The notes below provide a guide to the day hours for the Monastic Office as set out in the Monastic Diurnal (MD) and Antiphonale Monasticum (AM), according to the 1960 rubrics and General Calendar for the Benedictine Confederation.

More detailed notes, including Matins, cross-references to the calendars for the Extraordinary Form Mass, selected national calendars, and calendars of selected monasteries, can be obtained by purchasing the Ordo through Lulu..

 

MARCH 2024

 1 March – Friday in the second week of Lent, Class III 

Ordinary of Lent; canticle antiphons and collects, MD 209-10*/AM 359-60. 

2 March – Saturday in the second week of Lent, Class III 

1 Vespers of the Third Sunday of Lent, MD 210*/AM 360 ff. 

3 March – Third Sunday of Lent, Class I

 MD 206*/AM 355 ff. 

4 March – Monday in the third week of Lent, Class III 

5 March – Tuesday in the third week of Lent, Class III 

Wednesday 6 March – SS Perpetua and Felicity, Memorial/Optional Class III 

Ordinary of Lent; canticle antiphons and collects, MD 218-9*/AM 367-8; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [74]/AM 828. 

Thursday 7 March – St Thomas Aquinas, Memorial/Optional Class III 

Ordinary of Lent; canticle antiphons and collects, MD 219-20*/AM 368-9; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [75]/AM 828-9. 

8 March – Friday in the third week of Lent, Class III 

Saturday 9 March – St Frances of Rome, Memorial/Optional Class III 

Ordinary of Lent; canticle antiphons and collects, MD 220-1*/AM 370-1; for the commemoration at Lauds, MD [75-6]/AM 830. 

1 Vespers of the Fourth Sunday of Lent, MD 221*/AM 371 ff. 

10 March – Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday), Class I

[The feast of the Forty Martyrs is not marked in the Office this year.]

MD 223*/AM 371 ff. 

11 March – Monday in the fourth week of Lent, Class III 

Tuesday 12 March – St Gregory the Great OSB, Class II 

All of the feast, MD [77]/AM 832 ff, with a commemoration of the Lent day at Lauds and Vespers. 

13 March – Wednesday in the fourth week of Lent, Class III 

14 March – Thursday in the fourth week of Lent, Class III 

15 March – Friday in the fourth week of Lent, Class III 

16 March – Saturday in the fourth week of Lent, Class III 

Lauds to None: Ordinary of Lent; canticle antiphons and collects, MD 231-2*/AM 381. 

PASSIONTIDE 

1 Vespers of First Passiontide Sunday, MD 232*/AM 387 ff. 

The Office during Passiontide

Passiontide (the period up to and including Wednesday in Holy Week) has its own ‘Ordinary’ which can be found in the 'of time' section of an office book.  At Matins, the Ordinary can be found at NM 278-9: The invitatory antiphon each day is for the season (Hodie si vocem Domini audieritis), and is said without the doxology; The hymn is for the season and is the same each day (Pange lingua); The readings during the week are usually patristic sermons, relating to the Gospel of the Mass set for that day; The responsories omit the doxology, instead simply repeating the response; and The chapter verse for Nocturn II is for the season (Jer 11:18-19).  The Ordinary for the day hours can be found at MD 240* ff.  At Prime to None: The antiphons, chapters and versicles are of the season of Passiontide, and can be found in the psalter section; and The collect for Terce to None is the same as for Lauds of that day.  At Lauds and Vespers: Chapters, hymns, responsories and versicles of the season replace those in the psalter section; The responsories (but not the psalms) omit the Gloria Patri, instead repeating the opening verse; The canticle antiphons are proper for each day. They generally reflect the (EF) Gospel for the day; and There is a specific collect for both Lauds and Vespers each day.

17 March – (First) Passion Sunday, Class I

Where St Patrick is Class I, the feast is transferred to tomorrow; otherwise it is not marked in the Office this year. 

MD 234*/AM 388 ff. 

18 March – Monday in (First) Passion Week, Class III; St Cyril of Jerusalem, Memorial 

Ordinary of Passiontide, MD 240*/AM 385 ff; Benedictus antiphon and collect of the day, MD 246-7*/AM 393; for the commemoration, MD [83]/AM 835. 

1 Vespers of St Joseph, MD [84]/AM 836 ff, with a commemoration of the Passiontide day. 

Tuesday 19 March – St Joseph, Class I 

All of the feast, MD [87]/AM 841 ff with a commemoration of the Passiontide day at Lauds and Vespers. 

20 March – Wednesday in Passion Week, Class III 

Lauds to None: Ordinary of Passiontide, MD 240*/AM 382 ff; Benedictus antiphon and collect, MD 248-9*/AM 395-6. 

1 Vespers of St Benedict, MD [91]/AM 847 ff with a commemoration of the Passiontide day. 

Thursday 21 March – St Benedict, Class I 

All of the feast, MD [94]/AM 851 ff, with a commemoration of the Passiontide day at Lauds and Vespers. 

22 March – Friday in Passion Week, Class III 

23 March – Saturday in Passion Week, Class III

1 Vespers of Palm Sunday, MD 252* ff/AM 399. 

The Office during Holy Week up to Thursday

Up until the Triduum, Holy Week continues to use the Ordinary of Passiontide. The key change is that Monday to Wednesday are Class I days, and a special set of antiphons is used each day at Lauds to None.  

24 March – Second Passion Sunday or Palm Sunday, Class I

 MD 255*/AM 399 ff.

25 March – Monday in Holy Week, Class I 

[The feast of the Annunciation is transferred this year.] 

Lauds: Antiphons of Monday in Holy Week (with psalms of Monday), MD 260*/AM 404 ff; chapter, responsory, hymn and versicle of the Ordinary of Passiontide, MD 240*/AM 385 ff; Benedictus antiphon and collect of Monday in Holy Week, MD 261*/AM 406. 

Prime: Antiphon 1 of Lauds, MD 260*/AM 404. 

Terce to None: Antiphons 2, 3 and 5 of Lauds respectively, MD 260-1*/AM 404-6; chapter and versicle of Passiontide (in the psalter); collect of Lauds, MD 261*/AM 406. 

Vespers: Antiphons and psalms of the psalter for Monday; chapter, responsory, hymn and versicle of the Ordinary of Passiontide, MD 244*/AM 382 ff; Magnificat antiphon and collect, MD 261-2*/AM 407. 

26 March – Tuesday in Holy Week, Class I 

MD 262*/AM 407 ff. 

27 March – Wednesday in Holy Week, Class I 

[The feast of St John Damascene is not marked in the Office this year.]

MD 263*/AM 409 ff 

START OF THE SACRED TRIDUUM 

The Office during the Triduum

The Office during the Triduum follows the Roman, rather than Benedictine, rubrics during this period. It is also important to note that some of the Holy Week ceremonies include parts of the Office so that those who attend them do not need to sing or say those particular hours separately. 

Matins and Lauds: The Office of Tenebrae, or Matins and Lauds, is a special feature of the Triduum. It is said in darkness, and a candle is extinguished as each of the psalms is said. Outside a monastery, the custom is to perform Tenebrae the evening before the day in question (so for Maundy Thursday, on Wednesday night, etc). Note that the Diurnal does not contain the Matins psalms for Tenebrae. If Tenebrae is sung in the evening, Compline should be said beforehand. 

Prime to None: The psalms for Prime, Terce, Sext and None during the Triduum are set out on MD 279* ff. No introductory prayer or hymns are said, and the Gloria Patri is not said at the end of each psalm. Each hour closes the antiphon ‘Christus factus est’ – each day of the Triduum, an additional phrase of the antiphon is added, as set out on MD 282*. 

Vespers: Vespers (if said) is often said quite early, in order to make room for Tenebrae/the Easter Vigil. The antiphons and psalms for Vespers can be found on MD 296* ff. As for the other hours, there are no introductory prayers; as for the other hours, the Gloria Patri is not said at the end of each psalm; the first psalm on Holy Saturday is on MD 298*; antiphons for the Magnificat each day are on MD 303*; on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, the antiphon Christus factus est is said; and on the concluding prayers for Holy Saturday, see MD 305*. 

Compline: The rubrics for Compline from Maundy Thursday to Holy Saturday are set out on MD 305* ff. Note the addition of the Nunc Dimittis. 

28 March – Maundy Thursday, Class I 

Matins and Lauds: As for the Roman Office of Tenebrae, nine psalms and readings: for Matins, NM 301 ff; for Lauds, MD 265*/AM 413 ff. 

Prime to None: All as set out at MD 279*/AM 421 ff. 

Vespers: All as set out at MD 296*/AM 429 ff, Magnificat antiphon of Maundy Thursday, MD 304*/AM 434. [Note: Not said by those who attend the evening Mass.]

 Compline: All as set out at MD 305*/AM 436-7. 

29 March – Good Friday, Class I 

Matins and Lauds: As for the Roman Office of Tenebrae, nine psalms and readings: for Matins, NM 313 ff; for Lauds, MD 309*/AM 438 ff. 

Prime to Compline: All as for Maundy Thursday, MD 279*/AM 421 ff; Magnificat antiphon at Vespers, AM 444. 

30 March – Holy Saturday, Class I 

Matins and Lauds: As for the Roman Office of Tenebrae, nine psalms and readings: for Matins, NM 325 ff; for Lauds, MD 318*/AM 445 ff. 

Prime to Compline: All as for Maundy Thursday, MD 279*/AM 421 ff; Magnificat antiphon at Vespers, AM 450. [Note: Compline is not said by those who attend the Vigil.] 

START OF SEASON OF EASTER (EASTERTIDE) 

31 March –– 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. 

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.