FOUR
BREVIARIES OVER 500 + YEARS
In the 20th Century, the Divine Office, or as it is currently called, The
Liturgy of the Hours, was "reformed" twice: the first was
in 1911, intended by Pius X as a first step of breviary reform, and the second
was in 1971 (as a result of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council).
Of course, during that period, there were several adjustments to the 1911
breviary, and as of January, 2001, the Liturgy of the Hours is still
incomplete.
Until 1911, the breviary which issued by Pius V in 1568 (as a result of
directives of the Fathers of the Council of Trent) was in use for more than
300 years, changed in minor ways at several different times during those
years. The Pius V breviary was not a great reform, but essentially a
pruning of the divine office in use by most of the Roman Rite for centuries
prior to 1568.
It was also a formal end to a breviary reform which had been entrusted by an
earlier Pope to Cardinal Francisco Quiñonez, and which was published
in 1535, slightly modified and republished in 1536. This was
intended by its compiler as a private breviary for the use of priests not
obliged to pray the office in choir with others. It, too, was a major
break with any known Divine Office tradition, but its popularity
is evidenced by the more than 100 editions over a very few years, until its
suppression and the advent of the breviary of Pius V.
Alongside the Roman breviary, there were office books of other western
traditions, such as the Ambrosian Rite of the Archdiocese of Milan, or
the Mozarabic Rite in Toledo, Spain. There was also the Monastic
breviary, which had a major influence on the development of the Roman
Breviary. Then, there were local "uses" or "rites",
such as Lyons, Sarum, Braga, etc. Finally, there were several religious
orders which maintained their own uses for their liturgical life, such as
Dominicans, Carmelites, the Bridgettine
Nuns, and the Premonstratensian
Canons.
Very few of these uses or rites still exist as living examples of liturgical
identity: Milan, Toledo (in a small way), the Monastic Rite (among the Carthusians,
Benedictines, Cistercians, etc.), and the Bridgettine
Office. All of these were approved. Others were very popular but
not approved, for example, the Gallican breviaries, an example of which is the
Paris Breviary of 1736, issued by Charles de Vintimille, Archbishop of
Paris. For a number of reasons, most of these "uses" are no
longer in existence, The current Liturgy of the Hours remains the
"official" (approved) text for most of the members of the Roman Rite
today.
Until 1971, the first rule for any official breviary in the Roman Rite was
that the entire 150 psalms be prayed weekly. The Ambrosian Rite,
however, had a different arrangement, i.e., Matins psalms were distributed
over weekdays of 2 weeks. It appears that the larger Church
inherited this practice from the early Monks; over time, it became the law for
the Roman Rite.
Until 1911, the second rule for the Roman Rite was that the psalms be prayed
in their entirety. This was maintained in the Ambrosian Rite, as
well. The exception in this case was the Monastic Office, compiled by
St. Benedict in the 6th Century. He uses divisi (divided psalms)
in his psalter, which is distributed over a week's time.
Another tradition of the Western church was that Psalms 1 through 108 were
reserved for the "night" office (Matins) and Psalms 109 through 147
were set aside for Vespers.
Few complained of the basic idea of the weekly psalter. Few, however,
were able to pray the 150 psalms in the course of a week.
Centuries of devotional accretions, feasts and other types of addenda had made
the office, called the Opus Dei, the "work of God, into the Onus Dei
("onus" means much the same in English: burden). The
psalm schemas given here are the major various attempts to correct the
problems.
Some
things to remember:
a) Quiñonez kept the weekly psalter, and kept the undivided psalms,
but ignored the principle of the "night office" and
"Vesper" psalms. He proposed that there be only 3 psalms for
each hour of the Divine Office. The longer psalms were kept for
Matins. Psalm 118 was divided into 11 sections for the Sunday
"Little Hours".
His work was condemned immediately: he had changed a public
celebration (i.e. , a liturgy) into a private (i.e., personal)
prayer. He did this for the convenience of ordinary priests. In
his first edition, all elements of communal celebration were removed
(antiphons, versicles, etc.). Some of these were restored in the
second edition. But that the office was a private prayer was the
principal reason for his breviary's suppression by the Church (which had, at
first, approved the book's use for several years).
b) The Paris breviary of 1736 keeps the weekly psalter, but makes use
of divisi. Its compilers also included new hymns, stressed
scripture in the Matins readings, removed many of the other
"extras". However, they were also considered anti-Roman and
the Paris breviary was only one of several editions of what are called
"neo Gallican" breviaries. The wider church also believed
that Jansenist thinking had influenced the breviary
texts. By the mid 19th century, most of these neo-Gallican
books had been either suppressed or no longer published.
c) The 1911 breviary was a major rupture in the psalter schema as it
had been known by the Roman Rite for centuries. In order to provide
for an actual complete psalter, the schema was changed and divisi were used
for the first time. The emphasis was placed on the week and its days
and taken off the celebrations of saints. When saints' feasts were
celebrated, adjustments were made so that the weekly psalter could be used,
and not a particular set of festal psalms, which, by then, had become
overused and abused.
The most interesting point of all these "reforms", whether approved
or not, is that each contributed to what is today the Roman Rite's Liturgy of
the Hours. Quiñonez, Paris, Pius X, and even Pius V stressed ideas,
some of which were, in the end, found very worthy of attention by those who
prepared the current Divine Office texts. There is still a great deal to
learn from all these schemas.
|
1536
Quiñonez |
1568
Pius
V |
1736
Paris
|
1911
Pius
X |
Sunday |
Matins |
94,
1,
9, 17 |
94
I:
1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
II:
15, 16, 17
III:
18, 19, 20 |
94
I:
1, 2, 3
II:
17a, 17b, 17c
III:
27, 29, 65 |
94
I:
1, 2, 3
II:
8, 9a, 9b
III:
9c, 9d, 10 |
Lauds |
65,
95, Daniel |
92,
99, 62+66, Dan, 148+149+150 |
62,
69, 99, Daniel, 148 |
92,
99, 62, Daniel, 148 |
Prime |
53,
118a, 118b |
53,
117, 118a, 118b |
117m
118a, 118b |
117,
118a, 118b |
Terce |
118c.
118d, 188e |
118c,
118d, 118e |
118c,
118d, 118e |
118c,
118d, 118e |
Sext |
118f,
118g, 118h |
118f,
118g, 118h |
118f,
118g, 118g |
118e,
118g, 118h |
None |
118i,
118j, 118k |
118i,
118j, 118k |
118i,
118j, 118k |
118i,
118j, 118k |
Vespers |
109,
110, 113 |
109,
110, 111, 112, 113 |
109,
110, 111, 112, 113 |
109,
110, 111, 112, 113 |
Compline |
4,
30, 90 |
4,
30 (1-6), 90, 133 |
4,
90, 133 |
4,
90, 133 |
Monday |
Matins |
94
30,
34, 104 |
94
26,
27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 |
94
I:
103a, 103b, 103c
II:
104a, 104b, 104c
III:
105a, 105b, 105c |
94
I:
13, 14, 16
II:
17a, 17b, 17c
III:
19, 20, 29 |
Lauds |
97,
103, Is 12 (1-6) |
50,
5, 62+66, Is, 148+149+150 |
91,
135a, 135b, Exodus, 134 |
46,
5, 28, David, 116 |
Prime |
22,
23, 24 |
53,
23, 118a, 118b |
8,
76a, 76b |
23,
18a, 18b |
Terce |
13,
18, 19 |
118c,
118d, 118e |
24a,
24b, 95 |
26a.
26b, 27 |
Sext |
38,
61, 114 |
118f,
118g, 118h |
46,
97, 98 |
30a,
30b, 30c |
None |
79,
98, 125 |
118i,
118j, 118k |
52,
72a, 72b |
31,
32, 32b |
Vespers |
76,
115, 142 |
114,
115, 116, 119, 120 |
114,
120, 123, 125, 136 |
114,
115, 119, 120, 121 |
Compline |
7,
114, 124 |
4,
30 (1-6), 90, 133 |
6,
7a, 7b |
6,
7a, 7b |
Tuesday |
Matins |
94
39,
43, 108 |
94
38,
39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51 |
94
I:
14, 18a, 18b
II:
71a, 71b, 100
III.
106a, 106b, 106c |
94
I:
34a, 34b, 34c
II:
36a, 36b, 36c
III:
37a, 37b, 38 |
Lauds |
94,
144, Is 38 (10-20) |
50,
42, 62+66, Ezech, 148+149+150 |
23,
84, 96, Ezech, 150 |
95,
42, 66, Tobit, 134 |
Prime |
5,
16, 25 |
53,
24, 118a, 118b |
34a,
34b, 34c |
24a,
24b, 24c |
Terce |
20,
28, 31 |
118c,
118d, 118e |
25,
49a, 49b |
39a,
39b, 39c |
Sext |
51,
71, 120 |
118f,
118g, 118h |
36a,
36b, 36c |
40,
41a, 41b |
None |
89,
96, 126 |
118i,
118j, 118k |
108a,
108b, 108c |
43a,
43b, 43c |
Vespers |
33,
40, 112 |
121,
122, 123, 124, 125 |
119,
121, 132, 140, 141 |
122,
123, 124, 125, 126 |
Compline |
10,
15, 29 |
4,
30 (1-6), 90, 133 |
12,
31, 78 |
11,
12, 15 |
Wednesday |
Matins |
94
48,
58, 77 |
94
52,
54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 65, 67 |
94
I:
9a, 9b, 9c
II:
77a, 77b, 77c
III:
77d, 77e, 77f |
94
I:
44a, 44b,. 45
II:
47, 48a, 48b
III:
49a, 49b, 50 |
Lauds |
80,
134, 1 Kings 2 (1-10) |
50,
64, 62+66, Anna, 148+149+150 |
5,
35, 64, Is 12, 146 |
96,
64, 100, Judith, 145 |
Prime |
6,
117, 130 |
53,
25, 118a, 118b |
30a,
30b, 30c |
25,
51, 52 |
Terce |
42,
44, 59 |
118c,
118d, 118e |
41a,
41b, 43 |
53,
54a, 54b |
Sext |
41,
64, 121 |
118f,
118g, 118h |
20,
102a, 102b |
55,
56, 57 |
None |
81,
84, 89 |
118i,
118j, 118k |
81,
93a, 93b |
58a,
58b, 59 |
Vespers |
12,
83, 111 |
126,
127, 128, 129, 130 |
122,
124, 126, 129, 130 |
127,
128, 129, 130, 131 |
Compline |
39,
119, 133 |
4,
30 (1-6), 90, 133 |
10,
13, 15 |
33a,
33b, 60 |
Thursday |
Matins |
94
67,
72, 88 |
94
68,
69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 |
94
I:
19, 32a, 32b
II:
67a, 67b, 67c
III:
88a, 88b, 88c |
94
I:
61, 65a, 65b
II:
67a, 67b, 67c
III:
68a, 68b, 68c |
Lauds |
99,
102 Exod 15 (1-19) |
50,
89, 62+66, Moses, 148+149+150 |
80,
107a, 107b, Anna, 147 |
97,
89, 35, Jeremias, 146 |
Prime |
8,
26, 27 |
53,
22, 118a, 118b |
66,
89a, 89b |
22,
71a, 71b |
Terce |
91,
92, 107 |
118c,
118d, 118e |
26a,
26b, 83 |
72a,
72b, 72c |
Sext |
49,
74, 122 |
118f,
118g, 118h |
22,
33a, 33b |
73a,
73b, 73c |
None |
35,
82, 100 |
118i,
118j, 118k |
79a,
79b, 92 |
74,
75a, 75b |
Vespers |
131,
136, 145 |
131,
133, 134, 135, 136 |
115,
137, 144a, 144b, 144c |
132,
135a, 135b, 136, 137 |
Compline |
45,
46, 47 |
4,
30 (1-6), 90, 133 |
11,
38a, 38b |
68,
70a, 70b |
Friday |
Matins |
94
21,
68, 70 |
94
80,
81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 93, 95, 96 |
94
I:
51, 54a, 54b
II:
58a, 58b, 60
III:
68a, 68b, 68c |
94
I:
77a, 77b, 77c
II:
77d, 77e, 77f
III:
78, 80, 82 |
Lauds |
148,
149 Habac 3 (2-19) |
50,
142, 62+66, Habac, 148+149+150 |
53,
70a, 70b, Habac, 145 |
98,
142, 84, Is (45), 147 |
Prime |
2,
11, 50 |
53,
21, 118a, 118b |
43a,
43b, 43c |
21a,
21b, 21c |
Terce |
3,
37, 55 |
118c,
118d, 118e |
39a,
39b, 57 |
79a,
79b, 81 |
Sext |
56,
65, 139 |
118f,
118g, 118h |
101a,
101b, 101c |
83a,
83b, 86 |
None |
60.
69, 73 |
118i,
118j, 118k |
21a,
21b, 21c |
88a,
88b, 88c |
Vespers |
137.
138, 141 |
137,
138, 139, 140, 141 |
128,
138a, 138b, 139a, 139b |
138a,
138b, 139, 140, 141 |
Compline |
12,
85, 140 |
4,
30 (1-6), 90, 133 |
37a,
37b, 55 |
76a,
76b, 85 |
Saturday |
Matins |
94
54,
105, 106 |
94
97,
98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108 |
94
I:
40, 48a, 48b
II:
61, 63, 74
III:
75, 82a, 82b |
94
I:
104a, 104b, 104c
II:
105a, 105b, 105c
III:
106a, 106b, 106c |
Lauds |
116,
150, Deut 32 (1-43) |
50,
91, 62+66, Moses, 148+149+150 |
16a,
16b, 56, Moses, 116 |
149,
91, 63,Ecclus, 150 |
Prime |
62,
66, 135 |
53,
118a, 118b |
87,
142a, 142b |
93a,
93b, 107 |
Terce |
51,
57, 87 |
118c,
118d, 118e |
28,
44, 149 |
101a,
101b, 101c |
Sext |
75,
78, 123 |
118f,
118g, 118h |
45,
47, 86 |
103a,
103b, 103c |
None |
101,
127, 132 |
118i,
118j, 118k |
59,
73a, 73b |
108a,
108b, 108c |
Vespers |
143,
146, 147 |
143,
144, 145, 146, 147 |
127,
131a, 131b, 143a, 143b |
143a,
143b, 144a, 144b, 144c |
Compline |
84,
128, 129 |
4,
30 (1-6), 90, 133 |
50,
85a, 85b |
87,
102a, 102b |
Added January 25, 2001
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