Here is another Psalter schema table and comparison charts for the Little Office of the BVM of uses which an active religious or lay person might not be familiar with.
Although the Psalters (in this first table, which lists only the psalm
numbers) seem very similar, when they are analyzed with their related antiphons
and other texts (in the two additional tables following this one), it is
easier to discern the differences of the various uses.
The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary *
|
|
Roman |
Carthusian |
Cistercian
|
Cistercian
|
Norbertine |
Matins |
Sunday,
|
(same as Roman) |
Every day
|
Every day
8
|
(same as Roman) |
Lauds |
92
|
92
|
(66)
|
92
|
(same as Roman) |
Prime |
53
|
53
|
119
|
Su, Tu, Th, Sa 53 84 116 |
1
|
Mo, We ,Fr 118a 118b 118c 118d |
|||||
Terce |
119
|
118e
|
122
|
Sun 119 120 121 |
(same as Roman) |
Mo, We, Fr 118e 118f 118g |
|||||
Tu, Th, Sa 118h 118i 118j |
|||||
Sext |
122
|
118k
|
125
|
Su 122 123 124 |
(same as Roman) |
Mo, We, Fr 118k 118l 118m |
|||||
Tu,Th,Sa 118n 118o 118p |
|||||
None |
125
|
118q
|
128
|
Su 125 126 127 |
(same as Roman) |
Mo, We, Fr 118q 118r 118s |
|||||
Tu, Th, Sa 118t 118u 118v |
|||||
Vespers |
109
|
(same as Roman) |
(same as Roman) |
109 112 121 126 |
(same as Roman) |
Compline |
128
|
4
|
131
|
12 128 130 |
12
|
* The Carthusians refer to the office as The Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, without the word "Little". The Office is prayed alone by the monk in his cell, but he is required to maintain the ceremonial that is used in the monastery church for the Divine Office (standing, bowing, the 'venia', head covered or uncovered, gestures, etc.). The Carthusians regard the celebration of the Office with great respect, and everything concerning the office is treated accordingly.
While the Roman "Little Office" is without additions, the Carthusians use the Office of Our Lady as an opportunity for deeper and further prayer. For example, there are two additional psalms and a number of other prayers at the end of Lauds and some of the other hours. There is also, at the end of Prime, the Mass of the BVM, sometimes known as the Missa Sicca. Of course, some of this has changed
The Cistercians prayed the Little Office in the church Choir, in addition to the Divine Office. It ceased to be part of the choir office in 1956.
** The Cistercians printed, at their Abbey of Westmallle, an Officium Parvum Beatae Mariae VIrginis OCSO, by authority of the Abbot General, Herman Joseph Smets, in 1930. There are substantial differences from the Officium Parvum in the Cistercian breviary of 1897. This Information and the psalm schema was provided by (Sr.) Eleanor Campion, OCSO, St. Mary's Abbey, Glencairn, Ireland.
Here is a comparison of Matins and then Lauds in these uses:
Officium Parvum Beatae
Mariae Virginis
Roman use
|
||||
Roman |
Carthusian |
Cistercian |
Norbertine |
|
Introductory Material |
||||
V. Ave Maria….
V. Domine, labia….
V. Deus in adjutorium….
Gloria Patri….
|
Ave Maria (complete)......3x V. Domine, labia….
V. Deus in adjutorium….
Gloria Patri….
|
V. Ave Maria….
V. Domine, labia….
V. Deus in adjutorium….
Gloria Patri….
|
V. Ave Maria….
V. Domine, labia….
V. Deus in adjutorium….
Gloria Patri….
|
|
Invitatory & Ps 94 |
||||
Ave, Maria, gratia plena; * Dominus tecum |
Ave, Maria, gratia plena; * Dominus tecum |
Ave, Maria, gratia plena; * Dominus tecum |
Ave, Maria, gratia plena; * Dominus tecum |
|
Hymn |
||||
Quem terra, pontus aethera (5 verses) |
Mysterium Ecclesiam (5 verses) |
Quem terra, pontus aethera (5 verses) |
Quem terra, pontus aethera (5 verses) |
|
Antiphon(s) & 3 Psalms |
||||
Sun, Mon & Thu: Ants:
Pss:
|
Sun, Mon & Thu: Ant:
Pss
|
Every Day: Ant:
Pss
|
Sun, Mon & Thu: Ants:
Pss:
|
|
Tue, Fri: Ants:
Pss:
|
Tue, Fri: Ant:
Pss
|
|
Tue, Fri: Ants:
Pss:
|
|
Wed, Sat: Ants:
Pss:
|
Wed, Sat: Ant:
Pss
|
|
Wed, Sat: Ants:
Pss:
|
|
Versicle & Response |
||||
Every Day: V. Diffusa est gratia in
labiis tuis.
|
Sun, Mon & Thu: V. Diffusa est gratia in
labiis tuis.
|
Every Day: V. Ave Maria, gratia
plena.
|
Every Day: V. Ave Maria, gratia plena
|
|
|
Tue, Fri: V. Specie tua et pulchritudine
tua.
|
|
Tue, Fri: V. Speciosa facta es
et suavis in deliciis tuis.
|
|
|
Wed, Sat: V. Adducentur Regi virgines
post eam.
|
|
Wed, Sat: V. Dignare me laudare
te, Virgo sacrata.
|
|
Lord's Prayer, [Absolution] Blessings, Readings & Responsory |
||||
Absolution:
|
Absolution
|
Absolution
|
Absolution:
|
|
Blessing:
Lesson 1:
Responsory:
Blessing:
Lesson 2:
Responsory:
Blessing:
Lesson 3:
Responsory:
|
Blessing:
Lesson 1:
Responsory:
Lesson 2:
Responsory:
Lesson 3:
Responsory:
|
Blessing:
Lesson:
Admitte piissima Dei Genitricis preces nostras intra....... Responsory (Short):
.. |
Blessing:
Lesson 1:
Responsory:
Lesson 2:
Responsory:
Lesson 3:
Responsory:
|
|
Te Deum |
||||
|
|
|
"Sacerdotal verse" V. Elegeit eam Deus
et praelegit eam.
|
|
Prayer & Conclusion (only if Matins is separated from Lauds) |
When Lauds versions among the various uses are compared, differences and similarities
are readily apparent:
Little Office of
the BVM - LAUDS
|
||||
Roman |
Carthusian |
Cistercian |
Norbertine |
|
Introductory Material |
||||
Ave Maria - silently |
Ave Maria - silently |
Ave Maria - silently |
Ave Maria - silently |
|
Psalmody |
||||
4 Psalms + 1 OT Cant - Psalter (Sunday Lauds:
|
7 Psalms + 1 OT Cant - Psalter Pss. 92, 99, 62, 66,
|
4 Psalms + 1 OT Cant - Psalter Pss: (66):
|
4 Psalms + 1 OT Cant - Psalter (Sunday Lauds: Pss 92, 99,
62, Dan 3: 57-88,
|
|
Antiphon(s) |
||||
Assumpta est |
Ecce tu pulchra es, amica mea, ecce tu pulchra; oculi tui columbarum. |
O admirabile commercium! * Creator generis humani, animatum corpus sumens, de Virgine nasci dignatus est: et procedens homo sine semine, largitus est nobis suam Deitatem |
O admirabile commercium! * Creator generis humani, animatum corpus sumens, de Virgine nasci dignatus est: et procedens homo sine semine, largitus est nobis suam Deitatem. |
|
Maria Virgo assumpta |
|
|
|
|
In odorem unguentuorum |
|
|
|
|
Benedicta filia tu |
|
|
|
|
Pulchra es et decora |
|
|
|
|
Chapter |
||||
Sundays & WEEKDAYS Cant 6:8 |
Sundays & WEEKDAYS Eccli 24 |
Sundays & WEEKDAYS Eccl 24 |
Sundays & WEEKDAYS Eccli 24 |
|
Responsory |
||||
None |
None |
(Short Responsory)
|
None |
|
Hymn |
||||
O gloriosa Domina |
Vere gratia plena es |
O gloriosa Domina |
O gloriosa Domina |
|
Versicle & Response |
||||
V. Benedicta tu
in mulieribus
|
V. Benedicta tu
in mulieribus
|
V. Speciosa facta
es, et suavis.
|
V. Elegit eam
et praeelegit eam.
|
|
Benedictus Antiphon |
||||
Beata Dei Genitrix |
Hortus conclusus es, soror mea; hortus conclusus es, fons signatus. |
O gloriosa Dei Genitrix |
Beata Dei Genitrix |
|
Prayer |
||||
Deus qui de beatae |
Deus qui salutis aeternae Beatae Mariae |
Concede nos, famulos |
Concede nos, famulos |
|
Conclusion |
||||
|
Pss 78, 122
Salve Regina 3 Prayers:
|
Suffragium
**
de omnibus sanctis
V & R
(every hour is concluded
with the following)
|
Suffragium
**
(pro tribulatione)
|
** "Suffragium" - In some of the monasteries and churches, an Office of All Saints was in use before that of the Little Office of the BVM. This memorial at the end of Lauds in the Roman Breviary (pre Vatican II) is what remains of that office.
continue to Part III,
orreturn to the Main Page
Updated July 29, 2000
Added February 26, 2000