tury.

Some additions are peculiar to the "modern office." Additions These are the Little office of the Blessed Virgin; the since the Office of the dead; the Suffrages of the Saints; and the XIII. cenAthanasian Creed. (1) The first is monastic in origin; a little office in honour of the Madonna, containing all the hours of the Breviary is first mentioned by Peter Damian, who says it was established in the monastery, and recited after the longer office: this Saint preached it to the lax clergy of the time, as a means of reawaking fervour. It originated in the xI. century among the Italian Camaldolese.* (2) An office consisting of Vespers, Matins and Lauds for the dead is first spoken of in the VIII. century. Up to then the prayers at the deposition and at the anniversaries,† and the Liturgy, were the only regular supplications of this kind, and are mentioned by Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine, and in many inscriptions. From the early VIII. century these 3 Hours are celebrated as a vigil of the dead. It has to-day no hymns as originally composed in Rome. (3) The Suffrages are commemorations of the Blessed Virgin and the Apostles, which first formed part of the Roman office about the xI. century.

ne voyons d'autre moyen de nous mettre à l'abri de cette critique
que celui de composer un Bréviaire dans lequel tout soit tiré de
l'Ecriture sainte.
On suppliera par les écrits non contestés
des premiers Pères. Quant aux autres saints qui ont place
aujourd'hui dans le Bréviaire on se contentera d'en faire une
simple commémoraison. Tout ce qu'on pourra dire, c'est que
c'est là une nouveauté qui va a diminuer le culte rendu jusqu'à
présent à ces saints; et il est vrai que le retranchement des
légendes fera crier ceux qui tiennent les faits qui y sont contenus
pour si certains qu'ils seraient prêts à se faire martyriser pour en
soutenir la vérité. Mais cette critique nous paraît bien moins
importante que celle par laquelle on nous reprocheroit de faire
lire au nom de l'Eglise des faits ou apocrifes ou douteux. Or avec
quelque attention et quelque habilité que le nouveau Bréviaire
fût composé, cette critique serait inévitable." [Cited by Père
Batiffol.]

*

By the Statutes of Eton College, A.D. 1440, the scholars were to say the Matins of our Blessed Lady as they made their beds. Our ancestors knew this office by heart.

+ Oblationes pro defunctis pro natalitiis annua die facimus: says Tertullian.

The "commemoration of the cross" is the oldest of these, and formed part of the Easter Vespers in Rome. The suffrages occur after Vespers and Lauds. (4) The use of the Athanasian Creed became general in the VIII. or IX. century, according to Harnack. First introduced into the Gallican psalter, it was not incorporated with the Roman office till late. It is now recited in the Sunday office of Prime; where the Apostles' Creed used to appear. The authorship of the creed is unknown. The part referring to the holy Trinity is probably of the early vi. century, and Gallican in source; the Christological portion later.

HYMNS.

Hymns had been composed from the first ages, but they were less in favour in the West than in the East. Ambrose in the iv. century had to defend their use, and in 563 the Council of Braga declares that " no poetical composition shall be sung in the church, as the holy canons prescribe." However a council of Toledo in 638, declares that hymns composed in the Divine honour can no more be condemned than prayers; and pertinently asks what we are to say of the minor and the major doxology? But this was not the view in Rome, where for another 500 years hymns were not admitted. From Rome's aversion to a Hymnary it appeared at one time (VIII.-IX. century) that the use of Church hymns would disappear altogether. Hymns, being individual or private songs,* were as often employed to perpetuate and instil error, as sound doctrine, and this helped to keep them out of favour in Rome.

Hymns were, however, adopted by S. Benedict, who prescribes the singing of a Hymn before the Psalms of the divine office. And in the x. and XI. centuries the influence of Cluny introduced the Hymnary into the Roman Breviary, and this Hymnary was the Benedictine.

S. Benedict calls the Hymns "Ambrosian," that is hymns either indited by S. Ambrose or formed in the

*Psalmi idiotici.

The

same way, the metre being dimeter iambic. reform which Urban VIII. really had had at heart was a reform of the Hymnary according to the canons of taste of that age. This "improvement" of the

*

old hymns was incorporated in the Breviary in 1632. The Benedictines have however retained their old hymns. At this day in the Roman office we have the exact series of hymns prescribed by the Benedictines in the xi. century; but as re-edited in the xviith. sometimes almost beyond recognition. At the Vatican however the unurbanised hymns are used. The great hymnographers have been: Hilary (ob. 367). Ambrose (ob. 397). Prudentius (ob. 413). Sedulius (ob. 430). Elpis a Boetia|| (ob. 524). Fortunatus (ob. 600). Gregory the Great (ob. 604). Paulus Diaconus (ob. 774). Theodulphus** (ob. 821). Rhabanus Maurus (ob. 856). S. Bernard (ob. 1153). S. Thomas (ob. 1274).

* To Urban himself are attributed the hymns in the Breviary for the 4 following saints: Martina, Theresa, Hermengilde, and Elizabeth of Hungary.

Hilary of Poitiers, of whom Jerome and Isidore say: Hymnorum carmine floruit primus."

The Salvete flores Martyrum was written by him.

§ The hymn on the feast of the Baptist Ut queant laxis is ascribed to him.

To her are ascribed the hymns for S. Peter on August 1. Beate Pastor, Petre; for SS. Peter and Paul, Decora lux; and for S. Paul, Egregie Doctor Paule.

The author of the Vexilla regis.

** To Theodolphus the hymn Gloria laus et honor.

tt To S. Bernard belong the Jesu dulcis memoria; Jesu, Decus Angelicum (or Thos. Aquinas); Jesu, Rex admirabilis (or to Rhabanus,) and the Ave Maris Stella.

To S. Thomas are ascribed the Adoro te devote; Pange lingua; Sacris solemniis; Verbum Supernum.

To an early writer, Claudianus Mamertus in the vi. century, is ascribed the Crux fidelis; while in the late XVI. century Cardinal Silvio Antoniani wrote the hymn Fortem virili pectore for the Common of Holy Women, and Cardinal Bellarmine the Pater Superni luminis for the feast of the Magdalen. The Iste confessor, the vesper hymn in the Common of Confessors, was first used for the feast of S. Francis of Assisi, and is anonymous. Compare also the writers of proses, Chapter i., p. 27.

Vespers
First and

Second

Vespers

Hour of
Vespers.

Vespers

in Lent.

CHAPTER IV.

THE CEREMONIES OF THE CHURCH.

The ceremonies of the Church—Solemn Vespers—Compline-Benediction -Quarant'ore-Processions-Litanies-Angelus-The Ave Maria -The Rosary-Funeralia - Baptism—Chrism — Ordination Extreme unction-Marriage-The consecration of a Bishop-The consecration of a church-Benedictions and consecrations--Preaching-Open churches-Agapa-Eulogia-Viaticum.

SOLEMN Vespers are sung on Sundays, and on the
Eves and days of great feasts. The Vespers of the
Eve are called first Vespers, the Vespers of the feast
day itself second Vespers.

Vespers answer to the ancient Christian service of prayer ad accensum lucernarum, "at the lighting of lamps"; and to the hour of incense, or hour of prayer, in the Temple. In Rome Vespers are said 2 or 3 hours before the Ave Maria. At S. Peter's always 2 hours before it.

In Lent, Vespers are said immediately after Mass, forming one action. Hence it is that on Easter Eve the Ite missa est of the Mass is sung at the end of Vespers. It used to be the custom for some part of the Divine Office to be recited after the mass of the day in penitential seasons, and the people were therefore invited to assist and join their prayers. Thus at Lodi after the first mass of Christmas night,

* In the East called Auxvкóv, in the West lucernaria and lucernare. The name is used by Silvia in the iv. century as that of Vespers (hora decima, 4 p.m.) in both East and West; and in 431 they are spoken of as Lucernariæ tempus, "the time of lamps."

Benedicamus Domino is still said in place of Ite missa est, because Lauds followed the mass of midnight, and these concluding words of Lauds terminated the mass to which they were joined. This is really the origin of our having Benedicamus Domino said at penitential seasons in place of the dismissal of the mass Ite missa est. Up to the XII. century mass was not said during Lent till the 9th hour (3 p.m.), and it was thus natural for Vespers to immediately follow it.

The Vespers of Sunday are the same throughout Order of the year; and consist of 5 psalms, 109-113 [110-114], Vespers. each preceded by an antiphon, the first word or words of which are sung by the officiating priest before the psalm, the entire psalm being sung by the choir after it. Two cantors, called copemen, vested in copes, give the tone to the officiant and assistants at the beginning of each psalm. They sit on two stools one on each side of the choir facing the altar. The officiant sits either in the principal seat in the choir, or on a high stool at the epistle side of the altar, before a light lectern.

At the conclusion of the psalms, the capitulum or little chapter is said; the hymn is sung, followed by a versicle and response; then the antiphon ad magnificat (at the "Magnificat"), with the Magnificat, or canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At this place the officiant incenses the principal altar, but if that should not be the altar of the holy Sacrament, he first incenses the latter, and then the altar where Vespers are being said. On any great feast day, if there be a chapel in the church dedicated to the Saint commemorated, he incenses that altar also. He then returns to his seat, and is incensed by an assistant, who then incenses the other assistants in the choir, and afterwards the people. This is all done during the singing of the Magnificat; after which the Gloria Patri is sung, and the prayer for the day said.

Vespers end with the words Benedicamus Domino. Deo