Breviary Question

[ndeparis88]

I was looking through the ibreviary app and I found something in the prayers section called “Common Of Virgins”. I was wondering what it’s all about seeing it has every hour except the Compline.

 

[Domnall]

I was looking through the ibreviary app and I found something in the prayers section called “Common Of Virgins”. I was wondering what it’s all about seeing it has every hour except the Compline.

If there is an office for a saint who was a virgin (as determined by the Church) and they don’t have their own specifics for each of the hours, the “Common of Virgins” is used instead. There are commons for other things, such as Male Religious, for example!

 

[ndeparis88]

If there is an office for a saint who was a virgin (as determined by the Church) and they don’t have their own specifics for each of the hours, the “Common of Virgins” is used instead. There are commons for other things, such as Male Religious, for example!

I see. So it is not used for a lay virgin. I ask because we have a prayer for family and friends and for the sick, so when I saw the way it was titled it sounded like an intercessory of some sort.

 

[Domnall]

I see. So it is not used for a lay virgin. I ask because we have a prayer for family and friends and for the sick, so when I saw the way it was titled it sounded like an intercessory of some sort.

Nope. Say St. Maria Goretti didn’t have her own proper readings and prayers (I believe she does) then we’d use the Common of Virgins.

Though, I can see why you thought that way.

 

[curlycool89]

I was looking through the ibreviary app and I found something in the prayers section called “Common Of Virgins”. I was wondering what it’s all about seeing it has every hour except the Compline.

For a celebration of a Saint, you can substitute the reading, responsory, Gospel canticle antiphons, and intercessions from the Commons instead of using it from the Weekday of the Psalter (unless any of those is in the Proper of Saints, and in that case you have to use what’s prescribed there).

So for example, the this weeks Memorial of St. Benedict, I did the reading etc. from the Common of Holy Men, except for the antiphon for the Benedictus/Magnificat which are prescribed for St. Benedict.

It can unfortunately be hard to tell what is from the Weekday and what is from the Proper in iBreviary.

The Commons don’t have anything for Compline because there is just a one-week cycle for Compline regardless of feast days (except for a Solemnity, where Saturday is prayed after Evening Prayer I and Sunday is said after Evening Prayer II).

 

[ndeparis88]

I understand, so really most of the commons are for Saints and such.

 

[OraLabora]

So for example, the this weeks Memorial of St. Benedict, I did the reading etc. from the Common of Holy Men, except for the antiphon for the Benedictus/Magnificat which are prescribed for St. Benedict.

For me, St. Benedict was celebrated as a solemnity