Breviary Questions

[hakimaki]

I am completely new at this and picked up an old “Short Breviary for the Religious and Laity”. I would like to start a routine of morning and evening prayer but have a few questions.

Am I correct in praying Lauds in the am and Vespers at night before bed?
Should I be saying Compline instead of Vespers since Im praying before bed?
What if I get to bed after midnight, should I be praying Matins instead?
Are certain times more important than others? z

Thank you.

 

[Joe_5859]

If you’re just praying for personal devotion, I don’t see why you would need to be super strict about following some precise timeline. If you were praying all the hours, it might be a different story, but since you are only praying some of them, I think praying Lauds and Vespers is the way to go, even if “evening” is interpreted more loosely.

 

[Rich_C]

Althought it’s changed a few times in history, it’s normally:
lauds @ 6am
vespers @ 6pm
compline @ 9pm
matins @ midnight or with lauds @ 6am

If you’re a layman like me, do what works for you. I try to say lauds first thing whenever I wake up, vespers before dinner, and compline right before going to bed. I have an abriged breviary for laymen so mine doesn’t have matins, which I would skip anyway.

 

[OraLabora]

Well the old canonical hours were:

Vigils, during the night (approx. 4 am in some communities)
Lauds, at dawn
Prime (first hour), at 6 am
Terce (third hour), at 9 am
Sext (sixth hour), at noon
None (ninth hour), at 3 pm
Vespers, roughly at sundown (lighting of lamps)
Compline: before bed.

Traditionally Matins was Vigils, followed by Lauds in short order so that Lauds would be at dawn.

Now, the hours can be over a range:

Office of Readings: any time (or Vigils in the night, or Matins, combined with Lauds first thing in the morning)
Lauds: morning (6 am to 8 am)
Prime: no longer used
Terce: 8:30 am to 10 am
Sext: 11 am to 1 pm
Vespers: 4 pm to 7 pm
Compline: before bed.

Keep in mind these are rough guides. You’ll see quite a bit of variation in monastic communities that also have a conventual Mass, often combined with Lauds or Terce.

 

[johndoe100]

I just posted on this subject yesterday: If you want to follow a tradition that can be traced back to the times of (Psalm 63:6), then pray the 3 Night Watches in the Canonical Hours, Matins - Matutinum

 

[hakimaki]

Thank you for all your answers.

 

[johndoe100]

I just posted on this subject yesterday: If you want to follow a tradition that can be traced back to the times of (Psalm 63:6), then pray the 3 Night Watches in the Canonical Hours, Matins - Matutinum

NOTE: The current Bible used for the modern Mass is the NABRE which uses the Hebrew numbering of the Psalms. That means that you will have to add one verse, and (Psalm 63:6) becomes (Psalm 63:7)

 

[johndoe100]

This version of “Hail Holy Queen” *is from the Roman Breviary. A partial indulgence is granted to those who recite this prayer.

“Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy; hail our life, our sweetness and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.”