Doxology after hymn in the Divine Office/LOTH?

[LiamD]

I have come across some advice on rubrics for the Divine Office online, where it is mentioned that the hymn at the start of the hour (after the invitatory or opening) should end with a doxology. Does this mean that I should say the Glory Be after the hymn, or is the last verse of the hymn counted? A lot of the hymns don’t have an ending that I would identify as a doxology.

 

[LiamD]

Thank you for the quick reply! I wonder if the Divine Office has different hymns. From my book it directs me to use a hymn from the Common of Pastors today, and the second one there ends:

These your priests have watched and waited
Offering up to Christ their will,
Soul and body consecrated,
Day and night to serve him still:
Now in God’s most holy place
Blest they stand before his face.

Maybe I need to get a better understanding of what constitutes a doxology. I had suspected that the advice I read was implying that all they hymns contained a doxology, but couldn’t see how that verse I quoted would fit the bill.

 

[LiamD]

Ah, I see. Maybe the advice was referring to an older version of the Divine Office and that requirement has been removed.

 

[LiamD]

No name is given, the first line is “Who are these, like stars appearing,” and at the bottom it states that it is based on Rev 7:13-17. For now I think I will add the Glory Be to be on the safe side!

Sorry, I should have been clearer, it’s the Divine Office I use, the one approved for use in Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland and Australia.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

The General Instruction says:

1. A hymn follows the traditional rule of ending with a doxology, usually addressed to the same divine person as the hymn itself.

1. In the office for Ordinary Time, to ensure variety, a twofold cycle of hymns i~ given for each hour, for use in alternate weeks.

1. In addition, a twofold cycle of hymns has been introduced into the office of readings for Ordinary Time, one for use at night and the other for use during the day.

1. New hymns can be set to traditional melodies of the same rhythm and meter.

1. For vernacular celebration, the conferences of bishops may adapt the Latin hymns to suit the character of their own language and introduce fresh compositions, [13] provided these are in complete harmony with the spirit of the hour, season, or feast. Great care must be taken not to allow popular songs that have no artistic merit and are not in keeping with the dignity of the liturgy.

I believe # 174 might imply that a doxology is a must, but I think the following further illuminate that there’s a desired quality hymns should have, not so much that these are hard “musts”.

ETA: Certainly not all of the recommended hymns have a doxology, further making the point that it’s not required.

 

[OraLabora]

I chant the LOTH in Latin and almost all Latin hymns have a doxology. There are however a couple of exceptions.

The sequence Dies Irae was split into three parts to be used as the hymns for the Office of Readings, Lauds and Vespers of the 34th and last week of Ordinary Time. Two doxologies were composed and added to the OoR and Lauds parts; the Vespers and last part has the sequence’s original doxology.

 

[LiamD]

This is what I was reading, and I agree with your conclusion. Thanks for the response, I’’m not yet confident enough to decide conclusively on a lot of things with regards to the Divine Office, so this was really helpful.