Eastern Equivalent of the Divine Office

[Big_Chris]

In the Roman Church, the Liturgia Horarum (Liturgy of the Hours) are prayed utilizing the Roman Breviary, containing seven approved offices: Matins, Lauds, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline. These include readings from the Psalms, Gospel and non-Gospel canticles, Scripture readings, prayers and intercessions. In most of North America, the approved 1975 ICEL translation for daily use, specifically the version published by Catholic Book Publishing Co., is the text of choice though there are approved variants.

The only thing I know about the Eastern Church’s prayer of the canonical hours is that it is contained under the title of Horologion. I also understand that the Kathisma is a division of the Psalter. These two concepts combined would seem to be similar to the Latin Divine Office, but I may be wrong. So, what are the similarities and differences between how the Western and Eastern Churches pray the canonical hours/Psalter?

Also, as I’m a very hands on person, and truly appreciate the full tradition of praying the canonical hours whether West or East, what are some of the better daily Byzantine Prayer Books available?

 

[Big_Chris]

The only thing I know about the Eastern Church’s prayer of the canonical hours is that it is contained under the title of Horologion. I also understand that the Kathisma is a division of the Psalter. These two concepts combined would seem to be similar to the Latin Divine Office, but I may be wrong. So, what are the similarities and differences between how the Western and Eastern Churches pray the canonical hours/Psalter?

This may be a variant on the same question, but:

While the Kathismata is quite organized, how does one know when to pray the Psalter during the day? Is this structured around prescribed canonical hours?
While the Kathismata is a division of the Psalter, does Matins and Vespers contain other prayers within which the Kathismata is framed?

I guess I’m trying to discern if there is a difference between the canonical hours and praying the Psalter in the East or whether the two are linked as in the West.

Thanks for bearing with me!

 

[ByzCathCantor]

Also, as I’m a very hands on person, and truly appreciate the full tradition of praying the canonical hours whether West or East, what are some of the better daily Byzantine Prayer Books available?

The Byzantine Daily Worship of +Archbishop Joseph Raya (Melkite) is widely recognized best published source for the complete cycle of Byzantine daily worship, including the Hours.

There was a recent thread on this, which included the contact information of the publisher.

Please search out this thread for additional information.

Also, the Metropolitan Cantor Institute (of the Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic Metropolitan Archeparchy of Pittsburgh) provides an explanation of the daily cycle on its website:

metropolitancantorinstitute.org/liturgy/DailyCycle.html

 

[Cavaradossi]

I’m not incredibly familiar with the Western Divine Offices, but I will try to answer some of your questions.

The kathismata are twenty divisions of the psalter. Two kathismata are read at matins and one kathisma is read at vespers (except for Sunday), meaning that if one is diligent with reading the appointed kathismata for the day, he will read through the book of psalms in a week.

Aside from reading the appointed kathismata at matins/vespers, other psalms are also read at each hourly service. Matins and Vespers are much lengthier, owing to the fact that they have a lot of movable parts which change from day to day. You can find a rough skeleton of each service here orthodox.seasidehosting.st/seaside/hourly_services

The only thing to keep in mind is that these services are missing their movable parts, because the person running the website has no time to put them in.

 

[Big_Chris]

The Byzantine Daily Worship of +Archbishop Joseph Raya (Melkite) is widely recognized best published source for the complete cycle of Byzantine daily worship, including the Hours.

There was a recent thread on this, which included the contact information of the publisher.

Please search out this thread for additional information.

Thanks. I’ve been digging around on this subject most of the morning and have already spotted that particular thread.

I also managed to locate this (link) which seems to answer most of my questions. I must agree with author when he/she says, “In Western churches we are used to our neat missals or prayer books with all the information organized into one place.” Indeed - it’s all what one is trained in.

 

[ByzCathCantor]

I also managed to locate this (link) which seems to answer most of my questions. I must agree with author when he/she says, “In Western churches we are used to our neat missals or prayer books with all the information organized into one place.” Indeed - it’s all what one is trained in.

An interesting link, and a decidedly interesting author who is, among other professed things, Episcopalian. They are quite used to having very good books.

It is not that we don’t, per se, its that there are moveable parts of all of our services which draw from other source references like the Psalter.

There was a very good site I found recently, and seemingly lost the link. I’ll dig it up again shortly …

 

[Big_Chris]

Matins and Vespers are much lengthier, owing to the fact that they have a lot of movable parts which change from day to day. You can find a rough skeleton of each service here orthodox.seasidehosting.st/seaside/hourly_services

While there are some similarities between the two, I’m really amazed at the length of them (and that’s just for the rough framework)!

The Latin Divine Office may take 30 minutes for Lauds (Matins) and Vespers if read prayerfully and reflectively, but one could easy read straight through in about 10-15 minutes. In the link you’ve provided above, some real time and effort must be devoted to praying Matins and Vespers!

 

[ByzCathCantor]

BTW - although I have yet to read it, I have heard that Archimandrite Robert Taft’s book, Liturgy of the Hours in East and West (The Liturgical Press) provides an excellent comparative study. Perhaps I’ll do so as part of my Lenten journey!

 

[PodunkMommy]

I can admit that I’d love my prayerbook to be nice and orderly but the LOTH that I got from an old friend is in several volumes and I am totally confused as to how to go about using it. In fact, in my formation they had me get a different different one, it’s the Christian Prayer and the directors teach us to use it on our own without the guidebook and I am lost.

It’s nice to know that both the East and West have their hourly prayers. My friend that gave me her LOTH went from a Roman Catholic to a Byzantine Catholic. She said she didn’t need her LOTH anymore because she does Byzantine prayers now. Her altar is filled with many different types of prayerbooks.

I found this thread very fascinating. Thanks for the information and the links.

Blessings.

 

[ByzCathCantor]

While there are some similarities between the two, I’m really amazed at the length of them (and that’s just for the rough framework)!

Yep, that’s Eastern Christianity!

I can admit that I’d love my prayerbook to be nice and orderly but the LOTH that I got from an old friend is in several volumes and I am totally confused as to how to go about using it. In fact, in my formation they had me get a different different one, it’s the Christian Prayer and the directors teach us to use it on our own without the guidebook and I am lost.

FYI - yes, its tough, even for those who follow the Byzantine Rite. For that reason, Eastern Christian Publications has started offering an email service with the Daily Office, including the propers for that day. It is currently offered on a free trial basis (for another two weeks - you may write to info@ecpubs.com to request your own free trial subscription).

I’ve attached today’s file as an example.

 

[Big_Chris]

I can admit that I’d love my prayerbook to be nice and orderly

It is indeed interesting that the forms of daily liturgical prayer exist in both the East and West, but what is more interesting is how they differ and, again, what one gets accustomed to. For me, the LoTH is simple enough - though I would hardly call it nice and orderly - but that’s because it’s something I’ve used for several years. In fact, I surprisingly had no idea that the Byzantine Church used something different - so now that I now, I am really curious to understand it in more depth.

What prayerbook do you use? Which does your friend use?

How does something like the popular “Jordanville” prayer book fit into this discussion?

FYI - yes, its tough, even for those who follow the Byzantine Rite. For that reason, Eastern Christian Publications has started offering an email service with the Daily Office, including the propers for that day. It is currently offered on a free trial basis (for another two weeks - you may write to info@ecpubs.com to request your own free trial subscription).

I’ve attached today’s file as an example.

So, where exactly does the Psalter fit into this schema?

From what I read, there are great many prayers and supplications that make up the hours, but no rubrics as to when one proceeds to pray according to a kathismata. My confusion largely stems from my familiarity with the Latin Divine Office that organizes prayers and intercessions around an inclusive four-week Psalter.

 

[Big_Chris]

FYI - yes, its tough, even for those who follow the Byzantine Rite. For that reason, Eastern Christian Publications has started offering an email service with the Daily Office, including the propers for that day. It is currently offered on a free trial basis (for another two weeks - you may write to info@ecpubs.com to request your own free trial subscription).

I’ve attached today’s file as an example.

So, where exactly does the Psalter fit into this schema?

From what I read, there are great many prayers and supplications that make up the hours, but no rubrics as to when one proceeds to pray according to a kathismata. My confusion largely stems from my familiarity with the Latin Divine Office that organizes prayers and intercessions around an inclusive four-week Psalter.

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

To my knowledge, the kathisma of the Psalter are only recited/sung during Orthros/Matins and Vespers (or perhaps Compline as well?).

With regards to the document from Eastern Christian Publications, it provides “Morning” and “Evening” prayers to replace Matins/Orthros and Vespers. This is because these two services are traditionally supposed to be celebrated by the parish community, not by individuals. When there is no community to celebrate these two Hours, the Hours are replaced by “Morning” and “Evening” prayers.

The other Hours provided by ECP are known as the “Lesser Hours.” They have very few moveable parts and so can be easily celebrated by individuals. As with the Roman LotH, the “Lesser Hours” can be prayed in about 15 - 20 minutes each.

According to the Melkite Horologion (often used by Orthodox as well), the readings from the Psalter at Orthros/Matins are usually taken after “God is the Lord…” and before the Sessional Hymns from the Octoechos. For Vespers the reading from the Psalter comes right after the “Great Litany” and right before the “Lamp-Lighting Psalms.”

 

[kitkatty]

Big Chris, let me recommend the link to the daily BDO from Eastern Christian Publications that Byz Cantor posted… I am receiving these and am very pleased, good aid to praying in the Byzantine tradition as you will always know the saint being commemorated on any given day and have the proper troparia for the for day included in the prayers for the hour. I really encourage you to subscribe to these. You said you have no Byzantine Church near you, I am Byzantine Catholic and neither do I so I am finding this extremly helpful…

 

[Alfonsus]

The main difference of couse is that the Eastern hours are meant to be conducted as a public liturgy. That is why it is elaborate. You need to omit several parts of it for private recitation, and if you are a layman, priest parts are either omited or substituted by other prayers, for instance 40 times “Lord have mercy.”

The Western hours, especially after Vatican II, are intended for broader use. It is revised so that private recitation by laity become better manageable. Of course monastic orders can have/use different schema of the office according to their rite and custom. So in short, in the Latin Church, there are several schema of Liturgy of the Hours.

Another difference between East and West is intrinsic in spirituality. Roman Rite is quite austere, lot of silence, meditative mode is expected.
Eastern rites are more festive, lots of chanting with a long and continuous prayers. Trying meditatively pray the liturgy in Roman mood, will… I dunno, double or perhaps triple the amount of time you need to finish it.

 

[Vico]

… So, what are the similarities and differences between how the Western and Eastern Churches pray the canonical hours/Psalter?

Also, as I’m a very hands on person, and truly appreciate the full tradition of praying the canonical hours whether West or East, what are some of the better daily Byzantine Prayer Books available?

**The Divine Praises (Byzantine):

**Each day, the following services are celebrated in monasteries and churches of the Byzantine liturgical tradition around the world:

• **Vespers **is the solemn evening prayer of the Church which begins the liturgical day. We thank God for the blessing of creation, especially for the gift of light both corporal and spiritual, and ask for pardon for our sins and offenses, and protection throughout the night.
• [Compline (Compline) is a communal prayer before bedtime.
• The [Midnight Office (Midnight Office) is a nocturnal vigil, in which we meditate upon the unexpected coming of Christ.
• [Matins (Matins) is the solemn morning prayer of the Church, an office of supplication, repentence and praise.
• The First Hour, celebrated after Matins, is the the first of the four daytime** Hours**; it is followed by:
• The Third Hour, celebrated at mid-morning.
• The Sixth Hour, celebrated at noon.
• The Ninth Hour, celebrated between mid-afternoon and Vespers of the new day.
• Typika, a service of psalms and prayers appointed for the Liturgy of the day, which is held when the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated.

** metropolitancantorinstitute.org/liturgy/DailyCycle.html

**There is recommended reading given at the link.

 

[Paul_theApostle]

**The Divine Praises (Byzantine):

**Each day, the following services are celebrated in monasteries and churches of the Byzantine liturgical tradition around the world:

• Vespers is the solemn evening prayer of the Church which begins the liturgical day. We thank God for the blessing of creation, especially for the gift of light both corporal and spiritual, and ask for pardon for our sins and offenses, and protection throughout the night.
• [Compline (Compline) is a communal prayer before bedtime.
• The [Midnight Office (Midnight Office) is a nocturnal vigil, in which we meditate upon the unexpected coming of Christ.
• [Matins (Matins) is the solemn morning prayer of the Church, an office of supplication, repentence and praise.
• The First Hour, celebrated after Matins, is the the first of the four daytime** Hours**; it is followed by:
• The Third Hour, celebrated at mid-morning.
• The Sixth Hour, celebrated at noon.
• The Ninth Hour, celebrated between mid-afternoon and Vespers of the new day.
• Typika, a service of psalms and prayers appointed for the Liturgy of the day, which is held when the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated.

** metropolitancantorinstitute.org/liturgy/DailyCycle.html**

There is recommended reading given at the link.

In Benedictine monasteries (or friaries?) dont they do all these services publicly in their church/chapel?

Im pretty sure this trappist monastery in my state does it

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

Benedictine monasteries normally do offer all the Hours and open the doors to the general public. That’s their traditional charism. Whether or not all Benedictine monasteries follow that charism is a different question.

The Benedictines live in monasteries. Monks always live and remain in monasteries. Friars live in friaries, but are not “confined” to the friary. Usually the monastic focus is on stability (i.e. remaining in one place), whereas the mendicant (i.e. friars) focus is on evangelizing throughout the world.

 

[PodunkMommy]

Thank you so much!

QUOTE=ByzCathCantor;8973531]
I’ve attached today’s file as an example.