Officio Lectionis (The Office of the Readings)

[tommydude2112]

The Office of the Readings for a certain day (in the Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office) can be prayed any time during the day?

If so, does that mean that on Saturday evenings (after praying the first Vespers for the Sunday), can one pray the Office of the Readings for the Sunday?

Also, would that mean that you can’t pray the Saturday’s ‘Office of the Readings’ after 1st Vespers for Sunday?

Thanks in advance.

 

[sw85]

If so, does that mean that on Saturday evenings (after praying the first Vespers for the Sunday), can one pray the Office of the Readings for the Sunday?

Yes; anticipation of the Office of Readings is countenanced by the rubrics and historically permissible (in fact you used to be able to anticipate both Matins and Lauds).

Also, would that mean that you can’t pray the Saturday’s ‘Office of the Readings’ after 1st Vespers for Sunday?

That’s still fine. The liturgical day, I think, still ends at midnight; the time between Vespers and midnight is simply set aside for anticipation.

I believe you cannot anticipate the Office of Readings for the next day after the current day’s Night Prayer, but that may only be frowned on rather than strictly disallowed.

 

[Windmill]

Quoted from the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours:

59: “… the office of readings may be recited at any hour of the day, even during the night hours of the previous day, after evening prayer has been said.”

Anytime after Vespers of the previous day is fine.