Daily Office (Cardican)

Since the issuance of the revised Book of Offices in 1710 by Henry V in accordance with the canon Quia solliciti after the Schism of 1614, the Daily Office of the Church of Nortend has included five services. These are spread throughout the liturgical day from sunset to sunset and are known as Vespers, Compline, Vigils, Matins and Nones.

Liturgy

The structure of each of the Offices of the Book of Offices is more or less the same. Before each Office, the Pater noster and Ave Maria should be prayed. All Offices begin with the ordinary Versicles, Deus in adjutorium meum intende, followed by Gloria Patri and then Alleluia, or from Septuagesima to Easter Day, Laus tibi Domine.

They similarly end with the Litany, which usually consists of the Kyrie, followed by the Pater noster, Confiteor, Misereatur, Absolutionem and then the Preces. The Collect of the Day follows, and then the Remembrances and finally the Prayers.

Whenever the Psalmody is sung in the course of the Office, the three Psalms are all under the same Antiphon, with only one Gloria Patri at the end before the Antiphon is repeated. On feriæ and festa simplices, the Antiphon at the beginning of the Psalms is only announced, insofar as it is only chaunted until the asterisk. On festa duplices, it is sung entire.

Vigils

Vigils begins with Domine labia mea aperies followed by the ordinary Versicles.

Thereafter, the Venite with proper Antiphon is chaunted, followed by the Hymn of Vigils.

This is followed by three Psalms. The Psalms are followed by three Lessons from Scripture or Patristic Texts, each preceded by a Blessing. After each Lesson, a Responsory is chaunted followed by a Versicle and Response. From the Psalms to the Response is known as a Nocturn.

On festa duplices, there are three Nocturns and consequently nine Psalms, nine Lessons and nine Responsories. On festa simplices and feriæ, there is only one Vigil. On most festa and some feriæ, the Hymn Te Deum is the last Responsory.

After the Nocturns, the Hymn of Vigils is chaunted. This is followed by one of the eight Old Testament Canticles, without Gloria Patri but with Antiphon. The Office then concludes with the Litany.

Mattins

After the ordinary Versicles, the Hymn of Mattins is chaunted, followed by the three Psalms. After the Psalms, the Chapter follows, and then a Responsory followed by a short Versicle and Response. This is followed by the Canticle Benedictus, with its own Antiphon. The Office concludes with the Litany.

Nones

After the ordinary Versicles, the Hymn of Nones is chaunted, followed by the three Psalms. After the Psalms, the Chapter follows, and then a Responsory followed by a short Versicle and Response. The Office concludes with the Litany.

Vespers

After the ordinary Versicles, the Hymn of Vespers is chaunted, followed by the three Psalms. After the Psalms, the Chapter follows, and then a Responsory followed by a short Versicle and Response. This is followed by the Canticle Magnificat, with its own Antiphon. The Office concludes with the Litany.

Compline

After the ordinary Versicles, the Hymn of Compline is chaunted, followed by the three Psalms. After the Psalms, the Chapter follows, and then a Responsory followed by a short Versicle and Response. This is followed by the Canticle Nunc dimmitis, with its own Antiphon. The Office concludes with the Litany.

Hymns

Over 150 hymns are provided for use in the Daily Office. The ordinary hymns of the year are listed below. Most feasts and Sundays have their own proper hymns.

Vigils

• Primo dierum omnium (Sunday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Somno refectis artubus (Monday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Consor Paterni luminis (Tuesday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Rerum Creator optime (Wednesday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Nox actra rerum contigit (Thursday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Tu Trinitatis Unitas (Friday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Sumne Deus clementie (Saturday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Nocte surgentes (Trinity Sunday until Advent)

Matins

• Eterne rerum Conditor (Sunday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Splendor Paterne glorie (Monday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Ales diei nuncius (Tuesday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Nox et tenebre et nubila (Wednesday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Lux ecce surgit aurea (Thursday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Eterna cæli gloria (Friday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Aurora jam spargit polum (Saturday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Ecce jam noctis (Trinity Sunday until Advent)
• Jam lucis orto sidere

Nones

• Nunc Sancte nobis Spiritus (From the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Veni Creator Spiritus (Whitsuntide)
• Rector potens verax (Trinity Sunday until Advent)
• Rerum Deus tenax (Advent)

Vespers

• Lucis Creator optime (Sunday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima and on all days except Saturday from Trinity Sunday until Advent)
• Immense celi Conditor (Monday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Telluris ingens Conditor (Tuesday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Cæli Deus sanctissime (Wednesday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Magne Deus potentie (Thursday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Plasmator hominis (Friday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• Deus Creator omnium (Saturday from the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima)
• O Lux beata Trinitas (Saturday from Trinity Sunday until Advent)

Compline

Te lucis ante terminum (From the Octave of Epiphany until Quadregesima and from Trinity Sunday until Advent) Christe qui lux est et dies (In Lent) Cultor Dei memento (From Passion Sunday to Maundy Thursday) Jesu salvator seculi (From Low Sunday until the Vigil of the Ascension) Jesu nostra redemptio (From the Vigil of the Ascension until the Vigil of Whitsun) Alma chorus Domini (Whitsuntide)