Daily Office (Cardican)/Revision

The white monks of Metthews Priory in choir singing Nones.

The Daily Office in the liturgy of the Church of Nortend is the cycle of canonical offices which occur daily throughout the year. Since the revised Book of Offices came into forth in 1710, this cycle has contained six daily services called Offices. These offices bear the names of Mattins, Tierce, Sext, Nones, Vespers and Compline.

The liturgical day begins and ends at midnight. A festum simplex begins at Mattins and ends after Vespers. A festum semiduplex or duplex begins at the Vespers preceding and ends after Compline. During every liturgical day, the Book of Offices order Mattins, Vespers and Compline to be sung, as well as only one of Tierce, Sext or Nones. On all festa, Tierce is sung. On feriæ, Sext is sung. On fasts, Nones is sung.

Structure of the offices

The beginning of the Breviary before the Book of Offices was promulgated. Shewn is the beginning of Mattins.

The structures of each of the offices according to the Book of Offices are very similar. Before each office, the Pater noster and Ave Maria are said, often in the form of the Angelus. The office properly begins with the chaunting of the supplicatory versicles Deus in adjutorium, followed by the Gloria Patri and then the Alleluia. From Septuagesima Sunday to Easter Day, the Alleluia is replaced with the Laus tibi Domine.

Then follows the changeable portion of the office which consists of the hymn, the psalmody of three psalms, the lessons or chapter with passage, the responsory, versic and the canticle. These change according to the office and also according to the day.

Each Office similarly ends with the preces, which usually consists of the Kyrie, followed by the Pater noster, and the versicles, followed by the collects, remembrances, prayers and the concluding blessing.

Mattins

Mattins is the longest office in the day and is one of the major offices. It should be said around sunrise in the morning, but is acceptable any time before 9 a. m. It is most commonly sung at 7 a. m. It differs from the other Offices insofar as before the supplicatory versicles, the opening versicles Domine labia mea are chaunted. Furthermore, before the hymn, the Venite is sung, begun and ended with its own antiphon known as the invitatory. Of the three psalms sung at Mattins, the last 'psalm' is a combination of the Laudate psalms, Psalms 148, 149 and 150, sung together under one antiphon and one Gloria Patri.

After the psalmody follow the lessons, each lesson ending with a sung responsory. Every grouping of three lessons is termed a nocturn, deriving from the ancient practice of chaunting Mattins during the night-time. Before each nocturn, a versicle is chaunted followed by the Jube. On feriæ, festa simplices and minor festa semiduplices, there is only one nocturn and thus are of 'three lessons'. On major festa semiduplices and all festa duplices, there are three nocturns of 'nine lessons'.

On festa semiduplices and duplices outside of Advent, Septuagesima, Lent and Passiontide except Childermas, the hymn Te Deum is sung. Lastly the canticle Benedictus is sung, before concluding with the preces.

Tierce, Sext and Nones

These are all minor offices of the day. It should be sung at noon every day, no matter which office is being sung; however, any time after 9 a. m. and before 3 p. m. is acceptable. It is of the common structure with chapter. Depending which office is sung, the passage after the chapter, the responsory, the versicle and the office collect are different. The Credo, Confiteor, Misereatur and Absolutionem are included in the preces after the Pater noster.

The canticle at the minor office changes depending on the day of the week. On Sunday it is Benedicite; on Monday Confitebor tibi; on Tuesdays Ego dixi; on Wednesdays Exultavit cor; on Thursdays Cantemus; on Fridays Domine audivi; and on Saturdays Audite cæli.

Vespers

Vespers is the second major office. It should be sung around sunset but any time after 3 p. m. is acceptable. The most common time is at 5 p. m. It is of the common structure with chapter. The canticle is Magnificat.

Compline

Compline is the minor office of the night. It should be sung before retiring to bed, usually around 9 p. m. At every Compline, the psalms are Psalms 4, 91 and 134. The canticle is Nunc dimittis. As at Tierce, Sext and Nones, the Credo, Confiteor, Misereatur and Absolutionem are said.