The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-01-08
Order Serves to Call Attention to
Little Books Priests
Carry
Why the Liturgy Of the Catholic
Church is in
Latin

new 1oTR, Jan. o.---l ne recent
decree OF the Popeee revising the
breviary has served to call public
attention to the little black-coyered
book which is noticed SO often in the
hands of the priest in the street cars,
railway trains and on steamboats,.
The Popes decree consists principal
ly IN shortening the offices so that
they may be read in half an hour
each day, but the clergy, however,
are enjoined in the future to recite
the entire psalter each week. The
reform Of the Breviary will become
operative in 1913. Most people
have but a vague idea as to what the
Breviary really is, and it will per-
haps surprise many to know that
it is simply systematized collection
of prayers, psalms, passages from
the Scripture, the Fathers and the
Lives of the Saints, interspersed
with antiphons, versicles, responses,
hymns, etc, and divided into seven
are assigned to the various parts Of
the day: Martins, or morning hour
with Laud or praises) said after
midnight: Prime said at early morn
ing; Terce, the third hour OF the
morning or nine o'clock; Sext, the
sixth hour or noon; None, the ninth
hour or three p. M; Vespers, or the
evening hour, said at shutdown, a4d
Compline, or the completion said as
a finish-off by way of night prayers
Thus, in theory, according to the
names of hours, but practically q
priest is allowed to distribute the re-
cital more conveniently over the
waking and working day. In the
monasteries of strict observance,
however, the hours are said more or
less at the times implied by their
names; and they are recited publicly
in hoir. In ordinary churches, yes-
pers is ofteen recited or sung as an
ordinary evening service and in 9TH
er churches complne is used instead
for the same purpose; while mathis
and Lauds are publicly sung only in
the offices for the dead. The Catho-
lie people are thus familiar with the
character of the greater part OF the
office.
The Breviary as now in use is the
official edition published by Pope
Plus V. in the year 1868, Since
then few minor. changes and espec-
tally the additions of new offices for
new feasts have been made; but
otherwise the text and general ar
rangement have been remained the
same The history of the Brevary
falls into three periods. The first
known as the patriotic period, COW
ers the first six centuries. Definite
evidence respecting the beginning
of tn office is not found earlier than
the third century, when Tertullian
makes it clear that Lauds and Yes
pers existed as forms of public pray
er for people. A little after Tertul-
Iian's time we find Terce, Sext and
None recognized as hours of private
prayer. Hymns and prayers are not
found earlier than the fourth CEN
fury, and the prevalence of different
locals customs then becomes notice
able. 1t was by the assistance Of tae
monks that it was possible to pre-
serve In the Cathedrals the daily
recitation of the ,fnce, 3nd in the
East. as late' III tn West, monesttc
influences became all powerful III
The formation of the office AT he
beginning of the fifth century there
we're FIVE canonlrl hours in the
East-Vigils (Matins). Lauds, Sext,
None, Vespers. At that time the
Sunday ceremonies began at cock
crow and lasted till midday because
every priest present preached a SER
mon. About the sixth century the
private recitation of the Office be-
came binding upon the priests and
the lower clergy. Monastic in
fiuences now became strong in the
West; the two schools of st. Column
ba and st. Benedict arose, and the
latter Saint had been called the
Greater Of the Breviary Of the West.
Concluded on Tenth Page.)