Saturday, October 27, 2018

The Versicles Before Lauds on Ferial Days

One of the differences between the Dominican and Roman berviaries, that you would notice when flipping though the Psalter, is the  "Versiculi ante Laudes" (versicle before Lauds).   They are found in the oldest editions of the Dominican Breviary that are extant, and survived right up through the 1962 edition.  In "The History of the Dominican Liturgy", when describing the hour of Lauds in an edition of the breviary-antophonarium that predated the the Codex of Humbert, Fr. Bonniwell notes that a versicle and respond were said before beginning Lauds.  (You can spot them in the Codex of Humbert, if you care to sift through the abbreviated Latin script in these photos of the Codex here.)

In addition to being included in the Psalter, they also appear in the Commons as well.  The versiculi for the ferial days in the temporale are as follows:

Throughout the year and in Septuagesima.
. Fiat misericórdia tua, Dómine, super nos. .Quemádmodum sperávimus in te.
. May your love be upon us O Lord. .  As we place all our hope in you.

During Advent (and the Annunciation).
.Emítte Agnum, Dómine, dominatórem terrae. . De Petra desérti ad montem filiæ Sion.
. Send forth, Lord, the Lamb, the ruler of the earth. . From Petra of the desert to the mountain of the daughter of Sion.

During Lent.
. In mánibus portábunt te. . Ne forte offéndas ad lápidem pedem tuum.
. They shall bear you upon their hands. . Lest you strike your foot against a stone.

During Passiontide.
. Inténde ánimæ meae, et líbera eam. . Propter inimícos meos éripe me.
. Come close to my soul and redeem me. . Ransom me pressed by my foes.

During Christmastide.
. Puer natus est nobis. . Et fílius datus est nobis
. To us a child is born. . To us a son is given.

During Epiphanytide.
. Vídimus stellam eius in Oriénte. . Et vénimus adoráre eum.
. We have seen his star in the East. . And have come to worship him.

During Paschaltide.
. In resurrectióne tua, Christe, allelúia. . Caeli et terra læténtur, allelúia.
. At your resurrection, Christ, alleluia. . Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia.

During Ascensiontide.
. Ascéndo ad Patrem meum et Patrem vestrum, allelúia. . Deum meum et Deum vestrum, allelúia.
. I am ascending to my Father and your Father. . To my God and to your God.

On Sundays throughout the year.
. Excélsus super omnes gentes Dóminus. . Et super cælos glória eius.
. High above all nations is the Lord. . Above the heavens his glory.

In the Ordinary for Lauds, the rubrics state:
Before Lauds, the versicle appropriate to the Office of the day is said.