A Companion to the Monastic Breviary

What does this book include?  A first ever translation of the Latin rubrics of the 1963 Mo‌nastic Breviary as translated by the editors of A Companion to the Monastic Breviary, and a unique Commentary on the Monastic Hours.    

Part 1: Liturgical Documents including: General Rubrics, General Rubrics of the Breviary, The Year and its Parts, and Revised Table of Movable Feasts.    

Part 2: Commentary and Explanation: Of the rubrics, Of the spiritual meaning of each hour, and Of the historical development of each hour.    

ENDORSEMENTS:

This is a beautiful book—not the sort that you would normally read cover-to-cover, but a “deep dive” into the charm, artistry, elegance, and profound theology of the monastic liturgy: from the colors of vestments to the structure and proper rhythm of the psalms as they echo the ancient heartbeat of the Church.  Take for example, this gem: “Compline represents the prayers of the just at the end of the world.”  I never knew that, and I’m a monk!  -Fr. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B. Monk of St Louis Abbey

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The Benedictine Office has become a popular choice in recent years, in part because of the support resources available for it, such as the Monastic Diurnal.  This volume adds to these by providing an excellent English translation of the rubrical materials of the 1963 breviary, as well as some supporting notes on the individual hours that will be of particular assistance to those seeking to penetrate the arcane mysteries of the rubrics.  It will be a useful addition to the libraries of regular users of the Benedictine Office who lack the necessary Latin to read the original.  -Kate Edwards