Prime

KNEEL
(PRAYER BEFORE OFFICE)
 Aperi, Domine

STAND and PROFOUND INCLINATION
The Triple Prayer is always said in silence, in the manner prescribed in Common Forms.
Pater noster.
Ave María.
Credo in Deum.		 Our Father.
Hail Mary.
I believe in God.
And afterwards the Opening Versicles, as prescribed in Common Forms.

STAND
V.  Deus † in adjutórium meum inténde.
R.  Dómine ad adjuvándum me festína.
Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.  Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,  *  et in sæcula sæculórum.  Amen.   Allelúja.		 V.  O God, † make speed to save me.
R.  O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.  As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.  Alleluia.

Hymnus

Jam lucis orto sídere,
Deum precémur súpplices,
Ut in diúrnis áctibus
Nos servet a nocéntibus.

Linguam refrénans témperet,
Ne litis horror ínsonet :
Visum fovéndo cóntegat,
Ne vanitátes háuriat.

Sint pura cordis íntima,
Absístat et vecórdia :
Carnis terat supérbiam
Potus cibíque párcitas.

Ut cum dies abscésserit,
Noctémque sors redúxerit,
Mundi per abstinéntiam
Ipsi canámus glóriam.

*  Deo Patri sit glória,
Ejúsque soli Fílio,
Cum Spíritu Paráclito,
Nunc, et per omne sæculum.  Amen.

The Hymn

Now doth the sun ascend the sky,
And wake creation with its ray,
Keep us from sin, O Lord most high,
Through all the actions of the day.

Curb thou for us the unruly tongue;
Teach us the way of peace to prize;
And close our eyes against the throng
Of earth's absorbing vanities.

Oh, may our hearts be pure within,
No cherish'd madness vex the soul;
May abstinence the flesh restrain,
And its rebellious pride control.

So when the evening stars appear,
And in their train the darkness bring;
May we, O Lord, with conscience clear,
Our praise to thy pure glory sing.

Ordinary Ending:
To God the Father, glory be,
And to his sole-begotten Son,
Glory, O Holy Ghost, to thee,
While everlasting ages run.  Amen.

Table of Proper Doxologies
NOTE, That when (as above) a Hymn has an Ending entitled Ordinary Ending or Doxology (or by a * in the Latin), then for such an Ending there is substituted the Proper Doxology, (ie. one of the nine Endings given in the Table of Proper Doxologies in the Common Forms,) whenever the Proper or the Common or the aforesaid Table directs such a substitution to be made.
And NOTE further, That during any Ending which is labelled as a Doxology, the whole Choir is to make a profound reverence.  It is customary to make at least such a reverence as is made at the Sacred Name of our Lord whenever, in the Ending of any Breviary Hymn whatsoever, the word Trinity is mentioned, or the Names of all Three Divine Persons are mentioned continuously (no matter in what order), in which latter case the inclination is continuous from the mention of the first Name until the last name has been pronounced.
The Psalms with Antiphons
After the Hymn, immediately before the first Psalm, the appropriate Ant. is begun by the offíciant.  Whereupon the Precentor intones the first of the Psalms. And then are said three Psalms according to the Office of the day; but when Lauds 2 is used in the Office for the day, the Psalm or Psalms therein omitted from Lauds 1 should always be transferred to Prime of the same day, according to the arrangement given in the Psalter for such cases.

Sunday Office

Festal Office

Ferial Office
 

 

 

Sunday Office in Advent
On Sundays, the Antiphons are proper:

First Sunday in Advent

Second Sunday in Advent

Third Sunday in Advent

Fourth Sunday in Advent

 

 

Festal Office in Advent
On excepted Feasts, the Antiphon is taken from the Common of the Saints, or from the Proper of Feast, and the psalms are said as indicated in the Proper of the Feast. 

THE ORDO

COMMON OF THE SAINTS
Apostles Martyr Several
Martyrs		 Bishop
Confessor

Confessor
not a
Bishop

 Virgins Holy
Women
Dedication
of a
Church
 		 Blessed
Virgin Mary

In the Office of any other Feastday, the Antiphons and Psalms for Prime are of the current weekday.
 

 

 

Ferial Office in Advent

On Ferial Days, the proper Antiphons of Lauds of the preceding Sunday are said until Sapientiatide when the Antiphons proper to the Ferias of Sapientiatide are said; the Psalms as in the Psalter, adding at Prime the fourth Psalm as therein indicated.

THE ORDO

 

 

 

Ordinary of the
Prime Advent Office

STAND

On Feasts and Octaves

Capitulum                      1 Tim. 1. 17.
Regi sæculórum immortáli et invisíbili, soli Deo honor et glória in sæcula sæculórum.  Amen.
R.  Deo grátias.

Chapter                       I Tim. 1. 17.
Unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.  Amen.
R.  Thanks be to God.
Responsorium Breve Brief Respond
V.  Christe Fili Dei vivi, * Miserére nobis.
R.  Christe Fili Dei vivi, * Miserére nobis.
[ V.  Qui ventúrus es in mundum. ]
R.  Miserére nobis.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Christe Fili Dei vivi, * Miserére nobis.

V.  Exsúrge, Christe, ádjuva nos.
R.  Et líbera nos propter nomen tuum.		 V.  O Christ, Son of the living God, * Have mercy upon us.
R.  O Christ, Son of the living God, * Have mercy upon us.
[ V. Thou that art about to come into the world. ]
R.  Have mercy upon us.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  O Christ, Son of the living God, * Have mercy upon us.

 V.  O Christ arise and help us.
R.  And deliver us for thy Name's sake.
On the Feastday and during the Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (except on the Sunday within the Octave), in place of the [V.] above is said the following :
V.  Qui natus es de María Vírgine. V.  Thou that deignest to be born of the Virgin Mary

Dominical Preces

Continuation of Prime when the Preces are not said

At Ferial Office

In omnibus autem Feriis et in Vigilibus communibus:

Capitulum                      Zach. 8. 19.
 Pacem et veritátem dilígite, ait Dóminus omnípotens.
 R.  Deo grátias.

On all Ferias and common Vigils, the following is said:

Chapter                       Zech. 8. 19.
Love ye the truth and peace, saith the Lord God of Hosts.
R.  Thanks be to God.
Responsorium Breve Brief Respond
V.  Christe Fili Dei vivi, * Miserére nobis.
R.  Christe Fili Dei vivi, * Miserére nobis.
V.  Qui ventúrus es in mundum.
R.  Miserére nobis.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Christe Fili Dei vivi, * Miserére nobis.

V.  Exsúrge, Christe, ádjuva nos.
R.  Et líbera nos propter nomen tuum.		 V.  O Christ, Son of the living God, * Have mercy upon us.
R.  O Christ, Son of the living God, * Have mercy upon us.
V.  Thou that art about to come into the world.
R.  Have mercy upon us.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  O Christ, Son of the living God, * Have mercy upon us.

 V.  O Christ arise and help us.
R.  And deliver us for thy Name's sake.

Ferial Preces

Continuation of Prime when the Preces are not said

After the Brief Respond, if the Preces are to be omitted, at once the Salutation is said, with the Collect, as indicated below.

The Preces of Prime are said in two forms, the abridged (known as the dominical Preces) and the unabridged (known as the ferial Preces).

The ferial Preces (which are always said kneeling) are to be said at Prime only when they have been said at Lauds, ie. on kneeling days.  Ferias in Advent are kneeling days.

The dominical Preces (which are always said standing) are to be said in Advent when the Office is of the rank of Semidouble, unless there occur an Office excepted in the following Rubric:

The Preces are omitted on Doubles, in the Office of Days within Octaves (NB. There are no days within simple Octaves); in the Office of Octave Days (even when the same is a Simple); and when at Lauds a Commemoration has been of a Double or of an Octave Day (even when a Simple).
DOMINICAL and FERIAL PRECES

STAND or KNEEL

V.  Kyrie, eléison.
R.  Christe, eléison.  Kyrie, eléison.		 V.  Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Christ, have mercy upon us.  Lord have mercy upon us.
Pater noster. 
secreto usque ad
V.  Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem.
R.  Sed líbera nos a malo. 		Our Father. 
Which words are said aloud, and the rest secretly to:
V.  And lead us not into temptation.
R.  But deliver us from evil.
Credo in Deum. 
secreto usque ad
V.  Carnis resurrectiónem.
R.  Vitam † ætérnam.  Amen. 		I believe in God. 
Which words are said aloud, and the rest secretly to:
V.  The Resurrection of the body.
R.  And the Life † everlasting.  Amen.
V.  Et ego ad te, Dómine, clamávi.
R.  Et mane orátio mea prævéniet te.		 V.  Unto thee have I cried, O Lord.
R.  And early shall my prayer come before thee.

V.  Repleátur os meum laude.
R.  Ut cántem glóriam tuam, tota die magnitúdinem tuam.

V.  Dómine, avérte fáciem tuam a peccátis meis.
R.  Et omnes iniquitátes meas dele.

 V.  O let my mouth be filled with thy praise.
R.  That I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long.

V.  O Lord, turn thy face from my sins.
R.  And put out all my misdeeds.
V.  Cor mundum crea in me, Deus.
R.  Et spíritum rectum ínnova in viscéribus meis.		 V.  Make me a clean heart, O God.
R.  And renew a right spirit within me.
V.  Ne projícias me a fácie tua.
R.  Et spíritum sanctum tuum ne áuferas a me.		 V.  Cast me not away from thy presence.
R.  And take not thy Holy Spirit from me.

V.  Redde mihi lætítiam salutáris tui.
R.  Et spíritu principáli confírma me.

V.  O give me the comfort of thy help again.
R.  And stablish me with thy free Spirit.

Continuation of Dominical Preces
FERIAL PRECES
For the dominical Preces all that follows is omitted as far as the V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.  But on all Vigils, whenever the Preces were said at Lauds, the following Verses are said:

V.  Eripe me, Dómine, ab hómine malo.
R.  A viro iníquo éripe me.

V.  Eripe me de inimícis meis, Deus meus.
R.  Et ab insurgéntibus in me líbera me.

V.  Deliver me, O Lord from the evil man.
R.  And preserve me from the wicked man.

V.  Deliver me from mine enemies, O God.
R.  Defend me, O Lord, from them that rise up against me.
V.  Eripe me de operántibus iniquitátem.
R.  Et de viris sánguinum salva me. 		V.  O deliver me from the wicked doers.
R.  And save me from the blood-thirsty man.

V.  Sic psalmum dicam nómini tuo in sæculum sæculi.
R.  Ut reddam vota mea de die in diem.

V.  Exáudi nos, Deus, salutáris noster.
R.  Spes ómnium fínium terræ, et in mari longe.

V.  So will I alway sing praise unto thy Name.
R.  That I may daily perform my vows.

V.  Hear us, O God of our salvation.
R.  Thou that art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that remain in the broad sea.

V.  Deus, in adjutórium meum inténde.
R.  Dómine, ad adjuvándum me festína.

V.  Sanctus Deus, Sanctus fortis, Sanctus immortális.
R.  Miserére nobis.

V.  O God, make speed to save me.
R.  O Lord, make haste to help me.

V.  Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal.
R.  Have mercy upon us.

V.  Bénedic ánima mea Dómino.
R.  Et ómnia, quæ intra me sunt, nómini sancto ejus.

V.  Bénedic ánima mea Dómino.
R.  Et noli oblivísci omnes retributiónes ejus.

V.  Praise the Lord, O my soul.
R.  And all that is within me, praise his holy Name.

V.  Praise the Lord, O my soul.
R.  And forget not all his benefits.
V.  Qui propitiátur ómnibus iniquitátibus tuis.
R.  Qui sanat omnes infirmitátes tuas. 		V.  Who forgiveth all thy sin.
R.  And healeth all thine infirmities.

V.  Qui rédimit de intéritu vitam tuam.
R.  Qui corónat te in misericórdia et miseratiónibus.

V.  Qui replet in bonis desidérium tuum.
R.  Renovábitur ut áquilæ juvéntus tua.

V.  Who saveth thy life from destruction.
R.  And crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness.

V.  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things.
R.  Making thee young and lusty, as an eagle.

DOMINICAL and FERIAL PRECES

Then in both the dominical and ferial Preces, is said:

V.  Adjutórium † nostrum in nómine Dómini.  
R.  Qui fecit cælum et terram.		 V.  Our help † is in the Name of the Lord.
R.  Who hath made heaven and earth.

After which is said the General Confession, etc. as in Common Forms, which form differs for private recitation.

In Choir

In Private Recitation
Confíteor.
Misereátur.
Indulgéntiam.		 I confess.
Absolutions.

V.  Dignáre, Dómine, die isto.
R.  Sine peccáto nos custodíre.

V.  Miserére nostri, Dómine.
R.  Miserére nostri.

V.  Fiat misericórdia tua, Dómine, super nos.
R.  Quemádmodum sperávimus in te.

V.  Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam.
R.  Et clamor meus ad te véniat.

V.  Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us.
R.  This day without sin.

V.  O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Have mercy upon us.

V.  O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us.
R.  As our trust is in thee.

V.  O Lord, hear my prayer.
R.  And let my cry come unto thee.
After the Preces, at once is said the Salutation and Collect as follows:

V.  Dóminus vobíscum.
R.  Et cum spíritu tuo.

Orémus.              Oratio
 Dómine Deus omnípotens, qui ad princípium hujus diéi nos perveníre fecísti : tua nos hódie salva virtúte; ut in hac die ad nullum declinémus peccátum, sed semper ad tuam justítiam faciéndam nostra procédant elóquia, dirigántur cogitatiónes et ópera.  Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sæcula sæculórum.
R.  Amen.

V.  The Lord be with you.
R.  And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.              Collect
O Lord, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day : defend us in the same with thy mighty power ; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger ; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight.  Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord.  Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R.  Amen.
After the Collect, the Closing Versicles are said in the following form:

V.  Dóminus vobíscum.
R.  Et cum spíritu tuo.

V.  Benedicámus Dómino.
R.  Deo grátias.

 V.  The Lord be with you.
R.  And with thy spirit.

V.   Bless we the Lord.
R.  Thanks be to God.

THE CAPITULAR OFFICE

And then is said the Capitular Office.  First in Choir there is read the Martyrology; and it is considered praiseworthy to read the same if Prime be said privately, ie. out of Choir.
Martyrologium The Martyrology

At the conclusion of the reading from the Martyrology (or, if out of Choir the Martyrology is not to be read, at the conclusion of Prime as given above), the Officiant says:

V.  Pretiósa in conspéctu Dómini.
R.  Mors Sanctórum ejus.

Et abolute, sine Oremus:
Oratio
Sancta María, et omnes Sancti intercédant pro nobis ad Dóminum, ut nos mereámur ab eo adjuvári et salvári, qui vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum.
R.  Amen.

 V.  Right dear in the sight of the Lord.
R.  Is the death of his Saints.

And immediately without Let us pray is said:
Collect
May holy Mary, Mother of our God and Lord Jesus Christ, and all the Holy, Righteous, and Elect of God, make intercession for us sinners to the same God our Lord : that we may be accounted worthy to obtain from him help and salvation.  Who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever.
R.  Amen.
And then is said thrice:
V.  Deus in adjutórium meum inténde.
R.  Dómine ad adjuvándum me festína. 		V.  O God, make speed to save me.
R.  O Lord, make haste to help me.
And then is said by the whole Choir in unison:
Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,  et in sæcula sæculórum.  Amen. 		Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.  As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.
The following are said kneeling only on kneeling days, otherwise standing:
V.  Kyrie, eléison.
R.  Christe, eléison.  Kyrie, eléison.

Pater noster. 
secreto usque ad
V.  Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem.
R.  Sed líbera nos a malo. 		V.  Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Christ, have mercy upon us.  Lord have mercy upon us.

Our Father. 
Which words are said aloud, and the rest secretly to:
V.  And lead us not into temptation.
R.  But deliver us from evil.
V.  Réspice in servos tuos, Dómine, et in ópera tua, et dírige fílios eórum.
R.  Et sit splendor Dómini Dei nostri super nos, et ópera mánuum nostrárum dírige super nos, et opus mánuum nostrárum dírige.		 V.  Look upon thy servants, and upon thy works, O Lord, and be thou a guide unto their children.
R.  And the glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us ; prosper thou the work of our hands upon us, O prosper thou our handy-work.

V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,  et in sæcula sæculórum.  Amen.

V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.   As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be ; world without end.  Amen.

Orémus.              Oratio
Dirígere et sanctificáre, régere et gubernáre dignáre, Dómine Deus, Rex cæli et terræ, hódie corda et córpora nostra, sensus, sermónes et actus nostros in lege tua, et in opéribus mandatórum tuórum : ut hic, et in ætérnum, te auxiliánte, salvi et líberi esse mereámur, Salvátor mundi : Qui vivis et regnas in sæcula sæculórum.
R.  Amen.

Let us pray.              Collect
Vouchsafe, we beseech thee, O Lord God, King of heaven and earth, to direct, sanctify, and govern, both our hearts and bodies, in the way of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments : that through thy most mighty protection, O Saviour of the world, both here and for evermore, we may be preserved in body and in soul.  Who livest and reignest for ever and ever.
R.  Amen.
THE BRIEF LESSON

If the Chapter-meeting be not convened at this time, then at once is read the brief Lesson.

The brief Lesson is said (at the dismissal of the Chapter-meeting, if the daily Chapter be convened after the foregoing prayers) according to the Office of the day.  On Feastdays it is taken from the Common of the Saints, or from the Proper if so indicated in the Ordo.  In the Sunday and ferial Office, the Brief Lesson is as indicated below.

First the Lector, bowing profoundly, says:
Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere. Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
To which the Foremost makes answer:

Dies et actus nostros in sua pace dispónat Dóminus omnípotens.
R.  Amen.

May the Lord Almighty order our days and our doings in his peace.
R.  Amen.

On Feasts and Octaves

In Sunday and ferial Office

Lectio Brevis
Dómine, miserére nostri : te enim exspectávimus : esto bráchium nostrum in mane, et salus nostra in témpore tribulatiónis.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

The Brief Lesson
O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou our arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.
After the brief Lesson is said:
V.  Adjutórium † nostrum in nómine Dómini.  
R.  Qui fecit cælum et terram.

V.  Benedícite.
R.  Deus.

Benedictio
Dóminus nos benedícat, † et ab omni malo deféndat, et ad vitam perdúcat ætérnam.  Et fidélium ánimæ per misericórdiam Dei requiéscant in pace.
R.  Amen.

V.  Our help † is in the Name of the Lord.
R.  Who hath made heaven and earth.

V.  Make a blessing.
R.  God be blessed for ever, and for ever bless us.

Benediction
May the Lord bless us † and keep us from all evil, and bring us to life everlasting.    And, may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R.  Amen.

Then is said secretly the final Pater, unless Terce immediately follow; in which case the Dual Prayer thereof is immediately said, followed by the Opening Versicles, as is prescribed in Common Forms.

Pater noster. Our Father.
The following V. and R. are then said aloud:
V.  Dóminus † det nobis suam pacem.
R.  Et vitam ætérnam.  Amen.		 V. May the Lord † bestow his peace upon us.
 R.  And life everlasting.  Amen.

KNEEL (weekdays) or STAND (Sundays)
Marian Antiphon

From Vespers of the Saturday before the I Sunday in Advent through II Vespers of the Purification; or if this Feast be transferred, through Vespers on February 2nd:

Alma Redemptoris Mater
After the Collect, the Officiant says in a low voice:
V.  Divínum auxílium † máneat semper nobíscum.
R.  Amen.		 V.  May help divine † be with us all, for ever abiding.
R.  Amen.

KNEEL
(PRAYER AFTER OFFICE)
 Sacrosanctæ