How to use this blog

This blog is a database aimed at assisting those praying the Benedictine Office of Matins as set out in the 1962 Breviarium Monasticum.

Sources for the Matins responsories

While there are books and websites that provide the readings and other texts for Matins, it is often difficult to locate sources for both the chants and translations of the responsories.  And those sites that do exist are not organised with a view to their liturgical use, or aligned to the 1962 (or earlier) version of the Benedictine office.

Accordingly, the blog's aim is to provide:

• English translations of the responsories for study purposes (note that the Latin remains the text designated for liturgical use); and
• sources for the chant (and other) settings of them.

Additional information on the responsories that may be of use (such as Scriptural or other sources of the texts, and links to the Cantus database listing of relevant manuscripts) may be added as time permits.

How to find the responsories

The easiest way to find a particular responsory, or the responsories needed for a particular Sunday or feast, is to use the label listing in the right hand column.  

All responsories are listed by (Latin) incipit and occasions on which they are used - the responsories for Sundays in August for example, are listed under August; responsories for the Common of a type of saint under the type of saint (eg Apostles, Confessors, etc).

Unless otherwise indicated, the translations generally come from the Divinm Officium website, which in turn come from the (now out of copyright) Maquis of Bute translation of the Roman Breviary.  Where new translations have been provided these should be treated as drafts for comment.

Can you help?

Please do contact me if you wish to assist in this project.