Exhortation and Litany

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The Exhortation and Litany, published in 1544, is the earliest officially authorized vernacular service in English.[1] The same rite survives, in modified form, in the Book of Common Prayer.[2]

Background

Before the

penitential psalms were also recited as time allowed.[3]

On August 20, 1543,

Henry VIII had ordered "general rogations and processions to be made" on account of the multiple troubles England was experiencing, but public response was slack. This was attributed in part to the fact that the people did not understand what was being said and sung, since the litany was said in Latin.[5] Therefore, an English version was composed by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, for use in the processions ordered by Henry when England was simultaneously at war with both Scotland and France.[6]

Content and use

For the litany, Cranmer drew heavily on both traditional and recent sources ranging from

Lutheran-oriented primer prayer book, the Goodly Primer of 1535.[1] Cranmer also changed the rhythm of the service by grouping the intercessory phrases in blocks with but a single response to the group.[6]

The litany was published in the midst of the English Reformation and shows clear signs of

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was mentioned by name.[8] In all, Cranmer's revision reduced what had once been the major part of the litany into just three petitions:[9] to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels, and all the saints. The penitential psalms that were traditionally said at the beginning were left out.[3] The litany was prefaced with an "Exhortation to Prayer", which was a homily-styled discourse on the nature of prayer. The "Exhortation" was intended to be read in public before the procession started.[10]

Published on 27 May 1544, the litany was the first authorised English-language service.

saints days; however, this project was abandoned. In October 1545, the Processionale was completely replaced by the new English litany. This was an important change because it meant that the somber, penitential litany would now be said on joyful feast days.[11] In August 1547, after Edward VI had become king, processions were prohibited completely. The litany was thereafter sung while kneeling in church.[3]

Book of Common Prayer

Cranmer's litany was included in the

1559 prayer book. One part of the litany has the people pray for deliverance "from the tyranny of the bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities."[12] In the 1559 prayer book, this invocation against the Pope was deleted.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c MacCulloch 2016, p. 328.
  2. ^ Wohlers.
  3. ^ a b c d e Jeanes 2006, p. 23.
  4. ^ MacCulloch 2016, p. 330.
  5. ^ a b Procter & Frere 1908, pp. 31–32.
  6. ^ a b Cross & Livingstone 1974.
  7. ^ MacCulloch 2016, p. 329.
  8. ^ Procter & Frere 1908, p. 414.
  9. ^ Duffy 2005, p. 443.
  10. ^ MacCulloch 2016, pp. 329–330.
  11. ^ MacCulloch 2016, pp. 331–332.
  12. ^ Jacobs 2013, p. 4.
  13. ^ Marshall 2017, p. 433.

Bibliography

  • Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974), "Litany, The (BCP)", The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, OUP.
  • Duffy, Eamon (2005) [1992]. The Stripping of the Altars: Traditional Religion in England, c. 1400 – c. 1580 (2nd ed.). Yale University Press.
    ISBN 978-0-300-10828-6
    .
  • ISBN 9780691191782
    .
  • Jeanes, Gordon (2006). "Cranmer and Common Prayer". In Hefling, Charles; Shattuck, Cynthia (eds.). The Oxford Guide to The Book of Common Prayer: A Worldwide Survey. Oxford University Press. pp. 21–38.
    ISBN 978-0-19-529756-0
    .
  • ISBN 978-0-300-06688-3
    .
  • ISBN 978-0300170627
    .
  • Procter, Francis; Frere, Walter Howard (1908). A New History of the Book of Common Prayer. MacMillan.
  • Wohlers, Charles (ed.), Exhortation and Litany (1544), Society of Archbishop Justus: Resources.

External links

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