Vespers
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Vespers (from
Vespers typically follows a set order that focuses on the performance of
Old English speakers translated the Latin word vesperas as æfensang, which became evensong in modern English. The term is now usually applied to the Anglican variant of the liturgy that combines vespers with compline, following the conception of early sixteenth-century worshippers that conceived these as a single unit. The term can also apply to the pre-Reformation form of vespers or forms of evening prayer from other denominations.[5]
Vespers is usually prayed around sunset. In
Current use
Roman Rite
Vespers, also called Evening Prayer, takes place as dusk begins to fall. Evening Prayer gives thanks for the day just past and makes an evening sacrifice of praise to God (Psalm 141:1).[8]
The general structure of the Roman Rite Catholic liturgy of vespers is as follows:
- Vespers opens with the singing or chanting of the words Deus, in adiutorium meum intende. Domine, ad adiuvandum me festina. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Alleluia. (O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.) ("Alleluia" is omitted during Lent.)
- The appointed hymn (from the hymnaria) is then sung;
- The psalms and a New Testament canticle, while in the Divine Office, older forms of the Roman Rite, five psalms are sung instead (not quite the same five before and after the Reform of the Roman Breviary by Pope Pius X).[9] Each psalm (and canticle) concludes with a doxology (Gloria Patri) and is preceded and followed by an antiphon. Additionally, most Psalms also have a short caption explaining how the Psalm/Canticle relates to the Church in a Christological or spiritual way; lastly, English translations oftentimes have a psalm-prayer said after the Gloria and before the antiphon.
- After the psalms, there is a reading from the Bible.
- Following the reading, there is a short responsory consisting of a verse, a response, the first half only of the Gloria Patri, and then the verse again.
- Then the participants sing the Blessed Virgin Mary from the Gospel of Luke 1:46–55. The Magnificat is always preceded by an antiphon, and followed by the Gloria and an antiphon. While singing the Magnificat the altar may be incensed, and then also the priest and people.[10]
- The preces (intercessory prayers) are then said, followed by the Our Father, and then the closing prayer (oratio) and blessing.
- The office is frequently followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
First and Second Vespers
Sundays and solemnities have two Vespers. The church worship day begins in the evening with the setting of the sun or at sunset. This practice follows the tradition of the Old Testament which says in the story of creation: "Evening came, and morning followed – the first day." (Gen1:5). The solemnity begins with First Vespers prayed around sunset on the day before the observance, with Second Vespers held around sunset on the day itself.[11]
Byzantine Rite
The
Since the liturgical day begins at sunset, vespers is a day's first liturgy and its hymns introduce the day's themes.
Outline
The general structure of the liturgy is as follows (psalm numbers are according to the Septuagint):
- Vespers opens with a blessing by the priest and then "Come, let us worship ..."; when part of an All-Night Vigil, the blessing that normally begins matins is used; when part of the Divine Liturgy, the blessing that is part thereof is used.
- Proemial Psalm (Psalm 103 (104)): "Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, Thou hast been magnified exceedingly...".
- The "Litany of Peace".
- A kathisma, a portion of the Psalter is read, or on Saturday evening, when it is the First Kathisma (Psalms 1–8), it is sung, and on major feast, the first third of that (Psalms 1–3) is sung. For about half the year, and for five of the six weeks of Lent, on weekdays, it is the Eighteenth Kathisma (Psalms 119-133 [120-134]).
- The church is censed while "Lord I have Cried" (Psalms 140 (141), 141 (142), 129 (130), and 116 (117)) is sung with stichera(stanzas) about the feast day (or resurrection on a Saturday) inserted between the last several verses.
- The Entrance is made with the censerunless there is a Gospel reading, in which case the Gospel Book is carried.
- The hymn Phos Ilaron ("O Gladsome Light") is recited or sung.
- The Prokeimenon is chanted.
- On feast days, there are three or more readings from the Old Testament, called Prophecies.
- The Litany of Fervent Supplication
- The prayer "Vouchsafe, O Lord", is read.
- The Litany of Supplication
- On major feast days, a Kyrie eleison ("Lord, Have Mercy") many times. The priest ends with a long prayer invoking the intercessions of the saints and the Theotokos.
- The Aposticha are chanted. These are verses that teach about the feast day (or on a Saturday evening, Christ's resurrection).
- The Nunc dimittis, the Canticle of St. Simeon ("Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace...") (Luke 2:29–32), is read.
- Then are sung the Apolytikia of the day (or an All-Night Vigil on Saturday night the hymn "Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos").
- On major feast days, the Psalm33 (34) is then sung.
- The dismissal is given by the priest. If it is an All-Night Vigil this is a simple blessing by the priest; otherwise, it is the full dismissal sequence.
On strict fast days when food and drink are prohibited before vespers, e.g.,
The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts always is similarly combined with Vespers, with the first half of Vespers (up to and including the Old Testament readings) making up a significant portion of the liturgy.
East Syriac liturgy
Vespers are known by the
Oriental Orthodoxy
Armenian liturgy
The office of vespers Armenian Երեգոյին Ժամ Eregoyin Zham commemorates the hour when "the Son of God descended from the Cross, and was wrapped in the winding sheet, and laid in the tomb."
Vespers is the only liturgy in the Armenian daily office other than the Morning Service which has hymns proper to the commemoration, feast, or tone assigned to it: a vespers hymn after Psalm 142 (or after Gladsome Light if it is appointed for the day) and the "Lifting-up Hymn" after Psalm 121.
Vespers undergoes a wide range of changes depending on the liturgical season. The following outline contains only some of these variations.
Outline of Armenian Vespers
"Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Father..."
Psalm 55:16 "I cried unto God, and he heard me in the evening...(Es ar Astouats kardats`i...)"; Psalm 55:17 "I waited for my God...(Spasēy Astoutsoy imoy...)"; "Glory to the Father...Now and always...Amen."; "And again in peace..."; "Blessing and glory to the Father...Now and always...Amen."; "Peace to all."
Psalm 86; "Glory to the Father...Now and always...Amen."; "Glory to you, O God, glory to you. For all things, Lord, glory to you."; "And again in peace..."; "Blessing and glory...Now and always...Amen."; "Peace to all."
Psalm 140 "Rescue me...(Aprets`o zis...)"; Psalm 141 "Lord I called unto you...(Tēr kardats`i ar k`ez...)"; Psalm 142 "With my voice I called out unto the Lord...(Dzayniw imov ar Tēr kardats`i...)"; "Glory to the Father...Now and always...Amen."
At Sunday Vespers (Saturday Evening): "Alleluia, Alleluia. Gladsome light...(Loys zouart`...)"; Exhortation for the blessing of candles: "Blessed Lord who dwells in the heights...(Awrhneal Tēr...)"; Proclamation: "Having assembled...(Hasealk`s...)"; Exhortation: "Having assembled...(Hasealk`s...)"
Vespers Hymn (varies)
At Sunday Vespers (Saturday Night): Proclamation: "Let us all say...(Asasts`owk`...)"; Exhortation: "We have the intercessions...(Barekhaws ounimk`...)"
During Fasts: Proclamation: "Let us beseech almighty God...(Aghach`ests`ouk` zamenakaln Astouats...)"
Otherwise continue here:
Prayer: "Hear our voices...(Lour dzaynits` merots`...)"; "Holy God...(varies)"; "Glorified and praised ever-virgin...(P`araworeal ev awrhneal misht Astouatsatsin...)"; Exhortation: "Save us...(P`rkea zmez...)"; Proclamation: "And again in peace...That the Lord will hearken to the voice of our entreaty...(Vasn lsel linelov...)"; "Blessing and Glory to the Father...Now and always...Amen."; "Peace to all."
Psalm 121 "I lifted my eyes...(Hambardzi zach`s im...)"; "Glory to the Father...Now and always...Amen."
Hymn After Psalm 121 (varies); Proclamation: "For the peace of the whole world...(Vasn khaghaghout`ean amenayn ashkharhi...)"; Prayer: "Father compassionate...(Hayr gt`ats...)"
On fasting days:
Exhortation: "Almighty Lord...(Tēr amenakal...)"; Proclamation; Prayer
On fasting days and lenten days which are not Sundays (Saturday evenings), continue here:
The Prayer of Manasseh; "Glory to the Father...Now and always...Amen."; Exhortation; Proclamation; Prayer; "Remember your ministers...(Yishea Tēr zpashtawneays k`o...)"; "Merciful and compassionate God (Barerar ev bazoumoghorm Astouats...)"
On Sundays (Saturday Evenings) and during the 50 days of Easter:
Psalm 134: "Now bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord...(Ast awrhnets`ēk`...)"; Psalm 138; Psalm 54; Psalm 86:16-17; "Glory to the Father...Now and always...Amen."; Proclamation: "Let us entreat...(Khndrests`ouk`...)"
On Sundays: Prayer: "King of peace...(T`agawor khaghaghout`ean...)"
On Sundays during Eastertide: Prayer: "By your all-powerful and joyous resurrection...(K`oum amenazawr ev hrashali...)"
On Feasts of the Cross: Proclamation: "By the holy cross...(Sourb khach`iws...)"; Prayer: "Defend us...(Pahpanea zmez...)"
All liturgies conclude with: "Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Father..."
Coptic Orthodox Church
In the Coptic Orthodox Church, Vespers refers to a series of liturgies:
- The Vespers Prayer – This is taken from the Canonical Book of Hours. In the liturgical context, the 9th, 11th, 12th and Veil hours are prayed.
- The Vespers Praises – This is taken from the Psalmody and is described in greater detail below.
- The Vespers Raising of Incense
Vespers, as a whole, is an introduction and preparation for the Eucharistic Liturgy, consisting of a collection of prayers, praises and Thanksgiving prayers which request the Lord's blessings upon the sacramental liturgy.[12]
The rite of Vespers Praises in the Coptic Orthodox Church is as follows:
- The hymn Ⲛⲓⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ (Psalm 116)
- The Fourth Canticle (Psalms 148, 149, 150)
- The Psali for the day (each day of the week has its own Psali)
- The Theotokion for the day (each day of the week has its own Theotokion)
- The Lobsh or Explanation of the Theotokion
- The reading of the Antiphonary
- On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday: The Conclusion of the Adam Theotokia
- On Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: The Conclusion of the Batos Theotokia
- Ⲥⲱⲑⲓⲥ ⲁⲙⲏⲛ (Saved Amen.)
- The Lord's Prayer
The rite of Vespers Raising of Incense in the Coptic Orthodox Church is as follows:
- The Thanksgiving Prayer – As with all Coptic Orthodox liturgies, Vespers first thanks God "for everything, concerning everything, and in everything"
- Minor Circuit of Incense and Three Inaudible Litanies
- The Verses of the Cymbals
- The Litany for the Departed
- Major Circuit of Incense
- Graciously Accord O Lord...
- The Trisagion
- The Doxologies – commemorating the saints of the church and the liturgical season of the church
- The Creed
- The Prayer of Ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲁⲛ (O God have mercy upon us...)
- The Prayer for the Gospel
- The Reading of the Psalm and Gospel
- The Absolution, Conclusion, and Blessing
Indian Orthodox Church and Syriac Orthodox Church
In the
Lutheran Church
Following the Reformation, the form of Vespers in the Lutheran Church remained largely unchanged. First Vespers and Second Vespers of Sundays and major feasts continued to be sung in Latin in many places, while some cathedrals and larger city churches continued singing Vespers in Latin on a daily basis into the eighteenth century.
In other Christian churches and religious bodies
Since its inception, the
Daily office books that conform to the historic structure of Vespers have also been published by the Pilgrim Press (
From its traditional usage, the term vespers has come to be used more broadly for various evening services of other churches, some of which model their evening services on the traditional Latin Catholic form.
Some regular community vespers services are completely areligious (or at least are not sponsored by any church) and serve simply as a time for quiet contemplation in the evening hours.
In addition, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, synagogues in the Classical Reform tradition sometimes referred to their Friday evening worship services as "vespers". Nowadays, such services are instead called kabbalat shabbat, which means "welcoming the Sabbath".
Historical development
This section incorporates information from the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1917. References to psalms follow the numbering system of the Septuagint, and said in the Latin of the Vulgate.
Origins
From the time of the
Before the fourth century allusions to the evening prayer are found in the earlier Fathers,
The
Vespers, then, was the most solemn office of the day and was composed of the psalms called Lucernales (Psalm 140 is called psalmus lucernalis by the
In the 6th century
In the sixth century the Office of Vespers in the
Office of Vespers in the Middle Ages: variations
As has already been remarked, the institution of the office of
Changes as of 1917
The decree "Divino afflatu" (November 1, 1911) involves important changes in the old
Structure: 1917–1969
The office of Vespers in general use before 1970 continues to be used today by those adhering to the Roman Rite as in 1962 or to earlier versions. The structure of Vespers prior to 1970 is as follows:
- Vespers begins with the singing or chanting of the opening versicles Deus, in adiutorium meum intende. Domine, ad adiuvandum me festina. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Alleluia. (O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia.) From Septuagesima until Easter, Laus tibi Domine, Rex aeternae gloriae (Praise be to Thee O Lord, King of eternal glory) replaces Alleluia.
- Five psalms are sung, each concluding with the doxology Gloria Patri. Each psalm is preceded and followed with an antiphon.
- The Little Chapter, a short biblical verse, is read.
- The hymn, which varies according to season and feast, is sung, followed by its versicle and response.
- The Magnificat, preceded and followed with an antiphon, is then sung.
- The preces are then said on certain greater ferias.
- The collect of the day is said, followed by commemorations of any concurring feasts according to the rubrics.
- If Marian Antiphon.
- The office is frequently followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
Symbolism: the hymns
Notwithstanding the changes brought about in the course of time, Vespers still remains the great and important Office of the evening. As already pointed out, it recalls the sacrificium vespertinum of the
The series of hymns consecrated to Vespers in the Roman Breviary also form a class apart and help to give us some hints as to the symbolism of this hour. The hymns are very ancient, dating probably, for the most part, from the 6th century. They have this particular characteristic – they are all devoted to the praise of one of the days of the Creation as described in the Genesis creation narrative, according to the day of the week, thus:[18][19]
- the first, "Lucis creator optime", on Sunday, to the creation of light;
- the second, "Immense coeli Conditor" on Monday, to the separation of the earth and the waters;
- the third, "Telluris alme Conditor", on Tuesday, to the creation of the plants;
- the fourth, "Caeli Deus sanctissime",, on Wednesday, to the creation of the sun and moon;
- the fifth, "Magnae Deus potentiae", on Thursday, to the creation of the fish;
- the sixth, "Hominis supernae Conditor",, on Friday, to the creation of the beasts of the earth;
- Saturday is an exception, the hymn, "Iam sol recedit igneus",, on that day being in honour of the Blessed Trinity, because of the Office of Sunday then commencing.
Solemn Vespers before the Second Vatican Council
On weekdays that are not major feasts Vespers features hardly any ceremonies and the celebrant wears the usual
The celebrant and assistants follow the acolytes into the church wearing the
Musical settings
The psalms and hymns of the Vespers liturgy have attracted the interest of many composers, including Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Vivaldi, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Anton Bruckner. (Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Vespers" is really a setting of the Eastern Orthodox all-night vigil; calling it "Vespers" was an error in judgement made by a translator.)
See also
- Hymnwriter
- Agni Parthene
- Blazhen Muzh
- Jewish services#Ma'ariv/Arvit (evening prayers)
- Maghrib prayer (equivalent Islamic prayer at sunset)
- Ramsha
- Sacred music
References
- ^ "vesper". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. December 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ "vesper". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. December 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ French, Reginald Michael (1951). The Eastern Orthodox Church. New York: Hutchinson's University Library. p. 122.
- ^ Baring-Gould, Sabine (1891). In troubadour-land. A ramble in Provence and Languedoc. London: W. H. Allen. p. 211.
- ^ "evensong". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. April 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2019. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ a b "My Life in Heaven & on Earth" (PDF). St. Thomas Malankara Orthodox Church. p. 31. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ Richards, William Joseph (1908). The Indian Christians of St. Thomas: Otherwise Called the Syrian Christians of Malabar: a Sketch of Their History and an Account of Their Present Condition as Well as a Discussion of the Legend of St. Thomas. Bemrose. pp. 98–101.
- ^ "Vespers". Usccb.org. 2013-04-16. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
- ^ Divino Afflatu centennial – II: comparing the Psalter orders before and after St. Pius X
- Congregation for Divine Worship. 1971. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ "The Cathedral of the Madeleine – Salt Lake City, Utah – First Vespers". www.utcotm.org. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
- ^ "The Spirituality of the Rites of the Holy Liturgy in the Coptic Orthodox Church by H.G. Bishop Mettaous". Tasbeha.org. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
- ^ The Liturgy of the Liberal Catholic Church
- ISBN 978-1-4982-9023-4.
Peterson quotes a passage from the Acts of Hipparchus and Philotheus: "In Hipparchus's house there was a specially decorated room and a cross was painted on the east wall of it. There before the image of the cross, they used to pray seven times a day ... with their faces turned to the east." It is easy to see the importance of this passage when you compare it with what Origen says. The custom of turning towards the rising sun when praying had been replaced by the habit of turning towards the east wall. This we find in Origen. From the other passage we see that a cross had been painted on the wall to show which was the east. Hence the origin of the practice of hanging crucifixes on the walls of the private rooms in Christian houses. We know too that signs were put up in the Jewish synagogues to show the direction of Jerusalem, because the Jews turned that way when they said their prayers. The question of the proper way to face for prayer has always been of great importance in the East. It is worth remembering that Mohammedans pray with their faces turned towards Mecca and that one reason for the condemnation of Al Hallaj, the Mohammedan martyr, was that he refused to conform to this practice.
- ISBN 978-1-101-16042-8.
Hippolytus in the Apostolic Tradition directed that Christians should pray seven times a day – on rising, at the lighting of the evening lamp, at bedtime, at midnight, and also, if at home, at the third, sixth and ninth hours of the day, being hours associated with Christ's Passion. Prayers at the third, sixth, and ninth hours are similarly mentioned by Tertullian, Cyprian, Clement of Alexandria and Origen, and must have been very widely practised. These prayers were commonly associated with private Bible reading in the family.
- ISBN 978-0-521-01746-6.
Clement of Alexandria noted that "some fix hours for prayer, such as the third, sixth and ninth" (Stromata 7:7). Tertullian commends these hours, because of their importance (see below) in the New Testament and because their number recalls the Trinity (De Oratione 25). These hours indeed appear as designated for prayer from the earliest days of the church. Peter prayed at the sixth hour, i.e. at noon (Acts 10:9). The ninth hour is called the "hour of prayer" (Acts 3:1). This was the hour when Cornelius prayed even as a "God-fearer" attached to the Jewish community, i.e. before his conversion to Christianity. it was also the hour of Jesus' final prayer (Matt. 27:46, Mark 15:34, Luke 22:44–46).
- ISBN 978-0-567-16561-9.
Not only the content of early Christian prayer was rooted in Jewish tradition; its daily structure too initially followed a Jewish pattern, with prayer times in the early morning, at noon and in the evening. Later (in the course of the second century), this pattern combined with another one; namely prayer times in the evening, at midnight and in the morning. As a result seven 'hours of prayer' emerged, which later became the monastic 'hours' and are still treated as 'standard' prayer times in many churches today. They are roughly equivalent to midnight, 6 a.m., 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Prayer positions included prostration, kneeling and standing. ... Crosses made of wood or stone, or painted on walls or laid out as mosaics, were also in use, at first not directly as objections of veneration but in order to 'orientate' the direction of prayer (i.e. towards the east, Latin oriens).
- ^ a b c d e f g One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Vespers". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
- ISBN 978-0-8146-8038-4. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
External links
- The text of Vespers for today's date (Roman Catholic)
- The Roman Catholic General Instruction for the Liturgy of the Hours
- An explanation of First Vespers
- Vespers in the Orthodox Church
- Sunday Vespers in Latin and with Gregorian chant (Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite)
- An Order for Methodist Evening Prayer Archived 2005-05-19 at the Wayback Machine (PDF)
- Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh