A breviary is a compact liturgical book containing the prayers, psalms, canticles, readings and rubrics that make up the Divine Office assigned to the canonical hours. Its purpose is to provide an organized, portable set of texts to be recited at set times through the day and night. Historically worn and carried by clergy and members of religious orders, breviaries have also shaped private devotion and inspired related devotional books for the laity.
Characteristics and contents
Typical breviaries include a Psalter (the psalms arranged for daily recitation), antiphons, hymns, short scriptural readings, responsories, collects (brief prayers), and practical rubrics that indicate how to celebrate each office. Some editions add a calendar of saints, a short martyrology or seasonal instructions. The format seeks to balance completeness with portability: medieval breviaries might be richly illuminated, while later printed editions favored compactness.
History and development
The breviary developed in the medieval period as monastic and cathedral liturgical books were condensed into a single volume for convenience. Over centuries different Christian traditions produced their own versions. In the Roman Catholic Church the breviary was progressively standardized, and later liturgical reforms led to modern editions. The Second Vatican Council prompted a substantial revision that resulted in what is commonly called the Liturgy of the Hours, which serves a similar function in contemporary Catholic practice. Anglican, Lutheran and Orthodox churches maintain analogous prayer books and offices adapted to their traditions.
Uses and practice
Breviaries are used to structure communal and private prayer around the day. The canonical offices commonly named include Matins (or the Office of Readings), Lauds, Midday prayers, Vespers and Compline, with additional little hours in some traditions. Clergy are often obligated to pray the office; many religious communities recite it communally; laypeople may use simplified or full breviaries according to their devotion or ministry.
Distinctions and notable facts
- The breviary is distinct from a missal, which contains texts for celebrating the Eucharist; and from a Book of Hours, a private devotional book adapted from breviary material for lay use.
- Medieval breviaries can be important works of art and scholarship because of their illumination and marginalia.
- Today the same content is available in printed volumes, in many digital formats and in apps that preserve the canonical cycle for modern users.