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What are monastic divine offices?
Monastic divine offices are an integral part of religious life and Catholic spirituality. Also called Lauds, Vespers, Compline and others, they are moments of communal prayer that structure the day of monks and nuns. They are recited in abbeys, monasteries and convents at specific times throughout the day and night.
The monastic offices are imbued with tradition, solemnity and devotion, and they offer religious communities an opportunity to dedicate themselves to God and prayer in a collective and structured way!
An office for each moment of the day
The different offices are as follows:
- Lauds is celebrated early in the morning, often before sunrise. The monks and nuns gather in the monastery church and begin a time of praise and prayer. Lauds is often considered the most joyful office of the day, as it marks the beginning of a new day dedicated to God!
- After Lauds, the next office is generally the Office of Terce, which is recited around nine o'clock in the morning. This office is a pause in the day to turn once again toward God and offer him prayers and praises.
- The Office of Sext traditionally follows around noon, when the sun is at its zenith. It is a moment for monks and nuns to take a break from their work and gather to pray and meditate before lunch. The meal is generally followed by the Office of None, after which the religious begin an afternoon of work.
- Vespers is one of the most important offices of the day. It is generally celebrated in the late afternoon or early evening, before sunset. Vespers marks the transition between day and night, and it is often characterized by solemn chants and psalms. The monks and nuns gather to praise God, listen to his word and offer prayers for the world.
- After Vespers, the Office of Compline is recited just before bedtime. It is a moment of calm and contemplation before the night, when monks and nuns place their day into God's hands and ask for his protection during their sleep. Compline is often accompanied by chants and prayers for peace and rest.
The bonus that wakes you up: the night offices
In addition to these main offices, many monasteries and convents also celebrate other offices throughout the day and night. Among these, we can mention Matins (also called Vigils or Readings), which are recited very early in the morning, generally before Lauds. Matins is a longer office, often including readings from the Bible and extended prayers.
"Frère Jacques, frère Jacques, Dormez-vous, dormez-vous? Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines, Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong."
Do these words ring a bell? Yes, they come from the children's nursery rhyme "Brother John" (or "Frère Jacques" in French), in which the words "sonnez les matines" ("morning bells are ringing") refer precisely to this religious office!
The monastic offices are often chanted, and liturgical music plays an essential role in their celebration. The monks and nuns take turns chanting the psalms, hymns and canticles, thus creating an atmosphere of prayer and contemplation.
Discovering monastic offices during a spiritual retreat!
Communities do not systematically celebrate all the offices! Moreover, some recite them in Latin or in French!
For offices recited in Latin, certain communities use Gregorian chant, characterized by its monophonic melodic style, which means there is only a single melodic line without harmonic accompaniment! To discover more about this subject, go here!
What is certain is that during a spiritual retreat, you are invited to participate in one or more offices if your heart desires, but generally, they contribute to the beauty of your time of renewal by nourishing your reflection and your prayer!
Take advantage of a retreat time at Mondaye Abbey or at En Calcat Abbey to discover sublime offices chanted in French! But of course, this is not exclusive and a large number of other places chant the offices! You can find them right here!
And if you ever want to discover Gregorian chant, visit Randol Abbey, Lagrasse Abbey, Notre-Dame Saint-Eustase Abbey, as well as the abbeys of Saint-Michel and Sainte-Anne de Kergonan or in the North with the brothers and sisters of Notre-Dame and Saint-Paul de Wisques Abbeys!
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