Page "Breviary" Paragraph 39

This comprises psalms, antiphons, lessons, & c., for feasts of various groups or classes ( twelve in all ); e. g. apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

These offices are of very ancient date, and many of them were probably in origin proper to individual saints.

They contain passages of great literary beauty.

The lessons read at the third nocturn are patristic homilies on the Gospels, and together form a rough summary of theological instruction.