Page "Lauds" Paragraph 26

To these canticles the Roman Liturgy adds, as the finale to this office, that of Zachary, " Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel ", which is recited every day and which is also a canticle to the Light, viz.

Christ: " Illuminare his qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent ".

The hymns of Lauds, which in the Roman Church were only added later, also form an interesting collection ; they generally celebrate the break of day, the Resurrection of Christ, and the spiritual light which He has made to shine on earth.

They are very ancient compositions, and are probably anterior to Saint Benedict.

In the Ambrosian Office, and also in the Mozarabic, Lauds retain a few of the principal elements of the Roman Lauds — the Benedictus, canticles from the Old Testament, and the psalms cxlviii, cxlix, cl, arranged, however, in a different order ( cf.

Germain Morin, op.

cit.

in bibliography ).

In the Benedictine Liturgy, the Office of Lauds resembles the Roman Lauds very closely, not only in its use of the canticles but also in its general construction.

The Greek office corresponding to that of Lauds is the orthos, which also signifies " morning "; its composition is different, but it nevertheless retains a few elements of the Western Lauds — notably the canticles and the three Laudate psalms, 148 — 150, which in the Greek Liturgy bear the name Ainoi or Praises, corresponding to the Latin word Laudes.