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Et Reliqua
Sermons and Reflections from the Deanery
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The Traditional Divine Office
The complete texts of the Roman Breviary
arranged for daily worship for the use of the faithful
Pray the Traditional
Divine Office
The Official Prayer of the Church
As prescribed by Pope St. Pius X in his Apostolic Constitution Divino Afllatu, November 1, 1911.
What is the divine office?
Certain prayers are so important that they are numbered among the official public Prayers of the Church. Chief among these is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which unites us spiritually and physically to God. In second place of importance are the seven Canonical Hours of the Divine Office, which sanctify the different parts of the day and keep us ever in the sight of God.
The Hours of the Office may vary in length and solemnity, but together they form a unified approach to our daily communication with God, reflecting the themes of the current liturgical season and daily feastdays. Like stars surrounding the infinite brightness of the sun, which is the Mass, the Hours of the Office merge with the Mass to form a single prayer, the public worship of God in the name of the Church, elevating our souls and inspiring our thoughts, words and deeds.
What is the Breviary?
Next to the Holy Mass, the Divine Office (or Breviary) is the most important prayer offered to God. It is offered by the Church and in the name of the Church, conferring multifold graces and blessings on those who recite it worthily, attentively, and devoutly. Normally the domain of priests and religious, the Church has continued to recommend her official prayer to the faithful. However, until now, the complexity of the rubrics and a lack of suitable translations have deterred many.
The Official Prayer of the Church
With the help of modern technology, it has become easier to overcome the problems of complexity and accessibility. The result is the Roman Breviary published online in Latin and English by the Guild of St. Peter ad Vincula. No knowledge of the liturgy is required. It’s as easy as clicking on the feastday, and then on the Canonical Hour you want to say. The rest is just like reading a book—everything is laid out for you in order according to the rubrics of the day. No more flicking through the ribboned sections of a weighty volume. No more apprehension that you are forgetting some obscure rubric. Every Hour of the Office is laid out in its entirety, in order, every day
Learn More About the Breviary
If you want to deepen your knowledge of the Breviary and would like to make the Church’s official prayer a part of your own daily prayer life, this website will provide you with all the help you need to get started. Here you will find a short history of the Breviary, instructions on when to recite which Hours, a brief commentary on the psalms, and much more. And for those who want to understand the rubrics in greater depth, we provide in our bookstore a detailed manual entitled How to Say the Breviary. May God reward your prayers by bestowing on you all those spiritual favours that come from a devout reading of the Church’s Divine Office.
Features and Benefits!
- Fully Traditional - Pre-dates modernist reforms of the 1950s and 60s.
- Easy-to-use Format - No previous liturgical knowledge required.
- Side-by-side Columns in Latin and English - Traditional-style English translations.
- Thousands of Images - Traditional Artwork and Photography.
- Hundreds of Hours of Liturgical Music - Sung by the Monks and Nuns of Europe and the Cathedral Choirs of England.
- Includes Little Office of Our Lady, Office of the Dead, the Roman Martyrology, and much more.
- Pray the Office from any Computer, Tablet or Smart Phone with Internet connection.
- Annual liturgical wall calendar
Confraternity Books
Our online bookstore contains traditional Catholic literature of all kinds, including a wealth of liturgical books and books about the Mass and Divine Office.