Category:Vespers

The office of Vespers is traditionally recited before sunset and consists of the invitory Deus in adjutorium, 5 Psalms with their proper antiphons, a proper hymn, and a Magnificat with its antiphon. Mozart and others composed only the 5 psalms and Magnificat, perhaps expecting the other items to be sung to plainchant. Often the seasonal votive antiphon (Alma Redemptoris Mater, Ave Regina coelorum, Regina coeli, or Salve Regina) is added at the end. In 1911 the assignment of Psalms was formalized according to the following schema, differing only slightly from that established after the Council of Trent:

• Sunday: 109; 110; 111; 112; 113;
• Monday: 114; 115; 119; 120; 121;
• Tuesday: 122; 123; 124; 125; 126;
• Wednesday: 127; 128; 129; 130; 131;
• Thursday: 132; 135i; 135ii; 136; 137
• Friday: 138i; 138ii; 139; 140; 141
• Saturday: 143i; 143ii; 144i; 144ii; 144iii

Feasts have their own Psalms, but the Psalms of Saints' days are generally one of two types:

The Anglican service of Evensong combines elements of Vespers with the succeeding office of Compline.

Following Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963) the traditional Divine Office was replaced by the Liturgy of the Hours. This 1985 breviary replaces the 5 Psalms with 2 Psalms and a canticle from the Book of Revelations.

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View the Wikipedia article on Vespers.

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View the Wikipedia article on Latin psalters.