Prayers before and after the Office


It is considered praiseworthy to say the following prayer, kneeling, in preparation for the Office. By local custom, it may be said either privately, or in unison by the whole Choir, but in a low tone of voice.

Ante Divinum Officium

Aperi, Dómine, os meum ad benedicéndum nomen sanctum tuum: munda quoque cor meum ab ómnibus vanis, pervérsis et aliénis cogitatiónibus; intelléctum illúmina, afféctum inflámma, ut digne, atténte ac devóte hoc Offícium recitáre váleam, et exaudíri mérear ante conspéctum divínæ Majestátis tuæ. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen. Dómine, in unióne illíus divínæ intentiónis, qua ipse in terris laudes Deo persolvísti, has tibi Horas [vel hanc tibi Horam] persólvo.

Prayer before Office

Open, O Lord, my mouth to bless thy holy Name; cleanse also my heart from all vain, evil, and wandering thoughts; enlighten my understanding and kindle my affections; that I may worthily, attentively, and devoutly recite this Hour [or these Hours], and so be meet to be heard before the presence of thy divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, in union with that divine intention wherewith thou, whilst here on earth, didst render praises unto God, I desire to offer this my Office of prayer unto thee.

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To those who devoutly say, kneeling, the following prayer after the Divine Office, Pope Leo X granted the remission of the defects and faults in its recital arising from human frailty. The prayer must always be said kneeling, even in private recitation, unless illness or grave impediment prevents one from kneeling down.

Post Divinum Officium

Sacrosánctæ et indivíduæ Trinitáti, crucifíxi Dómini nostri Jesu Christi humanitáti, beatíssimæ et gloriosíssimæ sempérque Vírginis Maríæ fœcúndæ integritáti, et ómnium Sanctórum universitáti sit sempitérna laus, honor, virtus et glória ab omni creatúra, nobísque remíssio ómnium peccatórum, per inifiníta sæcula sæculórum.
R. Amen.

V. Beáta víscera Maríæ Vírginis, quæ portavérunt ætérni Patris Fílium.
R. Et beáta úbera, quæ lactavérunt Christum Dóminum.

Et dicitur secreto Pater noster et Ave María.

Prayer after the Office

To God Most Holy, in his Divine Majesty of Trinity in Unity;
To Jesus Christ, our Lord and God made man and crucified for us;
To blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, from whose glorious purity he took flesh;
And to the entire Company of the Saints of God, in heaven;
Be praise, honour, power, and glory, from every creature on earth:
And likewise to us sinners may there be full remission of all our sins:
Throughout all ages, world without end.
R. Amen.

V. Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the everlasting Father.
R. And blessed are the paps which gave suck to Christ the Lord.

Then is said secretly a Pater and an Ave.

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