Lauds, Vespers, Prayers

If Lauds are separated from Matins, the Pater and Ave are prefixed to them. In feasts of privileged rite, the psalms at Lauds, the Hours, and Compline are always to be taken from Sunday, as in the Psalter.

"Before Vespers of the Dead, Pater and Ave must be prefixed; and before Matins, Pater, Ave, and Credo, whenever Vespers or Matins of the Dead is recited separately from the Divine Office." Sacred Congregation of Rites, October 25, 1912.

The Prayers at Lauds and Vespers have been modified for Advent, Lent, Passiontide, Ember Days, and Vigils.

Versicles have been added for the Pope and the diocesan Bishop. They are to be recited also by exempt Regulars. Sacred Congregation of Rites, n. 294, ad 6; n. 1333, ad 9; n. 1827, ad 1. The versicle is omitted if the Ordinary of the place is not a Bishop. The psalm De Profundis and Miserere are no longer said in the prayers; but the prayers which are to be said at Lauds and Vespers are said on ferias if the office is made of the current feria, although a commemoration is made of a double or semidouble.

In a ferial Office of Advent, Lent, Passiontide, Ember Days, though not on the Vigils of the Nativity of the Lord, Epiphany, Ascension, and Friday after the Octave of the Ascension, nor on the Vigil and Ember Days of Pentecost, the ferial Prayers are said both at Lauds and at Vespers and at the other Hours, even if a commemoration is to be made of a double or semidouble reduced after the manner of a simple.

The Prayers at Prime and at Compline are recited in semidoubles, even of Sundays, in simples, and on ferias. But they are omitted if in the Offices a commemoration is made of Doubles or Octaves. Cf. Rubrics of the Breviary.

The ferial Prayers and the final Antiphon of the Blessed Virgin Mary are prescribed by the Rubrics to be recited on bent knees only in Choir. Cf. Decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, n. 2682, ad 41.