The Mass propers are according to the ancient Rite, and differ in some places, but, are similar in other, to the later post-schism papist rite. The most notable difference would be the addition of the Tropes to the Introit (Officium), and the Sequences, as well as distinct Prefaces for each Sunday. In fact, in the ancient rite, all Sundays had their own prefaces.

Introduction to the Little OfficesThe Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary are ancient works of prayer dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God, the Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary. The Little Offices are based upon what are called the Canonical Hours, or those hours of prayer that are said by clergy and monks. The first mention of their use was when St. Zachary the Greek, Pope of Old Rome in the 700s, enjoined upon the monks of Monte Casino to say these Little Offices after each of the Canonical Hours. St. Ildefonso of Toledo, who had a strong devotion to the Theotokos, was also an important figure in adding to the richness of the Little Office, though he was not the author. It is ultimately lost who ‘devised’ the offices, with some even suggesting a Syrian origin due to the several Orthodox Syrian popes, and even some suggesting an inspiration from St. John Damascene! Though, due to the early mention by St. Zachary, it can be safely said that the Little Offices were known in many places, with St. Zachary and St. Ildefonso and other saints being largely responsible for their popularization. The ultimate Author, however, is of course the Holy Ghost Himself, Who works through His Church and its many members.

By the end of the 10th century, they were known everwhere. They reached such a degree of popularity among the clergy and monks, that, by the time of the Schism, it was considered an unwritten law for clergy to recite them in addition to the Canonical Hours. And along with the Office of All Saints and the Office of the Dead, they were said in all Monasteries; indeed, by the time of the year 1000 AD. additional Little Offices to the Holy Trinity, the Name of Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, The Blessed Apostles, St. Benedict, and many others were abundant, as illustrated by the life of St. Uldaric of Augsburg.

Because they were generally invariable, they attained a high degree of popularity, as they lent themselves to rather quick memorization as regards the antiphons, psalms, hymns, and collects used. Wide variation did exist in many local places as to how certain aspects were constructed, but, these variations never constituted anything more than minor points; mostly differences between how they were done by monastics and non-monastics, and a few different Psalm arrangments in some places.

The value of the Little Office is that it enables layman and cleric alike to have a firm footing in the Divine Office, so that, later, when they begin to take advantage of the canonical Hours, the transition will be much smoother, and natural. These Offices can be used, when lack is had, for the Hours before Mass and after Mass, as well as for purely private usage. If the canonical hours are had, the corresponding Little Office hour may be chanted after it, thus, after Terce of the day, would be followed by the Terce of the Theotokos, then Mass, then Sext of the day, then Sext of the Theotokos. And so forth for each hour of the day.

The Fifteen Gradual Psalms, which are perhaps the original form of the Trina Oratio, are contained herein also. The Gradual Psalms were intended to be sung prior to Night Vigils of the day. The new Trina Oratio, which were legislated after the Regularis Concordia (10th century Monastic decrees for the Ordering of the Divine Services), were similar, but were composed of the Seven Penitential Psalms, with the Kyrie, Our Father, Preces, and Collects, interspersed. These are not included in this current edition. The Gradual Psalm, however, can be sung or said, at any point of the day, and for any intention, and they served, like the Trina Oratio of the Seven Penitential Psalms, or the myriad other services that were abolished by the late post-schism period, for a variety of purposes. Many of these additional services, such as the Lauda, which was a distinct service for the departed, served after the Vespers of the Theotokos, and others, were part and parcel of the rich liturgical and theological devotions, that appeared in the Orthodox West, only to be curtailed, in the centuries after the Schism, culminating with the mass standardization and reductionism of Tridentine Papism. In future prayer books, and service books, these services will be included.

The Little Office in this booklet is based upon the Monastic Usage, future editions will be forthcoming, that will improve upon any areas that may be discovered to be lacking (if any). It is hoped that future editions will compose both the Office of the Canons (the non-monastic clergy), and the Office of the Monks. Though this Office was the one used by Monks, there is nothing whatsoever to discourage non-monastics from singing these. The differences between the Monastic and Canons office of the Lady Theotokos, amount to a few points, that in no way affect anything. Indeed, since the Orthodox Episcopate in modern times is monastic, and as the Orthodox Episcopate in England during the 10th and 11th centuries were monastic also, it was expected that Bishop’s use would filter down. The main difference between the monastic and secular use, refers to the place of Psalm 66 in Lauds (monks at the beginning, canons at the end), as well as when the Versicle “O Lord, Thou shalt open my lips” should be placed at Vigils. The only other point concerned the use of little responsories at the little hours, such as Terce. And as often times monks and canons shared books with each other, it was not unheard of for monks to use canons offices, and for canons to use monks offices, and for the laity to use, if they were able, to use either one, since they were not clergy and thus freed from any ‘strictures’ of ‘ritual correctness’ in the same way that ‘professional’ clergy would sometimes feel bound to do.

We are grateful to Metropolitan John for his skills in musical notation, and arrangement, since all the Antiphons, Responsory, Hymn, and Psalm tone musics are the product of his research and computer skill in designing the notation and reproducing it. He relied upon the works of other previous scholars, which were always invaluable, especially upon the very valuable published manuscript texts of the Henry Bradshaw Society. Also of importance, was the Regularis Concordia and its Addendums, which were the legislative foundation of the arrangements of the Divine Office, both in its Canonical (standard) and Little Office, formats. The Eastern Orthodox Christian has had the benefit of dozens of dedicated translators for nearly 250 years to render their material into the English language, thus giving them a long headstart. However, the Western Orthodox Christian, who belongs to the same True Orthodox Church of Christ, has had to build himself up in his translations of his Latin Service Books, with only 30 years, and no help, but one Bishop, with a few additional priests scattered here and there; but, the accomplishments, by God’s Grace, has been nearly completed, and what once seemed impossible, has been brought to fruit by perseverance.
This booklet contains the musical notation for the antiphons, psalms, hymns, and collects, in the simple Gregorian notation, which enables laity and clergy to further have a grasp upon this elegant, but, simple Orthodox Christian form of prayer.

The book is divided into the following sections:

1. Vespers, roughly done at 6pm, or sunset.
2. Compline, at 9pm, or before bed.
3. The Fifteen Gradual Psalms, the old Trina Oratio, sung prior to Vigils or any sorts.
4. Vigils, done at midnight, or after compline, or even early in the morning before Lauds.
5. Lauds, before dawn, or early in the morning.
6. Prime, the First Hour, said at 6am, or in the morning.
7. Terce, the Third Hour, 9am.
8. Sext, the Sixth Hour, Noontime, 12pm.
9. None, the Ninth Hour, 3pm.

Let it never be forgotten, that the reason the virtues of the Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary and Mother of God are exalted, is because therein we see Who Jesus Christ Is. He, Who was God before all time, and above all comprehension, chose, in an incomprehensbile manner, to take upon Himsel Humanity, and to enter time. God Himself, Who was the one that created the Blessed Virgin, did perform a Miracle at the Annunciation, and by this Womans permission (for God forces no one), made her His own Mother. And a new miracle was wrought that the world has never seen and will never see again; God became a Man, and retained Manhood. The Perfect God, Who loved the world so much, chose to take a Woman as His Mother, and to thus proved that He had truly Become Man, He never forgot that this Woman was and is His Mother by virtue of His Divine Person assuming Humanity into Itself, and uniting It with His Shared Divine Nature, which He holds in Common with the Father and Holy Ghost. It is the profound Doctrine and Mystery of God taking Flesh, and a Divine Person making by a Mystery, a Woman its earthly Mother, that we can confess that the Virgin is the truly the Bearer of God, and the Mother of God! And it is this doctrine of the Incarnation, that the Devil has ever attempted to attack, mutilate, and distort. For men could sympathize only partially with a god-like being who became man (as so many modern teachers of heresy proclaim, such as the Jehoveh’s Witness, the Mormon, and others), but, the history of repentance poured out in tears upon the thought of God Himself coming down to our World, truly Man and truly God, to suffer Death in the place of us wretched and undeserving sinners, has changed the universe forever, and then His Glorious Resurrection and defeat of all the power of death and hell, gives new hope to weeping man. And to affirm this Life Saving Doctrine of the Gospel, it is necessary to Confess that the Blessed Lady Mary, became the Mother of God, and retained her physical Virginity, both before, during, and after Child Birth. For it is not a true Virgin Birth unless such is so, and Christ is the One Who entered through the East Gate, which is prophecied by Ezekiel, the Gate that is forever sealed afterward (Ezekiel 44:1-3). And the God-Man, after His Resurrection, returned once more, according to the ever-present Tradition of the Apostles, to visit and take the soul of His dying Mother to Heaven personally, instead of sending an angel, like all of us. And furthermore, He, Who was Man, but, also God, did not have a stony heart, and would not suffer the Body of His Mother to lie in the Grave, but, brought it to heaven after her death, whereby, He re-united her soul and body, as a foretasted of the general resurrection. In all these things, we see how God is still a Man, Perfect as He is in His Glorified Humanity, Body and Soul, but, He still retains the blameless emotions of a Son, caring for His Mother, and ever ready to listen to her petitions in Heaven, as She, with all the saints in heaven, plead for the salvation, in Jesus Christ, of all us poor sinners on the earth. The more we pray these offices, the more we glorify God, which is purpose of man, and what makes him a true and full person.

-Hierodeacon Augustine (Fetter)