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The Liturgy of the Hours

THE PROJECT

The preparation of the new edition of “The Liturgy of the Hours” began four years ago, at the request of the AMECEA Bishops. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments encouraged the project and asked the Kenya Episcopal Conference to be the Conference approving the new liturgical texts, and presenting them to the same Congregation for the Confirmatio. The new edition of “The Liturgy of the Hours” has received its approval (Prot. N. 103/06/L) and its publication coincides with the beginning of the Second African Synod in Rome.

In 1985 a second edition of Liturgia Horarum (The Liturgy of the Hours) was issued by the Vatican, with the understanding that the vernacular translations already in use be revised accordingly. This was never done. This new English version is based on the second edition of Liturgia Horarum which, as you shall see in detail, is much richer than the first edition which is still in use.

MAIN FEATURES
Several features make this new edition of The Liturgy of the Hours unique and outstanding:

The Revised Grail Psalter

It is the desire of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments that the Revised Grail Psalter should be the official translation of the Psalms to be used in all the liturgical texts (Lectionary, Liturgy of the Hours, Sacraments, etc.). This translation, approved for use in the Liturgy, is faithful to the Hebrew text, and it
has been recommended by musicians for its musicality, as it can easily be sung, chanted or recited. At the same time, it is already “somehow familiar” to those who pray The Liturgy of the Hours. The Old Testament Canticles (prayed at Morning Prayer) have also been revised.

Biblical Texts

The biblical texts (except the Psalms and Morning Prayer Canticles) are taken from the New American Bible (The African Bible) of the USCCB (United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops).

Liturgical Texts

The liturgical texts are taken from The Liturgy of the Hours of the ICEL (International Commission for English in the Liturgy) edition.

Publisher: Paulines Publications Africa

General Editor: Rinaldo Ronzani, MCCJ
The project is accomplished with thanks to the collaboration of
ICEL, THE GRAIL-GIA, USCCB and CEI.

WHAT IS NEW IN THE NEW EDITION OF THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS?

New Antiphons

The second edition of the Liturgia Horarum has enriched the Sunday celebration of Morning and Evening Prayer with new Benedictus and Magnificat Antiphons in harmony with the Gospel of each Sunday. These antiphons highlight, in a beautiful manner, the deep connection between the Eucharist and The Liturgy of the Hours.

New Memorials

Over the last few years, new memorials were inserted in the General Roman Calendar, like: The Most Holy Name of Jesus, St J. Bakhita, St Pius of Pietrelcina, etc.
The liturgical texts for these memorials are also included in the new edition of The Liturgy of the Hours.

Proper Calendar for Kenya

The Proper calendar for the Dioceses of Kenya also approved by the Congregation
for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is inserted in each of these volumes of The Liturgy of the Hours. This Calendar includes African Saints from various
places and times, some celebrations of Our Lady Mother of Africa, and some missionaries who brought the Christian faith to Africa.

Four Volumes

The complete text of “The Liturgy of the Hours” appears in four volumes, printed in two colours and follows the layout and style of the Latin edition.
 Volume I: Advent and Christmas Seasons;
 Volume 11: Lenten Season, Easter Triduum, and Easter Season;
 Volume III: Ordinary Time (weeks 1-17);
 Volume IV: Ordinary Time (weeks 18-34).

Estimate Price: (for the set of 4 volumes) is US$ 100.00

• NB. In conjunction with the four volumes of The Liturgy of the Hours, Paulines is publishing also The Prayer of the Church containing basically all the texts of the four volumes except the Office of Readings. This volume is geared towards seminarians, the estimate Price of The Prayer of the Church is US$ 25.00
• In addition to The Prayer of the Church, Paulines is also publishinga smaller volume entitled Christian Prayer that will offer the Morning, Evening and Night Prayer. Estimate price for the Christian Prayer is US$ 6.5