Compitum

Paul De Clerck, The 'Universal Prayer' in the Ancient Latin Liturgies. Patristic Evidence and Liturgical Texts, Turnhout, 2024.

Éditeur : Brepols
Collection : Studia Traditionis Theologiae
393 pages
ISBN : 978-2-503-60681-1
€ 80,00

Translation from the French original "La prière universelle dans les liturgies latines anciennes" (1977) by Paul De Clerck.
The reinstatement of the Universal Prayer into the Roman liturgy following the Second Vatican Council prompted Paul De Clerck to research its origins and development, taking as his primary model the ancient Roman Orationes sollemnes of Good Friday. The result has been a marvellous gift to liturgical scholars, as his meticulous study of texts from both East and West brings to light direct and indirect relationships and provides significant insight into the way in which Western liturgical families developed their intercessory formularies.

The first part of his study is devoted to analysis of allusions to the Oratio fidelium found in the writings of the Fathers and ecclesiastical writers of the first five centuries, with the aim of discovering the prehistory of the ‘prayer of the faithful' particularly with regard to its content, form and placement within the liturgy. The second part of the study analyses and compares the oldest preserved texts that shed light on the prayer. Chief among these are the Deprecatio Gelasii in its various iterations, the Orationes sollemnes of Rome (and parallels in other Churches) and the Gallic and Hispanic Orationes paschales, together with relevant texts from Celtic and Gallican sources.

The translation of the French text will provide English-speaking scholars across the globe access to this excellent work and encourage similar in-depth research into liturgical sources that will continue to enhance the celebration of the Church's liturgy and the full and conscious participation of the entire faithful.

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Table of Contents

PART ONE: EXAMINATION OF THE PATRISTIC EVIDENCE
Introduction
Section One: The earliest evidence
Section Two: The African Church
Section Three: The Church of Rome
Section Four: The Church of Milan (St Ambrose)
Section Five: The Church of Gaul
Conclusions drawn from Part One

PART TWO: STUDY OF THE TEXTS
Introduction
Section One: The Orationes sollemnes
Section Two: A first wave of litanic texts: Translations
Section Three: A second wave of litanic texts: Adaptations
Conclusion to the first three sections
Section Four: The Gallican and Hispanic 'Orationes paschales'
Section Five: Subsequent evolution
Section Six: The Universal Prayer, the Kyrie eleison and the Oratio super sindonem
Conclusions of Part Two

GENERAL CONCLUSIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDICES

Source : Brepols