Repeating Antiphons QUESTION from Michael Renner August 28, 2001 Dear Brother John-Paul:
I'm a relative newcomer to the LOTH/Christian Prayer and I have been puzzled by a question regarding the proper use of antiphons. I hope you can help.
I know that the properly assigned antiphon must be said at the beginning of a psalm or canticle. General Principle #2 (p. 34 in the red Christian Prayer text) seems to indicate that recitation at the end of the psalm or canticle and after the Glory to... as it was... is optional.
Seeming to contradict this is the instruction in the Ordinary on p.688 which not only mandates the antiphon at the end of the psalm, but also at the end of each strophe of the psalm as well.
Which is the most correct manner in which to pray the Hours, and why the confusion?
Thank you and God Bless!
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on September 2, 2001 Dear Mr. Renner:
Praise God that you are interested in and are participating in the Church's Official Prayer. You will be blessed by it.
Psalm 95 found on page 688 of your edition, is the Psalm recited during the Invitatory. It is an introductory prayer to being the liturgical day and is separate from the recitation of the Office itself. The structure of the antiphon that you see on Psalm 95 in the Invitatory applies to it alone. The General Princple you quote concerns the psalms in the Office itself.
For the psalms for any given Hour the antiphon at the end is optional. But it is tradtional to recite the antiphon both before the psalm and after the Glory at the end.
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