Matins in Lutheranism

In the Lutheran Church, Matins is a morning-time liturgical order combining features that were found in the Medieval orders of Matins, Lauds, and Prime. Lutherans generally retained the Order of Matins for use in schools and in larger city parishes throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. In some places, Matins continued to be sung in Latin still longer. For example, at the close of the eighteenth century in Leipzig, one historian records that "every Sunday and festival day the canonical hours taken over from the Roman Catholic Church are still being chanted before [the chief service] at 6:30 am."^[1] The orders experienced a revival in the Confessional Renewal that took place in the 19th century, and now have a stable place in modern Lutheran liturgical books.

Representative examples

A few examples of Matins in the Lutheran Church can be found below. The first column contains the Offices of Matins, Lauds, and Prime as found in the pre-Reformation breviary from the Archdiocese of Magdeburg. The second column provides the Office of Matins from the Lutheran Cathedral of Havelberg, a suffragan of Magdeburg, as found in the 1589 Vesperale of Matthäus Ludecus, dean of the Havelberg Cathedral. The third column provides Matins as it was sung in the Lutheran Cathedral of Magdeburg in 1613, precisely one century after the pre-Reformation breviary in the first column. The final column contains the Order of Matins as found in the 1941 Lutheran Hymnal of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. Along with the outline of the office itself, the various propers for Matins of the First Sunday in Advent are also included.

Magdeburg Breviary (1513)	Vesperale (Havelberg, 1589)	Cantica Sacra (Magdeburg, 1613)	The Lutheran Hymnal (LCMS, 1941)
Matins	Matins	Matins	Matins
Domine labia mea aperies	Domine labia mea aperies	Domine labia mea aperies	"O Lord, open Thou my lips"
Deus in adiutorium meum intende	Deus in adiutorium meum intende	Deus in adiutorium meum intende	"Make haste, O God, to deliver me"
Gloria Patri	Gloria Patri	Gloria Patri	Glory be to the Father...
Alleluia	Alleluia	Alleluia	Alleluia
Invitatory Advent I: Ecce venit rex	Invitatory	Invitatory Advent I: Ecce venit rex	Invitatory Advent I: "Behold, the King cometh..."
Venite	Venite	Venite	Venite
First Nocturne
			Hymn
Psalmody Psalm: Beatus vir Psalm: Quare fremuerunt Psalm: Domine quod multiplicati Psalm: Cum invocarem Psalm: Verba mea auribus Psalm: Domine ne in furore Psalm: Domine Deus meus in te speravi Psalm: Domine Dominus noster Psalm: Confitebor tibi Psalm: In Domino confido Psalm: Salvum me fac Domine Psalm: Usque quo Domine oblivisceris Psalm: Dixit insipiens in corde suo Antiphon for Advent I: Scientes quia hora est	Psalmody Psalm: Beatus vir Psalm: Quare fremuerunt Psalm: Domine quid multiplicati Psalm: Cum invocarem Psalm: Verba mea auribus Psalm: Domine ne in furore Psalm: Domine Deus meus in te speravi Psalm: Domine Dominus noster Psalm: Confitebor tibi Psalm: In Domino confido Psalm: Salvum me fac Domine Psalm: Usquequo Domine oblivisceris Psalm: Dixit insipiens in corde suo Antiphon for Advent I: Scientes quia hora est	Psalmody Psalm: Beatus vir Psalm: Quare fremuerunt Psalm: Domine quod multiplicati Antiphon for Advent I: Scientes quia hora est	Psalmody - "One or more psalms shall be said or chanted" Advent I: Unspecified
Versicle Advent I: V: Egredietur virga de radice Iesse R: Et flos de radice eius ascendet
First Lection Advent I: Visio Esaie, filii Amos... (Isaiah 1:1-3)	Lections	Three Lections on Feasts and Sundays, one on Ferias Advent I: Visio Esaie, filii Amos... (Isaiah 1:1-15)	Lections - one or more
Responsory (common, seasonal, or proper to a certain Sunday or feast) Advent I: Aspiciens a longe	Responsory (common, seasonal, or proper to a certain Sunday or feast) Advent I: Ecce dies venerunt	Three Responsories on Sundays and Feasts, one on Ferias (common, seasonal, or proper to a certain Sunday or feast) Advent I: Aspiciens a longe	Responsory (common, seasonal, or proper to a certain Sunday or feast) Advent I: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord..."
Second Lection Advent I: Ve genti peccatrici (Isaiah 1:4-6)		Second Lection Advent I: Lavamini, mundi estote... (Isaiah 1:16-31)
Responsory Advent I: Aspiciebam in visu noctis		Responsory Advent I: Aspiciebam in visu noctis
Third Lection Advent I: Terra vestra deserta (Isaiah 1:7-9)		Third Lection Advent I: Et cum appropinquasset... (Matthew 21:1-9)
Responsory Advent I: Missus est Gabriel angelus		Responsory Advent I: Missus est Gabriel angelus
Second Nocturne
Psalmody Psalm: Conserva me Domine Psalm: Exaudi Domine iusticiam Psalm: Diligam te Domine Antiphon for Advent I: Nox processit dies autem	Psalmody Psalm: Conserva me Domine Psalm: Exaudi Domine iusticiam Psalm: Diligam te Domine
Versicle Advent I: V: Egredietur Dominus de loco sancto suo R: Veniet ut salvum faciat populum suum
Fourth Lection Advent I: Audite verbum Domini (Isaiah 1:10-13a)
Responsory Advent I: Ave Maria gratia plena
Fifth Lection Advent I: Incensum abhominatio est mihi (Isaiah 1:13b-15)
Responsory Advent I: Salvatorem expectamus
Sixth Lection Advent I: Levamini mundi estote (Isaiah 1:16-18)
Responsory Advent I: Audite verbum Domini gentes
Third Nocturne
Psalmody Psalm: Celi enerrant Psalm: Exaudiat te Dominus Psalm: Domine in virtute Antiphon for Advent I: Hora est iam nos de somno surgere	Psalmody Psalm: Coeli enerrant Psalm: Exaudiat te Dominus Psalm: Domine in virtute
Versicle Advent I: V: Ex Syon species decoris eius R: Deus noste manifeste veniet
Seventh Lection Advent I: Cum appropinquasset Iesus (Matthew 21:1-9a)		See Third Lection
Homily Advent I: Puto res ipsa exigit ut queramus... (Pseudo-Chrysostom, Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homily 37)
Responsory Advent I: Ecce virgo concipiet
Eighth Lection Advent I: Ideo ergo cum tanta (Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homily 37)
Responsory Advent I: Obsecro Domine mitte quem missurus
Ninth Lection Advent I: Quando Iudei voluerunt Christum (Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homily 37)
Responsory Advent I: Letentur celi et exultet terra
			Sermon (optional)
Te Deum Not said in Advent	Te Deum	Te Deum	Te Deum or Benedictus
	Dominus vobiscum and Oremus Collect Advent I: Excita quesumus Domine Dominus vobiscum Benedicamus Domino
Lauds	Lauds	Lauds
Psalmody Psalm: Dominus regnavit Antiphon for Advent I: In illa die stillabunt montes Psalm: Iubilate Deo Antiphon for Advent I: Iocundare filia Syon Psalm: Deus Deus meus ad te de luce vigilo Psalm: Deus misereatur Antiphon for Advent I: Ecce Dominus veniet Benedicite omnia opera Antiphon for Advent I: Omnes sitientes venite ad aquas Psalm: Laudate Dominum de celis Antiphon for Advent I: Ecce veniet propheta magnus	Psalmody Psalm: Dominus regnavit Psalm: Iubilate Deo Psalm: Deus Deus meus ad te de luce vigilo Psalm: Deus misereatur Psalm: Laudate Dominum de coelis Psalm: Cantate Domino canticum novum Psalm: Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius	Psalmody Psalm: Dominus regnavit Antiphon for Advent I: In illa die stillabunt montes Psalm: Iubilate Deo Antiphon for Advent I: Iucundare filia Syon Psalm: Deus Deus meus ad te de luce vigilo Psalm: Deus misereatur Antiphon for Advent I: Ecce Dominus veniet Benedicite omnia opera Antiphon for Advent I: Omnes sitientes venite ad aquas Psalm: Laudate Dominum de celis Antiphon for Advent I: Ecce veniet propheta magnus
Hymn (seasonal, common, or proper) Advent I: Vox clara ecce intonat		Hymn (seasonal, common, or proper) Advent I: Vox ecce clara personat	Hymn
Chapter Advent I: Scientes quia hora est (Romans 13:11)		Chapter (German version of what was read in Matins) Advent I: Da sie nun nahe... (Matthew 21:1-9)
Versicle and response (seasonal, common, or proper) Advent I: V: Vox clamantis in deserto parate viam Domino R: Rectas facite semitas Dei nostri
Benedictus with antiphon (usually proper, frequently taken from Gospel at Mass) Antiphon for Advent I: Spiritus sanctus in te descendit Maria	Benedictus with antiphon	Benedictus with antiphon (usually proper, frequently taken from Gospel at Mass) Antiphon for Advent I: Spiritus sanctus in te descendet Maria
Versicle Advent I: V: Ex Syon species decoris eius R: Deus noste manifeste veniet
Collect Advent I: Excita quesumus Domine			Collect Advent I: Excita quesumus Domine
Prime	Prime	Prime
Hymn - Nocte surgentes		Hymn - Jam lucis orto sydere
Psalmody Psalm: Deus Deus meus respice in me Psalm: Dominus regit me Psalm: Domini est terra Psalm: Ad te Domine levavi Psalm: Iudica me Domine Psalm: Deus in nomine Psalm: Confitemini Domino Psalm: Beati immaculati Psalm: Retribue suo tuo vivifica me Psalm: Quincunque vult		Psalmody Psalm: Dominus regit me or Psalm: Confitemini Domino or Psalm: Quincunque vult
Chapter Domine miserere nostri... (Isaiah 33:2)
Responsory Christe fili Dei vivi		Responsory Christe fili Dei vivi
Ninefold Kyrie			Threefold Kyrie
Pater noster			"Our Father..."
Preces			Optional suffrages
Confiteor
Preces
Dominus vobiscum and Oremus	Dominus vobiscum and Oremus		"The Lord be with you"
Collect - Domine sancte Pater omnipotens...			Collects Collect for Grace: "O Lord, our heavenly Father..."
Versicles
Collect - Actiones nostras...
Oremus
Collect - Sancta Maria mater Domini...
Deus in adiutorium meum intende (x3)
Gloria Patri
Threefold Kyrie
Pater noster
Versicles (Psalm 90:16-17)
Oremus
Dirigere et sanctificare...
Dominus vobiscum	Dominus vobiscum
Benedicamus Domino	Benedicamus Domino	Benedicamus Domino	"Bless we the Lord."
			Benediction

References

^ Leonhardi, p. 416; cited in Stiller, p. 49

Bibliography

Leonhardi, F. G. (1799). Geschichte und Beschreibung der Kreis- und Handelsstadt Leipzig nebst der umliegenden Gegend. Leipzig.
Stiller, Günther (1984). Leaver, Robin A. (ed.). Johann Sebastian Bach and Liturgical Life in Leipzig. Translated by Bouman, Herbert J. A.; Poellot, Daniel F.; Oswald, Hilton C. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. ISBN 0-570-01320-8.
Breviarum Magdeburgense. Magdeburg. 1513.
Ludecus, Matthäus (1589). Vesperale et Matutinale, hoc est cantica, hymni, et collectæ, sive precationes ecclesiasticæ, quæ in Primus et Secundis Vesperis, itemque Matutinis precibus, per totius anni circulum, in Ecclesiis et religiosis piorum congressibus cantari usitate solent, notis rite applicatæ, et in duas partes ordine digestæ a Matthaeo Ludeco, Ecclesiæ Cathedralis Havelbergensis Decano. Havelberg.
Cantica Sacra, Quo ordine et melodiis, per totius anni curriculum, in Matutinis et Vespertinis, itemque; Intermediis precibus cantari solent, una cum lectionibus et precationibus in unum volumen congesta pro S. Metropolitana Magdeburgensi Ecclesia. Magdeburg: Andreas Bezelius (Petzel). 1613.
The Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America (1941). Polack, W. G. (ed.). The Lutheran Hymnal. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House.

[1] Leonhardi, p. 416; cited in Stiller, p. 49

[1]

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