Folia Theologica et Canonica 4. 26/18 (2015)

IUS CANONICUM - Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi, O.Praem., The systematic development of the Liturgy of Hours during the first centuries - based on the Jewish and Christian tradition

FOLIA THEOLOGICA ET CANONICA (2015) 153-161

Szabolcs Anzelin Szuromi, O.Praem.

THE SYSTEMATIC DEVELOPMENT

OF THE LITURGY OF HOURS DURING THE FIRST CENTURIES - BASED ON THE JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN TRADITION*

I. The Psalms in the religious life of Israel; II. The Psalms in the daily life of the Church, /. Fundamental role of Psalms, 2. Interpretation of Psalms by the patristic authors prior the institutionalized Divine Office-, III. The crystallization of the Divine Office; Epilogue

Pope Paul VI (1963-1978) in his Apostolic Constitution on the promulgation of revision of the Divine Office points out: "The Liturgy of the Hours gradually developed into the prayer of the local church, a prayer offered at regular intervals and in appointed places under the presidency of a priest (...) The book of the Divine Office, gradually enlarged by many additions in the course of time, became a suitable instrument for the sacred action for which it was designed (...).”'

The Psalms were recited in the Temple of Jerusalem at seven times as part of the ancient liturgical cult, expressing the adherence to the Covenant. The various Psalms had become one of the most interpreted and referred text of the Old Testament for the patristic authors from the Early Christianity which testified by numerous sermos and homilies by many - including the greatest - Christian writers and thinkers. Thanks to the profound scientific research on the institutional correlation between the “Old Testamental Nation” (Israel) and the “New Testamental Nation” (the Church) is known well that the praying of the Psalms and the structure of the daily liturgy of the Temple of Jerusalem made important influence on the early ecclesiastical prayerful life and liturgical customs. The reception of praying of Psalms at seven times which consecrate the entire day not only the Jewish people but also of the Christian faithful in the first

* This article is enlarged version of my paper which was presented at the international conference: The Use of Psalms in Jewish and Christian Traditions (Budapest, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, November 2015). The original text was written in the International Canon Law History Center (Budapest), and it was supplemented based on further research in the Saint Michael’s Abbey of the Norbertine Fathers (USA, Silverado, CA). This research was supported by the OTKA K 106300 and the KAP-3.6-14/003 projects.

1 The Liturgy of Hours According to the Roman Rite, I. New York 1975. 11.