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Views from the Choir Loft

“Vespers of the Dead” • Most Elaborate Book of Hours I’ve Ever Seen

Jeff Ostrowski · October 22, 2022

Y COLLEAGUE, Andrea Leal, sent to me something absolutely remarkable. It’s a “Book of Hours” containing Vespers of the Dead—but created with breathtaking attention to detail. Every letter, every accent, every illumination is far and away the most ornate version I’m aware of. I don’t know much about Vespers of the Dead, but I’m told it was often prayed by monks in addition to the office of the day. So it seems to have been a special prayer for someone who died, for benefactors, or for the holy souls in Purgatory. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen once exclaimed: “Have you noticed how uncomfortable modern man is with death? At a memorial service, he does not know how to extend condolences. The atheist has this world and nothing else.” Sheen was correct; our forefathers were much more comfortable with death.

*  High Resolution • “Book of Hours” circa 1493AD

A wonderful excerpt from Archbishop Sheen:

Things were once seen as signs of outward expression of the unseen. […] The gargoyle peering from behind a pillar in a cathedral reminded us that temptations are to be found even in the most holy places. Our Blessèd Lord—on the occasion of His planned entrance into Jerusalem—said that if men withheld their praise of Him, “the very stones would cry out”—which they did as, later, they burst into Gothic Cathedrals. Now the stones are silent, for modern man no longer believes in another world; they have no story to tell, no meaning to convey, no truth to illustrate.

Memento mori.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles, Featured Tagged With: Memento Mori, Vespers of the Dead Last Updated: October 23, 2022

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Vespers Booklet (4th Sunday of Lent)
    The organ accompaniment booklet (24 pages) which I created for the 4th Sunday of Lent (“Lætare Sunday”) may now be downloaded, for those who desire such a thing.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Vespers Booklet, 3rd Sunday of Lent
    The organ accompaniment I created for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (“Extraordinary Form”) may now be downloaded, if anyone is interested in this.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Weeping For Joy! (We Hope!)
    Listening to this Easter Alleluia—an SATB arrangement I made twenty years ago based on the work of Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel—one of our readers left this comment: “I get tears in my eyes each time I sing to this hymn.” I hope this person is weeping for joy!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“A flawless harmonization of Gregorian chant cannot be created by improvisation, no matter the competence and ability of the organist or harmonist.”

— Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (circa 1940)

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