The Liturgical Year: Advent

The Liturgical Year #1

by Prosper Guéranger, Laurence Shepherd (Translator)

The Liturgical Year is an essential addition to the library of any historian. It is a detailed written work, spanning 15 volumes, describing the depth and beauty of the liturgical year of the Catholic Church. The series was written by Dom Prosper Louis Pascal Guéranger, a French Benedictine priest and abbot of Solesmes, starting in 1841. In 1875, after writing nine volumes, Dom Guéranger, passed away. The remaining volumes of the series were later completed by another Benedictine monk under Dom Guéranger's name.

This eye-opening series highlights the full span of the intricate and meaningful history of the Catholic Church for all to see. It details the traditions, celebrations, and liturgical practices of faithful Catholics throughout the liturgical year as they commemorate the life of Christ and His followers. Guéranger lays significant emphasis on the historical development of the liturgy in both Western and Eastern traditions, across multiple rites of the Mass. And he details how the Catholic tradition differs from the later Protestant traditions, established after 1517. Contained within the depths of Guéranger’s writings are the significances of each liturgical season, the holy days, and biographies of the saints with portions of the liturgies recited on their feast days.

This is a must-have for any Christian historian or apologist who wishes to understand the foundation of European culture and the later years of Christendom.

In this book you will get detailed writings on:
- The History of Advent
- The Mystery of Advent
- The Practice during Advent
- The Proper of the Time (1st Sunday of Advent to 4th Sunday of Advent)
- The Proper of the Saints (November 30 - December 24)

Genres: Religion, Catholic

520 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1845

About the author

Dom Prosper Louis Pascal Guéranger, Servant of God, was a Benedictine priest, abbot of Solesmes Abbey (which he founded in the disused priory of Solesmes) and founder of the French Benedictine Congregation (now the Solesmes Congregation). Dom Guéranger was the author of The Liturgical Year, which covers every day of the Catholic Church's Liturgical Cycle in 15 volumes. He was well regarded by Pope Pius IX, and was a proponent of the dogmas of papal infallibility and the Immaculate Conception. Dom Guéranger is credited with reviving the Benedictine Order in France, and revitalizing the Tridentine Mass.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosper...

Reviews

[Aaron Crofut · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a gem; a beautifully written commentary on the Advent liturgy of the Church. It is not the type of book one sits down and reads cover to cover, though the first section on the history and purpose of Advent certainly reads like that. The other two sections cover the propers of Advent and the Feast days that fall within Advent; both are detailed and helpful for daily meditations. The third section could be used as a solid stand alone Lives of the Saints. With that much information at hand, I can't say I read every page; there's just too much to keep up with, because this is volume 1 of 15 for the year! Heck, there are 120 pages of details describing tomorrow's liturgy alone, and I don't think I'll be able to spend all of Christmas just reading about Christmas. This is, however, an incredible auxiliary in keeping up with the Church's daily celebration.

As a still fairly recent convert, I find myself in the strange position of finding some things familiar while needing an introductory lesson on others. I have great respect both for Dom Prosper Gueranger and his translator in weaving together such in-depth explanations with material that would easily guide in a neophyte and having them blend as seamlessly as they do. He describes the Liturgy, both of the Mass and the Divine Office, as milk for those who are children and meat for those who are grown in the faith, and manages to make it so for the reader. While primarily drawing from the Latin liturgy, Dom Gueranger was a scholar of liturgies and is able to incorporate hymns, prayers, and traditions from a wide range of rites within the Church.

There's the history of Advent, there's poetry of the prayers, there's philosophy concerning the role of time in proper worship (every season, every day, every hour has a unique sacred meaning requiring its own expression in worship)...this book is sadly underutilized today. I highly recommend finding a download online unless you happen to have a few hundred dollars to toss about in buying a hard copy!

[Mary Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

an Enormous work

Very detailed. Gives an account of pre-Vatican 2 liturgy. One can see the continuity and the change since Vatican II.

[The Alien Observer]

Very beautiful and informative! The liturgy is deeply philosophical and spiritual.

[Raul · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read to start the new liturgical year. I will be coming back to this book next year.