{"id":85560,"date":"2015-07-24T10:00:10","date_gmt":"2015-07-24T17:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/?p=85560"},"modified":"2025-10-16T08:35:26","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T15:35:26","slug":"review-monastic-diurnal-at-one-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/review-monastic-diurnal-at-one-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Monastic Diurnal at One Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

A<\/span>lthough I’ve prayed some form of the Divine Office since before my baptism, just over a year ago I began using the Farnborough Monastic Diurnal<\/a>. It is only at this point that I feel confident enough to review it.<\/p>\n

\"Monastic<\/a>Physical Considerations<\/strong><\/p>\n

Physically, it is a handsome book. It is bound in stitched Moroccan leather that is a joy to hold. The pages are fairly opaque and allow little bleed. The edges are gilt, and it has six sewn ribbons.<\/p>\n

Yet, somehow, it remains extremely light and durable. I will be taking it on our next Camino<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The typography and design of the page is pleasing and easy to read, with columns of text in Latin with parallel English translation.<\/p>\n

\"Monastic<\/a><\/p>\n

So after a year, how has it held up? I took some comparative photos to help you see.<\/p>\n

Here’s a comparison shot of the spine. As you can see, the leather is creased and worn in a bit, which is to be expected with a book that sees daily use. The pages, however, remain tight, and there is no fatigue in the binding that I can see.<\/p>\n

\"Diurnal<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2015-07-19<\/a>The gilt has come off the edging in a number of places. To me, this is not a big deal – I kind of like the “lived-in” look – but if you’re somebody who wants your books to remain pristine, this could be a problem.<\/p>\n

The ribbons began to unravel within just a few months, and I tied them off to prevent further damage.<\/p>\n

If you click the image to the larger version and look at the yellow ribbon, you can pretty clearly see what was going on.<\/p>\n

I’ll get to those tabs I added in a bit.<\/p>\n

Content<\/strong><\/p>\n

This book was published by Saint Michael’s Abbey Press<\/a> of Farnborough Abbey<\/a>, and it bears a 2011 copyright date. They describe it as<\/p>\n

\n

A republication of the 1963 edition of the Benedictine hours of Prime, Lauds, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline, in Latin and English in parallel columns for all the feasts and seasons in the traditional Benedictine calendar, with an updated table of movable feasts and a Benedictus\/Magnificat card. The Latin text is the traditional Vulgate psalter.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The English translation is an utter joy. I find that I’ve added more and more of the Latin to my prayers through the year.<\/p>\n

(I don’t want to oversell my use of the Latin, however. At the rate I’m going, I should be praying the Hours entirely in Latin by, say, 2046 or so.)<\/p>\n

Unlike many of the other breviaries I’ve used, I found this one relatively easy to work. There is still some ramp-up time, of course. And for the first week or so of a new major season, there was some fumbling as I got re-used to the expanded use of the propers.<\/p>\n

If you are considering using this breviary, I strongly <\/em>suggest you take a look at the website Saints Will Arise<\/a>. The site provides an Ordo (in English!) and some great instructional notes on learning how to pray the traditional Benedictine Hours. It was an invaluable resource when I was starting out.<\/p>\n

Ribbons and Cards and Tabs (Oh My!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

As with every breviary I’ve ever used, there are either not enough or too many ribbons, depending on how you use them.<\/p>\n

If you intend to pray all of the little hours, including Prime and Compline, and you want to mark your place in the Proper of the Season and the Proper of the Saints, there are not nearly enough ribbons.<\/p>\n

If you intend to only pray Lauds and Vespers (which is my usual routine these days, with the irregular additions of Prime and Compline), then there will be some extra ribbons.<\/p>\n

My solution was to use ribbons for the following:<\/p>\n