Editing Canticle

{{Short description|Type of Christian song of praise}}
{{About||other uses||"Canticles" or "Canticle of Canticles"|Song of Songs}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2017}}

In the context of [[Christian liturgy]], a '''canticle''' (from the [[Latin]] ''canticulum'', a diminutive of ''canticum'', "song") is a [[psalm]]-like song with [[biblical]] [[lyrics]] taken from elsewhere than the [[Book of Psalms]], but included in [[psalter]]s and books such as the [[breviary]].<ref>The ''Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music'' (1978) says "a scriptural text", though Anglican usage seems to be wider, including [[Te Deum]] &c. There is no entry for "canticle" in the 1906 [https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/directory/C/3878?page=4 Jewish Encyclopedia].</ref> Of special importance to the [[Canonical hours|Divine Office]] are three [[New Testament]] Canticles that are the climaxes of the Offices of [[Lauds]], [[Vespers]] and [[Compline]]; these are respectively [[Benedictus (Song of Zechariah)|Benedictus]] (Luke 1:68-79), [[Magnificat]] (Luke 1:46-55) and [[Nunc dimittis]] (Luke  2:29-32). There are also a number of Canticles taken from the Old Testament.

==Catholic Church==
Prior to the [[Pope Pius X]]'s [[Reform of the Roman Breviary by Pope Pius X|1911 reforms]], the following cycle of seven Old Testament Canticles was used at [[Lauds]]:
* Sunday – The Song of the [[Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego|Three Holy Children]] ({{bibleverse||Daniel|3:57–88, 56}})
* Monday – The [[Isaiah 12#Canticle|Song]] of [[Isaiah]] the Prophet ({{bibleverse||Isaiah|12:1-6}})
* Tuesday – The [[Isaiah 38#Canticle|Song]] of [[Hezekiah]] ({{bibleverse||Isaiah|38:10-20}})
* Wednesday – The [[Song of Hannah]] ({{bibleverse||1 Samuel|2:1-10}})
* Thursday – The (First) [[Song of the sea|Song of Moses]] ({{bibleverse||Exodus|15:1-19}})
* Friday – The Prayer of [[Habakkuk]] ({{bibleverse||Habakkuk|3:2-19}})
* Saturday – The (Second) [[Song of Moses]] ({{bibleverse||Deuteronomy|32:1-43}})

These are rather long, and the weekday ones display something of a penitential theme, but some were not often used, as all feasts and the weekdays in Eastertide had the Canticle of Daniel, assigned to Sunday.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

The 1911 reform introduced for weekdays not of penitential nature, and for lesser feasts and days of the lesser octaves, the following Canticles:
* Monday – The Song of [[David]] the King ({{bibleverse||1 Chronicles|29:10-13}})
* Tuesday – The Song of [[Book of Tobit|Tobit]] ({{bibleverse||Tobit|13:1-11}})
* Wednesday – The Song of [[Judith]] ({{bibleverse||Judith|16:15-22}})
* Thursday – The Song of [[Jeremiah]] the Prophet ({{bibleverse||Jeremiah|31:10-18}})
* Friday – The (Second) Song of [[Isaiah]] the Prophet ({{bibleverse||Isaiah|45:15-30}})
* Saturday – The Song of [[Jesus Sirach|Ecclesiasticus]] ({{bibleverse||Sirach|36:1-16}})

For weekdays in [[Advent]], [[Pre-Lent]], [[Lent]] and the quarterly [[Ember days|Ember Days]], if not superseded by higher-ranking feasts—due to the multitude of feasts in the rest of the year, these make up almost the totality of the days that did not have the Canticle of Daniel before—the original seven Canticles would still be used.

The [[Liturgy of the Hours]] (introduced in 1971) uses one canticle from the [[Old Testament]] each day at [[Lauds]], "each weekday of the four-week cycle [has] its own proper canticle and on Sunday the two sections of the [[Canticle of the Three Children]] may be alternated".<ref name="GILH136">[http://www.ewtn.com/library/curia/cdwgilh.htm#Ch%20III-V General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, No. 136]</ref> The liturgy [[Breviarium Romanum|prior to the reform after Vatican II]] used fourteen Old Testament Canticles in two weekly cycles.

At [[Vespers]] according to the [[Liturgy of the Hours]], a Canticle from the New Testament is used. These follow a weekly cycle, with some exceptions.<ref name="GILH136"/>

Additionally, the following Canticles from the [[Gospel of Luke]] (also called the “Evangelical Canticles”) are said daily:
* At [[Lauds]], the "[[Benedictus (Song of Zechariah)|Canticle of Zachary]]" (Luke 1:68-79), commonly referred to as the ''Benedictus.''
* At [[Vespers]], the "Canticle of [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Mary]]" (Luke 1:46-55), commonly known as the ''[[Magnificat]]''.
* At [[Compline]], the "Canticle of [[Simeon (Gospel of Luke)|Simeon]]" (Luke 2:29-32), commonly referred to as the ''[[Nunc dimittis]]''.

This usage is also followed by [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] churches.

==Anglican==
In the [[Church of England]], [[Morning Prayer (Anglican)|Morning]] and [[Evening Prayer (Anglican)|Evening Prayer]] according to the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]'' make extensive use of canticles, specifically those below and also in some enumerations, the [[Psalm 95|Venite (Psalm 95)]]. Nonetheless, the only text called a canticle in the rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer is the Benedicite, while the [[Song of Solomon]] is called the Canticles in the Lectionary.<ref>Book of Common Prayer, 1662, Cambridge.</ref>

* At Morning Prayer:
** [[Te Deum]] or [[Benedicite]] ([[Book of Daniel|Daniel]] 3:57–88 in the [[Apocrypha]])
** [[Benedictus (Song of Zechariah)|Benedictus]] ([[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 1:68–79) or Jubilate Deo ([[Psalm 100]])
* At Evening Prayer:
** [[Magnificat]] ([[Luke 1]]:46–55) or [[Psalm 98|Cantate Domino (Psalm 98)]]
** [[Nunc dimittis]] ([[Luke 2]]:29–32) or [[Psalm 67|Deus misereatur (Psalm 67)]]

==Eastern Christian==
{{details|Canon (hymnography)}}
In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Eastern Catholic Churches]] there are nine Biblical Canticles (or Odes) that are chanted at [[Matins#Eastern Christianity|Matins]]. These form the basis of the [[Canon (hymnography)|Canon]], a major component of Matins.

The nine Canticles are as follows:
* Canticle One &mdash; The (First) [[Song of the sea|Song of Moses]] ({{bibleverse||Exodus|15:1-19}})
* Canticle Two &mdash; The (Second) [[Song of Moses]] ({{bibleverse||Deuteronomy|32:1-43}})<ref>Canticle Two is normally only said on Tuesdays of Great Lent.</ref>
* Canticle Three &mdash; The [[Song of Hannah|Prayer of Hannah]] ({{bibleverse|1|Samuel|2:1-10}})
* Canticle Four &mdash; The Prayer of [[Habakkuk]] ({{bibleverse||Habakkuk|3:1-19}})
* Canticle Five &mdash; The Prayer of [[Isaiah]] ({{bibleverse||Isaiah|26:9-20}})
* Canticle Six &mdash; The Prayer of [[Jonah]] ({{bibleverse||Jonah|2:2-9}})
* Canticle Seven &mdash; The Prayer of the [[Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego|Three Holy Children]] ([http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/text/azariah.html Daniel 3:26-56])<ref name="Prot">In many Protestant versions of the Bible, this is found separately in the [[Deuterocanonical Books|Apocrypha]].</ref>
* Canticle Eight &mdash; The Song of the Three Holy Children (Daniel 3:57-88)<ref name="Prot" />
* Canticle Nine &mdash; The Song of the [[Theotokos]] (the ''Magnificat'': {{bibleverse||Luke|1:46-55}}); the Song of [[Zechariah (priest)|Zacharias]] (the ''Benedictus'' {{bibleverse||Luke|1:68-79}})

Originally, these Canticles were chanted in their entirety every day, with a short refrain inserted between each verse. Eventually, short verses ([[Troparion|troparia]]) were composed to replace these refrains, a process traditionally inaugurated by Saint [[Andrew of Crete]].<ref>{{cite book
  | last = Ware
  | first = Kallistos
  | author-link = Timothy Ware
  | title = The Festal Menaion
  | publisher = Faber and Faber
  | location = London
  | year = 1969
  | page = 546 }}</ref>
Gradually over the centuries, the verses of the Biblical Canticles were omitted (except for the Magnificat) and only the composed troparia were read, linked to the original canticles by an [[Irmos]]. During [[Great Lent]] however, the original Biblical Canticles are still read.

Another Biblical Canticle, the ''Nunc Dimittis'' ({{bibleverse||Luke|2:29-32}}), is either read or sung at [[Great Vespers|Vespers]].

==Armenian Liturgy==
At Matins (or Midnight Hour; Armenian: Ի մէջ Գիշերի ''i mej gisheri''), one canticle from the Old Testament is sung, associated with a reading from the Psalter, followed by hymns according to tone, season, and feast. There are eight such canticles which are determined by the musical tone of the day. These are, along with their respective portions of the Psalter and their tones:

* Tone Eight &mdash; The (First) [[Song of the sea|Song of Moses]] ({{bibleverse||Exodus|15:1-19}})&mdash; Psalms 1-17
* Tone One &mdash; The (Second) [[Song of Moses]] ({{bibleverse||Deuteronomy|32:1-21}}) &mdash; Psalms 18-35
* Tone Two &mdash; The (Second) [[Song of Moses]] ({{bibleverse||Deuteronomy|32:22-28}}, {{bibleverse||Deuteronomy|32:39-43}}) &mdash; Psalms 36-54
* Tone Three &mdash; The [[Song of Hannah|Prayer of Hannah]] ({{bibleverse|1|Samuel|2:1-10}}) &mdash; Psalms 55-71
* Tone Four &mdash; The Prayer of [[Isaiah]] ({{bibleverse||Isaiah|26:9-20}}) &mdash; Psalms 72-88
* Tone Five &mdash; The Prayer of [[Hezekiah]] ({{bibleverse||Isaiah|38:10-20}}) &mdash; Psalms 89-105
* Tone Six &mdash; The Prayer of [[Jonah]] with material from Isaiah ({{bibleverse||Isaiah|42:10-13}}, {{bibleverse||Isaiah|45:6}}, {{bibleverse||Jonah|2:2-10}}) &mdash; Psalms 106-118
* Tone Seven &mdash; The Prayer of [[Habakkuk]] ({{bibleverse||Habakkuk|3:1-19}}) &mdash; Psalms 119-147
Note that Psalms 148-150 and Psalm 151 are not part of this system because they are read every day at the Morning Hour, following the canticles presented below.

At the Morning Hour (Armenian: Յառաւուտու Ժամ ''haṟavoutou zham''), corresponding to Lauds, the following canticles are fixed parts of the service each day:

* The Prayer of the [[Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego|Three Holy Children]] ([http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/text/azariah.html Daniel 3:26-88])
* The Song of the [[Theotokos]] (Magnificat: {{bibleverse||Luke|1:46-55}});
* The Song of [[Zechariah (priest)|Zacharias]] (the Benedictus {{bibleverse||Luke|1:68-79}})
* The Prayer of [[Simeon (Gospel of Luke)|Simeon]] (Nunc dimittis {{bibleverse||Luke|2:29-32}})

Following the Song of the Three Youths and the Prayer of Simeon there are sets of hymns as well as other texts which are proper to the commemoration of the day or of the liturgical season.

In the other hours, sections of these and other canticles are included in fixed material, consisting of amalgams of verse material from the Old Testament:
Ninth Hour: a citation of Daniel 3:35;
Peace Hour (after Vespers): {{bibleverse||Isaiah|8:9-10}}, {{bibleverse||Isaiah|9:26}};
Rest Hour (after the Peace Hour): Daniel 3:29-34, Luke 2:29-32, Luke 1:16-55.

This list does not take into account citations of these texts in the Divine Liturgy (Armenian: Պատարագ ''patarag'') or in the movable Old Testament verse material or in hymnody.

==Coptic Orthodoxy==
{{details|Tasbeha}}
In the [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria|Coptic Orthodox Church]] there are four Biblical Canticles (or [[wiktionary:ϩⲱⲥ|ϩⲱⲥ]] (hos, literally praise/song)) that are chanted during [[Tasbeha|midnight praises]]. The fourth of these canticles is also chanted during vespers praises.

The four Canticles are as follows:

* The First Canticle - [[Song of the Sea|The Song of Moses]] ({{bibleverse|Exodus|15:1-21|}})
* The Second Canticle - {{bibleverse|Psalm|136|}} (135 LXX)
* The Third Canticle - [[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children|The Song of the Three Holy Children]] ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+3%3A52-88&version=NRSVCE Daniel 3:52-88] LXX, including The ''[[Benedicite]]'')
* The Fourth Canticle - {{bibleverse|Psalm|148-150|}}

==See also==
* [[Hymns to Mary]]
* ''[[A Canticle for Leibowitz]]''
* Canticle, the counterpoint melody to [[Scarborough Fair (ballad)#Simon & Garfunkel version|"Scarborough Fair"]] by [[Simon & Garfunkel]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commonscatinline|Canticles}}
* {{Wiktionary inline|canticle}}
* {{cite EB9 |wstitle = Canticles |volume= V  |last= Smith |first=William Robertson |author-link= William Robertson Smith| pages=32-36 |short=1 }}

{{Eastern Orthodox liturgical books}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canticles| ]]
[[Category:Christian liturgical music]]
[[Category:Genres of Byzantine music]]
[[Category:Liturgy of the Hours]]
[[Category:Choral music genres]]