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Daily Prayer in the Early Church (Alcuin Club collections)

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"The school of Christian prayer is a unique one. We never ever really graduate from it, but continue to learn in it ... not the sole reserve of the clergy and monastics." Dr. Alexander Roman

Daily Prayer of Early Church:

This is one of Paul Bradshaw's best studies, on the roots and development of daily prayer in the early Christian communities, contributing to a better view of the continuity and diversity of personal prayer, and its inclusion in the liturgy. Only two other studies on the Divine office, I am aware of, are as profound, one by Fr. R. Taft, and another by Fr. Mathew the Poor, who defends the thesis of Pachomian origins of the Pslamic devotion (not available in English).

As a liturgist, Bradshaw sought the office which was the school of prayer for the lay and novice monks in the East. In his elaborate discovery tour, he digs to the roots of Therapeutae traditions of praise, inherited into the Coptic Church tradition, of praying psalms and praising in two choirs. He traces the Pachomian form carry over by John Cassian to Marseilles, and its later diffusion to and through the Benedictines.

The Divine Hours:

When this monastic tradition became a daily practice for the Laos in Coptic Egypt, it was organized by the later desert fathers to endorse the faithful practice of spiritual life. It was gradually amended, when used in liturgical service, with the Lords prayer, the prayer of thanksgiving, and the 51st psalm (50 in the Septuagint, ancient Greek version), the twelve corresponding psalms, and a Gospel lectionary of the hour, and short beautiful litanies (some are Byzantine, and at least one is Catholic). Now they pray Lord have mercy, 41 times (representing 39 lashes, the spear and crown of thorns), Holy, Holy, Holy Lord of hosts, Self absolution, and the seal prayer of every hour (exact word for word with Byzantine parallel.

Unceasing Praise:

Origen wrote extensively about prayer, in Exhortation to Martyrdom; martyrdom is the vocation of all the faithful, and unceasing prayer (Seven times) is his/her helmet and shield.

The hour of dawn commemorates the resurrection of our Lord IC XC, keep yourself holy to the third hour (9 AM), when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples. Sixth hour (mid day) his enthronement on the Cross; look up and be whole. Ninth hour; death of the passions in imitation of our Lord, who died in the flesh, and the right bandit was the confessor of faith who stole eternal life. Eleventh hour (Vespers: 5 PM) removing the body of our Lord, anointing it with sweet fragrances, and 12th Hour (Compline) commemorating laying down of the life giving body in the grave. This is the last hour of the day, sleep is but temporary death.

Midnight prayers help you to live His struggle in Gethsemany praying thrice: First watch, when three disciple slept, second watch, when He longed for their fellowship. The prayer of the veil is a Coptic monastic rite, for He is expected to come in the last watch (John 6:15-23).

Bradshaw Findings:

a. No particular authority can be claimed for times of prayer.

b. Set times of daily devotion in early Church was intercession.

c. Pachomian plasmodial prayer is the dominant element of office.

d. Bible readings was probably of monastic influence.

Author:

The Rvd. Paul Bradshaw, Professor of Liturgy and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. He has many years' experience of searching, teaching, and writing about prayer. He wrote many books on the subject, a coeditor of the Oxford, 'Study of Liturgy,' and he promotes the two ways of prayer as two different traditions of monastic and congregation practices.