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A 'canticle' (from the Latin ''canticulum'', a diminutive of ''canticum'', song) is a hymn (strictly excluding the Psalms) taken from the Bible. The term is often expanded to included ancient non-biblical hymns such as the Te Deum and certain psalms used liturgically. Its meaning can be further expanded to include:

★ A song, especially a hymn (as in "Canticle of Canticles", another way to refer to the biblical book Song of Solomon.)

★ A canto or division of a poem

Contents

Anglican

Eastern Christian

Notes

External links

Anglican

In the Church of England, Morning and Evening Prayer according to the ''Book of Common Prayer'' makes extensive use of canticles.

★ At Morning Prayer:

★
★ Venite (Psalm 95)

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★ Te Deum (not biblical) or Benedicite (Daniel 3:57–88 in the Apocrypha)

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★ Benedictus (Luke 1:68–79) or Jubilate Deo (Psalm 100)

★ At Evening Prayer:

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★ Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55) or Cantate Domino (Psalm 98)

★
★ Nunc dimittis (Luke 2:29–32) or Deus misereatur (Psalm 67)

Eastern Christian

In the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches there are nine Biblical Canticles (or Odes) that are chanted at Matins These form the basis of the Canon, a major component of Matins.
The nine Canticles are as follows:

★ Canticle One — The (First) Song of Moses ()

★ Canticle Two — The (Second) Song of Moses ()^[1]

★ Canticle Three — The Prayer of Hannah (I Kings 2:1-10) KJV:

★ Canticle Four — The Prayer of Habakkuk ()

★ Canticle Five — The Prayer of Isaiah ()

★ Canticle Six — The Prayer of Jonah ()

★ Canticle Seven — The Prayer of the Three Holy Children (Daniel 3:26-56)^[2]

★ Canticle Eight — The Song of the Three Holy Children (Daniel 3:57-88)^[3]

★ Canticle Nine — The Song of the Theotokos (the ''Magnificat'': ); the Song of Zacharias (the ''Benedictus'' )
Originally, these Canticles were chanted in their entirety every day, with a short refrain inserted between each verse. Eventually, short verses (troparia) were composed to replace these refrains, a process traditionally inaugurated by Saint Andrew of Crete.^[4] 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'' (), is either read or sung at Vespers.

Notes

1. Canticle Two is normally only said on Tuesdays of Great Lent.
2. In many Protestant versions of the Bible, this is found separately in the Apocrypha.
3. Ibid.
4. Ware, Kallistos, ''The Festal Menaion'' (Faber and Faber, London, 1969), p. 546.

External links

★ Hymns and Cancticles from the Hebrew Scriptures

★ Hymns and Canticles from the Prophet Isaiah Part 1

★ Hymns and Canticles from the Prophet Isaiah Part 2