Why isn't the Canticum Trium Puerorum strictly scriptural?
  • Geremia
    Posts: 290
    Why isn't the Canticum Trium Puerorum (a.k.a Benedicite omnia opera Domini, from the Song in the Fiery Furnace in the book of Daniel 3:57-88) in the Roman Breviary strictly scriptural?

    Especially the non-scriptural, very Trinitarian part: "Benedicámus Patrem et Fílium cum Sancto Spíritu"? What is the origin of this?

    See this comparison table.
  • FSSPmusic
    Posts: 508
    I don't know the answer to your question, but that doxology is also sung in place of the usual Gloria Patri at the introit on Trinity Sunday according to many of the oldest sources, restored in the newer editions.
    https://wiki.omnigreg.at/grad:0007
  • Charles_Weaver
    Posts: 212
    The comparison table is not so helpful, as the most important part of the comparison is that the last part of the canticle's litany structure (laudate et superexaltate eum in saecula) is not repeated after each verse. This seems to have been a pretty early (and very practical) omission. I especially love the very elaborate melodies of this canticle.

    Otherwise, the text is taken directly from the scriptural source. Of course the doxology is added, as with all the psalms and canticles, and it happens to be a proper doxology rather than the usual "gloria patri."

    I guess I don't understand the question. What is not strictly scriptural about it?
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  • Liam
    Posts: 5,610
    That comparison is hard to read because it fails to account for omitted vv and partial vv from the source; omissions of that type for liturgical use are very common. If your argument is that such omissions render it not strictly scriptural, you'd also be saying the same thing about liturgical Gospels and Epistles, et cet.
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  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,538
    Or the rough paraphrase of Galatians that yields Nos autem.
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  • Geremia
    Posts: 290
    @Charles_Weaver
    What is not strictly scriptural about it?
    I mean it's not verbatim taken from Daniel.
    laudate et superexaltate eum in saecula) is not repeated after each verse. This seems to have been a pretty early (and very practical) omission.
    What's "very practical" about that omission? Why was it omitted?
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,538
    By that token none of the psalms are.

    I mean, it’s shorter. They didn’t compile the office while writing down their motivations for posterity.
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  • Geremia
    Posts: 290
    The oldest known manuscript of written music in the world, the Cantatorium St. Gallen (c. 924 A.D.), contains the Canticum Trium Puerorum on pp. 5-6:

    Ymnus triū puerorū 1Ymnus triū puerorū 2

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  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,235
    This canticum resembles a psalm in some ways, and a psalm in the Office would typically end with a Gloria Patri, the "little doxology". In this case the doxology is put into a form which echoes the language of the preceding verses.

    The old Catholic Encyclopedia (in an article by Adrian Fortescue) says that this doxology is the only alternative doxology remaining for a canticle in the Roman Office:
    https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Doxology
  • Simon
    Posts: 169
    The Canticum was recorded as the finale of the Psalterium Currrens - a recording project of the whole Psalter in Gregorian chant. The piece lasts 21 minutes. It was added as an expression of thanks to God for concluding this roject - nine week-long recordmusic edition ing sessions over a period of six years (2012-2017. I've attached our recorded pdf with neumes from the St. Gall Cantatorium. .
    ca--benedictus_es_domine--gregofacsimil.pdf
    68K
  • NoahLovinsNoahLovins
    Posts: 24
    A better question is why, in the Benedicite, does the verb ‘benedicere’ sometimes take the dative ‘Domino,’ and other times take the accusative ‘Dominum’?
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