little office

Thân thiện

A nun reads from her little office in the chapel.

Definition

Noun: - A Roman Catholic office honoring the Virgin Mary; similar to but shorter than the Divine Office: The Little Office is a liturgical prayer cycle dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It is structured similarly to the Divine Office (the Liturgy of the Hours) but is shorter and less complex, making it suitable for private devotion by the laity or religious communities.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Many laypeople find comfort in praying the Little Office each day.
  • The monastery's tradition includes the communal recitation of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Advanced Usage

• "To recite/say/pray the Little Office": This is the standard phrasing for describing the act of performing this prayer cycle.
  • She makes time to pray the Little Office every evening.

Variants and Related Words

• Divine Office / Liturgy of the Hours (n): The complete, official set of daily prayers prescribed for the Catholic Church, of which the Little Office is a shorter, Marian-focused version.
• Breviary (n): The book containing the texts for the Divine Office. A version may also contain the Little Office.

Synonyms

• Marian Office: Another name for this devotion, emphasizing its dedication to Mary.
• Hours of the Virgin: A historical and alternative title for the Little Office.

Related Idioms or Phrases

• Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary: The full and most common title for this devotion.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a Roman Catholic office honoring the Virgin Mary; similar to but shorter than the Divine Office

Từ đồng nghĩa

• little office