Definition

Noun: * A liturgical prayer service: The "office of the dead" is a specific cycle of prayers, psalms, and readings from the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours) in the Roman Catholic Church, traditionally recited or sung for the repose of the soul of a deceased person.

Usage

• The "office of the dead" is a liturgical service, not a physical location or a government position.
• It is most commonly associated with the vigil for a deceased person, often held before a funeral Mass.
• It can also be offered on anniversaries of a death or on certain liturgical days dedicated to the faithful departed.

Examples

• The family gathered in the church the evening before the funeral to pray the office of the dead.
• In monastic communities, the office of the dead is often recited regularly for all the departed.
• The priest led the congregation in chanting the psalms from the office of the dead.

Advanced Usage

• Historically, the "office of the dead" was a distinct part of the Breviary and was sometimes required to be recited by clergy on certain days.
• The structure typically includes Vespers (Evening Prayer) and Matins (Office of Readings) for the dead, along with Lauds (Morning Prayer).

Variants and Related Words

• Requiem: Often used synonymously in a musical context (e.g., a Requiem Mass). While a Requiem is a Mass for the dead, the "office of the dead" is a separate liturgical hour of prayer.
• Vigil for the Deceased: A more modern or general term that may encompass the "office of the dead."
• Liturgy of the Hours / Divine Office: The larger set of daily prayers of which the "office of the dead" is a specific, thematic part.

Synonyms

• Prayer service for the dead
• Obsequies (archaic/literary, often referring to funeral rites in general)

Related Phrases

• To say/sing/recite the office of the dead: This is the standard verb collocation for performing this prayer service.

Noun

1. an office read or sung before a burial mass in the Roman Catholic Church