Definition

Noun: 1. A short liturgical verse: A brief line of text, typically from the Psalms or other scripture, recited or sung by a leader (such as a priest or minister) during a public worship service, to which the congregation or choir gives a set reply or response.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The priest chanted the versicle, and the people answered with the traditional response.*
  • In the evening service, the versicle "O Lord, open thou our lips" is followed by the response "And our mouth shall show forth thy praise."

Advanced Usage

• Liturgical Structure: In many Christian liturgies, especially in the Anglican, Catholic, and Lutheran traditions, a versicle and its response form a fundamental call-and-response unit that structures prayer, such as in the opening sentences of Matins or Evensong.
  • The service began with the versicle and response, establishing a dialogue between the officiant and the congregation.

Variants and Related Words

• Versicular (adj): Pertaining to or of the nature of a versicle. (Rare in common usage, primarily technical or literary).
• Verse (n): A single line of poetry or a stanza; more broadly, a metrical line in a poem or song. (This is the root word from which "versicle" is derived, meaning a "little verse").

Synonyms

• Liturgical sentence: A phrase or line used in formal worship.
• Call (in the context of call and response): The initial line spoken or sung by the leader.

Related Phrases

• Versicle and Response: This is the standard paired phrase describing the complete liturgical unit.
  • The versicle and response are a hallmark of participatory worship.

Noun

1. a short verse said or sung by a priest or minister in public worship and followed by a response from the congregation