Lives of the Saints From the Roman Breviary

The Roman Breviary recited by priests daily is full of inspiring prayers. What many may not realize is that the Breviary is more than a clerical prayerbook. For each day there are lessons from Sacred Scripture. Also for the Feast Days there are lessons from the Fathers of the Church on the day's Gospel. For the feasts of the Saint(s) of the day there is an historical lesson on their life. This book is a collection of these historical lessons from the Roman Breviary as it existed prior to Vatican II. We have also included the lessons for all of the octaves and vigils of the year that were suppressed in the 1955 and 1960 calendar revisions, because these are also inspirational. Additionally the proper explanations of the Gospels read on the Saints feast days are also included. At the end are the common lessons on the Gospels, as well as the 'filler' lessons for use when a person does not have the proper office of a newly canonized saint or some special saint of the place, such as the patron saint of the local church or town. We pray that these lessons will be inspirational to all Catholics who would like to come closer to the friends of God, the Saints. Also those who wish to follow more closely the traditional liturgy, which is a companion to the Latin Tridentine Mass will find these instructions useful for meditation as well as instructive. It is hoped that this work will bring all closer to the holy Saints and enable all to imitate their many virtues. This work contains the whole of the Sanctoral cycle of the Breviary. Although properly part of the Temporal cycle, the time from the Vigil of Christmas until the end of the Octave of the Epiphany (December 24 to January 11) is also included. A companion work for the Temporal cycle is currently being prepared.