I. Within the Liturgy of the Hours
- In choir the reading is customarily done at Morning Praise, after the concluding prayer of the Hour. The reader begins directly with the mention of the following day. The reading is concluded with these words:
V. Precious in the sight of the Lord.
R. Is the death of his Saints. - Then one of the short readings proposed below, pp. 41–60, may follow, which the reader concludes by acclaiming:
V. The word of the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God. - After the reading, the priest or deacon who presides over the celebration says one of the prayers proposed below, pp. 63–68. A layperson likewise does so who, in the absence of an ordained minister, directs the celebration.
- Then the blessing and dismissal take place, according to these formulas:
May the Lord bless us, and defend us from all evil, and bring us to life everlasting. And may the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. R. Amen.
V. Go in peace.
R. Thanks be to God. - If, however, this should seem in no way necessary, there is nothing to prevent the reading of the Martyrology from being carried out in a similar manner at any one of the Minor Hours.
- At a Minor Hour the reading is done immediately after the concluding prayer, as proposed above. At the end the versicle Precious is added, and finally the acclamation Let us bless the Lord with its response, in the accustomed manner or as above, no. 4.
- In carrying out the reading of the elogia, a movable celebration is announced first, should the case arise, using the formulas set out below, pp. 35–37. On the day of the Lord’s Resurrection, however, before the elogia of the following day are read, let the commemoration of the Lord’s Passover be set first.
- On Thursday of Holy Week, Friday of the Lord’s Passion, and Holy Saturday, the reading of the Martyrology is to be entirely omitted, the elogia of the Saints being on this occasion left out.
- On the vigil of the Lord’s Nativity, after the twenty-fifth day of the month of December has been announced, the solemn announcement of the Nativity is sung in a particular manner, as below, pp. 71–74.
- In the proclamation of the Martyrology, the indication of the lunar day is made ad libitum after the announcement of the day, in the manner described below, pp. 23–26.
- The elogia of Saints or Blesseds marked with an asterisk are read only in those dioceses or religious families to which the cult of that Saint or Blessed has been granted.
- If it should happen that any commemoration is transferred to another day or set back, let a mention of the transferred or restored day be added at the end of the corresponding elogium:
To indicate a transferred day: but his (her) commemoration will be kept among us (this year) on the day ___.
To indicate a restored day: — Of Saint N., whose day of birth is recorded on the day ___.
II. Outside the Liturgy of the Hours
- When the community is gathered, whether in choir or in chapter or at table, the reader begins directly with the mention of the following day, proclaims the elogia of the individual Saints and Blesseds, and concludes the reading by saying:
V. Precious in the sight of the Lord.
R. Is the death of his Saints. - Then one of the short readings proposed below, pp. 41–60, may follow, which the reader concludes by acclaiming:
V. The word of the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God. - After the reading, the priest or deacon who presides over the celebration says one of the prayers proposed below, pp. 63–68. A layperson likewise does so who, in the absence of an ordained minister, directs the celebration.
- After the prayer the rite is concluded with the blessing and dismissal, according to these formulas:
May the Lord bless us, and defend us from all evil, and bring us to life everlasting. And may the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. R. Amen.
V. Go in peace.
R. Thanks be to God. - As to the manner of reading the elogia together with the additions, let those things be observed which are set out above, nos. 4–9.