Doctors; litanies, supplications, prayers for divers members of the
Church, clergy, faithful, neophytes and catechumens; for emperors,
travellers; the sick; and generally for all the necessities of the
Church, and even for Jews and for heretics. It is quite easy to find
these essentials in our modern Matins" (Dom Cabrol, _Cath.
Encyclopedia_, art. "Matins").

Matins on account of its length and position in the Breviary is the most
important part of the daily Office. And, on account of the variety and
beauty of its elements, is considered the most remarkable.

The prayer _Pater Noster_ begins the Office. It is the Lord's
prayer, _divina institutions formata_, when Christ told His
Apostles "_Sic vos orabitis_" (St. Matt. vi. 9). It is the most
excellent of all prayers, being most excellent in its author, its form,
its depth of meaning, its effects. The prayer consists of a preface,
"Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." And in the body of the
prayer are seven petitions--three for the honour and glory of God, in
and by ourselves, and four for our own wants, spiritual and temporal.
Very excellent matter on the greatest of prayers is to be found in the
_Catechism of the Council of Trent_ (translation, Duffy, Dublin)
and in _A Lapide_ (St. Matt. vi.). Writers on liturgy say that the
recitation of the _Pater Noster_ as the opening prayer of Matins
was _not obligatory_ until the beginning of the twelfth century. It
is said that the monks were wont to say a _Pater Noster_ at each
altar in the church before entering their stalls for Office recitation.
This practice delayed the beginning of the Office in choir, and a rule
was made that those who wished to say this prayer must say it in their
stalls, in a low tone. Of course, in the Breviary of Pius V. (1568) this
practice became obligatory on each person bound to read the Hours.

_Ave Maria_. This is a leading prayer amongst the great prayers of the
Mass and the Office. It, too, is excellent in its authors, its form
(clear, short devotional), in motive (in honouring Mary, Mother of God,
and in begging her intercession). It is divided into three parts, the
words of the angel, of St. Elizabeth and of the Church, Devout thoughts
on this prayer have been penned by countless clients of Mary in every
age. Priests are familiar with many such writings, great and small, but
_A Lapide_ (St. Luke I.) bears re