pt the antiphonarium, has received such attention from
studious men. But never, in any age, did this study receive such careful
treatment and give rise to such patient and laborious research as in
our own. (Pimont, _Les hymnes du Breviare Romain_, Introduction.)

In this note, an attempt will be made to define a hymn, to tell of the
introduction of hymns into the Roman Breviary, and to note briefly the
character of these hymns.

St. Augustine, commenting on Psalm 122, defined a hymn as a song with
praise of God, cantus est cum laude Dei. It may, however, be more
strictly defined as a spiritual song, a religious lyric (v. _Cath,
Ency._, art. "Hymn").

In the early Christian assemblies great use was made of the psalms and
canticles in their congregational singing. St. Paul wrote: "Speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, singing and
making melody in your hearts to the Lord" (Ephes. v. 18) "...teaching
and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual canticles,
singing in grace in your hearts to God" (Col. iii. 16). The Jesuit,
Father Arevalo, in his _Hymodia Hispanica_, cites many witnesses, such
as Clement of Alexandria, the Apostolic Constitutions, Pliny the
younger, to prove that hymns were used in the first and second
centuries. But a much-debated question is, whether those hymns were
really made part of the Office, as hymns stand there to-day. Some
scholars deny that they were; others assert that they were certainly
part of the Church's Office. All agree that they were certainly in use
formally and substantially in the Office in the third and fourth
centuries in the Eastern and in the Western Church. The Council of
Antioch (269-270) wrote to the Pope that Paul of Samosate had
suppressed some canticles recently composed in honour of Jesus Christ.
St. Dionysius of Alexandria composed some hymns, to win over an erring
bishop. In the fourth century the Council of Laodicea spoke of the
introduction of some hymns, which were not approved; and St. Basil tells
us that hymns were in universal use in the Eastern Church.

In the Western Church, St. Hilary of Potiers (370) composed a hymn book
for his church. Its existence is known from the words of St. Jerome. St.
Augustine states that St. Ambrose (340-397), shut up with his people in
the church in Milan by the persecutors, occupied his flock by their
singing of hymns which he himself had composed, and some of which are in
our Breviaries