The components of Lauds:
Note: Lauds normally follows directly after Matins.
-Versicle before lauds
-opening versicles
-psalms with antiphons
-chapter
-hymn
-versicle
-Benedictus with antiphon
-preces
-versicle: Dominus vobiscum
-prayer
-versicle: Dominus vobiscum
-versicle: Benedicamus Domino
-memorial(s), each containing:
—antiphon
—versicle
—prayer
-versicle: Dominus vobiscum
-versicle: Benedicamus Domino
Notes on the components of lauds:
-Versicle before lauds
—varies with the day, fast, or feast
-Opening versicles
—The final portion, ‘Alleluya’ is replaced with ‘Laus tibi Domine, Rex eterne glorie’ from Septuagesima to Easter.
-psalms and antiphons:
—the first psalm is 92, except on ferias, when it is 50.
—the second psalm varies with the day of the week, or the feast
—the third psalm is actually two psalms, 62 and 66
—the fourth psalm is actually canticle, which varies with the day of the week, or the feast
—the fifth psalm is actually three psalms, 148, 149, and 150.
—each of the ‘psalms’ is concluded with ‘Gloria Patri’ except the fourth, when it is ‘Benedicite’, since a doxology is already present in the penultimate verse of that canticle–except on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of Holy Week, on All Souls Day, and on Vigils of the Dead.
—the final antiphon is concluded with a neuma, except from Passion Sunday until the Octave of Easter and in the Office of the Dead, and on All Souls’ Day.
—When several Sundays take their matins readings from the same Lection (i.e. Book of the Bible), then on subsequent Sundays with such a group only the first antiphon is sung, together with all five psalms; however, on the final Sunday before Septuagesima and before Advent, all five antiphons are sung.
—during Eastertide, only one antiphon on the psalms on ferias and on some feasts.
—on commemorations, only one antiphon on the psalms
-Hymn
-Versicle
—a simpler versicle tone is used for Thursday, Friday and Saturday of Holy Week, Vigils of the Dead, and All Souls’ Day. In these cases the response is sung.
-Benedictus and antiphon
—the antiphon is concluded with a neuma, except from Passion Sunday until the Octave of Easter and in the Office of the Dead, and on All Souls’ Day. (The antiphon is never doubled.)
-preces
—said only on ferias, except not when during the Advent Ember Days there is a reading from the Gospel at Matins.
—during quadragesima an additional. ‘penitential’ psalm, 6, is said.
-Versicle before the prayer
-Prayer
-Versicle and Benedicamus Domino
—the melody for Benedicamus Domino is selected based on the dignity of the feast or feria
-Memorial(s)
-Versicles after the memorials
—omitted if there are no memorials
—the melody for Benedicamus Domino is the ordinary one