A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Signs of Shared and Personal Experience in Dominican Breviaries




AuthorsRäsänen, Marika

PublisherDuke University Press

Publication year2025

JournalJournal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies

Journal name in sourceJournal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies

Volume55

First page 31

Last page50

ISSN1082-9636

eISSN1527-8263

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1215/10829636-11568633

Web address https://doi.org/10.1215/10829636-11568633


Abstract

The breviary was essential to the devotional life of Dominican friars, allowing them to celebrate the daily office individually when they were unable to join the communal liturgy. The Dominican vocation, rooted in the apostolic life and itinerant preaching, required a commitment to observing the canonical hours. Personal breviaries enabled friars to merge conventual and itinerant ideals, adhering to the Dominican order's rule. While serving friars’ personal use, breviaries also marked collective identity, distinguishing Dominicans from other religious professionals and fostering the order's unity. This article explores the breviary as both a personal and communal object, examining its liturgical content as an expression of lived religion. It argues that the breviary, often overlooked by scholars, can in some cases reveal a negotiation between individual and communal religious experiences. As products of their communities, breviaries represent shared experiences and offer insights into the devotional lives of individual friars, reflecting lived religion beyond normative theology.



Last updated on 2025-19-02 at 13:55