The following times have been given on the Sant' Antimo website. My question is, what is the difference btwn each of these prayers? We would really like to hear Gregorian Chanting. The only problem is that the earliest we will be able to get to the abbey is 10:30. we will be visiting Montalcino and Poggio Antico winery on this day too. So we are trying to plan out this day to get the most bang for our buck. So we were wanting to know what the differences were in the prayers below to help make our decision.


Prayer Schedule with Gregorian Chant
Hours Weekdays
Lauds 7:00
Terce 9:00
Sext 12:45
Nones 14.45
Vespers 19:00
Compline 20:30

GreekGazoo: As far as I know, they are all just different names for the times of the day that these prayer/chants happen.
I have been to Sant'Antimo at least twice, once with no services, (we just missed it) and once it must have been Nones about 3 PM.

Any one of them should be just fine. I think we also went to an actual Mass once (we were living in the area for a few weeks on two different occasions, so don't remember exactly.)
It IS worth while to hear the monks Gregorian Chant. It is a very spiritual place, in a magnificent, though simple setting.
Vespers in the evening would be lovely too. Are the services always open to the public? I'd check that on the website.
Say a prayer for me.

We made it to the 12:45 chanting twice; it is about 15 minutes long. An amazing experience which I highly recommend.

Two years ago, we arrived in Montalcino about 10:30 - 11:00 for a stroll and some shopping; then continued on to Sant' Antimo for the chanting, and then on to Poggio Antico for a fabulous lunch on the patio.

Anna

Greekgazoo,

When I visited, I went to the 9:00 am Terce. It was a full mass, about 45 min long, I think. Lovely, just about 10 people there, half local worshipers, half respectful visitors.

After that, the abby was open to "visiting hours" and the tour buses were rolling in as I left. I was really glad I went early! I would recommend going early or late to miss the midday buses.

Here's a response from flanneruk on another thread a year or so ago:


The traditional life of monks requires their presence in the monastery chapel to chant the Divine Office, pray in public and meditate on several precisely defined occasions each day. Those occasions are called in this monastery's case Matins, Lauds, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline and each usually takes 15-20 minutes.

According to the doorkeeper, it IS possible to join the monks at prayer when they're singing the Office - but I arrived just after None, so couldn't tell how welcome non-worshippers would actually be.

From a consumer's point of view, the chanting at Vespers (the service known to many Protestants as Evensong) tends to have the best tunes, apart from Mass itself.

Note though that at Sant'Antimo - as in most Catholic churches that celebrate Vespers - the service on Sundays and Holydays includes Benediction - a service venerating the Blessed Sacrament which most non-Catholics (and quite a few Catholics) find a bit icky.

The monks chant at all prayer times - check the times here: http://www.montalcino.net/sant_antimo.htm Note that this is not "great art" - it's a spiritual occasion and the monks were not chosen for their voices. Visitors are free to come and go during prayers but not to explore the building during prayers (obviously).