In offices of three and of nine lessons, the lessons are preceded by the absolutions and blessings as they stand in the ordinarium, except in the Office for the Dead and Tenebrae Offices when they are not said.  The Absolution is said immediately after the Pater Noster which follows the versicle and response under the third, sixth or ninth psalm.  The first benediction is said immediately after it, and the second and third at the conclusion of the responses after each lesson and in reply to the words Jube Domine benedicere.  The three words are to be said (when only one person recites the office) before the short Lesson at Prime and Compline.

In an office of nine lessons, the absolutions and benedictions in the first two nocturns do not vary; but in the third nocturns the eighth benediction may be, if the office is of a saint, Cujus festum, or if of two or more saints, Quorum (vel quarum) festum.  The ninth may be Ad societatem or, if the ninth lesson be a gospel extract with homily, Per evangelica.

In offices of three lessons the Absolution Exaudi is said on Monday and Thursday; Ipsius, on Tuesday and Friday; A vinculis, on Wednesday and Saturday.  But the benedictions vary.  Thus, when a gospel extract and a homily are read, the three benedictions are Evangelica, Divinum, Ad societatem.  When with the three lessons, no gospel extract is read, the benedictions are Benedictione, Unigenitus, Spiritus Sancti.  In an office of a saint or saints, where the total number of lessons to be said is three (e.g., the Office of SS.  Abdon et Sennen, 30 July), where first two lessons are from Scripture occurring and last lesson gives lives of these saints, the benedictions are, Ille nos, Cujus (vel Quorum aut Quarum) festum, Ad societatem.

Lessons. In the early days of Christendom, the Divine Office consisted in the singing of psalms, the reading of portions of Sacred Scripture and the saying of prayers.  The principle of continuous reading of the books of the Bible bears an early date.  Later were added readings from the acts of the martyrs, and later still, readings from the homilies of the Fathers.  Till the seventh century the ferial Office had no lessons and the Sunday Office had only three, all taken from the Bible, which was read in its entirety, yearly.  In the seventh century, ferial Offices received three lessons.  About the time of St. Gregory, (died 604) the Office for Matins was divided into three parts or nocturns, each having lessons.  The lessons for the second and third nocturns were not taken from the Bible, but from the works of the Fathers.  These extracts were collected in book form—­the homilaria.  The collection of extracts made by Paul the deacon (730-797) and used by Charles the Great (742-814) in his kingdom, form the foundation of the collected extracts in our Breviaries.  The scripture lessons in our Breviaries are generally known as “the scripture occurring,” and are so arranged that each book of scripture is begun at least, except the books, Josue, Judges, Ruth, Paralipomenon and the Canticle of Canticles.  Quignonez arranged in his reform that the whole Bible should be read yearly.  But his book was withdrawn by Pope Paul IV. in 1558.