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Also known as canticum

In the context of Christian liturgy, a canticle (; from the Latin canticulum, a diminutive of canticum, "song") is a psalm-like song with biblical lyrics taken from elsewhere than the Book of Psalms, but included in psalters and books such as the breviary. Of special importance to the Divine Office are three New Testament Canticles that are the climaxes of the Offices of Lauds, Vespers and Compline; these are respectively Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79), Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) and Nunc dimittis (Luke 2:29-32). There are also a number of Canticles taken from the Old Testament.

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  • Catholic Church
  • Anglican
  • Eastern Christian
  • Armenian Liturgy
  • Coptic Orthodoxy
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In the context of Christian liturgy, a canticle (; from the Latin canticulum, a diminutive of canticum, "song") is a psalm-like song with biblical lyrics taken from elsewhere than the Book of Psalms, but included in psalters and books such as the breviary. Of special importance to the Divine Office are three New Testament Canticles that are the climaxes of the Offices of Lauds, Vespers and Compline; these are respectively Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79), Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) and Nunc dimittis (Luke 2:29-32). There are also a number of Canticles taken from the Old Testament.

==Catholic Church== Prior to Pope Pius X's 1911 reforms, the following cycle of seven Old Testament Canticles was used at Lauds: Sunday – The Song of the Three Holy Children () Monday – The Song of Isaiah the Prophet () Tuesday – The Song of Hezekiah () Wednesday – The Song of Hannah () Thursday – The (First) Song of Moses () Friday – The Prayer of Habakkuk () Saturday – The (Second) Song of Moses ()

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