modification, throughout the tenth and eleventh centuries and even down
to the close of the twelfth." Dom Gueranger holds that Gregory abridged
the order of prayers and simplified the liturgy for the use of the Roman
curia. It would be difficult at the present time to ascertain accurately
the complete form of the office before this revision, but since then it
has remained almost identical with what it was at the end of the
eleventh century. Dom Baumer agrees with his Benedictine brother that
Gregory wrought for liturgical reform. Probably Pope Gregory VII.,
knowing the decadence which was manifest in liturgical exercises in Rome
during the tenth and eleventh centuries, decided to revise the old Roman
office which, although it had decayed in Rome, flourished in Germany,
France, and other countries. Hence, in his Lenten Synod, 1074, he
promulgated the rules he had already drawn up for the Regular Canons of
Rome, ordering them to return to the old Roman rite. Thus he may be
counted as a reformer, but not as an innovater nor an abridger. But his
reform fell on evil days. The great struggle between Church and State
about lay investitures had a baneful influence on liturgy, even in Rome
itself. The times seemed to call for a modernised (i.e., a shortened)
office. The "modernisers" respected the psalter, the curtailment was in
the Lectionary. The modernising spirit showed itself in the arrangement
and bulk of the office books. The Psalter, Antiphonary, Responsorial,
Bible and Book of Homilies were gradually codified. Even then, a very
large volume was the result. After a time the chant, which absorbed much
space, was removed from the volume, but the resulting volume, noticeably
smaller, was not yet small enough. In time, only the opening words of
the antiphons, responsories and versicles were printed, and to the
volume thus turned out was given the name _Breviary_. The Curial
Breviary was drawn up in this way to make it suitable for persons
engaged in outdoor pursuits and journeys. It gradually displaced the
choir office in Rome, and Rome's example was universally followed.