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Hello Honorable Forum Members:

I have a copy of the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great book titled Office of Vespers. The copy I have is on loan and in very poor condition. I am unaware of any merchant or person from whom I could purchase a copy that is in decent condition. Does anyone know of a merchant or a person from whom I could purchase such.

Thanks,

Felix

Check it for inclusive language....

You can order all of the Basilian Office Books: Vespers, Matins, Festal Menaion, Triodion, and Pentecostarion from the Sister's themselves.
http://www.sistersofstbasil.org/giftShop.jsp

I understand that some of the Sisters' books are out of print, they've been instructed to not reprint them, and even one rumor has it that they've been asked to stop selling any they do have availalbe. I've not confirmed these rumors, so it would be interesting to hear if they are selling the Vespers book currently.

Jack

I use the Uniontown books (but substituting Book of Common Prayer psalm and canticle translations); they were a gift from a priest six years ago. They're orthodox if not always pretty and in some of the volumes the inclusive thing intrudes. Anyway as of about a year ago Byzantine Rite Church Supplies in Philadelphia (next to the Ukrainian Catholic cathedral) had the whole set:

810 N Franklin St
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 627-0660

Just in case you were wondering why your parish doesn't have Vespers.


It just may be that they are all locked up in an office in Uniontown.

I have previously checked with the Sisters. Unfortunately, they do not have any remaining copies of this book for sale.

Unfortunately, they too no longer have any copies of this book.

Assuming I can't find a copy, does anyone have a suggested alternative that uses contemporary language and that could be used in conjunction with the other Uniontown books?

I have a Readers Vespers booklet I put together for St. Basil's. It relies on the Daily Vespers [metropolitancantorinstitute.org] (PDF) for the "moving parts," but I use it at home and with friends when they come over. It has been reviewed by a few priests and found to be usable.

Aside from Monday of Tone 1, the Daily Vespers pdf is usable. (A page got dropped in layout...)

I'll be at St. Basil's sometime this month. I'd like to discuss this with you if you have time.

The last known copies I know of were at the UGCC's Byzantine Church Supplies in Philadelphia - a few Myroslava had ordered from the remaining "stash" at Uniontown some time ago. If she is out then there are likely none remaining. Perhaps you've already tried that - I didn't read all of the posts of this thread. I haven't used any of the Uniontown books for years with the exception of the Triodion (with handwritten corrections to the inclusive language).

Have you tried the Melkite books or Holy Myrrhbearers (OCA)?

My pastor told me that the reason the Sisters of Saint Basil were asked to stop distribution of the books was because the Committee to Reform the Liturgy is ready to publish Revised Vespers and Revised Matins. The new books will be the sole books allowed for these services. Archbishop Basil didn't want them wasting money on reprinting books that would soon be forbidden to use. My pastor said they really scrubbed the new books to make sure there was not a single reference to "man" or any other offensive word.