An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Choral Service

In a choral service, certain texts of the liturgy are sung rather than spoken by the officiant, choir, and people. A choral celebration of the Holy Eucharist is one in which portions of the ordinary and the propers are sung by the officiant, choir, and congregation. Choral Matins is a service of Morning Prayer in which the versicles and responses, invitatory, psalm(s), and proper collects are sung. “Choral” distinguishes music that is sung, rather than played on an instrument or instruments.

Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.