Lauds

Lauds is a chanted devotional observance in the Decameron, where it marks the regular religious practice of Fra Puccio. A gloss explains that the singing was performed by lay confraternities established for that purpose, giving the reference a specific communal setting rather than presenting it simply as private prayer.

Form and Setting

The text describes Lauds as canticles of praise chanted by seculars, and its gloss compares the singers to Laudsingers. The passage therefore associates Lauds with organized lay devotional singing. It does not specify the hour at which the observance takes place, so its significance here rests on its form and place in a religious routine, not on a stated time of day.

Lauds in Fra Puccio's Routine

Fra Puccio, formerly called Puccio di Rinieri, has devoted himself in later life to religious practices and become a tertiary of the Franciscan Order. His routine includes frequent church attendance, sermons, mass, fasting, and attendance at Lauds; the narration emphasizes that he does not miss the chanting. Lauds is one element in a sustained pattern of outward devotion, alongside his reported association with the Flagellants.

Narrative Context

Fra Puccio's regular observances help establish his piety and the credulity that shapes the episode. His friendship with Dom Felice grows through religious conversation and hospitality, while Dom Felice uses the access this friendship affords to pursue Fra Puccio's wife. The contrast makes Lauds part of the tale's portrait of religious practice: the observance itself is described as communal praise, but Fra Puccio's devotional schedule does not protect his household from the deception conducted around him.