Dom Virgil Michel's book gives a complete expository survey of the liturgy of the Church as viewed by one of the leaders of the liturgical movement. The liturgy, he believes, is something more than a collection of formal regulations and ceremonies; it is the very core of the spiritual life and activity of the Church.

The present book contains chapters describing the special significance of important liturgical periods in the Church year; it covers the theological implications of the rites and ceremonies described, and it includes explanations of liturgical elements like the Divine Office and the Sacramentals. This volume may well be considered as one of the first major results of the great liturgical revival.