The variable chants, lessons and orations that comprise the Proper of the Mass vary widely in length; out of curiosity, I have assembled the shortest of each of them, taken from the Roman Missal of 1962 (in the case of the chants, this involved counting the notes of each) into a shortest composite proper, illustrative of the minimum required – which in the case of the chants and lessons, amounts to about a verse of Scripture each (two, for the Introit and Tract), and as for the prayers, a similar word-length applies:
NB Procession before Rogation Mass [used as an Introit in the Ordinary Form]
[44 notes, excl. psalm verse & Gloria Patri; 18 words; 21+23=44 syllables; 114 characters (no spaces): all statistics excl. Gloria Patri]
Ps. 43, 26
Exsurge, Domine, adjuva nos, et libera nos propter nomen tuum.
Ps. ibid., 2 Deus, auribus nostris audivimus, patres nostri annuntiaverunt nobis.
V. Gloria Patri.
Shortest Introit: SS Marius, Martha, Audifax & Abachum, Martyrs (19 Jan.)
[57 notes excl. Ps. verse & Gloria Patri; one verse, plus Ps. verse, etc.; 26+32=58 syllables, 11+14=25 words, 136 characters (no spaces): all statistics excl. Gloria Patri]
Introitus Ps. 67, 4
Justi epulentur, et exsultent in conspectu Dei, et delectentur in lætitia.
Ps. ibid., 2 Exsurgat Deus, et dissipentur inimici ejus: et fugiant qui oderunt eum, a facie ejus.
V. Gloria Patri.
NB Shortest Collect in the Breviary: “Absolution” [in form, a Collect] of First Nocturn of Matins
[10 words, 25 syllables, 62 characters (no spaces); excl. Qui...]
Exáudi, Dómine Jesu Christe, preces servórum tuórum, et miserére nobis: Qui...
Shortest Collect in the Missal: 17th Sunday after Pentecost
[15 words, 37 syllables (same as shortest Epistle), 82 characters (no spaces); excl. Per...]
Oratio.
Da, quæsumus, Domine, populo tuo diabolica vitare contagia: et te solum Deum pura mente sectari. Per...
Shortest Epistle: Daily Requiem Mass
[one verse; 30 words, 70 syllables, 166 characters (no spaces)]
Lectio libri Apocalypsis beati Joannis Apostoli.
Apoc. 14, 13
In diebus illis: Audivi vocem de cælo, dicentem mihi: Scribe: Beati mortui, qui in Domino moriuntur. Amodo jam dicit Spiritus, ut requiescant a laboribus suis: opera enim illorum sequuntur illos.
Shortest Gradual: Common of a Virgin & Martyr, 1st Mass
[62 + 93 = 155 notes; one verse; 13 words, 37 syllables, 81 characters (no spaces)]
Graduale Ps. 44, 8
Dilexisti justitiam, et odisti iniquitatem.
V. Propterea unxit te Deus, Deus tuus, oleo lætitiæ.
Shortest Tract: Lenten Ember Saturday; Easter Vigil; Pentecost Vigil; Whit Saturday; September Ember Saturday
[112 + 138 = 250 notes; 22 words; 54 syllables; 130 characters (no spaces)]
Tractus Ps. 116, 1-2
Laudate Dominum, omnes gentes: et collaudate eum, omnes populi.
V. Quoniam confirmata est super nos misericordia ejus: et veritas Domini manet in æternum.
Shortest Alleluia: Queenship B.V.M. (31st May), 2nd Alleluia
[35 + 58 = 93 notes (excl. any repeat of the All.); 6 words, 10 syllables, 25 characters (no spaces), excl. All.]
Alleluja.
V. Nunc cum eo regnas in æternum.
Alleluja.
2nd-Shortest Alleluia: Whit Saturday, 2nd Alleluia
[30+66 = 96 notes (excl. any repeat of the All.); one verse; 4 words, also 10 syllables, also 25 characters (no spaces), excl. All.]
Alleluja.
V. Job 26, 13 Spiritus ejus ornavit cælos.
Shortest Gospel: Circumcision (1st January); Holy Name of Jesus
[one verse; 25 words, 57 syllables, 143 characters (no spaces)]
Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam.
Luc. 2, 21
In illo tempore: Postquam consummati sunt dies octo, ut circumcideretur Puer: vocatum est nomen ejus Jesus, quod vocatum est ab Angelo priusquam in utero conciperetur.
Shortest Offertory: St Stanislaus Kostka (13th November, PAL)
[88 notes; one verse; 10 words, 24 syllables, 54 characters (no spaces)]
Offertorium Ps. 42, 4
Introibo ad altare Dei: ad Deum, qui lætificat juventutem meam.
Shortest Secret: First Sunday after Epiphany; Sexagesima Sunday; Monday after the 4th Sunday in Lent
[9 words, 24 syllables, 57 characters (no spaces); excl. Per...]
Secreta.
Oblatum tibi, Domine, sacrificium vivificet nos semper et muniat. Per...
Shortest Communion: 7th Sunday after Pentecost
[one verse; 43 notes; 7 words, 17 syllables, 38 characters (no spaces)]
Communio Ps. 30, 3
Inclina aurem tuam, accelera, ut eripias me.
Shortest Postcommunion: St John before the Latin Gate (6th May, PAL)
[9 words, 24 syllables, 61 characters (no spaces); excl. Per...]
Postcommunio.
Refecti, Domine, pane cælesti: ad vitam, quæsumus, nutriamur æternam. Per...
Shortest Oratio super populum: Lenten Ember Friday
[11 words, 26 syllables, 64 characters (no spaces); excl. Per...]
Oratio.
Exaudi nos, misericors Deus: et mentibus nostris gratiæ tuæ lumen ostende. Per...
