hús-lestr

m. a house-reading, home-service, family prayers, at which hymns are sung and a sermon or lesson read; such services are held in Icel. on Sundays all the year round, in the middle of the day, for the people who cannot get to church; the húslestr consists of the Gospel for the day and a printed sermon (Vídalíns Postilla), a short prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, and a hymn before and after. During the winter an evening service is held every week day (from November to April), which consists of a brief sermon (hugvekja), a prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, and a hymn: hence hús-lestrar-bók, f. a house-reading-book, a postil or the like; húslestrar-fær, adj. able to read a huslestr, of one who has learnt to read well; vera við húslestr, to attend a h. During Lent the Passíu-Sálmar are by popular consent appointed for the húslestr. This old and pious custom is entirely spontaneous, and not ordered by any church authority.