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The Liturgy of the Hours

The prayer of the whole Church, at the hours of the day — the psalms Jesus prayed, prayed with him by priests, religious and lay people all over the world.

Since the first Christians, the Church has prayed at fixed hours, so that the whole day is made holy by the praise of God. The Catechism says that through the Liturgy of the Hours the mystery of Christ “permeates and transfigures the time of each day” (CCC 1174). It is meant to become “the prayer of the whole People of God” (CCC 1175).

Morning and Evening Prayer are “the two hinges on which the daily office turns” (Sacrosanctum Concilium 89). If you are beginning, start with one of them.

The hours

At the start of the day

Morning Prayer

Lauds

To consecrate the morning to God and remember the Resurrection. With the Benedictus, the song of Zechariah (Luke 1:68–79).

Mid-morning, midday or mid-afternoon

Daytime Prayer

Terce, Sext or None

A short pause in the work of the day — one of the three, or all three in monasteries.

Towards evening

Evening Prayer

Vespers

To give thanks for the day as the light fades. With the Magnificat, the song of Mary (Luke 1:46–55).

Before going to sleep

Night Prayer

Compline

Begins with a short examination of conscience and ends with an antiphon to Mary. With the Nunc dimittis, the song of Simeon (Luke 2:29–32).

At any hour of the day

Office of Readings

Matins

Longer psalms, a reading from Scripture and a reading from the Fathers or the saints.

How an hour is prayed

  1. Introduction“O God, come to my aid. O Lord, make haste to help me.” — or, at the first hour of the day, the Invitatory.
  2. HymnA hymn for the season or the feast.
  3. PsalmsUsually three psalms or canticles, each with an antiphon. The psalms are prayed through in a four-week cycle.
  4. ReadingA short reading from Scripture, followed by a response.
  5. Gospel canticleThe Benedictus in the morning, the Magnificat in the evening, the Nunc dimittis at night.
  6. IntercessionsPrayers for the Church and the world — in the morning to dedicate the day, in the evening for all in need and for the dead.
  7. Our Father and closing prayerThe Lord’s Prayer, the prayer of the day, and a blessing.

About fifteen minutes for Morning or Evening Prayer. Alone, you can simply read it quietly; with others, the psalms are said or sung in turn, verse by verse.

Who prays it

Priests, and deacons preparing for the priesthood, are bound to pray it every day; permanent deacons to the extent their bishops’ conference lays down (can. 276 §2, 3°); members of religious orders as their constitutions lay down. All the other faithful “are also earnestly invited to participate in the liturgy of the hours as an action of the Church” (Code of Canon Law, can. 1174).

The Council asked pastors to see that the chief hours, especially Vespers, are celebrated in common in church on Sundays and the more solemn feasts — “and the laity, too, are encouraged to recite the divine office, either with the priests, or among themselves, or even individually” (Sacrosanctum Concilium 100). Ask your parish whether Vespers is prayed there, or pray it at home.

Where to pray it today

Universalis

Every hour of every day, free on the web, with the calendar of many countries; apps for phone and computer.

iBreviary

The Breviary, the Missal and the rituals in several languages, on the web and as an app.

Divine Office

Pray along with recordings of each hour — helpful for learning, on a walk or on the way to work.

The texts and their translations differ from country to country — choose your own country’s calendar in the app. In print, ask in a Catholic bookshop for the breviary approved for your country; one-volume editions with Morning, Evening and Night Prayer are a good start.

Also on CathoNav: Lectio Divina with today’s Gospel · The Examen at night · The Angelus

From Sacrosanctum Concilium, ch. IV (83–101); the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1174–1178; the Code of Canon Law, cann. 1173–1175. The texts of the Liturgy of the Hours are protected in each language, so CathoNav links to services that publish them rather than copying them.