Grace Thompson
The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office or the Work of God (Opus Dei), is a set of Catholic prayers that are said at certain hours of the day. While priests and those studying to become priests are required by canon law to pray the Liturgy of the Hours each day, it is open to everyone. The prayers are based on the psalms and take about 10-20 minutes each. The Liturgy of the Hours is a meditative dialogue on the mystery of Christ, using scripture and prayer. There are five canonical hours: Morning, Daytime, Evening, Night, and Office of Readings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Liturgy of the Hours, Divine Office, or Opus Dei |
| Who prays it? | Bishops, priests, and deacons planning to become priests are obliged to recite the full sequence of the hours each day. Lay people are encouraged to pray but are not obliged to do so. |
| Number of prayers | 150 Psalms |
| Frequency | Daily |
| Time taken | 10-20 minutes |
| Languages | English, Latin |
| Translations | The Liturgy of the Hours for Africa |
| First edition | 1971 |
| Number of volumes | 4 |
| Related apps | iBreviary, DivineOffice |
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What You'll Learn
- The Liturgy of the Hours is open to all Catholics to pray
- It is the official set of prayers marking the hours of each day
- The prayers are taken from the Old and New Testaments, as well as hymns and other Catholic prayers
- The Liturgy of the Hours is also known as the Divine Office or the Work of God (Opus Dei)
- The prayers are said at Morning, Daytime, Evening, Night, and the Office of Readings
The Liturgy of the Hours is open to all Catholics to pray
The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office or the Work of God (Opus Dei), is a set of Catholic prayers that are said at certain hours of the day. It is a daily public prayer of the Church, marking the hours of each day and sanctifying them with prayer. While priests and those in training are required by canon law to pray the Liturgy of the Hours each day, it is open to all Catholics to pray.
The roots of the Liturgy of the Hours can be traced back to the Jewish faith. Mosaic law encouraged prayer three times a day: morning, afternoon, and evening. Devout Jews would pray the Shema twice a day and psalms and other scriptures at other times. Many devout Jews put Psalm 119:64, which says, "Seven hours a day I praise you," into practice by praying seven times a day. Early Christians continued this tradition, as seen in the Acts of the Apostles, where they go to the synagogue for prayer at certain prescribed times.
The Liturgy of the Hours consists of five "hours": Morning, Daytime, Evening, Night, and the Office of Readings. Each "hour" takes around 15-20 minutes to pray. The prayers are primarily psalms supplemented by hymns, readings, and other prayers. The Liturgy of the Hours also consists of a four-week cycle, with different prayers available for certain feast days.
The Second Vatican Council exhorted the Christian laity to take up the practice of praying the Liturgy of the Hours, and as a result, many lay people have begun reciting portions of it. While it is not obligatory for laypeople to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, they may choose to oblige themselves to do so by taking a personal vow. The Liturgy of the Hours is a beautiful way for Catholics to connect with each other and with God, and it is a powerful reminder that we are all unified in Christ.
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It is the official set of prayers marking the hours of each day
The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office or the Work of God (Opus Dei), is the official set of prayers marking the hours of each day. It is a meditative dialogue on the mystery of Christ, using scripture and prayer. The prayers are said at different times throughout the day, including morning, daytime, evening, and night. The Liturgy of the Hours is open to everyone, but there are some differences in obligations among the clergy.
Within the Latin Church, bishops, priests, and deacons in training are required by canon law to pray the entire Liturgy of the Hours each day, observing the associated times as closely as possible. Deacons, on the other hand, are obliged to pray only the morning and evening hours. While not mandatory, the lay faithful are encouraged to participate in the Liturgy of the Hours, either with the priests or among themselves. They may also choose to pray individually or make a personal vow to pray the Liturgy of the Hours or a portion of it.
The Second Vatican Council exhorted the Christian laity to embrace the Liturgy of the Hours, resulting in many laypeople reciting portions of it. The Liturgy of the Hours has its roots in the Jewish tradition of praying at select hours of the day, multiple times daily. This tradition was adopted by early Christians and continued by early Christian monks who prayed the psalms. Today, the Liturgy of the Hours cycles through all 150 psalms in a four-week period.
The Liturgy of the Hours is a powerful way for Catholics to unite in prayer, knowing that millions of others are praying the same prayers at the same time. It provides a structured prayer routine, allowing individuals to "pray constantly," as encouraged by St. Paul. The prayers are relatively short, typically lasting 10 to 20 minutes, making them accessible for people to incorporate into their daily lives.
There are various resources available to assist those interested in praying the Liturgy of the Hours, such as books, apps like iBreviary, and podcasts. These tools make it convenient for people to pray on the go and choose a format that suits their needs.
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The prayers are taken from the Old and New Testaments, as well as hymns and other Catholic prayers
The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office or the Breviary, is a set of Catholic prayers comprising the canonical hours of the Latin Church. It is the official set of prayers "marking the hours of each day and sanctifying the day with prayer." The prayers are taken from the Old and New Testaments, as well as hymns and other Catholic prayers.
The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns, readings, and other prayers. It includes a Gospel canticle: the Canticle of Zechariah from Luke 1:68-79 for Morning Prayer (known as the Benedictus), and the Canticle of Mary from Luke 1:46-55 for Evening Prayer (known as the Magnificat). The Gospel canticle acts as a meditative extension of the scriptural proclamation in light of the Christ event. Morning and Evening Prayer also include intercessions that flow from the scriptural proclamation, just as the Psalms prepare for it.
The Liturgy of the Hours includes a reading from the Psalms with Antiphons, various prayers, and a reading from the Old or New Testament. For example, the Friday night prayer is from Psalm 88, featuring the line, "Darkness is my only companion." The Liturgy of the Hours also consists of a four-week cycle, and it has different prayers available for certain feast days.
The Office of Readings seeks to provide a wider selection of passages from sacred Scripture for meditation, together with excerpts from spiritual writers. The readings from the Word of God at each Hour and the responses reveal more deeply the meaning of the mystery being celebrated and assist in understanding the psalms. The Liturgy of the Hours is a meditative dialogue on the mystery of Christ, using scripture and prayer. At times, the dialogue is between the Church or individual soul and God; at times, it is a dialogue among the members of the Church; and at other times, it is between the Church and the world.
The Liturgy of the Hours is open to everyone to pray. The Second Vatican Council tells us that it is our association with Christ in singing that eternal hymn of praise. All are invited to pray the Liturgy of the Hours with each other, whether alone in their rooms, with a small group before a daily mass, or with a larger monastic community.
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The Liturgy of the Hours is also known as the Divine Office or the Work of God (Opus Dei)
The Liturgy of the Hours is a set of Catholic prayers that are said at certain times throughout the day. It is also known as the Divine Office, or the Work of God (Opus Dei in Latin). The Liturgy of the Hours is open to everyone, but in the Roman Catholic Church, priests and those training to be priests are required by canon law to pray the Liturgy of the Hours each day, while deacons are required to pray the morning and evening hours.
The Liturgy of the Hours is made up of psalms, hymns, readings, and other prayers. The prayers are meditative dialogues on the mystery of Christ, and they are addressed to God. Each of the five canonical hours includes a selection from the Psalms that culminate in a scriptural proclamation. The prayers are intended to sanctify the day, and they are said at Morning, Daytime, Evening, Night, and the Office of Readings. The Office of Readings, or Officium lectionis, was formerly known as Matins. The Daytime Prayer can be one or all of Midmorning Prayer or Terce, Midday Prayer or Sext, and Midafternoon Prayer or None.
The Second Vatican Council exhorted the Christian laity to take up the Liturgy of the Hours, and as a result, many lay people have begun reciting portions of it. The practice among religious communities varies according to their rules and constitutions. The lay faithful are encouraged to recite the Liturgy of the Hours, but they are not obliged to do so. The Liturgy of the Hours is also referred to as the Breviary, and it has a long history in the Catholic Church.
The Liturgy of the Hours has been translated into English and other languages. The four-volume Liturgy of the Hours, with Scripture readings from the New American Bible, was approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1975. For Catholics in Commonwealth nations, the three-volume Divine Office, which uses a range of different English Bibles for the readings from Scripture, was published in 1974.
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The prayers are said at Morning, Daytime, Evening, Night, and the Office of Readings
The Liturgy of Hours, also known as the Divine Office or the Work of God (Opus Dei), is the daily prayer of the Catholic Church, marking the hours of each day. It is composed of seven daytime hours and one at night. The prayers are said at Morning, Daytime, Evening, and Night, and the Office of Readings.
The Morning Prayer, also known as Lauds, is prayed during the rising of the sun. It is intended to sanctify the morning and its theme is the Resurrection. The prayer is structured with four psalms or portions of psalms and an Old Testament canticle, followed by a short reading, response, and the singing or recitation of the Benedictus.
The Daytime Prayer can be said at Midmorning (Terce), Midday (Sext), or Midafternoon (None). These prayers are brief and easy to fit into one's day. They are mainly linked to a commemoration of the events of the Lord's Passion and the first prayer of the early Christians.
The Evening Prayer, or Vespers, has a similar structure to the Morning Prayer, with five psalms and the Magnificat taking the place of the Benedictus. On certain days, Preces or intercessions may follow.
The Night Prayer, or Compline, is said before going to bed.
The Office of Readings, formerly known as Matins, is a rich meditative prayer that can be said at any time of the day. It offers a wide selection of passages from sacred Scripture for meditation, as well as excerpts from spiritual writers.
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Frequently asked questions
No, not all Catholics read the Liturgy of Hours. In the Roman Catholic Church, priests are required by canon law to pray the entire Liturgy of the Hours each day, while deacons are required to pray the morning and evening hours. Bishops and deacons planning to become priests are also obliged to recite the full sequence of the hours each day. The practice among religious communities varies according to their rules and constitutions. The laity may oblige themselves to pray the Liturgy of the Hours or part of it by a personal vow.
The Liturgy of Hours, also known as the Divine Office or the Work of God (Opus Dei), is a set of Catholic prayers comprising the canonical hours of the Latin Church. It is the official set of prayers marking the hours of each day and sanctifying the day with prayer. The Liturgy of Hours consists of five "hours" during the day: Morning, Daytime, Evening, Night, and Office of Readings. Each prayer takes about 10-20 minutes.
The roots of the Liturgy of Hours come from the Jewish faith. Mosaic law encouraged prayer three times a day: morning, afternoon, and evening. Devout Jews would pray the Shema twice a day, along with psalms and other scriptures at other times. The Liturgy of Hours was revised from the traditional Divine Office during Vatican II for greater use in public and among lay persons.
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