Rachel Evans
The Liturgy of the Hours (LOTH) is the official daily prayer of the Roman Catholic Church. It is a form of prayer that traces its roots back to the Second Temple period, which was observed by Christ and the Apostles in their daily lives. The LOTH book provides a monthly journey through various Psalms, Canticles, and Scripture readings, offering guidance on how Christians should structure their personal prayers. The book includes essential prayers such as Morning Prayer (Lauds) and Evening Prayer (Vespers), as well as a full week of Night Prayer (Compline). While there is a place for spontaneous prayer, the LOTH book is a valuable tool for Catholics who wish to incorporate structured prayer into their spiritual practice and deepen their connection with God.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official daily prayer of the Roman Catholic Church | Morning Prayer (Lauds), Evening Prayer (Vespers), Night Prayer (Compline) |
| Print size | 10-pt. type |
| Accessibility features | Ribbon markers, two-color printing |
| Number of volumes | 4-volume set |
| Other features | Contains hymns, ability to make text larger, audio of hymns |
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What You'll Learn
Morning and Evening Prayer
Morning Prayer is characterised by praise, while Evening Prayer is characterised by thanksgiving. Both follow a similar format:
- Opening versicle or invitatory (for morning prayer)
- Two psalms, or parts of psalms, with a scriptural canticle. At Morning Prayer, this consists of a psalm of praise, a canticle from the Old Testament, and another psalm. At Evening Prayer, this consists of two psalms, or one psalm divided into two parts, and a scriptural canticle from the New Testament.
- A canticle from the Gospel of Luke: the Canticle of Zechariah (Benedictus) for morning prayer, and the Canticle of Mary (Magnificat) for evening prayer.
- A blessing given by the priest or deacon leading Morning or Evening Prayer, or in the absence of clergy and in individual recitation, a short concluding versicle.
The Ordinary section of the Liturgy of the Hours contains the basic instructions and acts as a reference point. It also contains prayers that are repeated each day, such as the Magnificat and Benedictus, typically memorised in the monastery. The Invitatory, composed of an antiphon and Psalm 95, is usually prayed before Morning Prayer. The Proper of Seasons section contains prayers according to the "seasons" of the Church: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time. The Proper of Saints contains special prayers and antiphons for specific saint days.
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The importance of hymns
Hymns are an integral part of Catholic worship and have been since the Second Temple period, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. They are a way to praise God and to meditate on spiritual texts.
The word "hymn" comes from the Latin "hymnus", which in turn comes from the Greek "umnos", derived from "udein", meaning "to sing". In ancient pagan literature, "umnos" designated a prize song to the gods or heroes, accompanied by the cythara. In Christian literature, the word "umnos" is used in the New Testament to refer to a song of praise to God.
Hymns are an important part of Catholic worship because they are accessible to all worshippers, regardless of their musical ability. They are typically composed in a simple structure with stanzas instead of verses, making them easy to sing and remember. This is in contrast to contemporary anthems and Gospel music, which are more rhythmically complex and written for professional singers. Hymns are also an important tool for meditation, as they allow the congregation to focus on the text and its spiritual message.
The Liturgy of the Hours, or the official daily prayer of the Roman Catholic Church, includes hymns, orations, and Scripture readings. It is a way to structure prayer and meditation throughout the day and is an important part of Catholic devotion. The Liturgy of the Hours can be found in the official books of the Mass-liturgy, such as the Missal or the Gradual, or in the Breviary or the Antiphonary for the liturgy of canonical prayer.
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Using complementary psalms
The Liturgy of the Hours is the official daily prayer of the Roman Catholic Church and the highest form of prayer after the Mass. The Christian Prayer book is the official one-volume edition of the Liturgy of the Hours, containing the complete texts of Morning and Evening Prayer for the entire year. The Liturgy of the Hours traces its roots back to the Second Temple period, and it takes Christians on a monthly journey through various Psalms, Canticles, and Scripture readings.
The General Instruction for the Liturgy of the Hours (GILH) states that the current psalmody consists of three psalms (or parts in the case of longer psalms) from the psalter, with their antiphons, unless directions are given to the contrary. On solemnities, the Easter Triduum, and days within the octave of Easter, proper antiphons are said with three psalms chosen from the complementary psalmody, unless special psalms are to be used or the celebration falls on a Sunday. The complementary psalter consists of three sets of three psalms, chosen as a rule from the Gradual Psalms.
During the major liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, a single antiphon is used for all three psalms and is recited before the first and after the last psalm. The final prayer is the same as that of lauds but uses the short conclusion, "Through Christ our Lord." The Divine Office offers all three sets of psalms, but those who have the obligation to recite the Liturgy of the Hours can pray just one of the three. This is the most common practice outside of situations such as contemplative monasteries.
If an individual or community decides to pray more than one of the daytime offices, the breviary offers some complementary psalms so that the same psalms need not be repeated twice or thrice on the same day. For example, during the day of the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the breviary Volume IV (Ordinary Time weeks 18-34) on page 1646, it says that "in place of psalm 122, psalm 129, 1185 may be said, and in place of psalm 127, psalm 131 may be said." Similarly, on the day of the dedication of a church, "if the complementary psalms are used, psalm 121 may be replaced by psalm 128."
The Book of Psalms in the Hebrew Psalter numbers 150 songs, while the Greek Psalter (followed by the Latin Vulgate) is usually one digit behind in its numbering. Psalms can be classified by content, such as laments, thanksgiving, royal, wisdom, Torah, and historical.
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The 'inner' and 'outer' shape of the offices
The Catholic Church is one of the most structured religious institutions in the world, with a spiritual architecture designed to serve, teach, and unite. The Liturgy of the Hours, or LOTH, is the official daily prayer of the Roman Catholic Church. It is a form of prayer that Christ and the Apostles knew intimately and observed daily in the course of their earthly lives.
The inner and outer shape of the offices refers to the spatial configuration or architecture of the Catholic Church. The concept of 'invisible articulation' refers to the sequence of movement of the user of space through devotional rituals (liturgy). The inner space of the church is designed to allow for the correct conveyance of the liturgy, and for people to understand and perceive the meaning of the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The outer space of the church is designed to support the liturgy and to be easily visible to people. The presence of liturgical instruments in both the inner and outer spaces of the church contributes to the active participation of the congregation, as required by the Second Vatican Council.
The inner and outer shape of the offices also refers to the organizational structure of the Catholic Church, from the parish to the papacy. At the heart of the Catholic Church is the parish—the local congregation where people gather for Mass, sacraments, and spiritual formation. Bishops provide pastoral governance for a diocese, and several bishops from a particular country or region may form an episcopal conference to discuss current problems and provide united guidance to their communities.
Above the bishops is the Pope, also known as the Supreme Pontiff or Holy Father. He is the Bishop of Rome, the spiritual leader of all Catholics, and the highest authority in matters of faith and morals. His power is one of servant leadership, in the spirit of Christ, who washed the feet of His disciples.
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The history of the Liturgy of the Hours
The Liturgy of the Hours, formerly known as the "Divine Office" or "breviary", is a form of prayer with roots in Jewish rituals, including morning and evening sacrifices at the Temple. 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. Early Christians, many of whom were Jewish, continued these practices, as depicted in the Acts of the Apostles.
The Liturgy of the Hours is a daily public prayer of the Church, marking the hours of each day and sanctifying them with prayer. It consists of psalms supplemented by hymns, readings, and other prayers and antiphons at fixed prayer times. It is open to everyone to pray, either alone or in a group. Shorter editions of the Liturgy of the Hours are also available, such as "Christian Prayer" and "Shorter Christian Prayer".
Following the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church's Latin Church revised the liturgical book for the celebration of the Divine Office and published it under the title "Liturgy of the Hours". The Liturgy of the Hours is published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana in four volumes, arranged according to the liturgical seasons of the church year. The first edition appeared in 1971 in Latin, with vernacular translations soon produced for various territories. The Liturgy of the Hours produced by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy was first published in 1975 by the Catholic Book Publishing Company in the USA. This edition is the official English edition for use in the US, Canada, and some other English-speaking dioceses.
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Frequently asked questions
The Liturgy of the Hours is the official daily prayer of the Roman Catholic Church, the highest form of prayer after the Mass.
The Liturgy of the Hours book contains the complete texts of Morning and Evening Prayer for the entire year. It also includes ribbon markers for easy location of texts and a flexible maroon cover.
The Liturgy of the Hours book simplifies praying the official Prayer of the Church for today's busy Catholic. It includes the most essential prayers, such as Morning Prayer (Lauds) and Evening Prayer (Vespers), as well as a full one-week cycle of Night Prayer (Compline).
It is recommended to start with one hour of prayer, such as the Office of Readings, Lauds, or Vespers, and gradually add more. Additionally, understanding the inner" shape of the offices and how to pray the psalms can enhance your experience.
