Night Hours
Encyclopedia
The Night Hours are the fixed times of prayer in the Divine Office
of the Roman Catholic Church
, that take place after sunset and before sunrise. In the Latin Rite, the main Office
is traditionally Matins
, said in the early hours of the morning, and which is joined to the office of Lauds
, which is concluded shortly before dawn. Vespers
, traditionally said just after sunset, and Compline
, said immediately before retiring to bed, are also sometimes considered to be part of the Night Hours. The Eastern Christian Churches, including both Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church
es, have a similar structure of night prayer, but the terminology is usually different. Some Protestant communities have similar prayer times.
The contents of these prayer offices vary greatly with season
, day of week, and feast days, which is unlike the Daytime Hours
, which tend to be invariable. The offices consist of a hymn
, psalms and canticle
s with antiphon
s, versicles, readings from scripture
, Fathers of the Church, Councils of the Church, lives of the Saints, etc., and specific prayer
s.
is the longest of the daily offices, and includes a minimum of two lengthy readings, and traditionally had the most number of psalms and canticles. Since the reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council
, the Liturgy of the Hours
has renamed "Matins" as "Office of Readings", allowing it to be said at any time during the day or night. The Office of Readings has only three psalms or portions of psalms, where the earlier form had nine, and two readings, in length similar to the total length of the readings in the three "nocturns" of the previous form. Clergy who have an obligation to celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours may still fulfil their obligation by using the Roman Breviary promulgated by Pope John XXIII
in 1962.
A characteristic of Matins or the Office of Readings, is the ancient hymn
, Te Deum
, said on Sundays and solemnities.
The office of Lauds
, traditionally said just before sunrise, is now often called, in English, "Morning Prayer", though the official name (in Latin) remains unchanged. The character of this office is one of praise to God.
The office of Vespers
, traditionally said just after sunset, has been renamed "Evening Prayer" after the Second Vatican Council
, and is to be said at about 6 p.m. The character of this office is one of thanksgiving.
The office of Compline
, is said just before retiring to bed, and has been renamed "Night Prayer" after the Second Vatican Council
. The character of this office is a meditation on death.
Liturgy of the hours
The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, that take place after sunset and before sunrise. In the Latin Rite, the main Office
Canonical hours
Canonical hours are divisions of time which serve as increments between the prescribed prayers of the daily round. A Book of Hours contains such a set of prayers....
is traditionally Matins
Matins
Matins is the early morning or night prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox liturgies of the canonical hours. The term is also used in some Protestant denominations to describe morning services.The name "Matins" originally referred to the morning office also...
, said in the early hours of the morning, and which is joined to the office of Lauds
Lauds
Lauds is a divine office that takes place in the early morning hours and is one of the two major hours in the Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Hours. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, it forms part of the Office of Matins...
, which is concluded shortly before dawn. Vespers
Vespers
Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Western Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours...
, traditionally said just after sunset, and Compline
Compline
Compline is the final church service of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours. The English word Compline is derived from the Latin completorium, as Compline is the completion of the working day. The word was first used in this sense about the beginning of the 6th century by St...
, said immediately before retiring to bed, are also sometimes considered to be part of the Night Hours. The Eastern Christian Churches, including both Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
es, have a similar structure of night prayer, but the terminology is usually different. Some Protestant communities have similar prayer times.
The contents of these prayer offices vary greatly with season
Liturgical year
The liturgical year, also known as the church year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and which portions of Scripture are to be read. Distinct liturgical colours may appear in...
, day of week, and feast days, which is unlike the Daytime Hours
Little Hours
The Little Hours are the fixed daytime hours of prayer in the Divine Office of Christians, in both Western Christianity and the Eastern Orthodox Church. These Hours are called 'little' due to their shorter and simpler structure compared to the Night Hours...
, which tend to be invariable. The offices consist of a hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
, psalms and canticle
Canticle
A canticle is a hymn taken from the Bible. The term is often expanded to include ancient non-biblical hymns such as the Te Deum and certain psalms used liturgically.-Roman Catholic Church:From the Old Testament, the Roman Breviary takes seven canticles for use at Lauds, as follows:*...
s with antiphon
Antiphon
An antiphon in Christian music and ritual, is a "responsory" by a choir or congregation, usually in Gregorian chant, to a psalm or other text in a religious service or musical work....
s, versicles, readings from scripture
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, Fathers of the Church, Councils of the Church, lives of the Saints, etc., and specific prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
s.
Latin Rite Catholic usage
The office of MatinsMatins
Matins is the early morning or night prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox liturgies of the canonical hours. The term is also used in some Protestant denominations to describe morning services.The name "Matins" originally referred to the morning office also...
is the longest of the daily offices, and includes a minimum of two lengthy readings, and traditionally had the most number of psalms and canticles. Since the reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, the Liturgy of the Hours
Liturgy of the hours
The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings...
has renamed "Matins" as "Office of Readings", allowing it to be said at any time during the day or night. The Office of Readings has only three psalms or portions of psalms, where the earlier form had nine, and two readings, in length similar to the total length of the readings in the three "nocturns" of the previous form. Clergy who have an obligation to celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours may still fulfil their obligation by using the Roman Breviary promulgated by Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
in 1962.
A characteristic of Matins or the Office of Readings, is the ancient hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
, Te Deum
Te Deum
The Te Deum is an early Christian hymn of praise. The title is taken from its opening Latin words, Te Deum laudamus, rendered literally as "Thee, O God, we praise"....
, said on Sundays and solemnities.
The office of Lauds
Lauds
Lauds is a divine office that takes place in the early morning hours and is one of the two major hours in the Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Hours. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, it forms part of the Office of Matins...
, traditionally said just before sunrise, is now often called, in English, "Morning Prayer", though the official name (in Latin) remains unchanged. The character of this office is one of praise to God.
The office of Vespers
Vespers
Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Western Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours...
, traditionally said just after sunset, has been renamed "Evening Prayer" after the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, and is to be said at about 6 p.m. The character of this office is one of thanksgiving.
The office of Compline
Compline
Compline is the final church service of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours. The English word Compline is derived from the Latin completorium, as Compline is the completion of the working day. The word was first used in this sense about the beginning of the 6th century by St...
, is said just before retiring to bed, and has been renamed "Night Prayer" after the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. The character of this office is a meditation on death.
See also
- The daytime hours (Little HoursLittle HoursThe Little Hours are the fixed daytime hours of prayer in the Divine Office of Christians, in both Western Christianity and the Eastern Orthodox Church. These Hours are called 'little' due to their shorter and simpler structure compared to the Night Hours...
): PrimePrime (liturgy)Prime, or the First Hour, is a fixed time of prayer of the traditional Divine Office , said at the first hour of daylight , between the morning Hour of Lauds and the 9 a.m. Hour of Terce. It is part of the Christian liturgies of Eastern Christianity, but in the Latin Rite it was suppressed by the...
, TerceTerceTerce, or Third Hour, is a fixed time of prayer of the Divine Office of almost all the Christian liturgies. It consists mainly of psalms and is said at 9 a.m. Its name comes from Latin and refers to the third hour of the day after dawn....
, SextSextSext, or Sixth Hour, is a fixed time of prayer of the Divine Office of almost all the traditional Christian liturgies. It consists mainly of psalms and is said at noon...
, NoneNone (liturgy)None , or the Ninth Hour, is a fixed time of prayer of the Divine Office of almost all the traditional Christian liturgies. It consists mainly of psalms and is said around 3 p.m... - Also, older names of night prayer: NocturnsNocturnsNocturns are divisions of Matins, the night office of the Christian Liturgy of the Hours. A nocturn consists of psalms with antiphons followed by three lessons, which are taken either from scripture or from the writings of the Church Fathers. The office of Matins is composed of one to three nocturns...
and VigilsVigilsVigils is a term for night prayer in ancient Christianity. See Vespers, Compline, Nocturns, Matins, and Lauds for more information. A Vigil is a night spent in prayer....