The Liturgy of the Hours

Compiled by Fr. Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.


The "Liturgy of the Hours" (a.k.a. "The Divine Office" or "Breviary") is the daily prayer of the universal Church, with different "hours" prayed at various times of the day and night. It is based primarily on the Psalms, but also incorporates other biblical texts, canticles, hymns, prayers, and even some non-biblical readings. The three "major hours" are Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and the Office of Readings (prayed at any time during the day). Other hours include "Daytime Prayer" and "Night Prayer."

Basic Terminology:

Charts and Overviews:

The materials gathered in this section of the "Catholic Resources" website are intended primarily to provide overviews of the biblical and non-biblical texts used throughout the Liturgy of the Hours.

The Ordinary of the Liturgy of the Hours
 

The Four-Week Psalter: Complete Tables

The Four-Week Psalter: sorted by Liturgical Hours

Index of Psalms & Canticles in the Four-Week Psalter

Psalms and Verses Omitted from the Four-Week Psalter
  

Office of Readings: Biblical First Readings

Office of Readings: Biblical First Readings - INDEX

Office of Readings: Non-Biblical Readings

Office of Readings: Non-Biblical Readings - INDEX (coming soon)

 

General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours (PDF file)

Apostolic Constitution Laudis canticum by Pope Paul VI (PDF file)
Promulgating the revised version of the Liturgy of the Hours (Nov. 1, 1970)

 

Other charts and overviews coming soon, God willing:

Complete Index of Psalms & Canticles (including Propers & Commons)

Index of Non-Biblical Readings used in the Office of Readings

 

Related Websites:

divineoffice.org
(free online texts for yesterday, today, tomorrow; access only from USA)

universalis.com (British translations)

ebreviary.com (subscription-based)

www.evangelizacion.org.mx (Spanish)

ibreviary.org (for mobile devices; multiple languages)

 


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This page was last updated on March 31, 2022
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