CANONICAL HOURS

The major hours

The major hours consist of Morning and Evening Prayer (or Vespers). The character of Morning Prayer is that of praise; of Evening Prayer, that of thanksgiving. Both follow the same format:

• a hymn, composed by the Church
• two psalms, or one long psalm divided into two parts, and a scriptural canticle
• a short passage from scripture
• a responsory, typically a verse of scripture, but sometimes liturgical poetry
• a canticle taken from the Gospel of Luke: the Canticle of Zechariah (Benedictus) for morning prayer, and the Canticle of Mary (Magnificat) for evening prayer
• intercessions, composed by the Church
• the Our Father
• the concluding prayer, composed by the Church

The minor hours

The daytime hours follow a simpler format:

• a hymn
• three short psalms, or, three pieces of longer psalms; in the daytime hours it is usual to begin one part of the longest psalm, psalm 119
• a very short passage of scripture, followed by a responsorial verse
• the concluding prayer

• a hymn
• one or two long psalms divided into three parts
• a long passage from scripture, usually arranged so that in any one week, all the readings come from the same text
• a long hagiographical passage, such as an account of a saint's martyrdom, or a theological treatise commenting on some aspect of the scriptural reading, or a passage from the documents of the Second Vatican Council
• on nights preceding Sundays and feast days, the office may be expanded to a vigil by inserting three Old Testament canticles and a reading from the gospels
• the hymn Te Deum (on Sundays and feast days)
• the concluding prayer

• a hymn
• a psalm, or two short psalms, or simply Psalm 91
• a short reading from scripture
• the responsory In manus tuas, Domine (Into Your Hands, O Lord)
• the Canticle of Simeon, Nunc Dimittis, from the Gospel of Luke, framed by the antiphon Protect us, Lord
• a concluding prayer
• a hymn to Mary, the mother of Jesus