The Liturgy of the Hours

Mr. Pablo Cuadra

Religion Class
 What is the Liturgy of
the Hours?
 The Liturgy of the
hours is the official
public prayer of the
Church.
 What is the Liturgy of the
Hours composed of?
 The Liturgy of the
Hours is composed
of:
 A. Hymns
 B. Psalms
 C. Scripture
Readings
 D. Prayers
 E. Doxologies
 F. Antiphons
 G. Spiritual
Readings
 What forms of prayer
composed the Liturgy of
the Hours?
 The Liturgy of the
Hours is a prayer
of:
 A. Thanksgiving to
God
 B. Reparation
 C. Adoration
 What grace does the
Church ask through Liturgy
of the hour?
The grace to
continue Christ’s
work on earth.
 What Jewish practice did the
Apostles continue to observe in
their prayer?
 The early Christians
continue the Jewish
practice of reciting
prayers at certain
hours of the day or
night.
 Jews prayed at the
third, sixth and ninth
hour of the day. The
Apostle continue this
practice Acts of the
Apostles 10:9
The Liturgy of the Hours
 The Liturgy of the
hours is rooted in
Jesus’ example in
perseverance in
prayer.
 Jesus commands
his disciples to
pray
 “You must pray at
all times and not
lose heart”
 The Practice of Prayer in
Early Christianity
 By the end of the fifth
century, the Liturgy of
the Hours was
composed of a Vigil or
Night Service and seven
day offices, of which
Prime and Compline
seem to be the last to
appear, since the
fourth-century Apostolic
Constitutions VIII, iv, 34
does not mention them
in the exhortation:
"Offer up your prayers
in the morning, at the
third hour, the sixth,
the ninth, the evening,
and at cock-crowing".
 What are the seven
canonical hours?
 Pre-Vatican II Post Vatican II Time
of Day
 *Matins or Vigils Office of Readings Any
time of day
 Lauds Morning Prayer At
dawn
 Prime Abolished First
hour 6:00 a.m.
 Terce Mid-morning prayer Third
hour 9:00 a.m.
 Sext Midday Prayer Sixth
hour 12: p.m.
 None Mid-afternoon prayer Ninth
hour 3 p.m.
 Vespers Evening prayer Sunset
 Compline Night Prayer Before
General Instructions for the
Liturgy of the Hours No 22
 “Hence, when the
people are invited to
the liturgy of the
hours and come
together in unity of
heart and voice, they
show forth the Church
in its celebration of
the mystery of Christ.”
 Pope Paul IV
 “Christian prayer is
primarily the prayer of
the entire community
of mankind joined to
Christ himself. Each
individual has his part
in this prayer” .
Apostolic
Constitution
“Laudis Canticum”
 Vatican II
(1962-1965)

 The Fathers of the

Council wanted to
emphasize the
communal dimension of
the Church’s prayer
 The prayer of the
Church is not just
confined to the clergy
or religious; the laity is
call to play an important
aspect in the
invigoration of this
ancient tradition of
prayer.
 The practice of Liturgy
The Liturgy of the Hours and the Clergy

According to Canon no.

1174

 The clergy: Bishops,

priests and deacons are
obliged to celebrate the
liturgy of the hours daily.

 This obligation extends to

a certain degree to those
in the religious life,
example: nuns and
brothers.
 The Community of Faith
(parish)
 The communal aspect
of the Liturgy of the
hours has many
advantages for the
parish.
 A. Greater
participation of the
Laity in the life of the
church.
 B. An ongoing spiritual
renewal invigorated
by the power of the
Church’s prayer
 C. An opportunity for
instruction in the faith
(catechesis)
 The new era of
Evangelization
 To learn more about the Liturgy of
the hours or to pray the liturgy of the
hours online, please visit the
following link:
http://www.universalis.com/
 The End
 Prayer does not change God, but it
changes him who prays.  ~Søren
Kierkegaard