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The General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours

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Chapter I:
Importance of the Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office in the Life of the Church  

I. Prayer of Christ 
II. Prayer of the Church 
III. Liturgy of the Hours 
IV. Participants in the Liturgy of the Hours 
   

Chapter II:
Sanctification of the Day: The Different Liturgical Hours  

I. Introduction to the Whole Office 
II. Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer 
III. Office of Readings 
IV. Vigils 
V. Daytime Hours 
VI. Night Prayer 
VII. Combining the Hours With Mass or With Each Other   

Chapter III:
Different Elements in the Liturgy of the Hours  

I. Psalms and Their Connection With Christian Prayer 
II. Antiphons and Other Aids to Praying the Psalms 
III. Ways of Singing the Psalms 
IV. Plan for the Distribution of the Psalms in the Office 
V. Canticles From the Old and New Testaments 
VI. Readings from Sacred Scripture 
VII. Readings from the Fathers and Church Writers 
VIII. Readings in Honor of Saints 
IX. Responsories 
X. Hymns and Other Nonbiblical Songs 
XI. Intercessions, Lord's Prayer, and Concluding Prayer 
XII. Sacred Silence   

Chapter IV:
Various Celebrations Throughout the Year  

I. Mysteries of the Lord 
II. The Saints 
III. Calendar and Option to Choose an Office or Part of an Office 
      

Chapter V:
Rites for Celebration in Common 
 

I. Offices to be Carried Out 
II. Singing in the Office   

Endnotes  

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CHAPTER I:
IMPORTANCE OF THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS OR DIVINE OFFICE IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH
  

1. Public and common prayer by the people of God is rightly considered to be 
among the primary duties of the Church. From the very beginning those who were 
baptized "devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the 
community, to the breaking of the bread, and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). The Acts of 
the Apostles give frequent testimony to the fact that the Christian community 
prayed with one accord. [1]  

The witness of the early Church teaches us that individual Christians devoted 
themselves to prayer at fixed times. Then, in different places, it soon became 
the established practice to assign special times for common prayer, for example, 
the last hour of the day when evening draws on and the lamp is lighted, or the 
first hour when night draws to a close with the rising of the sun.  

In the course of time other hours came to be sanctified by prayer in common. 
These were seen by the Fathers as foreshadowed in the Acts of the Apostles. 
There we read of the disciples gathered together at the third hour. [2] The 
prince of the apostles "went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour" 
(10:9); "Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the 
ninth hour" (3:1); "about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns 
to God" (16:25).  

2. Such prayer in common gradually took the form of a set cycle of hours. This 
liturgy of the hours or divine office, enriched by readings, is principally a 
prayer of praise and petition. Indeed, it is the prayer of the Church with 
Christ and to Christ.  

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I. PRAYER OF CHRIST
CHRIST THE INTERCESSOR WITH THE FATHER  

3. When the Word, proceeding from the Father as the splendor of his glory, came 
to give us all a share in God's life, "Christ Jesus, High Priest of the new and 
eternal covenant, taking human nature, introduced into this earthly exile the 
hymn of praise that is sung throughout all ages in the halls of heaven." [3] 
From then on in Christ's heart the praise of God assumes a human sound in words 
of adoration, expiation, and intercession, presented to the Father by the Head 
of the new humanity, the Mediator between God and his people, in the name of all 
and for the good of all.  

4. In his goodness the Son of God, who is one with his Father (see Jn 10:30) and 
who on entering the world said: "Here I am! I come, God, to do your will" (Heb 
10:9; see Jn 6:38), has left us the lesson of his own prayer. The Gospels many 
times show us Christ at prayer: when his mission is revealed by the Father; [4] 
before he calls the apostles; [5] when he blesses God at the multiplication of 
the loaves; [6] when he is transfigured on the mountain; [7] when he heals the 
deaf-mute; [8] when he raises Lazarus; [9] before he asks for Peter's confession 
of faith; [10] when he teaches the disciples how to pray; [11]when the disciples 
return from their mission; [12] when he blesses the little children; [13] when 
he prays for Peter. [14]  

The work of each day was closely bound up with his prayer, indeed flowed out 
from it: he would retire into the desert or into the hills to pray, [15] rise 
very early [16] or spend the night up to the fourth watch [17] in prayer to God. 
[18]  

We are right in thinking that he took part both in public prayers: in the 
synagogues, which he entered on the Sabbath "as his custom was;" [19] in the 
temple, which he called a house of prayer; [20] and in the private prayers that 
for devout Israelites were a daily practice. He used the traditional blessings 
of God at meals, as is expressly mentioned in connection with the multiplication 
of the loaves, [21] the last supper [22] and the meal at Emmaus. [23] He also 
joined with the disciples in a hymn of praise. [24]  

To the very end of his life, as his passion was approaching, [25] at the last 
supper, [26] in the agony in the garden, [27] and on the cross, [28] the divine 
teacher showed that prayer was the soul of his Messianic ministry and paschal 
death. "In the days of his life on earth he offered up prayers and entreaties 
with loud cries and tears to the one who could deliver him from death and 
because of his reverence his prayer was heard" (Heb 5:7). By a single offering 
on the altar of the cross "he has made perfect forever those who are being 
sanctified" (Heb 10-14). Raised from the dead, he lives for ever, making 
intercession for us. [29]  

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II. PRAYER OF THE CHURCH   
COMMANDMENT TO PRAY  

5. Jesus has commanded us to do as he did. On many occasions he said: "Pray," 
"ask," "seek" [30] "in my name." [31] He taught us how to pray in what is known 
as the Lord's Prayer. [32] He taught us that prayer is necessary, [33] that it 
should be humble, [34] watchful, [35] persevering, confident in the Father's 
goodness, [36] single-minded, and in conformity with God's nature. [37]  

Here and there in their letters the apostles have handed on to us many prayers, 
particularly of praise and thanks. They instruct us on prayer in the Holy 
Spirit, [38] through Christ, [39] offered to God, [40] as to its persistence and 
constancy, [41] its power to sanctify, [42] and on prayer of praise, [43] 
thanks, [44] petition, [45] and intercession for all. [46]  

CHRIST'S PRAYER CONTINUED BY THE CHURCH  

6. Since we are entirely dependent on God, we must acknowledge and express this 
sovereignty of the Creator, as the devout people of every age have done by means 
of prayer.  

Prayer directed to God must be linked with Christ, the Lord of all, the one 
Mediator [47] through whom alone we have access to God.[48] He unites to himself 
the whole human community [49] in such a way that there is an intimate bond 
between the prayer of Christ and the prayer of all humanity. In Christ and in 
Christ alone human worship of God receives its redemptive value and attains its 
goal.  

7. There is a special and very close bond between Christ and those whom he makes
members of his Body, the Church, through the sacrament of rebirth. Thus, from 
the Head all the riches belonging to the Son flow throughout the whole Body: the 
communication of the Spirit, the truth, the life, and the participation in the 
divine sonship that Christ manifested in all his prayer when he dwelt among us.  

Christ's priesthood is also shared by the whole Body of the Church, so that the 
baptized are consecrated as a spiritual temple and holy priesthood through the 
rebirth of baptism and the anointing by the Holy Spirit [50] and are empowered 
to offer the worship of the New Covenant, a worship that derives not from our 
own powers but from Christ's merit and gift.  

"God could give us no greater gift than to establish as our Head the Word 
through whom he created all things and to unite us to that Head as members. The 
results are many The Head is Son of God and Son of Man, one as God with the 
Father and one as man with us. When we speak in prayer to the Father, we do not 
separate the Son from him and when the Son's Body prays it does not separate 
itself from its Head. It is the one Savior of his Body, the Lord Christ Jesus, 
who prays for us and in us and who is prayed to by us. He prays for us as our 
priest, in us as our Head; he is prayed to by us as our God. Recognize therefore 
our own voice in him and his voice in us." [51]  

The excellence of Christian prayer lies in its sharing in the reverent love of 
the only-begotten Son for the Father and in the prayer that the Son put into 
words in his earthly life and that still continues without ceasing in the name 
of the whole human race and for its salvation, throughout the universal Church 
and in all its members.  

ACTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT  

8. The unity of the Church at prayer is brought about by the Holy Spirit, who is
the same in Christ, [52] in the whole Church, and in every baptized person. It 
is this Spirit who "helps us in our weakness" and "intercedes for us with 
longings too deep for words" (Rom 8:26). As the Spirit of the Son, he gives us 
"the spirit of adopted children, by which we cry out: Abba, Father" (Rom 8:15; 
see Gal 4:6; 1 Cor 12:3; Eph 5:18; Jude 20). There can be therefore no Christian 
prayer without the action of the Holy Spirit, who unites the whole Church and 
leads it through the Son to the Father.  

COMMUNITY CHARACTER OF PRAYER  

9. It follows that the example and precept of our Lord and the apostles in 
regard to constant and persevering prayer are not to be seen as a purely legal 
regulation. They belong to the very essence of the Church itself, which is a 
community and which in prayer must express its nature as a community. Hence, 
when the community of believers is first mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, 
it is seen as a community gathered together at prayer "with the women and Mary, 
the mother of Jesus, and his brothers" (Acts 1:14). "There was one heart and 
soul in the company of those who believed" (Acts 4:32). Their oneness in spirit 
was founded on the word of God, on the communion of charity, on prayer, and on
the eucharist. [53]  

Though prayer in private and in seclusion [54] is always necessary and to be 
encouraged [55] and is practiced by the members of the Church through Christ in 
the Holy Spirit, there is a special excellence in the prayer of the community. 
Christ himself has said: "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I 
am there in their midst" (Mt 18:20).  

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III. LITURGY OF THE HOURS 
CONSECRATION OF TIME  

10. Christ taught us: "You must pray at all times and not lose heart" (Lk 18:1). 
The Church has been faithful in obeying this instruction; it never ceases to 
offer prayer and makes this exhortation its own: "Through him (Jesus) let us 
offer to God an unceasing sacrifice of praise" (Heb 15:15). The Church fulfills 
this precept not only by celebrating the eucharist but in other ways also, 
especially through the liturgy of the hours. By ancient Christian tradition what 
distinguishes the liturgy of the hours from other liturgical services is that it 
consecrates to God the whole cycle of the day and the night. [56]  

11. The purpose of the liturgy of the hours is to sanctify the day and the whole 
range of human activity. Therefore its structure has been revised in such a way 
as to make each hour once more correspond as nearly as possible to natural time 
and to take account of the circumstances of life today. [57]  

Hence, "that the day may be truly sanctified and the hours themselves recited 
with spiritual advantage, it is best that each of them be prayed at a time most 
closely corresponding to the true time of each canonical hour." [58]  

LITURGY OF THE HOURS AND THE EUCHARIST  

12. To the different hours of the day the liturgy of the hours extends [59] the 
praise and thanksgiving, the memorial of the mysteries of salvation, the 
petitions and the foretaste of heavenly glory that are present in the 
eucharistic mystery, "the center and high point in the whole life of the 
Christian community." [60]  

The liturgy of the hours is in turn an excellent preparation for the celebration 
of the eucharist itself, for it inspires and deepens in a fitting way the 
dispositions necessary for the fruitful celebration of the eucharist: faith, 
hope, love, devotion, and the spirit of self-denial.  

PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST IN THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS  

13. In the Holy Spirit Christ carries out through the Church "the task of 
redeeming humanity and giving perfect glory to God," [61] not only when the 
eucharist is celebrated and the sacraments administered but also in other ways 
and especially when the liturgy of the hours is celebrated. [62] There Christ 
himself is present - in the gathered community, in the proclamation of God's 
word, "in the prayer and song of the Church." [63]  

SANCTIFICATION OF GOD'S PEOPLE  

14. Our sanctification is accomplished [64] and worship is offered to God in the 
liturgy of the hours in such a way that an exchange or dialogue is set up 
between God and us, in which "God is speaking to his people ... and his people 
are responding to him by both song and prayer." [65]  

Those taking part in the liturgy of the hours have access to holiness of the 
richest kind through the life-giving word of God, which in this liturgy receives 
great emphasis. Thus its readings are drawn from sacred Scripture, God's words 
in the psalms are sung in his presence, and the intercessions, prayers, and 
hymns are inspired by Scripture and steeped in its spirit. [66]  

Hence, not only when those things are read "that are written for our 
instruction" (Rom 15:4), but also when the Church prays or sings, faith is 
deepened for those who take part and their minds are lifted up to God, in order 
to offer him their worship as intelligent beings and to receive his grace more 
plentifully. [67]  

PRAISING GOD WITH THE CHURCH IN HEAVEN  

15. In the liturgy of the hours the Church exercises the priestly office of its 
Head and offers to God "without ceasing" [68] a sacrifice of praise, that is, a 
tribute of lips acknowledging his name. [69] This prayer is "the voice of a 
bride addressing her bridegroom; it is the very prayer that Christ himself, 
together with his Body, addresses to the Father." [70] "All who render this 
service are not only fulfilling a duty of the Church, but also are sharing in 
the greatest honor of Christ's Bride for by offering these praises to God they 
are standing before God's throne in the name of the Church, their Mother." [71]  

16. When the Church offers praise to God in the liturgy of the hours, it unites 
itself with that hymn of praise sung throughout all ages in the halls of heaven; 
[72] it also receives a foretaste of the song of praise in heaven, described by 
John in the Book of Revelation, the song sung continually before the throne of 
God and of the Lamb. Our close union with the Church in heaven is given 
effective voice "when we all, from every tribe and tongue and people and nation 
redeemed by Christ's blood (see Rv 5:9) and gathered together into the one 
Church, glorify the triune God with one hymn of praise." [73]  

The prophets came almost to a vision of this liturgy of heaven as the victory of 
a day without night, of a light without darkness: "The sun will no more be your 
light by day, and the brightness of the moon will not shine upon you, but the 
Lord will be your everlasting light" (Is 60:19; see Rv 21:23 and 25). "There
will be a single day, known to the Lord, not day and night, and at evening there 
will be light" (Zech 14:7). Already "the end of the ages has come upon us (see I 
Cor 10:11) and the renewal of the world has been irrevocably established and in 
a true sense is being anticipated in this world." [74] By faith we too are 
taught the meaning of our temporal life, so that we look forward with all 
creation to the revealing of God's children. [75] In the liturgy of the hours we 
proclaim this faith, we express and nourish this hope, we share in some degree 
the joy of everlasting praise and of that day that knows no setting.  

PETITION AND INTERCESSION  

17. But besides the praise of God, the Church in the liturgy of the hours 
expresses the prayers and desires of all the faithful; indeed, it prays to 
Christ, and through him to the Father, for the salvation of the whole world. 
[76] The Church's voice is not just its own; it is also Christ's voice, since 
its prayers are offered in Christ's name, that is, "through our Lord Jesus 
Christ," and so the Church continues to offer the prayer and petition that 
Christ poured out in the days of his earthly life [77] and that have therefore a 
unique effectiveness. The ecclesial community thus exercises a truly maternal 
function in bringing souls to Christ, not only by charity, good example, and
works of penance but also by prayer. [78]  

The concern with prayer involves those especially who have been called by a 
special mandate to carry out the liturgy of the hours: bishops and priests as 
they pray in virtue of their office for their own people and for the whole 
people of God; [79] other sacred ministers, and also religious. [80]  

18. Those then who take part in the liturgy of the hours bring growth to God's 
people in a hidden but fruitful apostolate, [81] for the work of the apostolate 
is directed to this end, "that all who are made children of God by faith and 
baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of this Church, to take 
part in the sacrifice, and to eat the Lord's Supper." [82]  

Thus by their lives the faithful show forth and reveal to others "the mystery of 
Christ and the real nature of the true Church. It is of the essence of the 
Church to be visible yet endowed with invisible resources, eager to act yet 
intent on contemplation, present in this world yet not at home in it." [83]  

In their turn the readings and prayers of the liturgy of the hours form a 
wellspring of the Christian life: the table of sacred Scripture and the writings 
of the saints nurture its life and prayers strengthen it. Only the Lord, without 
whom we can do nothing, [84] can, in response to our request, give power and 
increase to what we do, [85] so that we may be built up each day in the Spirit 
into the temple of God, [86] to the measure of Christ's fullness, [87] and 
receive greater strength also to bring the good news of Christ to those outside. 
[88]  

HARMONY OF MIND AND VOICE  

19. Mind and voice must be in harmony in a celebration that is worthy, 
attentive, and devout, if this prayer is to be made their own by those taking 
part and to be a source of devotion, a means of gaining God's manifold grace, a 
deepening of personal prayer, and an incentive to the work of the apostolate. 
[89] All should be intent on cooperating with God's grace, so as not to receive 
it in vain. Seeking Christ, penetrating ever more deeply into his mystery 
through prayer [90] they should offer praise and petition to God with the same 
mind and heart as the divine Redeemer when he prayed.  

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IV. PARTICIPANTS IN THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS

A. CELEBRATION IN COMMON  

20. The liturgy of the hours, like other liturgical services, is not a private
matter but belongs to the whole Body of the Church, whose life it both expresses 
and affects. [91] This liturgy stands out most strikingly as an ecclesial 
celebration when, through the bishop surrounded by his priests and ministers, 
[92] the local Church celebrates it. For "in the local Church the one, holy, 
catholic, and apostolic Church is truly present and at work." [93] Such a 
celebration is therefore most earnestly recommended. When, in the absence of the 
bishop, a chapter of canons or other priests celebrate the liturgy of the hours, 
they should always respect the true time of day and, as far as possible, the 
people should take part. The same is to be said of collegiate chapters.  

21. Wherever possible, other groups of the faithful should celebrate the liturgy 
of the hours communally in church. This especially applies to parishes - the 
cells of the diocese, established under their pastors, taking the place of the 
bishop; they "represent in some degree the visible Church established throughout 
the world." [94]  

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. [95]  

23. Those in holy orders or with a special canonical mission [96] have the 
responsibility of initiating and directing the prayer of the community; "they 
should expend every effort so that those entrusted to their care may become of 
one mind in prayer." [97] They must therefore see to it that the people are 
invited, and prepared by suitable instruction, to celebrate the principal hours 
in common, especially on Sundays and holydays. [98] They should teach the people 
how to make this participation a source of genuine prayer; [99] they should 
therefore give the people suitable guidance in the Christian understanding of 
the psalms, in order to progress by degrees to a greater appreciation and more 
frequent use of the prayer of the Church. [100]  

24. Communities of canons, monks, nuns, and other religious who celebrate the 
liturgy of the hours by rule or according to their constitutions, whether with 
the general rite or a particular rite, in whole or in part, represent in a 
special way the Church at prayer. They are a fuller sign of the Church as it 
continuously praises God with one voice and they fulfill the duty of "working," 
above all by prayer, "to build up and increase the whole Mystical Body of 
Christ, and for the good of the local Churches." [101] This is especially true 
of those living the contemplative life.  

25. Even when having no obligation to communal celebration, all sacred ministers 
and all clerics living in a community or meeting together should arrange to say 
at least some part of the liturgy of the hours in common, particularly morning 
prayer and evening prayer. [102]  

26. Men and women religious not bound to a common celebration, as well as 
members of any institute of perfection, are strongly urged to gather together, 
by themselves or with the people, to celebrate the liturgy of the hours or part 
of it.
 
27. Lay groups gathering for prayer, apostolic work, or any other reason are 
encouraged to fulfill the Church's duty, [103] by celebrating part of the 
liturgy of the hours. The laity must learn above all how in the liturgy they are 
adoring God the Father in spirit and in truth; [104] they should bear in mind 
that through public worship and prayer they reach all humanity and can 
contribute significantly to the salvation of the whole world. [105]  

Finally, it is of great advantage for the family, the domestic sanctuary of the 
Church, not only to pray together to God but also to celebrate some parts of the 
liturgy of the hours as occasion offers, in order to enter more deeply into the 
life of the Church. [106]  

B. MANDATE TO CELEBRATE THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS  

28. Sacred ministers have the liturgy of the hours entrusted to them in such a 
particular way that even when the faithful are not present they are to pray it 
themselves with the adaptations necessary under these circumstances. The Church 
commissions them to celebrate the liturgy of the hours so as to ensure at least 
in their persons the regular carrying out of the duty of the whole community and 
the unceasing continuance of Christ's prayer in the Church. [107]  

The bishop represents Christ in an eminent and conspicuous way and is the high 
priest of his flock; the life in Christ of his faithful people may be said in a 
sense to derive from him and depend on him. [108] He should, then, be the first 
of all the members of his Church in offering prayer. His prayer in the 
recitation of the liturgy of the hours is always made in the name of the Church 
and on behalf of the Church entrusted to him. [109]  

United as they are with the bishop and the whole presbyterium, priests are 
themselves representative in a special way of Christ the Priest [110] and so 
share the same responsibility of praying to God for the people entrusted to them 
and indeed for the whole world. [111]  

All these ministers fulfill the ministry of the Good Shepherd who prays for his
sheep that they may have life and so be brought into perfect unity. [112] In the
liturgy of the hours that the Church sets before them they are not only to find 
a source of devotion and a strengthening of personal prayer, [113] but must also 
nourish and foster pastoral missionary activity as the fruit of their 
contemplation to gladden the whole Church of God. [114]  

29. Hence bishops, priests, and other sacred ministers, who have received from 
the Church the mandate to celebrate the liturgy of the hours (see no. 17), 
should recite the full sequence of hours each day, observing as far as possible 
the true time of day.  

They should, first and foremost, attach due importance to those hours that are, 
so to speak, the two hinges of the liturgy of the hours, that is, morning prayer 
and evening prayer,, which should not be omitted except for a serious reason.  

They should faithfully pray the office of readings, which is above all a 
liturgical celebration of the word of God. In this way they fulfill daily a duty 
that is peculiarly their own, that is, of receiving the word of God into their 
lives, so that they may become more perfect as disciples of the Lord and 
experience more deeply the unfathomable riches of Christ. [115]  

In order to sanctify the whole day more completely, they will also treasure the 
recitation of daytime prayer and night prayer, to round off the whole Opus Dei
and to commend themselves to God before retiring.  

30. It is most fitting that permanent deacons recite daily at least some part of 
the liturgy of the hours, to be determined by the conference of bishops. [116]  

31. a. Cathedral and collegiate chapters should celebrate in choir those parts 
of the liturgy of the hours that are prescribed for them by the general law or 
by particular law.  

In private recitation individual members of these chapters should include those 
hours that are recited in their chapter, in addition to the hours prescribed for 
all sacred ministers. [117]  

b. Religious communities bound to the recitation of the liturgy of the hours and 
their individual members should celebrate the hours in keeping with their own 
particular law; but the prescription of no. 29 in regard to those in holy orders 
is to be respected.  

Communities bound to choir should celebrate the whole sequence of the hours 
daily in choir; [118] when absent from choir their members should recite the 
hours in keeping with their own particular law; but the prescriptions in no. 29 
are always to be respected.  

32. Other religious communities and their individual members are advised to 
celebrate some parts of the liturgy of the hours, in accordance with their own 
situation, for it is the prayer of the Church and makes the whole Church, 
scattered throughout the world, one in heart and mind. [119]
 
This recommendation applies also to laypersons. [120]  

C. STRUCTURE OF THE CELEBRATION  

33. The structure of the liturgy of the hours follows laws of its own and 
incorporates in its own way elements found in other Christian celebrations. Thus 
it is so constructed that, after a hymn, there is always psalmody, then a long 
or short reading of sacred Scripture, and finally prayer of petition.  

In a celebration in common and in private recitation the essential structure of 
this liturgy remains the same, that is, it is a conversation between God and his 
people. Celebration in common, however, expresses more clearly the ecclesial 
nature of the liturgy of the hours; it makes for active participation by all, in 
a way suited to each one's condition, through the acclamations, dialogue, 
alternating psalmody, and similar elements. It also better provides for the 
different literary genres that make up the liturgy of the hours. [121] Hence, 
whenever it is possible to have a celebration in common, with the people present 
and actively taking part, this kind of celebration is to be preferred to one 
that is individual and, as it were, private. [122] It is also advantageous to 
sing the office in choir and in community as opportunity Offers, in accordance 
with the nature and function of the individual parts.  

In this way the Apostle's exhortation is obeyed: "Let the word of Christ dwell 
in you in all its fullness, as you teach and counsel each other in all wisdom by 
psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing thankfully to God in your 
hearts" (Col 3:16; see Eph 5:19-20).  

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CHAPTER II  
SANCTIFICATION OF THE DAY: THE DIFFERENT LITURGICAL HOURS  

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE WHOLE OFFICE  

34. The whole office begins as a rule with an invitatory. This consists in the 
verse, Lord, open my lips. And my mouth will proclaim your praise, and Ps 95. 
This psalm invites the faithful each day to sing God's praise and to listen to 
his voice and draws them to hope for "the Lord's rest." [1]  

In place of Ps 95, Ps 100, Ps 67, or Ps 24 may be used as circumstances may 
suggest.  

It is preferable to recite the invitatory psalm responsorially as it is set out 
in the text, that is, with the antiphon recited at the beginning, then repeated, 
and repeated again after each strophe.  

35. The invitatory is placed at the beginning of the whole sequence of the day's 
prayer, that is, it precedes either morning prayer or the office of readings, 
whichever of these liturgical rites begins the day. The invitatory psalm with 
its antiphon may be omitted, however, when the invitatory is the prelude to 
morning prayer.  

36. The variation of the invitatory antiphon, to suit the different liturgical 
days, is indicated at its place of occurrence.

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II. MORNING PRAYER AND EVENING PRAYER  

37. "By the venerable tradition of the universal Church, lauds as morning prayer 
and vespers as evening prayer are the two hinges on which the daily office 
turns; hence they are to be considered as the chief hours and celebrated as 
such." [2]  

38. As is clear from many of the elements that make it up, morning prayer is 
intended and arranged to sanctify the morning. St. Basil the Great gives an 
excellent description of this character in these words: "It is said in the 
morning in order that the first stirrings of our mind and will may be 
consecrated to God and that we may take nothing in hand until we have been 
gladdened by the thought of God, as it is written: 'I was mindful of God and was 
glad' (Ps 77:4 [Jerome's translation from Hebrew]), or set our bodies to any 
task before we do what has been said: 'I will pray to you, Lord, you will hear 
my voice in the morning; I will stand before you in the morning and gaze on you' 
(Ps 5:4-5)." [3]  

Celebrated as it is as the light of a new day is dawning, this hour also recalls 
the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the true light enlightening all people (see 
Jn 1:9) and "the sun of justice" (Mal 4:2), "rising from on high" (Lk 1:78). 
Hence, we can well understand the advice of St. Cyprian: "There should be prayer 
in the morning so that the resurrection of the Lord may thus be celebrated." [4]  

39. When evening approaches and the day is already far spent, evening prayer is 
celebrated in order that "we may give thanks for what has been given us, or what 
we have done well, during the day." [5] We also recall the redemption through 
the prayer we send up "like incense in the Lord's sight," and in which "the 
raising up of our hands" becomes "an evening sacrifice." [6] This sacrifice "may 
also be interpreted more spiritually as the true evening sacrifice that our 
Savior the Lord entrusted to the apostles at supper on the evening when he 
instituted the sacred mysteries of the Church or of the evening sacrifice of the 
next day, the sacrifice, that is, which, raising his hands, he offered to the 
Father at the end of the ages for the salvation of the whole world." [7] Again, 
in order to fix our hope on the light that knows no setting, "we pray and make 
petition for the light to come down on us anew; we implore the coming of Christ 
who will bring the grace of eternal light." [8] Finally, at this hour we join 
with the Churches of the East in calling upon the "joy-giving light of that holy 
glory, born of the immortal, heavenly Father, the holy and blessed Jesus Christ; 
now that we have come to the setting of the sun and have seen the evening star, 
we sing in praise of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. . . ."  

40. Morning prayer and evening prayer are therefore to be accorded the highest 
importance as the prayer of the Christian community. Their public or communal 
celebration should be encouraged, especially in the case of those who live in 
community. Indeed, the recitation of these hours should be recommended also to 
individual members of the faithful unable to take part in a celebration in 
common.
 
41. Morning prayer and evening prayer begin with the introductory verse, God 
come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me. There follows the Glory to 
the Father, with As it was in the beginning and Alleluia (omitted in Lent). This 
introduction is omitted at morning prayer when the invitatory immediately 
precedes it.  

42. Then an appropriate hymn is sung immediately. The purpose of the hymn is to
set the tone for the hour or the feast and, especially in celebrations with a 
congregation, to form a simple and pleasant introduction to prayer.  

43. After the hymn the psalmody follows, in accordance with the rules laid down 
in nos. 121-125. The psalmody of morning prayer consists of one morning psalm, 
then a canticle from the Old Testament and, finally, a second psalm of praise, 
following the tradition of the Church.  

The psalmody of evening prayer consists of two psalms (or two parts of a longer 
psalm) suited to the hour and to celebration with a congregation and a canticle 
from the letters of the apostles or from the Book of Revelation.  

44. After the psalmody there is either a short reading or a longer one.  

45. The short reading is provided to fit the day, the season, and the feast. It 
is to be read and received as a true proclamation of God's word that emphasizes 
some holy thought or highlights some shorter passages that may be overlooked in 
the continuous cycle of Scripture readings.  

The short readings are different for each day of the psalter cycle.  

46. Especially in a celebration with a congregation, a longer Scripture reading 
may be chosen either from the office of readings or the Lectionary for Mass, 
particularly texts that for some reason have not been used. From time to time 
some other more suitable reading may be used, in accordance with the rules in 
nos. 248-249 and 251.
47. In a celebration with a congregation a short homily may follow the reading 
to explain its meaning, as circumstances suggest.  

48. After the reading or homily a period of silence may be observed.  

49. As a response to the word of God, a responsorial. chant or short responsory 
is provided; this may be omitted. Other chants with the same purpose and 
character may also be substituted in its place, provided these have been duly 
approved by the conference of bishops.  

50. Next is the solemn recitation of the gospel canticle with its antiphon, that 
is, the Canticle of Zechariah at morning prayer and the Canticle of Mary at 
evening prayer. Sanctioned by age-old popular usage in the Roman Church, these 
canticles are expressions of praise and thanksgiving for our redemption. The 
antiphon for each canticle is indicated, according to the character of the day, 
the season, or the feast.  

51. After the canticle, at morning prayer come the petitions for the 
consecration of the day and its work to God and at evening prayer, the 
intercessions (see nos. 179-193).  

52. After the petitions or intercessions the Lord's Prayer is said by all.
 
53. Immediately after the Lord's Prayer there follows the concluding prayer, 
which for weekdays in Ordinary Time is found in the psalter and for other days 
in the proper.  

54. Then, if a priest or deacon is presiding, he dismisses the congregation with 
the greeting, The Lord be with you, and the blessing as at Mass. He adds the 
invitation, Go in peace. R. Thanks be to God. In the absence of a priest or 
deacon the celebration concludes with May the Lord bless us, etc.  

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III. OFFICE OF READINGS  

55. The office of readings seeks to provide God's people, and in particular 
those consecrated to God in a special way, with a wider selection of passages 
from sacred Scripture for meditation, together with the finest excerpts from 
spiritual writers. Even though the cycle of scriptural readings at daily Mass is 
now richer, the treasures of revelation and tradition to be found in the office 
of readings will also contribute greatly to the spiritual life. Bishops and 
priests in particular should prize these treasures, so that they may hand on to 
others the word of God they have themselves received and make their teaching 
"the true nourishment for the people of God." [9]  

56. But prayer should accompany "the reading of sacred Scripture so that there 
may be a conversation between God and his people: 'we talk with God when we 
pray, we listen to him when we read God's words." [10] For this reason the 
office of readings consists also of psalms, a hymn, a prayer, and other texts, 
giving it the character of true prayer.  

57. The Constitution on the Liturgy directs that the office of readings, "though 
it should retain its character as a night office of praise when celebrated in 
choir, shall be adapted so that it may be recited at any hour of the day; it 
shall be made up of fewer psalms and longer readings." [11]  

58. Those who are obliged by their own particular law and others who commendably 
wish to retain the character of this office as a night office of praise (either 
by saying it at night or very early in the morning and before morning prayer), 
during Ordinary Time choose the hymn from the selection given for this purpose. 
Moreover, for Sundays, solemnities, and certain feasts what is said in nos. 
70-73 about vigils must be kept in mind.  

59. Without prejudice to the regulations just given, the office of readings may 
be recited at any hour of the day, even during the night hours of the previous 
day, after evening prayer has been said.  

60. If the office of readings is said before morning prayer, the invitatory 
precedes it, as noted (nos. 34-36). Otherwise it begins with the verse, God, 
come to my assistance with the Glory to the Father, As it was in the beginning, 
and the Alleluia (omitted in Lent).  

61. Then the hymn is sung. In Ordinary Time this is taken either from the night 
selections, as already indicated (nos. 34-36), or from the morning selections, 
depending on what the true time of day requires.
 
62. The psalmody follows and consists of three psalms (or parts in the case of 
longer psalms). During the Easter triduum, on days within the octaves of Easter 
and Christmas, on solemnities and feasts, the psalms are proper, with their 
proper antiphons.  

On Sundays and weekdays, however, the psalms and their antiphons are taken from 
the current week and day of the psalter. On memorials of the saints they are 
similarly taken from the current week and day of the psalter, unless there are 
proper psalms or antiphons (see nos. 218ff.).  

63. Between the psalmody and the readings there is, as a rule, a verse, marking 
a transition in the prayer from psalmody to listening.  

64. There are two readings: the first is from the Scriptures, the second is from 
the writings of the Fathers or church writers, or else is a reading connected 
with the saints.  

65. After each reading there is a responsory (see nos. 169-172).  

66. The scriptural reading is normally to be taken from the Proper of Seasons, 
in accordance with the rules to be given later (nos. 140-155). On solemnities 
and feasts, however, it is taken from the proper or the common.  

67. On solemnities and feasts of saints a proper second reading is used; if 
there is none, the second reading is taken from the respective Common of Saints. 
On memorials of saints when the celebration is not impeded, the reading in 
connection with the saint replaces the current second reading (see nos. 166 and
235).  

68. On Sundays outside Lent, on days within the octaves of Easter and Christmas, 
and on solemnities and feasts the Te Deum is said after the second reading with 
its responsory but is omitted on memorials and weekdays. The last part of this 
hymn, that is, from the verse, Save your people, Lord to the end, may be 
omitted.  

69. The office of readings normally concludes with the prayer proper to the day 
and, at least in recitation in common, with the acclamation, Let us praise the 
Lord. R. And give him thanks.  

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IV. VIGILS  

70. The Easter Vigil is celebrated by the whole Church, in the rites given in 
the relevant liturgical books. "The vigil of this night," as St. Augustine said, 
"is of such importance that it could claim exclusively for itself the name 
'vigil,' common though this is to all the others." [12] "We keep vigil on that
night when the Lord rose again and inaugurated for us in his humanity that 
life ... in which there is neither death nor sleep.... Hence, the one whose
resurrection we celebrate by keeping watch a little longer will see to it that 
we reign with him by living a life without end." [13]  

71. As with the Easter Vigil, it was customary to begin certain solemnities 
(different in different Churches) with a vigil. Among these solemnities 
Christmas and Pentecost are preeminent. This custom should be maintained and 
fostered, according to the particular usage of each Church. Whenever it seems 
good to add a vigil for other solemnities or pilgrimages, the general norms for 
celebrations of the word should be followed.  

72. The Fathers and spiritual writers have frequently encouraged Christians, 
especially those who lead the contemplative life, to pray during the night. Such 
prayer expresses and awakens our expectation of the Lord's Second Coming: "At 
midnight the cry went up: 'See, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him... 
(Mt 25:6). "Keep watch, then, for you do not know when the master of the house 
is coming, whether late or at midnight or at cockcrow or in the morning, so that 
if he comes unexpectedly he may not find you sleeping" (Mk 13:35-36). All who 
maintain the character of the office of readings as a night office, therefore, 
are to be commended.  

73. Further, since in the Roman Rite the office of readings is always of a 
uniform brevity, especially for the sake of those engaged in apostolic work, 
those who desire, in accordance with tradition, to extend the celebration of the 
vigils of Sundays, solemnities, and feasts should do so as follows.  

First, the office of readings is to be celebrated as in The Liturgy of the Hours 
up to the end of the readings. After the two readings and before the Te Deum 
canticles should be added from the special appendix of The Liturgy of the Hours. 
Then the gospel should be read; a homily on the gospel may be added. After this 
the Te Deum is sung and the prayer said.  

On solemnities and feasts the gospel is to be taken from the Lectionary for 
Mass; on Sundays, from the series on the paschal mystery in the appendix of The 
Liturgy of the Hours. 

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V. DAYTIME HOURS  

74. Following a very ancient tradition Christians have made a practice of 
praying out of private devotion at various times of the day, even in the course 
of their work, in imitation of the Church in apostolic times. In different ways 
with the passage of time this tradition has taken the form of a liturgical 
celebration.  

75. Liturgical custom in both East and West has retained midmorning, midday, and 
midafternoon prayer, mainly because these hours were linked to a commemoration
of the events of the Lord's passion and of the first preaching of the Gospel.  

76. Vatican Council II decreed that these lesser hours are to be retained in 
choir. [14]  

The liturgical practice of saying these three hours is to be retained, without 
prejudice to particular law, by those who live the contemplative life. It is 
recommended also for all, especially those who take part in retreats or pastoral 
meetings.  

77. Outside choir, without prejudice to particular law, it is permitted to 
choose from the three hours the one most appropriate to the time of day, so that 
the tradition of prayer in the course of the day's work may be maintained.  

78. Daytime prayer is so arranged as to take into account both those who recite 
only one hour and those who are obliged, or desire, to say all three hours.  

79. The daytime hours begin with the introductory verse, God come to my 
assistance with the Glory to the Father, As it was in the beginning, and the 
Alleluia (omitted in Lent).
 
Then a hymn appropriate to the hour is sung. The psalmody is next, then the 
reading, followed by the verse. The hour concludes with the prayer and, at least 
in recitation in common, with the acclamation, Let us praise the Lord. R. And 
give him thanks.  

80. Different hymns and prayers are given for each of the hours so that, in 
keeping with tradition, they may correspond to the true time of day and thus 
sanctify it in a more pointed way. Those who recite only one hour should 
therefore choose the texts that correspond to the true time of day.  

In addition, the readings and prayers vary in keeping with the character of the 
day, the season, or the feast.  

81. Two psalmodies are provided: the current psalmody and the complementary 
psalmody. Those who pray one hour should use the current psalmody. Those who 
pray more than one hour should use the current psalmody at one hour and the 
complementary psalmody at the others.  

82. 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, when 
the psalms are those from the Sunday of Week I of the psalter.  

83. The complementary psalter consists of three sets of three psalms, chosen as 
a rule from the Gradual Psalms.  

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VI. NIGHT PRAYER  

84. Night prayer is the last prayer of the day, said before retiring, even if 
that is after midnight.  

85. Night prayer begins like the other hours, with the verse, God, come to my 
assistance, the Glory to the Father, As it was in the beginning, and the 
Alleluia (omitted in Lent).  

86. It is a laudable practice to have next an examination of conscience; in a 
celebration in common this takes place in silence or as part of a penitential 
rite based on the formularies in the Roman Missal.  

87. The appropriate hymn follows.  

88. After evening prayer I of Sunday the psalmody consists of Ps 4 and Ps 134; 
after evening prayer II of Sunday it consists of Ps 91.  

On the other days psalms are chosen that are full of confidence in the Lord; it 
is permissible to use the Sunday psalms instead, especially for the convenience 
of those who may wish to pray night prayer from memory.  

89. After the psalmody there is a reading, followed by the responsory, Into your 
hands. Then, as a climax to the whole hour, the Canticle of Simeon, Lord, now 
you let your servant go in peace follows, with its antiphon.  

90. The concluding prayer then follows, as it appears in the psalter.
 
91. After the prayer the blessing, May the all-powerful Lord is used, even in 
private recitation.  

92. Finally, one of the antiphons in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary is said. 
In the Easter season this is always to be the Regina caeli. In addition to the 
antiphons given in The Liturgy of the Hours, others may be approved by the 
conferences of bishops. [15]  

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VII. COMBINING THE HOURS WITH MASS OR WITH EACH OTHER  

93. In particular cases, if circumstances require, it is possible to link an 
hour more closely with Mass when there is a celebration of the liturgy of the 
hours in public or in common, according to the norms that follow, provided the 
Mass and the hour belong to one and the same office. Care must be taken, 
however, that this does not result in harm to pastoral work, especially on
Sundays.  

94. When morning prayer, celebrated in choir or in common, comes immediately 
before Mass, the whole celebration may begin either with the introductory verse 
and hymn of morning prayer, especially on weekdays, or with the entrance song, 
procession, and celebrant's greeting, especially on Sundays and holydays; one of 
the introductory rites is thus omitted.  

The psalmody of morning prayer follows as usual, up to, but excluding, the
reading. After the psalmody the penitential rite is omitted and, as 
circumstances suggest, the Kyrie; the Gloria then follows, if required by the 
rubrics, and the celebrant says the opening prayer of the Mass. The liturgy of 
the word follows as usual.  

The general intercessions are made in the place and form customary at Mass. But 
on weekdays, at Mass in the morning, the intercessions of morning prayer may 
replace the daily form of the general intercessions at Mass.  

After the communion with its communion song the Canticle of Zechariah, Blessed 
be the Lord, with its antiphon from morning prayer, is sung. Then follow the 
prayer after communion and the rest as usual.  

95. If public celebration of a daytime hour, whichever corresponds to the time 
of day, is immediately followed by Mass, the whole celebration may begin in the 
same way, either with the introductory verse and hymn for the hour, especially 
on weekdays, or with the entrance song, procession, and celebrant's greeting, 
especially on Sundays and holydays; one of the introductory rites is thus 
omitted.  

The psalmody of the hour follows as usual up to, but excluding, the reading. 
After the psalmody the penitential rite is omitted and, as circumstances 
suggest, the Kyrie; the Gloria then follows, if required by the rubrics, and the 
celebrant says the opening prayer of the Mass.  

96. Evening prayer, celebrated immediately before Mass, is joined to it in the 
same way as morning prayer. Evening prayer I of solemnities, Sundays, or feasts 
of the Lord falling on Sundays may not be celebrated until after Mass of the 
preceding day or Saturday.  

97. When a daytime hour or evening prayer follows Mass, the Mass is celebrated 
in the usual way up to and including the prayer after communion.  

When the prayer after communion has been said, the psalmody of the hour begins 
without introduction. At the daytime hour, after the psalmody the short reading 
is omitted and the prayer is said at once and the dismissal takes place as at 
Mass. At evening prayer, after the psalmody the short reading is omitted and 
the Canticle of Mary with its antiphon follows at once; the intercessions and 
the Lord's Prayer are omitted; the concluding prayer follows, then the blessing 
of the congregation.  

98. Apart from Christmas eve, the combining of Mass with the office of readings 
is normally excluded, since the Mass already has its own cycle of readings, to 
be kept distinct from any other. But if by way of exception, it should be 
necessary to join the two, then immediately after the second reading from the 
office, with its responsory, the rest is omitted and the Mass begins with the 
Gloria, if it is called for; otherwise the Mass begins with the opening prayer.  

99. If the office of readings comes immediately before another hour of the 
office, then the appropriate hymn for that hour may be sung at the beginning of 
the office of readings. At the end of the office of readings the prayer and 
conclusion are omitted and in the hour following the introductory verse with the 
Glory to the Father is omitted.  

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CHAPTER III  
DIFFERENT ELEMENTS IN THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS 
 

I. PSALMS AND THEIR CONNECTION WITH CHRISTIAN PRAYER  

100. In the liturgy of the hours the Church in large measure prays through the 
magnificent songs that the Old Testament authors composed under the inspiration 
of the Holy Spirit. The origin of these verses gives them great power to raise 
the mind to God, to inspire devotion, to evoke gratitude in times of favor, and 
to bring consolation and courage in times of trial.  

101. The psalms, however, are only a foreshadowing of the fullness of time that 
came to pass in Christ the Lord and that is the source of the power of the 
Church's prayer. Hence, while the Christian people are all agreed on the supreme 
value to be placed on the psalms, they can sometimes experience difficulty in 
making this inspired poetry their own prayer.  

102. Yet the Holy Spirit, under whose inspiration the psalms were written, is 
always present by his grace to those believers who use them with good will. But 
more is necessary: the faithful must "improve their understanding of the Bible,  
especially of the psalms," [1] according to their individual capacity, so that 
they may understand how and by what method they can truly pray through the 
psalms.  

103. The psalms are not readings or prose prayers, but poems of praise. They can
on occasion be recited as readings, but from their literary genre they are 
properly called Tehillim ("songs of praise") in Hebrew and psalmoi ("songs to be 
sung to the lyre") in Greek. In fact, all the psalms have a musical quality that 
determines their correct style of delivery. Thus even when a psalm is recited 
and not sung or is said silently in private, its musical character should govern 
its use. A psalm does present a text to the minds of the people, but its aim is 
to move the heart of those singing it or listening to it and also of those 
accompanying it "on the lyre and harp."  

104. To sing the psalms with understanding, then, is to meditate on them verse 
by verse, with the heart always ready to respond in the way the Holy Spirit 
desires.
 
The one who inspired the psalmist will also be present to those who in faith and 
love are ready to receive his grace. For this reason the singing of psalms, 
though it demands the reverence owed to God's majesty, should be the expression 
of a joyful spirit and a loving heart, in keeping with their character as sacred 
poetry and divine song and above all with the freedom of the children of God.  

105. Often the words of a psalm help us to pray with greater ease and fervor, 
whether in thanksgiving and joyful praise of God or in prayer for help in the 
throes of suffering. But difficulties may arise, especially when the psalm is 
not addressed directly to God. The psalmist is a poet and often addresses the 
people as he recalls Israel's history; sometimes he addresses others, including 
subrational creatures. He even represents the words as being spoken by God 
himself and individual people, including, as in Ps 2, God's enemies. This shows 
that a psalm is a different kind of prayer from a prayer or collect composed by 
the Church. Moreover, it is in keeping with the poetic and musical character of 
the psalms that they do not necessarily address God but are sung in God's 
presence. Thus St. Benedict's instruction: "Let us reflect on what it means to 
be in the sight of God and his angels, and let us so stand in his presence that 
our minds are in harmony with our voices." [2]  

106. In praying the psalms we should open our hearts to the different attitudes 
they express, varying with the literary genre to which each belongs (psalms of 
grief, trust, gratitude, etc.) and to which biblical scholars rightly attach 
great importance.  

107. Staying close to the meaning of the words, the person who prays the psalms 
looks for the significance of the text for the human life of the believer.  

It is clear that each psalm was written in its own individual circumstances, 
which the titles given for each psalm in the Hebrew psalter are meant to 
indicate. But whatever its historical origin, each psalm has its own meaning, 
which we cannot overlook even in our own day. Though the psalms originated very 
many centuries ago among an Eastern people, they express accurately the pain and 
hope, the unhappiness and trust of people of every age and country, and sing 
above all of faith in God, of revelation, and of redemption.  

108. Those who pray the psalms in the liturgy of the hours do so not so much in 
their own name as in the name of the entire Body of Christ. This consideration 
does away with the problem of a possible discrepancy between personal feelings 
and the sentiments a psalm is expressing: for example, when a person feels sad 
and the psalm is one of joy or when a person feels happy and the psalm is one of 
mourning. Such a problem is readily solved in private prayer, which allows for 
the choice of a psalm suited to personal feelings. The divine office, however, 
is not private; the cycle of psalms is public, in the name of the Church, even 
for those who may be reciting an hour alone. Those who pray the psalms in the 
name of the Church nevertheless can always find a reason for joy or sadness, for 
the saying of the Apostle applies in this case also: "Rejoice with the joyful 
and weep with those who weep" (Rom 12:15). In this way human frailty, wounded 
by self-love, is healed in proportion to the love that makes the heart match the 
voice that prays the psalms. [3]  

109. Those who pray the psalms in the name of the Church should be aware of 
their full sense (sensus plenus), especially their Messianic sense, which was 
the reason for the Church's introduction of the psalter into its prayer. This 
Messianic sense was fully revealed in the New Testament and indeed was affirmed 
publicly by Christ the Lord in person when he said to the apostles: "All that is 
written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be 
fulfilled" (Lk 24:44). The best-known example of this Messianic sense is the 
dialogue in Matthew's Gospel on the Messiah as Son of David and David's Lord, 
[4] where Ps 110 is interpreted as Messianic.  

Following this line of thought, the Fathers of the Church saw the whole psalter 
as a prophecy of Christ and the Church and explained it in this sense; for the 
same reason the psalms have been chosen for use in the liturgy. Though somewhat 
contrived interpretations were at times proposed, in general the Fathers and the 
liturgy itself had the right to hear in the singing of the psalms the voice of 
Christ crying out to the Father or of the Father conversing with the Son; 
indeed, they also recognized in the psalms the voice of the Church, the 
apostles, and the martyrs. This method of interpretation also flourished in the 
Middle Ages; in many manuscripts of the period the Christological meaning of 
each psalm was set before those praying by means of the caption prefixed. A 
Christological meaning is by no means confined to the recognized Messianic 
psalms but is given also to many others. Some of these interpretations are 
doubtless Christological only in an accommodated sense, but they have the 
support of the Church's tradition.  

On the great feasts especially, the choice of psalms is often based on their 
Christological meaning and antiphons taken from these psalms are frequently used 
to throw light on this meaning.  

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II. ANTIPHONS AND OTHER AIDS TO PRAYING THE PSALMS  

110. In the Latin tradition of psalmody three elements have greatly contributed 
to an understanding of the psalms and their use as Christian prayer: the 
captions, the psalm-prayers, and in particular the antiphons.  

111. In the psalter of The Liturgy of the Hours a caption is given for each
psalm to explain its meaning and its import for the personal life of the 
believer. These captions are intended only as an aid to prayer. A quotation from 
the New Testament or the Fathers of the Church is added to foster prayer in the 
light of Christ's new revelation; it is an invitation to pray the psalms in 
their Christological meaning.  

112. Psalm-prayers for each psalm are given in the supplement to The Liturgy of 
the Hours as an aid to understanding them in a predominantly Christian way. An 
ancient tradition provides a model for their use: after the psalm a period of 
silence is observed, then the prayer gives a resume and resolution of the 
thoughts and aspirations of those praying the psalms.  

113. Even when the liturgy of the hours is recited, not sung, each psalm retains 
its own antiphon, which is also to be said in private recitation. The antiphons 
help to bring out the literary genre of the psalm; they highlight some theme 
that may otherwise not attract the attention it deserves; they suggest an 
individual tone in a psalm, varying with different contexts: indeed, as long as 
farfetched accommodated senses are avoided, antiphons are of great value in 
helping toward an understanding of the typological meaning or the meaning 
appropriate to the feast; they can also add pleasure and variety to the 
recitation of the psalms.  

114. The antiphons in the psalter have been designed to lend themselves to 
vernacular translation and to repetition after each strophe, in accordance with 
no. 125.
 
When the office of Ordinary Time is recited, not sung, the quotations printed 
with the psalms may be used in place of these antiphons (see no. 111).  

115. When a psalm may be divided because of its length into several sections 
within one and the same hour, an antiphon is given for each section. This is to 
provide variety, especially when the hour is sung, and also to help toward a 
better understanding of the riches of the psalm. Still, it is permissible to say 
or sing the complete psalm without interruption, using only the first antiphon.  

116. Proper antiphons are given for each of the psalms of morning prayer and 
evening prayer during the Easter triduum, on the days within the octaves of 
Easter and Christmas, on the Sundays of the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, 
and Easter, on the weekdays of Holy Week and the Easter season, and from the 
17th to the 24th of December.  

117. On solemnities proper antiphons are given for the office of readings, 
morning prayer, the daytime hours, and evening prayer; if not, the antiphons are 
taken from the common. On feasts the same applies to the office of readings and 
to morning prayer and evening prayer.  

118. Any memorials of the saints that have proper antiphons retain them (see no. 
235).  

119. The antiphons for the Canticles of Zechariah and of Mary are taken, during
Ordinary Time, from the Proper of Seasons, if they are given there; if not, they 
are taken from the current week and day of the psalter. On solemnities and 
feasts they are taken from the proper if they are given there; if not, they are 
taken from the common. On memorials without proper antiphons the antiphon may be 
taken at will either from the common or from the current week.  

120. During the Easter season Alleluia is added to all antiphons, unless it 
would clash with the meaning of a particular antiphon.

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III. WAYS OF SINGING THE PSALMS  

121. Different psalms may be sung in different ways for a fuller grasp of their 
spiritual meaning and beauty. The choice of ways is dictated by the literary 
genre or length of each psalm, by the language used, whether Latin or the 
vernacular, and especially by the kind of celebration, whether individual, with 
a group, or with a congregation. The reason for using psalms is not the 
establishment of a fixed amount of prayer but their own variety and the 
character proper to each.  

122. The psalms are sung or said in one of three ways, according to the 
different usages established in tradition or experience: directly (in diredum), 
that is, all sing the entire psalm, or antiphonally, that is, two choirs or 
sections of the congregation sing alternate verses or strophes, or 
responsorially.  

123. At the beginning of each psalm its own antiphon is always to be recited, as 
noted in nos. 113-120. At the end of the psalm the practice of concluding with 
the Glory to the Father and As it was in the beginning is retained. This is the 
fitting conclusion endorsed by tradition and it gives to Old Testament prayer a 
note of praise and a Christological and Trinitarian sense. The antiphon may be 
repeated at the end of the psalm.
 
124. When longer psalms occur, sections are marked in the psalter that divide 
the parts in such a way as to keep the threefold structure of the hour; but 
great care has been taken not to distort the meaning of the psalm.
It is useful to observe this division, especially in a choral celebration in 
Latin; the Glory to the Father is added at the end of each section.  

It is permissible, however, either to keep this traditional way or to pause 
between the different sections of the same psalm or to recite the whole psalm 
and its antiphon as a single unit without a break.  

125. In addition, when the literary genre of a psalm suggests it, the divisions 
into strophes are marked in order that, especially when the psalm is sung in the 
vernacular, the antiphons may be repeated after each strophe; in this case the
Glory to the Father need be said only at the end of the psalm.  

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IV. PLAN FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE PSALMS IN THE OFFICE  

126. The psalms are distributed over a four-week cycle in such a way that very 
few psalms are omitted, while some, traditionally more important, occur more 
frequently than others; morning prayer and evening prayer as well as night 
prayer have been assigned psalms appropriate to these hours. [5]  

127. Since morning prayer and evening prayer are particularly designed for 
celebration with a congregation, the psalms chosen for them are those more 
suited to this purpose.  

128. For night prayer the norm given in no. 88 has been followed.  

129. For Sunday, including its office of readings and daytime prayer, the psalms 
chosen are those that tradition has particularly singled out as expressions of 
the paschal mystery. Certain psalms of a penitential character or connected with 
the passion are assigned to Friday.  

130. Three psalms (78, 105, and 106) are reserved for the seasons of Advent, 
Christmas, Lent, and Easter, because they throw a special light on the Old 
Testament history of salvation as the forerunner of its fulfillment in the New.  

131. Three psalms (58, 83, and 109) have been omitted from the psalter cycle 
because of their curses; in the same way, some verses have been omitted from 
certain psalms, as noted at the head of each. The reason for the omission is a 
certain psychological difficulty, even though the psalms of imprecation are in 
fact used as prayer in the New Testament, for example, Rv 6:10, and in no sense 
to encourage the use of curses.  

132. Psalms too long to be included in one hour of the office are assigned to 
the same hour on different days so that they may be recited in full by those who 
do not usually say other hours. Thus Ps 119 is divided in keeping with its own 
internal structure and is spread over twenty-two days during daytime prayer, 
because tradition has assigned it to the day hours.  

133. The four-week cycle of the psalter is coordinated with the liturgical year 
in such a way that on the First Sunday of Advent, the First Sunday in Ordinary 
Time, the First Sunday of Lent, and Easter Sunday the cycle is always begun 
again with Week I (others being omitted when necessary).  

After Pentecost, when the psalter cycle follows the series of weeks in Ordinary
Time, it ' begins with the week indicated in the Proper of Seasons at the 
beginning of the appropriate week in Ordinary Time.  

134. On solemnities and feasts, during the Easter triduum, and on the days 
within the octaves of Easter and Christmas, proper psalms are assigned to the 
office of readings from those with a tradition of use at these times and their
relevance is generally highlighted by the choice of antiphon. This is also the 
case at daytime prayer on certain solemnities of the Lord and during the octave 
of Easter. At morning prayer the psalms and canticle are taken from the Sunday 
of the Week I of the psalter. On solemnities the psalms at evening prayer I are 
taken from the Laudate Psalms, following an ancient custom. At evening prayer II 
on solemnities and at evening prayer on feasts the psalms and canticle are 
proper. At daytime prayer on solemnities (except those already mentioned and 
those falling on Sunday) the psalms are taken from the Gradual Psalms; at 
daytime prayer on feasts the psalms are those of the current week and day of the 
psalter.  

135. In all other cases the psalms are taken from the current week and day of 
the psalter, unless there are proper antiphons or proper psalms.  

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V. CANTICLES FROM THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS  

136. At morning prayer between the first and the second psalm a canticle from 
the Old Testament is inserted, in accordance with custom. In addition to the 
series handed down from the ancient Roman tradition and the other series 
introduced into the breviary by St. Pius X, several other canticles have been 
added to the psalter from different books of the Old Testament, in order that 
each weekday of the four-week cycle may have its own proper canticle and on 
Sunday the two sections of the Canticle of the Three Children may be alternated.  

137. At evening prayer, after the two psalms, a canticle of the New Testament is 
inserted, from the letters of the apostles or the Book of Revelation. Seven 
canticles are given for each week of the four-week cycle, one for each day. On 
the Sundays of Lent, however, in place of the Alleluia Canticle from the Book of 
Revelation, the canticle is from the First Letter of Peter. In addition, on the 
solemnity of the Epiphany and the feast of the Transfiguration the canticle is 
from the First Letter to Timothy; this is indicated in those offices.  

138. The gospel Canticles of Zechariah, of Mary, and of Simeon are to be treated 
with the same solemnity and dignity as are customary at the proclamation of the 
gospel itself.  

139. Both psalmody and readings are arranged in keeping with the received rule 
of tradition that the Old Testament is read first, then the writings of the 
apostles, and finally the gospel.  

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