I agree. This Office also has its origins in Vigils or Matins. Particularly in the monastic tradition, it was a long prayer vigil in the night, hence the name Vigils. In the original monastic tradition it was 12 psalms divided into two nocturnes, with a long bible reading after the first and a reading from the Church fathers or the saint’s hagiography in the second. In summertime, the Rule of Saint Benedict allowed for shorter readings due to the brevity of the nights, a practice retained in many monasteries including the one I’m associated with, which recites this Office at 5 am, and they use a more modern monastic Office that divides it into two nocturnes of 3 psalms each (full psalms, not divisions), while maintaining the prayer of all 150 psalms in the week. I currently use this schema unless time constraints or « office fatigue » compel me to use the LOTH. The joys of being retired!
More than one monk has told me he considers this the most important Office of the day. It is to me of enormous comfort knowing monks all over the world have our backs in the night while we sleep.
In the secular Roman Office it was long the practice to anticipate this Office in the previous evening especially if recited privately. Some monastics have also embraced this practice. Hence while the Office of Readings can be prayed at any time, I prefer anticipating it in the evening or praying early in the morning before Lauds. Benedictines that anticipate in the evening often do so after Compline to underline its nocturnal character. Other communities do so just before Compline. I usually pray it in the early am but if compelled to do so in the evening for whatever reason, I pray it before Compline, with my daily reading of the Rule and the Martyrology in between the two offices.
