How long does it take to pray the Liturgy of the Hours?

[Jennifer_G]

How long does it take to pray each section? I know some are 1 hour, but others are 15 minutes.

Matins
Lauds
Terce
Sext
None
Vespers
Compline

Also, I’ve seen the eBreviary site, but it seems that any day but Sunday requires a subscription (and the daytime prayers is just 1 set of prayers it seems). Also, What’s the Office of Readings?

 

[Gertabelle]

How long does it take to pray each section? I know some are 1 hour, but others are 15 minutes.

Matins
Lauds
Terce
Sext
None
Vespers
Compline

Also, I’ve seen the eBreviary site, but it seems that any day but Sunday requires a subscription (and the daytime prayers is just 1 set of prayers it seems). Also, What’s the Office of Readings?

When I was in the Abbey, and we were singing everything, it was like this:
Matins (Office of Readings) - 50 minutes
Lauds - 35 minutes
Terce, Sext, None - 15 minutes each
Vespers - 35 minutes
Compline - 20 minutes

The complete Divine Office requires the use of more books than I wanted to own at this time. So I purchased The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary from my local Catholic bookstore. The book is very small (it can fit in my purse), and this is the version of the office that the exterm sisters of my former community’s founding house used to pray some 60 years ago (back in the “old country”). It’s a slightly shorter version of the complete Divine Office, and with fewer alternatives for feast days and liturgical seasons.

Gertie

 

[acadian]

I pray morning and evening prayer and it usually takes me about 15 minutes. I have the Shorter Christian Prayer book - which is also fairly compact and easy to use - especially for a beginner. It only has morning, evening and night prayers - not sure the corresponding traditional name.

 

[Quatsch]

How long does it take to pray each section? I know some are 1 hour, but others are 15 minutes.

Matins
Lauds
Terce
Sext
None
Vespers
Compline

Also, I’ve seen the eBreviary site, but it seems that any day but Sunday requires a subscription (and the daytime prayers is just 1 set of prayers it seems).

Hi Jennifer,

When doing the Liturgy of the Hours by yourself it takes considerably less time than celebrating in common with others. Morning prayer, Evening prayer, and the Office of Readings each take about 15 - 20 minutes. The Daytime Prayers and Night Prayer take about 10 minutes each.

Also, What’s the Office of Readings?

The Office of Readings can be celebrated at any time during the day. Generally the day begins with either the Office of Readings or Morning Prayer. Oh, and before the first hour of the day is begun, the Invitatory is done. This consists of an antiphon and Psalm 95 (or 100, 67, or 24 optionally).

Anyway, the Office of Readings consists mainly of 3 Psalms with antiphons, a reading from Scripture, and a reading from either the Fathers, church writers, or a reading connected with the Saints.

This site is a simple guide that clearly introduces how to pray the LOTH: chastitysf.com/loh.htm#genINV It is quite a bit easier to understand than the General Instruction (see below).

And this is the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours: catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/DocumentContents/Index/2/SubIndex/39/DocumentIndex/2

The General Instruction is found at the beginning of Vol I of the 4-volume set. I found it difficult to understand at first, before I was familiar with the structure of the LOTH, but it is a very interesting read

Blessings,

Q

 

[marleelynn]

I know priests are required to recite the Liturgy of the Hours daily. Maybe other religious do too (?)

 

[tee_eff_em]

As long as necessary.

tee

 

[benedictgal]

It took us about 30 minutes when I went to the Gateway Liturgical Conference. Archbishop Malcom Rajith was the presider.

It had been a long, long time since I had done Morning Prayer. Fr. Samuel Webber led us in the chants and they were beautiful. In fact, Fr. Webber wrote the settings for the chants we used. Some of them were very familiar and I noted that when I spoke to him at lunch.

The little chapel at the Cardnial Rigali Center was gorgeous. From what I understand, it used to be the seminary.

 

[Joannm]

It took us about 30 minutes when I went to the Gateway Liturgical Conference. Archbishop Malcom Rajith was the presider.

It had been a long, long time since I had done Morning Prayer. Fr. Samuel Webber led us in the chants and they were beautiful. In fact, Fr. Webber wrote the settings for the chants we used. Some of them were very familiar and I noted that when I spoke to him at lunch.

The little chapel at the Cardnial Rigali Center was gorgeous. From what I understand, it used to be the seminary.

Praying the LOTH communally is much longer than praying it individually. Typically is takes me less than 15 minutes to pray Morning or Evening Prayer and a bit longer for the Office of Readings.