What Does “Liturgy of the Hours” Mean in the Bible?
The prayer of the Church throughout the day, with psalms and readings. Priests, religious, and many lay faithful pray it.
It can mean
- The hours: Lauds in the morning, Vespers in the evening, and Compline before sleep. There are also prayers during the day.
- Everyone’s prayer: it is meant to be the prayer of the whole People of God, not only of priests.
- In the Bible: Peter and John went up to the Temple for the prayer at the ninth hour.
Where it appears in the Bible
Acts 3:1; Acts 10:9; Psalms 55:18
What the Bible says
Acts 3:1
Now Peter and John went up into the temple at the ninth hour of prayer.
Acts 10:9
And on the next day, whilst they were going on their journey, and drawing nigh to the city, Peter went up to the higher parts of the house to pray, about the sixth hour.
Psalms 55:18
Evening and morning, and at noon I will speak and declare: and he shall hear my voice.
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.
Source: Catechism 1174-1178; USCCB, “Liturgy of the Hours”