Night Hours

The Night Hours are the fixed times of prayer in the Divine Office of the Roman Catholic Church, that take place after sunset and before sunrise. In the Latin Rite, the main Office is traditionally Matins, said in the early hours of the morning, and which is joined to the office of Lauds, which is concluded shortly before dawn. Vespers, traditionally said just after sunset, and Compline, said immediately before retiring to bed, are also sometimes considered to be part of the Night Hours. The Eastern Christian Churches, including both Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, have a similar structure of night prayer, but the terminology is usually different. Some Protestant communities have similar prayer times.

The contents of these prayer offices vary greatly with season, day of week, and feast days, which is unlike the Daytime Hours, which tend to be invariable. The offices consist of a hymn, psalms and canticles with antiphons, versicles, readings from scripture, Fathers of the Church, Councils of the Church, lives of the Saints, etc., and specific prayers.