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Breviarium Romanum

The Roman Breviary by day

Choose a date to read the Divine Office in Latin beside the available translation and its liturgical context.

Breviarium Romanum · Schola orationis

The Roman Office: how the Church sanctifies time

The Breviary is the public prayer of the Church: psalms, hymns, readings and collects distributed through the day. The reader above provides the appointed office; this guide explains how its parts belong together and how they are prayed.

The Church praying the Divine Office
The prayer of Christ’s Mystical BodyThe psalms are prayed with Christ, the Head, and with the whole Church.
The canonical hours of the Roman Breviary
The hours return the day to GodNight, dawn, work, noon, evening and rest are placed within an ordered sacrifice of praise.
Matutinum

Matins

The nocturnal vigil: psalmody and lessons.

Laudes

Lauds

Morning praise at the coming of light.

Prima

Prime

The first hour consecrates the beginning of work.

Tertia · Sexta · Nona

The little hours

Short offices interrupt labour and recall divine grace.

Vesperae

Vespers

Evening thanksgiving with the Magnificat.

Completorium

Compline

Examination, trust and protection before the night.

Read the structure

The anatomy of an hour

  1. Opening versicle and response.
  2. Hymn.
  3. Antiphon and psalmody.
  4. Chapter, lesson or responsory.
  5. Collect and conclusion.

Prima

What Prime teaches

Prime stands at the threshold of daily work. Its hymn asks that the senses and tongue be restrained; its psalms place activity beneath the law of God; its brief reading and collect turn duty into service.

Pray the signs

Rubrics and marks

*
A pause or division in a verse.
†
A shorter flex or prescribed sign.
℣ / ℟
Versicle and response.
Red text
An instruction, not part of the recited text.

Use the reader

A practical method

  1. Choose the date and hour.
  2. Confirm the office or feast.
  3. Keep Latin visible and use the vernacular for understanding.
  4. Observe antiphons, repetitions and conclusions.
  5. Pray at a measured pace.

Biblical foundations

Ps 54:18; Ps 118:62, 164; Dan 6:11; Acts 3:1; Acts 10:9; Acts 16:25; 1 Thess 5:17; Rev 5:8; 8:3–4.

The canonical hours receive and order the biblical pattern of praise by night and day.