Each card below opens today’s office in a new tab, with the current psalms, antiphons, Scripture readings, and Concluding Prayer handled for you. The fixed parts of every hour — the opening verse, the Gospel canticles, the Marian antiphons — are given below, so you can learn them by heart and pray them without a book when you need to.
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Today’s Seven Hours
Office of Readings
Three psalms and two long readings — Scripture and a classic spiritual text. The Church’s daily library.
Pray it nowMorning Prayer · Lauds
Psalms of praise, a short reading, and the Benedictus. The day’s first turning toward God.
Pray it nowMid-Morning · Terce
A short hour at the hour of Pentecost. One psalm, one reading, one prayer.
Pray it now NowMidday · Sext
The hour of the Cross. A pause at the peak of the day — brief, steadying.
Pray it nowMid-Afternoon · None
The hour Christ gave up His Spirit. An offering of the day’s remaining light.
Pray it nowEvening Prayer · Vespers
Thanksgiving for the day with the Magnificat. The second great hinge of the office.
Pray it nowNight Prayer · Compline
Examination of conscience, a psalm of trust, the Nunc dimittis, a Marian antiphon. The sweetest of the hours.
Pray it nowPropers are served from Universalis — a trusted English breviary used worldwide. Prefer a different source? Open iBreviary.
The Fixed Parts of Every Hour
These do not change, day to day. Learn them by heart and you can pray with the Church anywhere, without a book.
Opening · The Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitatory Verse · Every Hour Except the First of the Day
V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. (Alleluia.)
Alleluia is omitted during Lent.
First Hour of the Day · The Invitatory Psalm
V. Lord, open my lips.
R. And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Followed by Psalm 95 (most commonly), 100, 67, or 24, with the appointed antiphon of the day.
Conclusion · Every Hour
V. May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
R. Amen.
The Three Gospel Canticles
One of these is sung at every hinge of the day. They are Luke’s three songs — Zechariah at Lauds, Mary at Vespers, Simeon at Compline — and they carry the whole office on their shoulders.
Benedictus — the Canticle of Zechariah
Lauds · Luke 1:68–79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Magnificat — the Canticle of Mary
Vespers · Luke 1:46–55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Nunc Dimittis — the Canticle of Simeon
Compline · Luke 2:29–32
Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The Marian Antiphons at Compline
Compline closes every night with a short hymn to the Mother of God. The four great antiphons follow the seasons of the liturgical year.
Salve Regina — Hail, Holy Queen
Ordinary Time · after Pentecost through Advent
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Alma Redemptoris Mater — Loving Mother of the Redeemer
Advent through February 2 (Presentation)
Loving Mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
come to the aid of your people who have fallen, yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.
Ave Regina Caelorum — Hail, Queen of Heaven
Presentation (Feb 2) through Holy Thursday
Hail, O Queen of Heaven enthroned.
Hail, by angels Mistress owned.
Root of Jesse, Gate of morn,
whence the world’s true Light was born.
Glorious Virgin, joy to thee,
loveliest whom in heaven they see.
Fairest thou, where all are fair,
plead with Christ our sins to spare.
Regina Caeli — Queen of Heaven
Easter season (Vigil through Pentecost)
Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia!
For he whom you were worthy to bear, alleluia,
has risen as he said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.