Orthodox Church Daily Prayers (The Hours)

Introduction

• Daily Prayers: Referred to as "The Hours" or "The Daily Office."
• Structure: Begin and end the day with special prayers upon waking and before sleep.
  • Short prayers (2 pages each) suitable for beginners.

Occasional Prayers

• Morning and Evening Prayers: Found under occasional prayers, traditionally added in the Slavic tradition.
• Compliment: Small or Little Compliment in the Greek tradition, read in the evening.

Lesser Hours

• Canonical Hours: Short services throughout the day.
  • Midnight Office: Said in the middle of the night before Matins, meditation on the Last Judgment.
  • First Hour: After Matins, celebrates sunrise and world creation, read at 7 AM.
  • Third Hour: Commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit, read at 9 AM.
  • Sixth Hour: Commemorates crucifixion, read at noon.
  • Ninth Hour: Commemorates death on the cross, read at 3 PM.
  • Little Compliment: Meditation on sleep and death remembrance.
  • Great Compliment: Longer form during Lent and fasting.

Additional Services

• Typica (Typical Psalms): For laymen at home, sections from the Divine Liturgy.
• Vespers: Major evening service, sung before sunset, meditative on Christ as light and creator.
  • Simple reading: 15-20 minutes.
  • Elaborate singing: 30 minutes or 40 with a priest.
• Matins (Orthros): Major morning service, longest and most complex.
  • Timed to end after sunrise in monasteries.
  • Simplified in parishes, sung mid-morning, may take up to an hour.
  • Forms vary by festive rank of the day.

Special Observances

• Lenten Offices: During Great Lent, additional penitential portions added to Hours, Vespers, and Matins.
• Paschal Offices: For the joyful season of Bright Week, completely different and shorter.

Conclusion

• These services make up the Daily Office.
• Future explanations on assembling these services will be provided.