The Liturgy of the Hours is older than the New Testament, it’s the reason church bells exist, and it’s technically the Church’s “official prayer” even more than the Rosary. That’s what a new illustrated guide from Aleteia sets out to explain, presenting ten accessible facts about this ancient prayer tradition that many lay Catholics have never encountered.
The guide is built around sacred art and plain-language explanations. It’s designed to help everyday Catholics understand a prayer form that priests and religious have prayed daily for centuries, and that laypeople are also called to pray when possible.
What happened
Aleteia published an illustrated primer called “10 Fun Facts About the Liturgy of the Hours,” drawing on both historical sources and contemporary Church teaching. The piece explains that the Liturgy of the Hours (also called the Divine Office or the Breviary) is the Church’s structured daily prayer, prayed at set times throughout the day and night.
Key points include: the prayer’s roots in Jewish temple worship and early Christian practice, its composition (primarily Psalms, Scripture readings, hymns, and intercessions), and its place in Catholic life today. The guide also explains practical details, like why church bells ring at certain hours (they originally called monks to prayer) and how laypeople can begin praying the Hours using apps or simplified books.
For the full list and illustrations, read Aleteia’s original guide.
Why this matters
The Liturgy of the Hours is often invisible to Catholics who didn’t grow up around priests or monasteries. Many assume daily prayer means private meditation or the Rosary. But the Hours are the Church’s primary liturgical prayer outside the Mass. Vatican II called all the faithful, not just clergy, to pray them when possible (Sacrosanctum Concilium 100).
This isn’t arcane liturgy reserved for specialists. It’s the prayer Jesus would have known from his Jewish upbringing (the Psalms sung at fixed hours in the Temple), carried forward by the apostles, and formalized into the structure we have today. When you pray the Hours, you’re joining your voice to centuries of Christians who have sanctified the day by turning to God at morning, midday, evening, and night.
For Catholic readers
If you’ve never prayed the Liturgy of the Hours, start small. Morning Prayer (Lauds) or Evening Prayer (Vespers) are the “hinge hours” of the day and take about 10 minutes. The Shorter Christian Prayer (also called Shorter Morning and Evening Prayer) is a beginner-friendly one-volume edition. Apps like iBreviary or Universalis walk you through the structure step-by-step. You don’t need to understand everything at once. Just pray the words the Church has prayed for two thousand years, and let the rhythm teach you.
Sources: 1. Aleteia — original guide
