The canonical hours are the times of day that monks, nuns, and some hermits stop what they are doing to pray.
This is based on the Bible passage which says, “Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous ordinances” (Ps. 119:164). St. Benedict of Nursia added an eighth.
The eight canonical hours are the following:
- Matins or Night Prayer (at or after midnight)
- Lauds or Morning Prayer (at or before sunrise)
- Prime or Early Morning Prayer (around 6 a.m.)
- Terce or Mid-Morning Prayer (around 9 a.m.)
- Sext or Midday Prayer (around noon)
- None or Mid-Afternoon Prayer (around 3 p.m.)
- Vespers or Evening Prayer (around 6 p.m.)
- Compline or Bedtime Prayer (around 9 p.m.)
Hermits can observe these, but they don’t have to. In fact, I do not, because I work full-time. I observe morning prayer and bedtime prayer. I don’t recommend much more if you are working full-time. If you can, I would add Midday Prayer.
Dr. Jay N Forrest is a Spiritual Teacher of the Anglican Middle Way, writing on Prayer, Meditation, and Mysticism. Jay became a Christian in 1983, attended Bible school, and eventually earned his Doctorate in Ministry. Jay served as a Protestant minister for 27 years, took catechism classes with the Orthodox Church of America, and spent about a decade practicing Buddhism. In 2005, Jay was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic Church, but has since joined the Episcopal Church.
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