Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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LITTLE HOURS

The shorter hours of the Divine Office, before the revision of the Breviary since the Second Vatican Council. They were Prime, Terce, Sext, and None. In the revised office, Prime has been suppressed, while Terce, Sext, and None have become the Middle Hour (Hora Media), with a different closing biblical reading and prayer that is still called Terce, Sext, and None, for different times of the day, i.e., before noon, noon to three, and after three in the afternoon. Only one of the three hours is read each day, depending on the time of day it is said, i.e., midmorning, midday, or midafternoon.