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[[Image:Horologion.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Horologion, Venice 1535]]The '''Hours''' are four relatively brief prayer services of the [[Daily Cycle]] that mark the various principal hours of the day.
* '''''First Hour''''' corresponds to daybreak (6:00 a.m.).
* '''''Ninth Hour''''' corresponds to mid-afternoon (3:00 p.m.)
These services, together with the other services of the Daily Cycle, are usually contained in a bound collection called the '''Book of Hours''', also known as the Horologion (Greek) or Chasoslov (Slavonic).
== General Structure of the Hours ==
Each of the services of the Hours shares the same general structure.
{{Services}}
*The service opens with the [[priest]]'s exclamation ''Blessed is our God ...'' and the [[Trisagion Prayers]]. (Note: this opening sequence is omitted if the service immediately follows another service.)
*Three chapters from the Psalter appointed for the particular Hour are read (First Hour: [[Psalms]] 5, 89, 100; Third Hour: Psalms 16, 24, 50; Sixth Hour: Psalms 53, 54, 90; Ninth Hour: Psalms 83, 84, 85)
=== Alleluia Seasons ===
*During an [[Alleluia Season]]:
**a [[Psalter#Kathismata|kathisma]] may be appointed. If so, it is read following the usual reading from the Psalter.
**the troparion of the day is replaced with troparia and [[stichera]] particular to the Hour.
=== Mesoria ===
During the [[Nativity#Nativity_fast|Nativity Fast]] and the [[Apostles' Fast]], each of the First, Third, Sixth, and Ninth Hours is followed by an additional service called a [[Mesorion]] (inter-hour). The Mesorion starts immediately after the final prayer.
=== Royal Hours ===
On the eves of the feasts of [[Nativity]] and [[Theophany]] and on [[Holy_Week|Holy Friday]], the usual services of the Hours are combined and replaced by the more solemn [[Royal Hours]]. The Royal Hours include hymnography, prayers, and scripture readings related to the feasts they anticipate.
=== Paschal Hours ===
== Online Texts ==
*[http://www.saintjonah.org/services/1sthour.doc The First Hour]
*[http://www.saintjonah.org/services/3rd&6th.doc The Third & Sixth Hours]
*[http://www.saintjonah.org/services/9th_hour.doc The Ninth Hour]
*[http://www.saintjonah.org/services/paschal_hours.doc Paschal Hours]
*[http://www.saintjonah.org/services/paschalhours.htm Paschal Hours, for Lay use]
*[http://www.liturgica.com/html/growO4.jsp The Hours], modified for personal use, Liturgica.com
*From the [http://www.saintjonah.org/services/horologion.htm Online Reader Service Horologion] compiled by Priest John Whiteford ([[ROCOR]])
**[http://www.saintjonah.org/services/firsthour.htm First Hour]
**[http://www.saintjonah.org/services/third&sixth.htm Third and Sixth Hours]
**[http://www.saintjonah.org/services/ninthhour.htm Ninth Hour]
*[http://www.anastasis.org.uk/lesser_hours.htm The Lesser Hours], from [http://www.anastasis.org.uk/ Anastasis], the website of the Monastery of St. Andrew the First Called, Manchester, England
== Sources ==
* ''The Liturgikon: The Book of Divine Services for the Priest and Deacon'', Bishop [[Basil (Essey) of Wichita]] (ISBN 0962419001)
* [http://www.networks-now.net/litresswraoc/Services.htm Website of the St. Raphael Clergy Brotherhood of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America]
* ''The Festal Menaion'', tr. by Mother Mary and Archimandrite (now Bishop) Kallistos (St. Tikhon's Seminary Press) (ISBN 1878997009)
* ''The Pentecostarion'', tr. Holy Transfiguration Monastery (ISBN 0943405025)
* ''The Great Horologion'', Holy Transfiguration Monastery (ISBN 0943405084)
{{stub}}
[[category:Liturgics]]
[[el:Ώρες]]
[[fr:Heures]]
[[ro:Ceasurile]]
