Collection: Book of Hours
From HymnsWithoutWords
Synopsis
A Book of Hours is the most common type of surviving medieval illuminated manuscript. Each Book of Hours is unique in one way or another, but all contain a collection of texts, prayers and psalms, along with appropriate illustrations, to form a reference for Catholic Christian worship and devotion.
The Latin name for a Book of Hours is Horae, the English one Primer. Books of Hours were usually written in Latin, although there are some examples entirely or partially written in vernacular European languages. Several hundred thousand Book of Hours have survived to the present day, scattered across libraries and private collections throughout the world.
The typical medieval manuscript called a Book of Hours is an abbreviated breviary, the book containing the liturgy recited in cloistered monasteries. The Book of Hours were composed for the lay people who wished to incorporate elements of monasticism into their devotional life. Reciting the hours typically centred upon the recitation or singing of a number of psalms, accompanied by set prayers. A typical Book of Hours contained:
- The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which included the fifteen Psalms of Degrees;
- The Office for the Dead, which included the seven Penitential Psalms;
- The Litany of Saints
Most Book of Hours began with these basic contents, and expanded them with a variety of prayers and devotions. The Marian prayers Obsecro te (I beseech thee) and O Intemerata (O undefiled one) were frequently added, as were devotions for use at Mass, and meditations on the Passion of Christ.
