The daily cycle of prayers and recitations performed by the clergy.
the strict call to prayer wherein psalms and scriptural readings were recited at different hours of the day. Although hymns and celebrations of saints' feast days were later thrown into the mix, the basic framework for the Divine Office continued unchanged for centuries, i.e., matins - 2:30 am; lauds - 5:30 am; prime - 6:30 am; terce - 9:00 am; sext - 12 noon; none - 3 pm; vespers - 4:30 pm; compline - 6:30.
These are the daily prayers of the clergy written in a cyclical fashion. The Divine Office is still prayed today and with the Mass is the basis in Catholic Liturgy.
canonical prayers recited daily by priests (e.g. the breviary of the Roman Catholic Church)
The series of eight prayer services that regulated the daily lives of monks, nuns, clergy, and devout members of the laity. The services begin with matins (before daybreak), followed by lauds (at sunrise), prime (the first hour of daylight), terce (the third hour of daylight), sext (the sixth hour, or noon), nones (the ninth hour), vespers (at sunset), and compline (at nightfall).
This term recalls the ancient practice of praying psalms, hymns, and canticles seven times throughout the day. This was in order to fulfill the Lord's precept to pray without ceasing, to offer praise to God the Father, and to intercede for the salvation of the world. The Divine Office was seen as a kind of necessary complement to the fullness of worship continued the Mass. The book, which contains the all these prayers systematically arranged, is called the "breviary."
the daily cycle of choir services performed by clergy
Daily rituals that were performed at specific times. The day was divided into eight periods - called canonical hours. During each hour, specific rites were observed (Brown 50).