lauds

Lauds is a term used in Christian liturgy to denote the morning hour of prayer, one of the canonical hours of the Divine Office. The word lauds comes from Latin laudes, the plural of laus meaning “praises.” In general English usage, lauds also refers to acts or songs of praise.

In Catholic practice, Lauds is typically celebrated at or near dawn and forms part of the Liturgy of the Hours. Its structure usually includes an opening hymn, a sequence of psalms or canticles, a short Scripture reading, the Canticle of Zechariah (the Benedictus), intercessions, the Lord’s Prayer, and a concluding prayer. The emphasis is on praise as the day begins. The exact order and selections vary with the liturgical calendar and the breviary in use, including adaptations introduced in the 1970 reform of the Liturgy of the Hours.

Outside the Catholic Church, the term lauds appears less commonly, but many Christian traditions observe a morning office of prayer with similar purposes. In some Anglican and Lutheran contexts, morning prayer or Matins may serve a comparable function, and some communities retain a breviary that includes Lauds as a named hour.

In broader English usage, laud is a verb meaning to praise highly, and lauds as a noun or plural often denotes expressions or songs of praise. The term is therefore both a liturgical name and a general word for praise.