vespers

Vespers, from the Latin vesper meaning evening, is an evening prayer service in Christian liturgy. It is commonly the second of the canonical hours in the Liturgy of the Hours in the Roman Catholic Church and is widely observed in Western Christian traditions; the term is also used for similar evening services in Anglican, Lutheran, and some Eastern churches.

Historically, vespers developed as part of ancient Christian prayer at the close of the day. By the medieval period, it became a fixed part of the Western monastic and devotional cycle and was routinely celebrated by communities and churches. In the Catholic Church, vespers remains a public prayer of the Church’s daily cycle, though the liturgical form was revised in the 20th century. In Anglican usage, Evensong serves as the parish evening prayer, often featuring choral music. In Eastern traditions, evening hymnody appears in vespers or similar services, with their own distinctive structure and psalmody.

Structure and elements commonly found in vespers include an opening prayer and antiphon, two psalms (or a single psalm) with antiphons, a short scripture reading, a responsory or hymn, the canticle of Mary (the Magnificat) with its own antiphon, intercessions or petitions, and a concluding prayer. In many Western rites, a Marian antiphon may be added outside certain liturgical seasons. The service emphasizes contemplative prayer, community worship, and the transition from day to evening.

Vespers remains a central form of liturgical prayer in various Christian traditions, balancing Scripture, psalms, hymns, and prayers to mark the close of the day.