Breviary

A liturgical book used for recitation of the Divine Office (Canonical Hours). It includes psalms, lessons, hymns, prayers, antiphons, and readings from patristic sources and other Christian writers. The breviary provides in a single volume all materials needed for recitation of the Canonical Hours. The first breviaries began to appear as early as the eleventh century. Portable breviaries were spread throughout Europe during the expansion of the Franciscan Order in the thirteenth century. Several breviaries have been compiled for use by religious communities, parishes, and individuals in the Episcopal Church. See Canonical Hours.