Definition

Noun: 1. A religious service or set of prayers forming part of the canonical hours, traditionally said or sung at daybreak. This term specifically refers to the first of the daily prayer services in many Christian liturgical traditions.

Usage

• Morning prayer is a fixed time of prayer observed as part of a daily spiritual discipline.
• It is often associated with the start of the day and seeking guidance or offering thanks.

Examples

• The monks gather in the chapel for morning prayer at dawn.
• Her daily routine always includes a period of quiet morning prayer.
• The schedule lists Morning Prayer at 6:00 AM.

Advanced Usage

• To say/attend morning prayer: To participate in this prayer service.
  • The family makes an effort to attend morning prayer together.
• Morning prayer service: A more formal reference to the event.
  • The morning prayer service included hymns and a short reading.

Variants and Related Words

• Matins: A term historically used in some Western Christian traditions (like Roman Catholic and Anglican) for the morning prayer office.
• Lauds: Another canonical hour often associated with dawn or early morning prayer, sometimes used interchangeably with or following matins.
• Prime: An older term for an early morning canonical hour, now generally suppressed in the Roman rite but historically distinct.

Synonyms

• Daybreak prayer
• Early service
• Matins (in specific liturgical contexts)

Notes

• While "morning prayer" can refer informally to any prayers said in the morning, its specific definition as a canonical hour refers to a formal liturgical office with set prayers, psalms, and readings.
• The concept and structure of morning prayer vary among different Christian denominations (e.g., Anglican, Lutheran, Catholic).

Noun

1. the first canonical hour; at daybreak