This was an ornate medieval or Renaissance prayer book, hand written on vellum and invariably illuminated with pictures. It contained the Little Office for the Blessed Virgin and usually a liturgical [..]

A book of common prayers for the Catholic laity, said at the eight canonical hours of the day and night, introduced in France in the 10th century. Originally intended for ecclesiastical use, its main [..]

A prayer book used by laymen for private devotion, containing prayers or meditations appropriate to certain hours of the day, days of the week, months, or seasons. They became so popular in the 15th c [..]

Also known as 'primer' or 'horae', a Book of Hours would contain a collection of prayers, psalms, scriptural excerpts and devotional texts intended for the use at home. Horae are o [..]