canonical hour

canonical hour

n

1. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) RC Church

a.  one of the seven prayer times appointed for each day by canon law

b.  the services prescribed for these times, namely matins, prime, terce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline

2. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) Church of England any time between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. at which marriages may lawfully be celebrated

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

canonical hour - (Roman Catholic Church) one of seven specified times for prayer Church of Rome, Roman Catholic Church, Roman Church, Western Church, Roman Catholic - the Christian Church based in the Vatican and presided over by a pope and an episcopal hierarchy time of day, hour - clock time; "the hour is getting late" matins, morning prayer - the first canonical hour; at daybreak prime - the second canonical hour; about 6 a.m. terce, tierce - the third canonical hour; about 9 a.m. sext - the fourth of the seven canonical hours; about noon nones - the fifth of the seven canonical hours; about 3 p.m. evensong, vespers - the sixth of the seven canonical hours of the divine office; early evening; now often made a public service on Sundays complin, compline - last of the seven canonical hours just before retiring