Vespers, or Evening Prayer, is the Church’s prayer at the end of the day, when the lamps are lit and the day’s work is offered to God. It is one of the two “hinge” hours of the Liturgy of the Hours, with Lauds (Morning Prayer), and it is prayed every evening by priests, religious and many lay people, and sung solemnly in cathedrals and monasteries. The word comes from the Latin vespera, “evening.” Below is what Vespers is, its parts and their meaning, the Magnificat at its heart, the traditional Sunday Vespers psalms, the famous musical settings, and a simple form of Vespers you can pray at home tonight.
What is Vespers?
From the time of the apostles Christians have prayed at set hours of the day, following the Jewish custom of morning and evening sacrifice. Evening Prayer gives thanks for the day, asks forgiveness for its failings and turns our hearts to Christ, the light that never sets. The psalm verse sung at Vespers expresses its spirit:
Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight; the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice.
The Second Vatican Council called Lauds and Vespers “the two hinges on which the daily office turns” and encouraged lay people to pray them, especially Vespers on Sundays and feast days.
The parts of Vespers
In the Liturgy of the Hours used today, Evening Prayer has this order:
- Opening verse: “O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me,” with the Glory Be (and Alleluia, except in Lent).
- Hymn suited to the season or feast.
- Psalmody: two psalms and a canticle from the New Testament, each with an antiphon and ending with the Glory Be.
- Short reading from Scripture, followed by silence.
- Responsory.
- The Magnificat, Mary’s song of praise, with its antiphon. All stand and make the Sign of the Cross; on solemn occasions the altar is incensed.
- Intercessions, ending with a prayer for the dead.
- The Our Father.
- Concluding prayer.
- Blessing (by a priest or deacon) or a short closing verse.
The opening verse comes from the Psalms:
O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me.
The Magnificat
The high point of Vespers every evening is the Canticle of Mary:
And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.
He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:
As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.
Traditional Sunday Vespers
In the Roman Breviary used before 1970, Sunday Vespers had five psalms, beginning with Psalm 109 (110), Dixit Dominus, “The Lord said to my Lord,” followed by Psalms 110 to 113 (111 to 114/115). Many parishes and monasteries still sing these psalms in Latin at solemn Vespers.
The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy enemies thy footstool.
The Lord will send forth the sceptre of thy power out of Sion: rule thou in the midst of thy enemies.
With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength: in the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star I begot thee.
The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.
Praise the Lord, ye children: praise ye the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, from henceforth now and for ever.
From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the name of the Lord is worthy of praise.
The Lord is high above all nations; and his glory above the heavens.
Vespers in music
Because Vespers was so often sung, it inspired some of the greatest sacred music:
- Claudio Monteverdi, Vespro della Beata Vergine (Vespers of the Blessed Virgin, 1610).
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Vesperae solennes de confessore (1780), with its famous Laudate Dominum.
- Sergei Rachmaninoff, All-Night Vigil (1915), often called his “Vespers,” from the Russian Orthodox evening service.
- The Anglican tradition of Evensong grew from medieval Vespers and Compline.
A simple Vespers to pray at home
This short form uses the traditional elements of Evening Prayer and takes about ten minutes. Light a candle if you can.
- Opening: “O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me.” Glory Be.
- Psalm: Psalm 112 (above) or Psalm 140:2.
- Reading: a few verses from tomorrow’s or today’s Gospel, then a moment of silence.
- Magnificat: standing, pray Mary’s canticle (above), ending with the Glory Be.
- Intercessions: pray for the Church, the world, those you love, the sick and the dead.
- Our Father.
- Closing prayer (written for this page):
Lord, as evening falls, we thank you for the gifts of this day
and ask your pardon for our failings.
Stay with us, for it is toward evening;
keep us in your peace through the night,
and bring us safely to the light of morning. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
- Ending: “Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.”
Frequently asked questions
What does Vespers mean?
“Evening,” from the Latin vespera. It is the evening hour of the Church’s daily prayer, also called Evening Prayer.
What time is Vespers prayed?
Traditionally at sunset or in the early evening, around 5 to 7 p.m., when the lamps are lit.
What is the difference between Vespers and Compline?
Vespers is Evening Prayer at the end of the working day; Compline is Night Prayer, said just before going to sleep. See Compline.
Can lay people pray Vespers?
Yes. The Church warmly encourages lay people to pray Evening Prayer, alone, as a family or with a parish community.
More about the Liturgy of the Hours
- Psalm 111 (The fear of the Lord, beginning of wisdom)
- Psalm 114 (When Israel went out of Egypt)
- Psalm 141 (Let my prayer rise like incense)
- Psalm 110 (The Lord said to my Lord)
- Psalm 113 (Laudate pueri)
- Preces de Vísperas (en español)
- The Magnificat
- Liturgy of the Hours: a beginner’s guide
- Compline (Night Prayer)
- Lauds (Morning Prayer)
- Catholic night prayers
- How many psalms are there?
- How to pray as a Catholic
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Psalm 140:2 (141:2); Psalm 69:2 (70:1); Luke 1:46–55; Psalm 109:1–4 (110:1–4); Psalm 112:1–4 (113:1–4), Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- Second Vatican Council, Sacrosanctum Concilium 89 and 100.
- The closing prayer was written for this page.