Little Hours

In Christianity, the Little Hours or minor hours are the canonical hours other than the three major hours.^[1]

In the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Indian Orthodox Church, two denominations in Oriental Orthodox Christianity, these fixed prayer times are known as 3rd hour prayer (Tloth sho`in [9 am]), 6th hour prayer (Sheth sho`in [12 pm]), and 9th hour prayer (Tsha' sho`in [3 pm]).^[2]

In the Catholic Church, since the reform of the Liturgy of the Hours mandated by the Second Vatican Council, they are called the office of readings, morning prayer and evening prayer. The minor hours, so called because their structure is shorter and simpler than that of the major hours, are those celebrated between lauds and vespers (morning and evening prayer) together with compline (night prayer).^[3][4]

The major hours are those whose traditional names are matins, lauds and vespers.