Vespers

Related Category: Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches: Liturgy, Hymns, and Prayers

(vĕs´pərz) [Lat.,=evening], in the Christian Church, principal evening office. In the Roman rite, vespers have consisted since the 6th cent. of a few prayers, five psalms, a lesson, the Magnificat, and an antiphon. The Anglican evening prayer, often called vespers, is made up largely of the Roman vespers and compline (the final evening office).