Since the Oxford (Tractarian) and ritualist movements of the 19th century, interest in the pre-Reformation practice of praying the office eight times a day has revived. Regular use of Morning and Evening Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer was also a part of the 'method' promoted by John Wesley and the early Methodist movement. Historically, Anglican religious communities have made the Daily Office a central part of their communal spiritual life, beginning with the Little Gidding community of the 17th century. In most Anglican provinces, ordained ministers are required to say Morning and Evening Prayer daily devout lay Anglicans also often make this a part of their spiritual practice. The second edition of the Book of Common Prayer (1552) renamed these services to Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, respectively, and also made some minor alterations, setting the pattern of daily Anglican worship which has been essentially unchanged in most cathedrals and other large churches ever since, continuing to the current edition of the Church of England's 1662 Book of Common Prayer. The first Book of Common Prayer of 1549 radically simplified this arrangement, combining the first three services of the day into a single service called Mattins and the latter two into a single service called Evensong (which, before the Reformation, was the English name for Vespers ). The first Book of Common Prayer (1549), which first presented the modern Anglican Daily Office services in essentially the same form as present. This practice derived from the earliest centuries of Christianity, and ultimately from the pre-Christian Jewish practice of reciting the Shema prayer in the morning and evening as well as a remembrance of the daily sacrifices in the Temple. The Anglican practice of saying daily morning and evening prayer derives from the pre-Reformation canonical hours, of which eight were required to be said in churches and by clergy daily: Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline. Shown is the direction to sing Venite and Psalms 1 and 2. History One of the first pages of the psalter in a service book used for the canonical hours before the Reformation, showing the beginning of Matins on Sunday. Most Anglican clergy are required to pray Morning and Evening Prayer daily. As in other Christian traditions, either clergy or laity can lead the daily office.

The Daily Office in Anglican churches focuses the traditional canonical hours on daily services of Morning Prayer (also called Matins or Mattins, especially when chanted) and Evening Prayer (called Evensong, especially when celebrated chorally), usually following the Book of Common Prayer.

Divine office evening prayer