From the large number still surviving, we know that the Book of Hours was the most popular book of the Middle Ages. Books of Hours were produced throughout Europe, but were especially popular in France and Flanders. These manuscripts were modelled on the Breviary used by the clergy, but in a shortened form and were used by the laity for their daily devotions. The core of the Book of Hours is the Hours of the Virgin divided into eight parts to be said at different times or hours of the day. The eight "hours" of prayer are matins, lauds, prime, terce, sext, vespers and compline. Several other prayers and texts accompany the Hours of the Virgin.

Books of Hours are often beautifully decorated with full page miniatures, half or three quarter page miniatures, elaborate initials, borders or line fillers. And, being manuscripts, they are written by hand in brown or black ink, with red or gold used to highlight important parts. 

The content of both the texts and the images are similar in many Books of Hours, with some variations provided by the person for whom the book was commissioned.

The images seen here are from the 15th century Book of Hours held in the Frick Fine Arts Library of the University of Pittsburgh.

Click here for a description of the Frick Book of Hours.

Books of Hours typically begin with a calendar of major liturgical feasts and important saints' days, sometimes with special regional saints or saints of personal interest to the patron of the book. Occasionally the death dates of family members are also included. The signs of the zodiac and labors of the months decorate the calendar pages. The zodiac signs are the same as we know them today. The labors of the month reflect agricultural work or seasonal activities, and can vary according to the region in which the book was produced. For example, in winemaking regions more emphasis would be placed on the different labors involved in making wine, including the making of barrels. 

Click here for more on the calendar in the Frick Book of Hours.

After the calendar, the order of the contents varies. In this manuscript, the two prayers common in Books of Hours, Obsecro te(I beseech you) and O intemerata (O immaculateVirgin), immediately follow the calendar. These prayers address the Virgin in the first person, beseeching her for help as an intercessor to her son. The Obsecro is directed to the Virgin alone and the accompanying prayer O intemerata to the Virgin and John the beloved disciple. The assumption is that God would not ignore a plea by way of the two who stayed with Him at the foot of the cross.

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Selections from each of the four Gospels were collated to tell the story of the redemption of mankind. Often each section opened with a portrait of the gospel writer and his symbol. Here we see John the Evangelist and his symbol, the eagle.

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Central to the Books of Hours is the Office of the Virgin which is modelled on the Divine Office, with eight times set aside during the day to pray. Each office is made up of prayers, psalms, responses and selections from scripture. 

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These psalms, numbers 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129 and 142 are those composed by David as penance for his own sins and have long been connected to attonement. The Penitential Psalms are followed by a litany which is not illustrated. The two sections would be prayed together, one right after the other.

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The litany which follows the Penitential Psalms is a list of saints, each each invoked by name in  prayer,  followed by the invocation, Ora pro nobis (Pray for us). 
 
 
 

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These Hours are shorter than the Hours of the Virgin, with a similar structure of matins through compline, without lauds. The psalms are omitted, leaving an antiphon, a short hymn, a versicle with response, and finally a prayer. Each hour provides a meditation on the Passion in the hymn, with the last stanza asking for comfort at the hour of death. As one might expect a scene of the crufixion usually accompanies the Hours of the Cross. 

The structure and content for these Hours are the same as that of the Hours of the Cross. However, here the theme is the Holy Spirit and his role in the redemption of mankind. The Hours end with a verse seeking the aid of the Holy Spirit in salvation. 

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The Office of the Dead is exactly the same as that in the Breviary used by the clergy, unlike the Hours described above which have been shortened for use by the laity. The intention here was to speed the journey to heaven of someone who had died. This Office, comprised of the three hours of vespers, matins and lauds, along with the Mass were the only means the living had to help the dead in Purgatory. The Office was prayed at funerals, and the clergy prayed it daily, while the laity was urged to pray it as often as possible. It all depended on the living; the dead could not pray for themselves.

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During the Middle Ages the saints were very important to everyone's religious life. One prayed to the saints for safe delivery of a child (St. Margaret), for relief from pain (St. Appolonia, for tooth pain), for a safe journey (St. Christopher) for health, good harvests, for every part of daily life. In some manuscripts the selection of saints includes those venerated in a particular region, or of particular interest to the patron. The saints in the Frick Book of Hours are universally venerated.

Click here for more on the Suffrages to the Saints.

Books of Hours are often beautifully decorated with full page miniatures, half or three quarter page miniatures, elaborate initials, borders or line fillers. And, being manuscripts, they are written by hand in brown or black ink, with red or gold used to highlight important parts. Often the border decoration contains heraldic shields, images of human figures, birds and animals, natural or fantastic, or grotesques.

Click here for more on decoration.