The use of daily prayers to mark the times of the day and to express the traditions of the praying community is traditional in Judaism and in Christianity. In the Anglican Church, we refer to these different services of prayer as the Daily Office.

As far back as the time of Constantine, the people have participated in morning and evening services of prayer. During this time, the monastic community developed its rhythm with additional services. In total, the eight services recognized were lauds (morning), matins (midnight or cockcrow), prime (the first hour), terce (the third hour), sext (the sixth hour), none (the ninth hour), vespers (evening prayer), and compline (at bedtime). By the late middle ages, the Daily Office was seen as the responsibility of the monks and clergy rather than an occasion for participation by all in the prayers of the community throughout the day.

After the Anglican Reformation, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) reduced the eight monastic offices to the two services of Morning and Evening Prayer. These services were printed in vernacular English and intended for use by all members of the church. Participation in the Daily Office is at the heart of Anglican spirituality and is the proper form of daily public worship in the church.