Matins, or Matutina

Matins, Or Matutina the "new morning service," or the first of the morning services, and so called in contradistinction from the "old morning service," which was before day, whereas this was after day began. Cassian says this was first set up in Bethlehem. for till that time the old morning service used to end with the nocturnal psalms, and prayers, and daily vigils; after which they used to betake themselves to rest till the third hour, which was the first hour of diurnal prayer. The name for morning prayer, in more modern Church- language, is matins. Before the Reformation the hours of prayer were seven in number, namely, matins, the first or prime, the third, sixth, and ninth hours, and vespers, and compline. The office of matins in the Church of England is an abridgment of her ancient services for matins, lauds, and prime. Ritualists divide the office of matins, or morning prayers, into three parts: first, the introduction, which extends from the beginning of the office to the end of the Lord's Prayer; secondly, the psalmody and lessons, extending to the end of the Apostles' Creed; thirdly, the prayers and collects, which occupy the remainder of the service. See Farrar, Eccles. Dict. s.v.; Eadie, Eccles. Dict. s.v.; Neale, Introd. East. Church. SEE HOURS, CANONICAL.