Enormously popular with literate lay Christians of the later Middle Ages, books of hours contained varying collections of prayers, psalms, hymns, and Bible passages. Though their contents differed, each book of hours contained the so-called “Hours of the Virgin,” prayers venerating the Virgin Mary to be read or recited at fixed points in each day. These books would allow their readers to practice personal devotions in imitation of monks and nuns of the period.

In addition to the Hours of the Virgin, books of hours could also contain other similar prayer collections—most often the Hours of the Holy Spirit or the Hours of the Cross, a mediation on Christ’s Passion, seen here at the start of the long version. In these manuscripts, the start of each new cycle of prayers would be marked by richly decorated initial letters (“initials”). The large “h” seen here is illuminated with gold leaf around the outside.