Autor u ovom članku propituje proces nastanka liturgije časova, službene molitve Crkve koja je bila osmišljena kao molitva kojom se posvećuje vrijeme. Nakon što je definirao terminološki okvir pojmova »liturgija časova« i »vrijeme«, autor započinje istraživanje vraćajući se u razdoblje apostolske zajednice u kojemu će, iščitavajući novozavjetne tekstove, zaključiti da je molitva trebala sadržavati tri bitna obilježja: biti neprekidna, zajednička i biblijska. U postapostolskom razdoblju, prateći ovu nit, pokazat će kako se je u kršćanskim zajednicama nametnula molitva psalama kao povlaštena kršćanska molitva (naravno uz Gospodnju molitvu) koja je odgovarala tim kriterijima. Tako iznosi na vidjelo da su kršćani već u 2. i 3. stoljeću razvili molitvu u pet molitvenih trenutaka tijekom dana: Jutarnja i Večernja su bile stožerne molitve, a k njima su se još pridodavale molitve Trećega, Šestoga i Devetoga časa. Po svemu sudeći, u naznačeno vrijeme molili su se pojedini psalmi, no danas se ne može točno zaključiti koji. Iz ovoga rada postaje razvidno da važan doprinos cijelom procesu nastanka liturgije časova daje monaški pokret, pri čemu će najvažniju ulogu za zapadno kršćanstvo odigrati sveti Benedikt koji će svojim Pravilom utisnuti poseban pečat kršćanskoj duhovnosti. Odgovarajući na izazove vremena, on će molitvi monaha dati ciklički oblik, te će ritam od pet molitvenih trenutaka u danu podići na sedam, to jest osam ako se uključi i noćno Bdjenje. Polazeći od činjenice da broj sedam označava savršenstvo, ritam od sedam dnevnih molitvenih točki simbolički će označavati molitvu kao neprekinutu aktivnost. A s obzirom na tjedni molitveni ciklus, Benedikt će odrediti da se unutar njega izmoli svih 150 psalama Psaltira, čime će biti osigurana cjelovitost molitve. Prema njegovu Pravilu molitva psalama, ili »Djelo Božje« kako ga on zove, nije samo ritmirala monahov cijeli dan i tjedan, već ga je ucjepljivala u povijest spasenja pretvarajući njegovo vrijeme u blaženu vječnost. Kao sredstvo posvete vremena koje ima svoj neprekinuti tijek u dnevnim i tjednim ciklusima, molitva časova je do kraja odgovarala evanđeoskim kriterijima koje je zadao Isus i apostolska zajednica, te je razumljivo zašto je sve do danas prihvaćena u Crkvi kao službena molitva. In this article the author discusses the origin and formation process of the liturgy of the hours as the official prayer of the Church, which was designed as a prayer by which time is consecrated. After having defined the terminological framework of the terms liturgy of hours and time, the author begins his research by returning to the period of apostolic communion in which, reading the New Testament texts, he will conclude that prayer should contain three essential features: be continuous, common and biblical. In the post-apostolic period, following this thread, it will be shown that the psalm prayers were imposed in Christian communities as a privileged Christian prayer (of course along with the Lord’s Prayer) that met those criteria. Thus it is evident that Christians already in the 2nd and 3rd centuries developed prayer in five prayer moments during the day: Morning and Vespers were central prayers, and to them were added the prayers of the Third, Sixth and Ninth Hour. To all appearances, certain psalms were prayed at the appointed time, but today it is not possible to conclude exactly which ones. From this paper it becomes clear that the monastic movement gives its stamp to the whole process, where the most important role for Western Christianity will be played by St. Benedict, who will play a special role with his Rule. Responding to the challenges of the time, he will give the monk’s prayer a cyclical form, and will increase the rhythm of five prayer moments in the day to seven, i.e. eight if the night Vigil is included. Starting from the fact that the number seven signifies perfection, the rhythm of the seven daily prayer moments will symbolically signify prayer as a continuous activity. Having regard to the weekly praying cycle, Benedict will order all 150 psalms of the Psalter to be prayed within it, thus ensuring the integrity of the prayer. According to his Rule, the prayer of the psalms, or the Work of God as he calls it, not only beat a rhythm to the monk’s all day and week, but grafted him onto the history of salvation by turning his time into a blessed eternity. As a means of consecrating time that has its uninterrupted course in daily and weekly cycles, the prayer of the hours fully met the evangelical criteria set by Jesus and the apostolic community, and it is understandable why it is still accepted in the Church as the official prayer of the Church.