Around 8,000 people a day are listening to the Church of England's daily cycle of prayer traditionally associated with monastic communities.

The Daily Prayer podcast, integrated into the free Daily Prayer app, enables worshippers to listen to the short traditional services of Morning, Evening and Night prayer.

The services are usually led by the Revd Catherine Williams from Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire and follow the pattern set out in the Church of England's Common Worship services, with readings recorded by people from around the country and music from St Martin's Voices.

The podcast, which was launched in March, has surpassed 500,000 downloads, with around 8,000 people listening a day, either alone or in small groups. 

The Bishop of Gloucester, Rachel Treweek, said: "I'm delighted to see that the Daily Prayer podcast has had half a million listens - helping holy habits to become part of our daily rhythm amid life's joy and pain, activity and rest.  

"Whether people pray alone or alongside others, this podcast is an easy way of being united in prayer with brothers and sisters in Christ as we share the same words, and open ourselves to encounter God in prayer, silence and Scripture. 

"Together, yet in different contexts and carrying different stories, we are participating in a pattern of prayer which has been practised down the centuries."

Daily Prayer is the latest in a series of apps and podcasts available from the Church of England. Last year they were accessed eight million times, up 50 per cent on the previous year due to the pandemic.