The Agpeya Prayers

1st Hour (Prime Prayers)

Prime Prayer (Sunrise): It is designed to be prayed early, to remind us of the coming of the true Light, the Lord Jesus Christ. The 1st hour prayer is mainly associated with the eternity of God, His incarnation, His resurrection from the dead. It is intended to offer thanks to Him for having risen us from the sleep, asking Him to shine upon us, enlighten our lives, and give us the power of His resurrection.

 

3rd Hour Prayers

The Third Hour (9 am): It commemorates three significant events: Christ's trial by Pilate, His ascension to heaven, and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles to cleanse our hearts and renew our lives.

 

6th Hour Prayers

The Sixth Hour (12 noon): It reminds us of the crucifixion and passion of Christ. We pray that, through His life-giving passion, He may deliver our minds from lusts, and turn our thoughts to the remembrance of His commandments, and make of us a light of the world and salt of the earth.

 

9th Hour Prayers

The Ninth Hour (3 pm): It commemorates the redemptive death of Christ in the flesh on the cross, and His acceptance of the repentance of the Thief. We pray that the Savior may mortify out carnal lusts, make us partakers of His grace, and accept our repentance when we cry out with the Thief, "Remember us, O Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom." (Luke 23:42).

 

11th Hour (Vespers Prayers)

The Vespers (Sunset): Eleventh Hour, is associated with the act of taking down Christ's body from the cross. At the end of the day, we give thanks for God's protection, and confess our sins with the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-31) that we may be counted among the labours who were called at the eleventh hour of the day (Matt. 20:1-16).

 

12th Hour (Compline Prayers)

The Compline (Retiring, early evening): Twelfth Hour, commemorates the burial of Christ. We remember the passing world and the final judgment. Mindful of our imminent standing before God, we ask forgiveness of our sins and protection through the night.

 

Midnight Prayers

The Midnight Hour: It commemorates the second coming of the Lord. The prayer consists of three watches, corresponding to the three stages of Christ's prayer in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 25:1-13). We ask the Lord to give us readiness and watchful minds, so that when He comes in His second coming, we would be ready to enter into the eternal glory with Him.