The Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria
The Church of the Virgin Mary and St.Athanasius
Mississauga, On, Canada

THE AGPEYA Prayer Book of the Seven Canonical Hours

The Eleventh Hour (Vespers)

The Eleventh Hour, is associated with the act of taking 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 15:31). That we may be counted amongst the labourers who were called at the eleventh hour of the day (Matt. 20:116).

Then the worshipper recites:

The prayer of the Eleventh Hour of this blessed day, we offer to Christ our King and our God, beseeching Him to forgive us our sins.
From the Psalms of our father David, the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.

PSALM 116

Oh, praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.  ALLELUIA.

PSALM 117

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let Israel now say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron now say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord now say, “His mercy endures forever.” I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

All nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. You pushed me violently, that I might fall, but the Lord helped me. 

The Lord is my strength and song; And He has become my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the Lord. 

This is the gate of the Lord, through which the righteous shall enter. I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 

Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We have blessed you from the house of the Lord. God is the Lord, and He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. ALLELUIA

PSALM 119

In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceit full tongue. What shall be given to you, or what shall be done to you, you false tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior, with coals of the broom tree! Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! My soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 120

I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 121

I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 122

Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 123

“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,” Let Israel now say-- “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us; Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul; Then the swollen waters would have gone over our soul.” 

Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; The snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 124

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever. For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity. Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts. As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel! ALLELUIA.

PSALM 125

When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad. Bring back our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 126

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate. ALLELUIA.

PSALM127

Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you eat the labour of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. The Lord bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel! ALLELUIA.

PSALM 128

“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,” Let Israel now say-- “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; Yet they have not prevailed against me. The flowers plowed on my back; They made their furrows long.” The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked. Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back. Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up, with which the reaper does not fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves, his arms. Neither let those who pass by them say, “The blessing of the Lord be upon you; We bless you in the name of the Lord!” ALLELUIA.

Gospel (Luke 4:38-41)

Holy, Holy, Holy. A passage from the Gospel according to Saint Luke, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.

Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon's house. But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them.

When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of God!" And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.

 Glory be to God forever. Amen.

The Litanies for Eleventh Hour

We worship You O Christ…

If the righteous is hardly saved, where shall I, the sinner, appear? The burden and heat of the day I could not endure, due to the weakness of my humanity. But, O merciful God, count me among those of the eleventh hour. For behold, I was conceived in iniquities and in sins did my mother bear me. Therefore, I dare not lift up my eyes to Heaven, but rather, I rely on the abundance of Your mercy and Your love for mankind, crying out and saying: "O God forgive me, a sinner, and have mercy on me."

"Zoksapatri ke Eiyou-ke agi-you epnevmaty" (Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.)

Hasten, O my Saviour, and lay open to me the fatherly bosom, for I have consumed my life in pleasures and lusts, and daytime has gone forth and passed away. Therefore, I now rely in the abundance of Your infinite mercy.  So, do not disregard a submissive heart, exceedingly in need for Your mercy, as I cry to You yielding: "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before You, and I am not worthy to be called Your son; so make me as one of Your hired servants."

"Kenin ke aa-ee ke-ic-touce e-on-ace ton e-onon Amen."(Both now and forever and unto the age of all ages, Amen.)

With full diligence and enthusiasm did I commit every transgression, and with eagerness and skillfulness did I commit every sin. For this I deserve all suffering and condemnation. Therefore, o Lady the ever Virgin, guide me to the means of repentance, for to you I plea, through you I seek intercession, I call you for help, lest I fall. Be my attendant at my soul’s departure from my body. Overthrow the conspiracies of the enemy, shut fast the gates of hell before they swallow my soul. O You, all blameless Bride of the True Bridegroom.

THE TRISAGION

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, Who was born of the Virgin, have mercy on us.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, Who was crucified for us, have mercy on us.

Holy God, Holy mighty, Holy Immortal, Who rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven, have mercy on us.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now, and forever, and unto the age of all ages. Amen.

O Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Holy Trinity, have mercy on us.

O Lord, remit our sins. O Lord, pardon our iniquities. O Lord, forgive us our trespasses.  O Lord, visit the sick of Your people; heal them for the sake of Your Holy Name. Our fathers and brothers who have fallen asleep, O Lord repose their souls.

O You who is sinless, Lord have mercy on us. O You who is sinless, Lord help us and receive our supplications. For Yours is the glory, dominion, and triple Holiness. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord bless us. Amen.

O Lord, make us worthy to pray Thankfully: Our Father Who art in heaven ...

HAIL TO SAINT MARY

Hail to you, we ask you, O saint full of glory, the Ever-Virgin, Theotokos, Mother of Christ; offer our prayers, to your beloved Son, that He may forgive us our sins.

Hail to the Holy Virgin who gave birth to the True Light, Christ our God. Ask the Lord on our behalf, that He may have mercy upon us, that He may forgive us our sins.

O Virgin Mary, the Holy Theotokos, the faithful advocate for all mankind. Intercede on our behalf, before Christ to whom you gave birth, that He may forgive us our sins.

Hail to you, O Virgin, the very and true Queen, Hail to the pride of our race, who bore for us Emmanuel. We ask you to remember us, our trusted advocate, before our Lord, Jesus Christ, that He may forgive us our sins.

INTRODUCTION TO THE CREED

We exalt you, O mother of the True Light, and we glorify you, O Virgin Saint, Theotokos, for you brought forth unto us the Saviour of the whole world; He came and saved our souls.

Glory be to You, our Master, and our King, Christ, the Pride of the Apostles, the Crown of the Martyrs, the Joy of the righteous, the Firmness of the churches, the Forgiveness of sins.

We proclaim the Holy Trinity, one in essence. We worship Him and glorify Him. Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord bless us. Amen.

THE CREED

We believe in one God; God the Father the Pantocrator, Who created Heaven and the earth, and of all things seen and unseen.

We believe in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; True God of True God, begotten, not created; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made; Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from the Heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried.  And the third day He rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures; He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of His Father. And He is coming again in His glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.

Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life; Who proceeds from the Father; Who, with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke by the prophets.

And in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We confess one baptism for the remission of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the coming age. Amen.

KYRIE ELEISON

O Lord, hear us, have mercy on us, and forgive us our sins.

KYRIE ELEISON (Lord have mercy) 41 times

HOLY HOLY HOLY

Holy, Holy, Holy, O Lord of Saba-outh, Heaven and earth are full of Your glory and dignity. Have mercy on us O God the Father, Almighty. O Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, God of powers be with us. For we have no other helper in our tribulations and adversities but You.

Loose, remit, and forgive us O God our iniquities, which we committed willingly and unwillingly, which we committed knowingly and unknowingly, the hidden and the manifest.

O Lord, remit it unto us, for the sake of Your Holy Name, which is called upon us, according to Your mercy, O Lord, and not according to our sins.

Make us worthy to pray thankfully: Our Father Who art in heaven ...

ABSOLUTION

We thank You, O our Compassionate King, for You have granted us to pass this day in peace, and brought us thankfully to the evening, and made us worthy to behold the light until sunset. O God, accept our glorification, which we have now offered You. 

Deliver us from the intrigues of the adversary, and abolish all the snares he sets against us, and grant us a peaceful night free from all pain, trouble, fatigue, or illusion, that we may pass through it in peace and chastity, and rise up for praises and prayers at all times and everywhere, 

ascribing glory unto Your holy Name, in all things together with the Father who is incomprehensible and without beginning, and the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, Who is equal with You both now and forever and unto the age of all ages. Amen.

THE CONCLUSION OF EVERY HOUR

Have mercy on us, O God, and have mercy on us. For You are at all times and in every hour, in Heaven and earth, worshipped and glorified. O Christ, our God, who is long-suffering, plenteous in mercy and compassion. Who loves the just and shows mercy to all sinners among whom I am the first. Who does not wish the death of a sinner, but that he repents and lives. You who calls all men to salvation through the promise of good things to come.

Do the same, Lord, receive also our supplications at this hour and at every hour; facilitate our present lives and direct us to act according to Your commandments. Sanctify our souls, purify our bodies, set aright our reasoning, cleanse our thoughts, heal our sicknesses, remit our sins, and deliver us from all wrath and distress. Surround us with Your Holy angels, that we may be guided and guarded with them, to attain the unity of faith and knowledge of Your imperceptible and infinite glory, for blessed are You unto all ages. Amen.

O Lord, make us worthy to pray thankfully:
Our Father Who art in heaven .....