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 Midnight Prayer - The Third Watch

Then the worshipper recites:

The service of the Third Watch of the Midnight prayer I 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 129

Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope.

My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning-- yes, more than those who watch for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord; For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 130

Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord From this time forth and forever. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 131

Lord, remember David and all his afflictions; How he swore to the Lord, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob: “Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, or go up to the comfort of my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; We found it in the fields of the woods. Let us go into His tabernacle; Let us worship at His footstool. Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy. For Your servant David’s sake, do not turn away the face of Your anointed.

 The Lord has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it: “I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body. If your sons will keep my covenant and my testimony which I shall teach them, their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.” For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: “This is my resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. There I will make the horn of David grow; I will prepare a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon Himself His crown shall flourish.” ALLELUIA.

PSALM 132

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing--Life forevermore. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 133

Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord who made heaven and earth Bless you from Zion! ALLELUIA.

PSALM 136

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!

If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth-- If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy. Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom the day of Jerusalem, who said, “Raze it, raze it, to its very foundation!” O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, happy shall he be who repays you as you have served us! Happy shall he be who takes and dashes Your little ones against the rock! ALLELUIA.

PSALM 137

I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You. I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul. All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord, when they hear the words of Your mouth.

Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. Though the Lord is on high, yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 140

Lord, I cry out to You; Make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You. Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.

Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies. Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.

Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the cliff, and they hear my words, for they are sweet. Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave, as when one plows and breaks up the earth. But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; In You I take refuge; do not leave my soul destitute. Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, and from the traps of the workers of iniquity. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I escape safely. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 141

I cry out to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord I make my supplication. I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me.

Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul I cried out to You, O Lord: I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low; Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me.” ALLELUIA

PSALM 145

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish.

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever, who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry.

 The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down. The Lord shall reign forever-- Your God, O Zion, to all generations. ALLELUIA.

PSALM146

Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful. The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God, who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the mountains.

He gives to the beast its food, and to the young ravens that cry. He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in His mercy. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 147

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you. He makes peace in your borders, and fills you with the finest wheat.

He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes; He casts out His hail like morsels; who can stand before His cold? He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow. He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His judgments, they have not known them. ALLELUIA.

Gospel (Luke 12:32-46)

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

““Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; “and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.  “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. “And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

“But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”

And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. “Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. “But if that servant says in his heart, `My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, “the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

 Glory be to God forever. Amen.

The Litanies for the Third Watch

We worship You O Christ…

With eyes full of compassion O Lord, look upon my weakness; for life is nearing its end, and in my works there is no salvation. Therefore I beseech You O Lord, with merciful eyes look upon my weakness, my affliction, my lowliness, my humanity, my sojourning and save me.

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

Since the Judge is present, O my soul, take heed and awake, and consider that terrible hour. For in judgment there is no mercy for the merciless. Therefore O Saviour, have pity on me, for You alone are the Lover of mankind.

"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.)

O rational gate of Life, the honoured Mother of God, deliver those who with confidence take refuge in you from trouble. So that in all things, we may glorify you, O our pure mother, for the salvation of our souls.

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

O Heavenly King, and Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who is in every place, and fills all, You who are the Treasure of goodness, and Giver of life, graciously come and dwell in us, purge away all stain, O Good-One, and save our souls.

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

Just as you were with Your Disciples, O Saviour, and gave them peace, graciously come also and be with us, save us, and deliver our souls.

"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.)

Whenever we stand in Your Holy sanctuary, we are considered as those standing in Heaven. O Mother of God, You who are the gate of heaven, open unto us the door of mercy.

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 ...

Gospel  (St. Luke 2:29-32)

A passage from the Gospel according to St. Luke. May his blessings be with us all, Amen.

 Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word: For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples; A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel. Glory be to God forever. Amen.

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

Yes, Lord, make us ready to be, in that hour without fear, anxiety, or condemnation. Do not judge us according to the multitude of our iniquities, for You alone are long-suffering, plenteous in mercy and compassion, through the intercession of our Lady, Saint Mary, the Mother of God and all the Saints. 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 .....