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 Third Hour

The Third Hour, commemorates three significant events: Christ’s trail by Pilate, His ascension to the Heavens, and the decent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. We pray that the grace of the Holy Spirit may cleanse our hearts and renew our lives.

Then the worshipper recites:

The prayer of the Third 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 19

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; May He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion; May He remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice. May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your purpose. We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy Heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright. Save, Lord! May the King answer us when we call. ALLELUIA

PSALM 22

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 23

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it on the waters. Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face. Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord is strong and mighty, the Lord is mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.
ALLELUIA.

PSALM 25

Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart. For Your loving kindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth. I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, nor will I go in with hypocrites. I have hated the assembly of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.

I will wash my hands in innocence; So I will go about Your altar, O Lord, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works. Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells. Do not gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands is a sinister scheme, and whose right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; Redeem me and be merciful to me. My foot stands in an even place; In the congregations I will bless the Lord. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 28

Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The Lord is over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth, and strips the forests bare; And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!” The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, and the Lord sits as King forever. The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace.  ALLELUIA.

PSALM 29

I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.”

Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord; and to the Lord I made supplication: “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!” You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.  ALLELUIA.

PSALM 33

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 40

Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed. I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” My enemies speak evil of me: “When will he die, and his name perish?” And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies; His heart gathers iniquity to itself; when he goes out, he tells it.

All who hate me whisper together against me; against me they devise my hurt. “An evil disease,” they say, “clings to him. And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more.” Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them. By this I know that You are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me. As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, and set me before Your face forever. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 42

Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! For You are the God of my strength; Why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; And on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 44

My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever. Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, with Your glory and Your majesty. And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; The peoples fall under You.

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions. All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad. Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women; At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir. Listen, O daughter, consider and incline your ear; Forget your own people also, and your father’s house; So the King will greatly desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, worship Him.

And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; The rich among the people will seek Your favor. The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold. She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors; The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You. With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought; They shall enter the King’s palace. Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons, whom You shall make princes in all the earth. I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever. ALLELUIA.

PSALM 45

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
ALLELUIA.

PSALM 46

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth;

Sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne. The princes of the people have gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.  ALLELUIA.

Gospel (John.14: 26-15:4)

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

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. "You have heard Me say to you, `I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, `I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I. "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

"I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and He has nothing in Me. "But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here. "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. "Abide in Me, and I in you.

 Glory be to God forever. Amen.

The Litanies for Third Hour

We worship You O Christ…

Your Holy Spirit, O Lord, which You sent forth upon Your holy Disciples, and Your honourable Apostles at the third hour, take Him not away from us, O Good-One, but renew Him within us. Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

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

O Lord, Who at the third hour, sent down Your Holy Spirit upon Your Holy Disciples and honourable Apostles, take Him not away from us, O Good-One, but renew Him within us. We beseech You, O Christ our Lord, the Word, and Son of God. Renew within us a righteous and life-giving Spirit, a Spirit of prophecy and chastity, a Spirit of sanctification, righteousness and authority. O Pantocrator; for You are the Light of our souls, O You who enlightens every one that comes into the world and have mercy on us.

"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 mother of God, you are the true vine, bearing the Fruit of Life, we ask you, O full of grace, together with the apostles, to pray for the salvation of our souls. Blessed be the Lord our God. Blessed be the Lord day by day. He prepares our way, for He is the God of our salvation.

"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 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.

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

O God of all compassion, and Lord of all comfort, Who has comforted us at all times with the comfort of Your Holy Spirit, we thank You, for You have raised us up to pray in this holy hour wherein You poured forth the grace of Your Holy Spirit in abundance upon Your Holy disciples and honourable, and blessed Apostles, like tongues of fire.

We pray and entreat You, O Lover of mankind, receive our prayer, forgive us our sins, and send down upon us the grace of Your Holy Spirit. Purify us from the defilement of the body and spirit, and transfer us into a spiritual manner of life, that we may walk in the Spirit; and not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Make us worthy to serve You with purity and righteousness all the days of our life. For unto You is due all glory, honour, and dominion, with Your Good Father, and the Holy Spirit, 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 .....