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The Agpeya |
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The Book of Hours |
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1st
Hour - Prime |
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Morning Prayer is designed to be
prayed early coming of the true Light, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Prime
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, beseeching Him to shin upon us,
enlighten our lives, and grant us the power of His resurrection. |
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The Third Hour commemorated three
significant events: Christ's trail by Pilate, His ascension to heaven,
and the descent of the Holy Spirit may cleanse our hearts and renew our
lives. |
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The Sixth Hour 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. |
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The Ninth Hour 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) |
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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). |
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The Compline (Retiring): 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. |
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Veil: this prayer is to be read by
bishops and priests as a means of examining their hearts. It is also a
prayer which concerns Monks. |
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The Midnight Hour: commemorates the
second coming of the Lord. The office consists of three watches,
corresponding to the three stages of Christ's prayer in the garden of
Gethsemane (Matt. 25:1-13). |
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