A thanksgiving prayer has a mystical essence in the Orthodox Church. It has been an integral part of the Church’s ancient rituals and worship. The faithful who raise this prayer in purity shall lead a heavenly life even though they are in the world.

The Holy Bible, which is the inspired word of God, leads all believers in their spiritual life. It is the foundation of our teaching of salvation. When it comes to giving thanks to our God, the Psalms are the heart of the Bible. According to Saint Athanasius the Great (296-373 A.D.), the Psalms are a garden with a variety of fruits. Our Lord God and Savior, Jesus Christ, also quotes from the Psalms on many occasions. Our Fathers, the Holy Apostles, also used the Psalms extensively.

Therefore, the Psalms are instructors and guidelines for prayer. Saint Paul teaches us: “When you come together, each one has a hymn . . .” (1 Corinthians 14:26) Because of this, the Alexandrian Fathers of the See of Saint Mark came to realize the necessity of a prayer book that made the psalms its very foundation. As David the Prophet said, “Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous rules.” (Psalm 119:164). Therefore, our Fathers have prepared this prayer book and named it The Prayer Book of the Seven Canonical Hours of the Day.

The beloved Church, established by the preaching of Saint Mark, prepared this book of prayer for use in private, family and communal prayers. For us, the children of the sister Churches of the See of Saint Mark, this prayer book will strengthen our solidarity and encourage us to raise our prayers in one accord to the Mighty Creator, ensuring our unity in worship and rituals. It also helps the faithful memorize the Psalms through the repetition of daily prayers.

As our father and beloved teacher, the late Patriarch, H. H. Shenouda the Third, said, “Keep the Psalms, and the Psalms will keep you.” Truly, our Christian life finds its profound meaning through prayer. Faithful followers who pray the Psalms, whether they are in church or at work, will find a friend in this book and a crown for their journey.