The Introductory Prayers to Every Hour
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen.
Kyrie eleison. Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord bless us. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and unto the ages of all ages. Amen.
Having invoked the Holy Trinity, be still so that your thoughts may be freed from worldly cares. Make the sign of the cross and bow three times, each time saying the prayer of the publican: “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.”
We Praise Thank You, O Lord
O Lord, we praise you and we glorify You. O Lord, we bless You and trust in You. O Lord, we entreat and plead to You. O Lord, we submit ourselves to Your holy name and we serve You. O You, to Whom all knees bend and all tongues confess, we bow down to You. You are the God of gods, Lord of lords and King of kings. You are the creator of all, visible and invisible. As Your Holy Son taught us to pray in this manner, make us worthy to pray:
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, in Christ Jesus our Lord. For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
O My Lady Mary
O my lady Mary, with the salutation of Saint Gabriel the Angel, greetings to you. You are virgin in body and in conscience. Greetings to you, Mother of the God of hosts. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. O full of grace, rejoice for God is with you. Pray and beseech your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, that He may forgive us our sins.
The Prayer of Thanksgiving
Let us give thanks to the beneficent and merciful God, the Father of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ; for He has covered us, helped us, guarded us, preserved us, accepted us unto Himself, spared us, supported us, and brought us to this hour. Let us then ask Him, the Lord our God, the Almighty, to guard us in all peace this holy day and all the days of our lives.
O Master, Lord, God the Almighty, the Father of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, we thank You for everything, concerning everything, and in everything; for You have covered us, helped us, guarded us, preserved us, accepted us to Yourself, spared us, supported us, and brought us to this hour.
Therefore, we ask and entreat Your goodness, O Lover of Mankind, grant us to complete this holy day, and all the days of our lives, in all peace with Your fear. Take away from us, all your people, and from this holy place that is Yours, all envy, all temptation, all the work of Satan, the counsel of wicked men, and the rising up of enemies, hidden and manifest.
But provide for us those things which are good and profitable; for it is You Who have given us the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, by the grace, compassion and love of mankind of Your Only-begotten Son, our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, through Whom the glory, the honor, the dominion, and the adoration are due unto You, with Him, and the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giver, Who is of one essence with You, now and at all times, and unto the ages of all ages. Amen.
The Penitent’s Prayer
Psalm 50 (51)
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be justified in Your words and blameless in Your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, You delight in truth in the inward being, and You teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 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. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. For You will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; You will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
Do good to Zion in Your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will You delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar. Alleluia.
The Twelfth Hour (6 P.M)
This prayer commemorates laying the body of our Lord Jesus Christ in the tomb. This hour reminds us of the last Judgment as it corresponds to the last hour of man’s day. This hour also represents the end of man’s life in any given day for sleep is but a short death.
We offer to Christ, our King and our God, the prayer of the twelfth hour of this blessed day, beseeching Him to forgive us our sins.
From the Psalms of our father David, the prophet and the king, may his blessings be upon us all. Amen.
PSALM 129 (130)
Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
If You, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with Him is plentiful redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Alleluia.
PSALM 130 (131)
O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Alleluia.
PSALM 131 (132)
Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured, how he swore to the LORD and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, “I will not enter my house or get into 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 Jaar. “Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool!”
Arise, O LORD, and go to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might. Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy. For the sake of Your servant David, do not turn away the face of Your anointed one.
The LORD swore to David a sure oath from which He will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne. If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.”
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 provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy. There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine.” Alleluia.
PSALM 132 (133)
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Alleluia.
PSALM 133 (134)
Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD!
May the LORD bless you from Zion, He Who made heaven and earth! Alleluia.
PSALM 136 (137)
By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our lyres. For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, 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! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!
Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!” O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us! Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Alleluia.
PSALM 137 (138)
I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing Your praise; I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word. On the day I called, You answered me; my strength of soul You increased.
All the kings of the earth shall give You thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of Your mouth, and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD. For though the LORD is high, He regards the lowly, but the haughty He knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life; You stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand delivers me. The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands. Alleluia.
PSALM 140 (141)
O LORD, I call upon You; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to You! Let my prayer be counted as incense before You, and 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 let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies!
Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. When their judges are thrown over the cliff, then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
But my eyes are toward You, O God, my LORD; in You I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely. Alleluia.
PSALM 141 (142)
With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD. I pour out my complaint before Him; I tell my trouble before Him.
When my spirit faints within me, You know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.
I cry to You, O LORD; I say, “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 too strong for me! Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to Your name! The righteous will surround me, for You will deal bountifully with me. Alleluia.
PSALM 145 (146)
Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, Who keeps faith forever; Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the sojourners; He upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked He brings to ruin.
The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD! Alleluia.
PSALM 146 (147:1-11)
Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; He gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; His understanding is beyond measure. The LORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre! He covers the heavens with clouds; He prepares rain for the earth; He makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry. His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love. Alleluia.
PSALM 147 (147:12-20)
Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! For He strengthens the bars of your gates; He blesses your children within you. He makes peace in your borders; He fills you with the finest of the wheat. He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; He scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down His crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before His cold? He sends out His word, and melts them; He makes His wind blow and the waters flow. He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and rules to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know His rules. Praise the LORD! Alleluia.
Holy, Holy, Holy. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to our teacher Saint John. May his blessing be with us all. Amen.
The Holy Gospel According to Saint Luke (2:25-32)
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”
Glory to God forever. Amen.
May the sayings of God be fulfilled i in peace. We worship You, O Christ, with Your Good Father and the Holy Spirit, for You have come and saved us.
ንሰግድ ለከ ክርስቶስ ምስለ ኣቡከ ኄር ሰማያዊ ወመንፈስከ ቅዱስ ማሕየዊ እስመ መጻእከ ወኣድኀንከነ።
♱ LITANIES ♱
1. Behold, I am about to stand before the Just Judge terrified and trembling because of my many sins. For a life spent in pleasures deserves condemnation. But repent, O my soul, so long as you dwell on this earth, for inside the grave, dust does not praise. And among the dead, no one remembers, neither in Hades, does anyone give thanks. Therefore arise from the slumber of laziness, and entreat the Savior, repenting and saying, “God, have mercy on me and save me.”
Glory to the Father, and the Son,and the Holy Spirit.
ስብሐት ለአብ ወወልድ ወመንፈስ ቅዱስ።
2. If life were everlasting, and this world ever-existing, you would have an excuse, O my soul. But if your wicked deeds and ugly evils were exposed before the Just Judge, what answer would you give while you are lying on the bed of sins, negligent in disciplining the flesh? O Christ, our God, before Your awesome seat of judgment I am terrified, and before Your council of judgement I submit, and from the light of Your divine radiance I tremble, I, the wretched and defiled, who lies on my bed, negligent in my life. But I take for example the Publican, likewise beating my chest and saying, “O God, forgive me and have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Now and forever and unto the agesof all ages, Amen.
ይእዜኒ ወዘልፈኒ ወለዓለመ ዓለም ኣሜን፥ ሃሌ ሉያ።
3. O pure Virgin, overshadow your servant with your instant help, and keep the waves of evil thoughts away from me, and raise up my ailing soul for prayer and vigil, for it has gone into a deep sleep. For you are a capable, compassionate and helpful mother, the bearer of the Fountain of Life, my King and my God, Jesus Christ, my hope.;
Glory to the Father, and the Son,and the Holy Spirit.
ስብሐት ለአብ ወወልድ ወመንፈስ ቅዱስ።
Graciously Accord, O Lord
Graciously accord, O Lord, to keep us from sin this night. Blessed are You, O Lord, God of our fathers, and exceedingly blessed, and glorified be Your name forever. Amen.
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according to our hope in You; for the eyes of everyone wait upon You, for You give us our food in due season. Hear us, O God, our Savior, the hope of all the earth. You, O Lord, keep us safe from this generation and forever. Amen.
Blessed are You, O Lord; teach us Your statutes. Blessed are You, O Lord; make us understand Your commandments. Blessed are You, O Lord; enlighten us with Your righteousness. O Lord, Your mercy endures forever. O Lord, do not despise the works of Your hands. You have been our refuge from generation to generation.
We cry, O Lord, have mercy on us, heal our souls; for we have sinned against You. Lord, we have fled unto You, save us, and teach us to do Your will, for You are our God, and You are the fountain of life. In Your light shall we see light.
Let Your mercy come to those who know You, and Your righteousness to those upright in heart. Blessing belongs to You. Praise belongs to You. Glory belongs to You, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit, existing from the beginning, now, and forever and ever. Amen.
It is good to confess unto the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High Who shows forth Your mercy every morning and Your righteousness every night.
The Trisagion
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, Who was born of the holy virgin Mary, have mercy upon us, Lord.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, Who was baptized in the river Jordan and was crucified on the cross, Have mercy upon us, Lord.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, Who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven in glory, Who sits at the right hand of the Father and will come again to judge the living and the dead, have mercy upon us, Lord.
Glory be to the Father, glory be to the Son, glory be to the Holy Spirit both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen and amen. Let it be. Let it be.
O Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Holy Trinity, have mercy on us.
O Lord, forgive us our sins. O Lord, forgive us 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. Repose the souls of our brothers and sisters who have slept, O Lord. O You Who are without sin, Lord have mercy on us. O You Who are without sin, Lord help us and receive our supplications. For Yours is the glory, the dominion, and triple holiness. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord bless. Amen.
Make us worthy, O Lord, to pray thankfully:
The Lord’s Prayer ….
The Magnificat:
Saint Mary’s Hymn of Praise for Our Lord
(Luke 1:46-55)
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His offspring forever.”
Hail to Saint Mary
Hail to you. We ask you, O Saint, full of glory, the ever virgin, the Mother of God (Theotokos), the Mother of Christ, lift up our prayers unto your beloved Son, that He may forgive us our sins.
Hail to the Holy Virgin, who bore for us the true Light, Christ our God. Ask the Lord on our behalf to have mercy on our souls, and forgive us our sins.
O Virgin Mary, the holy Mother of God, the trusted advocate of the human race, intercede on our behalf before Christ, Whom you bore, that He may grant us the forgiveness of our sins.
Hail to you, O Virgin, the right and true queen. Hail to the pride of our race, Emmanuel, Whom you bore for us.
We ask you, our trusted advocate, to remember us, before our Lord Jesus Christ, that He may forgive us our sins. Amen.
Introduction to the Creed
We exalt you, the Mother of the true Light. We glorify you, O Saint, the Mother of God, for you brought forth the Savior of the whole world Who came and saved our souls.
Glory to You, our Master, our King, Christ, the pride of the apostles, the crown of the martyrs, the joy of the righteous, the firmness of the churches, the forgiver of sins.
We proclaim the Holy Trinity in One Godhead. We worship Him. We glorify Him.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord bless. Amen.
The Orthodox Creed
We believe in one God, God the Father, the Pantocrato, Creator of heaven and earth, and all things, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Onlybegotten 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 heaven, was incarnate of the 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 on the third day He rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures
and ascended into the Heavens; He 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 in the prophets.
And in one holy, catholic (universal), 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.
Lord, hear us and have mercy on us and forgive us our sins. Amen.
Kyrie eleison. (ኪርያላይሶን) Lord have mercy. (እግዚኦ መሐረነ ክርስቶስ - (41 times).
Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy, Holy, Holy. Lord of hosts (sabaoth). Heaven and earth are full of Your glory and honor. Have mercy on us, O God the Father, the Pantocrator, O Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, God of hosts, be with us. For we have no helper in our hardships and tribulations but You. O God, absolve, forgive, and remit our transgressions; those which we have committed willingly and those we have committed unwillingly; those which we have committed knowingly and those which we have committed unknowingly, the hidden and the manifest. O Lord, forgive us for the sake of Your Holy name which is called upon us.
Let it be according to Your mercy, O Lord, and not according to our sins. Amen.
በከመ ምሕረትከ ኣምላክነ ወኣኮ በከመ ኣበሳነ።
Make us worthy, O Lord, to pray thankfully:
The Lord’s Prayer ….
The Prayer of Intercession ….
The First Absolution
O Lord, God of hosts, Who exists before all ages and abides forever, Who created the sun for daylight, and the night for rest for all men, we thank You for You have let us pass through the night in peace, O King of ages, and brought us to the daybreak. Therefore, we ask You, O our Master, the King of all ages, to let Your face shine upon us, and the light of Your divine knowledge enlighten us. Grant us, O our Master, to be sons of light and sons of day, to pass this day in righteousness, chastity and good conduct. Let us complete all the rest of the days of our life without offense through the grace, the compassion and the love of mankind of Your Only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, and the gift of Your Holy Spirit, now and at all times and unto the ages of all ages. Amen.
The Second Absolution
O God, Who causes the light to burst forth, Who lets His sun shine upon the righteous and the wicked, Who created the light which illuminates the whole world, enlighten our minds, our hearts and our understandings. O Master of all, grant us to please You this day. Protect us from all evil, from every sin and from adversity through Christ Jesus our Lord, with Whom You are blessed, and with the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giver Who is of one essence with You, now and at all times and unto the ages of all ages. Amen.
The Concluding Prayer for Every Hour
Have mercy on us, O God, and have mercy on us. You, Who at all times and in every hour, in heaven and on earth, are worshipped and glorified. Christ our God, the good, the long-suffering, abundant in mercy and great in compassion; Who loves the righteous and has mercy on sinners of whom I am chief; Who does not wish the death of the sinner but rather that he repents and lives, Who calls all to salvation for the promise of the blessings to come, have mercy on us.
Lord, receive from us our prayers in this hour and in every hour. Ease our life and guide us in fulfilling Your commandments. Sanctify our spirits. Cleanse our bodies. Guide our thoughts. Purify our intentions. Heal our diseases. Forgive our sins. Deliver us from every evil, grief and distress of the heart.
Surround us by Your holy angels, that, by their presence, we may be guarded and guided, and attain unity of faith and knowledge of Your incomprehensible and infinite glory. For You are blessed forever. Amen.
Make us worthy, O Lord, to pray thankfully:
The Lord’s Prayer ….