Prayers of the Church
Prayers of the Church
Prayer of the Hours
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Prayer of the Hours
Thou who at every season and every hour, in Heaven and on earth art worshipped and glorified, O Christ God; long-suffering, merciful and compassionate;
Who loves the just and shows mercy upon the sinner;
Who calls all to salvation through the promise of blessings to come.
O Lord, in this hour receive our supplications, and direct our lives according to Thy commandments.
Sanctify our souls. Purify our bodies.
Correct our minds;
cleanse our thoughts;
and deliver us from all tribulations, evil, and distress.
Surround us with Thy holy angels; that, guided and guarded by them, we may attain to the unity of the faith, and unto the knowledge of Thine unapproachable glory.
For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.
Psalm 22 (23) - The Lord is my shepherd,
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Psalm 22 (23)
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside 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 fear no evil, for Thou art with me.
Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Morning Prayers
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Morning Prayers
Having arisen from sleep, we fall down before Thee,
O Blessed One, and sing to Thee,
O Mighty One, the angelic hymn: Holy! Holy! Holy! art Thou, O God;
through the Theotokos, have mercy on us.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Do Thou, O Lord, Who hast raised me from my bed and from sleep,
enlighten my mind and heart, and open my lips that I may praise Thee,
O Holy Trinity: Holy! Holy! Holy! art Thou, O God;
through the Theotokos, have mercy on us.Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The Judge will come suddenly and the acts of every man will be revealed;
but with fear we cry in the middle of the night: Holy! Holy! Holy! art Thou, O God;
through the Theotokos, have mercy on us.Illumine our hearts, O Master Who loves mankind,
with the pure light of Thy divine knowledge.
Open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of Thy gospel teachings.
Implant also in us the fear of Thy blessed commandments,
that trampling down all carnal desires,
we may enter upon a spiritual manner of living,
both thinking and doing such things as are well-pleasing unto Thee.
For Thou art the illumination of our souls and bodies,
O Christ our God, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father,
Who is from everlasting, and Thine all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit,
now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Psalm 50 (51) - A Psalm Of Repentance
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Psalm 50 (51) - A Psalm Of Repentance
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy steadfast love; according to Thy 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 Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Thy sight, so that Thou art justified in Thy sentence and blameless in Thy judgment.
Behold! I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold! Thou desires truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which Thou hast broken rejoice.
Hide Thy face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation and uphold me with a willing Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways and sinners will return to Thee. Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of Thy deliverance.
O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise. For Thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, Thou wouldst not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
Do good to Zion in Thy good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then wilt Thou delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings
Subcategories
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Troparia and Kontakia
Short hymns sung after the small entrance at Divine Liturgy. For Sundays the subject is the Holy Resurrection; a different hymn for each of the Eight Tones. Every feast has its particular hymn describing the event or the virtues of the saint. Also there are hymns giving in an abbreviated form the substance of the day's feast. Originally, this was a hymn composed of many stanza (18-24) whose lengthy text required the use of a scroll. What remains today are short preliminary stanzas that give a concise meaning to the feast being celebrated. These hymns are also sung following the Sixth Ode in Matins, and during the Hours.
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- 37
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Orthodox Psalter
Daily Readings from the Orthodox Psalter
The Psalter is divided into 20 kathismata of three stases. Each stasis contains between one and three psalms. Except Kathisma 17, it is entirely the long Psalm 118.
Each of the divine services contain fixed portions of the Psalter that are read or chanted each time the service is celebrated. In addition, certain services of the Daily Cycle contain prescribed kathisma readings. These prescribed readings rotate daily so that the Psalter is read through once in its entirety in single week, and twice during Great Lent. (The Psalter is not read on Holy Thursday, Holy Friday, or during Bright Week.)
Day Psalter Readings Except Lent During Lent Holy Week St. Thomas Sun. to Sept. 21
Dec. 20 to Jan. 14
Sun. of Prodigal to
Sun. of ForgivenessSept. 22 to Dec. 19
Jan. 15 to Sat. before
Sun. of ProdigalExcept for Fifth Week 5th week
If Annunciation does not fall on Thursday of week 5
(the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
is read on Thursday Matins)5th week
If Annunciation falls on Thursday of week 5
(the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
is read on Tuesday Matins)Sunday Matins - Kathisma 2, 3, 17(or Polyeleos) Matins - Kathisma 2, 3, Polyeleos Monday Matins - Kathisma 4,5
Vespers - Kathisma 6Matins - Kathisma 4,5,6
Vespers - Kathisma 18Matins - Kathisma 4,5,6
Third Hour - Kathisma 7
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 8
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 9
Vespers - Kathisma 18Matins - Kathisma 4,5,6
Third Hour - Kathisma 7
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 8
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 9
Vespers - Kathisma 10Matins - Kathisma 4,5,6
First Hour - Kathisma 7
Third Hour - Kathisma 8
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 9
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 10
Vespers - Kathisma 11Matins - Kathisma 4, 5, 6
Third Hour - Kathisma 7
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 8
Vespers - Kathisma 18Tuesday Matins - Kathisma 7,8
Vespers - Kathisma 9Matins - Kathisma 7,8,9
Vespers - Kathisma 18Matins - Kathisma 10,11,12
First Hour - Kathisma 13
Third Hour - Kathisma 14
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 15
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 16
Vespers - Kathisma 18Matins - Kathisma 11, 12, 13
First Hour - Kathisma 14
Third Hour - Kathisma 15
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 16
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 18
Vespers - Kathisma 19Matins - Kathisma 12
Third Hour - Kathisma 13
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 14
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 15
Vespers - Kathisma 16Matins - Kathisma 9 10, 11
Third Hour - Kathisma 12
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 13
Vespers - Kathisma 18Wednesday Matins - Kathisma 10,11
Vespers - Kathisma 12Matins - Kathisma 10,11,12
Vespers - Kathisma 18Matins - Kathisma 19,20,1
First Hour - Kathisma 2
Third Hour - Kathisma 3
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 4
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 5
Vespers - Kathisma 18Matins - Kathisma 20, 1, 2
First Hour - Kathisma 3
Third Hour - Kathisma 4
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 5
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 6
Vespers - Kathisma 7Matins - Kathisma 19, 20, 1
First Hour - Kathisma 2
Third Hour - Kathisma 3
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 4
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 5Matins - Kathisma 14, 15, 16
Third Hour - Kathisma 19
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 20
Vespers - Kathisma 18Thursday Matins - Kathisma 13,14
Vespers - Kathisma 15Matins - Kathisma 13,14,15
Vespers - Kathisma 18Matins - Kathisma 6,7,8
First Hour - Kathisma 9
Third Hour - Kathisma 10
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 11
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 12
Vespers - Kathisma 18Matins - Kathisma 8
Third Hour - Kathisma 9
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 10
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 11
Vespers - Kathisma 12Matins - Kathisma 6, 7, 8
First Hour - Kathisma 9
Third Hour - Kathisma 10
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 11
Ninth Hour - Kathisma 12(none) Friday Matins - Kathisma 19,20
Vespers - Kathisma 18Matins - Kathisma 13,14,15
Third Hour - Kathisma 19
Sixth Hour - Kathisma 20
Vespers - Kathisma 18(none) Saturday Matins - Kathisma 16,17
Vespers - Kathisma 1Matins - Kathisma 17 See Also: Psalms Chanted in the Services, Psalms in Antiphons, Psalms in Communion Hymns, Psalms in Prokeimenon and Alleluia Verses - Article Count:
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Canticles (or Odes)
There are nine Biblical Canticles that are chanted at Matins These form the basis of the Canon, a major component of Matins.
The nine Canticles are as follows:
- Canticle One - The (First) Song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-19)
- Canticle Two - The (Second) Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:1-43)
- Canticle Three - The Prayer of Hannah (I Kings 2:1-10) KJV: 1+Samuel 2:1-10
- Canticle Four - The Prayer of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:1-19)
- Canticle Five - The Prayer of Isaiah (Isaiah 26:9-20)
- Canticle Six - The Prayer of Jonah (Jonah 2:2-9)
- Canticle Seven - The Prayer of the Three Holy Children (Daniel 3:26-56)
- Canticle Eight - The Song of the Three Holy Children (Daniel 3:57-88)
- Canticle Nine - The Song of the Theotokos (the Magnificat: Luke 1:46-55); the Song of Zacharias (the Benedictus Luke 1:68-79)
Originally, these Canticles were chanted in their entirety every day, with a short refrain inserted between each verse. Eventually, short verses (troparia) were composed to replace these refrains, a process traditionally inaugurated by Saint Andrew of Crete. Gradually over the centuries, the verses of the Biblical Canticles were omitted (except for the Magnificat) and only the composed troparia were read, linked to the original canticles by an Irmos. During Great Lent however, the original Biblical Canticles are still read.
Another Biblical Canticle, the The Song of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32), is either read or sung at Vespers.
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Text of Prayers
In the Orthodox Church it is said that we pray what we believe and believe what we pray. The text of our written prayers not only help with our communion with God through words of praise, thanksgiving, repentance, supplication, and intercession, but also brings to remembrance the Gospel message of Christ, the Apostolic teachings, and our faith.
This part of our website gives the text of some of the prayers of the Orthodox Church.
The publication of such prayers does not limit the free expression of the Christian soul to the Creator, the Most-holy Theotokos and the Saints. On the contrary, by reading these prayers one can learn how to pray. They become models for our own, personal prayers. Often, we would like to pray but, distracted by the world around us, or troubled by fear or sorrow, we do not even know how to begin. We then begin with the a prayerbook and find that not only much of what we wanted to say is included in the prayers of the fathers, but that afterwards, we find words of our own to continue the outpouring of our soul.
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- 68
