The Agpeya The Book of Hours - Arabic

The word “Agpeya” takes origin from the Coptic word Ti-AGP, which means, “The Hour”, thus the title; “The Book of Hours”.

The Book of “Agpeya” contains the seven canonical prayers which have been cherished and practiced by the faithful Copts of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Egypt.

The Psalms are the core of the Seven Prayers.  The seven canonical prayers have their root in the Psalms.  David said; “Seven times a day, do I praise You because of Your righteous Judgments” (Psalm 119:164)

THE SEVEN HOURS OF THE AGPEYA:

1. PRIME (1^st Hour): This hour is prayed early in the morning, and commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord (Psalm 62:1).
2. TERCE (3^rd Hour): In this hour of the day, the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles as tongues of fire (Acts 2:15).
3. SEXT (6^th Hour): In this hour, our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified (John 19:14).
4. NONE (9^th Hour): This hour commemorates the death of our Lord in the flesh upon the tree and the testimony of the thief at His right hand (Matthew 21:46, Acts 3:1).
5. VESPERS (11^th Hour): This hour commemorates the removal of the body of Christ from the Cross.
6. COMPLINE (12^th Hour): This hour commemorates the laying down of the body of Christ in the grave.  It corresponds to the last hour of the day before retiring, since sleep is but a temporary death (Psalm 62:6).
7. MIDNIGHT: This hour includes three services corresponding to the three times our Lord prayed in Gethsemane (Psalm 118:62).