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Agpeya times

gregorytheSinnergregorytheSinner
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
I'm just wondering what times are the Agpeya Prayers supposed to be prayed?
I read once that it was:
Morn-6 am
3rd-9
6th-12
9th-3
11th-9
12th-11

but apparently some people pray the 9th at like sunset? so is ther like a set timee for each prayer? and say u wake up at like 12pm, do u pray the mornin prayer or like the 6th hour prayer?

thanks

Comments

  • copt andrewcopt andrew
    Whatever fits your schedule. Most people are at work or school at 3rd, 6th and 9th so try to read as many hours as you can daily. If you wake up later then 6am start the day there and go on with your own reading times. It is perfered though to read the Morning at sunrise, the 6th at noon and the 9th at sunset but if this is hard or not possible for you to do. Go your own way.




    God Bless,
    Copt Andrew
  • copt andrewcopt andrew
    Did this help?  ;D
  • Unknown
    i think u are right.  However sometimes, it is hard to read at those times as previouly said before by coptic andrew.  However, God will not judge you on that.  therefore, try to read as much as you can whenever you can. 

    +mahraeel+
  • mabsootamabsoota
    I was discussing this yesterday with my spiritual father, he said just pray a little each day, reading the psalms strengthens our spirits. Its also important to read the Bible, so each one should do what he/she can. What matters are our motives and our love for God.
    I personally can only pray all the hours if i am off work, coz I think a lot about what I'm praying so it takes nearly all day!
    ;)
    PS I don't understand why the 9th hour isn't 3 hours after the 6th hour, can someone explain the Egyptian maths?!
  • jydeaconjydeacon
    It is 3 hours difference, 6th hour is at 12pm and 9th at 3
  • mabsootamabsoota
    so why is the 11th hour prayed at 9pm and not 5pm?
    Is there a time warp between the 9th and 11th hours where 2 hours becomes a long sunny evening?
    :-)
  • jydeaconjydeacon
    11th hour should be prayed at 5pm(known as vespers) and the 12th is at pm, you have to remember that during these times when the sun set is when things stopped, no technology no reason to stay up, and they would rise with the sun as well. The agpeya is not something recent, therefore the way the times where set up where old too. 1st hour corresponding with 6 am and 3 hour increments.
  • socoolbishoysocoolbishoy
    these prayers are set that throughout the whole day you'd keep your mind with God...

    Prime-  6ish am
    third- 9ish am
    sixth- noonish
    ninth- 3ish pm
    eleventh- 5ish pm
    twelfth- 6ish pm
    veil- in the evening...
    first watch- 9ish pm
    second watch- midnightish
    third watch- 3ish am

    midnight praise... and the cycle keeps going!

    now you are not subject to these prayers yet... you have to work your way up, according to the agreement between you and your father of confession... but as you can see there is no specific time... but rather a time frame... and if a prayer is missed there is no problem with combining them... but again i tell you... ONLY FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE OF YOUR FATHER OF CONFESSION, OR YOUR SPIRITUAL GUIDE!


    akhadna el baraka... neshkor allah!
  • Boricua_OrthodoxBoricua_Orthodox
    The Agpeya ROCKS!!
  • johannessolomonjohannessolomon
    Guys,
    If he reads a couple of harry potter books, its not going to stop him from going to heaven. There are much more and bigger things we need to worry about. You can try to perfect yourself after you have done the expected things that God wants you to do. Forgive me if my opinion is wrong.
  • Unknown
    All,

    I've read some interesting material on this subject that you may appreciate...

    Remember that, when the Agpeya was arranged, the average person had no accurate means of telling time.  The "Prime" hour was the hour you awoke.  The third hour was a little while later once your day was in full swing.  The sixth hour was at noon.  The ninth hour was about when you finished your daily responsibilities.  Vespers was about sunset.  Compline was at the completion of the day (presumably bedtime).  The three watches were exactly what they sound like, i.e. they were in place for those who (for one reason or another) had to be awake all night.  The first watch was after everyone went to sleep and it was officially night-time, the second watch was about midnight, and  "Lauds" or the "third watch" was prayed in preparation for a new day.

    I don't recall when the "Prayer of the Veil" fits in, but I think it was meant exclusively for monks.

    Now that we have clocks it's easy to measure three hours within the accuracy of a wavelength of radioactive cesium.  If it helps bring you closer to God to be that punctual, by all means you should do so. 

    Hope this is helpful.

    George
  • LifeinChristLifeinChrist
    [quote author=GArgiriadis link=topic=7208.msg99785#msg99785 date=1233081377]
    All,

    I've read some interesting material on this subject that you may appreciate...

    Remember that, when the Agpeya was arranged, the average person had no accurate means of telling time.   The "Prime" hour was the hour you awoke.  The third hour was a little while later once your day was in full swing.  The sixth hour was at noon.  The ninth hour was about when you finished your daily responsibilities.  Vespers was about sunset.  Compline was at the completion of the day (presumably bedtime).  The three watches were exactly what they sound like, i.e. they were in place for those who (for one reason or another) had to be awake all night.  The first watch was after everyone went to sleep and it was officially night-time, the second watch was about midnight, and  "Lauds" or the "third watch" was prayed in preparation for a new day.

    I don't recall when the "Prayer of the Veil" fits in, but I think it was meant exclusively for monks.

    Now that we have clocks it's easy to measure three hours within the accuracy of a wavelength of radioactive cesium.  If it helps bring you closer to God to be that punctual, by all means you should do so. 

    Hope this is helpful.

    George


    Correct, the prayer of the veil is exclusive to monks, I'm not sure why it is in every agpeya, maybe for you to practice ;)
  • binC
    Hello friends,

    Agpeya times are set with real meanings and facts attached with each time.

    1st hour or Prime...Jesus as Light of our life
    3rd hour or Terce...The Holy Spirit as our Comforter
    6th hour or Sext...Jesus was nailed to the Cross
    9th hour or Noon...Jesus tasted death in the flesh
    11th hour(Sunset) or Vespers...Jesus tomb and we asking forgiveness for the whole day's transgression
    12th hour(Retiring) or Compline...Jesus was born and will come to Judge the world at Mid night.

    If you read carefully each time prayer it has a specific thing to remember you. It is like a beautiful story of what a loving God has done to His children.
    And as far as I know these hours are not to be switched. It is like reading a Christmas greeting on Easter. That is why the prayer tells specific things happened at that specific hour.
    For most of us in working places having a pc can pray from the soft copy saved in our Doc. We have a lot of time for chatting and forwarding emails unlike prayer. The problem is when u r praying the whole world and the devil is against u. The best part is u r not to be tempted above ur scope. There might be a millions of excuses but God has a billion solutions to escape from each. Only if we r Willing.
    I love advicing myself pointing my finger at someone:)

      May God be with us always with His holiest mother, His angles and saints. Amen!

     


       
  • Pharaoh714Pharaoh714
    [quote author=mabsoota link=topic=7208.msg96466#msg96466 date=1225269027]
    I was discussing this yesterday with my spiritual father, he said just pray a little each day, reading the psalms strengthens our spirits. Its also important to read the Bible, so each one should do what he/she can. What matters are our motives and our love for God.
    I personally can only pray all the hours if i am off work, coz I think a lot about what I'm praying so it takes nearly all day!
    ;)
    PS I don't understand why the 9th hour isn't 3 hours after the 6th hour, can someone explain the Egyptian maths?!



    This is Acutaly Jewish timing not Egyptian.

    The day starts at 6:00AM

    so 7:00AM = 1st hour
    8Am = 2nd hour
    9am = 3rd hour

    ETC.
  • Unknown
    [quote author=Boricua_Orthodox link=topic=7208.msg99140#msg99140 date=1231565934]
    The Agpeya ROCKS!!

    lol yes yes it does !! ;D!!

    +mahraeel+
  • binC
                  +++

    Dear friends,

      What does rocks mean? it looks like slang and pls let us not use worldy words with sacred things. Correct me if I am wrong.
  • aidanaidan
    Although I'm not a Copt I love to use the Agpeya sometimes. Please ilet me have your opinions about which is the best English version.

    I have one that is NKJ but I believe there are other versions out there.

    Please let me know asap

    ps I use it for its portability and general convenience-not too much flicking around

    In Christ
  • peterfarringtonpeterfarrington
    Hiya

    You might try the British Orthodox edition in liturgical English.

    http://www.lulu.com/content/3894048

    There are lots of others but some are in pretty awful English.

    Deacon Peter
  • peterfarringtonpeterfarrington
    Do people memorise the hours?

    I have found it really helpful in my own spiritual life to memorise almost all of prime and vespers. It means that I can pray morning and evening whatever I am doing. It's only taken me 45 years to get to a place where I have a rule of prayer. I wish that I knew more of the Scriptures off by heart.

    Do people memorise the Scriptures?

    I know that the monks will, but is it encouraged of Coptic faithful? Is it encouraged of Coptic faithful in the West? I see a great knowledge of the wonderful hymns of the Coptic tradition but how much do folk find a focus on learning Scripture?

    It must be wonderful to have all of the Agpeya memorised, and at least one or two books of the Bible. Not from an intellectual point of view but from a spiritual one. In my own evangelical background there were men in the generation before my Dad's who knew the Bible like that, but it seemed to have rather become diluted in my father's generation and especially in my own.

    I've been reading the little book of Jonah every day this week during the Fast of Nineveh and it just made me wish that I read the Scripture and prayed much more. I read a lot of theology but I need to become a person who is immersed in the Scripture and the prayers of the Church.

    Deacon Peter
  • mabsootamabsoota
    dear bin C, i read all your posts with interest and am impressed with your level of study and Biblical knowledge. lots of us here who post regularly want to bring this level of theology to those who are not so academic or who are young or who don't speak 'posh' english. so we like to use generally spoken up to date english that has a specific meaning to younger people.
    when we say the agpeya rocks, we mean it is very interesting, it is really useful, it is particularly valid in its application in our day to day lives and we love to read it. we love the way it increases our relationship with God. these are all the meanings included in this useful and succinct phrase.
    dear peter, we are encouraged to memorise parts of the agpeya and Bible, i am not particularly good at it! all the monks and saints in the films know the whole agpeya by heart, as for us, we will keep trying!
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