AGPIA : The Prayer of The Eleventh Hour (Sunset Prayer)

AGPIA : The Prayer of The Eleventh Hour

(Sunset Prayer)

Instituted  to  commemorate  the  time when  the  body  of  Jesus  was  taken  down from  the  cross,  anointed  with  spices  and wrapped in linen.

THE PRAYER OF THE ELEVENTH HOUR
(Sunset Prayer)

The worshipper prays the Introductory Prayer :

The Lord’s Prayer

The Prayer of Thanksgiving

Psalm 51   (50)

Then the worshipper Prays:
The Prayer of the Eleventh Hour of this blessed day is offered to Christ my King and my God, be- seeching Him to forgive my sins.

PSALM 117   (116)

Oh, praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward  us,  And  the  truth  of  the  LORD  endures forever. Praise the LORD! Alleluia.

PSALM 118   (117)

Oh,  give  thanks  to  the  LORD,  for  He  is  good! Because His mercy endures forever. Let Israel now say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron now say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let those  who  fear  the  LORD  now  say,  “His  mercy endures forever.” I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me. It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes. All nations sur- rounded me, But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. They surrounded me, Yes, they sur- rounded me; But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. You pushed me violently, that I might fall, But the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become  my  salvation.  The  voice  of  rejoicing  and salvation Is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. The right hand of the LORD is exalted; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the LORD. The LORD has chastened me severely, But He has not given me over to death. Open  to  me  the  gates  of  righteousness;  I  will  go through them, And I will praise the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD, Through which the righteous shall enter. I will praise You, For You have answered me, And have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. God is the LORD, And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Alleluia.

PSALM 120   (119)

In my distress I cried to the LORD, And He heard me. Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips And from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given to you, Or  what  shall  be  done  to  you,  You  false  tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior, With coals of the broom tree! Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, That I dwell among the tents of Kedar! My soul has dwelt too long With one who hates peace. I am for peace; But when I speak, they are for war. Alleluia.

PSALM 121   (120)

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes  my  help?  My  help  comes  from  the  LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slum- ber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slum- ber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore. Alleluia.

PSALM 122   (121)

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.” Our feet have been standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built As
a city that is compact together, Where the tribes go up,  The  tribes  of  the  LORD,  To  the  Testimony  of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD. For thrones are set there for judgment, The thrones of the house  of  David.  Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say,
“Peace be within you.” Because of the house of the
LORD our God I will seek your good. Alleluia.

PSALM 123   (122)

Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He has mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease. With the contempt of the proud. Alleluia.

PSALM 124   (123)

“If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,” Let Israel now say— “If it had not been the LORD  who  was  on  our  side,  When  men  rose  up against  us,  Then  they  would  have  swallowed  us alive, When their wrath was kindled against us; Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, The stream would have gone over our soul; Then the swollen waters Would have gone over our soul.” Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of  the  fowlers;  The  snare  is  broken,  and  we  have escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. Alleluia.

PSALM 125   (124)

Those  who  trust  in  the  LORD  Are  like  Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the  mountains  surround  Jerusalem,  So  the  LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and for- ever. For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest On the land allotted to the righteous, Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity. Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, And to those who are upright in  their  hearts.  As  for  such  as  turn  aside  to  their crooked ways, The LORD shall lead them away With the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel. Alleluia.

PSALM 126   (125)

When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion,  We  were  like  those  who  dream.  Then  our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing.  Then  they  said  among  the  nations,  “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us, Whereof we are glad. Bring back our captivity, O LORD, As the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. He  who  continually  goes  forth  weeping,  Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him. Alleluia.

PSALM 127   (126)

Unless the LORD builds the house, They labour in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is His reward. Like arrows in the hand of
a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate. Alleluia.

PSALM 128   (127)

Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways. When you eat the labour of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the LORD. The LORD bless you out of Zion, And may you see the good of Jerusalem All  the  days  of  your  life.  Yes,  may  you  see  your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel! Alleluia.

PSALM 129   (128)

“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,” Let Israel now say— “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; Yet they have not pre- vailed against me. The plowers plowed on my back; They made their furrows long.” The LORD is right- eous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked. Let all those who hate Zion Be put to shame and turned back.  Let  them  be  as  the  grass  on  the  housetops, Which withers before it grows up, With which the reaper  does  not  fill  his  hand,  Nor  he  who  binds sheaves,  his  arms.  Neither  let  those  who  pass  by them say, “The blessing of the LORD be upon you; We bless you in the name of the LORD!” Alleluia.

THE GOSPEL

(Luke 4:38-41)

A chapter from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke
may his blessings be with us all. Amen.

Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. But Simon’s wife’s mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them. Now when the sun was setting, all those who had anyone sick with various diseases brought  them  to  Him;  and  He  laid  His  hands  on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.
Glory be to God forever. Amen.

If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where shall
I, the sinner, appear. Because of my human weakness
I can not bear the burden and the heat of the day. But, You the merciful God, count me among those of the eleventh hour. In sin, my mother conceived and gave birth to me, I should not dare look up to heaven, but because of Your great mercy and love to humanity, I call to You saying: “Lord forgive my sins and have mercy upon me”. Thok-sa-patri Ke ey-you Ke agiyou ep-nevmaty.

Take  me  now,  my  Saviour  into  Your  Fatherly embrace because I have spent my life in pleasures and desires, my time is running out, now I depend on Your rich and infinite compassion. Do not disregard
a humble heart who needs Your mercy, I cry to You with reverence “I have sinned against You and against Heaven, I am no longer fit to be called Your son, treat me as one of Your hired workers. Ke-neen ke-a-ee ke-is-touse e-onas ton e-onon. Amen.

I practised evil with diligence and enthusiasm, with earnestness and keenness I committed each sin. For this I deserve suffering and condemnation. Our Lady Virgin Mary, guide me to the means of repent- ance, to you I plea, through you I seek supplication,
I call you for help, lest I fail. Come to my rescue, when my soul departs from my body, defeat the conspira- cies  of  the  enemy,  shut  the  gates  of  hell  lest  they swallow my soul. O’ blameless bride of the true Lord.

Lord have mercy  (Kir-ye ley-son) 41 times.

HOLY HOLY HOLY

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts. Heaven and earth  are  full  of  Your  glory  and  honour.  God  the Father Almighty, have mercy upon us.
O’ Holy Trinity have mercy upon us. O’ Lord, God  of  hosts,  be  with  us,  for  we  have  no  other supporter  in  our  tribulations  and  adversities  but You. O’ God, absolve, remit and forgive us our sins which we have done willingly and unwillingly, and those which we committed knowingly and unknow- ingly, the hidden  and the visible.
O’  Lord  forgive  us  for  the  sake  of  Your  Holy Name that is called upon us, and according to Your mercy and not to our sins.
“Our Father, who art in heaven ...”

ABSOLUTION

Thank you, compassionate Lord, for You granted us to pass this day in peace, brought us thankfully to the night and made us worthy of seeing Your light until sunset. Accept this glorification, we now offer You and save us from the temptations of the enemy and defeat all his traps set against us. In this coming night, give us peace without pain or anxiety or fa- tigue or illusion so we may pass through the night in peace and chastity and awake to praise You and pray to You. At all times and everywhere we glorify and praise Your name, Your Father and the Holy Spirit forevermore. Amen.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Have mercy upon us O’ God, have mercy upon us. For You are always worshipped and glorified in heaven and on earth.
O’ Christ, our good Lord, plenteous in patience, mercy and compassion, who loves the just and shows mercy to all sinners amongst whom I am the first. Who does not wish death for the sinner but repent- ance and life, calling us all to salvation for the prom- ised forthcoming rewards. O’ Lord, accept our prayers of this hour and every hour. Ease our lives, and guide us to act according to Your commandments. Sanctify our souls, purify our bodies, set right our thoughts, cleanse our intentions, heal our sickness, forgive us our  sins  and  deliver  us  from  every  evil  grief  and distress. Surround us with Your Holy angels that we may be guided and guarded with them to attain the unity of faith and knowledge of Your imperceptible and infinite glory, for You are blessed for ever. Amen.