Ninth Hour Prayers
Categories: uncategorized
Date: 17 November 2005 09:08:48
 Icon from A Brief Guide to Byzantine Icons | O Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God, Who has patiently endured our sins, and Who has led us even to the present hour in which, as You hung upon the life-giving Tree, made a way into Paradise for the repentant thief, and by death destroyed death: cleanse us sinners and Your unworthy servants; for we have sinned and have dealt iniquitously, and we are not worthy to lift our eyes to the heights of heaven, for we have abandoned the part of Your righteousness, and have walked after the desires of our own hearts. But we implore Your boundless goodness: spare us, O Lord, according to the multitude of Your mercies, and save us, for Your holy Name's sake; for our days have passed away in vanity. Pull us away from the hand of the adversary, and forgive our sins and deaden in us fleshy imagination; that putting off the old man, we may be clothed with the new man, and may live unto You, our Master and Benefactor; and that following Your commandments, we may attain to eternal rest, where is the dwelling-place of all those who rejoice. For You are, in truth, the true joy and exultation of those who love You, O Christ our God, and unto You we ascribe glory, together with the Father, Who has no beginning, and Your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. |
There are a number of daily 'services of the hours' in Orthodoxy: this page gives an overview of them. I believe it would be very beneficial if I could set aside some time to pray them, as they each have different emphases. I am trying, by God's grace, to have a better prayer life -- for my own sake -- and I believe these Prayers of the Hours are a good help to me. Monasteries will generally have the various prayers of the hours, and I look forward to one day visiting an Orthodox monastery and hearing a full day of prayer. I was greatly encouraged and blessed by them when I visited New Norcia in February of this year.
The Prayers of the Ninth Hour (~15:00) is said at the time of Christ's crucifixion. The final prayer, reproduced above, clearly identifies with this, and I find it a beautiful prayer. The Psalms which open the Prayers of the Ninth Hour [83 (LXX - 84), 84 (85) and 85 (86)] speak of the joy and blessing of being in 'the courts of the Lord'.
A beautiful service.