The Midnight Hour of the Agpeya (Night-Vigil) is sung by the monks of the Holy Monastery of St Macarius, in the Egyptian desert.

E1. The Midnight Praises (Holy Monastery of St Macarius, 1977)

The book of the Agpeya is an ancient Orthodox Christian liturgy of the Hours and constitutes the daily prayer of the Hours in the Coptic Orthodox Church. It contains the seven canonical Hours of prayer. The seven canonical Hours have their roots in the prayer of the early church and the unceasing prayer of the desert-dwelling monks. The Agpeya supports daily times of prayer, in accord with the words of the Prophet King David, 'Seven times a day, do I praise Thee because of Thy righteous judgments' (Psalm 118:164). It also contains 'The Veil', which is read by bishops, presbyters and monks.