This Hour is prayed early in the morning, and commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Sun of Righteousness.
The First Hour includes the Thanksgiving Prayer, Psalms 50, 1, 3, 8, 12, 14, 112, the Reading from the Holy Gospel, the Litanies, the Kyrie Eleison and the 'Holy, Holy, Holy'.
Audio: agpeya.org
Please visit agpeya.org for teaching resources and a complete printable text of the Agpeya.

D1. The Midnight Hour: Night Vigil Prayer (English)

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.