The Agpeya (Coptic Book of Hours)

This is the Coptic Book of Hours, a prayer book that contains seven canonical prayers, each with its own theme, preserved and practiced by the faithful of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Egypt for centuries. The core of each prayer is comprised of the Psalms, as David the Prophet wrote, "Seven times a day do I praise You because of Your righteous judgments" (Psalm 119:164).



The Agpeya is read throughout the day and in many situations. The hours of the day start from sunrise and end at sunset. The morning prayer (Prime), which corresponds to 6 a.m., is said upon waking up in the morning or after the Midnight praise the previous night. The Terce (9 a.m.) and Sext (noon) hours are prayed before each liturgy during the Offering of Incense. The None (3 p.m.) hour is also read during fasting days. Vespers (sunset) and Compline (9 p.m.) are read in the early evening and before bedtime, respectively. and are both read before the Liturgy during the Lent and the fast of Nineveh. The Midnight hour is read just before the Midnight Praise. The Veil hour is reserved for priests, monks and bishops.