The Ninth Hour

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit , one God. Amen.

Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, through Christ Jesus our Lord. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Let us give thanks unto the Beneficent and Merciful God, the Father of our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. For He has shielded us, rescued us, kept us, accepted us unto Him, had compassion on us, supported us, and brought us unto this hour. Let us ask Him also, to keep us this holy day and all the days of our life in all peace, the Almighty Lord our God. O Master, Lord, God Almighty, Father of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ; we thank Thee upon every condition, for any condition, and in whatever condition. For Thou hast shielded us, rescued us, kept us, accepted us unto Thee, had compassion on us, supported us and brought us unto this hour. Therefore we ask and entreat Thy goodness, O Lover-of-man, grant us to complete this holy day, and all the days of our life in all peace with Thy fear. All envy, all temptation, all the influence of Satan, the intrigue of wicked people, the rising up of enemies, hidden and manifest, take away from us, and from all Thy people, and from this, Thy holy place. But as for those things which are good and useful provide us with them. For Thou art the One who gave us the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and every power of the enemy. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, through the grace, compassion and love of man, of Thine only begotten Son, our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Through whom glory, honor, dominion, and worship befit Thee with Him and the Holy Spirit, the lifegiver who is of one essence with Thee, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

PSALM 50

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy compassion blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee only have I sinned and done this evil before Thee, that Thou mightiest be justified in Thy words, and prevail when Thou art judged. For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother bear me. For behold, Thou hast loved truth; the hidden and secret things of Thy wisdom hast Thou made manifest unto me. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me to hear joy and gladness; the bones that be humbled, they shall rejoice. Turn Thy face away from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and with Thy governing Spirit establish me. I shall teach transgressors Thy ways, and the ungodly shall turn back unto Thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; my tongue shall rejoice in Thy righteousness. O Lord, Thou shalt open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Thy praise. For if Thou hadst desired sacrifice, I had given it; with whole-burnt offerings Thou shalt not be pleased. A sacrifice unto God is a broken spirit; a heart that is broken and humbled God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, in Thy good pleasure unto Sion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then shalt Thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with oblation and whole-burnt offerings. Then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar. Alleluia.

The prayer of the Ninth Hour of the blessed day, I offer to Christ my King and my God, beseeching Him to forgive my sins.

Psalm 95

O sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim from day to day the good tidings of His salvation. Declare among the heathen His glory, and among all peoples His wonders. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the heathen are demons, but the Lord made the heavens. Praise and beauty are before Him, holiness and majesty are in His sanctuary. Bring to the Lord, O ye kindred of the nations, bring to the Lord glory and honour; bring to the Lord the glory due to His name. Bring sacrifices, and go into His courts; worship the Lord is His holy court. Let the earth be shaken at His presence; say among the nations that the Lord reigns. For He hast established the world which shall not be shaken; He shall judge the people in uprightness. Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice; let the sea be shaken, and the fullness thereof. The plains shall be joyful, and all the things therein. Then shall all the trees of the forest rejoice at the presence of the Lord, for He comes, for He comes to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth. Alleluia.

Psalm 96

The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many islands be glad. Clouds and darkness are round about Him; righteousness and judgment are the establishment of His throne. Fire shall go before Him, and shall burn up His enemies round about. His lightning have shone forth throughout the world; the earth saw it and was shaken. The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of all the earth. The heavens declared His righteousness, and all the peoples saw His glory. Let all be put to shame that worship graven things, that boast themselves of their idols. Worship Him, all ye His angels; Sion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Judea rejoiced because of Thy judgments, O Lord. For Thou art Lord Most High over all the earth, Thou art exalted far above all the gods. Ye that love the Lord, hate evil. The Lord preserves the souls of His saints; from the hand of the sinner shall He deliver them. A light has dawned forth for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Be glad in the Lord, O ye righteous, and give thanks for the remembrance of His holiness. Alleluia.

Psalm 97

O sing to the Lord a new song, for the Lord has wrought wondrous things. His right hand and His holy arm have wrought salvation for Him. The Lord has made known His salvation, in the sight of the nations has He revealed His righteousness. He has remembered His mercy to Jacob, and His truth to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout with jubilation to the Lord, all the earth; sing and rejoice and chant psalms. Chant ye to the Lord with a harp, with the harp and with the voice of a psalm, with trumpets of metal, and with a voice of a trumpet of horn. Shout with jubilation before the Lord our King; let the sea be shaken and the fullness thereof, the world and all they that dwell therein. The rivers shall clap their hands together; the mountains shall rejoice at the presence of the Lord, for He comes; yea, He is come to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with uprightness. Alleluia.

Psalm 98
The Lord reigns, let the peoples rage; He sits on the cherubim, let the earth be shaken. The Lord is great in Sion, and He is high above all peoples. Let them confess Thy great name, for it is terrible and holy; and the king's honour loves judgment. Thou hast prepared uprightness; judgment and righteousness in Jacob hast Thou wrought. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship the footstool of His feet ; for He is holy. Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name. They called upon the Lord, and He heard them; in a pillar of cloud He spoke unto them. For they kept His testimonies and His ordinances which He gave them. O Lord our God, Thou didst hear them; O God, Thou wast fain to be entreated for them, and yet took vengeance on all their devices. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at His holy mountain; for holy is the Lord our God. Alleluia.

Psalm 99

Shout with jubilation unto God, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with rejoicing. Know ye that the Lord Himself is our God; it is He that has made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, into His courts with hymns; give thanks unto Him. Praise His name, for the Lord is good; His mercy endureth forever, and His truth unto generation and generation. Alleluia.

Psalm 100

Of mercy and judgment will I sing to Thee, O Lord; I will chant and have understanding in a blameless path. When will Thou come unto me? I have walked in the innocence of my heart in the midst of my house. I have no unlawful thing before my eyes; the workers of transgressions I have hated. A crooked heart has not cleaved to me; as for the wicked man who turned from me, I knew him not. Him that privily talked against his neighbour did I drive away from me. With him whose eye was proud and his heart insatiate, I did not eat. My eyes were upon the faithful of the land, that they might sit with me; the man that walked in the blameless path, he ministered to me. The proud doer dwelt not in the midst of my house; the speaker of unjust things prospered not before my eyes. In the morning I slew all the sinners of the land, utterly to destroy out of the city of the Lord all them that work iniquity. Alleluia.

Psalm 109

The Lord said to my Lord: Sit Thou at my right hand, until I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet. A sceptre of power shall the Lord send unto Thee out of Sion; rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies. With Thee is dominion in the day of Thy power, in the splendour of Thy saints. From the womb before the morning star have I begotten Thee. The Lord has sworn and will not repent: Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchisedek. The Lord at Thy right hand has broken kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill them with dead bodies, He shall crush the heads of many upon the earth. He shall drink of the brook in the way; therefore He shall lift up His head. Alleluia.

Psalm 110

I will confess Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart, in the council of the upright and in the congregation. Great are the works of the Lord, sought out in all the things that He has willed. Confession and majesty are His work, and His righteousness abides unto ages of ages. He made a remembrance of His wondrous deeds; merciful and compassionate is the Lord; He has given food to them that fear Him. He will be mindful forever of His covenant; the power of His works He has declared to His people, that He may give them the inheritance of the nations; the works of His hands are truth and judgment. Faithful are all His commandments, confirmed unto ages of ages, made in truth and uprightness. He hath sent redemption unto His people, He hath enjoined His covenant forever; holy and terrible is His name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and all they that foster this have a good understanding. His praise abides unto ages of ages. Alleluia.

Psalm 111

Blessed is the man that fears the Lord; in His commandments shall be greatly delight. His seed shall be mighty upon the earth; the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Glory and riches shall be in his house, and his righteousness abides unto ages of ages. There has risen up in darkness a light for the upright; he is merciful and compassionate and righteous. A good man is he that is compassionate and lends; he shall order his words with judgment, for he shall remain unshaken forever. In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings. His heart is ready to hope in the Lord; his heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he look down upon his enemies. He has dispersed, he has given to the poor, his righteousness abides unto ages of ages; his horn shall be exalted with glory. The sinner shall see and be angered, he shall gnash with his teeth and melt away; the desire of the sinner shall perish. Alleluia.

Psalm 112

Praise the Lord, O ye servants, praise ye the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord from hence forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the name of the Lord is to be praised. High above all the nations is the Lord, above the heavens is His glory. Who is like the Lord our God ? Who dwells on high and looks down on things that are lowly, in heaven and on the earth. Who raises up the poor man from the earth, and from the dunghill lifts up the pauper, that He may seat him with princes, with the princes of His people. Who makes the barren woman to dwell in a house and be a mother rejoicing over children. Alleluia.

Psalm 111

I am filled with love, for the Lord will hear the voice of my supplication. For He has inclined His ear to me, and in my days will I call upon Him. The pangs of death have encompassed me, the dangers of Hades found me. Tribulation and sorrow have I found, and I called upon the name of the Lord: O Lord, deliver my soul. Merciful is the Lord and righteous, and our God has mercy. The Lord preserves the infants; I was brought low and He saved me. Return, O my soul, unto your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For He has delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from sliding. I will be well-pleasing before the Lord in the land of the living. Alleluia.

Psalm 115

I believed, wherefore I spoke; I was humbled exceedingly. As for me, I said in my ecstasy: Every man is a liar. What shall I render unto the Lord for all that He has rendered to me? I will take the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all His people. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. O Lord, I am Thy servant; I am Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaid. Thou hast broken my bonds asunder. I will sacrifice a sacrifice of praise unto Thee, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Alleluia.

Glory be to God, Holy, Holy, Holy. A passage from the Gospel according to Saint Luke. May his blessings be upon us all Amen.
LK.9:10-17

And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. And He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. And when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. And when the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." But He said to them. "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all this people." For there were about five thousand men. And He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty." And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then He took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the remaining fragments were taken up by them.

Glory be to God forever. Amen.

May Thy saying be concluded in peace. We worship Thee O Christ together with Thy Good Father and the Holy Spirit, for Thou hast come and saved us.

O Thou who, at the ninth hour didst taste death in the flesh for the sake of us sinners, mortify our carnal senses, O Christ our God, and deliver us. Let my supplication come before Thee, O Lord; according to Thine oracle give me understanding. Let my petition enter into Thy Presence according to Thy word quicken me.

"Zoksapatri ke lyou-ke agi-you epnevmaty" (Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.)

O Thou Who gave up the ghost into the hands of the Father, when Thou didst hang on the cross at the ninth hour, and didst lead the thief into Paradise; neglect me not, O Good-one, neither cast me off who has gone astray; but purify my soul and enlighten my understanding, and make me a partaker of the grace of Thy life-giving mysteries. That having tasted of Thy benefactions, I may offer Thee unceasing praise, longing above all for Thy splendour, O Christ our God and save us.

"Kenin ke aa-ee ke-ic-touce e-on-ace ton e-onon Amen."(Both now and ever and unto the ages of ages, Amen.)

O Thou Who for our sake wast born of the Virgin, and didst endure crucifixion, O Good-one, and didst destroy death by death, and didst reveal the resurrection by Thy resurrection; turn not Thy face, O God, from those whom Thou hast fashioned with Thine own hands; but show forth Thy love for mankind, O Good-one. Accept the intercession of Thy Mother for us and deliver a humble nation. Abandon us not unto the end, neither deliver us unto the ages, forswear not Thy covenant, and take not Thy mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham Thy beloved, and Issac Thy servant, and Israel Thy holy one.

"Kenin ke aa-ee ke-ic-touce e-on-ace ton e-onon Amen."(Both now and ever and unto the ages of ages, Amen.)

When the thief saw the Author of Life hanging upon the Cross, He spoke saying: "If He Who is crucified with us were not the Incarnate God, the sun would not have veiled his ray, neither would have the earth quaked trembling. But, O Thou All-powerful and All-enduring Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom. "

"Zoksapatri ke lyou-ke agi-you epnevmaty" (Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.)

O Thou Who didst receive unto Thee the confession of the thief upon the cross, receive us also unto Thyself, O Good-one, who are deemed worthy of the sentence of death because of our sins. With him we acknowledge our sins, confessing Thy Divinity, crying out and saying: "Remember us, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.

"Kenin ke aa-ee ke-ic-touce e-on-ace ton e-onon Amen."(Both now and ever and unto the ages of ages, Amen.)

When the Mother beheld the Lamb and Shepherd and Saviour of the world hanging upon the cross, she said weeping: "The world rejoices in that it has received salvation, but my bowels are ablaze when I behold Thy crucifixion, which Thou endureth for the sake of all, O my Son and my God.

O Lord, hear us, have mercy on us, and forgive our sins.

Lord have mercy (Kyrie eleison) 41 times

Holy, Holy, Holy, O Lord of Sabaoth, Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory and Thy majesty. Have mercy on us O God the Father Almighty. O Holy Trinity have mercy on us. O Lord of hosts be Thou with us. For we have no other helper in our tribulations and necessities but Thee.Loose, remit, and pardon, O God, our transgressions that we have committed voluntarily and involuntarily, consciously and unconsciously, hidden and manifest. O Lord, remit for the sake of Thy Holy Name, by which we are called, according to Thy mercy, O Lord, and not according to our sins.

Make us, O Lord, worthy to say with all thanksgiving:

Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, through Christ Jesus our Lord. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Then the worshipper prays this absolution:

O God, The Father of our Lord, God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who by His appearing has saved us and delivered us from the bondage of the enemy, we beseech Thee in His blessed and great Name, translate our minds from worldly cares and carnal passions into the remembrance of Thy heavenly judgments. Fulfill in us Thy love for mankind, O Good-one and let our prayers at all times and the prayer of this Ninth Hour be acceptable before Thee. Grant us to walk worthy of the calling to which Thou hast called us, that when we depart this flesh we may be numbered with the true worshippers, worthy of the sufferings of Thine Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, and may obtain mercy and forgiveness of our sins, and salvation with the host of saints who have pleased Thee from the ages and unto the end.O God, bring to nought all the power of the disobedient-one and all his evil hosts, as Thine Only-begotten Son has trodden them by the power of His Life-giving Cross. And accept us unto Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, as Thou hast accepted the right-hand thief on the Cross. Shed Thy light on us as Thou hast enlightened those who were in the darkness of Hades, and restore us all to the paradise of delight, for Thou art, O our Lord, a blessed God, and unto Thee is due, with Thy good Father and the Holy Spirit, glory, honour, majesty, power and worship, before all ages and forever. Amen.

The prayer of every hour

Have mercy on us O God, and have mercy on us. Thou who, at all times, and at every hour, in Heaven and on earth art worshipped and glorified. O Christ, our God, who art long-suffering, plenteous in mercy and most compassionate, who loves the righteous and has mercy on sinners, of whom I am first. Who does not wish the death of sinner, but to repent and to live. Who calls all to salvation through the promise of good things to come. Receive, O Lord, our prayers at this hour and at every hour; prosper our way, and guide our life toward Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, make chaste our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our intention, heal our sickness, remit our sins, and deliver us from every affliction evil and pain. Compass us about with Thy holy angels; that guided and guarded by their array we may attain to the unity of faith and the knowledge of Thine unapproachable and infinite glory for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Make us, O Lord, worthy to say with all thanksgiving:

Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one,through Christ Jesus our Lord. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.