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

Psalm 19

The Lord hears you in the day of affliction; the name of the God of Jacob defends you. Send forth unto you help from His sanctuary, and out of Sion help you. Remember all your sacrifice, and fatten your wholeburnt offering. The Lord grant you according to your heart, and fulfill all your purposes. We will rejoice in Thy salvation, and in the name of the Lord our God shall we be magnified. The Lord fulfill all your requests. Now have I known that the Lord has saved His anointed one; He will hear him out of His holy heaven; in mighty deeds is the salvation of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God. They have been fettered and have fallen, but we are risen and are set upright. O Lord, save the king, and hear us in they day when we call upon Thee. Alleluia.

Psalm 22

The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall not want. In a place of green pasture, there has He made me to dwell; beside the water of rest has He nourished me. He has converted my soul, He has led me on the paths of righteousness for his Name's sake. For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they have comforted me. Thou hast prepared a table before me in the presence of them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and Thy cup which fills me, how excellent it is. And Thy mercy shall pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days. Alleluia.

Psalm 23

The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, the world, and all that dwell in it. He hath founded it upon the seas, and upon the rivers hath He prepared it. Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that is innocent in hands and pure in heart, who has not received his soul in vain, and has not sworn deceitfully to his neighbour, such a one shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Saviour. This is the generation of them that seek the Lord, of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your gates, O ye princes; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates, and the King of Glory shall enter in. Who is this king of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in war. Lift up your gates, O ye princes; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates, and the king of Glory shall enter in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the king of Glory. Alleluia.

Psalm 25

Judge me, O Lord, for in my innocence have I walked; and hoping in the Lord I shall not grow weak. Prove me, O Lord, and try me; prove with fire my reins and my heart. For Thy mercy is before my eyes, and I have been wellpleasing in Thy truth. I have not sat with the council of vanity, nor shall I go in with them that transgress the law. I have hated the congregation of evil-doers, and with the ungodly will I not sit. I will wash my hands in innocency and I will compass Thine altar, O Lord, that I may hear the voice of Thy praise and tell of all Thy wondrous works. O Lord, I have loved the beauty of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwells. Destroy not my soul with the ungodly, nor my life with men of blood, in whose hands are iniquities; their right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, in my innocence have I walked; redeem me, O Lord, and have mercy on me. My foot has stood in uprightness; in the congregations will I bless Thee, O Lord. Alleluia.

Psalm 28

Bring to the Lord, ye sons of God, bring to the Lord the sons of rams; bring to the Lord glory and honour. Bring to the Lord the glory due to His name, worship the Lord in His holy court. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory has thundered, the Lord is upon the many waters. The voice of the Lord in might, the voice of the Lord in majesty. The voice of the Lord Who breaks the cedars, yea, the Lord will break the cedars of Lebanon. And He will break them small like the calf of Lebanon, and His beloved is like a son of the unicorns. The voice of the Lord Who divides the flame of fire. The voice of the Lord Who shakes the wilderness, yea, the Lord will shake the wilderness of Kaddis. The voice of the Lord gathers the harts, and shall reveal the thickets of oak, and in His temple every man utters glory. The Lord dwells in the flood, yea, the Lord shall sit as king forever. The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. Alleluia.

Psalm 29

I will exalt Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast upheld me, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried to Thee, and Thou hast healed me. O Lord, Thou hast brought up my soul out of Hades; Thou hast saved me from them that go down into the pit. Chant unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness. For wrath is in His anger, but in His will there is life; at evening shall weeping find lodging, but in the morning rejoicing. And I said in my prosperity: I shall remain unshaken forever. O Lord, by Thy will has Thou granted power to my beauty, but Thou hast turned away Thy face, and I became troubled. Unto Thee, O Lord, will I cry, and unto my God will I make supplication. What profit is there in my blood when I go down into corruption ? Shall dust confess Thee, or declare Thy truth? The Lord has heard me and has had mercy on me; the Lord became my helper. Thou hast turned my morning into joy for me, Thou didst rend my sackcloth and didst gird me with gladness, that my glory may chant unto Thee, and that I may not be pierced with sorrow; O Lord my God, I will confess Thee forever. Alleluia.

Psalm 33

I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall be continually in my mouth. In the Lord shall my soul be praised; let the meek hear and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my tribulations. Come unto Him, and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his tribulations. The angel of the Lord will encamp round about them that fear Him, and will deliver them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who hopes in Him. O fear the Lord, all ye His saints; for there is no want to them that fear Him. Rich men have turned poor and gone hungry; but they that seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good thing. Come ye children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is there that desires life, who loves to see good days? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile. Turn away from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are opened unto their supplication. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, utterly to destroy the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and He delivered them out of all their tribulations. The Lord is near to them that are of a contrite heart, and He will save the humble of spirit. Many are the tribulations of the righteous, and the Lord shall deliver them out of them all. The Lord keeps all their bones, not one of them shall be broken. The death of sinners is evil, and they that hate the righteous shall do wrong. The Lord will redeem the souls of His servants, and none of them will do wrong that hope in Him. Alleluia.

Psalm 40

Blessed is the man that has understanding for the poor man and needy; in an evil day the Lord will deliver Him. May the Lord keep him, and make him to live, and make him blessed upon the earth, and never surrender him into the hands of his enemies. May the Lord help him on his bed of pain, the whole of his confinement in his sickness hast Thou made better. I said: O Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee. My enemies have spoken evil things against me: When shall he die, and when shall his name perish? And though he came in to see me, his heart spoke vanity; he gathered iniquity unto himself; he went forth, and spoke in a like manner. All my enemies whispered against me, against me they devised evils for me. An unjust word they set against me: Can it be that he that sleeps shall rise up again? Yea, even the man of my peace in whom I hoped, who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heels against me. But Thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, and I will requite them. By this I know that Thou hast delighted in me, because my enemy shall not rejoice over me. And because of my innocence Thou hast helped me, and hast established me before Thee forever. Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. So be it. So be it. Alleluia.

Psalm 42

Judge me, O God, and give judgment in my cause, against a nation that is not holy; from a man unjust and crafty deliver me. For Thou, O God, art my strength. Wherefore hast Thou cast me off ? And wherefore go I with downcast face while my enemy afflicts me? Send out Thy light and Thy truth; they have guided me along the way, and have brought me unto Thy holy mountain, and unto Thy tabernacles. And I shall go in unto the altar of God, unto God Who gives gladness to my youth; I will give praise unto Thee, O God, my God, with the harp. Why are you cast down, O my soul ? And why do you disquiet me? Hope in God, for I will give thanks unto Him; He is the salvation of my countenance, and my God. Alleluia.

Psalm 44

My heart has poured forth a good word; I speak of my works to the King; my tongue is the pen of a swiftly writing scribe. Thou in beauty art more than the sons of me; grace has been poured forth on Thy lips, wherefore God has blessed Thee forever. Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Mighty One, in Thy comeliness and Thy beauty. And bend Thy bow, and proceed prosperously, and be King, because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and Thy right hand shall guide Thee wondrously. Thine arrows are sharp, O Mighty One, under Thee shall peoples fall sharp in the heart of the enemies of the King. Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; a sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity. Wherefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee with the oil of gladness more than Thy fellows. Myrrh and stacte and cassia exhale from Thy garments, from the ivory palaces, whereby they have made Thee glad, they the daughters of Kings in Thine honour. At Thy right hand stood the queen arrayed in a vesture of inwoven gold, adorned in varied colours. Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear; and forget your own people and your father's house. Because the King has desired your beauty, for He Himself is your Lord, and you shall worship Him. And Him shall the daughters of Tyre worship with gifts; the rich among the people shall entreat your face. All the glory of the daughter of the King is within, with gold-fringed garments is she arrayed, adorned in varied colours. The virgins that follow after her shall be brought unto the King, those near her shall be brought unto Thee. They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing, they shall be brought into the temple of the King. Instead of your fathers, sons are born to you; you shall make them princes over all the earth. They shall make mention of your name in every generation and generation. Therefore, shall peoples give praise to you forever, and unto the ages of ages. Alleluia.

Psalm 45

God is our refuge and strength, a helper in afflictions which mightily befall us. Therefore we shall not fear when the earth be shaken, nor when the mountains be removed into the heart of the seas. Their waters roared and were troubled, the mountains were troubled by His might. The rushing of the river make glad the city of God: the Most High has hallowed His tabernacle. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be shaken; God shall help her right early in the morning. The nations were troubled, kingdoms tottered, the Most High gave forth His voice, the earth was shaken. The Lord of hosts is with us, our helper is the God of Jacob. Come and behold the works of God, what marvels He has wrought on the earth, making wars to cease unto the ends of the earth. He will crush the bow and will shatter the weapon, and shields will He utterly burn with fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us, our helper is the God of Jacob. Alleluia.

Psalm 46

Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing, for the Lord Most High is terrible, a great King over all the earth. He hast subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. He hast chosen us for His inheritance, the beauty of Jacob, which He loved. God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet. O chant unto our God, chant ye; chant unto our King, chant ye. For God is king of all the earth, O chant ye with understanding. God is King over the nations, God sits upon His holy throne. The princes of the peoples are gathered together with the God of Abraham; for God's mighty ones of the earth are greatly exalted. Alleluia.

Glory be to God, Holy, Holy, Holy. A passage from the Gospel according to Saint John, may his blessings be upon us all. Amen.

Jn.14:26-15:3

But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard how I said to you, I am going away and coming back to you. If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I am going to the Father, for My Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that when it comes to pass, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here. I am the true vine, and My father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you.

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.

Thy Holy Spirit, O Lord, which Thou sent forth upon Thy holy disciples, and Thine honourable Apostles at the third hour, This, take not away from us, O Good-one, but renew Him within us. 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.

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

O Lord, Who at the third hour, didst send down Thy Holy Spirit upon Thy Holy disciples and honourable Apostles, This take not away from us, O Good-one, but renew Him within us we beseech Thee, O Christ our Lord and Word and Son of God. A righteous and life-giving Spirit, a Spirit of prophecy and purity. A Spirit of sanctification, righteousness and power, O Almighty-one. For Thou art the Light of our souls, O Thou who enlightens every man that comes into the world and have mercy on 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.)

Birthgiver of God, Thou art the True Vine, bearing the Fruit of Life, we ask Thee, O Thou full of grace, together with the apostles, for the salvation of our souls. Blessed be the Lord our God. Blessed be the Lord day by day. The God of our salvation shall prosper us along the way.

"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 Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present, and fillest all things, O Treasury of good, and bestower of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save, O Good-One, our souls.

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

As Thou wast with Thy disciples, O Saviour, and gavest them peace, Come also and be with us, and save us, and deliver our souls.

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 we stand in Thy Holy temple, we are counted as those standing in heaven. Thou art the gate of heaven, O Birthgiver of God, open unto us the door of mercy.

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 absolutions:

O God of all mercies and Lord of all comforts, Who has comforted us at all times with the comfort of Thy Holy Spirit, we give Thee thanks that Thou hast raised us up to pray at this holy hour wherein Thou poured forth the grace of Thy Holy Spirit in abundance upon Thy Holy disciples and honorable Apostles, in likeness of tongues of fire. We pray and entreat Thee, O Thou Lover of mankind, receive our prayer, forgive our sins and send down upon us the grace of Thy Holy Spirit. Purify us from the stain of the body and soul. And translate us into a spiritual way, that we may walk in the Spirit; and not fulfill the lust of the flesh. And make us worthy to serve Thee in purity and truth all the days of our life. For to Thee are due all glory, honor, and power, with Thy Good Father, and the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages 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.