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Although Orthodox Morning Prayer follows the outline of the Midnight Office, it may also include additional prayers. The two recorded versions of Morning Prayer, above, are good examples. Following is a canonical version of the Midnight Office.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glory to You, O God, glory to You.
Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of truth, present everywhere and filling all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come and dwell in us, cleanse us of every impurity; and save our souls, O good One.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us of our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (3)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in the heavens, 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 the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God have mercy on us and save us. Amen.
Trinitarian Troparia. Tone 1.
Having risen from sleep I fall before You, O good One, and sing the angelic hymn to You, O powerful One: Holy, holy, holy are You, O God; through the Theotokos have mercy on us.
Tone 2.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having raised me up from bed and sleep, O Lord, enlighten my mind, and open my heart and my lips, that I may sing to You, O Holy Trinity: Holy, Holy, Holy are You, O God; through the Theotokos, have mercy on us.
Tone 3.
Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Suddenly the Judge will come, and the deeds of each will be exposed; but with fear I cry out in the middle of the night: Holy, Holy, Holy are You, O God; through the Theotokos, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy. (12)
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Supplication.
Rising from sleep, I thank You, O Holy Trinity, for in the multitude of Your goodness and compassion, You were not angry with me the idler and sinner, nor have You destroyed me in my transgressions, but You maintained Your usual love for mankind; and when I was prostrate in despair, You raised me to offer morning prayer and to glorify Your power. And now, enlighten the eye of my mind, open my mouth, to contemplate Your words, and to understand Your commandments, and to do Your will, and to sing to You in heartfelt confession, and to praise Your all-holy name: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Another Prayer.
Glory to You, O King, God almighty, for through Your divine and loving providence You have made me, the sinner and unworthy one, to rise from sleep and to obtain entrance into Your holy house. Accept, O Lord, also the voice of my prayer as You accept those of Your holy and noetic powers; and graciously receive praise, not from my defiled lips, but from a pure heart and from a humble spirit; that, with the bright lamp of my soul, I may be found in the company of the wise virgins, and glorify You, O God the Word, Who are glorified in the Father and the Spirit. Amen.
(We continue with the Daily Midnight Service.)
Come, let us worship and fall down before, our King and God.
Come let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and God
Psalm 50.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your compassions blot out my transgression.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me.
Against You only have I sinned, and have done evil in Your sight, that You may be justified in Your words, and be victorious when You are judged.
For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother bear me.
For behold, You have loved the truth; the hidden and secret things of Your wisdom You have made manifest to me.
Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
Make me hear joy and gladness; the bones that are humbled shall rejoice.
Turn Your face away from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and establish me with Your governing Spirit.
I shall teach transgressors Your ways, and the impious shall turn back to You.
Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation; my tongue shall rejoice in Your righteousness.
O Lord, You shall open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.
For if You had desired sacrifice, I would have given it; with whole-burnt offerings You shall not be pleased.
A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a heart that is broken and humbled God will not reject.
Do good, O Lord, in Your good pleasure to Sion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built.
Then You shall be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with oblation and whole-burnt offerings.
Then they shall offer young bulls upon Your altar.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
The Symbol of the Faith (The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed).
I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not created, of one essence with the Father, through Whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from the heavens and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man.
Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, He suffered and was buried.
Rising on the third day according to the Scriptures,
And ascending into the heavens, He is seated at the right hand of the Father;
And coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead, His Kingdom shall have no end;
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets.
In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
I expect the resurrection of the dead;
And the life of the age to come. Amen.
First Prayer of Saint Basil the Great
O Lord, Creator of all, God of heavenly powers and of all flesh, Who are seated on high and behold things below, Who discern hearts and minds and clearly understand the secrets of men, Who are the supreme and pleasing Light Which never wavers, Who ordain the times and seasons, Who are the immortal King:
Receive the supplications which we make to You with unhallowed lips;
Keep us safe in Your mercy, and grant us strength and courage in goodness;
Forgive all our transgressions whether committed knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly, in word, or deed, or thought;
Cleanse us from every defilement of flesh and spirit, and fill the temple of our body with the Holy Spirit;
Grant us a wakeful heart and sober thoughts throughout all our life, as we await the glorious coming of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who will judge all whom He encounters upon the earth, each according to his deeds;
Grant that we may not be found asleep and indolent, but wakeful and practicing Your commandments;
Grant that we might be prepared to behold the glory of the holy Bridegroom and enter with Him to the place where the joyous song is ceaseless and where we will experience boundless pleasure in beholding Your good and ineffable countenance.
For You are indeed the true Light that brightens and blesses all things, and all creation praises You to the ages of ages. Amen.
Second Prayer of Saint Basil the Great
We praise You in the highest, O God and Lord of mercy, Who are ever present among us, great and inscrutable, esteemed and beyond all dominion, the infinite Being.
Grant us sleep to heal our weakness, and rest for our much-toiling flesh.
We thank You for You have cast our sins away from us, for as a Man like us You encompassed our despair and restored us to glorify Your power.
Put to shame those who oppose Your goodness, shine Your light on those things our eyes behold, and raise up our minds from the grave sleep of indifference.
Open our mouths and fill them with Your worship, that we may steadfastly praise, sing, and confess You in all places and to everyone as the all-glorious God: the eternal Father, with Your only-begotten Son, and Your all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now, and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of Saint Eustratios
I extol Your magnificence, O Lord, for You have looked upon my lowliness and have not destroyed me in righteous anger, but rather You have converted my soul within me.
Now, O Master, encompass me with Your hand and send down upon me Your mercy;
Grant that my soul may escape the wretchedness and lowliness of my bodily existence;
Grant thatI may not be tempted by the evil one who counsels me to sin both knowingly and in ignorance;
Place the Sun within me, O Master, to dispel from my soul the fearful and dark appearance of evil demons;
Grant that my soul may receive good counsel and light from Your Angels.
Glorify Your holy name, and in Your power bring me before Your holy throne.
When You judge, do not let the one who is master of this world pull me, the sinner, down to the depths of Hades, but raise me up, and be my Savior and Defender.
Have mercy, O Lord, on my soul which suffers in degradation; cleanse it through repentance and favorably accept my confession, that You are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of Saint Mardarios
O sovereign God, the Father almighty; O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; and O Holy Spirit; one Godhead, one Power: have mercy upon me the sinner; and, according to Your judgments, save me, Your unworthy servant; for blessed are You to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer for Those Fallen Asleep
Remember, O Lord, those who hope in the resurrection to eternal life, our fathers and brothers who have fallen asleep, and all those who have ended this life in piety and faith.
Forgive their every transgression whether committed knowingly or in ignorance, in word, in deed, or in thought.
Grant them rest in a place of light, in a place of repose, in a place of refreshment, where there is no pain, sorrow, or suffering, where the radiance of Your countenance shines upon Your saints unto the ages.
Grant to them, and to us, a place in Your Kingdom, bestowing on us Your immeasurable and bounteous goodness as well as Your blessed and eternal life.
For You are the Life, the Resurrection, and the Repose of Your servants who have fallen asleep, O Christ our God, and to You we send up glory, with Your eternal Father, and Your all-holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
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Prayer of Saint Ephrem the Syrian
During the period of the Great Fast (Great Lent) read the Prayer of Saint Ephrem the Syrian:
O Lord and Master of my life, deliver me from the spirit of laziness, meddling, the lust for power, or gossip.
Rather, bestow upon me Your servant the spirit of self control and humility, the spirit of patience and love.
Yes, O Lord and King, grant that I may see my own faults and not judge my brother; for You are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen.
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O most-glorious, ever-virgin, blessed Theotokos, present our prayer to your Son and our God, and plead with Him, that through you He may save our souls.
Prayer of Saint Ioannikios
My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit. O Holy Trinity, glory to You.
All my hope I place in you, O Mother of God: guard me under your protection.
On the morning before receiving Holy Communion, read the Service of Preparation for Holy Communion,
(click here).
Then:
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (3)
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God have mercy on us and save us. Amen.
End of the Service of Daily Midnight Prayer (Our Morning Prayer).
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