The Seven Yama Prayers of the Orthodox Church, Indian Oriental Orthodox Church
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The Malankara Indian Orthodox Syrian Church teaches that a day should be divided into Seven Yamas ( or Offices) and prayers should be offered in each of the seven yamas of the day.
– Evening (6.00 PM),
– Suthara (9.00 PM),
– Midnight (12.00 AM, before sunrise),
– Morning (6.00 AM),
– Third Hour(9.00 AM),
– Noon (sixth hour: 12.00 PM Noon),
– The Ninth Hour (3.00 PM)
Mentioned above are the Seven Hours of Prayer.
These are theologically and biblically determined. “Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous judgments.” (Psalm 119: 164).
Evening Prayer (6.00 PM)
The Holy Communion was instituted by our Lord at dusk. Evening is the meeting time of day and night. Since it is the time when the forces of darkness travel on the earth, prayers are offered in the evening to escape from them. Twilight is the time of the deliverance of the people of Israel from Egypt and the time of Passover (Exodus 12: 6). “Let my prayer be made incense before you, and let my hands be stretched out as the evening sacrifice” (Ps. 141: 2).
Suthara Prayer (9.00 PM)
It commemorates the time of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane of our Lord (Mark 14: 32-40). It is a prayer for protection from Satan in sleep. It is also a time of thinking about death because sleep is like death.
Midnight Prayer (12.00 AM)
The time of the birth and resurrection of our Lord. A quiet time to knock on the door of mercy. “Paul and Silas prayed at midnight, and glorified God” (Acts 16.:25).
Morning Prayer (6.00 AM)
We praise God for giving us light and a new day. Pray for all kinds of blessings before entering the new day. “I get up early in the morning and pray (Ps. 119: 147),” In the morning my prayer comes before you “(Ps. 88:13),” Lord, hear my prayer in the morning.
I am waiting for you in the morning ” (Ps. 5: 3).
Third Hour Prayer (9.00 AM)
The time when our Lord was tried before Pilate. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended on the holy Apostles at three o’clock (Acts 2:15).
Noon Prayer (Sixth Hour : 12.00 Noon)
The time of the crucifixion of our Lord (Luke 23:24). “Peter went up into the synagogue at the sixth hour to pray” (Acts 10: 9).
Ninth Hour (3.00 PM)
It’s the time when Our Lord died on the cross and the dead ones resurrected. It’s time for us to pray for the dead. “
~ J George Thomas aka A R T
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