6 am Prayer Warriors

6 am Prayer Warriors is a yearlong intensive intercession initiative of the Youth Apostolate of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle, Melbourne.
This 30 minute prayer initiative will be conducted on Zoom every day at 6 am AEST (Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney time). We will be praying the Sapra (Syro-Malabar Liturgy of the Hours, Morning Prayer), reflecting on the Word of God, and interceding for our Eparchial and Youth Movement needs.

Liturgy of the Hours:

The Syro-Malabar Church follows nine liturgical seasons based on the main events of the salvation history, primarily focused on the historical life of Jesus and the historical existence of the Church. In the East Cyriac tradition, the Syro-Malabar Church follows seven canonical hours of prayer, also known as Liturgy of the hours.

• Sapra (Morning Liturgy, 6 am)
• Quta’a (3rd Hour Liturgy, 9 am)
• Endana (Noon Liturgy, 12 pm)
• D-Bathsha Shayin (9th Hour Liturgy, 3pm)
• Ramsha (Evening Liturgy, 6 pm)
• Leyla (Night Liturgy, 9 pm)
• Qala d-Shahra (Vigil Liturgy, 3 am)

According to the liturgical seasons, this official prayer of the Church helps us pray holistically with the Church, sanctifying our day and deepening our appreciation of the scriptures. The prayers consisting of chants, hymns, and psalms help us join as one body with the Church. Through the psalms and prayers, we cover elements of adoration, thanksgiving, contrition, and supplication. It is a beautiful prayer to start your day.

Three different people recite parts of the prayer:

C – Celebrant, D – Deacon, and A – Assembly.

Here are some recommended practices while participating in Sapra:

• Rise early and freshen up before Sapra begins.
• Prepare a quiet, clean, and comfortable place to pray.
• Light a candle, bible, place a cross or an image or statue of your preference to be in the moment of prayer/worship
• Avoid other morning distractions. Organise accordingly or prepare ahead if it’s a time for you to get ready for work or commute.
• Please be on mute during the prayer, unless you are leading the Deacon or Celebrant parts. This will allow a smooth audio output during the prayer meeting. You can join in for prayers recited by the Assembly.
• Even though you are on mute, you are encouraged to sing or chant along with the prayers recited.
• The prayers will be on the screen for your convenience.