Apodeipno, we call our daily evening prayer after dinner, which due to its small extent is called Mikro Apodeipno and is distinguished from the Megalo, which is read during the period of Great Lent. The time required to read the Apodeipno is about 10-15 minutes and gradually, after becoming familiar with the language, it is less.

It essentially covers every request to God, and includes: a) supplication or request to God, b) doxology in His Name, and c) thanksgiving to our heavenly Father. If we truly understand what we say in the Apodeipno, then we will understand that our personal prayer is unnecessary because whatever we want to say to our God has somehow been included in it.

Do you want to ask for forgiveness for your sins? You can say: "Have mercy on me, O God." Do you want to be protected from every danger? You can say: "O God, come to my aid...". Do you want to glorify His Holy Name? You can say: "Glory to God in the highest...". Do you want to speak to the Virgin Mary, our Mother? You can say: "Pure, undefiled, incorruptible, immaculate...". Do you feel the need to ask for help from your guardian Angel? Then you can say: "Holy Angel...".

The Apodeipno is a daily need of the Christian, and not an obligation. It is food for the soul and a Christian cannot be spiritually nourished, because then they "die"...