Here is what Archimandrite Georgy, the abbot of the Timashevsky Holy Spirit Monastery, writes about this in his article “Mirage of Healing?”: “I strongly advise you not to read such newspapers and especially the “prayers” that are printed in them... These prayers are combined and distorted, and often simply invented by the occultists themselves, in order to attract more inquisitive (and illiterate in Orthodoxy) readers. Illiterate Christians are carried away by such prayers because they really see in front of them a certain text in which the Name of the Lord, the Mother of God, and the saints is mentioned. , and are deceived by this."(On June 18, 2011, at about 6:00 p.m., the abbot of the Holy Spirit Monastery in Timashevsk, Schema-Archimandrite Georgy (Sava), reposed in the Lord. ed.)
In addition, such publications often contain Orthodox prayers read for various illnesses, for example, “prayers for healing hearing,” “for correcting vision,” “for skin diseases,” and so on.
Those publications that publish such prayers (supposedly for the healing of all human organs) are completely unaware that many of these prayers can only help the patient if they are read only by a clergyman, and not by the patient himself, and especially not by a “healer.” . Such newspapers take most of the prayers from the holy Breviary, which can only be used by a person who has received the sacrament of the priesthood, that is, a priest. Moreover, all those prayers taken by the “healers” from the Holy Book of Breviaries were completely distorted by them. For example, in the newspaper of Krasnodar “healers and clairvoyants” a prayer is given “for healing the brain,” but such a prayer is read only when a person has “dizzy spell,” that is, a mental illness, and not just a head illness. All these prayers are intended only for priests, and there are prayers for the laity.
In the New Testament Church, the sacrament of the priesthood was established, performed only by bishops. What is this sacrament? At the moment of its completion, the grace of the Holy Spirit descends on the one who is ordained, sanctifying and giving him spiritual power in the sacrament of repentance to forgive our sins. This power is passed down by succession from the apostles of Christ, to whom the Lord Himself gave it, sending them into the world: Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; whoever you leave it on will stay on it(John 20, 23).
There are liturgical and prayer rites compiled by the fathers of the Church of Christ. Their rites contain prayers that only priests can read. Even the deacon has no right or authority to read them. Those who do not have priestly rank, reading such prayers, for example, for the consecration of a house, for expulsion evil spirits and others are simply desecrated.
We commit the sin of sacrilege because we take upon ourselves a dignity that we do not have. In this regard, Archimandrite Gregory cites one very instructive case: “One young man (he lives in Timashevsk, visiting the Trinity-Sergius Lavra one day, went into a bookstore and bought a book there with the title “Servant Book” (this happened in the early 90s years). prayers that should only be said by a priest. After a short time, the guy noticed that some kind of “warmth” appeared in his body, a feeling of “grace”... The demon was drawing him into the trap of charm through sensual seduction. if he does not stop doing inappropriate things, then something bad may happen to him... But this young man did not heed my instructions, insisting that through reading this book grace and the Holy Spirit would descend on him... Soon after our conversation with him at the moment when he is in Once again read the Priestly prayers, a demon entered into him... How much suffering and grief he brought to himself and his mother, only his mother can tell...
Here is an example of the fact that not all prayers can be read by a layman..."
What kind of recommendations and advice you won’t see in the newspapers of the so-called “traditional healers”! How to protect your home from evil and damage? It turns out that you need to walk around a house or apartment with a candle and say conspiracies (they are printed right away) that mention the name of Christ or the Virgin Mary! This will be the consecration of the house. But this is just a superstitious custom. All these councils only instill sectarian delusions among the people, bring confusion into the ranks of the newcomers, and insult the Holy Church and the clergy.
If you follow such advice, then a person should not do anything else but perform some rituals from morning to evening and read conspiracies and texts fabricated from all kinds of spiritual literature for days.
Everyone has their own responsibilities. The duties of the priest include fulfilling the requirements - prayer rites and prayers - to call upon God's help in the needs, that is, the requirements, the everyday needs of Orthodox Christians - the laity.
Not a single law of Holy Scripture says that when we are sick, we turn to healers, clairvoyants, and so on for help. Only one thing is written in the Holy Scripture: “If you are sick, call the elders of the Church (that is, priests), and they say a prayer...” And only this prayer, pronounced by the priests, in combination with the great faith of the patient, can give the patient the desired healing, and “ even many forgotten sins will be forgiven him."
Be vigilant, brothers and sisters. Now it has become fashionable to print prayers for all ailments indiscriminately in newspapers and books. Many lay people use these prayers, but this is a very big sin, since these prayers are taken from church liturgical books.
Rules of prayer and words of prayer.
Today there are no people in the world who do not know the meaning of the word “prayer.” For some these are just words, but for others it is much more – it is a conversation with God, an opportunity to thank Him, ask for help or protection in righteous deeds. But do you know how to properly pray to God and saints in different places? Today we will talk exactly about this.
How to pray correctly at home, in church, in front of an icon, relics, so that God hears and helps us: Orthodox church rules
Each of us has prayed to God at least once in our lives - maybe it was in church, or maybe the prayer was a request for help in difficult situation and was expressed in her own words. Even the most persistent and strong individuals sometimes turn to God. And in order for this appeal to be heard, one must adhere to the Orthodox church rules, which will be discussed further.
So, the first question that concerns everyone is: “How to pray correctly at home?” You can and even need to pray at home, but there are prescribed church rules that should be followed:
- Preparation for prayer:
- Before prayer, you should wash, comb your hair and dress in clean clothes.
- Approach the icon with reverence, without shaking or waving your arms
- Stand straight, lean on both legs at the same time, do not shift, do not stretch your arms and legs (stand almost still), prayer on your knees is allowed
- It is necessary to mentally and morally tune in to prayer, banish all distracting thoughts, focus only on what you are going to do and why
- If you do not know the prayer by heart, you can read it from the prayer book
- If you have never prayed at home before, just read the “Our Father” and you can then ask/thank God in your own words for some deed
- It is better to read the prayer out loud and slowly, with reverence, passing every word “through” yourself
- If, while reading the prayer, you are distracted by any sudden thoughts, ideas or desires to do something right at that moment, you should not interrupt the prayer, try to drive away the thoughts and concentrate on the prayer
- And, of course, before saying the prayer, after its completion, if required, then during its reading, you should definitely sign yourself with the sign of the cross
- Completing prayer at home:
- After you pray, you can do absolutely any business - be it cooking, cleaning or receiving guests.
- Usually morning and evening prayers are read at home, as well as prayers before and after meals. Prayers are allowed at home and in “emergency situations” when one overcomes fear for family and friends or has serious illnesses.
- If you don’t have icons at home, you can pray in front of a window facing the east or in any place convenient for you, imagining the image of the one to whom the prayer is addressed.
Next no less important question:“How to pray in church?”:
- There are two types of prayers in the church - collective (common) and individual (independent)
- Church (common) prayers are performed simultaneously by groups of acquaintances and strangers under the guidance of a priest or priest. He reads a prayer, and everyone present listens carefully and repeats it mentally. It is believed that such prayers are stronger than single ones - when one is distracted, the others will continue the prayer and the distracted one can easily join it, again becoming part of the flow
- Individual (single) prayers are performed by parishioners during the absence of services. In such cases, the worshiper chooses an icon and places a candle in front of it. Then you should read the “Our Father” and a prayer to the one whose image is on the icon. Praying out loud in full voice is not allowed in church. You can pray only in a quiet whisper or mentally.
The following is not allowed in the church:
- Individual prayer out loud
- Prayer with your back to the iconostasis
- Prayer while sitting (except in cases of extreme fatigue, disability, or serious illness that prevents the person from standing)
It is worth noting that in prayer in church, as in prayer at home, it is customary to make the sign of the cross before and after prayer. In addition, when visiting a church, the sign of the cross is performed before entering the church and after leaving it.
Prayer before the icon. You can pray in front of the icon both at home and in church. The main one is the rule of conversion - the prayer is said to the saint in front of whose icon you are standing. This rule cannot be broken. If you do not know where the icon you need is located in the church, you can check with the ministers and nuns.
Prayers to the relics. Some churches have the relics of saints; you can venerate them any day through special glass sarcophagi, and on major holidays you are allowed to venerate the relics themselves. In addition, it is believed that the relics of saints have very great power, so it is customary to turn to them for help in prayers.
It is no secret that few people have been able to venerate the relics and read the prayer in full, because, as usual, the queue creates a huge pressure on the one who is in front of the relics. Therefore, it is customary to do this:
- First, in the church they light a candle and pray in front of the icon of the saint whose relics they want to venerate
- They go to venerate the relics, and at the moment of the application they express their request or gratitude in a few words. This is done in a whisper or mentally.
The application to the relics is considered one of the most ancient rituals in Christianity and carries great significance for true believers.
What basic prayers should an Orthodox Christian know and read?
As we previously mentioned, in prayers a person can ask for help, thank for help, ask for forgiveness or praise the Lord. It is according to this principle (by purpose) that prayers are classified:
- Prayers of praise are prayers in which people praise God without asking for anything for themselves. Such prayers include praises
- Prayers of thanksgiving are prayers in which people thank God for help in business, for protection in important matters who got along
- Prayers of petition are prayers in which people ask for help in worldly affairs, ask for protection for themselves and loved ones, ask for a speedy recovery, etc.
- Prayers of repentance are prayers in which people repent of their actions and words spoken.
It is believed that everyone Orthodox Christian must always remember the words of 5 prayers:
- "Our Father" - The Lord's Prayer
- “To the King of Heaven” - a prayer to the Holy Spirit
- “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” - prayer to the Mother of God
- “It is worthy to eat” - prayer to the Mother of God
The Lord's Prayer: words
It is believed that Jesus Christ himself read this prayer, and then passed it on to his disciples. “Our Father” is a “universal” prayer - it can be read in all cases. Usually, home prayers and appeals to God begin with it, and they also ask for help and protection.
This is the first prayer that children should learn. Usually, “Our Father” is familiar from childhood, and almost everyone can recite it by heart. This prayer can be read mentally for your protection in dangerous situations; it is also read over the sick and small children so that they sleep well.
Prayer “Alive in Help”: words
One of strongest prayers considered "Alive in Help". According to legend, it was written by King David, it is very old, and therefore strong. This is a prayer-amulet and a prayer-assistant. It protects from attacks, injuries, disasters, from evil spirits and their influence. In addition, it is recommended to read “Alive in Help” for those who are going on an important matter - in long journey, for an exam, before moving to a new place.
Alive in Help It is believed that if you sew a piece of paper with the words of this prayer into the belt of your clothes (or better yet, even embroider them on the belt), then good luck awaits the person wearing such an outfit.
Prayer “Creed”: words
Surprisingly, the Creed prayer is not actually a prayer. This fact is recognized by the church, but still the “Creed” is always included in the prayer book. Why?
Symbol of faith At its core, this prayer is a collection of dogmas of the Christian faith. They are necessarily read at evening and morning prayers, and are also sung as part of the Liturgy of the Faithful. In addition, when reading the Creed, Christians repeat the truth of their faith over and over again.
Prayer for neighbors: words
It often happens that our family, friends or relatives need help. In this case, you can read the Jesus Prayer for your neighbors.
- In addition, if a person is baptized, you can pray for him in home prayer, pray in church and light candles for health, order notes about his health, in special cases (when a person really needs help) you can order a magpie for health.
- It is customary to pray for baptized relatives, loved ones and friends in the morning prayer rule, at the very end.
- Please note: you cannot light candles in church for unbaptized people, you cannot order notes and magpies about health. If an unbaptized person needs help, you can pray for him in home prayer in your own words, without lighting a candle.
Prayer for the departed: words
There are events that are beyond anyone's control. One such event is death. It brings grief, sadness and tears to a family where a person passes away. Everyone around mourns and sincerely wishes the deceased to go to Heaven. It is in such cases that prayers for the deceased are used. Such prayers can be read:
- At home
- In the church:
- Order a memorial service
- Submit a note for commemoration at the liturgy
- Order a magpie for the repose of the soul of the deceased
It is believed that after death a person will face the Last Judgment, at which they will ask about all his sins. The deceased himself will no longer be able to alleviate his suffering and his fate for the future. Last Judgment. But his relatives and friends can ask for him in prayers, give alms, order magpies. All this helps the soul get to Heaven.
IMPORTANT: Under no circumstances should you pray, light candles for the repose of the soul, or order magpies for a person who has committed suicide. In addition, this should not be done for the unbaptized.
Prayer for enemies: words
Each of us has enemies. Whether we like it or not, there are people who envy us, who do not like us because of their faith, personal qualities or actions. What to do in such a situation and how to protect yourself from negative impacts?
- That's right, pick up a prayer for the enemy and read it. Usually this is enough for a person to lose interest in you and stop taking any negative actions, speaking out, etc.
- There are sections in prayer books devoted specifically to this issue. But there are times when home prayer alone is not enough
If you know that a person has a negative attitude towards you and on this basis constantly creates problems for you, then you should go to church.
In church you need to do the following:
- Pray for the health of your enemy
- Light a candle for his health
- IN difficult cases you can order this person a magpie for his health (but only on the condition that you know for sure that the enemy is baptized)
In addition, every time you pray for your enemy, ask the Lord for patience to endure this.
Family prayer: words
Christian believers believe that the family is an extension of the church. That is why it is customary in many families to pray together.
- In houses where families pray, there is a so-called “red corner” where icons are placed. Usually a room is chosen for it in which everyone can fit in for prayer in such a way as to see the icons. The icons, in turn, are placed in the eastern corner of the room. As usual, the father of the family reads the prayer, the rest repeat it mentally
- If there is no such corner in the house, it’s okay. Family prayer can be said together before or after meals
- All family members, except the youngest children, participate in family prayer. Older children are allowed to repeat the words of the prayer after their father
- Family prayers are very strong amulet for family. In such prayers you can ask for the whole family at once or for one person. In families where it is customary to pray together, real Christians grow up who are able to pass on their faith to their children.
- In addition, there are cases when such prayers helped the sick to recover, and married couples, which long time I can’t have children or find the happiness of parenthood.
Is it possible and how to pray correctly in your own words?
As we previously told you, you can pray in your own words. But this does not mean that you just went into church, lit a candle and asked or thanked God for something. No.
There are also rules for praying in your own words:
- You can pray in your own words in the morning and evening rules between prayers
- Before praying in your own words, you should read the Lord's Prayer.
- Prayer in your own words still includes the sign of the cross
- They pray only in their own words for the unbaptized and people of other faiths (only in cases of extreme necessity)
- You can pray in your own words in home prayers and in church, but you should adhere to the rules
- You cannot pray in your own words, just as you cannot say an ordinary prayer, and at the same time ask for punishment for someone
Is it possible to read prayers in modern Russian?
Opinions differ on this matter. Some clergy say that prayers should be read only in the church language, others - that there is no difference. Usually a person turns to God in a language he understands, asking for something that is understandable to him. Therefore, if you have not learned “Our Father” in the church language or address the saints in your own language, which you understand, there is nothing wrong with that. It’s not for nothing that they say, “God understands every language.”
Is it possible to read prayers during menstruation?
In the Middle Ages, girls and women were prohibited from attending church during menstruation. But the origins of this issue have their own story, which confirms the opinion of many - You can pray and attend church during your period.
Today it is allowed to attend church and pray at home in front of icons during menstruation. But when visiting church, some restrictions still apply:
- During this period you cannot receive communion
- You cannot venerate relics, icons, or the altar cross given by the priest.
- It is prohibited to consume prosphora and holy water.
In addition, if a girl does not feel well during this special period, it is still better to refuse to attend church
Is it possible to read prayers from a computer or phone electronically?
Modern technologies are breaking into all areas of life, and religion is no exception. Reading prayers from electronic media screens is possible, but not advisable. If you have no other choice, you can read it once from the screen of your tablet/phone/monitor. The main thing in prayer is not the source of the texts, but the spiritual mood. But please note that It is not customary to read prayers in churches from a phone. Ministers or nuns may reprimand you.
Is it possible to read a prayer from a piece of paper?
- If you pray at home or in church and do not yet know the text of the prayer very well
- If you are in church, then the “cheat sheet” should be on clean slate, you should not rustle it or crush it. According to generally accepted rules, in church it is allowed to read prayers from the prayer book
Is it possible to read prayers in transport?
You can pray in public transport. It is advisable to do this while standing, but if it is not possible to stand (for example, the transport is full), reading prayers while sitting is allowed.
Is it possible to read a prayer to yourself in a whisper?
Prayers are read aloud on rare occasions, so It is considered quite normal to pray in a whisper or mentally. In addition, during general (church) prayer it is not even customary to whisper. You listen to the prayer that the priest reads, you can mentally repeat the words, but under no circumstances out loud. Read aloud family prayers or independent prayers at home, when you pray alone.
Is it possible to say prayers after eating?
Orthodox Christians have a good family tradition - prayers before and after meals.
- It is permissible to say a prayer after eating only if you said a prayer before eating
- The prayer books contain special prayers before and after meals. They can be read both sitting and standing
- Young children are baptized by their parents during prayers. It is forbidden to start eating before the end of the prayer.
The ritual itself can occur in several ways:
- One person reads the prayer, the rest repeat it mentally
- Everyone reads a prayer out loud together
- Everyone mentally reads the prayer and makes the sign of the cross.
Is it possible to read prayers while sitting at home?
There are several ways to pray at home; we discussed them above. According to the rules, you can only pray while standing or kneeling. It is allowed to pray at home in a sitting position in several cases:
- A disability or illness that prevents a person from praying while standing. Bedridden patients are allowed to pray in any position that is convenient for them
- Extreme fatigue or exhaustion
- You can pray while sitting at the table before and after meals
Is it possible to read prayer at home only in the morning or only in the evening?
Reading prayers in the morning and evening is called morning and evening rules. Of course, you can pray only in the evening or only in the morning, but if possible it is better to do it both in the morning and in the evening. Also, if you feel the need to pray, but do not have a prayer book, read the Lord's Prayer 3 times.
Is it possible for a Muslim to recite the Lord's Prayer?
The Orthodox Church does not encourage such experiments in faith. Most often, priests answer this question with a decisive “no.” But there are also priests who try to get to the bottom of the problem - and if the need to read the Lord’s Prayer comes from the depths of the soul of a Muslim or Muslim woman, then in rare cases they give permission to read this particular prayer.
Is it possible to recite the prayer of detention to pregnant women?
Prayer for detention is considered very powerful amulet, but at the same time, not all clergy recognize it as a prayer. It is usually read at home in front of a lit candle.
According to most priests, pregnant women should not read this prayer. If pregnant women have a need or are concerned about the health of their baby, they are recommended to read special prayers for bearing a child, for a healthy child and for the preservation of the child to Mother Matrona.
Is it possible to read several prayers in a row?
Several prayers in a row are allowed to be read in the morning and evening rules, as well as for those people who feel the need for it. If you are just taking your first steps towards God, it is better to turn to him with one prayer in full concentration than with a dozen prayers with a mess in your head. It is also permissible, after reading “Our Father,” to pray in your own words, to ask or thank God for protection and help.
Is it possible for lay people to recite the Jesus Prayer?
There is an opinion that lay people should not say the Jesus Prayer. The ban on the words “Lord Jesus Christ, Sin of God, have mercy on me, a sinner” for the laity existed for a long time for one reason only - monks turned to God with such a prayer, and lay people often heard this appeal in church language did not understand it and could not repeat it . This is how an imaginary ban on this prayer arose. In fact, every Christian can say this prayer, it heals and clears the mind. You can repeat it 3 times in a row or using the rosary method.
Is it possible to read prayers not in front of an icon?
You can't pray in front of an icon. The Church does not prohibit saying prayers at the table (prayers before and after meals), prayers for protection and intercession in critical situations, prayers for recovery and healing can also be read over the sick. After all, in prayer, the presence of an icon in front of the person praying is not the main thing, the main thing is the mental attitude and readiness to pray.
Is it possible for pregnant women to read a prayer for the deceased?
Today it is not considered a sin for a pregnant woman to attend church. It is also not prohibited to order a magpie for the health of yourself, your relatives and loved ones. You can submit notes for the repose of the souls of deceased relatives.
But in most cases, priests still do not recommend pregnant women to read prayers for the deceased. This is especially true for the first 40 days after the death of close relatives. In addition, pregnant women are prohibited from ordering a magpie for the repose of acquaintances or friends.
Is it possible to read a prayer to an unbaptized person?
If an unbaptized person feels a craving for Orthodoxy, he can read Orthodox prayers. In addition, the church will recommend that he read the Gospel and think about further baptism.
Is it possible to read prayers without a candle?
The presence of a candle when reading a prayer is desirable and pious, but its presence is not prerequisite prayers. Since there are moments of urgent need for prayer, and there is no candle at hand, prayer without it is allowed.
As you can see, there are rules for reading prayers, but most of them are optional. Remember, when saying a prayer, the most important thing is not the place or the method, but your mental attitude and sincerity.
Video: How to read morning and evening prayers correctly?
The power of prayers is proven and undeniable. However, it is important to know how to read prayers correctly so that they are effective.
What is prayer for a believer?
An integral part of any religion is prayer. Any prayer is a person’s communication with God. By using special words which come from the depths of our souls, we praise the Almighty, thank God, and ask the Lord for help and blessings for ourselves and our loved ones in earthly life.
It has been proven that prayer words can greatly influence a person’s consciousness. The clergy claim that prayer can change the life of a believer and his destiny in general. But it is not necessary to use complex prayer appeals. You can pray and in simple words. Often in this case, it is possible to invest great energy in a prayer appeal, which makes it more powerful, which means it will definitely be heard by the Heavenly forces.
It has been noticed that after prayer, a believer’s soul calms down. He begins to perceive the problems that have arisen differently and quickly finds a way to solve them. True faith, which is invested in prayer, gives hope for help from above.
Sincere prayer can fill spiritual emptiness and quench spiritual thirst. A prayer appeal to the Higher Powers becomes an indispensable assistant in difficult life situations when no one can help. A believer not only receives relief, but also strives to change the situation in better side. That is, we can say that prayer awakens internal forces to cope with current circumstances.
What types of prayers are there?
Most important prayers for a believer, they are considered thanksgiving. They glorify the greatness of the almighty Lord, as well as the mercy of God and all the Saints. This type of prayer should always be read before asking the Lord for any blessings in life. Any church service begins and ends with the glorification of the Lord and the singing of his holiness. Such prayers are always mandatory during evening prayer, when gratitude is offered to God for the day.
In second place in popularity are petitionary prayers. They are a way of expressing requests for help with any mental or physical needs. The popularity of petitionary prayers is explained by human weakness. In many life situations, he is not able to cope with the problems that have arisen and he definitely needs help.
Petitionary prayers not only ensure a prosperous life, but also bring us closer to the salvation of the soul. They necessarily contain a request for forgiveness of known and unknown sins and acceptance of repentance by the Lord for unseemly actions. That is, with the help of such prayers a person cleanses the soul and fills it with sincere faith.
A sincere believer must be sure that his petitionary prayer will definitely be heard by the Lord. You need to understand that God, even without prayer, knows about the misfortunes that befell the believer and his needs. But at the same time, the Lord never takes any action, leaving the believer the right to choose. True Christian must offer his petition, repenting of his sins. Only a prayer that includes words of repentance and a specific request for help will be heard by the Lord or other heavenly Heavenly Powers.
There are also separate prayers of repentance. Their purpose is that with their help the believer frees the soul from sins. After such prayers, spiritual relief always comes, which is due to liberation from painful experiences about committed unrighteous acts.
A prayer of repentance involves a person’s sincere repentance. It must come from the depths of the heart. In such cases, people often pray with tears in their eyes. Such a prayerful appeal to God can save the soul from the most serious sins that interfere with life. Repentance prayers, cleansing a person’s soul, allow him to move further along life path, gain peace of mind and acquire new mental strength for new achievements for good. Clergymen recommend using this type of prayer appeal as often as possible.
Prayers that are written in Old Church Slavonic are very difficult to read in the original. If this is done mechanically, then such appeals to God are unlikely to be effective. In order to convey a prayer to God, you need to fully understand the meaning of the prayer text. Therefore, it is hardly worth bothering yourself with reading prayers in church language. You can simply listen to them by attending a church service.
It is important to understand that any prayer will be heard only if it is conscious. If you decide to use the canonical prayer in the original, then you first need to familiarize yourself with its semantic translation into modern language or ask the priest to explain its meaning in accessible words.
If you constantly pray at home, then be sure to organize a red corner for this. There you need to install icons and put church candles, which will need to be lit during prayer. It is permissible to read prayers from a book, but it is much more effective to read them by heart. This will allow you to concentrate as much as possible and invest stronger energy in your prayer appeal. You shouldn't stress too much about this. If prayers become a rule, then it will not be difficult to remember them.
What actions accompany Orthodox prayer?
Very often, believers have a question about what additional actions strengthen prayer. If you are at a church service, then the most best advice What can be done is to carefully monitor the actions of the priest and other worshipers.
If everyone around is kneeling or crossing themselves, then you need to do the same. Indicative for repetition are all the actions of the priests, who always conduct services in accordance with church rules.
There are three types of church bows that are used when offering prayers:
- A simple bow of the head. It is never accompanied by the sign of the cross. Used in words in prayers: “we fall down”, “we worship”, “the grace of the Lord”, “the blessing of the Lord”, “peace to all”. In addition, you need to bow your head if the priest blesses not with the Cross, but with his hand or a candle. This action also takes place when a priest walks with a censer in a circle of believers. It is imperative to bow your head while reading the Holy Gospel.
- Bow from the waist. During this process, you need to bend at the waist. Ideally, such a bow should be so low that you can touch your fingers to the floor. It is important to remember that before such a bow you must make the sign of the cross. A waist bow is used in words in prayers: “Lord, have mercy”, “Lord grant”, “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us”, “Glory to Thee, Lord, Glory You". This action is mandatory before the reading of the Gospel and at the end, before the beginning of the “Creed” prayer, during the reading of akathists and canons. You need to bow from the waist when the priest blesses with the Cross, Icon or Holy Gospel.” Both in church and at home, you must first cross yourself, perform a bow from the waist, and after that read the well-known and very important prayer for all Orthodox Christians, “Our Father.”
- Bow to the ground. It involves kneeling and touching the forehead to the ground. When such an action should be performed at a church service, the clergy’s attention is necessarily focused on this. Praying at home with this action can strengthen the effect of any prayer request. It is not recommended to use prostrations in prayers during the period between Easter and Trinity, between Christmas and Epiphany, on the days of the twelve great church holidays, and on Sunday.
You should know that in Orthodoxy it is not customary to pray on your knees. This is done only in exceptional cases. Very often believers do this before miraculous icon or a particularly revered church shrine. After bowing to the ground during regular prayer, you must rise and continue the prayer.
You should make the sign of the cross after simply bowing your head before reading any independent prayer. After its completion, you should also cross yourself.
How to read morning and evening prayers
Morning and evening prayers are read in order to strengthen faith in the soul. To do this, there are morning and evening rules that must be followed. After waking up and before going to bed, it is recommended to pray using the prayers below.
This prayer was conveyed to the apostles by Jesus Christ himself with the goal that they would spread it throughout the world. It contains a strong petition for seven blessings that make the life of any believer complete, filling it with spiritual shrines. In this prayer appeal we express respect and love for the Lord, as well as faith in our own happy future.
This prayer can be used to read in any life situation, but in the morning and before going to bed it is mandatory. You should always read the prayer with increased sincerity; this is precisely why it differs from other prayer requests.
The text of the prayer reads as follows:
Prayer for agreement at home
It is believed that strength Orthodox prayers increases many times over if several believers pray together. This fact is confirmed from an energy point of view. The energy of people praying at the same time unites and strengthens the effect of the prayer appeal. The prayer by agreement can be read at home with your household. It is considered the most popular and effective in cases where someone close to you is sick and you need to make a joint effort for his recovery.
For such a prayer you need to use any directed text. You can use it not only to the Lord, but also to various Saints. The main thing is that the ritual participants are united by a single goal and that the thoughts of all believers are pure and sincere.
Prayer detention
Particularly worth reading is the prayer to the “Detention” icon. Its text is available in the collection of prayers of Elder Pansophius of Athos, and it must be recited in the original during prayer. It is a powerful weapon against evil spirits, so priests do not recommend using this prayer at home without the blessing of a spiritual mentor. The whole point is that the wishes and phrases that it contains are close to the Old Testament, and are far from the traditional petitions of Orthodox believers. The prayer is read nine times a day for nine days. At the same time, you cannot miss a single day. In addition, there is a requirement that this prayer must be said in secret.
This prayer allows you to:
- Provide reliable protection from demonic forces and human evil;
- Protect from household damage and the evil eye;
- Protect yourself from the actions of selfish and evil people, including the meanness and cunning of your enemies.
When the prayer to Saint Cyprian is read
Bright prayer to Saint Cyprian - effective method to ward off all sorts of troubles from a believer. It is recommended to be used in cases where damage is suspected. It is permissible to say this prayer to the water and then drink it.
The prayer text reads as follows:
“O holy saint of God, Hieromartyr Cyprian, you are the helper of all those who turn to you for help. Accept from us sinners your praise for all your earthly and heavenly deeds. Beg the Lord for strength for us in our weaknesses, healing in severe illnesses, consolation in bitter sorrows, and ask him to grant us other earthly blessings.
Offer up Saint Cyprian, revered by all believers, your powerful prayer to the Lord. May the Almighty protect me from all temptations and falls, teach me true repentance, and deliver me from the demonic influence of unkind people.
Be my true champion for all my enemies, visible and invisible, give me patience, and at the hour of my death, become my intercessor before the Lord God. And I will chant your Holy name and pray to our Almighty God. Amen".
What to address to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in prayer
Very often people turn to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with a variety of requests. This Saint is often turned to when a dark streak comes in life. The prayer request of a sincere believer will certainly be heard and fulfilled, since Saint Nicholas is considered the closest Saint to the Lord.
You can express a specific request in prayers, but there is a universal prayer for the fulfillment of a desire.
It sounds like this:
“O Most Holy Wonderworker Nicholas, help me, the Servant of God (s) ( given name) in my mortal desires. Help me fulfill my cherished desire, and do not be angry at my impudent request. Don't leave me alone with vain affairs. My desire is only for the good and not for the harm of others, fulfill it with your mercy. And if I have planned something daring according to your understanding, then avert the attack. If I want something bad, turn away the misfortunes. Make sure that all my righteous desires come true and my life is filled with happiness. Thy will be done. Amen".
Only baptized people can recite the Jesus Prayer. This prayer appeal is considered the first step in the formation of faith in a person’s soul. Its meaning is to ask for mercy from the Lord God through His Son. This prayer is a real daily amulet for a believer and can help overcome any difficulties. Also, the Jesus Prayer is an effective remedy against the evil eye and damage.
In order for prayer to be effective, the following recommendations should be followed:
- While pronouncing words, you need to concentrate on them as much as possible;
- The prayer should not be memorized mechanically; it should be memorized by fully understanding each word;
- It is necessary to pray in a calm and quiet place;
- If faith is very strong, then it is allowed to pray while actively working;
- During prayer, all thoughts should be directed toward true faith in the Lord. The soul must contain love for God and admiration for the Almighty.
Prayer for amulet - red thread
A red thread on the wrist is considered a very common amulet. The history of this talisman is rooted in Kabbalah. In order for the red thread on the wrist to acquire protective properties, a special prayer must first be read over it.
The red thread for the talisman must be bought with money. It should be wool and quite durable. A close relative or relative should tie it on the wrist and perform the accompanying ritual. It is very good if your own mother will tie the thread. But in any case, you must be sure that the person who will perform the ceremony sincerely loves you.
For each knot tied, the following prayer is said:
“Lord Almighty, blessed is the Kingdom on Earth and in Heaven. I bow before Your Power and Greatness and glorify You. You do many good deeds, heal the sick and support those in need, you show your true love and only you have universal forgiveness. I ask you to save the Servant of God (name of the person), protect him from troubles and protect him from enemies visible and invisible. Only you can do this on Earth and in Heaven. Amen".
How to prepare yourself for visiting the temple. The temple is the house of God, heaven on earth, the place where the greatest Mysteries are performed. Therefore, it is necessary to always prepare for receiving shrines, so that the Lord does not condemn us for negligence in communicating with the Great.* Eating food before visiting the temple is not recommended, it is prohibited according to the rules, this is always done on an empty stomach. Some retreats are possible due to weakness, with the obligatory reproach of oneself.
Clothes, has great importance, the Apostle Paul mentions this, commanding women to cover their heads. He notes that a woman's covered head is a positive sign for the angels, for it is a sign of modesty. It is not good to visit a temple in a short, bright skirt, in a provocatively revealing dress or in a tracksuit. Anything that forces others to pay attention to you and distracts you from service and prayer is considered bad. A woman in trousers in a temple is also an unacceptable phenomenon. In the Bible, there is also an Old Testament prohibition for women to dress in men's clothing, and for men to dress in women's clothing. Respect the feelings of believers, even if this is YOUR first visit to the temple.
In the morning, getting out of bed, thank our Lord, who has given us the opportunity to spend the night in peace and who has extended us the days of repentance. Slowly wash your face, stand in front of the icon, light a lamp (necessarily from a candle) to impart a prayerful spirit, bring your thoughts into silence and order, forgive everyone and only then begin to read the morning prayers from the prayer book. If you have time, read one chapter from the Gospel, one of the Acts of the Apostles, one kathisma from the Psalter, or one psalm. At the same time, it is necessary to remember that it is always better to read one prayer, with sincere feeling than all the prayers, with an obsessive thought, to complete it as soon as possible. Before you leave, say a prayer: “I deny you, Satan, your pride and your service, and I unite with you, Christ our God, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen". Then, cross yourself and calmly walk to the temple. On the street, cross the road in front of you, with the prayer: “Lord, bless my ways and save me from all evil.” On the way to the temple, read the prayer to yourself: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
*Rules for entering the temple.
Before entering the temple, cross yourself, bow three times, looking at the image of the Savior, and say before the first bow: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” to the second bow: “God, cleanse my sins and have mercy on me.”
To the third: “I have sinned beyond number, Lord, forgive me.”
Then, having done the same, entering the doors of the temple, bow on both sides, say to yourself: “Forgive me, brothers and sisters.”
*In church, the correct way to kiss icons is as follows:
When kissing the holy icon of the Savior, one should kiss the feet,
Mother of God and the Saints' hand,
and the miraculous image of the Savior and the head of St. John the Baptist are covered with hair.
And remember!!! If you come to the service, then the Service must be defended from beginning to end. Service is not a duty, but a sacrifice to God.
NOTE: - if you do not have the strength to stand for the entire service, then you can sit, for as St. Philaret of Moscow said: “It is better to think about God while sitting than about your feet while standing.”
However, while reading the Gospel you must stand!!!
How to be BAPTIZED CORRECTLY.
The sign of the cross is performed as follows.
We're putting our fingers together right hand: thumb, index and middle - together (in a pinch), ring and little fingers - bent together, pressed to the palm.
Three folded fingers mean our faith in God, worshiped in the Trinity, and two fingers mean faith in Jesus Christ as true God and true Man. Then, with the tips of three folded fingers, we touch our forehead to sanctify our thoughts; belly to sanctify our body; right and left shoulders, to sanctify the works of our hands. In this way we depict a cross on ourselves.
After this we bow. Bows can be from the waist to the ground. The waist bow consists of bending the upper body forward after making the sign of the cross. When bowing to the ground, the believer kneels, bends down, touches his forehead to the floor and then stands up.
There are certain extensive church rules regarding what bows should be performed and when. For example, prostrations are not performed during the period from Easter to the Holy Trinity, as well as on Sundays and on the days of great holidays.
To be baptized without bowing: 1. In the middle of the six psalms on “Alleluia” three times.
2. At the beginning “I believe.”
3. On vacation “Christ our true God.”
4. At the beginning of reading the Holy Scriptures: the Gospel, the Apostle and proverbs.
Cross yourself with a bow from the waist:
1. When entering the temple and when leaving it - three times.
2. At each petition, the litany after singing “Lord, have mercy,” “Give, Lord,” “To you, Lord.”
3. With the exclamation of the clergyman, giving glory to the Holy Trinity.
4. When shouting “Take, eat”, “Drink from it all”, “Yours from Yours”.
5. At the words “Most honorable Cherub.”
6. With each word “let us bow down,” “worship,” “let us fall down.”
7. During the words “Alleluia”, “Holy God” and “Come, let us worship” and during the exclamation “Glory to Thee, Christ God”, before dismissal - three times.
8. On the canon on the 1st and 9th cantos at the first invocation to the Lord, the Mother of God or the saints.
9. After each stichera (moreover, the choir that finishes singing is baptized).
10. At the litia, after each of the first three petitions of the litany - 3 bows, after the other two - one each.
Be baptized with a bow to the ground:
1. During fasting, when entering the temple and when leaving it - 3 times.
2. During Lent, after each chorus to the song of the Mother of God “We magnify Thee.”
3. At the beginning of singing “It is worthy and righteous to eat.”
4. After “We’ll sing for you.”
5. After “It is worthy to eat” or Zadostoynik.
6. When shouting: “And grant us, Master.”
7. When carrying out the Holy Gifts, with the words “Approach with the fear of God and faith,” and the second time - with the words “Always, now and ever.”
8. In Great Lent, at Great Compline, while singing “The Most Holy Lady” - on every verse; while singing “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” and so on. At Lenten Vespers three bows are made.
9. During fasting, during the prayer “Lord and Master of my life.”
10. During Lent, during the final singing: “Remember me, Lord, when You come in Your Kingdom.” Just 3 prostrations.
Half bow without the sign of the cross
1. At the words of the priest “Peace to all”
2. “The blessing of the Lord be upon you,”
3. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”,
4. “And may the mercies of the Great God be” and
5. With the words of the deacon “And forever and ever” (after the priest’s exclamation “How holy art thou, our God” before the singing of the Trisagion).
You are not supposed to be baptized.
1. During the psalms.
2. In general, while singing.
3. During the litanies, to the choir who sings the litany choruses
4. You need to be baptized and bow down at the end of the singing, and not at the last words.
Prostrations to the ground are not allowed.
On Sundays, on the days from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany, from Easter to Pentecost, on the Feast of the Transfiguration and Exaltation (on this day there are three prostrations to the Cross). Bowing stops from the evening entrance before the holiday until “Grant, O Lord,” at Vespers on the very day of the holiday.
ICONS IN THE HOUSE
Savior Not Made by Hands
Icon is a Greek word and is translated as “image.” Holy Scripture says that Jesus Christ himself was the first to give people His visible image.
King Abgar, who ruled during the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Syrian city of Edessa, was seriously ill with leprosy. Having learned that in Palestine there was the great “prophet and wonderworker” Jesus, who taught about the Kingdom of God and healed people of any disease, Abgar believed in Him and sent his court painter Ananias to give Jesus a letter from Abgar, asking for healing and his repentance. In addition, he ordered the painter to draw a portrait of Jesus. But the artist was unable to make a portrait, “due to the radiant shine of His face.” The Lord himself came to his aid. He took a piece of cloth and applied it to His Divine face, causing His divine image to be imprinted on the cloth, by the power of grace. Having received this Holy Image - the first icon created by the Lord Himself, Abgar venerated it with faith and received healing for his faith.
This miraculous image was given a name - *Savior Not Made by Hands*.
Purpose of the icon
The main purpose of the icon is to help people rise above the vanity of the world and provide assistance in prayer. “An icon is an embodied prayer. It is created in prayer and for the sake of prayer, driving force which is love for God, striving for Him as for perfect Beauty.”
The icon is called upon to awaken in what lies before it the spiritual need to pray, to fall before God in repentance, to seek consolation in sorrows and prayers. 
What icons should be in the home of an Orthodox Christian?
You must have icons of the Savior and the Mother of God at home. Among the images of the Savior, a half-length image of the Lord Almighty is usually chosen for home prayer. Characteristic feature This iconographic type is the image of the Lord with a blessing hand and an open or closed book. Also, an icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands is often purchased for the home.
The icon of the Mother of God is most often chosen from the following iconographic types:
“Tenderness” (“Eleusa”) - Vladimirskaya, Donskaya, Pochaevskaya, Feodorovskaya, Tolgskaya, “Recovery of the Dead”, etc.;
“Guide” (“Hodegetria”) - Kazanskaya, Tikhvinskaya, “Quick to Hear”, Iverskaya, Gruzinskaya, “Three-Handed”, etc.
Usually in Rus' it is customary to place an icon of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Lycia (Nicholas the Pleasant) in every home iconostasis. Of the Russian saints, images of the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov are most often found; Among the icons of martyrs, the icons of St. George the Victorious and the healer Panteleimon are very often located. If space permits, it is advisable to have images of the Holy Evangelists, St. John the Baptist, and the Archangels Gabriel and Michael.
If desired, you can add icons of patrons. For example: Patrons of the family - the holy faithful Prince Peter (monastically David) and Princess Fevronia
Saints Peter and Fevronia are an example of Christian marriage. With their prayers they bring down Heavenly blessings on those entering into marriage.
- the holy martyrs and confessors Gury, Samon and Aviv - are known among Orthodox Christians as the patrons of marriage, marriage, and a happy family; They are prayed to “if the husband innocently hates his wife” - they are the intercessors of a woman in a difficult marriage. PATRON OF CHILDREN. - Holy Child-Martyr Gabriel of Bialystok.
How to pray CORRECTLY. Prayers are read according to certain RULES. A rule is the order of reading prayers established by the Church, their composition and sequence. There are: morning, afternoon and evening rules, rules for Holy Communion.
Each of the rules has almost the same beginning - opening prayers:
“In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Heavenly King...
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (three times).
Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us...
Lord, have mercy... (three times).
Glory to the Father and the Son...
Our Father …"
these initial prayers are followed by the rest.
If you are limited in time, then use the prayer Rule of Seraphim of Sarov:
After sleep, having washed, first of all, you need to stand in front of the icons and, reverently crossing yourself, read the Lord’s Prayer *Our Father* three times. Then three times *Virgin Mother of God, rejoice* and, finally, the Creed.
Is it possible to pray in your own words? It is possible, but within certain restrictions.
The Church does not prohibit praying in one’s own words. Moreover, she points to this and prescribes, say, in the morning rule: “Briefly offer a prayer for the salvation of your spiritual father, your parents, relatives, bosses, benefactors, those you know who are sick or in sorrow.” Thus, we can tell the Lord in our own words about what concerns our friends or us personally, about what was not said in the prayers included in the prayer book.
However, without achieving spiritual perfection, praying with the words that come to mind, even if they come from the depths of the soul, we can only remain at our level of spirituality. By joining the prayers of the saints, trying to delve into their words, each time we become a little higher and better spiritually.
The Lord Himself gave us an example of how to pray. The prayer He left for His disciples is called the Lord's Prayer. It exists in all prayer books and is part of church services. This prayer is *Our Father*.
The Lord's Prayer (given to us by Jesus Christ) -
Our Father who art in heaven! Hallowed be it your name, may your kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us our daily bread for this day;
and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;
and do not let us fall into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
**********
SYMBOL OF FAITH:
I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, everything visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten of the Father before the beginning of time; Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father, through whom all things were created.
For us, for the sake of people and for our salvation, he came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, and rose again on the third day, as the Scriptures predicted. And ascended into heaven and reigns with the Father. And He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead; His kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, equally worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets.
Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.
The Symbol of Faith is a brief statement of the foundations of the Orthodox faith, compiled at the I and II Ecumenical Councils in the 4th century; read in the morning as a daily prayer.
PSALM 50.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquities. Wash me from all my iniquities, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my iniquities, and my sin is always before me. I have sinned only before You, and I have done evil before You, so You are right in Your verdict and just in Your judgment. From my very birth I have been guilty before You; I am a sinner from my conception in my mother's womb. But You love the sincere in heart and reveal to them the secrets of wisdom. Sprinkle me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me and whiter than snow I will be. Return joy and gladness to my soul, and my bones, broken by You, will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with Your Sovereign Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your ways, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from premature death, O God, God is my salvation, and my tongue will praise Your righteousness. God! Open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice - I would give it - and You do not favor burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; God will not despise a contrite and humble heart. Renew, O God, by Thy mercy Zion, erect the walls of Jerusalem. Then righteous sacrifices will be acceptable to You; then they will lay sacrifices to You on Your altar.
*Song of the Most Holy Theotokos:
Virgin Mary, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.
*Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary:
O Most Holy Lady Lady Theotokos! Raise us, servant of God (names), from the depths of sin and deliver us from sudden death and from all evil. Grant us, O Lady, peace and health and enlighten our minds and the eyes of our hearts to salvation, and grant us, Thy sinful servants, the Kingdom of Thy Son, Christ our God: for His power is blessed with the Father and His Most Holy Spirit.
*A simpler prayer -
Most Holy Mother of God, pray to Your Son and God for the revelation of my mind and for the blessing of my undertakings, and for sending from above help in my affairs, and for the forgiveness of my sins, and for receiving eternal blessings. Amen. 
PRAYERS BEFORE EATING AND AFTER EATING FOOD
Blessing of food or Thanksgiving prayer is said before the start of the meal.
The prayer can be read while sitting or standing. But, if there are people present who profess a different faith, then it is better not to say the prayer out loud!
The content of the prayer can be short or lengthy. The three below options for prayers before meals are the most common, as they are the shortest:
1. Lord, bless us and these Thy gifts that we partake of.
Yours. In the name of Christ our Lord, amen.
2. Bless, Lord, this food, so that it will benefit us and give us
strength to serve You and help those who need it. Amen.
3. Let us thank the Lord for the meal given to us. Amen.
We present to you other options for prayers before meals:
1. Our Father... Or: The eyes of all are turned to You, Lord, and You give food to everyone at the right time,
You open Your generous hand and satisfy all living things.
2. We thank You, Christ our God, for You have filled us with Your earthly blessings. Don't deprive us of
Your Heavenly Kingdom, but as you once came to Your disciples, giving them peace, come to us and save us.
Often, believers, before and after eating, simply read three prayers: “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen". “Lord, have mercy” (three times). “Through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen".
And, if you want to snack on an apple or a sandwich, for example, then the clergy recommend that you simply cross yourself or cross what you are eating!
PRAYERS FOR THE COMING SLEEP:
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Thy Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.
Lord have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
*Prayer of Saint Macarius the Great, to God the Father
Eternal God and King of every creature, who has vouchsafed me even at this hour to come, forgive me the sins I have committed this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, O Lord, my humble soul from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And grant me, Lord, to pass through this dream in peace at night, so that, rising from my humble bed, I will please Your most holy name all the days of my life, and will trample the enemies of the flesh and the incorporeal that fight me. And deliver me, Lord, from vain thoughts that defile me, and from evil lusts. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
*Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of Truth, have mercy and have mercy on me, Thy sinful servant, and forgive me the unworthy, and forgive all that Thou hast sinned today like a man, and moreover, not like a man, but also worse than cattle, my free sins and involuntary, known and unknown: those who are evil from youth and science, and those who are evil from insolence and despondency. If I swear by Your name, or blaspheme in my thoughts; or whom I will reproach; or slandered someone with my anger, or saddened someone, or became angry about something; either he lied, or he slept in vain, or he came to me as a beggar and despised him; or made my brother sad, or married, or whom I condemned; or became proud, or became proud, or became angry; or standing in prayer, my mind is moved by the wickedness of this world, or I think about corruption; either overeated, or drunk, or laughing madly; either I thought evil, or saw someone else’s kindness, and my heart was wounded by it; or dissimilar verbs, or laughed at my brother’s sin, but mine are countless sins; Either I didn’t pray for the sake of it, or I did something else that was evil, I don’t remember, because I did more and more of these things. Have mercy on me, my Creator Master, Thy sad and unworthy servant, and leave me, and let me go, and forgive me, for I am Good and Lover of Mankind, so that I may lie down in peace, sleep and rest, the prodigal, sinful and damned one, and I will bow and sing , and I will glorify Your most honorable name, with the Father and His Only Begotten Son, now and ever and forever. Amen.
*Prayer
Lord our God, who have sinned in these days in word, deed and thought, as He is Good and Lover of Mankind, forgive me. Grant me a peaceful and serene sleep. Send Your guardian angel, covering and keeping me from all evil, for You are the guardian of our souls and bodies, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
*Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of Your most honorable Mother, and Your disembodied Angels, Your Prophet and Forerunner and Baptist, the God-speaking Apostles, the bright and victorious martyrs, the reverend and God-bearing fathers, and all the saints through the prayers, deliver me from my present demonic situation. To her, my Lord and Creator, do not want the death of a sinner, but as if he were converted and live, grant me conversion, the accursed and unworthy; take me away from the mouth of the destructive serpent, who yawns to devour me and bring me to hell alive. To her, my Lord, is my consolation, Who for the sake of the accursed one has clothed himself in corruptible flesh, pluck me from accursedness, and grant consolation to my more accursed soul. Plant in my heart to do Thy commandments, and forsake evil deeds, and receive Thy blessedness: for in Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, save me.
*Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Good Mother of the King, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Thy Son and our God on my passionate soul and with Thy prayers instruct me in good deeds, so that I may pass through the rest of my life without blemish and through Thee I will find paradise, O Virgin Mother of God, the only Pure One and Blessed One.
*Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel
Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all who have sinned this day, and deliver me from every wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, so that I may not anger my God in any sin; but pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, that you may show me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.
Prayer to the Honest Life-Giving Cross:
May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke disappears, let them disappear; as wax melts in the face of fire, so let demons perish in the face lovers of God and signifying the sign of the cross, and in joy saying: Rejoice, Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who descended upon you into hell and trampled upon the power of the devil, and who gave us His Honest Cross to drive away every adversary. O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen.
Or briefly:
Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honest and Life-giving Cross, and save me from all evil.
*Prayer
Weaken, forsake, forgive, O God, our sins, voluntary and involuntary, even in word and in deed, even in knowledge and in ignorance, even in days and in nights, even in mind and in thought: forgive us everything, for it is good and Lover of Humanity.
*Prayer
Forgive those who hate and offend us, Lord Lover of Mankind. Do good to those who do good. Grant to our brothers and relatives the same petitions for salvation and eternal life. Visit those who are infirm and grant healing. Manage the sea as well. For travelers, travel. Grant forgiveness of sins to those who serve and forgive us. Have mercy on those who have commanded us unworthy to pray for them according to Your great mercy. Remember, Lord, our fathers and brothers who have fallen before us, and give them rest, where the light of Your face shines. Remember, Lord, our captive brothers and deliver me from every situation. Remember, Lord, those who bear fruit and do good in Your holy churches, and give them petitions for salvation and eternal life. Remember, Lord, us, humble and sinful and unworthy Thy servants, and enlighten our minds with the light of Thy mind, and guide us on the path of Thy commandments, through the prayers of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and all Thy saints: for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages. . Amen.
*CONFESSION OF SINS DAILY:
I confess to You, Lord my God and Creator, in Holy Trinity To the One, glorified and worshiped, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, all my sins, which I have committed all the days of my life, and for every hour, and at the present time, and in days and nights that have passed, by deed, word, thought, food, drunkenness, secret eating, idle talk, despondency, laziness, bickering, disobedience, slander, condemnation, negligence, pride, avarice, theft, lack of speech, foulness, money-grubbing, jealousy, envy, anger, memory malice, hatred, covetousness and all my feelings: sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and my other sins, both mental and physical, in the image of my God and Creator, who have angered You, and my untruthful neighbor: regretting these, I present my guilt to You to my God, and I have the will to repent: exactly, Lord God my, help me, with tears I humbly pray to Thee: forgive me my sins by Thy mercy, and forgive me from all these things that I have said before You, as You are Good and Lover of Mankind.
When you go to bed, be sure to say:
*In Your hands, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit: You bless me, You have mercy on me and grant me eternal life. Amen.*
The LORD save and preserve you!!!
Prayers that every Orthodox Christian should know: Our Father, Heavenly King, Prayer of thanksgiving, Invoking the help of the Holy Spirit for every good deed, The Most Holy Theotokos, May God rise again, the Life-giving Cross, The Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon, The Most Holy Theotokos, For the pacification of those at war, For the sick, Living in help, Rev. Moses Murin, Creed, other daily prayers.
If you have anxiety in your soul and it seems to you that everything in life is not working out the way you want, or you don’t have enough strength and confidence to continue what you started, read these prayers. They will fill you with the energy of faith and prosperity, surround you with heavenly power and protect you from all adversity. They will give you strength and confidence.
Prayers that every Orthodox Christian should know.
Our Father
"Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done both on earth and in heaven; give us our daily bread this day; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive debtors ours; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.”
Heavenly King
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.
Prayer of thanksgiving(Thanksgiving for every good deed of God)
From time immemorial, believers have read this prayer not only when their deeds, through prayers to the Lord, ended successfully, but also glorifying the Almighty, and thanking Him for the very gift of life and constant care for the needs of each of us.
Troparion, tone 4:
Give thanks to Thy unworthy servants, O Lord, for Thy great good deeds upon us; we glorify Thee, bless, thank Thee, sing and magnify Thy compassion, and slavishly cry out to Thee in love: O our Benefactor, glory to Thee.
Kontakion, tone 3:
As a servant of indecency, having been honored with Your blessings and gifts, Master, we earnestly flow to You, giving thanks according to our strength, and glorifying You as the Benefactor and Creator, we cry out: Glory to You, All-Bountiful God.
Glory even now: Theotokos
Theotokos, Christian Helper, Your servants, having acquired Your intercession, cry out to You in gratitude: Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin Mother of God, and always deliver us from all our troubles with Your prayers, One who will soon intercede.
Invoking the help of the Holy Spirit for every good work
Troparion, Tone 4:
O God, Creator and Creator of all things, the works of our hands, begun for Thy glory, hasten to correct with Thy blessing, and deliver us from all evil, for one is all-powerful and Lover of mankind.
Kontakion, Tone 3:
Quick to intercede and strong to help, present yourself to the grace of Thy power now, and bless and strengthen, and bring about the good work of Thy servants to accomplish the good intentions of Thy servants: for all that Thou desirest, for strong God you can create.
Holy Mother of God
“O Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Heavenly Queen, save and have mercy on us, Thy sinful servants; from vain slander and all misfortune, adversity and sudden death, have mercy in the daytime hours, morning and evening, and at all times save us - standing, sitting, on Provide, intercede, protect, and protect those who walk at night, from all enemies, visible and invisible, from every evil situation, in every place and at every time, be for us, O Blessed Mother, an insurmountable wall and strong intercession. always now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."
May God rise again
"May God rise again, and let His enemies be scattered, and let them flee from His face. As smoke disappears, let them disappear; as wax melts before the face of fire, so may demons perish from the presence of those who love God and signify themselves with the sign of the cross, and say in joy: Rejoice , Most Honest and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons by the power of You, the crucified Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power of the devil, and gave us His Honorable Cross to drive away every adversary. O Most Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, Help me with the Holy One! Our Lady the Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever and ever."
Life-giving cross
“Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honest and Life-giving Cross, save me from all evil. Weaken, forgive, forgive, God, our sins, voluntary and involuntary, both in word and in deed, both in knowledge and not in ignorance, as in the days and in the night, both in mind and in thought, forgive us all, as the Good and the Lover of Mankind, forgive those who hate and offend us, O Lord, the Lover of Mankind. Visit and grant healing to those who travel, grant forgiveness of sins to those who serve and forgive us. the light of Your face abides. Remember, O Lord, our captive brothers, deliver them from every situation. Remember, O Lord, those who bear fruit and do good in Your holy churches, give them the way to salvation, prayer and eternal life. Remember, O Lord, us, the humble and sinners and unworthy Thy servants, and enlighten our minds with the light of Thy mind, and make us follow the path of Thy commandments, through the prayers of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and all Thy saints, for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen".
Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon
“O Great Saint of Christ and glorious healer, Great Martyr Panteleimon. With your soul in heaven, stand before the Throne of God, enjoy the tripartite glory of His glory, but rest in your holy body and face on earth in divine temples, and by the grace given to you from above, emanate various miracles. Look with your merciful eye on the people ahead and more honestly than your icon, praying and asking for your healing help and intercession, extend your warm prayers to the Lord our God and ask for forgiveness of sins for our souls. Behold, raise your voice of prayer to Him, in the Divine unapproachable glory with a contrite heart and a humble spirit, mercifully interceding with the Lady. and we call for a prayer book for us sinners, for you have received grace from Him to drive away illnesses and heal passions. With those who exist and for babies in sorrow, the most prepared intercessor and healer, intercede for everyone, everything useful for salvation, as if by your prayers to the Lord God, having received grace and mercy, we glorify all the good sources and Gift-Giver of the One God in the Holy Trinity Glorious Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen".
Holy Mother of God
“My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, through Your saints and all-powerful prayers, take away from me, Your humble and accursed servant, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, negligence and all nasty, evil and blasphemous thoughts.”
To pacify the warring
“O Lord, Lover of Mankind, King of the ages and Giver of good things, who destroyed the enmity of the mediastinum and gave peace to the human race, grant now peace to Thy servants, quickly instill Thy fear in them, establish love for each other, quench all strife, take away all disagreements and temptations. Like You is our peace, we send glory to you, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.”
About those who are sick
Master, Almighty, Holy King, punish and do not kill, strengthen those who fall and raise those who have been cast down, correct the bodily sorrows of people, we pray to Thee, our God, Thy servant... visit the weak with Thy mercy, forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary. To him, Lord, send down Thy healing power from heaven, touch the body, extinguish the fire, steal away passion and all lurking infirmities, be the doctor of Thy servant, raise him up from the sick bed and from the bed of bitterness, whole and all-perfect, grant him to Thy Church, pleasing and doing will. Yours, yours is, to have mercy and save us, our God, and to you we send up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen".
Alive in Help
“He who is alive, in the help of the Most High, will dwell in the shelter of the Heavenly God. He says to the Lord: My God is my intercessor and my refuge, and I trust in Him. For He will deliver you from the snare of hunters and from the words of rebellion; His blanket will cover you, under His wings you have trusted His truth will surround you with weapons. Not from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies in the days, from the things that come in the darkness, from the destruction and the demon of the midday. A thousand will fall from your country, and darkness will not come near you at your right hand. Look with your eyes and see the reward of sinners. For you, O Lord, have set my hope as your refuge. They will take you in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone, tread on the asp and the basilisk, and trample the lion and the serpent. I am in his tribulation, I will destroy him and glorify him, I will fill him with long days, I will show him My salvation.”
Venerable Moses Murin
ABOUT, great power repentance! O immeasurable depth of God's mercy! You, Reverend Moses, were formerly a robber. You were horrified by your sins, grieved over them, and in repentance came to the monastery and there, in great lamentation over your iniquities and in difficult deeds, you spent your days until your death and received Christ’s grace of forgiveness and the gift of miracles. Oh, venerable one, from grave sins you have achieved wonderful virtues, help the slaves (name) who pray to you, who are drawn to destruction because they indulge in the immeasurable consumption of wine, harmful to the soul and body. Bow your merciful gaze on them, do not reject them or despise them, but listen to them as they come running to you. Pray, holy Moses, the Lord Christ, that He, the Merciful, will not reject them, and may the devil not rejoice at their death, but may the Lord have mercy on these powerless and unfortunate (name), who were possessed by the destructive passion of drunkenness, for we are all God’s creations and redeemed by the Most Pure One By the blood of His Son. Hear, Reverend Moses, their prayer, drive away the devil from them, grant them the strength to overcome their passion, help them, stretch out your hand, lead them from the slavery of passions and deliver them from wine drinking, so that they, renewed, in sobriety and a bright mind, will love abstinence and piety and eternally glorified the All-Good God, who always saves his creatures. Amen".
Symbol of faith
“I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible, in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, God the truth and from God the truth , born, not created, consubstantial with the Father, who for our sake came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and who was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate and who suffered and was buried. on the third day, according to the Scriptures. And He ascended into heaven, sitting at the right hand of the Father. And He will again be with the living and the dead, and His Kingdom will have no end. and glorify the prophets. In the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, I confess one baptism for the remission of sins and the life of the future century.
Prayer of spouses without children
“Hear us, Merciful and Almighty God, may Your grace be sent down through our prayer. Be merciful, Lord, to our prayer, remember Your law about the multiplication of the human race and be a merciful Patron, so that with Your help what You have established will be preserved. He created everything out of nothing and laid the foundation for everything that exists in the world - He also created man in His image and sanctified the union of marriage with a sublime mystery as a foreshadowing of the mystery of the unity of Christ with the Church. Look, O Merciful One, upon us, Your servants, united in a marital union and begging for Your help. , may Thy mercy be upon us, may we be fruitful and may we see the sons of our sons even to the third and fourth generation and to the desired old age, live and enter the Kingdom of Heaven by the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all glory, honor and worship is due Holy Spirit forever and ever."
Daily Prayers
When you wake up in the morning, mentally say the following words:
“In our hearts is the Lord God, in front is the Holy Spirit; help me with you to start, live and finish the day.”
When going on a long journey or just for some business, it’s good to mentally say:
"My angel, come with me: you are ahead, I am behind you." And the Guardian Angel will help you in any endeavor.
To improve your life, it’s good to read every day next prayer:
“Merciful Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit, save, preserve and have mercy on me, the servant of God (name). Take away from me the damage, the evil eye and bodily pain forever. Merciful Lord, cast out the demon from me, the servant of God. Merciful Lord, heal me, the servant of God (name).
If you are worried about your loved ones, say the following prayer until calm comes:
“Lord, save, preserve, have mercy (names of loved ones). Everything will be fine with them!”