Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) in his “Teaching on the Prayer Rule” wrote: “Rule! What an accurate name, borrowed from the very effect produced on a person by prayers called the rule! Prayer Rule guides the soul correctly and holyly, teaches it to worship God in Spirit and Truth (John 4:23), while the soul, being left to itself, could not walk correctly through prayer. Due to her damage and darkening by sin, she would constantly be seduced to the sides, often into the abyss, now into absent-mindedness, now into daydreaming, now into various empty and deceptive ghosts of high prayerful states, created by her vanity and voluptuousness.

Prayer rules keep the person praying in a saving disposition, humility and repentance, teaching him constant self-condemnation, feeding him with tenderness, strengthening him with hope in the All-Good and All-Merciful God, delighting him with the peace of Christ, love for God and for his neighbors.”

From these words of the saint it is clear that it is very saving to read the morning and evening prayer rules. It spiritually takes a person out of the confusion of night dreams or daytime worries and puts him before God. And the human soul enters into communication with its Creator. The grace of the Holy Spirit descends on a person, brings him into the necessary repentant mood, gives him inner world and harmony, drives away demons from him (“This race is driven out only by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21), sends down God’s blessing and strength to live. Moreover, the prayers were written by holy people: Saints Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom, Rev. Macarius the Great and others. That is, the very structure of the rule is very useful for the human soul.

Therefore, of course, reading the morning and evening prayer rules every day, so to speak, is the necessary minimum for an Orthodox Christian. Moreover, it does not take much time. For someone who has gotten into the habit of reading, it takes about twenty minutes in the morning and the same in the evening.

If you don’t have time to read the morning rule all at once, then break it into several parts. “Little Cap” from the beginning to “Lord have mercy” (12 times), inclusive, can, for example, be read at home; The following prayers are during pauses in work or during your daily activities. This, of course, needs to be confessed, but it’s better than not reading it at all. We are all human, and it is clear that we are very sinful and busy. You also regulate the end of your morning prayers yourself. This concerns the commemoration. You can read the extended commemoration or the shortened one. At your discretion, depending on the time available.

A fairly common mistake of new Orthodox Christians is reading the evening prayer rule immediately before going to bed. You sway, stagger, mutter words of prayer, and you yourself think about how to lie down in bed under a warm blanket and fall asleep. So it turns out – not prayer, but torment. Mandatory hard labor before bed.

In fact, the evening prayer rule is read somewhat differently. Hegumen Nikon (Vorobiev) wrote that after evening prayers You can leave time to talk and drink tea.

That is, in fact, you can read the evening prayer rule from the beginning to the prayer of St. John of Damascus “Lord, Lover of Mankind...” If you, dear brothers and the sisters noticed that before this prayer there is a prayer of absolution: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God... have mercy on us. Amen". It really is a vacation. You can read the evening prayers up to and including it long before bedtime: at six, seven, eight o’clock in the evening. Then go about your daily evening routine. You can still eat and drink tea, as Father Nikon said, and communicate with loved ones.

And starting with the prayer “Lord, Lover of Mankind...” and until the end, the rule is read immediately before going to bed. During the prayer “May God rise again,” you need to cross yourself and you can cross your bed and house to the four cardinal directions (starting from Orthodox tradition from the east), protecting yourself, your loved ones and your home sign of the cross from all evil.

After reading the second half of the evening prayers, nothing is eaten or drunk. In the prayer “In Thy hands, O Lord...” you ask God for blessings on good dream and surrender your soul to Him. After this you should go to bed.

I would also like to draw your attention, dear brothers and sisters, to the rule St. Seraphim Sarovsky. Many understand it as reading three times a day (morning, lunch, evening) certain prayers “Our Father” (three times), “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...” (three times) and the Creed (once). But it is not so. In addition to reading the rule three times, the Monk Seraphim said that in the first half of the day a person should read the Jesus Prayer almost all the time, or, if people are around, in his mind “Lord, have mercy,” and after lunch, instead of the Jesus Prayer, “Most Holy Theotokos, save me, a sinner."

That is, Saint Seraphim offers a person spiritual exercise in continuous prayer, and not just a relief from the evening and morning prayer rules. You can, of course, read the prayer according to the rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov, but only then you need to follow all the instructions of the great elder.

Therefore, I repeat once again, the morning and evening prayer rule is the necessary minimum for an Orthodox Christian.

I would also like to draw your attention, dear brothers and sisters, to a fairly common mistake that we often make.

Saint Ignatius warns us about it in the above-mentioned work: “When performing the rule and bows, one must not rush; It is necessary to perform both the rules and bows with as much leisure and attention as possible. It is better to say fewer prayers and bow down less, but with attention, than a lot and without attention.

Choose for yourself a rule that corresponds to your strengths. What the Lord said about the Sabbath, that it is for man, and not man for it (Mark 2:27), can and should be applied to all pious deeds, as well as to prayer rule. A prayer rule is for a person, and not a person for a rule: it should contribute to a person’s achievement of spiritual success, and not serve as an inconvenient burden (onerous duty), crushing bodily strength and confusing the soul. Moreover, it should not serve as a reason for proud and harmful conceit, for harmful condemnation of loved ones and humiliation of others.”

The Monk Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain wrote in his book “Invisible Warfare”: “...There are many clergy who deprive themselves of the saving fruit of the world from their spiritual works by procrastinating on them, believing that they will suffer damage if they do not complete them, in false confidence , of course, that this is what spiritual perfection consists of. Following their will in this way, they work hard and torment themselves, but do not receive true peace and inner peace, in which God truly finds and rests.”

That is, we need to count our strength in prayer. You should sit down and think about the time that everyone has. If you, for example, are a freight forwarder in a trading company and are on the road from morning to night, or you are married, work and still need to devote time to your husband, children, and organize family life, then perhaps the morning and evening prayer rule is enough for you and reading two chapters of "The Apostle", a chapter of the Gospel per day. Because if you also take upon yourself to read various akathists, several kathismas, then you will have no time left to live. And if you are a pensioner or work somewhere as a security guard or at another job, having free time, then why not read akathists and kathismas.

Explore yourself, your time, your capabilities, your strengths. Balance your prayer rule with your life so that it is not a burden, but a joy. Because it is better to read fewer prayers, but with heartfelt attention, than to read a lot, but thoughtlessly, mechanically. Prayer has power when you listen and read it with your whole being. Then a life-giving spring of communication with God will flow into our hearts.

Priest Andrey Chizhenko

HOW TO READ MORNING AND EVENING PRAYERS CORRECTLY The prayer rule is the daily morning and evening prayers that Christians perform. Their texts can be found in the prayer book. The rule can be general - mandatory for everyone, or individual, selected for the believer by the confessor, taking into account his spiritual state, strength and employment. Consists of morning and evening prayers, which are performed daily. This vital rhythm is necessary, because otherwise the soul easily falls out of the prayer life, as if waking up only from time to time. In prayer, as in any big and difficult matter, “inspiration”, “mood” and improvisation are not enough. Reading prayers connects a person with their creators: the psalmists and ascetics. This helps to gain a spiritual mood akin to their heartfelt burning. Our example in praying in other people’s words is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. His prayerful exclamations during the suffering of the cross are lines from the psalms (Ps. 21:2; 30:6). There are three basic prayer rules: 1) a complete prayer rule, designed for spiritually experienced laity, which is published in the “Orthodox Prayer Book”; 2) a short prayer rule; in the morning: “Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “Rising from sleep”, “God have mercy on me”, “I Believe”, “God, cleanse”, “To You, Master”, “Holy Angela", "Holy Lady", invocation of saints, prayer for the living and the dead; in the evening: “Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Have mercy on us, Lord”, “Eternal God”, “Good King”, “Angel of Christ”, from “The Chosen Governor” to “It is worthy to eat”; 3) a short prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov: “Our Father” three times, “Virgin Mother of God” three times and “I Believe” once - for those days and circumstances when a person is extremely tired or very limited in time. It is not advisable to completely omit the prayer rule. Even if the prayer rule is read without due attention, the words of the prayers, penetrating the soul, have a cleansing effect. The main prayers should be known by heart (with regular reading, they are gradually memorized by a person even with a very poor memory), so that they penetrate deeper into the heart and so that they can be repeated in any circumstances. It is advisable to study the text of the translation of prayers from Church Slavonic into Russian in order to understand the meaning of each word and not pronounce a single word meaninglessly or without precise understanding. It is very important that those who begin to pray should expel resentment, irritation, and bitterness from their hearts. Without efforts aimed at serving people, fighting sin, and establishing control over the body and spiritual sphere, prayer cannot become the inner core of life. In the conditions of modern life, given the workload and accelerated pace, it is not easy for the laity to set aside a certain time for prayer. The enemy of morning prayer is haste, and the enemy of evening prayer is fatigue. Morning prayers are best read before starting anything (and before breakfast). As a last resort, they are pronounced on the way from home. Late in the evening it is often difficult to concentrate due to fatigue, so we can recommend reading the evening prayer rule in the free minutes before dinner or even earlier. During prayer, it is recommended to retire, light a lamp or candle and stand in front of the icon. Depending on the nature of family relationships, we can recommend reading the prayer rule together, with the whole family, or with each family member separately. General prayer is recommended before eating food, on special days, before a holiday meal, and in other similar cases. Family prayer is a type of church, public prayer (the family is a kind of “home Church”) and therefore does not replace individual prayer, but only complements it. Before starting prayer, you should sign yourself with the sign of the cross and make several bows, either from the waist or to the ground, and try to tune in to an internal conversation with God. The difficulty of prayer is often a sign of its true effectiveness. Prayer for other people is an integral part of prayer. Standing before God does not alienate a person from his neighbors, but binds him to them with even closer ties. We should not limit ourselves to just praying for people close and dear to us. Praying for those who have caused us grief brings peace to the soul, has an impact on these people and makes our prayer sacrificial. It is good to end the prayer with thanksgiving to God for the gift of communication and contrition for one’s inattention. When getting down to business, you must first think about what you have to say, do, see during the day and ask God for blessings and strength to follow His will. In the thick of it working day we need to create a short prayer(see Jesus prayer), which will help you find the Lord in everyday affairs. Morning and evening rules– this is just necessary spiritual hygiene. We are commanded to pray unceasingly (see the prayer of Jesus). The Holy Fathers said: if you churn milk, you will get butter, and so in prayer, quantity turns into quality. God bless you!

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 a difficult situation and was expressed in our own words. Even the most persistent and strong personalities sometimes they 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:

1. 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

1. 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.

The next equally 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 rest 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 are very great strength, therefore 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 that have been accomplished
• 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. Such a 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 against attacks, injuries, disasters, evil spirits and its influence. In addition, it is recommended to read “Alive in Help” for those who are going on an important task - on a long journey, for an exam, before moving to a new place.

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?

At its core, this prayer is a collection of dogmas 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, by reading the Creed, Christians repeat the truth of their faith over and over again.

Prayer for neighbors: words

It often happens that our family, loved ones or friends 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 health notes about him, special cases(when a person really needs help) you can order a magpie about 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 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:

1. At home
2. 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 at the 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 one home prayer few

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 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
• There are in the prayer books 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 a 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?

The prayer for detention is considered a 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 rule, as well as 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 only one reason - monks turned to God with such a prayer, and lay people often heard this appeal in the 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 prayer rule of a layman consists of morning and evening prayers, which are performed daily. This rhythm is necessary, because otherwise the soul easily falls out of the prayer life, as if waking up only from time to time. In prayer, as in any big and difficult matter, inspiration, mood and improvisation are not enough.

There is a complete prayer rule, designed for monks and spiritually experienced lay people, which is printed in Orthodox prayer book.

However, for those who are just beginning to get used to prayer, it is difficult to immediately begin to read the entire rule. Typically, confessors advise starting with several prayers, and then adding one prayer to the rule every 7-10 days, so that the skill of reading the rule is developed gradually and naturally.

In addition, lay people sometimes have situations when there is little time left for prayer, and in this case it is better to read with attention and reverence short rule than to hastily and superficially, without a prayerful attitude, mechanically proofread complete rule.

Thus, by cultivating a reasonable attitude towards the prayer rule, Saint Theophan the Recluse writes to one family person:

“Bless, Lord, and continue prayer according to your rule. But never commit yourself to a rule and think that there is anything valuable in having such a rule or always following it. The whole price is in heartfelt surrender before God. The saints write that if someone does not leave prayer as a condemned man, worthy of all punishment from the Lord, then he leaves it as a Pharisee. Another said: “When you are praying, stand as if Last Judgment when God’s decisive decree about you is ready to come: go away or come.”

Formality and mechanism in prayer must be avoided in every possible way. Let this always be a matter of a deliberate, free decision, and make it with consciousness and feeling, and not somehow. In case you need to be able to shorten the rule. You never know family life accidents?.. You can, for example, in the morning and evening, when there is no time, read only the morning prayers and those for bedtime as a memory. You can not even read them all, but several at a time. You can not read anything at all, but make a few bows, but with true heartfelt prayer. The rule must be handled with complete freedom. Be the mistress of the rule, not the slave. She is only a servant of God, obligated to devote all the minutes of her life to pleasing Him.”

For such cases there is an established short prayer rule, designed for all believers.

In the morning it includes:

“To the Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “Rising from sleep”, “Have mercy on me, O God”, “I Believe”, “God, cleanse”, “To You, Master”, “Holy Angel “,” “Holy Lady,” invocation of saints, prayer for the living and the dead.

In the evening it includes:

“To the Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Have mercy on us, Lord”, “Eternal God”, “Good King”, “Angel of Christ”, from “The Chosen Governor” to “It is worthy to eat”.

Morning prayers

Initial prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.

Trisagion

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
(Read three times, with the sign of the cross and bow from the waist.)

Lord's Prayer

Hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity

Having risen from sleep, I thank Thee, Holy Trinity, for for the sake of Thy goodness and long-suffering, Thou hast not been angry with me, lazy and sinful, nor hast Thou destroyed me with my iniquities; but you usually loved mankind and in the despair of the one who lay down, you raised me up to practice and glorify Your power. And now enlighten my mental eyes, open my lips to learn Your words, and understand Your commandments, and do Your will, and sing to You in confession of the heart, and sing the praises of the all-holy. your name, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Come, let us worship our King God. (Bow)
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God. (Bow)
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God. (Bow)

Psalm 50

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for I know my iniquity, and I will take away my sin before me. I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You, so that You may be justified in Your words and triumph over the judgment of You. Behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. My hearing brings joy and joy; humble bones 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 my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation; My tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if you had desired sacrifices, you would have given them: you do not favor burnt offerings. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God will not despise a broken and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.

Symbol of faith

I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by 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, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke 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.

First prayer of Saint Macarius the Great

God, cleanse me, a sinner, for I have done nothing good before You; but deliver me from the evil one, and Thy will be done in me, so that I may open my unworthy lips without condemnation and praise the name Your sacred, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages Amen.

Prayer of the same saint

To You, Lord, Lover of Mankind, having risen from sleep, I come running, and I strive for Your works with Your mercy, and I pray to You: help me at all times, in every thing, and deliver me from all worldly evil things and the devil’s haste, and save me, and bring us into Your eternal Kingdom. For You are my Creator and the Provider and Giver of every good thing, and all my hope is in You, and I send up glory to You, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel

Holy Angel, standing before my accursed soul and my passionate life, do not leave me, a sinner, nor depart from me for my intemperance. Do not give room to the evil demon to possess me through the violence of this mortal body; strengthen my poor and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation. To her, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my accursed soul and body, forgive me everything, I have offended you so greatly all the days of my life, and if I sinned this past night, cover me on this day, and save me from every opposite temptation May I not anger God in any sin, and pray for me to the Lord, that He may strengthen me in His passion, and show me worthy as a servant of His goodness. Amen.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary

My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, with Your saints and all-powerful prayers, take away from me, Your humble and accursed servant, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, negligence, and all the nasty, evil and blasphemous thoughts from my accursed heart and from my darkened mind; and extinguish the flame of my passions, for I am poor and damned. And deliver me from many and cruel memories and enterprises, and free me from all evil actions. For Thou art blessed from all generations, and glorified is Thy most honorable name forever and ever. Amen.

Prayerful invocation of the saint whose name you bear

Pray to God for me, holy servant of God (name), as I diligently resort to you, a quick helper and prayer book for my soul.

Prayer for the living

Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father (name), my parents (names), relatives (names), bosses, mentors, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians.

Prayer for the departed

Rest, O Lord, the souls of Your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names), and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.

End of prayers

It is worthy to eat as truly to bless Thee, Theotokos, Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Thy Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.

Prayers for the future

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)

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be your name, yes 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.

Tropari

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sin: have mercy on us.

Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You; Do not be angry with us, do not remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if you are gracious, and deliver us from our enemies; For Thou art our God, and we are Thy people; all works are done by Thy hand, and we call upon Thy name.

And now: Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, so that we may not perish, but may be delivered from troubles by You: for You are the salvation of the Christian race.
Lord have mercy. (12 times)

Prayer 1, St. 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 fleshly and incorporeal enemies 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 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 in no sin I will anger my God; 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.

Kontakion to the Mother of God

To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil ones, let us write thanks to Thy servants, the Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Ti; Rejoice, Unbrided Bride.

Glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Your Son and our God, may You save our souls.

I place all my trust in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your roof.

Virgin Mary, do not despise me, a sinner, who requires Your help and Your intercession, for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.

Prayer of Saint Ioannikios

My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.

It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all saints, have mercy on us. Amen.

* From Easter to Ascension, instead of this prayer, the troparion is read:

“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tombs.” (Three times) From Ascension to Trinity, we begin prayers with “Holy God...”, omitting all the preceding ones. This remark also applies to future bedtime prayers.

Throughout Bright Week, instead of this rule, the hours of Holy Easter are read.

** From Easter to Ascension, instead of this prayer, the chorus and irmos of the 9th song of the Easter canon are read:

“The angel cried out with grace: Pure Virgin, rejoice! And again the river: Rejoice! Your Son is risen three days from the grave and raised up the dead; people, have fun! Glow, glow, new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is upon you. Rejoice now and be glad, O Zion. You, Pure One, show off, O Mother of God, about the rise of Your Nativity.”

These remarks also apply to future bedtime prayers.

Compiled using materials from the book:
How to learn home prayer. Moscow, “Ark”, 2004. Trifonov Pechenga Monastery

Every new day brings new difficulties, downs and ups. Without God's protection, we are more quickly overtaken by disappointment, despondency and troubles. It is very important to pray in the morning in order to enlist the support of the Almighty at the very beginning of the day.

Our Father

This prayer is not just universal, but obligatory for any Christian believer. It is read not only before meals or during difficult moments in life, but also in the morning. After opening your eyes and waking up from sleep, take one minute to read this prayer to pay tribute to heaven, because they woke you up and gave you another day of life. The text of the prayer is familiar to everyone:

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 lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Prayers for material well-being

Much has been said about prayers that have the power to make our lives better. But it is also important to go towards God yourself. After all, only with inner readiness and awareness of the true path does Heaven’s help come.

If you are facing money problems, you too can turn to Heaven for help. It is only important to do it correctly, not with greed in your soul, but by asking God for what is necessary. Find out about prayers for relief from poverty on the website of the Orthodox monastery.

Prayer to the Holy Trinity

First, read the text of the prayer itself:

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.

Then you can repeat three times: "Lord have mercy", and finish morning prayer words “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen».

The Holy Trinity is the three incarnations of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each of these components is our assistant in earthly affairs. Taken together, the Trinity is God, therefore, by reading this prayer, you ask our Creator to grant his mercy and forgive you all your sins - those that were committed intentionally, and those that you have not yet been able to cope with.

Publican's Prayer

"God, be merciful to me, a sinner", - this is the simplest of all protective prayers. It is good to read not only in the morning, but also before any undertaking, before leaving the house and before a difficult task.

Do not underestimate these words and think that prayer is better the more difficult and longer it is. This is absolutely not true, because the most important thing is your spiritual attitude and your faith, and not your memorization abilities.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

“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 Blessed One, our souls.”

This is a simple prayer - quite rare, difficult to understand, but very effective and ancient. It can be read before meals and in the morning.

Another simple prayer known to almost every Christian:

“Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

First part before "...have mercy on us" It is better to read it three times - as it is read in church according to the rules. This is a very light prayer text, and it is what most believers read in the morning and before bed.

Remember that attitude is important. Do not say prayers while in bad mood or if your thoughts are busy with something else. You need full concentration, because you are communicating with God. Even simple prayer words for help will be heard if they are spoken from a pure heart. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and

25.04.2016 00:20

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