Daily evening prayer. Evening prayer rule of the Optina elders
Prayers for the future
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, abiding everywhere and filling everything with Himself, Source of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.
From Easter to Ascension, instead of this prayer, the troparion of Easter is read: “
Christ rose 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.
Trisagion
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)
Prayer to the Holy Trinity
All-Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Lord, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake!
Lord, have mercy. (3)
Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now, and always, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who is in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us our daily bread today; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Tropari
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us, / for, finding no excuse for ourselves, / we, sinners, offer this prayer to You as the Master: / “Have mercy on us!”
Glory:Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You, / do not be very angry with us / and do not remember our iniquities, / but look now as the Compassionate One / and deliver us from our enemies. / For You are our God and we are Your people, / We are all the work of Your hands, / And we call on Your name.
And now:Open the doors of mercy to us, / blessed Mother of God, / so that, relying on You, we will not be ashamed, / but through Your prayers we will be delivered from troubles, / for You are the salvation of the Christian race.
Lord, have mercy. (12)
First prayer of Saint Macarius the Great to God the Father
Eternal God and King of all creation, who has granted me to live to see this hour!
Forgive me the sins that I committed on this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, Lord, my humble soul from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And grant me, Lord, to spend this night in peaceful sleep, so that, rising from my humble bed, I may please Your most holy name all the days of my life and defeat the enemies who attack me - carnal and incorporeal.
And deliver me, Lord, from vain thoughts that defile me, and vicious desires. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto ages of ages. Amen
Second prayer of Saint Antiochus to our Lord Jesus Christ
Almighty, Word of the Father, Jesus Christ! Being perfect yourself, according to Your great mercy, never leave me, Your servant, but always remain in me. Jesus, good Shepherd of Your sheep, do not give me over to the rebellion of the serpent and do not leave me to the will of Satan, for the seed of destruction is in me. But You, Lord God, who accepts worship from all, Holy King Jesus Christ, protect me during sleep with unfading light, Your Holy Spirit, with which You sanctified Your disciples. Grant, Lord, to me, Thy unworthy servant, too, Thy salvation on my bed: enlighten my mind with the light of holy understanding of Your Gospel, my soul - with love for Your Cross, my heart - with the purity of Your word, my body - with Your impassive suffering, preserve my thought with Your humility. And raise me up at the right time in order to glorify You. For You are glorified with Your beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
Prayer three, to the Holy Spirit
Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, have mercy and have mercy on me, Your sinful servant, and forgive me the unworthy, and forgive everything that I have sinned against You today as a man, moreover, not only as a man, but also worse cattle: my voluntary and involuntary sins, known and unknown; those from youth and evil habits, and those from hot temper and carelessness. If I have sworn by Your name or blasphemed it in my thoughts; or I reproached someone, or slandered someone in my anger, or saddened someone, or got irritated by something; either he lied, or he slept at the wrong time, or a beggar came to me, and I despised him; or made my brother sad, or got into a quarrel; or whom he condemned, or boasted, or became proud, or became angry; or, when I stood in prayer, my mind was carried away by the deception of this world; or had unclean thoughts; either he overate himself, or got drunk, or laughed foolishly; either he thought evil, or, seeing someone else’s beauty, he was wounded in his heart by it; or spoke obscenely; or laughed at my brother’s sin, while my sins are countless; or was careless about prayer; or having done anything else evil, I don’t remember - for I did all this and more! Have mercy on me, my Creator, Lord, Thy sad and unworthy servant, and leave me, and let me go, and forgive me, as a good and Lover of mankind, so that I may lie down in peace, sleep and rest in peace, the prodigal, sinful and unfortunate, and I will bow and sing , and I will glorify Your revered name with the Father and His Only Begotten Son, now and always and forever. Amen.
Prayer four, Saint Macarius the Great
What will I bring to You or what will I reward You, O rich in gifts immortal King, merciful and humane-loving Lord, for bringing me, who was lazy to serve You and had not done anything good, to the end of this past day, guiding my soul to conversion and salvation? Be merciful to me, a sinner and deprived of every good deed, raise up my fallen soul, defiled in immeasurable sins, and remove from me all the evil thoughts of this visible life. Forgive me, the Only Sinless One, my sins that I have sinned before You on this day, consciously and out of ignorance, in word, and deed, and thought, and with all my feelings. You Yourself save me from every enemy misfortune, covering me with Your divine power and ineffable love for mankind and strength. Cleanse, O God, cleanse the multitude of my sins. Deign, Lord, to deliver me from the snare of the evil one, and save my passionate soul, and illuminate me with the light of Your face when You come in glory, and now let me sleep without condemnation, and keep the thoughts of Your servant without dreams and confusion. And drive away all satanic deeds from me, and enlighten the rational eyes of my heart, so that I may not fall asleep in the sleep of death. And send me an Angel of peace, guardian and mentor of my soul and body, that he may deliver me from my enemies; yes, rising from my bed, I will bring you thanksgiving prayers. Oh, Lord, hear me, Thy sinful and poor servant, with will and conscience! Let me, having risen from sleep, learn from Your word and, through Your Angels, drive away demonic despondency far from me! May I bless Your holy name and glorify and glorify the Most Pure Mother of God Mary, Whom You gave to us sinners for protection, and hear Her praying for us; for I know that She imitates Your love for mankind and does not cease to pray. Her intercession, and Holy Cross a sign, and for the sake of all Your saints, save my poor soul, Jesus Christ our God, for You are holy and glorified forever.
Amen.
Fifth prayer
Lord our God, everything in which I have sinned today in word, deed and thought, as a good and Lover of mankind, forgive me. Grant me peaceful and serene sleep. Send Your guardian angel, covering and preserving me from all evil. For You are the guardian of our souls and bodies, and we send up glory to You, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now, and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer six
Lord our God, in whom we believe and whose name we call upon above every name! Give us, going to sleep, relief to soul and body, and save us from all daydreaming and dark voluptuousness. Stop the impulses of passions, extinguish the fire of bodily excitement. Grant us to live chastely in deeds and words, so that, while leading a virtuous life, we do not lose the benefits You promised, for You are blessed forever. Amen.
Prayer 7, St. John Chrysostom
(24 prayers, according to the number of hours of the day and night)
1. Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings.
2. Lord, deliver me from eternal torment.
3. Lord, whether I have sinned in mind or in thought, in word or in deed, forgive me.
4. Lord, deliver me from all ignorance, oblivion, frivolity, and petrified insensibility.
5. Lord, deliver me from every temptation.
6. Lord, enlighten my heart, darkened by evil desires.
7. Lord, as a man I have sinned, but You, as a merciful God, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul.
8. Lord, send Your grace to help me, so that I glorify Your holy name.
9. Lord Jesus Christ, write me, Your servant, in the book of life and grant me a good end.
10. Lord, my God, although I have not done anything good before You, allow me, by Your grace, to make a good beginning.
11. Lord, sprinkle the dew of Your grace in my heart.
12. Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Your sinful servant, foul and unclean, in Your Kingdom. Amen.
1. Lord, accept me in repentance.
2. Lord, don't leave me.
3. Lord, do not lead me into misfortune.
4. Lord, give me good thoughts.
5. Lord, give me tears, and the memory of death, and contrition.
6. Lord, give me the thought of confessing my sins.
7. Lord, give me humility, chastity and obedience.
8. Lord, give me patience, generosity and meekness.
9. Lord, put in me the root of goodness - Your fear in my heart.
10. Lord, grant me to love You with all my soul and thoughts and to fulfill Your will in everything.
11. Lord, protect me from certain people, and demons, and passions, and from any other inappropriate matter.
12. Lord, I know that You do everything according to Your will - may Your will be done in me, a sinner, for You are blessed forever. Amen.
Prayer eight, to our Lord Jesus Christ
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the prayers of Your most revered Mother and Your disembodied Angels, as well as Your prophet and Forerunner and Baptist, and the theological Apostles, bright and victorious martyrs, reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the saints - deliver me from the present demonic oppression. So, my Lord and Creator, who does not desire the death of a sinner, but that he may be converted and live, give me conversion, too, wretched and unworthy. Take me out of the mouth of the destroying serpent, eager to devour me and bring me alive to hell. Yes, my Lord, my consolation, for the sake of the unfortunate me who has clothed himself in corruptible flesh, deliver me from misery and give consolation to my poor soul. Inspire my heart to do Your commandments, and to leave evil deeds and receive Your blessings. For I trust in You, Lord, save me.
Ninth prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, Peter of Studium
To You, Most Pure One Mother of God, I, unfortunate one, fall down and pray: You know, Queen, that I constantly sin and anger Your Son and my God, and although I repent many times, I turn out to be a liar before God. I repent, trembling, whether the Lord will strike me, and soon I do the same again! I pray that You, my Lady, Lady Theotokos, knowing this, have mercy, strengthen and teach me to do good. For You know, my Lady Theotokos, that I greatly hate my evil deeds and with all my thoughts I love the law of my God; but I don’t know, Most Pure Lady, why I hate what I love, but don’t do what is good. Do not allow, Most Pure One, my will to be fulfilled, for it is evil, but may the will of Your Son and my God be done, may He save me, and enlighten me and give me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that from now on I will stop doing bad things, and the rest of the time I will live according to the commandments Your Son, to Whom belongs all glory, honor and power with His beginningless Father, and His all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer tenth, to the Most Holy Theotokos
Good King, good Mother, most pure and blessed Mother of God Mary! Pour the mercy of Your Son and our God on my suffering soul, and through Your prayers guide me to good deeds, so that I can live the rest of my life without blemish and through You find paradise, Virgin Mary, the only pure and blessed one.
Eleventh prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel
Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and patron of my soul and body! Forgive me everything that I have sinned today, and deliver me from every deceit of the enemy coming against me, so that I do not anger my God with any sin. But pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, in order to present 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 Blessed Virgin Mary
To you, the Supreme Commander who defends us / for deliverance from terrible troubles / we institute victory celebrations for you in gratitude / we, your servants, Mother of God! / But You, as having irresistible power, / free us from all dangers, / let us cry to You: / “Rejoice, Bride, who has not known marriage!
From Easter to the Ascension of the Kontakion the Easter Kontakion is read to the Most Holy Theotokos:
«
Although You descended into the grave, O Immortal One, You destroyed the power of hell and rose again as a conqueror, Christ God, exclaiming to the myrrh-bearing women: “Rejoice!” and giving peace to Your Apostles, You who give resurrection to the fallen. »
There is also a tradition during the twelve holidays to read the kontakion of the holiday.
Glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Thy Son and our God, may He save our souls through Thy prayers.
I place all my hope / in You, Mother of God, / keep me under Your protection.
Virgin Mary, do not despise me, a sinner, who needs 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.
End of prayers
It is truly worthy to eat / glorify You, Mother of God, / eternally blessed and all-immaculate / and Mother of our God. / Honor higher than the Cherubim / and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, / virgin God-
The word that gave birth to / the true Mother of God - We magnify You.
From Easter to Ascension, instead of this prayer, the chorus and irmos of the 9th song of the Easter canon are read:
«
The angel proclaimed to the Blessed One: / “Pure Virgin, rejoice! / And again I will say: Rejoice! / Your Son rose on the third day from the grave, / and raised the dead.” / People, rejoice! Shine, shine, new Jerusalem, / for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! / Rejoice now and show off, O Zion! / Rejoice, O Pure Mother of God, / about the resurrection of the One born of You.”
There is also a tradition during the twelve holidays to read the chorus and irmos of the 9th song of the festive canon - Zadostoynik.
Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, even now,
and always, and forever and ever. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (3)
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all
Saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
When you go to bed, say: :
Prayer of Saint John of Damascus
Lord Lover of Humanity, will this bed really be my grave, or will you still illuminate my unfortunate soul with the light of day? Behold, the grave is before me, behold, I face death. I fear Your judgment, Lord, and endless torment, but I do not stop doing evil. I always anger You, my Lord and God, and Your Most Pure Mother, and all Heavenly Powers, and the holy Angel, my guardian. I know, Lord, that I am unworthy of Your love for mankind, but I am worthy of all condemnation and torment. But, Lord, whether I want it or not, save me. After all, if you save the righteous, there is nothing great in it, and if you have mercy on the pure, there is nothing wondrous in that, for they are worthy of Your mercy. But on me, a sinner, show Your wondrous mercy, in that show Your love for mankind, so that my malice does not overcome Your ineffable goodness and mercy, and do as You want with me.
Tropari
Enlighten my eyes, O Christ God, / lest I fall asleep in the sleep of death, / lest my enemy say: / I have strengthened myself against him.
Glory:Be the intercessor of my soul, O God, / for I walk in the midst of many snares; / deliver me from them, O Good One, / and save me as a Lover of Humanity.
And now:The most glorious Mother of God, and the most holy Angels, / let us sing without stopping, with our hearts and lips / confessing Her as the Theotokos, / for truly She gave birth to God incarnate / and prays unceasingly for our souls.
Mark yourself with a cross and say a prayer to the Honest Cross:
(Prayer to the Holy Cross)
May God arise and 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 the demons perish in the face of lovers of God, and overshadowing themselves sign of the cross and those who say with joy: Rejoice, venerable and life-giving Cross of the Lord, who drives away demons by the power of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and destroyed the power of the devil, and who gave us You, His sacred Cross, to drive away every enemy! O venerable and life-giving Cross of the Lord, help me with the holy Lady, the Virgin Mother of God and with all the saints forever. Amen.
Or briefly:
Protect me, Lord, with the power of the sacred and life-giving Cross and save me from all evil.
Prayer
Relax, let go, forgive, God, our sins, voluntary and involuntary, committed in deed and word, consciously and out of ignorance, night and day, in mind and thought - forgive us all, as the Good One and the Lover of Humanity.
Prayer
Forgive those who hate and offend us, O Lord, Lover of Mankind. To those who do good, do good. To our brothers and relatives, fulfill their requests for things that lead to salvation, and grant eternal life. Visit the sick and grant them healing. Guide those who are at sea. Companion to travelers.
Grant forgiveness of sins to those who serve and forgive us. Have mercy on those who have entrusted us, the unworthy, to pray for them, according to Your great mercy. Remember, Lord, our fathers and brothers who have fallen before and rest them where the light of Your face shines. Remember (remember), Lord, our brothers who are in captivity, and deliver them from all misfortune. Remember, Lord, those who bring donations and do good in Your holy Churches and fulfill their requests for what serves for salvation, and grant eternal life. Remember, Lord, us, the humble ones,
and sinners and unworthy Thy servants, and enlighten our minds with the light of knowledge of You, and guide us on the path of Thy commandments, through the prayers of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos and the Eternal Virgin Mary and all Thy saints, for Blessed Thou art forever. Amen.
Daily Confession of Sins
I confess to You, my Lord God and Creator, in the One Holy Trinity, glorified and worshiped, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all my sins that I have committed in all the days of my life, and at every hour, and at the present time, and in the past days and nights by deed, word, thought, overeating, drunkenness, secret eating of food, idle talk, despondency, laziness, bickering, disobedience, slander, condemnation, negligence, pride, greed, theft, lies, criminal gain (profit), covetousness, jealousy, envy, anger, rancor, hatred, love of money (greed), and all my senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and my other sins, both mental and physical, with which I Thee, my God, I have angered and offended my neighbor. Regretting them, I appear guilty before You, my God, and have a desire to repent. But just help me, Lord my God, I humbly pray to You with tears: forgive my past sins according to Your mercy, and forgive me, as a good and Lover of mankind, from all those sins that I have listed before You.
Prayer
Into Your hands, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit. Bless me, have mercy on me and grant me eternal life. Amen.
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) in his “Teaching on the Rule of Prayer” wrote: “Rule! What an accurate name, borrowed from the very effect produced on a person by prayers called the rule! The prayer rule guides the soul correctly and holy, teaches it to worship God in Spirit and Truth (John 4:23), while the soul, left to itself, could not follow the correct path of 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 rule. 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 generation is driven out only by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21), sends down to him God's blessing and strength to live. Moreover, the prayers were written by holy people: Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom, Saint Macarius the Great and others. That is, the very structure of the rules 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 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. End morning prayers You also regulate 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 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, according to the Orthodox tradition, from the east), protecting yourself, your loved ones and your home with the 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 sleep 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 this is not entirely true. 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 surrounded, 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 the 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 in his book “Invisible Warfare” wrote: “...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 trading company and you are on the road from morning to night, or you are married, work and you also need to devote time to your husband, children, organize family life, then perhaps the morning and evening prayer rules and reading two chapters of the “Apostle”, a chapter of the Gospel, are enough for you 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.
Every believer must be in contact with God every second of his existence. This should be his goal and daily work, expressed in prayer. Many holy elders said that every appeal to the Creator should be accompanied by three prayers. The first is read as given by the Almighty, the second as gratitude to the Mother of God, and the third - for support in faith and Christian morals.
In order to make the path to God easier for believers, some holy people created special prayer rules that indicated when and where it was appropriate to read a particular prayer. Also, thanks to this list, one could find out how many times a day it is necessary to contact the Creator. Particular attention was paid to the days of church holidays and sacraments, requiring special spiritual preparation from the laity. The most famous is the prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov for the laity, which we will tell you about today. In addition to this, in the article we will touch on some additional nuances of turning to God.
Prayerful work of the soul
Christianity takes daily prayer very seriously. The clergy instruct the flock, explaining to them that it is necessary to move towards God in small steps, but without stopping for a minute. Immediately after baptism, you should not rush headlong into reading religious books and actively attend all services in the church. This way you will not gain spiritual purity, but will only become confused in your feelings and sensations.
It is worth starting your movement towards God by studying the prayer rule, which will help you correctly put into words your spiritual impulse. Moreover, every church minister will say that you need to accustom yourself to prayer. Despite the daily rhythm of life, mood and fatigue, you need to force yourself to turn to God with gratitude and a request for protection. At first it will be quite difficult to do this, but gradually prayer will begin to bring joy and spiritual enlightenment.
At this stage, the believer can already say all the prayers from the prayer rule. And this work gives him an incredible feeling of unity with the Creator, who pushes him to further self-improvement. And over time, prayer begins to evoke such happiness that a special state of peace and tranquility descends on a person. Filled with such sensations, a believer can leave everyday activities in order to immediately turn to God.
It is precisely such religious feelings that push people to go to a monastery, because within its walls prayer takes on a completely different meaning - transformed into a single impulse of several souls, it becomes a real purification. Many holy elders say that it is for prayer that people go to the monastery. It becomes their reward, because with other ideas about God, few people will be able to endure the difficult everyday life of a monastery.
More than once in the article we have used such a phrase as “prayer rule.” Let's look at this church term in more detail.
Prayer rule for the laity: a brief description
Since it is quite difficult for lay people who have just come to faith to accustom themselves to daily prayer, special collections have been compiled that help to correctly calculate their strengths and turn to the Creator with a certain spiritual message.
Prayer rules were not invented overnight. Sometimes they were created by holy elders at the request of the laity, while others appeared in connection with various church rituals. Be that as it may, every Orthodox believer must adhere to certain regulations that allow him to cleanse himself as much as possible from everything worldly and vain in order to open his heart to his Creator.
Prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov for the laity
It is worth noting that the holy elder considered communication with the Creator to be the first necessity for a Christian. It should be more important to him than food, water and air. No believer can imagine his life without prayer.
The elder himself spent most of his time in this activity and bequeathed such a pastime to his spiritual children. Sometimes he even demanded many hours of daily prayer from his followers, and therefore he composed a rule for them to help in difficult spiritual work.
Morning
Seraphim of Sarov believed that the new day must be greeted with the sign of the cross and the fulfillment of the morning prayer rule. The elder argued that to pray, a Christian should stand near icons or in another place where nothing would distract him from communication with God.
The morning prayer rule includes three texts. Reading must be done in the following order:
- "Our Father";
- "Virgin Mother of God, rejoice";
- Symbol of faith.
Keep in mind that the first two texts must be read three times, but for the last prayer once is enough. After following the rules, a person can begin his daily activities and responsibilities.
Day
Seraphim of Sarov advised not to forget about the prayer rule during usual activities. In Russian, you can quietly read the Jesus Prayer. This allows you not to be distracted in your thoughts from communication with the Creator and makes it possible to correlate your thoughts with Christian virtues every second.
You should not start your lunch meal without repeating the morning ritual; only after it can you start eating.
Afternoon
According to the precepts of Seraphim of Sarov, an Orthodox believer cannot be distracted from prayer even after dinner. At this time it is better to read:
- “Lord Jesus Christ, through the Mother of God have mercy on me a sinner”;
- "Most Holy Mother of God, save me, a sinner."
The first of these texts is suitable for solitude, when you can completely devote yourself to turning to the Almighty. But the second one can be read while doing business until going to bed.
Prayers for evening time
Naturally, a Christian cannot calmly fall asleep without devoting time to his God. The evening prayer rule is identical to the morning one; all words must be said when you definitely will no longer be doing business. At the conclusion of the prayer, the believer makes the sign of the cross and can calmly go to bed.
It is interesting that it is customary for Christians to fall asleep only after turning to God, because in a dream a person can finish his life path, and there is nothing worse than appearing before the Creator unprepared. Therefore, believers end every day with prayer and repent of their sins. Only this characterizes true relationship between the soul and the Almighty.
Communion: features of preparation
Communion is a special procedure that requires great labor and abstinence from the Orthodox. He must approach the sacrament prepared according to all the rules. They include a list of six points, which includes a prayer rule before Communion.
First of all, a Christian must keep himself physically and spiritually clean, and also observe fasting. Usually, preparation for the sacrament lasts several days; on the evening before Communion, it is necessary to take part in a church service, and read several prayers at night:
- penitential canon;
- prayer canon to the Mother of God;
- canon to the Guardian Angel;
- Follow-up to Holy Communion.
Do not forget that the listed texts are read several times in a row, and the Orthodox believer must be in an even mood and not harbor any grudges against anyone. Only in this state can one come to the sacrament.
Bright Week: the first days of Easter
Many Christians who have recently come to God are interested in the prayer rule for Bright Week. Lay people are often confused in the numerous rituals and ceremonies that accompany this or that church festival.
During this period, Christians must completely change the order of their previous prayers, because the prayer rule for Bright Week includes a fairly wide list of canons and chants. So, on the eve of the holiday (on the night of Easter), Orthodox Christians should read:
- Easter hours;
- "Christ is Risen";
- “Seeing the Resurrection of Christ”;
- Easter troparia;
- "Lord, have mercy";
- "Christ is Risen" (again).
Keep in mind that the first song is sung for at least seven minutes. The Orthodox claim that during this time incredible grace descends on them. The second and third prayers are read three times, but the fifth must be said at least forty times.
From Easter to the Ascension of the Lord
The prayer rule for Easter means starting and ending the day with the troparion of Easter. It must be read three times, however more since it will not be a violation - such is the impulse of your soul in honor of the bright holiday.
Also, the prayer rule for Easter includes the Trisagion. This prayer must be read at least three times.
From Ascension to Trinity
If you are not good at church holidays, then keep in mind that all days from the beginning of Easter to Trinity are considered holidays. Therefore, special prayers are read during this period. Of course, if you start and end your day with the usual appeal to the Almighty out of ignorance, then this will not be a serious deviation from the rules. However, it is best to observe a special prayer rule after Easter.
Each holiday that comes, the order in which the prayers are read changes. We have already covered the period from Easter to Ascension in the previous section. Now we need to talk about the prayer rule after Easter until Trinity.
During this period, which lasts ten days, the troparia to the Mother of God and the “Heavenly King, the Comforter” are not read. There is also a ban on bowing to the ground. Every day the clergy recommend starting with the Trisagion.
Optina elders
Many believers have heard about the prayer rule of the Optina elders. However, not every Christian understands who these holy people are and how effective their advice is in this or that life situation. Therefore, we decided to tell you a little about the Optina elders themselves.
So, Optina Pustyn is one of the most ancient monasteries in Russia. It is located near the Kaluga province, and the first mention of it dates back to the time of Boris Godunov.
Of course, the main value of the monastery were its monks, who quickly began to be called elders. All of them were not ordinary people, but possessed a number of characteristics that, during their lifetime, placed them on the same level as recognized Orthodox saints.
The following characteristics can be safely attributed to the peculiarities of the Optina elders:
- The gift of healing or predicting the future. Almost each of the elders had some kind of gift received from above. But most often these holy people predicted the future or healed seriously ill people. There are cases when they were even called sorcerers, but all their deeds were only with the blessing of God.
- Faith. Each of the elders stood firmly in faith no matter what happened in his life. This condition was one of the main ones for acceptance into the monastery, because only a true believer can help other people.
- Service. The entire life of the Optina elders was aimed at serving the Creator and the people. For them there was no concept of fatigue; everyone who needed help received it from the monks.
- Repentance for the sins of others. The fact is that the Optina elders took a vow of repentance for all Orthodox Christians in this world. People often came to the monastery for confession, talking about all their sins. The elders spent long hours atone for people’s misdeeds and then let them go with a pure soul and heart.
It is worth noting that people went to Optina Pustyn regardless of their social status And financial situation. And for every misfortune, the elders found words of consolation; they advised many pilgrims on certain prayer rules that turned out to be very effective.
Prayers from the Optina elders
The monks of the Optina Hermitage spent most of their time in prayer. Therefore, they had accumulated a sufficient number of prayer rules, which they shared with pilgrims.
For example, in the morning it was supposed required reading twenty-seven texts. Among them we can especially highlight:
- Trisagion;
- Creed;
- prayer for the living;
- prayer for the dead;
- prayer to the Holy Trinity.
The Optina elders advised reading prayers once and in any order. The main attribute of turning to God is true faith and thirst for communication with the Almighty. Only in this case will prayer be effective and bring purification.
The monks of the Optina Hermitage shared prayer rules with pilgrims for any occasion. For example, in case of temptation it was necessary to read a psalm to David. And if you cannot visit for one reason or another church services, then you should read the following texts at home throughout the day:
- morning - twelve psalms, prayer to the Mother of God, daily akathist;
- evening prayer rule - the canon to the Guardian Angel, twelve psalms, chapters from the Gospel, the prayer “Loosen, leave”;
- for the coming sleep - the prayer “Everyday Confession”.
It is interesting that the Optina elders allowed some deviations from these regulations. They believed that, for certain reasons, the laity could become completely immersed in everyday affairs. This may be due to some serious problems or illness. However, after all problems are resolved, a Christian must return to his previous religious behavior and again devote time to communication with the Creator.
Conclusion
We hope that our article will be useful to you and you will be able to choose for yourself some kind of prayer rule that will gradually bring you closer to God. Of course, the prayers we have listed are not the only ones, and if desired, every Christian can find other religious texts, the reading of which will give him a feeling of grace and spiritual joy. Remember that it is this feeling that accompanies your daily appeal to the Almighty that indicates that you are doing the right thing and your prayer is heard. Many Christians consider it work, but in reality it is not. more joy than to work with the name of God on your lips and in the name of His glory. Don’t forget about daily prayer in the bustle of everyday life, and perhaps then the Lord will change your life.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 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.
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 . (Thrice)
From Ascension to Trinity, we begin prayers with “Holy God...”, omitting all the preceding ones.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
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,
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be it Your 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.
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.
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 and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, so that we may not perish, but may we 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 2, Saint Antiochus, to our Lord Jesus Christ
To the Almighty, the Word of the Father, who is perfect himself, Jesus Christ, for the sake of Thy mercy, never leave me, Thy servant, but always rest in me. Jesus, good Shepherd of Your sheep, do not betray me to the sedition of the serpent, and do not leave me to the desires of Satan, for the seed of aphids is in me. Thou, O Lord God, worshiped, the Holy King, Jesus Christ, preserve me as I sleep with unflickering light, Thy Holy Spirit, with whom Thou didst sanctify Thy disciples. Grant, O Lord, to me, Thy unworthy servant, Thy salvation on my bed: enlighten my mind with the light of reason of Thy Holy Gospel, my soul with the love of Thy Cross, my heart with the purity of Thy word, my body with Thy passionless passion, preserve my thought with Thy humility, and uplift I am in time like Your praise. For Thou art glorified with Thy Beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
Prayer 3, 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 me all that I have sinned today as a man, and moreover, not as a man, but also worse than cattle, my free sins and involuntary, driven and unknown: even evil from youth and science, and even 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 made me sad, or about what I was angry about; 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 didn’t remember what other evil things I did, 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 4, Saint Macarius the Great
What will I bring to Thee, or what will I repay to Thee, O most gifted Immortal King, generous and philanthropic Lord, since I was lazy to please You, and did nothing good, You brought to the end of this past day the conversion and salvation of my soul? Be merciful to me, a sinner and naked of every good deed, raise up my fallen soul, defiled in immeasurable sins, and take away from me all the evil thoughts of this visible life. Forgive my sins, O One Sinless One, even those who have sinned this day, in knowledge and ignorance, in word, and deed, and thought, and with all my feelings. You Yourself, covering me, save me from every opposing situation with Your Divine power, and ineffable love for mankind, and strength. Cleanse, O God, cleanse the multitude of my sins. Deign, O Lord, to deliver me from the snare of the evil one, and save my passionate soul, and overshadow me with the light of Your face, when You come in glory, and make me sleep without condemnation now, and keep the thoughts of Your servant without dreaming, and untroubled, and all the work of Satan take me away from me, and enlighten the intelligent eyes of my heart, so that I may not sleep into death. And send me an Angel of peace, guardian and mentor of my soul and body, that he may deliver me from my enemies; Yes, rising from my bed, I will bring you prayers of gratitude. Yes, Lord, hear me, your sinful and wretched servant, with your will and conscience; grant that I have risen to learn from Thy words, and the despondency of demons is driven away from me, to be made by Thy Angels; may I bless Your holy name, and glorify, and glorify the Most Pure Mother of God Mary, Who hast given us sinners intercession, and accept this one praying for us; We see that He imitates Your love for mankind, and never ceases to pray. By that intercession, and the sign of the Honest Cross, and for the sake of all Thy saints, keep my poor soul, Jesus Christ our God, for Thou art holy and glorified forever. Amen.
Prayer 5
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 6
Lord our God, in the worthlessness of faith, and we call upon His name above every name, grant to us, who are going to sleep, a weakening of soul and body, and keep us from all dreams and dark pleasures except; restrain the desire of passions, extinguish the kindling of bodily rebellion. Grant us to live chastely in deeds and words; Yes, virtuous living is receptive, we will not fall away from your promised good things, for blessed are you forever. Amen.
Prayer 7, St. John Chrysostom
(24 prayers, according to the number of hours of the day and night)
Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings.
Lord, save me from eternal torment.
Lord, whether I have sinned in mind or in thought, in word or in deed, forgive me.
Lord, deliver me from all ignorance and oblivion, and cowardice, and petrified insensibility.
Lord, deliver me from every temptation.
Lord, enlighten my heart, darken my evil lust.
Lord, as a man who has sinned, You, as a generous God, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul.
Lord, send Your grace to help me, that I may glorify Your holy name.
Lord Jesus Christ, write me Your servant in the book of animals and grant me a good end.
Lord, my God, even if I have done nothing good before You, grant me, by Your grace, to make a good beginning.
Lord, sprinkle the dew of Your grace in my heart.
Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, cold and unclean, in Thy Kingdom. Amen.
Lord, accept me in repentance.
Lord, don't leave me.
Lord, do not lead me into misfortune.
Lord, give me a good thought.
Lord, give me tears and mortal memory, and tenderness.
Lord, give me the thought of confessing my sins.
Lord, give me humility, chastity and obedience.
Lord, give me patience, generosity and meekness.
Lord, plant in me the root of good things, Thy fear in my heart.
Lord, grant me to love You with all my soul and thoughts and to do Your will in everything.
Lord, protect me from certain people, and demons, and passions, and from all other inappropriate things.
Lord, consider that you do as you will, that your will be done in me, a sinner, for blessed are you forever. Amen.
Prayer 8, 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 9, to the Most Holy Theotokos, Peter of Studium
To Thee, O Most Pure Mother of God, I fall down and pray: Consider, O Queen, how I continually sin and anger Thy Son and my God, and many times when I repent, I find myself lying before God, and I repent in trembling: will the Lord strike me down, and hour by hour I do the same again? ; I pray to this leader, my Lady, Lady Theotokos, to have mercy, strengthen me, and grant me good works. Believe me, my Lady Theotokos, for the Imam is by no means in hatred of my evil deeds, and with all my thoughts I love the law of my God; But we do not know, Most Pure Lady, from where I hate, I love, but I transgress what is good. Do not allow, O Most Pure One, my will to be fulfilled, for it is not pleasing, but let the will of Thy Son and my God be done: may He save me, and enlighten me, and give me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that I may cease from here from filthiness, and so on may I live as commanded Thy Son, to Him belongs all glory, honor and power, with His Originless Father, and His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 10, to the Most Holy Theotokos
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 11, 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.
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 Thee, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison, the Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.
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! Shine, shine, new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is upon you. Rejoice now and be glad, O Zion. You, Pure One, show off, O Theotokos, about the rise of Your Nativity .
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
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.
Prayer of Saint John of Damascus
Lord, Lover of Mankind, will this coffin really be my bed, or will you still enlighten my damned soul during the day? For seven the grave lies ahead, for seven the death awaits. I fear Your judgment, O Lord, and endless torment, but I do not stop doing evil: I always anger You, the Lord my God, and Your Most Pure Mother, and all the Heavenly powers, and my holy Guardian Angel. We know, Lord, that I am unworthy of Your love for mankind, but I am worthy of all condemnation and torment. But, Lord, whether I want it or not, save me. Even if you save a righteous man, nothing great; and even if you have mercy on a pure person, nothing is marvelous: you are worthy of the essence of Your mercy. But surprise Thy mercy on me, a sinner: for this show Thy love for mankind, so that my malice may not overcome Thy unspeakable goodness and mercy: and as you wish, arrange a thing for me.
Enlighten my eyes, O Christ God, so that not when I fall asleep into death, and not when my enemy says: “Let us be strong against him.”
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Be the protector of my soul, O God, as I walk in the midst of many snares; deliver me from them and save me, O Blessed One, as a Lover of Mankind.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Let us ceaselessly sing with our hearts and lips the Glorious Mother of God and the Most Holy Angel, confessing this Mother of God as truly having given birth to God incarnate for us, and praying unceasingly for our souls.
Sign yourself with the sign of the cross.
Prayer to the Honest 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; just as wax melts in the face of fire, so let demons perish in the presence of those who love God and sign the sign of the cross, and say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honorable One and Life-giving Cross Lord, drive away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power of the devil, and 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. Orthodox Christian contribute. Grant forgiveness of sins to those who serve and forgive us. Have mercy on those who 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.
Everyday confession of sins
I confess to You, Lord my God and Creator, in the One Holy Trinity, 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, both now and in days gone by. and nights, by deed, by word, by thought, by gluttony, drunkenness, secret eating, idle talk, despondency, laziness, bickering, disobedience, slander, condemnation, neglect, pride, avarice, theft, unspeaking, filthiness, money-gathering, jealousy, envy, anger, memory malice , hatred, covetousness and all my feelings: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and my other sins, both mental and physical, in the image of my God and Creator I have angered You, and my neighbor for being untruthful: regretting these, I blame myself for You, my God I imagine, and I have the will to repent: then, Lord my God, help me, with tears I humbly pray to Thee: forgive me by Thy mercy for my sins, and forgive me from all these things that are said before Thee, for Thou art Good and Lover of mankind.
When you go to bed, 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.
Notes:
- Printed in italics (explanations and names of prayers) are not readable during prayer.
- When it is written “Glory”, “And now”, it must be read in full: “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen"
- IN Church Slavonic language there is no sound е, and therefore it is necessary to read “we are calling”, not “we are calling”, “yours”, not “yours”, “mine”, not “mine”, etc.
In this article you will find prayers for the coming sleep with interpretation. We have selected church texts and their translation into understandable Russian for you.
Prayers for the coming sleep with interpretation
Tropari
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Because everyone is perplexed by the answer, we offer this prayer to the Master of sin: have mercy on us.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Finding no justification for ourselves, we sinners offer this prayer to You, as the Lord, 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 You are our God, and we are Your people; all works are Your hand, and We call upon Your name.
Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You. Do not be very angry with us and do not remember our iniquities; but look down now, as the Merciful One, and deliver us from our enemies, for You are our God and we are Your people; We are all the work of Your hands and we call on Your name.
And now: Open the doors of mercy for us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, may we not perish, but may we be delivered from troubles by You: for You are the salvation of the Christian race.
And now: Open the doors of Mercy to us, Blessed Mother of God, so that we who hope in You will not perish, but through You we will be delivered from troubles, for You are the salvation of the Christian race.
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 Thine 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.
Eternal God and King of all creatures, who has deigned me to live to see this hour! Forgive me the sins that I have committed this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, Lord, my poor soul from all impurity of body and soul. And help me, Lord, to spend the coming night calmly, so that, getting up from my wretched bed, I can do what is pleasing to Your most holy name all the days of my life and defeat the physical and incorporeal enemies who attack me. And deliver me, Lord, from empty thoughts that defile me and evil passions. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever.
Amen.
In this prayer, we thank God for a well-spent day, asking Him for forgiveness of sins, saving us from all evil and good night. This prayer ends with the glorification of the Holy Trinity.
Prayer 2, Saint Antiochus, to our Lord Jesus Christ
To the Almighty, the Word of the Father, who is perfect himself, Jesus Christ, for the sake of Thy mercy, never be absent from me, Thy servant, but always in me
rest. Jesus, good Shepherd of Your sheep, do not betray me to the sedition of the serpent, and do not leave me to the desires of Satan, for the seed of aphids is in me. Thou, O Lord God, worshiped, the Holy King, Jesus Christ, preserve me as I sleep with unflickering light, Thy Holy Spirit, with whom Thou didst sanctify Thy disciples. Grant, O Lord, to me, Thy unworthy servant, Thy salvation on my bed: enlighten my mind with the light of reason of Thy Holy Gospel, my soul with the love of Thy Cross, my heart with the purity of Thy word, my body with Thy passionless passion, preserve my thought with Thy humility, and uplift I am in time like Your praise. For Thou art glorified with Thy Beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
Almighty, Word of the Father, Jesus Christ, being Himself perfect, according to Your great mercy, never leave me, Your servant, but always abide in me. Jesus, good Shepherd of Your sheep, do not give me over to the rebellious serpent and do not leave me to the will of Satan, for in me is the seed of destruction. You, Lord God, Whom you worship, Holy King, Jesus Christ, protect me during sleep with unfading light, Your Holy Spirit, with which You sanctified Your disciples. Grant, Lord, to me, Thy unworthy servant, Thy salvation on my bed: enlighten my mind with the light of understanding of Thy Holy Gospel, my soul with love for Thy Cross, my heart with the purity of Thy word, my body with Thy suffering, alien to passion, preserve my thought with Thy humility . And raise me up at the proper time to glorify You. For You are glorified together with Your Father who has no beginning and the Most Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
Prayer 3, 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 as a man, and moreover, not as 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 impudence 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 made me sad, or about what I was angry about; 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 didn’t remember what other evil things I did, 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.
Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, have mercy and have mercy on me, Your sinful servant, release and forgive me, unworthy, everything that I have sinned against You today as a man, and, moreover, not only as a man, but also worse livestock; and forgive me, the unworthy, all my sins, voluntary and involuntary, conscious and unconscious, committed from youth from evil deceit, hot temper and carelessness, and if I swore by Your name or blasphemed Him in my thoughts, or whom I reproached or slandered in my anger, or made me sad, or became angry because of something, or lied, or slept untimely, or despised the beggar who came to me, or saddened my brother, or stirred up quarrels, or condemned someone, or grew arrogant, or became proud, or became angry, or during prayer my mind strove for evil worldly thoughts, or had cunning thoughts, or ate too much, or got drunk, or laughed madly, or thought evil, or, seeing someone else’s good, was wounded in my heart, or spoke obscene things, or laughed at my brother’s sin, while my sins are countless, or I was negligent in prayer, or I forgot everything else that I did that was evil, for my iniquities exceed those listed. Have mercy on me, my Creator and Master, Thy sad and unworthy servant, and resolve, and free, and forgive me, as the Good and Humane One, so that I, prodigal, sinful and unhappy, may lie down in peace, fall asleep and rest, bowing, singing and having glorified Your most honorable name with the Father and His Only Begotten Son, now and always and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 4, Saint Macarius the Great
What will I bring to Thee, or what will I repay to Thee, O most gifted Immortal King, generous and humane-loving Lord, since Thou hast brought me to the end of this past day, the conversion and salvation of my soul, by being lazy to please You, and having done nothing good? Be merciful to me, a sinner and naked of every good deed, raise up my fallen soul, defiled in immeasurable sins, and take away from me all the evil thoughts of this visible life. Forgive my sins, O One Sinless One, even those who have sinned this day, in knowledge and ignorance, in word, and deed, and thought, and with all my feelings. You Yourself, covering me, save me from every opposing situation with Your Divine power, and ineffable love for mankind, and strength.
Cleanse, O God, cleanse the multitude of my sins. Deign, O Lord, to deliver me from the snare of the evil one, and save my passionate soul, and overshadow me with the light of Your face, when You come in glory, and make me sleep without condemnation now, and keep the thoughts of Your servant without dreaming, and untroubled, and all the work of Satan take me away from me, and enlighten the intelligent eyes of my heart, so that I may not fall asleep. And send me an Angel of peace, guardian and mentor of my soul and body, that he may deliver me from my enemies; Yes, rising from my bed, I will bring you prayers of gratitude. Yes, Lord, hear me, Thy sinful and wretched servant, with your will and conscience; grant that I have risen to learn from Thy words, and the despondency of demons is driven away from me, to be made by Thy Angels; may I bless Your holy name, and glorify, and glorify the Most Pure Mother of God Mary, Who hast given us sinners intercession, and accept this one praying for us; We see that He imitates Your love for mankind, and never ceases to pray. By that intercession, and the sign of the Honest Cross, and for the sake of all Thy saints, keep my poor soul, Jesus Christ our God, for Thou art holy and glorified forever.
Amen.
What will I bring to You or what will I reward You, Greatly Gifted Immortal King, Generous and Humane-loving Lord, for the fact that You, lazy in Your service and having done nothing good, brought me to the end of this past day, directing my soul to obedience and salvation. Be merciful to me, a sinner who has no good deed. Restore my fallen soul, defiled by countless sins, and turn away from me earthly sinful thoughts. You alone are sinless, forgive my sins committed before You on this day, consciously and unconsciously, in word, deed and thought and with all my feelings. You Yourself preserve me from every enemy attack, protecting me with Your Divine power, ineffable love for mankind and strength; God, blot out and forgive the multitude of my sins, have mercy on me, Lord, free me from the snares of the devil, save my suffering soul and shine upon me with the light of Your face when You come in Your glory. And now let me sleep in a sleep uncondemned and protect the thoughts of Your servant from dreams and confusion. Drive away the satanic action from me, enlighten the mental eyes of my heart, so that I do not fall asleep in the sleep of death. Send me an Angel of peace, a guardian and mentor to my soul and body, who delivers me from my enemies, so that when I get up from my bed, I offer you prayers of gratitude. O Lord, hear me, Thy sinful and wretched servant. Give it to me when I wake up with a clear conscience learn from Your law, remove demonic carelessness from me through Your Angels, in order to bless Your holy name and glorify and praise the Most Pure Mother of God Mary, given to us sinners for protection; accept Her praying for us, for I know that She, imitating Your love for mankind, constantly prays for us. Through her intercession, the sign of the venerable Cross and through the prayers of all Your saints, preserve my poor soul, Jesus Christ our God, for You alone are Holy and Glorified forever. Amen.
Prayer 5
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.
Lord our God, what I have sinned on this day in word, deed and thought, forgive me, as the Good and Humane One; grant me a peaceful sleep, free from the disturbance of passions; send Your guardian Angel, protecting and preserving 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 always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
In this evening prayer, we ask God for forgiveness of sins, peaceful sleep and a Guardian Angel who would protect us from everything bad. This prayer ends with a glorification of the Holy Trinity.
Prayer 6
Lord our God, in the worthlessness of faith and His name we call upon every name, grant us, who are going to sleep, a weakened soul and body, and keep us from
all dreams and dark pleasures except; restrain the desire of passions, extinguish the kindling of bodily rebellion. Grant us to live chastely in deeds and words; Yes, virtuous living is receptive, we will not fall away from your promised good things, for blessed are you forever. Amen.
Lord our God, in whom we believe and whose name we call upon above every name, grant us, as we go to sleep, relief to soul and body, save us from all daydreaming and from vile voluptuousness; stop cravings; extinguish the flame of carnal excitement; Grant us to maintain chastity in word and deed, so that, having accepted a perfect life, we do not lose Your promised benefits, for You are blessed forever. Amen.
Prayer 7, St. John Chrysostom
(24 prayers, according to the number of hours of the day and night)
1 Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings. 2 Lord, deliver me from eternal torment. 3 Lord, whether I have sinned in mind or in thought, in word or in deed, forgive me. 4 Lord, deliver me from all ignorance and oblivion, and cowardice, and petrified insensibility. 5 Lord, deliver me from every temptation. 6 Lord, enlighten my heart, darken my evil lust. 7 Lord, as a man who has sinned, You, as a generous God, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul. 8 Lord, send Your grace to help me, that I may glorify Your holy name. 9 Lord Jesus Christ, write me Your servant in the book of living things and give me a good end. 10 Lord my God, even if I have done nothing good before You, grant me, by Your grace, to make a good beginning. 11 Lord, sprinkle the dew of Your grace on my heart. 12 Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, cold and unclean, in Thy Kingdom. Amen.
1 Lord, accept me in repentance. 2 Lord, do not forsake me. 3 Lord, do not lead me into misfortune. 4 Lord, give me a good thought. 5 Lord, give me tears, and mortal memory, and tenderness. 6 Lord, give me the thought of confessing my sins. 7 Lord, give me humility, chastity and obedience. 8 Lord, give me patience, generosity and meekness. 9 Lord, plant in me the root of good things, Thy fear in my heart. 10 Lord, make me worthy to love You with all my soul and thoughts and to do Your will in everything. 11 Lord, protect me from certain people, and demons, and passions, and from all other inappropriate things. 12 Lord, consider that you do as you will, that your will be done in me, a sinner, for blessed are you forever. Amen.
Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings. Lord, deliver me from eternal torment. Lord, if I have sinned in mind or thought, in word or deed, forgive me. Lord, deliver me from all ignorance, oblivion, cowardice and petrified insensibility. Lord, deliver me from every temptation. Lord, enlighten my heart, darkened by evil aspirations. Lord, I, as a man, have sinned, but You, as a generous God, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul. Lord, send Your grace and help to me, so that I may glorify Your holy name. Lord Jesus Christ, write me, Your servant, in the book of life and grant me a good death. Lord my God, even if I have not done anything good before You, let me, by Your grace, make a good beginning. Lord, sprinkle my heart with the dew of Your grace. Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Your sinful, vile and unclean servant in Your Kingdom.
Amen.
Lord, accept me, a repentant one. Lord, don't leave me. Lord, don't lead me into trouble. Lord, give me a good thought. Lord, give me tears, remembrance of death and tenderness. Lord, give me the disposition to confess my sins. Lord, give me humility, chastity and obedience. Lord, give me patience, generosity and meekness. Lord, root Your good fear in my heart. Lord, grant me to love You with all my soul and thoughts and to fulfill Your will in everything. Lord protect me from evil people, demons and passions and from everything harmful to me. Lord, do according to Your permission whatever You want, Your will be done over me, a sinner, for You are blessed forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer 8, to our Lord Jesus Christ
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of Thy most honorable Mother, and Thy disembodied Angels, Thy Prophet and Forerunner and Baptist, the God-speaking Apostle, the bright and virtuous martyrs, the reverend and God-bearing fathers, and all the saints through the prayers, deliver me from this present situation
demonic 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.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the prayers of Your Most Honest Mother, Your disembodied Angels, as well as Your Prophet Forerunner and Baptist, the preaching apostles, the bright and victorious martyrs, the reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, deliver me from the present attack of demons. Oh, my Lord and Creator, who does not desire the death of a sinner, but awaits his conversion and life, grant conversion to me, the accursed and unworthy; take me out of the mouth of the destructive serpent, eager to devour me and bring me alive to hell. Oh, my Lord, my consolation, for the sake of me, fallen, clothed in corruptible flesh, deliver me from misfortune and give consolation to my soul, worthy of regret. Inspire my heart to fulfill Your commands and leave evil deeds and receive Your blessedness, for in You, Lord, I trust, save me.
Prayer to the Mother of God, St. Peter of Studium
To Thee, O Most Pure Mother of God, I fall down and pray: Behold, O Queen, how I continually sin and anger Thy Son and my God, and many times when I repent, I find myself lying before God, and I repent in trembling: will the Lord strike me, and every hour again I create; I pray to this leader, my Lady, Lady Theotokos, to have mercy, strengthen me, and grant me good works. Believe me, my Lady Theotokos, for the Imam is by no means in hatred of my evil deeds, and with all my thoughts I love the law of my God; But we do not know, Most Pure Lady, from where I hate, I love, but I transgress what is good. Do not allow, O Most Pure One, my will to be fulfilled, for it is not pleasing, but let the will of Thy Son and my God be done: may He save me, and enlighten me, and give me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that I may cease from here from filthiness, and so on may I live as commanded Thy Son, to Him belongs all glory, honor and power, with His Originless Father, and His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
Falling down to You, the Most Pure Mother of God, I, unfortunate one, pray: You know, Queen, how I constantly sin and anger Your Son and my God. And although I repent many times, I turn out to be a liar before God, and I repent again with fear, and immediately do the same again: will the Lord really strike me down? Knowing this, my Lady, Lady Theotokos, I pray that she will have mercy and strengthen me and teach me to do good. For you know, my Lady, Mother of God, that I completely abhor my evil deeds and with all my thoughts I love the law of my God, but I don’t know, Most Pure Lady, why I don’t do good, but do evil that I don’t want. Do not allow, Most Pure One, my evil will to be fulfilled, but let the will of Your Son and my God be done, Who will save me, enlighten me and give me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that from now on I will stop doing bad things, and the rest of the time I will live according to the commandments of Your Son, to whom belongs all glory, honor and power are with His Originless Father and His Most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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