Orthodox prayers. morning prayers

For our readers: a short prayer rule for morning and evening with a detailed description from various sources.

Prayer book

Brief Prayer Book

Foreword Morning PrayersPrayers for the Future SleepThe layman's prayer rule consists of morning and evening prayers, which are performed daily. This rhythm is necessary, because otherwise the soul easily falls out of the life of prayer, as if waking up only from time to time. In prayer, as in any big and difficult task, inspiration, mood and improvisation alone are not enough.

There is a complete prayer rule, designed for monks and spiritually experienced laity, which is printed in the 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. Usually confessors advise to start with several prayers, and then add one prayer to the rule every 7-10 days, so that the ability to read the rule develops gradually and naturally.

In addition, situations sometimes arise among the laity when there is little time left for prayer, and in this case it is better to read a short rule with attention and reverence than hastily and superficially, without a prayerful mood, mechanically read out the full rule.

Thus, cultivating a reasonable attitude to the rule of prayer, St. Theophan the Recluse writes to one family person:

“Bless, Lord, and continue to pray according to your rule. But never bind yourself to a rule and think that there is anything of value in having such a rule or always making it. The whole price is in the heart before God falling down. The saints write that if someone does not depart from prayer as a condemned person, worthy of any punishment from the Lord, then such a person departs from it as a Pharisee. Another said: “standing at prayer, stand as at the Last Judgment, when God’s decisive decision about you is ready to come out: depart or come.”

Formality and mechanism in prayer should be avoided in every possible way. Let this every time be a matter of deliberate free decision, and do it with consciousness and feeling, and not somehow. In case you need to be able to shorten the rule. You never know accidents in family life?.. You can, for example, in the morning and in the evening, when there is no time, to read only the morning prayers and for the coming sleep. You can even not read all of them, but several. You can read nothing 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 a slave. A servant only of God, obliged to devote all the minutes of her life to please Him.

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

In the morning it includes:

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

In the evening it includes:

“King of Heaven”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Have mercy on us, Lord”, “Eternal God”, “Good King”, “Angel of Christ”, from “Choose Governor” to “It is worthy to eat”.

morning prayers

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

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

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

Lord's Prayer

Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, Blessed Mary, the Lord is with you; Blessed are you in women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, as if the Savior gave birth to our souls.

Prayer to the Holy Trinity

Having risen from sleep, I thank Thee, Holy Trinity, for many, for the sake of Thy goodness and long-suffering, have not been angry with me, lazy and sinful, below have destroyed me with my iniquities; but you usually loved humanity and in the hopelessness of the lying one raised me up, in a hedgehog to matine and glorify Your power. And now enlighten my mental eyes, open my mouth to learn Thy words, and understand Thy commandments, and do Thy will, and sing Thee in confession of the heart, and sing of Thy all-holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever centuries. Amen.

Come, let us worship our King God. (Bow)

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

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of Thy mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Wash me most of all from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for I know my iniquity, and my sin before me is taken out. I have sinned against you alone and done evil before you, as if you were justified in your words, and conquered when you judge Thee. Behold, in iniquities I was conceived, and in sins my mother gave birth to me. Behold, thou hast loved the truth; the unknown and secret wisdom of Thy revealed to me. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Give joy and joy to my hearing; the bones of the humble will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create a pure heart in me, 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 from me. Reward me the joy of Your salvation and confirm me with the dominating Spirit. I will teach the wicked in Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from blood, O God, God of my salvation; my tongue rejoices in thy righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will proclaim your praise. As if you would have desired sacrifices, you would have given them: you do not favor burnt offerings. Sacrifice to God the spirit is broken; a contrite and humble heart God will not despise. Please, O Lord, with Thy favor Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, an offering and a burnt offering; then they will offer bullocks on your altar.

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, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, Whom all was. For us for the sake of man and for our sake of salvation, he descended from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin and became human. Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And resurrected on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And the packs of the future with glory to judge the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, 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 look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come. Amen.

First Prayer of Saint Macarius the Great

God, cleanse me a sinner, for I have done no good before Thee; but deliver me from the evil one, and let Thy will be in me, but without condemnation I will open my unworthy mouth and praise Your holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever Amen.

To Thee, O Lord, Lover of mankind, I have risen from sleep, and I strive for Thy works by Thy mercy, and I pray to Thee: help me at all times, in all things, and deliver me from every evil worldly thing and the devil's haste, and save me, and enter into your eternal kingdom. Thou art my Creator and Provider and Giver of every good, all my hope is in Thee, and I send glory to Thee, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel

Holy Angel, stand before my accursed soul and my passionate life, do not leave me a sinner, depart from me below for my intemperance. Give no place to the crafty demon to possess me, the violence of this mortal body; strengthen my poor and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation. Hey, holy angel of God, guardian and patron of my damned soul and body, forgive me all, insult you with great insults all the days of my stomach, and if I have sinned this past night, cover me this present day, and save me from every temptation of the opposite Yes, in no sin will I anger God, and pray for me to the Lord, may he confirm me in His fear, and show me worthy of His servant of goodness. Amen.

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos

My Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos, with Thy holy and all-powerful supplications, expel from me, Thy humble and cursed servant, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, negligence, and all filthy, crafty and blasphemous thoughts from my wretched heart and from my darkened mind; and extinguish the flame of my passions, for I am poor and cursed. And deliver me from many and fierce memories and enterprises, and from all the actions of evil free me. As if you are blessed from all generations, and Your honorable name is glorified forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer 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.

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

Give rest, O Lord, to 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.

It is worthy to eat as if truly blessed Theotokos, Blessed and Immaculate and Mother of our God. The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, without the corruption of God the Word, who gave birth to the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee. **

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

Prayers for the dream to come

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of Truth, Who is everywhere and fills everything, Treasury of the good and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed, our souls.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times)

Our Father, Who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven and on earth. 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 the evil one.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; bewildering any answer, we offer this prayer as the Lord of sin: have mercy on us.

Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, we put our trust in Thee; do not be angry with us, remember our iniquities below, but look now as if you are merciful, and deliver us from our enemies; Thou art our God, and we are Thy people, all works by Thy hand, and we call on Thy name.

And now: Open the doors of Mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, hoping in Thee, let us not perish, but let us be delivered from troubles by Thee: Thou art the salvation of the Christian race.

Lord have mercy. (12 times)

Prayer 1, of St. Macarius the Great, to God the Father, God eternal and King of all creation, having made me even at this hour to sing, forgive my sins, even if I have done this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, Lord, my humble soul from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And give me, O Lord, to pass in peace in this night of sleep, and having arisen from my humble bed, I will please your most holy name, all the days of my stomach, and I will stop the fleshly and incorporeal enemies that fight me. And deliver me, O 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 forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos of the Blessed King Mother, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Your Son and our God on my passionate soul and guide me with your prayers to good deeds, but the rest of my life I will pass away without a blemish and I will find heaven with You, Virgin Mother of God , one Pure and Blessed.

Prayer to the holy guardian angel, the angel of Christ, my holy guardian and patron of my soul and body, forgive me all, the fir-tree I have sinned this day, and deliver me from all the wickedness of my enemy, but in no sin will I anger my God; but pray for me a sinful and unworthy slave, as if I were worthy, show the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.

The chosen Governor is victorious, as if having got rid of the evil ones, thankfully we will write down Ti Thy servants, the Mother of God, but as if having an invincible power, from all troubles of freedom, let us call Ty; Rejoice, Unbrided Bride.

I place all my hope in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your shelter.

Virgin Mother of God, do not despise me, a sinner, requiring Your help and Your intercession, my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.

Prayer of St. Joannicius

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

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the 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 bestowing life on those in the tombs.” (Thrice) From the Ascension to the Trinity, we begin prayers with “Holy God ...”, omitting all the previous ones. This remark also applies to prayers for the coming sleep.

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

** From Pascha to Ascension, instead of this prayer, the refrain and irmos of the 9th song of the Paschal canon are read:

“An angel crying out more graciously: Pure Virgin, rejoice! And pack the river: rejoice! Your Son is risen three days from the tomb and raised up the dead; folks, have fun! Shine, shine, new Jerusalem, the glory of the Lord is upon you. Rejoice now and rejoice, Sione. But you, Pure One, show off, Mother of God, about the rise of Your Nativity.

These remarks also apply to prayers for the coming sleep.

Compiled using materials from the book:

How to learn to pray at home. Moscow, "The Ark", 2004. Trifonov Pechenga Monastery

The Orthodox believer differs from worldly people in that in everyday life he keeps the commandments of God and abides in prayer. The prayer rule for beginners is the reading of certain invocations to the Almighty and the saints in order to acquire a closer knowledge of the Creator.

What are the rules for?

Experienced Christians know them by heart, but every Orthodox person should have a “Prayer Book” filled with texts of appeals not only for morning and evening, but for all occasions.

A prayer rule is a list of prayers. For morning and evening there is a general order of sacred reading. In each individual case, the spiritual mentor corrects the prayer law, taking into account the degree of employment of a person, his place of residence and spiritual age.

Prayer rule

Often novice believers rebel against reading texts written by saints in hard-to-read language. The prayer book was written on the basis of appeals to the Lord of people who accomplished the feat of faith, lived in purity and worship of Jesus Christ and were led by the Holy Spirit.

The first model, which became an integral part of the prayer rule for morning and evening prayers, was given to His followers by the Savior Himself. "Our Father" is the main invocation with which Orthodox believers begin and end the day. Daily reading of the prayer book becomes a habit that fills the soul with God's wisdom.

The Church offers a prayer rule for beginners so that the infant soul in Christianity grows in actions pleasing to the Creator.

A daily conversation with the Creator is a live communication, not an empty phrase. The boldness of communication with the almighty God involves speaking with the right words, in which there is no emptiness.

Important! Turning to the Almighty, the Orthodox are then filled with God's knowledge and His protection, when they leave the fuss and completely immerse themselves in prayer.

How to Behave in Prayer Fellowship

Prayer communion of all Orthodox Christians is performed while standing, only the elderly and sick people can sit. While reading the prayer book in recognition of their sinfulness and imperfection, showing humility, people bow, some to the waist, while others make prostrations.

Prayer fellowship with God

Some Orthodox perform prayer communion on their knees. The holy apostles opposed such worship, explaining that only slaves kneel, children do not need to do this. (Gal. 4:7) However, having committed some kind of sin, it is not forbidden to kneel in humility, begging for forgiveness.

Beginning believers sometimes do not know how to correctly make the sign of the cross. The fingers of the right hand should be folded as follows:

press the little finger and ring finger to the palm, they mean that Jesus was God and man at the same time;
put the thumb, index and middle fingers together, three-fingered, as a symbol of the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

How to be baptized

Drawing a cross in the air, with folded fingers touch the middle of the forehead, then lower the hand just below the navel, move to the right, and then the left shoulder, only after that they bow.

A careless attitude to the sign of the cross, according to Chrysostom, causes joy only among demons. The sign of the cross, made with faith in reverence, is filled with God's grace and is a frightening force for demonic attacks.

Before reading spiritual texts, you should try to get rid of vain thoughts, this is sometimes not easy, so try to imagine the great sacrifice of Christ and your presence before Him in this world.

Never make your prayers "for show", in the spiritual world they will be an empty sound. Delve into every word of the appeal to the Savior, being filled with His grace and love.

Prayer Rule - Law or Grace

Many novice Orthodox are interested in the question, if prayer is a free appeal to the Creator, then why should it be adjusted to the law.

The Saratov abbot Pakhomiy, in response to such an appeal, clarifies that freedom and permissiveness should not be confused. The freedom of believers consists in the boldness of being before the throne of the Most High, which sinners and the unbaptized cannot afford. Permissiveness returns the believer to his former life, and then it is much more difficult to return under the grace of appeals to the Savior.

In the spiritual world, there is no consensus regarding the duration and order of prayer before the Almighty. Some people stay in reverent worship for hours, while others cannot stand even half an hour.

Regular, constant pastime in reading prayers will help to develop the habit of daily communication with the Creator, let it be 15 minutes in the evening.

Prayer rule

First you need to purchase the "Prayer Book" and read it. Sometimes an Orthodox person understands that reading out of duty turns into an empty habit, if this happens, then you can go, as St. Theophan the Recluse did, to reading psalms and scriptures from the Bible.

The main thing is to be filled with the worship of the Creator every day, to enter into His presence, to feel His protection during the day. The Evangelist Matthew wrote that in order to conquer the Kingdom of God, force must be exerted. (Mat. 11:12)

Help for the Beginning Prayer

For Orthodox believers, there are three prayer lists.

The complete prayer rule is designed for spiritually steadfast believers, which include monks and clergy.
The prayer rule for all the laity consists of a list of prayers read in the morning and evening, a list of which can be found in the Prayer Book:

in the morning: “King of Heaven”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “Rising from sleep”, “Have mercy on me, God”, “I believe”, “God, cleanse”, “To You, Master”, “ Holy Angele”, “Most Holy Lady”, invocation of the saints, prayer for the living and the dead;
in the evening: “King of Heaven”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Have mercy on us, Lord”, “Eternal God”, “Good King”, “Angel of Christ”, from “Choose Governor” to “It is worthy to eat”.

Seraphim of Sarov offered another short prayer rule for those laity who, for some reason, are limited in time or are in unpredictable circumstances.

Icon of Seraphim of Sarov

It consists of reciting each prayer three times:

"Our Father";
"Virgin Mother of God, rejoice";
"I believe."

Particular attention should be paid to reading spiritual appeals to the Supreme Creator and Savior during the period of fasting, before accepting the Sacrament of Communion and at the hour of difficult life trials.

Advice! The grace of God accompanies those who began communion with God in the morning, before breakfast, and finished by reading spiritual texts before dinner.

Moral Preparation for Worship

For a novice Orthodox believer, it is advisable to purchase a "Prayer Book" in modern Russian in order to read what is written, to delve into every word, being filled with its power and grace, to receive guidance and support.

This is the advice of Nicodemus the Holy Mountaineer, which points out the importance of understanding every word of the text being read. Over time, many texts are stored in memory and read by heart.

Before reading the Prayer Book, one should ask the Holy Spirit to show if there are remnants of resentment, bitterness or irritation in the heart. Mentally forgive all the offenders and ask for forgiveness from those who were treated unfairly, this is how the Orthodox pray.

According to Tikhon of Zadonsky, all negativism should be abandoned, because, as Gregory of Nyssa wrote, the Creator is Kind, Righteous, Patient, Lover of mankind, Kindhearted, Merciful, the purpose of the prayer rule is to transform into the image of the Creator, to acquire all the qualities for humanity.

Reading prayers at home

Jesus Christ taught in order to communicate with Him to go to one's prayer room, closing the doors from the outside world. Every Orthodox family has a corner with icons, however, it is less and less common to find a lamp there.

Red corner in the house

Before starting to worship God, you should light a candle, it is advisable to purchase it in the temple. The family, and this is the prototype of the church, has its own rules for those who pray in solitude, and some prefer to do it together, because the strengthened prayer of the righteous can do a lot. (James 5:16)

Theophan the Recluse, who spent a lot of time in worship of God, writes that there is no need to rush when starting prayers. Having made the sign of the cross, having bowed, one should be silent for a moment, entering into a state of worship and reverence before God. Each word of prayer must come from the heart, it must not only be understood, but also felt.

Reading "Our Father";

give praise to the Creator Who is in Heaven;
submit your life to His will;
really forgive the debts, misdeeds of other people, for these are the necessary conditions for God to forgive each of the Orthodox;
ask Him for mercy in solving all material problems with the words “give us our daily bread for this day”;
establish over yourself protection from demons and satanic temptations;
proclaim the power of God in your life and His protection over you and your family.

If during the reading of the “Prayer Book” a desire appeared in your heart to ask God for some need, do not put it off for later, but immediately bring it before the prayer throne of the Almighty.

The Lord teaches His children to be constant and persevering in prayer by the example of a poor widow (Luke 18:2-6), no petition will go unanswered by Him. It is very important during communication with the Savior to discard all haste, only in a meaningful appeal can one reach out to God.

On the advice of Vladyka Anthony, in order not to be distracted by time when it is limited, you should wind up the clock so that the bell rings at the right moment. It does not matter how long the prayer rule lasts and how many prayers are read, the main thing is that they are completely dedicated to God.

Saint Ignatius calls regular prayers for sinners hard work, the righteous experience pleasure from communion with the saints and the Trinity.

If thoughts “run away”, there is no need to rush, one should return to where the scattered reading of the spiritual invocation began and start all over again. It will help to focus on the text being read by saying all the appeals out loud. It is not for nothing that they say that prayers read silently are heard by God, and those spoken aloud by demons.

Silouan of Athos noted that God does not hear the words spoken with empty thoughts and worldly deeds.

Silouan of Athos

The spirit of prayer strengthens from regularity, as the body of an athlete from training. Having finished praying, do not immediately “pounce” on worldly vain affairs, give yourself a few more minutes of being in God's grace.

Is it necessary to read prayers during the day

Once having dedicated their lives to the Lord, Orthodox people are under His protection all their lives.

Throughout the whole vain day, one should not forget to call on the mercy of the Father with the words “Bless, God!”, having passed through the test, having received a reward or blessing, having done a successful deed, do not forget to give all the glory to the Creator with the words “Glory to you, my God!” Getting into trouble, in case of illness and danger, cry out: “Save me, God!” and He will hear.

Before eating, one should not forget to thank the Creator for the food given, ask for His blessing to accept it.

Constantly abiding in prayer, having acquired the habit at any moment to cry out, thank, ask, repent before God with all his heart, and not with empty words, an Orthodox person becomes God-thinking. God-thinking helps to understand the goodness of the Creator, the existence of the Heavenly Kingdom, and brings the Orthodox closer to God.

Video about the fulfillment of the prayer rule

Date of publication or update 05/01/2017

A short prayer rule for the laity

"Every Christian should have a rule." (St. John Chrysostom)

“If you create a rule without laziness, then you will receive a great reward from God and remission of sins.” (St. Innocent of Irkutsk)

I. Initial bows

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Stay a little, silently, and then pray slowly with the fear of God, if possible, then with tears, firmly believing that “the Holy Spirit strengthens us in our weaknesses: for we do not know what to pray for, and how we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings” (Rom. 8:26).

God, be merciful to me a sinner (bow).

God, cleanse my sins and have mercy on me (bow).

Having created me, Lord, have mercy on me (bow).

No number of sins. Lord, forgive me (bow).

My mistress, Most Holy Theotokos, save me a sinner (bow).

Angel, my holy guardian, save me from all evil (bow).

Holy (your Saint's name), pray to God for me (bow).

II. Initial prayers

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

The King of Heaven, the Comforter, the Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything. Treasure of the good and life to the Giver, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed, our souls. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal; have mercy on us (thrice).

Note. During the time from Holy Pascha to Pentecost, the prayer to the Holy Spirit - “King of Heaven” is not read. On the week of St. Easter does not read all the trisagion, but is replaced by the troparion "Christ is Risen ..." three times. Also, before Easter is given, instead of “It is worthy to eat, as it truly is,” one reads or sings: “Shine, shine, new Jerusalem: the glory of the Lord is exalted upon You; rejoice now and rejoice in Zion, you are the Pure Mother of God, about the rise of your Nativity.

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us: Lord, cleanse our sins; Lord, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for the sake of Your name.

Lord, have mercy (three times).

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and forever, and throughout the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, Who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, as in heaven and on earth. 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 the evil one.

Come, let us bow to the King of our God (bow).

Come, let us bow down and fall down to Christ, the King of our God (bow).

Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the Tsar and our God (bow).

Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and in sins give birth to me, my mother. Behold, thou didst love the truth, Thy obscure and secret wisdom revealed to me. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Give joy and gladness to my ears, the bones of the humble will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins, and cleanse all my iniquities. Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Give me the joy of Your salvation, and confirm me with the Sovereign Spirit. I will teach the wicked in Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Spare me the blood. O God, God of my salvation, my tongue shall rejoice in Thy righteousness, O Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth shall proclaim Thy praise. As if you would have desired sacrifices, you would have given them, you would not favor burnt offerings. Sacrifice to God, the spirit is broken, the heart is contrite and humble, God will not despise. Please, O Lord, with Thy favor Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; then they will offer calves on Your altar. (Psalm 50.)

1. I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.

2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten. Who is born from the Father before all ages. Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, Whom all was.

3. For us, man, and for our salvation, who descended from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became human.

4. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried.

5. And resurrected on the third day according to the Scriptures.

6. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;

7. And the packs of the coming with glory to judge the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.

8. 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.

9. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

10. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

11. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead;

12. And the life of the future age. Amen.

Morning prayer (read only in the morning)

To Thee, Lord, Lover of mankind, having risen from sleep, I resort to Thy deeds and strive by Thy mercy; and I pray to Thee: help me at all times, in all things, and deliver me from every evil worldly thing and the devil's haste, and save me and lead me into Your eternal kingdom. You are my Creator, and the Providence and Giver of every good, all my hope is in You, and I send glory to You, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Evening prayer (read only in the evening)

Lord our God, if I have sinned in these days in word, deed and thought, for I am Good and Lover of mankind, forgive me. Peaceful sleep and serene grant me; Send your guardian angel, covering and keeping me from all evil; for you are the guardian of our souls and our bodies, and we send glory to you. Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever, and throughout the ages of ages. Amen.

Virgin Mary, rejoice. Gracious Mary, the Lord is with you: blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, as if you gave birth to our souls as the Savior.

Weaken, leave, forgive, God, our sins, free and involuntary, even in word and in deed, even in knowledge and not in knowledge, even in days and nights, even in mind and in thought: forgive us all, as Good and Humanitarian.

Forgive those who hate and offend us, Lord, Lover of mankind. Bless those who do good. Grant to our brethren and relatives even for the salvation of petitions and eternal life: visit the infirmities of beings, and grant healing. Izhe govern the sea. Travel travel. Conquer the Emperor. Grant forgiveness to those who serve and pardon us of sins. Those who have commanded us unworthy to pray for them, have mercy on the greatness of Your mercy. Remember, Lord, our father and brothers who have fallen asleep before, and give them rest, where the light of Your face visits. Remember, Lord, our captive brethren, and deliver me from every circumstance. Remember, Lord, those who bear fruit and do good in Your holy churches, and grant them even salvation, petitions and eternal life. Remember, Lord, and us humble and sinful and unworthy servants of Thy, and enlighten our minds with the light of Thy mind, and guide us on the path of Thy commandments with the prayers of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and all Thy Saints, as blessed be Thou forever and ever. Amen (bow).

Memorial of the Living

Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father (his name), and with his holy prayers forgive my sins (bow). Save, Lord, and have mercy on my parents (their names), brothers and sisters, and my relatives according to the flesh, and all the neighbors of my family, and friends, and grant them Your peace and peace of good (bow).

Save, Lord, and have mercy on those who hate and offend me and do misfortune to me, and do not leave them to perish for the sake of a sinner (bow).

Hasten, Lord, to enlighten the ignorant of Thee (pagans) with the light of Your Gospel, and blinded by destructive heresies and schism, enlighten and unite to Your Holy Apostolic and Catholic Church (bow).

About the departed

Remember, Lord, the souls of Thy servants who have fallen asleep, my parents (their names) and all relatives in the flesh; and forgive them all sins, free and involuntary, grant them the Kingdom and the communion of Your eternal good and Your endless and blessed life pleasure (bow).

Grant, Lord, the forgiveness of sins to all the fathers who have departed in the faith and hope of the resurrection, our brothers and sisters, and create eternal memory for them (thrice).

End of prayers

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

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

It is worthy to eat as truly blessed Thee, the Mother of God, the Blessed and Immaculate and Mother of our God. The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, without the corruption of God the Word, who gave birth to the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Lord have mercy (three times). bless.

Vacation

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and the saint (remember this Holy Day) and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen. (three bows).

Note 1st. In the morning, without having prayed, do not proceed to food or drink, or to any business. Before starting any work, pray like this: “Lord, bless! In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen". At the end of the work, say: “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee! Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and throughout the ages of ages. Amen".

Before eating food, read: “Our Father” ... to the end, then bless the food and drink with the cross. (In the family, the elder in the house blesses.) At the end of the meal (food), read “It is worthy to eat as truly ...” to the end, for the Blessed Virgin Mary, through the birth of the Son of God, gave the whole world “true food and true drink” (John 6, 55 ), i.e. Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout the day, keep in your heart the shortest, but the most saving prayer: “Lord, have mercy!” ...

Note 2. If you have an urgent task ahead of you and you are very busy with work, or if you are in weakness, then never read the rules hastily without due attention, do not anger God, and do not multiply your sins: it is better to read one prayer slowly, reverently, than several prayers hastily , hastily. Therefore, a very busy person should, with the blessing of the Monk Martyr Macarius of Kanevsky, read one prayer - “Our Father ...” If you have a little more time, then, with the blessing of St. Seraphim of Sarov miracle. - read “Our Father” three times, “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”, three times and “I Believe” - once.

Note 3. If, on the contrary, you have quite a bit of free time, then by no means spend it idly, because idleness is the mother of vices, but even if you were no longer capable of labor due to illness or old age, fill your time with a feat of prayer, so that you will gain great mercy from the Lord God.

(The text is based on the book: Bishop Pavel of Nikolsk-Ussuri; “From the Holy Font to the Sepulcher”, 1915)

This section presents a short morning prayer rule in Old Church Slavonic in modern script, which is suitable for lay beginners.

All prayers of the morning rule in a row:

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Predestinatory prayer

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

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

King of Heaven, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fills everything, Treasury of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed, our souls.

Trisagion

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

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.

Lord's Prayer

Our Father, Thou art in heaven!

Hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven and on earth.

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 the evil one.

Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, Gracious Mary, the Lord is with you;

Blessed are you in women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, for you gave birth to the Savior of our souls.

Prayer to the Holy Trinity

Having risen from sleep, thank Thee, Holy Trinity, for for the sake of Thy goodness and long-suffering, Thou didst not be angry with me, lazy and sinful, lower Thou didst destroy me with my sinners;

but Thou didst love mankind as usual, and in the hopelessness of the lying one lifted me up, in a hedgehog to wake up and glorify Thy power.

And now enlighten my mental eyes, open my mouth to learn Thy words, and understand Thy commandments, and do Thy will,

and sing to Thee in confession of the heart, and sing of Thy all-holy name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.

Come, let us worship the King our God. (Bow)

Come, let us bow down and bow down to Christ, the King of our God. (Bow)

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

Psalm 50

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of Thy mercies cleanse my iniquity.

First of all, wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin;

for I know my iniquity, and my sin before me is taken out.

I have sinned against Thee alone, and done evil before Thee, as if Thou shalt be justified in Thy words, and overcome when You judge.

Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and in sins my mother gave birth to me.

Behold, thou hast loved the truth;

the unknown and secret wisdom of thy revealed to me.

Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Give joy and joy to my hearing;

the bones of the humble shall rejoice.

Turn away Your face from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities.

Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.

Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Give me the joy of Your salvation and confirm me with the dominating Spirit.

I will teach the wicked in Your way, and the wicked will turn to You.

Deliver me from blood, O God, God of my salvation;

my tongue shall rejoice in thy righteousness.

Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

As if thou wouldst have desired sacrifices, thou wouldst have given them, but thou didst not favor burnt offerings.

Sacrifice to God the spirit is broken;

contrite and humble heart God will not despise.

Please, O Lord, with Thy good will Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built.

Then be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, the exaltation and the burnt offering;

then they will offer calves 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, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, Whom all was.

For the sake of us, for the sake of man and for our salvation, who descended from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin and became human.

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried.

And resurrected on the third day according to the Scriptures.

And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.

And the packs of the future with glory to judge the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son we worship and glorify, who spoke the prophets.

Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come.

Prayer 1st, Saint Macarius the Great

God, cleanse me a sinner, for I have done no good before You;

but deliver me from the evil one, and let Thy will be done in me, so that without condemnation I will open my unworthy mouth and praise Thy holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever.

Prayer 3, of the same saint

To Thee, O Lord, Lover of mankind, having risen from sleep, I run, and to Thy deeds I strive by Thy mercy, and I pray to Thee:

help me at all times, in all things, and deliver me from all worldly evil things and devilish haste, and save me, and lead me into Your eternal kingdom.

For you are my Creator and all good, the Provider and Giver, all my hope is in Thee, and I send glory to Thee, now and forever and forever and ever.

Prayer 9, to the Guardian Angel

Holy Angel, stand before my accursed soul and my passionate life, do not leave me a sinner, depart from me below for my intemperance.

Give no place to the crafty demon to possess me, the violence of this mortal body;

Strengthen my needy and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation.

Hey, holy angel of God, guardian and patron of my accursed soul and body, forgive me all, insult you all the days of my stomach,

and if you have sinned this past night, cover me on this present day, and save me from every temptation to the contrary, but in no sin will I anger God, and pray for me to the Lord, that he will confirm me in His fear, and a worthy servant will show me Your goodness.

Prayer 10, to the Most Holy Theotokos

The Most Holy Mother of Motherod's Motherod, Holy Men, Smrennago and Okayannago, is a slave, despondency, oblivion, nerazumiya, the nerazness, and all the bad, shook and the wiggle of the Okayannagigago of my heart and from the permanent mind of my mind;

and extinguish the flame of my passions, for I am poor and cursed.

And deliver me from many and fierce memories and enterprises, and free me from all evil actions.

As if you are blessed from all generations, and glorified is your honorable name forever and ever.

About living

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

About the departed

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

Every believing person should 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 each 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 morality.

In order to make it easier for believers to reach God, some holy people created special prayer rules that indicated when and where it was appropriate to read this or that prayer. Also, thanks to this list, it was possible to find out how many times a day it is necessary to turn to the Creator. The days of church holidays and sacraments, requiring special spiritual preparation from the laity, were especially distinguished. The most famous is the prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov for the laity, which we will tell you about today. In addition to it, we will touch on some additional nuances of turning to God in the article.

Prayer 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 not stopping for a minute. It is not necessary immediately after baptism to rush headlong into reading religious books and actively attend all services in the church. So you will not gain spiritual purity, but only get confused in your feelings and sensations.

It is worth starting your movement towards God with the study of the prayer rule, which will help you correctly clothe a spiritual impulse in words. Moreover, every minister of the church 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 causes him an incredible feeling of unity with the Creator, which pushes him to further self-improvement. And over time, prayer begins to cause such happiness that a special state of peace and tranquility descends on a person. Filled with such feelings, the believer can leave everyday affairs in order to immediately turn to God.

It is precisely such religious feelings that push people to leave for a monastery, because within its walls prayer takes on a completely different meaning - turned 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 cope with difficult monastic everyday life.

We have used such a phrase as "prayer rule" more than once in the article. Let's analyze this church term in more detail.

Prayer rule for the laity: a brief description

Since it is quite difficult for laymen who have just come to faith to accustom themselves to daily prayer, special collections have been compiled that help to correctly calculate their strength and turn to the Creator with a certain spiritual message.

Prayer rules were not invented overnight. Sometimes they were created by the holy elders at the request of the laity, while others appeared in connection with various church rituals. Be that as it may, but every Orthodox believer must adhere to a certain regulation that allows 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 communion with the Creator 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 occupation and bequeathed such a pastime to his spiritual children. Sometimes he even demanded many hours of daily prayer from his followers, and therefore he made up a rule for them that helps in difficult spiritual work.

Morning

Seraphim of Sarov believed that the new day should be met with the sign of the cross and the fulfillment of the morning prayer rule. The elder argued that in order to pray, a Christian should stand near the icons or in another place where nothing would distract him from communion 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 should be read three times, but for the last prayer, one time is enough. After fulfilling the rules, a person can proceed to his daily affairs and duties.

Day

Seraphim of Sarov advised not to forget about the prayer rule during the usual affairs. 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 a lunch meal without repeating the morning ritual, only after it you can 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 subtract:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Mother of God, have mercy on me a sinner";
"Holy Mother of God, save me a sinner."

The first of these texts is suitable for solitude, when you can completely surrender to turning to the Almighty. But the second is possible to read, doing business until going to bed.

Prayers meant for the evening

Naturally, a Christian cannot calmly fall into sleep without taking time for his God. The evening prayer rule is identical to the morning one, all words must be pronounced when you definitely no longer do business. At the conclusion of the prayer, the believer overshadows himself with the sign of the cross and can calmly lie down in bed.

Interestingly, it is customary for Christians to fall asleep only after turning to God, because in a dream a person can end his life, and there is nothing worse than appearing unprepared before the Creator. Therefore, every day believers end with a prayer and repent of their sins. Only this characterizes the true relationship between the soul and the Supreme.

Communion: preparation features

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 items that include a prayer rule before Communion.

First of all, a Christian must keep himself in bodily and spiritual purity, and also observe fasting. Usually, preparation for the sacrament lasts several days, on the evening before Communion, it is imperative to take part in church services, and read a few 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 frame of mind and not harbor evil on anyone. Only in such a 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 often get confused in the numerous rituals and rituals 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 hymns. So, on the eve of the holiday (on the night of Easter), the Orthodox 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 an 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 involves starting and ending the day with the Easter troparion. It is necessary to read it three times, but more times 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 should be read at least three times.

From Ascension to Trinity

If you are not strong in 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 by simply turning 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 coming holiday changes the order of reading prayers. 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 the Trinity.

During this period, which lasts ten days, the troparia to the Theotokos and the "King of Heaven, 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 a given life situation. Therefore, we decided to tell you a little about the Optina elders themselves.

So, Optina Pustyn is one of the oldest 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 was its monks, who quickly began to be called elders. All of them were not ordinary people, but had a number of characteristics that put them on the same level with recognized Orthodox saints during their lifetime.

The following characteristics can be safely attributed to the features of the Optina elders:

The gift of healing or predicting the future. Almost every one of the elders had some kind of gift received from above. But most often these holy people predicted the future or healed the seriously ill. 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 firm in the faith, no matter what happened in his life. This condition was one of the main ones for admission to the monastery, because only a true believer can help other people.
Service. The whole 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 the Orthodox in this world. Often people came to the monastery for confession, telling about all their sins. The elders prayed for human misdeeds for long hours 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, for many pilgrims they advised certain prayer rules, which 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 to be mandatory reading of twenty-seven texts. Among them, one can especially highlight:

Trisagion;
Symbol of faith;
prayer for the living;
prayer for the dead;
prayer to the Holy Trinity.

Optina elders advised to read prayers one time and in random order. The main attribute of turning to God is true faith and a thirst for communion with the Almighty. Only in this case the prayer will be effective and will 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 for one reason or another you cannot attend church services, then you should read the following texts at home during the day:

morning - twelve psalms, a prayer to the Mother of God, a daytime akathist;
evening prayer rule - the canon to the Guardian Angel, twelve psalms, chapters from the Gospel, the prayer "Weaken, leave";
for the coming sleep - the prayer "Everyday Confession".

Interestingly, the Optina elders allowed some deviations from these regulations. They believed that for certain reasons, the laity can completely and completely immerse themselves in everyday affairs. This may be due to some serious problems or illness. However, after the resolution of all problems, the Christian must return to his former religious behavior and devote time again to communion 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 will be able to find other religious texts, the reading of which will cause 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 has been heard. Many Christians consider this work, but in fact there is no greater joy than to work with the name of God on our lips and for His glory. Do not forget about daily prayer in the bustle of everyday life, and perhaps then the Lord will change your life.

Every person sometimes has in his soul an experience and suffering for loved ones or for himself. In difficult life moments, prayer to the Lord is simply necessary, because everyone who asks for help always receives it. But not all prayers are understandable, some seem long and some difficult to read. If it is difficult for you to read Church prayers, you can pray in your own words, that is, as your heart and soul suggest. You can also choose for yourself the simplest Orthodox prayers. Orthodox morning and evening prayer is short, will allow you to cleanse yourself spiritually and always feel easy and good.

Every believer should not only delve into the words of the prayer, but also meditate on them, and also do it correctly. The usual appeal to the Lord for help and gratitude is a prayer. God hears everyone, he sees everything we do and loves us. You need to pray only when there is no evil and resentment in the heart. If someone has greatly upset and offended you, first pray for his health and wish him well.

The correct reading of a prayer depends primarily on whether the believer does it. Reading time depends on closeness to the Lord. The clergy assure that the soul, which during the earthly life was not close to God, will be doomed to hellish torments. Believers will receive eternal bliss. We must turn to the Lord both in joy and in sorrow, not only in moments when we are in great need of something. If a person sincerely and wholeheartedly asks God for help, then the Almighty will surely hear and help him.

What are the prayers

God gives each person what he needs: health, well-being, abilities, sorrows. For this we must thank him, and reading prayers is the only way to express gratitude.

If a person has some kind of misfortune and misfortune, then you need to ask for help in order to solve the problem as soon as possible. For this, prayers of supplication should be read.
Prayers of repentance are read at the moments when a person wants to, they rest before the Lord for their sins.

When to Read the Morning and Evening Prayer

The exact time for reading prayers is clearly spelled out in the prayer book. Morning prayer should be read immediately after waking up, before the start of the day. Evening prayers are read at the end of the working day, and only after the person has done all the work. In the event that you are not going to sleep at night due to leaving for work, then you do not need to ask for a blessing for future sleep. The only thing you can read other prayers or the gospel.

Waking up in the morning, before any other deed, reverently cross yourself, imagining the Almighty right in front of you, say: In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen. Further, bringing thoughts and feelings to full agreement, rejecting earthly worries, finding inner peace, read the following: God, be merciful to me a sinner. (The Gospel of Luke, ch. 28, verse 15) Having spoken such a short, but very weighty appeal to the publican, bow as if the Lord were before you.

Lord: Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven and on earth. 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 the evil one.

Why ritual is needed

In any case, visiting God's house requires the observance of certain rituals. It often seems to a believer, especially a newly churched one, that he can reach everything on his own, and rituals only complicate life. Perhaps there are people who can keep the commandments anyway, but in reality it is easy to stray from the true path, forgetting about very simple rules. How to start the day? What to think about in the first moments after waking up? For example, morning prayer for beginner Muslims requires compliance with nine indispensable conditions, including a clear chronology, adulthood, sound mind, ritual cleanliness, neatness of clothes, covering the awrah (established parts of the body), turning towards Mecca and obligatory good-heartedness, expressed in the desire to turn to Allah. Similar and largely similar rules exist among Orthodox Christians. Compliance with the established canons disciplines, sets in advance for such an important moment of the day as the morning appeal to the Creator of all things.

How to Prepare for Home Prayer

Experiencing a craving for God, a believer is very often embarrassed to show his feelings to others. Alas, there are often cases of misunderstanding on the part of neighbors and acquaintances, who believe that since their colleague or friend went to the temple, this indicates some kind of his “special” sin. In addition, it happens that a tactless remark by a parishioner who considers himself "experienced in this matter" will bring even more confusion into the soul of someone who comes to church with a pure heart. That is why the first morning prayer (Orthodox) for beginners is most often said at home, in front of a modest icon, and it is very simple. But while reading it, you should remember a few important rules. The main of them, of course, is considered a peaceful and good state of mind, without this the voice of a person will not be heard. You should wash yourself and take care of worthy clothes, even if none of the household is present during the Lord's prayer. This is not about outfits, but about a clean and modest dress. Then, in front of the image, you need to light a lamp from a candle, and take a prayer book in your hands. We can assume that the preparations are completed.

Morning prayers for beginners are varied, you can choose the most suitable one for the circumstances. The first important step in the path of the convert is to renounce Satan and connect with Christ. If prayer takes place in a limited time (for example, before leaving for work), then it will not be long. You should thank God for the night that passed safely, and then you can read the very short prayer of the publican: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." What is important is not the duration of the actions taken, but the depth of the feeling, and the more sincere it is, the more useful the morning prayer is for the soul. The Orthodox Church does not accept the pharisaic approach, according to which the most important role is assigned to the process of observing rituals to the detriment of the spiritual content. It is better to think about God for a few minutes than to worry about the pedantic observance of the ritual for an hour.

New parishioner goes to church

It is good to pray at home, but a person comprehends the true triumph of religious feeling while being among like-minded people. Sooner or later, every believer understands this and goes to church. The rules are just as simple: you need to tune in to peace of mind, wash yourself, read a short prayer (you can use the prayer book) and leave the house. They go to the temple without breakfast - this will be in time (the rule does not apply to the sick and infirm). You need to dress appropriately, especially women, whose head should be covered with a scarf, and the skirt (not pants!) Should have a decent length.

Men, if possible, should also avoid the artificially aged (to the state of tatters) jeans, which are popular in our time, and similar trendy things.

They enter the temple after crossing themselves and bowing three times. You can start your morning prayers. It is important for beginners to remain calm and kind to everyone, especially those who make remarks that may seem offensive.

What words to pray

The texts in the prayer book are printed in Church Slavonic. Service is conducted on it - such is the tradition. However, one should not lose heart (this is generally a sin), the meaning of obscure expressions soon becomes clear. It is best to master the two most important texts: “Our Father” and “The Creed” (they end the liturgy). By the way, any of them is a great morning prayer for beginners. In Russian, their meaning is quite understandable if you know that “right hand” means on the right hand, and other ambiguities will pass by themselves. The need to know these prayers is due to their common performance at the end of the service, the same fact explains the ease of remembering them after repeated repetition.

comprehend gradually

The Lord is omnipresent and He understands everything. It is not so important whether morning prayers are said in Church Slavonic, modern Russian or any other language. For beginners, it is quite acceptable to get by with the usual vocabulary, entering the world of Orthodoxy gradually, mastering the accepted norms of behavior and rituals. If a person decides to turn to God, everything else will come to him by itself. Excessive zeal should not be shown, so that it does not work out, as in the saying about a famous character who broke his forehead. It is not necessary to be baptized during the reading of psalms and singing. On Sundays, on Christmas holidays, on the Transfiguration and Exaltation, prostrations do not beat. But these are already subtleties, you can’t take an exam on them.

In the meantime, any morning prayer will do: to the Guardian Angel, the Mother of God, Christ, all the saints, the Archangels and our other intercessors before the Almighty.

God bless you!

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