Prayers must be read in the evening. How to read prayers at home
Saint Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) wrote in his Teaching on the Rule of Prayer: “The rule! What an exact name, borrowed from the very action produced on a person by prayers, called the rule! The rule of prayer directs the soul correctly and holily, teaches it to worship God in Spirit and Truth (John 4:23), while the soul, being left to itself, could not follow the right path of prayer. Because of her injury and darkening by sin, she would incessantly turn aside, often into an abyss, now into absent-mindedness, now into daydreaming, then into various empty and deceptive phantoms of high prayerful states composed by her vanity and voluptuousness.
The prayer rules keep the worshiper in a saving disposition, humility and repentance, teaching him unceasing self-condemnation, nourishing him with compunction, strengthening him with hope in the All-Good and All-Merciful God, amusing him with the peace of Christ, love for God and for neighbors.
From these words of the saint it is clear that it is very salutary to read the morning and evening prayer rule. It spiritually pulls a person out of the turmoil of night dreams or daytime worries and places him before God. And the human soul enters into communion with its Creator. The grace of the Holy Spirit descends on a person, brings him into the necessary repentant mood, gives him inner peace and harmony, drives away demons from him (“This kind is cast out only by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:21), sends God’s blessing and strength to him especially since prayers were written by holy people: Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom, St. Macarius the Great, etc. That is, the very structure of the rule is very useful for the human soul.
Therefore, of course, reading the daily morning and evening prayer rule, so to speak, is a necessary minimum for an Orthodox Christian. And it doesn't take much time. For someone who has entered the skill of reading, it takes about twenty minutes in the morning and the same amount in the evening.
If you can't read morning rule all at once, then break it into several parts. “Hat” from the beginning to “Lord have mercy” (12 times), inclusive, can, for example, be read at home; the following prayers - during breaks in work or their daily activities. In this, of course, you need to confess, but it's better than not reading at all. We are all people, and it is clear that we are very sinful and busy. You also regulate the end of morning prayers for yourself. This concerns the commemorator. You can read the extended commemoration or the abbreviated one. At your discretion, depending on the time available.
A fairly common mistake of a novice Orthodox Christian is to read the evening prayer rule just before going to bed. You sway, stagger, mumble the words of a prayer, and you yourself think about how to lie down in bed under a warm blanket and fall asleep. So it turns out - not prayer, but torment. Obligatory hard labor before going to 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 sisters, have paid attention, then before this prayer there is a prayer of forgiveness: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son God... have mercy on us. Amen". It really is a vacation. You can read the evening prayers before him, inclusive, long before bedtime: at six, seven, eight o'clock in the evening. Then go about your daily evening activities. You can still eat and drink tea, as Father Nikon said, to chat with loved ones.
And already starting with the prayer “Lord Lover of Man…” and to the end, the rule is read immediately before going to bed. During the prayer "Let God rise again" you need to cross yourself and you can cross your bed and house on the four cardinal points (starting from Orthodox tradition from the east), protecting themselves, loved ones and their homes 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 Your hands, Lord ..." you ask for a blessing from God on good dream and commit your soul to Him. After that, you should go to bed.
I would also like to draw your attention, dear brothers and sisters, to the rule Reverend Seraphim Sarovsky. Many understand it as three readings per day (morning, afternoon, evening) of certain prayers “Our Father” (three times), “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice ...” (three times) and the Creed (once). But it is not so. In addition to reading the rule three times, St. Seraphim said that a person in the first half of the day should read the Jesus Prayer almost all the time or, if people are around, in the mind, “Lord, have mercy,” and after dinner, instead of the Jesus prayer, “Most Holy Theotokos, save me, a sinner."
That is, Saint Seraphim offers a person a spiritual exercise in uninterrupted prayer, and not just a relief from the evening and morning prayer rule. You can, of course, read a 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 a 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.
St. Ignatius warns us about it in the above-mentioned work: it is necessary to make both the rules and bows with the possible slowness and attention. It is better to read less prayers and bow less, but with attention, than a lot and without attention.
Choose for yourself a rule corresponding to the forces. What the Lord said about the Sabbath, that it is for a man, and not a man for her (Mark 2:27), can and should be attributed to all pious deeds, as well as to prayer rule. A prayer rule is for a person, and not a person - for a rule: it should contribute to a person’s achievement of spiritual prosperity, and not serve as an unbearable burden (burdensome duty), crushing bodily forces and disturbing the soul. Moreover, it should not serve as a pretext for proud and pernicious conceit, pernicious condemnation of loved ones and humiliation of neighbors.
The Monk Nicodemus the Holy Mountaineer in the book “Invisible Warfare” wrote: “... There are many clergy who deprive themselves of the saving fruit of the world from their spiritual deeds by prolonging them, believing that they will suffer damage if they do not bring them to the end, in false confidence , of course, that spiritual perfection consists in this. 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 calculate our strength in prayer. You should sit down and think about the time that everyone has. If you are, for example, a freight forwarder in a trading company and are on the road from morning till night, or you are married, work and you also need to devote time to your husband, children, organize family life, then maybe the morning and evening prayer rule and the reading of two chapters of the "Apostle", a chapter of the Gospel per day, are enough for you. Because if you also take upon yourself the reading of various akathists, several kathismas, then you will not have time to live. And if you are a pensioner or work somewhere as a security guard or in another job, having free time, then why not read akathists and kathismas.
Explore yourself, your time, your capabilities, your strengths. Measure the 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 a lot, but thoughtlessly, mechanically. Prayer has power when you listen and read it with your whole being. Then the life-giving spring of communion with God will surge in our hearts.
Priest Andrei Chizhenko
What is morning and evening prayers and why are they so important in the life of every Orthodox Christian? Many holy fathers call these daily prayers spiritual hygiene, a necessary minimum for a novice believer. With the help of these prayers, and especially due to their regular and conscientious reading, the laity become closer to the Lord, cleanse themselves spiritually, learn humility, repentance and gratitude. It is difficult to overestimate their importance, especially in modern world.
What are the prayers and features of their reading
In Orthodoxy there is such a term - a prayer rule. This is what the collections are called. prayer texts for morning and evening readings. These obligatory prayers can be found in every prayer book. Among them are “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice”, “King of Heaven”, “Symbol of Faith” and others. The prayer rule was formed several centuries ago, and since then has become a guideline for Orthodox believers.
The prayer rule is divided into complete, that is, common to everyone, and short, individual (it is discussed with the confessor and appointed with his blessing, in cases, for example, of illness, lack of strength, high workload, etc.). There is also a version of a short prayer rule from St. Seraphim of Sarov. According to him, if a believer is in an extremely weak state or is severely limited in time, then only the following prayers can be read: “Our Father” three times, “Our Mother of God, rejoice” three times, and once the “Symbol of Faith”.
Prayer "Our Father"
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.
Prayer "Virgin Mary, rejoice"
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, as if you gave birth to our souls as the Savior.
Prayer "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 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 of Life, 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.
Tea of the resurrection of the dead.
And the life of the next century. Amen.
How to read morning and evening prayers
In the morning it is supposed to pray immediately after waking up, before the meal and the beginning of the working day, and in the evening you can choose any time, the main thing is that all work in the current day be completed.
Prayer should be performed in a secluded place, in front of the icon, with a lit lamp or candle. First you need to cross yourself and make a few bows. Then tune in, concentrate and start reading prayers in the order indicated in the prayer book. You can read both aloud and silently. Prayers for loved ones, appeals to the Lord, spoken in your own words - all this is also an obligatory part of prayer.
It is important to thank the Lord and ask for His blessings before the upcoming trials of life.
It is very important to understand the meaning of every word that is spoken in prayers. For this purpose, there are translations of prayers from Church Slavonic into Russian in explanatory prayer books, they should be studied so that the reading is conscious.
It is important to pray with a pure heart, in which there is no bitterness, evil, resentment, irritation. If a believer feels these emotions, they need to get rid of. One way would be to pray for the health of the one who offended. This will cleanse the soul, pacify the ardor and set you in a blessed mood.
As a rule, with a certain practice, reading morning and evening prayers takes an average of 20 minutes. But at the present time, the laity is facing a problem. In our modern world, when the pace of life is so high that time pressure is felt at every step, it can be difficult for Orthodox believers who begin to practice daily readings to find time for prayers in their busy schedule. As a rule, in the morning people rush to work, and in the evening they fall down from fatigue. And there is no time left for reading prayers with a thoughtful, concentrated approach. And it is important to read prayers sincerely, with zeal.
To pronounce the text in a tongue twister, formally - this is not necessary for anyone and even harmful in a conversation with God.
In this case, you need to reorganize your daily schedule, find another time for prayers, some of the prayers can even be read at work or on the road. But all this must be discussed with your confessor or priest, with whom you regularly confess. Sometimes the priest may allow you to read not the full volume of prayers. The main thing in morning and evening prayers is the right attitude, concentration, a message to the Lord from the very heart.
The Importance of Prayer in the Morning and Evening
Why is it so important to perform morning and evening prayers daily? Priests always say that this rite trains the will, makes the believer spiritually stronger and does not allow him to forget about God and the need to keep the commandments. And it is especially important for beginning Orthodox Christians.
This article contains: prayer in the evening when to read - information is taken from all over the world, the electronic network and spiritual people.
Every Orthodox Christian must adhere to a certain prayer rule that is performed daily: morning prayers are read in the morning, and prayers for the coming dream must be read in the evening.
Why you need to read prayers before bed
There is a certain rhythm of prayer reserved for monastics and spiritually advanced laymen.
But for those who have recently come to the Church and are just beginning their prayer journey, it is rather difficult to read it in its entirety. Yes, and it happens that unforeseen situations arise for the laity, when there is too little opportunity and time for prayer.
In this case, it is better to read a short rule than to thoughtlessly and without reverence chatter the full text.
Often confessors bless beginners to read several prayers, and then, after 10 days, add one prayer to the rule every day. Thus, the habit of prayer reading is formed gradually and naturally.
Important! Any prayer appeal will be supported by Heaven when a person directs his activity to serve God and people.
Evening prayers
In the evening, a short rule is read by the laity - a prayer for the night before going to bed:
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Heavenly King, 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.
Holy God Holy Strong, 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)
Eternal God and the King of every creature, having vouchsafed me to sing even at this hour, forgive me the sins that I have done in this day by deed, word and thought, and cleanse, Lord, my humble soul from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And give me, Lord, in this night's sleep to pass away in peace, but having risen from my humble bed, I will please your most holy name, all the days of my stomach, and I will stop the enemies of the flesh and fleshless who 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.
Good Tsar, good Mother, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Your Son and our God on my passionate soul and with Your prayers instruct me in good deeds, so that the rest of my life will pass without a blemish and I will find paradise with You, Virgin Mother of God, one Pure and Blessed.
Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all, the fir-tree of sinning in this day, and deliver me from every wickedness of the 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 Voivode is victorious, as if having got rid of the evil ones, gratefully 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.
Glorious Ever-Virgin Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Your Son and our God, may our souls be saved by You.
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.
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 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.
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.
Interpretation of individual prayers
- King of Heaven.
In prayer, the Holy Spirit is called the King, because He, as God the Father and God the Son, rules the world and reigns in it. He is a comforter and to this day comforts those who need it. He guides believers on the righteous path, which is why he is called the Spirit of Truth.
The petition is addressed to the three hypostases of the Holy Trinity. The angels of heaven sing a great song before the throne of God. God the Father is Holy God, God the Son is Holy Almighty. This conversion is due to the victory of the Son over the devil and the destruction of hell. During the prayer, a person asks for permission from sins, healing of spiritual infirmities for the sake of glorifying the Most Holy Trinity.
This is an appeal directly to the Almighty as to the Father, we stand before Him as children before our mother and father. We affirm the omnipotence of God and His power, we implore to control human spiritual forces and guide them on the true path, so that after death they will be honored to be in the Kingdom of Heaven.
He is the Good Spirit for every believer, ordained by God Himself. Therefore, praying to Him in the evenings is simply necessary. It is he who will warn against committing sins, will help to live holy and will patronize the soul and body.
In prayer, the danger of attacks by bodily enemies (people pushing them to commit sin) and incorporeal (spiritual passions) is emphasized.
The nuances of the evening rule
Most people have a question: is it possible to listen to Orthodox chants in an audio recording?
The Epistle of the Apostle Paul says that it doesn’t matter what a person does, the main thing is that any of his deeds be done for the glory of God.
Prayer should be started before going to bed. Before starting to read the rule, it is recommended to thank God for everything that He has been given for the whole day. You need to turn to Him with your mind and heart, realizing the meaning of each spoken word.
Advice! If the text reads Church Slavonic, then you need to study its Russian translation.
In modern practice, the rule is supplemented by reading prayers for:
- close and dear people
- the living and the dead;
- about enemies;
- virtues and about the whole world.
In a dream, a person is especially vulnerable to the devil's army, he is visited by sinful thoughts, bad desires. Night in the Christian understanding is considered the time of rampant demons. A person can receive information that can seduce his body and lead his soul into sin. Demons are very insidious, they can send nightmares in a dream vision.
That is why believers pray every day before going to bed.
Advice! Even when all life circumstances turn out well, one should not forget about faith and the Heavenly Father, because human destinies are predetermined in Heaven from the very beginning. Therefore, it is necessary to turn to God before going to bed and the next day will definitely turn out better than the previous one.
- It is useful to listen to the singing of the elders of Optina Hermitage. This male monastic monastery is famous for miracle workers who could and can foresee human destinies. The need to serve the Almighty is transmitted through their prayer songs and sets them on the righteous path.
- The Church has a positive attitude towards watching Orthodox videos, but this material must be treated very carefully, and in the process of listening or watching, it is recommended to postpone secular activities.
- The clergy advise including the prayers of the Optina Elders in the evening rule. Their texts have evolved over the centuries and each of their phrases carries the greatest wisdom that can explain the basics Orthodox faith and know their full depth.
Prayer is the breath of the soul Orthodox person. He practically cannot control his sleep, and other life processes are also difficult to control. Therefore, prayer before going to bed is aimed at ensuring that the Creator participates in human life otherwise He will not be able to help us.
Important! The ascension of a prayer before going to bed is the acquisition of protection and support by an Orthodox Christian. In addition to their own protection, mothers beg God to protect their children and send them mercy.
Prayer rule.
What is a prayer rule? These are prayers that a person reads regularly, daily. Everyone's prayer rule is different. For some, the morning or evening rule takes several hours, for others it takes several minutes. Everything depends on a person's spiritual disposition, on the degree of his rootedness in prayer, and on what time he has at his disposal.
It is very important that a person fulfill the prayer rule, even the shortest one, so that there is regularity and constancy in prayer. But the rule should not turn into a formality. The experience of many believers shows that with constant reading of the same prayers, their words become discolored, lose their freshness, and a person, getting used to them, stops focusing on them. This danger must be avoided by all means.
I remember when I took monastic vows (I was twenty years old then), I turned to an experienced confessor for advice and asked him what my prayer rule should be. He said: “You must read the morning and evening prayers daily, three canons and one akathist. Whatever happens, even if you are very tired, you must read them. And even if you subtract them hastily and inattentively, it doesn’t matter, the main thing is that the rule be subtracted.” I tried. Things didn't work out. Daily reading of the same prayers led to the fact that these texts quickly got bored. In addition, every day I spent many hours in the temple at services that spiritually nourished me, nourished me, inspired me. And the reading of three canons and an akathist turned into some kind of unnecessary “appendage”. I started looking for other advice, more suitable for me. And I found it in the works of St. Theophan the Recluse, a remarkable ascetic of the 19th century. He advised the prayer rule to be calculated not by the number of prayers, but by the time that we are ready to devote to God. For example, we can make it a rule to pray in the morning and in the evening for half an hour, but this half hour must be completely given to God. And it is not so important whether we read all the prayers during these minutes or only one, or maybe we will devote one evening entirely to reading the Psalter, the Gospel or prayer in our own words. The main thing is that we should be focused on God, so that our attention does not slip away and that every word reaches our hearts. This advice worked for me. However, I do not rule out that for others the advice of the confessor I received will be more suitable. Much here depends on the personality of the person.
It seems to me that for a person living in the world, not only fifteen, but even five minutes of morning and evening prayer, if, of course, it is pronounced with attention and with feeling, is enough to be a real Christian. It is only important that the thought always correspond to the words, the heart responds to the words of the prayer, and the whole life corresponds to the prayer.
Try, following the advice of St. Theophan the Recluse, to allocate some time for prayer during the day and for the daily fulfillment of the prayer rule. And you will see that it will bear fruit very soon.
The basis of the life of an Orthodox Christian is fasting and prayer. Prayer is the conversation of the soul with God. And just as in a conversation it is impossible to listen to one side all the time, so in prayer it is useful sometimes to stop and listen to the Lord's answer to our prayer.
The Church, praying daily "for everyone and everything", has established a personal, individual prayer rule for everyone. The composition of this rule depends on the spiritual age, living conditions, human capabilities. The Prayer Book offers us morning and evening prayers available to everyone. They turn to the Lord Mother of God, Guardian Angel. With the blessing of the confessor, prayers to selected saints can be included in the cell rule. If you can't read morning prayers in front of the icons in a calm atmosphere, it is better to read them on the way than to omit them altogether. In any case, you should not have breakfast before the prayer "Our Father" is read.
If a person is sick or very tired, then the evening rule can be performed not before going to bed, but shortly before that. And before going to bed, one should only read the prayer of St. John of Damascus: “Vladyka Lover of mankind, will this coffin be for me. ' and those following it.
A very important component of morning prayers is the recitation of remembrance. Be sure to pray for peace and health His Holiness Patriarch, the ruling bishop, spiritual father, parents, relatives, godparents and godchildren, and all people who are connected with us in one way or another. If someone cannot make peace with others, even if not through his own fault, he is obliged to remember the “hating” and sincerely wish him well.
The personal ("cell") rule of many Orthodox includes the reading of the Gospel and the Psalter. Thus, the Optina monks blessed many to read during the day one chapter from the Gospel, in order, and two chapters from the Apostolic Epistles. At the same time, the last seven chapters of the Apocalypse were read one a day. Then the reading of the Gospel and the Apostle ended simultaneously, and a new circle of readings began.
A prayer rule for a person establishes him spiritual father, in his own charge to change it - to reduce or increase. Once established, the rule should become the law of life, and each violation should be considered as an exceptional case, tell the confessor about it and accept admonition from him.
When and how long should you pray? The apostle Paul says, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). St. Gregory the Theologian writes: “It is necessary to remember God more often than to breathe.” Ideally, the whole life of a Christian should be permeated with prayer.
Many misfortunes, sorrows and misfortunes occur precisely because people forget about God. After all, there are believers among criminals, but at the moment of committing a crime they do not think about God. It is difficult to imagine a person who would commit murder or theft with the thought of an all-seeing God, from Whom no evil can be hidden. And every sin is committed by a person precisely when he does not remember God.
Most people are unable to pray throughout the day, so you need to find some time, even a short one, to remember God.
You wake up in the morning with the thought of what you have to do that day. Before you get to work and plunge into the inevitable bustle, dedicate at least a few minutes to God. Stand before God and say: “Lord, You gave me this day, help me to spend the era without sin, without vice, save me from all evil and misfortune.” And call on the blessing of God on the day that begins.
Throughout the day, try to remember God more often. If you feel bad, turn to Him with a prayer: "Lord, I feel bad, help me." If you feel good, say to God: "Lord, glory to You, I thank You for this joy." If you're worried about someone, tell God, "Lord, I'm worried about him, I'm hurting for him, help him." And so throughout the day - whatever happens to you, turn it into a prayer.
When the day comes to an end and you are getting ready for bed, remember the past day, thank God for all the good things that happened, and repent for all those unworthy deeds and sins that you committed that day. Ask God for help and blessings for the coming night. If you learn to pray this way every day, you will soon notice how much more fulfilling your whole life will be.
Often people justify their unwillingness to pray by saying that they are too busy, overloaded with things. Yes, many of us live in a rhythm in which people of antiquity did not live. Sometimes we have to do a lot of things during the day. But there are always pauses in life. For example, we stand at the bus stop and wait for the tram - three to five minutes. We go to the subway - twenty to thirty minutes, dial a phone number and hear beeps - "busy" - a few more minutes. Let us at least use these pauses for prayer, let them not be wasted time.
How to pray when you're short on time
Many of the elder's visitors blamed him for not praying enough, not even reading the prescribed morning and evening prayers. St. Seraphim established the following rule for such people:
“Rising from sleep, every Christian, standing before the holy icons, let him read the prayer “Our Father” three times, in honor of the Most Holy Trinity. Then the song to the Mother of God "Virgin Mary, rejoice" also three times. In conclusion, the Creed "I believe in one God" - once. Having made such a rule, every Orthodox is engaged in his own business, to which he was appointed or called. While working at home or on the way somewhere, he quietly reads “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner (or a sinner)”, and if others surround him, then, minding his own business, let him only say with his mind “Lord, have mercy” - and so until noon. Just before dinner, let him repeat the morning rule.
After dinner, while doing his work, let every Christian read just as quietly: Holy Mother of God save me a sinner." Going to bed, let every Christian read the morning rule again, that is, “Our Father” three times, “Theotokos” three times, and the “Symbol of Faith” once.
St. Seraphim explained that by adhering to that small “rule”, one can achieve a measure of Christian perfection, for these three prayers are the foundation of Christianity. The first, as a prayer given by the Lord Himself, is the model of all prayers. The second was brought from heaven by the Archangel in greeting to the Mother of God. The Creed, however, contains all the saving dogmas of the Christian faith.
1. The Lord's Prayer "Our Father" (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4).
2. Basic commandments Old Testament(Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18).
3. Basic gospel commandments (Matthew 5:3-12; Matt. 5:21-48; Matt. 6:1; Matt. 6:3; Matt. 6:6; Matt. 6:14-21; Matt. 6:24-25; Matthew 7:1-5; Matthew 23:8-12; John 13:34).
5. Morning and evening prayers for a short prayer book.
6. The number and meaning of the sacraments.
The fear of our times has not passed over even the Orthodox. How to protect yourself and loved ones? - believers often ask. Our main defense is the Lord Himself, without His Holy Will, as it is said in the Scripture, no hair will fall from our head (Luke 21:18). This does not mean that we, in a reckless hope in God, can behave defiantly towards the underworld. The words “do not tempt the Lord your God” (Matt. 4:7) we need to remember firmly.
God has given us the greatest shrines to protect us from visible enemies. This is, first of all, a Christian shield - a pectoral cross that cannot be removed under any circumstances. Secondly, holy water and arthos, eaten every morning.
We also keep the Christian in prayer. Many churches sell belts on which the text of the 90th psalm “Alive in the help of the Most High. » and prayer Holy Cross"Let God arise." It is worn on the body, under clothing.
The ninetieth psalm has great power. Spiritually experienced people recommend reading it before each exit to the street, no matter how many times we leave the house. Saint Ignatius Bryanchaninov gives advice when leaving the house to make the sign of the cross and read the prayer: “I deny you, Satan, your pride and service to you, and combine with you, Christ, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".
Orthodox parents must certainly baptize their child if he goes out into the street alone.
Once in a dangerous situation, one must pray: “May God rise again,” or “Victorious Chosen Voivode” (the first kontakion from the akathist to the Mother of God), or simply “Lord, have mercy,” repeatedly. It is necessary to resort to prayer even when another person is being threatened before our eyes, but we do not have enough strength and courage to rush to help him.
The prayer is very strong to the saints of God, who became famous for the art of war during their lifetime: Saints George the Victorious, Theodore Stratilat, Dimitry Donskoy. Let's not forget about the Archangel Michael, about our guardian angel. All of them have a special power with God to give strength to the weak to overcome their enemies.
“If the Lord does not guard the city, the watchman watches in vain” (Ps. 126:1). The house of a Christian must certainly be consecrated. Grace will keep the dwelling from all evil. If it is not possible to invite a priest to the house, you yourself need to sprinkle all the walls, windows and doors with holy water, reading “Let God rise again” or “Save, Lord, Thy people” (troparion to the Cross). From the danger of arson, a fire, it is customary to pray to the Mother of God in front of the icon of Her "Burning Bush".
Of course, no means will help if we lead a sinful life and do not repent for a long time. Often the Lord allows extraordinary circumstances to admonish unrepentant sinners.
You can pray in different ways, for example, in your own words. Such a prayer should constantly accompany a person. In the morning and evening, day and night, a person can turn to God with the simplest words coming from the depths of the heart.
But there are also prayer books that were composed by saints in ancient times, they need to be read in order to learn how to pray. These prayers are contained in the "Orthodox Prayer Book". There you will find morning, evening, penitential, thanksgiving prayers, you will find various canons, akathists and much more. Having bought " Orthodox prayer book”, do not be afraid that there are so many prayers in it. You don't have to read all of them.
If the morning prayers are read quickly, it will take about twenty minutes. But if you read them thoughtfully, attentively, responding with your heart to every word, then reading can take up to an hour. Therefore, if you do not have time, do not try to read all the morning prayers, it is better to read one or two, but so that each of their words reaches your heart.
Before the Morning Prayers section, it says: “Before you begin to pray, stand a little while until your feelings subside, and then say with attention and reverence; “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen". Stay a little longer and only then start praying.” This pause, the “minute of silence” before the beginning of the prayer, is very important. Prayer must grow out of the silence of our heart. People who daily “read” morning and evening prayers are constantly tempted to read the “rule” as soon as possible in order to get down to daily business. Often, with such a reading, the main thing slips away - the content of the prayer.
In the prayer book there are many petitions addressed to God, which are repeated several times. For example, you may come across a recommendation to read “Lord have mercy” twelve or forty times. Some perceive this as some kind of formality and proofread this prayer at high speed. By the way, in Greek “Lord, have mercy” sounds like “Kyrie, eleison”. In Russian there is a verb “to play tricks”, which came precisely from the fact that the psalm-readers on the kliros very quickly repeated many times: “Kyrie, eleison”, that is, they did not pray, but “played tricks”. So, there is no need to play tricks in prayer. No matter how many times you read this prayer, it must be said with attention, reverence and love, with full dedication.
No need to try to subtract all the prayers. It is better to devote twenty minutes to one prayer “Our Father”, repeating it several times, pondering each word. It is not so easy for a person who is not accustomed to praying for a long time to read a large number of prayers at once, but one should not strive for this. It is important to be imbued with the spirit that the prayers of the Fathers of the Church breathe. This is the main benefit that can be derived from the prayers contained in the "Orthodox Prayer Book".
Prayer at home is not much different from prayer in the temple. The only exception is that it is allowed to commemorate all, without exception, people, regardless of their religious affiliation. In the temple, it is customary to pray for “our own” and only mentally, so as not to disturb others. At home, you can pray out loud, provided that this does not irritate relatives. You must be fully clothed for prayer. It is desirable for women to have a scarf on their heads and be in a dress or skirt.
Why pray at home?A conversation with the Lord can be conducted both in your own words and in ready-made “formulas” worked out long before us by many generations of believers. Classical prayers are contained in the "Prayer Book" ("Canon"). You can buy it in any shop of religious literature. "Prayer Books" can be short (containing a minimum of necessary prayers), complete (intended for priests) and ... ordinary (which have everything a true believer needs).
If you want to pray for real, pay attention to the fact that in your "Prayer Book" there are:
- morning and evening (for the coming sleep) prayers;
- daily (before the beginning and end of any business, before eating and after eating food, etc.);
- the canons on the days of the week and the "Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ";
- akathists (“To Our Sweetest Lord Jesus Christ”, “To the Most Holy Theotokos”, etc.);
- "Following to Holy Communion ..." and prayers read after it.
In addition to the "Prayer Book" for home prayer, you can purchase the "Psalter". In Orthodox practice, reading one hundred and fifty psalms must be done in a week. It is customary to read the Psalter twice in Lent. On "Glory..." there is a commemoration of the living and the dead. Orthodox Christian can read the "Psalter" at the tomb of the deceased.
Reading the Psalter is a serious and responsible thing. Before you go to her, you should get permission from the priest.
Prayer Rule
Each of us is at our own point on the long journey to the Lord. Each of us has our own time and physical abilities for prayer. Accordingly, there is no single prayer rule for everyone. Each person should pray as much as he can. How much exactly? This must be determined by the priest.
Ideally, each of us should be sure to read morning and evening prayers. They are necessary to protect the soul during the day (morning) and night (evening) from evil forces and people. Those who start their working day very early or, on the contrary, finish it too late and do not have either the time or the strength to read the entire morning or evening rule, can limit themselves to basic prayers: for example, read “Our Father”, “Have mercy on me” in the morning. God..” (fiftieth psalm) and “Symbol of Faith”, in the evening – the prayer of St. John Chrysostom, “Let God rise again…” and “Everyday confession of sins”.
If you have free time and desire, you can read the relevant canons every day: for example, on Monday, pray to your Guardian Angel, Archangels and Angels, on Tuesday - to John the Baptist, on Wednesday - to the Most Holy Theotokos, etc. Reading the "Psalter" also depends on your capabilities, desire and time.
Prayer before and after meals is a must.
How to Pray Before Communion?
The answer to this question is usually contained in the Prayer Book. We will only remind you that all prayers performed before Communion are read at home, on the eve of the sacrament. On the eve of Communion, you need to attend the evening service, after which you can begin to pray with peace of mind. Before Communion, read:
- “Following to Holy Communion...”;
- three canons: the repentant, the Guardian Angel and the Most Holy Theotokos;
- one of the akathists;
- full evening prayers.
Home prayer is performed in front of the icons, standing, with the sign of the cross and waist bows. You can do as you wish prostrations or pray on your knees.
During prayer, it is advisable not to be distracted by extraneous matters - phone calls, a whistling kettle, pets flirting.
With severe fatigue and a great craving for prayer, it is allowed to pray sitting. The Psalter, with the exception of "Glory..." and the prayers that close the kathisma, is also read while seated.
Despite the fact that prayer requires a certain concentration and attention, it is useful to pray through force. Our brain may not perceive what is read, but the soul will definitely hear everything and receive its portion of divine grace.
In everything that concerns prayer and a pious life, the Lord Jesus Christ, the apostles and saints can serve as an example for us. It is written in the Gospel that Christ prayed in solitude for several hours and even during the whole night. The Apostle Paul urged to pray without ceasing, that is, all the time. Is there a limit to the length of the prayer?
You can turn to God in prayer almost everywhere:
- in the temple
- where they eat
- at work
- and even on the way
At home, they read home prayers (morning, evening, before or after eating food). With the blessing of the priest, morning prayers can be read on the way to work. In the office, you can pray before the start and at the end of the working day.
During worship services in the temple, believers together perform a public (otherwise - church) prayer.
To pray alone in the temple, you need to come outside of worship, purchase and light candles. It is not necessary to light them: the ministers will light them before the start of the service. Then you need to venerate the icon of the day or holiday - it lies on a lectern (a special inclined table) in the middle of the temple - as well as to the shrines that may be in the temple: revered icons, relics of saints. After that, you can find a place to read to yourself (in a whisper) any prayer that you know by heart, or pray in your own words.
How many times a day should the Orthodox pray?
Prayer is a time dedicated to God. This time should be every day.
- in the morning,
- in the evening,
- before meals and after
- before and after the completion of any business (for example, work or study)
- in order to first ask God for blessings, and in the end to thank Him.
In addition, it is important in the temple to perform church prayer and acceptance. If necessary, in case of special needs or life circumstances, you can turn to private prayer (at home in front of icons or in church between services) to the saints or heavenly powers so that they intercede for the one who prays before the Lord.
Time for reading Orthodox prayers in church and at home
In ancient monasteries, nine long services were performed per day, and between them the monks alone read psalms or recited. Night was considered a particularly fertile time for solitary prayer.
Modern lay people perform at home in the morning, in the evening, upon returning home -. If a person is weak or has little time, then instead of the morning and evening rules, he can read St. Seraphim of Sarov during the day.
It is advisable to discuss the duration of morning and evening prayers with the priest, with whom the parishioner confesses constantly.
Saturday night and the day before church holidays you should attend the all-night vigil in the temple, and on Sunday mornings and on holidays - the Liturgy.
During they go to church more often to pray: in the first four days they try not to miss evening services- they serve Great Compline with the Canon of Andrew of Crete. You should also try to attend as many services as possible during the Holy Week preceding the Easter holiday. During Holy Week Liturgy is served daily, and believers strive to visit it in order to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ not only on Sunday, but also on a weekday.
Morning prayer time
Morning prayers are read at home, immediately upon awakening. Waking up, you need to stand in front of the icons and start reading prayers by heart or according to the prayer book.
Evening Prayer Time
Evening prayers are read at home at the end of the day or before bed. The evening rule is not recommended to be postponed until later, because the later, the stronger the fatigue and the more difficult it is to concentrate.
Just before going to bed, already lying in bed, they say: “In Your hands, Lord my God, I betray my spirit, You save me, You have mercy on me and grant me eternal life.”
Prayer all day long
The Orthodox Church does not set a strict time for prayers. We must strive to pray constantly. First of all, this means constantly remembering God and from time to time, if possible, turning to Him during the day with short prayers (for example, the Jesus prayer “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner” or a short thanksgiving prayer"Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee!").
Continuous prayer
Can be read short prayers continuously throughout the day, repeating the same prayer many times in a row and counting the number of repetitions by the rosary. This is usually how the Jesus Prayer is read. However, for such a prayer it is necessary to take the blessing of the priest, and the number of repetitions is strictly regulated.
There are many restrictions on continuous prayer, it cannot be read uncontrollably.
St. Ambrose of Optina ordered his spiritual children to read the Jesus Prayer only aloud, because reading to oneself can cause strong emotional sensations and lead to falling into delusion. Charm means self-deception, up to mental insanity.
How long should a prayer be?
Durationprayers are not governed by rules.
- The most important thing is the focus on prayer, not its duration or number of prayers.
- You need to pray slowly, thinking about every word.
- The number of prayers should correspond to the time that we can devote to them.
The Lord said “I want mercy, not sacrifice” (Mt. 9:13), therefore, if there is a lack of time or severe fatigue, it is permissible to shorten the prayer rule in order to read it with concentration.
