Lord have mercy 40 and prayer. Chapter I
What is the meaning of the number of Jesus prayers read? Why do they say = I read 100 or 300, or, to ...
Christ is risen! I have two questions. Why in some places of service the prayer "Lord have mercy" is read 40 times? Why exactly 40, and not, for example, 45 or 33? And why so many repetitions?
What is the meaning of the number of Jesus prayers read? Why do they say = I read 100 or 300, or, for example, 1500 Jesus Prayers?
As I understand it, the Jesus Prayer is constantly read in order to bad thoughts didn't get in your head. But why count? Does quality depend on quantity? Thank you.
Truly risen! There is a church service, and there is a home prayer. church service developed by the Church over the centuries and was brought to the form that we have now. There is a liturgical charter, which defines the liturgical rite of the all-night vigil, divine liturgy and other worship services. Everything in the liturgical order has its own symbols and sacred meanings. Lord have mercy is read 40 times as a symbol of 40 days of fasting of our Lord Jesus Christ, or 40 years of wandering of the Jewish people in the desert, somewhere it is pronounced Lord have mercy 12 times, somewhere 3 times. All these figures are connected with some events and memories. 12 disciples of Christ, 3 - the Holy Trinity. Take Skabalanovich's textbook "Explanatory Typicon" and read it. It says when and why some parts of the service appeared. azbyka.ru/otechnik/Mihail_Skaballanovich/tolkovyj-tipikon/. But as for home prayer, here, of course, all these 40, 12, or 3 times, or some other number of times, is conditional and not mandatory. homemade prayer rule given to us in prayer books is only a sample, a standard of prayers. From them we learn to pray. You can pray in your own words and say "Lord have mercy", as much as God puts on your soul. And yet, for the umpteenth time I repeat, you do not need to read prayers, but pray with all your heart and mind, talk to God as a Person, and not read the rules, or thoughtlessly repeat the Jesus Prayer. there is no point from this. Yes, you repeat at least a million times "Lord have mercy" and there will be no sense from this if you do not understand what you are saying and for whom. And who says - I read 1500 Jesus Prayers, he is a madman. It is necessary not to read, but to turn to the Lord with a repentant heart, faith and hope. The monks pray with the rosary, they have an obedience from the confessor, say 3000 Jesus prayers per day. So they count by the rosary. But if this is thoughtlessly done, then this is an empty exercise. And the laity do not need a rosary at all. Pray to yourself as much as you can, that's all. If you want to obey obedience, then consult with your priest. And so that bad thoughts do not go into your head, you can at least say the Jesus Prayer, at least any other one, or you can simply direct your thoughts in the other direction, it does not matter. It is better, of course, to occupy the mind with prayer. But, again, not mindlessly repeating words like a parrot, but praying, talking with God.
The most important church prayers are for the most part titled: charter, rite, following, rites and service. Charter contains instructions on how to church services on all holidays and days, simple, also known private prayers, and especially general and special rites for various occasions. Chin there is an extract from the same charter of the order of service for a certain holiday or some separate prayer. succession there is that same prayer, the order of which he chooses from the charter and proposes a rank. rites there is a rank and a sequence together, where, with an indication of the order in which the services are performed, the services themselves are placed. Service contains in general some kind of daily prayer, and with the addition divine means Divine Liturgy.
§2. Vespers is celebrated in the temple and in the altar
standing before royal doors . Evening singing begins every day by the priest and is performed in the temple and in the altar. For every day and everywhere we see that the priest, clothed in sacred garments, performs the evening chant before the royal doors and before the throne of God. During this service, the deacon also helps the priest, dressed in his clothes, especially in holidays. Such an image of their priesthood is established according to the example Old Testament where the deacons were called Levites. For in the words of the Gospel (): When the Jews send priests and Levites from Jerusalem, let them ask him: Who are you? by the name of the Levites was meant the same ministers who we call deacons. But then the ministry of all of them was the ministry of the canopy, representative and beginning; but now the true, the final, and the final: for those served the vestibule, and these serve the truth.
§3. "Blessed be our God" is the beginning of Vespers and all prayers
Blessed is our God. The priest, and no one else, begins all prayer in the church; the priest is the first to call upon God, because he forms Christ and bears His priesthood. Therefore, it is necessary for the priest to begin prayers before everyone else, and both for himself and for all those present, to lay the beginning from God. And how the laity themselves, without a priest and outside the church, begin vespers, matins and other prayers, except for the liturgy, see about this in part 1, chapter 13, §5.
§four. Before the service, the glory of God is first exalted
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee. First of all, we should send glory to God for all the blessings that He sent down to us. And therefore, after the beginning, perpetrated by the priest, the worshipers first of all pronounce the following short words: glory to you, our God, glory to you.
§5. The Holy Spirit is invoked before the service
King of Heaven. After glorifying God, Christians, before they begin to send up their prayers, call the Holy Spirit, who fills all, call come and dwell in us and cleanse us from all filthiness, and save our souls. For it often happens that we do not follow the prayers that are prescribed for the church, but often ask God for something that we ourselves do not know, or that is useless and harmful for us; moreover, we can never offer prayers that are pleasing to God with our own strength. That is why the help of the Holy Spirit is extremely necessary for us, Who would guide our prayers in the way required by the holy will of God. Therefore it is said: for what we pray, as it befits, we do not know: but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with sighs that are inexpressible(). That is, the Holy Spirit, acting by His grace, excites us to prayer, produces in us sighs of the heart, kindles in us the flame of filial love for God, in a way that cannot be expressed, i.e. incomprehensible to us. And even though we, prompted by our carnal inclinations, did not ask for what is pleasing to God, the Holy Spirit asks God for us only that which alone serves to glorify the name of God and to our salvation.
§6. The Trisagion is a prayer to the Trinity
Trisagion. Having called on the help of the Holy Spirit, he begins to offer his most important prayers, and first of all he turns to the Most Holy Trinity, since the Trinity is the fault of all creatures, it helps us in everything, and through It we are accomplished in everything and are cleansed. There are three such prayers, in honor of the Trinity. The first is a short canto called: trisagion, in which we implore the Most Holy Trinity only for mercy. The ancient fathers, borrowing from the angels the words: Holy, Holy, Holy, and in David singing God in the Trinity: my soul thirsts for the Mighty, Living God, put together a complete song from them: Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal, and the words: have mercy on us, borrowed in prayer also from King David. Thus in words: Holy God, word holy borrowed from angels, and God at David; - Holy Strong, word holy Strong at David; Holy Immortal, word holy also borrowed from the angels, and Immortal instead of a word live, like David, and finally the words: have mercy on us also taken from David. This song trisagion applies to all persons of the Holy Trinity: God- to the Father, since He is the source and beginning of the Godhead, the originator of the Son and the Spirit; Strong- to the Son, since the Son is the muscle of the Father, a hypostatic fortress, and, as the apostle Paul said: The Christ of God is the power and God's wisdom (); a Immortal- to the Holy Spirit, since life flows from the Spirit, and the Spirit is Life-Giving. The words are: have mercy on us, refer to all three Persons and are used in the singular, as if the appeal is to one person, because they have one Divinity, one being, one power, and the Trinity is indivisible.
§7. Glory now
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever, amen. After the trisagion, the same Most Holy Trinity is relied upon and the doxology, which consists in the following short words: and so on. This doxology was of old composed in honor of the Trinity, as some writers assert, by Saints Meletios and Flavian, Patriarchs of Antioch, and composed to reflect certain heretical teachings. Expression glory directed against the Arians, because the glory of the Holy Trinity is one, as the essence is one. The words are: Father and Son and Holy Spirit directed against Savely, who taught that the Holy Trinity is one person. And the words now and forever and so on. show that the Trinity is identical, and eternal and unchanging, and its glory is now, and always, and will be forever and ever. Since this very short doxology depicts the entire being of the Most Holy Trinity, then, both in order to reflect the false teaching of heretics, and in order to show his eternal and unchanging confession, he applies this doxology in many places, i.e. at the beginning and end of many prayers, and especially after the song: Alleluia.
§eight. "Holy Trinity" is the second prayer
The second prayer to the Holy Trinity is the prayer: Holy Trinity, have mercy on us and so on. First in this prayer with the words: Holy Trinity, at the same time, all three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity are remembered and then a common petition for mercy is attached to them, as to one Person, - have mercy on us; then all three Persons are counted separately and, according to their properties, special petitions are attached to them, i.e. to the Father Lord, cleanse our sins; to the Son Lord, forgive our iniquities; to the Holy Spirit Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities; and in conclusion, again to all the Persons together an appeal is made in the words: for your name. All these petitions, each applied to a separate Person of the Holy Trinity, have special and decent meanings in relation to these Persons. For we say to God the Father: Lord, cleanse because we are reconciled to Him through the Son; to the Son sorry inasmuch as He, being a man, suffered from and for people, inasmuch as He is angry and offended by us, who have been clothed in Him by baptism and peace and united with Him by communion and other sacraments, and inasmuch as He gave the power to bind and loose, and commanded to forgive; to the Holy Spirit visit and heal because He gives life, has mercy and strengthens us, and without His power and grace nothing good can be in us.
§9. "Lord, have mercy" three times
For prayer: Holy Trinity, to express the greater honor of the Trinity and the most zealous prayer from us, is attached: Lord have mercy, thrice. With these words we proclaim the Holy Trinity twice: when we pronounce Lord have mercy then we proclaim the Trinity, because the Trinity is one Lord; and when these same words: Lord have mercy, pronounce thrice, then again we proclaim and implore the Trinity for mercy. Then Holy Trinity, and the words Lord have mercy, are concluded with the same doxology, which was at the first prayer, i.e. read Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
§ten. "Our Father" is the third prayer
The last stanza, "Glory and Now" and "Theotokos" are sung in the middle
While singing the last verse, , both faces come to the middle and together they sing both the stichera and glory now and Bogorodichen: - this happens not without mysterious reasons. (in ch. 332) writes: “on the final verse, the faces converge, meaning both their agreement with each other, and the union of the whole world through the Savior. Then, bowing all together to the throne, they exclaim: as if His mercy is established on us, meaning by this the salvation of the Gentiles in Christ and that He, in His mercy, suffered for us, He established His power with His cross, and having conquered, He united us in Himself. Then together the faces sing: glory now, inseparably, glorifying the inseparable Trinity, and finally, confessing the incarnation of the one from Her, the incarnate Son of God and the Mother of God the maiden, Her powerful and strong intercession. It should be noted here that the Theotokos stichera in services on the Lord's feasts, except for Sundays, are not relied upon, just like the three psalms of the first kathisma, as mentioned above. For the sacraments or about Christ, contained in the stichera of the Theotokos, are explained in some detail on the feasts of the Lord, not only in stichera and canons, but in all parts of the service. Therefore, these stichera of the Theotokos, as superfluous, do not fit in the Lord's services. See the proof of this below (§33).
Censing on "Lord cried out" and the meaning of it
During this popular appeal, i.e. Lord, call, there should also be censing with fragrant incense. This incense happens for many reasons, firstly: to express our desires, so that our prayer, which after the fall could not ascend to heaven without the Advocate of Christ the Son of God, now by His intercession is directed, like this censer and like smoke, always soaring upwards, ascended to the Lord God. Secondly: as a sign that the Holy Spirit, formed by the incense of incense, is always present in the church, and especially visits us during prayers and mainly public ones. Thirdly: as a sign that the angels also lift up the prayers of those who pray to God by means of incense: and another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; (). Fourth: in imitation of the rite of the Old Testament, where God Himself through Moses commanded Aaron to perform such incense in the temple in the morning and in the evening: let Aaron incense over the bow with fragrant incense early early: and when Aaron burns the luminaries from evening, let him incense over the same bow (). Fifth:- in the image of Divine glory, as the Scripture testifies about the tabernacle arranged by Moses: and show Aaron above kivot incense of addition, as the Lord commanded Moses: and the clouds covered the tabernacle of testimonies, and the glory of the Lord was filled, and Moses was not able to enter into the tabernacle of testament, and the glory of the Lord was filled with the tabernacle(). The same is told about Solomon's temple: and I cannot serve the priests from the face of the cloud, as if fulfill the glory of the Lord(). At each incense, holy places and things are honored, and the upcoming ones are consecrated. (in chapter 309) writes: “the priest censes the altar, the temple and everything in it, because all this is sacred; censing, he honors divine things, and sanctifies those who are coming. Therefore, starting from the most holy altar (throne), the priest burns incense according to the order, sanctifying everything by it, committing it to Christ through prayer, bringing and asking that it be accepted by the mountain, and the grace of the Holy Spirit would be sent down to us. Thus we receive grace through incense, and therefore no one should neglect it. Having circled the temple and everything outside it (porch), he enters the altar through the northern doors. At this time, the priest for incense goes out into the porch. The reason for this is explained by Balsamon in his interpretation of the second canon of St. , written to Basilides: “in order,” he says, “to consecrate the coffins in this place (hidden in the ground or standing on top) with the incense of this incense and honor the icons of the saints set here.” For sometimes the coffins of the dead are taken out into the porch and stand there until the time of the funeral; and sometimes, with the permission of the authorities, the deceased in the porch are buried. This will be discussed in the burial order. Moreover, since some of those who enter, either by their own will or by prohibition, such as catechumens and penitents, stand in the porch: then they enter the porch with incense and to consecrate such people.
§19. What is a verse
The same verse. Verse and stichera have a difference between themselves. Verse there is a short song chosen from the prophetic psalms and put before the verse. Stichira but there is a lengthy song, which is deliberately composed by the songwriter on the occasion of the New Testament holiday and added to the verse: that is why it is called stichera. These stichera are sometimes sung for eight, and sometimes for six verses. (in ch. 332) says: “on Sunday they rely (stichera) on ten verses, since ten is a perfect number (because we have only ten of all numbers, and all further calculation, that is, hundreds, thousands, etc., is compiled of the first ten digits). On the feasts of some holy stichera, eight verses are relied upon to commemorate the eighth and unceasing day (i.e., the future and eternal), in which the people of God will always be with Christ, with whom even now (united) souls (about this eighth day, see 4 hours, chapter 2, § 2). But six (stichera) are relied on daily in memory of the saints: since all the saints are now in the most excellent and, as it were, in the sixth place, where there are blessings that are incomprehensible to our five senses, as it is said: their eye has not seen, and their ear has not heard, and it has not arisen in the heart of man, which God has prepared for those who love Him.. Moreover, and therefore six verses rely with stichera, that the number six means twice the Trinity.
§twenty. Entrance to Vespers
Entry Prayer. Here under the word input of course, not every entrance, but that solemn entrance that is made from the northern doors of the offering, near the salt to the pulpit, and from it through the royal gates to the throne, on which either the censer, or the book of the Gospel, or the Holy Gifts themselves are transferred with a triumph appropriate for such a shrine . Formerly, in the person of the priest, we saw with our own eyes our Advocate, Christ Jesus, and knew His coming and the life that was to be on earth; then also from themselves, in the name of the same Intercessor, in the psalms: Lord, call and so on. called out to God the Father; now, that is, in the present evening entrance, the same coming to the earth of the Savior is presented, all of His earthly life and finally, His departure from us, not in words, but in visible and decent images. (in ch. 333) says: “here (i.e. at vespers) the priest makes an entrance, having left the altar uncovered, having a censer in his hands and making incense, he bends down in the middle of the temple and, having risen, prays, then, making the sign of the cross with his hand and the censer, again enters the altar. And by this he signifies that the Only Begotten Son of God, who descended from heavenly circles to us, again ascended into heaven and raised us up. The same exit (from the altar), inclination of the head, then direct position, exclamation: wisdom, sorry, signing (of the cross) and a censer, or exalting the Gospel (if the entrance is with the Gospel), and entering the altar, the priest depicts everything that relates to the Dispensation. For by the fact that he comes out of the altar and descends into the middle of the temple, it means the condescension of Christ and humility; those that are clothed in priestly garments, the incarnation; the fact that, standing in the midst of the temple, bows his head - the crucifixion of the Savior for us in the midst of the earth, mortification and descent into hell. Therefore, the priest, bending down, prays in silence, as bearing the image of Christ, Who, having given Himself to the Father and descended into hell, delivered us from there.
The royal doors open at the evening entrance
For this, the royal doors are opened at the beginning of the evening entrance, and this shows that paradise was closed for a long time by the crime of Adam, and now, through the coming of Christ, not only paradise has been opened, but also heaven. The censer or the Gospel presented at this entrance also have a meaning befitting the incarnation of Christ. (in ch. 333) writes: “Therefore, the priest either carries the most fragrant censer, which means the holy soul of Christ and His life, or holds the Gospel, as if it were the Lord Himself, and bends down with it, as a sign that Christ has come down to us. Then he straightens up, showing that Christ Himself has risen, and has raised us up with Himself. He also expresses this either by making the cross with a censer and by the words: wisdom, sorry or the exaltation of the gospel." When the priest returns to the altar during the entrance, by this he means mainly the ascension of Jesus Christ, after the resurrection, from earth to heaven. in the same chapter he says: “When the priest goes out and again goes to the altar, by this he means that Christ ascended from the earth and returned, with the assimilated flesh, to where He was, and, having offered a sacrifice for us through Himself, exalted and sanctified us. And every entrance signifies it; and therefore, in such a case, it is necessary most of all to constantly keep this in mind and remember it, because through the descent of God to us we have been saved.
Evening entrance is at vespers and, moreover, before holidays
This entry takes place not at Matins, but at Vespers, and, moreover, not on every day of the week, but on Saturday, on the feasts of the Lord and the Theotokos, and on the days of memory of the saints. He explains the reason for this (in chapter 334): “the evening entrance means God’s descent to us, which was in last days. Therefore, we make this entrance especially on Saturdays, in commemoration of the descent of Christ into hell and resurrection: on holidays, as a sign that He, having descended (on earth), performed the celebrated sacrament; - and in the days of the memory of the saints, since, having ascended into heaven, He brought up with Himself the souls of the saints and has them with Himself, and later He will raise up their bodies in order to have them with Him completely.
At the entrance the priest goes in a straight position of the body
At the evening entrance the priest goes simple, i.e. with hands down, in order to thereby show on oneself a certain greatness, and through it - the Divinity of Christ, when, i.e. having nothing in his hands, he walks in a straight position. Moreover, he goes the property is lowered, in order to show by this that Christ, being God by nature, took on human flesh for our sake and appeared in this humble image. The same, i.e. the majesty and divinity of Christ, the priest marks, when, while singing the prokeimenon, to the very end, he stands with his hands bent and with his felon lowered, and also when he stands in the same position during the reading of the Gospel at the liturgy. For which see the evidence below (§23). But it has a completely different meaning when the priest has lowered hands and a phelonion on vacation. By this he means that the service comes to an end and the people are allowed to leave the church.
At the entrance, the deacon orarion points to the east
At the evening entrance and what the deacon holds towards the east with three fingers right hand orarion, also has a mysterious meaning. With this sign, he reminds the priest that the entrance to heaven, acquired by Christ for all saints, from the gloomy evening of this life to the unstoppable light, is open. In this sense the priest also says: blessed is the entrance of thy saints. Moreover, during this action, the deacon points to the east with the orarion, i.e. towards the eastern side, whence the sun rises, indicates as to the most famous part of this world, as to the country where paradise was planted, from which we were expelled, or better, as to Christ Himself, whose feet were in the east, and who, dying, face was turned to the west.
When praying, Christians turn to the east
That is why Christians, not imitating the Jews who crucified Christ, who, when praying, turned to the West, in their prayers always turn to the East, or better, to God, from Whom comes the abundance of all heavenly gifts. St. Herman says: “Praying to the east, like everything else, is betrayed by the holy apostles; But this was established because the mental Sun of righteousness, Christ our God, appeared on earth in those countries where the sensible sun rises, as the prophet said: East is His name(). And again: sing to the Lord, who has ascended into heaven heaven in the east() and Let us bow down in the place where you stand in His foot(). And further: they will stand by His foot on the Mount of Olives of the Lord ... to the east(). This is what the prophets say also because in the east we will again receive paradise in Eden with tea, and we hope to meet the second bright appearance of the Lord and resurrection. Explains this in more detail (book 4, ch. 12). “Since God is the mental Light and the Sun of righteousness, and Christ is called the East in Scripture, then we should hallow the East by worshiping Him. Every good thing is dedicated to God, who approves of everything that is called good. And the divine David says: kingdom of the earth, sing to God, sing to the Lord, who ascended into heaven heaven in the east(); And the Scripture also says: God planted paradise in Eden in the east and brought in the man there, whom he had created: and exiled him who transgressed the commandment, and instilled directly sweetness in paradise, - it is clear that in the west (). For this reason, seeking the ancient fatherland and looking at it, we worship God in the east. And the tabernacle of Moses had a veil and a purgatory towards the east; and the tribe of Judah, as the most glorious, camped out from the east. In the glorious temple of Solomon, the gates of the Lord were built to the east. Moreover, at the time of the crucifixion, the Lord was turned to the west: therefore, when we pray, we look at Him, i.e. east; and at his ascension he ascended from the east, and towards the east the apostles worshiped him. And further: he will come, in the same way they saw Him going to heaven according to the words of the Lord Himself; and as the lightning comes from the east and comes to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man(). Therefore, while waiting for our Savior, we bow to the east. This is an unwritten apostolic tradition; for much has been given to us without writing.” That this is an apostolic and ancient tradition, he proves (in ch. 27, about the Holy Spirit, to Amphilochius): , in secret. Both have the same power for piety... What scripture has taught us to turn to the east in prayer?.. Isn't it according to a silent and secret tradition? For this reason we all look to the east when we pray. But not many people know that by doing this, we seek the ancient fatherland (paradise), which God planted in Eden in the east.
§21. "Wisdom, forgive" before "Quiet Light"
Wisdom, I'm sorry. The Apostle Paul () said: of what you are worthless in Christ Jesus, who was to us wisdom from God. Therefore, here the word wisdom means Christ, as wisdom, or some kind of sermon, broadcasting about Him and about His secret deeds. sorry St. Herman explains it this way: “Let us lift up our hearts together with cares over everything earthly, and let us understand the revelation of blessings.” When the deacon loudly proclaims the words: wisdom or wisdom, sorry, - this is given to know that these words will be followed by a song in honor of Christ, as Wisdom, a song depicting His deeds and worthy of our attention and hearing. Following them here follows the high and holy evening song: Light quiet, a song that refers to Christ Himself and proclaims His deeds. This song, according to some, was composed by the Hieromartyr Athenogens, who suffered about the year 169, under the North and, adopted by the church, is always sung at Vespers with special attention and reverence. That is why, in order to hear her, the deacon proclaims: wisdom, sorry, and these words here mean nothing but reminders and urges to listen to the singing of the following song: Light quiet which speaks of Christ and His works. When only one word is proclaimed: wisdom, then you have to mean: let's hear, or: I'm sorry, let's hear the wisdom the next singing or reading, as with this entry to the word: wisdom added sorry. Before the beginning of the Gospel reading, all this is said: wisdom, forgive us, let us hear the holy gospel.
§22. Prokimen, "Wisdom, let us listen" before "Peace to all"
Prokimen, that is, a short verse chosen from the psalms of David for the propriety of a feast or day, is never sung alone, but is always followed by other verses that explain and confirm the content and power contained in it. Moreover, it relies and is sung before every verse, no matter how many there are, and therefore prokeimenon, in literal translation - presenting or supposed, there is a verse placed ahead of all verses. In the Charter of the priestly service it is said: “After the end Light quiet, says the deacon: let's hear, priest: peace to all, and packs deacon: wisdom, mind, the canonarch will show the prokeimenon. So here's the first one: let's hear is called out to hear the words: peace to all, and the second: wisdom, mind, - to listen to the prokimen.
§23. At the prokeimenon, the priest turns to the west
The priest is turned to the west, stands waiting for the execution of the prokeimenon, also bows and departs to his place. Here the priest turns to the west during the prokeimenon, and then bows to the east. Someone finds the following reason for this: “the prokeimenon here proclaims Christ, clothed in splendor and girded with power; therefore, the priest, forming Christ and inspiring the coming people to respect himself, as to the person depicting Him, stands with his face to the west, i.e. to the people. And after the performance of the prokimen, realizing his weakness, he turns to the east, bows and departs to his place. For the same reason, during the reading of the Gospel, the priest stands facing the west, the property is lowered.
Throwing to believe and throwing to create
Here instead of: worships, in the Greek Missal stands: βά λλει με%` τανοί αν; that is why in our Russian books, and especially in the Charter and in the Lenten Triodion, it is translated: suggests throwing, creates throwing. But you need to know that the word throwing used in our Russian books is the Greek μετανοί α and means repentance. Among the Greeks, all bows from the monastic custom are called repentance. Monks, as having assumed the form of penitents and dedicated themselves to the work of repentance, monasteries and their desert dwellings, as places leading to repentance, from ancient times called repentance. Hence, if someone built a monastery, then it is said that he built a penance or a house of penitence. For proof of this, see 4 hours, ch. 9, §1. since all the exhausting labors of the penitents, and especially the weeping, with which these weeping mourned over their sins, asked others for prayers for themselves and expected forgiveness, were generally called repentance: then the monks, borrowing this word from their custom, began to call repentance not only the main deeds of one's calling, such as: throwing down the body, expressing humility, worshiping God, but in the same word, i.e. repentance, they called all sorts of body movements that people make when meeting and parting. Therefore, all bows that the common people make to priests, church servants and monks, as a sign of their humility or in the hope of receiving a blessing or forgiveness from them, - all these bows are called μετανοί α, repentance. Moreover, if those simple people, meeting with priests or monks, put only a hand to their heart, then even then it is said that they do repentance, μετανοί αν. In the same way, the priests and monks themselves, if they answer them with some kind of bow, also say about themselves that they are doing penance before them, μετανοί αν. From all such customs, it has come out that to suppose throwing or repentance and to do repentance means to generally believe or do worship, that is, to worship. And therefore, in this place in the Russian missal, the Greek βά λλει μετανοί αν, suggests repentance, is more clearly translated: same bows. All these repentances or worships are done in two ways. When they fall to the ground with their knees, hands and head: that is, worship or great repentance; but when the body is bent a little or only to the waist, then this is a small repentance or worship.
§24. "Rzem all", or a special litany
Rcem vsi. This litany is diligent prayer, as inscribed in the liturgy; it is also called pure, because on it Lord have mercy sung three times. First request: rcem all, contains a reminder and encouragement to diligent prayer, and means the same as let us pay attention to wisdom, and wisdom, sorry. (in ch. 321) writes: “Know what evening prayers, and at the most sacred liturgy does not leave us to teach and instruct; but says: rcem all, and from all our thoughts- and then he brings the rest of the petitions. In ch. 322: " rcem all includes both reminder and teaching, as the words: wisdom, mind, and wisdom, sorry; for all live by wisdom, everything that is said and done depends on the wisdom of God, and everything that lives is the work of the same wisdom. In this litany, both the priest and the faces, depicting the people, implore the Lord for a single pardon, and in all petitions they say: have mercy, pray, and Lord have mercy thrice. The same writer (in the cited chapter 321) says: “The priest makes diligent prayer and, first of all, asks in him for mercy to us from the merciful God. For one should not ask for anything else, but only for mercy; because we cannot dare or dare to bring and ask for anything else. But, as those who have sinned and condemned, we cannot dare to say anything to our generous Master, Whom we have grieved for so much and continually grieve as soon as: have mercy. Jerey says: have mercy on us, O God, according to your great mercy, we pray to you, hear and have mercy. We are not even worthy for God to hear us and have mercy on us, but the priest, as an intercessor, stands and says: we pray to you; and the people offer prayer, saying: Lord have mercy. That is why the priest, before any prayer, says: Let's pray to the Lord; the people standing by, seeing that it is, with the assistance of him, exclaims: Lord have mercy. Much more can the prayer of the righteous hasten to good.
§25. fruitful
Some under the name fruitful understood those who, out of diligence, brought forth fruit of the earth. What is the prayer about (see 4 hours, ch. 24): about vegetables that bear the firstfruits. Others here meant those settlers and farmers who cultivated church arable land, meadows, orchards or vineyards, and who were obliged in due time to bear fruit. Although the church prays for them, so that their labor would be prosperous and fruitful, lifted up for its own benefit, but under fruitful here they are predominantly understood as those who, partly by advice, care and labor, and partly by their generosity, do some increase or benefit to the church, or increase its splendor. Kedrin (10th century) refers to Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus as such a fruitful one, “who was pious and generous to God; in the established church religious processions he never came to the holy temples without generous gifts, but he consecrated magnificent and decent things for the Christ-loving emperor as a gift.
§26. Workers
Under the name working people of course here are the diggers of graves and the burial of the dead. The baronius (under the year 336, §15) writes: “he established a society of 88 people from different classes for the burial of the dead; he freed these people from tribute, from city duties, and subordinated them to church authority. This law was later confirmed by the Caesars: Justinian and Anastasius. These grave-diggers and grave-diggers, for the sake of their very difficult position in the churches, were ranked among the church clergy and were higher than the singers; that's why they are called working people. Jerome, in his epistle on the seven ecclesiastical degrees, says: “The first rank among the clergy is the rank of grave-diggers, who, following the example of St. Tobias, are obliged to bury the dead. Therefore, about them, as about people separated from the estates of the laity and elevated to the degree of the church and to the service of the temple of God, a special petition is made for this litany, and not only at Vespers and Matins, but also Chrysostom was appointed even at the Liturgy, placing them at the same time. above the singers.
§27. Litany of supplication
We ask the Lord. In addition to the litany great, small and especially, or diligent prayer, there is also a litany of supplication. The Apostle Paul said: I beg you, first of all, to make prayers, supplications, petitions, thanksgiving(). Observing this apostolic commandment, he fulfills all these requirements, i.e. prayer produces in the litanies great, small and special, where the priest or deacon, after every petition, says: Let us pray to the Lord; prayers the priest secretly reads; petition, in this petitionary litany, where the priest says: we ask the Lord, and the face answers him: give, Lord; thanksgiving the essence of all those songs that are sung alternately on kliros.
§28. "Angela is peaceful, faithful"
Ask God angel is peaceful, faithful- not about God now sending us an angel again, for everyone has been given an angel from the beginning; but we ask that he, being with us, freely act on us and, preserving, lead us to right life. (in a conversation on ) writes: “an angel will sit down to each of us who believes in the Lord, unless we wed him with evil deeds.” And in the 3rd word against Eunomius: “as all angels have one name, so of course the nature is one and the same. However, some of them watch over entire nations, and some accompany each of the faithful.
§29
Head bow prayer. When the priest tells us: Let us bow our heads to the Lord, and he himself, reading the prayer of prostration, bows down: then he shows our slavery and humility before God, and the indulgence of Christ God Himself to us, even to the point of a slave. But when the priest stands up and utters an exclamation, then by this he shows our resurrection from the fall and death and the resurrection of Christ the Lord; then aloud and with all his heart he thanks God, reading: wake power and so on. A similar sign has our kneeling in general, when it happens; about which see part 4, ch. 24.
§thirty. Litiya at Vespers in the porch
We proceed to the narthex making lithium. In the first part (ch. 10, §12) it is shown that the porch is appointed for the catechumens and the penitents. Therefore, as if wearing the image of the penitents and catechumens, humbled himself before God and asking for His mercy, he performs some part of the service in the porch, that is lithium. Litiya is a general procession from the temple, sometimes carried out in the midst of the city, or outside it, for the propitiation of the Lord, as in the Rule (on folio 252) it is also translated: procession. (in ch. 330) writes: “lithia is performed in the porch on holidays and on Saturday; and during some kind of plague or misfortune, it is sung at a confluence of people, or in the middle of a city, or outside it, near the walls. Further, the same one explains the meaning of the litia sung in the porch at Vespers: “In the porch at Vespers, we make a litia in the image of the fact that our Savior in the last days descended to us, and by this we propitiate Him. And, standing in front of the sacred temple, as if before the heavenly gates (middle western), we implore Him; for they are not worthy to look at the heights of heaven unless, standing before the gate, we cry out: sinned; then the Lord Himself, coming to meet us, will embrace us with love. This is what the prayer and prayer of a priest at the door means! It means that he again asks the Lord to open for us We go and the sky, or, better, the Divine womb, which we closed for ourselves, to our misfortune. About lithiums that are in the city and outside it, it will be said in part 4, ch. 24, §57.
"Lord, have mercy" on the lithium is sung many times, and finally three times
When we celebrate Vespers in the porch lithium then at all prayers we sing Lord have mercy different number of times. But finally, when asking for pardon, let's sing Lord have mercy only three times; and this happens to the glory of the Most Holy Trinity, and to express the fact that all real prayer ascends to all three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity.
§31. The stichera are verse, the singing of them in the middle of the temple and the lampada on the lithium
The stichera are those troparia that are sung with the verses, as was said above (in §19). The verses sung to Lord, call and on praise the, on whatever holiday and day, they always borrow verses for themselves from the same psalms. Therefore, they are called either simply stichera, or stichera on Lord, call, and verses laudatory. On the verse, the stichera are called spontaneous: 1) because the verses before these stichera always rely on different ones, appropriate for the celebration being celebrated, and not the same ones; 2) since the stichera were sung without verses on the litiya, and on the stikhovna, after the litiya, they are sung with verses, then to distinguish them from those stichera they are called spontaneous. These two reasons, and besides this, how, after the Litiya, they enter the temple, and why both faces sing verse stichera, having converged in the middle, (in ch. 341) explains this: “having performed the Litiya, the priest enters the temple through the royal gates (middle Western), and in front of him are lamps, which mean the Divine light and saints, and which are offered at every entrance. The father (abbot), who enters as if into heaven, is followed by others, walking together with the rector, as with Jesus Christ, showing the way to everyone. The faces, united together, stand in the middle of the temple, which form the opening of heaven for us, the union of angels with us, which was through Christ, and they sing stichera, and before them verses appropriate for the holiday. If it is Sunday, Sunday verses are sung: Lord reign; if it is some other holiday, verses and songs are sung that are appropriate for the holiday and invented just for that; if it is celebrated to some saint, then verses from the psalms and stichera are sung according to the order in honor of the celebrated saint, martyr or reverend. That is why these verses are also called spontaneous. But they are also called verses because at the lithium and in the vestibule stichera were sung without verses.
§32. "Now let go"
Now let go. Having seen the salvation prepared for us from above, as was evident from the meaning of the psalms: Blessed is the husband; Lord, call and so on, - also the entrance, we, going to sleep, as from life to death, pronounce with righteous Simeon thanksgiving song: now you let go. (in ch. 341) writes: “and then one of the servants, as if Simeon the God-bearer, reverently says a prayer: now you let go. Saint Simeon asked the permission of the soul from the body, seeing the salvation of God; we ask for the permission of the soul from passions, from the enemy's temptations and purely mental and bodily ailments. And in another place: “we read the grateful blessing of the God-Receiver Simeon, and just as he considered the permission from the body to be sweet, so he invites us to remember the outcome that has already appeared and which is signified in the evening, and bless him in what should be.”
§33. Vacation Troparion
Vacation troparia are those that are read at Vespers and Matins before the dismissal. In the present troparion, the first two words are: Virgin Virgin, applies to the words of the Archangel since the time when Nestorius, rejecting the Divinity of Christ, dared to call Blessed Virgin Mother of Christ. And therefore, first she calls the Most Holy Virgin Theotokos, and then adds the words: rejoice, blessed. At the end of this Arkhangelsk song, he also shows the reason for the name of the Virgin Mary the Mother of God: like the Savior gave birth to our souls. This dismissive troparion in honor of the Theotokos is read only during vigils on Sundays and on holy days; but on the Lord's feasts, both this and other Mother of God troparia are not relied upon. (in ch. 341) says: “This is the voice of the archangels about the Virgin and Her Divine conception. Since this beginning of the dispensation of our salvation took place on a weekly day, this hymn is revered especially in vigils on Sundays and on the feasts of the saints, because the virgin birth of Christ is the source of the holiness of the saints. It is not supposed only on the feasts of the Lord. Therefore, not only a troparion: Virgin Virgin, but also other troparia and stichera of the Theotokos on Lord's feasts, except Sundays, are not relied anywhere; because the sacraments and, contained in the Theotokos troparia and stichera, are expounded in all troparia and stichera, which are expounded on the feasts of the Lord.
§34. Blessing of the Bread at Vespers
The loaves here depict those mysterious five loaves that Christ multiplied and with which he fed five thousand people. AT real prayer the priest asks God to bless these breads, wheat, wine and oil as items necessary to sustain our lives. Since at the beginning of the church service, in the introductory psalm, we thanked God that He He brought forth bread from the earth, wine that gladdens the heart of man, and oil that anoints his face., then, so that the end would correspond to such a beginning, we, giving thanks to God for such gifts, offer the same objects for blessing and ask them to be multiplied. Such a blessing of the loaves occurs only at all-night vigils. (in chapter 342) says: “This blessing of the loaves is accomplished if there is a vigil; if it is not there, then after the bowing of the heads there is no litiya, no blessing of the loaves. The blessing of bread does not happen because it was established for the sake of the labor of vigil, so that the brethren for labor would receive both the blessing of Christ and some reinforcement, and so that, especially sanctified, from now on they would begin to pray for the communion of the terrible Mysteries.
§35. Anointing with oil at Matins
This oil, whom you blessed, name the people. In the service on the 15th day of August it is printed: and oil is given from the kandil of the Most Holy Theotokos which is also performed on other great feasts before the first hour, as shown in the Rite on the 26th day of September. And so the priest will anoint the Christians in the church with a double oil: from the kandil, i.e. from holy icons, and with oil consecrated here along with bread. Since ancient times, it has been a custom among Christians (Decree. Ap. Book 8, ch. 29) - this oil and other items suitable for use, what are the blessed water and oil mentioned by Clement, consecrate with prescribed prayers, bless with the sign of the cross and use in the name of the Holy Trinity . It is not required that the whole human body be washed with such water, or anointed with this oil: but it is enough just to touch or apply them to the body, only with the sign of the cross and with the utterance of the words: in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And especially oil, since it means mercy and is used as a symbol of it: this is accepted by us, so that through the prayers of the saint to whom this oil is dedicated, we can also receive mercy from God. Why the bread, wine and oil consecrated here are given to the faithful, not only to strengthen them for the next prayer, as mentioned above, but also to receive spiritual and bodily gifts, which are listed in the Missal in this place.
§36. "Wisdom Before the Leave"
Wisdom at Vespers it is proclaimed three or four times. The first time during the entrance before prayer: Light quiet; the second - before the prokimen; the third before paroemias when they are laid down; and the fourth time it is proclaimed here, on the occasion of the prayer read after this priest: Blessed is our God. (in ch. 322) writes: “again we proclaim wisdom, on the occasion of the prayer applied after this, which we must listen with attention. What is this prayer? Blessed is our God. These words are from the book of Moses, and express the perpetual and infinity of God, and were spoken by God Himself: I am Sy, and Sy sent me. Word wisdom it is also said in other services before holidays, and in private prayer services, in which prayers: Blessed is our God although it is not supposed to, it is pronounced for the holiday itself, where Christ is also preached true god ours, as in that prayer. For in prayer: Blessed is our God the first words are the Old Testament words about Christ; and in every holiday the same words are spoken in accordance with the teaching of the New Testament grace, and in them the Mother of God and the saints are called.
§37. Vacation
Release verb. On the content of the dismissal and the reason for it (in ch. 322) he speaks as follows: “the priest ends the service with a prayer, which is called vacation. For not everyone has the right to leave the divine songs and leave, but this requires the release of the priest. And therefore, just as the priest began the service, so he ends it and seals it with prayer. This seal is none other than Jesus Christ, who came to us in the flesh. Therefore, the priest, calling on Christ the true God, as His disciple John says: This is the true God and the Life eternal, through the prayers of His holy Mother, from whom He was incarnated, and of all His saints, asks Him to have mercy on us and save us. For of ourselves we have nothing, but all have received from the fact that Christ, in His goodness, became a man, and that His Mother and His saints are from among us.”
What is the meaning of repeating the prayer "Lord, have mercy" 3 times, 12 and 40 times?
"Lord have mercy!" (Greek "Kyrie eleyson") - the oldest prayer. To strengthen our repentant prayer attitude, we repeat it 3, 12 and 40 times. All these three numbers in the holy Bible symbolize fullness. Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) cites the words of the righteous John of Kronstadt, which were said to him during a conversation: “Why do we often sing: “Lord, have mercy?” Because we are fallen beings, constantly sinning and angering our Lord, and therefore worthy of all condemnation and punishment at all times. And all the blessings that we have and that we ask, we have by the grace of God, and not by our deeds and merits; and we ask as the mercy of God, and not as due, or rightfully ours. Thus, this short prayer teaches unceasing self-condemnation, repentance, humility, correction, hope in God's mercy, mercy towards others, remembrance of God's righteous judgment and retribution for the deeds of each of us ”(Heaven on Earth. 12. Necessary Prayers).
After the joyful exclamation "Alleluia" (Heb. "Praise the Lord"), which is present in all laudatory psalms, "Lord, have mercy" is the shortest prayer. At the same time, it is the shortest confession, even shorter than the repentance of the publican, who said five words from the depths of his contrite heart. The repeated repetition of “Lord, have mercy” also reminds us that our sins are constant due to our spiritual weakness, but we do not stagnate in sin, but constantly cry out for mercy. According to the righteous John of Kronstadt, this prayer “beats our pride and evokes in those who meditate a feeling of humility, which is the basis Christian virtues. This short prayer is the most necessary for every sinner, like his food and drink, like his medicine. She is the breath of his soul… Who often and from the heart says: “Lord, have mercy!” - he is alive and well in spirit. And who does not say or is ashamed to say this a short prayer, he is dead or mortally ill.
Prayer "Lord, have mercy!" - spiritual heritage revealed Old Testament religion. It sounded no less than during our divine service. It occurs especially frequently in the Psalms: 4:2; 6:3; 9:14; 26:7; 30:10; 40:5, 11; 85:3; 122:3. In our divine service 40 times (number of fullness) "Lord, have mercy" is most often sung or said before prayer during the Litiya, the Midnight Office, at the 3rd, 6th and 9th hours.
It's good when "Lord, have mercy!" the choir sings or the reader pronounces with spiritual power, cheerfully, but not hastily. It is unacceptable that the repeated repetition of this prayer be formal, careless.
“The mercy of God is nothing else than the grace of the Holy Spirit, which we sinners must ask God for, constantly crying out to Him: “Have mercy!” Show Thy mercy, my Lord, to me, a sinner, in the miserable state in which I am, and accept me again in Thy grace. Give me a spirit of strength to strengthen me in resisting the temptations of the devil and my sinful bad habits. Give me the spirit of counsel, so that I may become wise, come to my senses, and correct myself. Give me a spirit of fear, so that I may be afraid of offending You and keep Your commandments. Give me the spirit of love, so that I may love You and never move away from You. Give me the spirit of peace, may I keep my soul peaceful, gather all my thoughts, and remain silent and not tormented by thoughts. Give me a spirit of purity, may it keep me clean from all defilement. Give me a spirit of meekness, so that I may be quiet in dealing with my Christian brethren and refrain from anger. Give me the spirit of humility, so that I don’t think high of myself and don’t be proud” (Philokalia, Vol. 5. Interpretation of the prayer “Lord, have mercy”).
