What prayers should be read? Prayer of St. Dmitry of Rostov, protecting from despair. Prayer from breakers of promises and contracts to the holy martyr Polyeuctus

How to prepare yourself for visiting the temple. The temple is the house of God, heaven on earth, the place where the greatest Mysteries are performed. Therefore, it is necessary to always prepare for receiving shrines, so that the Lord does not condemn us for negligence in communicating with the Great.* Eating food before visiting the temple is not recommended, it is prohibited according to the rules, this is always done on an empty stomach. Some retreats are possible due to weakness, with the obligatory reproach of oneself.
Clothing is of great importance, the Apostle Paul mentions this, commanding women to cover their heads. He notes that a woman's covered head is a positive sign for the angels, for it is a sign of modesty. It is not good to visit a temple in a short, bright skirt, in a provocatively revealing dress or in a tracksuit. Anything that forces others to pay attention to you and distracts you from service and prayer is considered bad. A woman in trousers in a temple is also an unacceptable phenomenon. In the Bible, there is also an Old Testament prohibition for women to dress in men's clothing, and for men to dress in women's clothing. Respect the feelings of believers, even if this is YOUR first visit to the temple.

In the morning, getting out of bed, thank our Lord, who has given us the opportunity to spend the night in peace and who has extended us the days of repentance. Slowly wash your face, stand in front of the icon, light a lamp (necessarily from a candle) to impart a prayerful spirit, bring your thoughts into silence and order, forgive everyone and only then begin to read the morning prayers from the prayer book. If you have time, read one chapter from the Gospel, one of the Acts of the Apostles, one kathisma from the Psalter, or one psalm. At the same time, it is necessary to remember that it is always better to read one prayer with a sincere feeling than to complete all prayers with an obsessive thought. Before you leave, say a prayer: “I deny you, Satan, your pride and your service, and I unite with you, Christ our God, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen". Then, cross yourself and calmly walk to the temple. On the street, cross the road in front of you, with the prayer: “Lord, bless my ways and save me from all evil.” On the way to the temple, read the prayer to yourself: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

*Rules for entering the temple.
Before entering the temple, cross yourself, bow three times, looking at the image of the Savior, and say before the first bow: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” to the second bow: “God, cleanse my sins and have mercy on me.”
To the third: “I have sinned beyond number, Lord, forgive me.”
Then, having done the same, entering the doors of the temple, bow to both sides, say to yourself: “Forgive me, brothers and sisters.”
*In church, the correct way to kiss icons is as follows:
When kissing the holy icon of the Savior, one should kiss the feet,
Mother of God and Saints - hand,
and the miraculous image of the Savior and the head of St. John the Baptist are covered with hair.
And remember!!! If you come to the service, then the Service must be defended from beginning to end. Service is not a duty, but a sacrifice to God.
NOTE: - if you do not have the strength to stand for the entire service, then you can sit, for as St. Philaret of Moscow said: “It is better to think about God while sitting than about your feet while standing.”
However, while reading the Gospel you must stand!!!

How to be BAPTIZED CORRECTLY.
The sign of the cross is performed as follows.
We put the fingers of the right hand: thumb, index and middle - together (in a pinch), ring and little fingers - bent together, pressed to the palm.

Three folded fingers mean our faith in God, worshiped in the Trinity, and two fingers mean faith in Jesus Christ as true God and true Man. Then, with the tips of three folded fingers, we touch our forehead to sanctify our thoughts; belly to sanctify our body; right and left shoulders, to sanctify the works of our hands. In this way we depict a cross on ourselves.

After this we bow. Bows can be from the waist to the ground. The waist bow consists of bending the upper body forward after making the sign of the cross. When bowing to the ground, the believer kneels, bending down, touches his forehead to the floor and then stands up.

There are certain extensive church rules regarding what bows should be performed and when. For example, they are not performed prostrations during the period from Easter to the Holy Trinity, as well as on Sundays and great holidays.

To be baptized without bowing: 1. In the middle of the six psalms on “Alleluia” three times.
2. At the beginning “I believe.”
3. On vacation “Christ our true God.”
4. At the beginning of reading Holy Scripture: Gospels, Apostles and Proverbs.

Cross yourself with a bow:
1. When entering the temple and when leaving it - three times.
2. At each petition, the litany after singing “Lord, have mercy,” “Give, Lord,” “To you, Lord.”
3. With the exclamation of the clergyman, giving glory to the Holy Trinity.
4. When shouting “Take, eat”, “Drink from it all”, “Yours from Yours”.
5. At the words “Most honorable Cherub.”
6. With each word “let us bow down,” “worship,” “let us fall down.”
7. During the words “Alleluia”, “Holy God” and “Come, let us worship” and during the exclamation “Glory to Thee, Christ God”, before dismissal - three times.
8. On the canon on the 1st and 9th cantos at the first invocation to the Lord, the Mother of God or the saints.
9. After each stichera (moreover, the choir that finishes singing is baptized).
10. At the litia, after each of the first three petitions of the litany - 3 bows, after the other two - one each.

Be baptized with a bow to the ground:
1. During fasting, when entering the temple and when leaving it - 3 times.
2. During Lent, after each chorus to the song of the Mother of God “We magnify Thee.”
3. At the beginning of singing “It is worthy and righteous to eat.”
4. After “We’ll sing for you.”
5. After “It is worthy to eat” or Zadostoynik.
6. When shouting: “And grant us, Master.”
7. When carrying out the Holy Gifts, with the words “Approach with the fear of God and faith,” and the second time - with the words “Always, now and ever.”
8. B Lent, at Great Compline, while singing “Holy Lady” - on every verse; while singing “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” and so on. At Lenten Vespers three bows are made.
9. During fasting, during the prayer “Lord and Master of my life.”
10. During Lent, during the final singing: “Remember me, Lord, when You come in Your Kingdom.” Just 3 prostrations.

Half bow without the sign of the cross
1. At the words of the priest “Peace to all”
2. “The blessing of the Lord be upon you,”
3. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”,
4. “And may the mercies of the Great God be” and
5. With the words of the deacon “And forever and ever” (after the priest’s exclamation “How holy art thou, our God” before the singing of the Trisagion).

You are not supposed to be baptized.
1. During the psalms.
2. In general, while singing.
3. During the litanies, to the choir who sings the litany choruses
4. You need to be baptized and bow down at the end of the singing, and not at the last words.

Prostrations to the ground are not allowed.
On Sundays, on the days from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany, from Easter to Pentecost, on the Feast of the Transfiguration and Exaltation (on this day there are three prostrations to the Cross). Bowing stops from the evening entrance before the holiday until “Grant, O Lord,” at Vespers on the very day of the holiday.

ICONS IN THE HOUSE
Savior Not Made by Hands

Icon is a Greek word and is translated as “image.” Holy Scripture says that Jesus Christ himself was the first to give people His visible image.
King Abgar, who ruled during the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Syrian city of Edessa, was seriously ill with leprosy. Having learned that in Palestine there was the great “prophet and wonderworker” Jesus, who taught about the Kingdom of God and healed people of any disease, Abgar believed in Him and sent his court painter Ananias to give Jesus a letter from Abgar, asking for healing and his repentance. In addition, he ordered the painter to draw a portrait of Jesus. But the artist was unable to make a portrait, “due to the radiant shine of His face.” The Lord himself came to his aid. He took a piece of cloth and applied it to His Divine face, which is why His divine image was imprinted on the cloth, by the power of grace. Having received this Holy Image - the first icon created by the Lord Himself, Abgar venerated it with faith and received healing for his faith.
This miraculous image was given a name - *Savior Not Made by Hands*.

Purpose of the icon
The main purpose of the icon is to help people rise above the vanity of the world and provide assistance in prayer. “An icon is an embodied prayer. It is created in prayer and for the sake of prayer, the driving force of which is love for God, the desire for Him as for perfect Beauty.”
The icon is called upon to awaken in what lies before it the spiritual need to pray, to fall before God in repentance, to seek consolation in sorrows and prayers.

What icons should be in the home of an Orthodox Christian?
You must have icons of the Savior and the Mother of God at home. Among the images of the Savior, a half-length image of the Lord Almighty is usually chosen for home prayer. A characteristic feature of this iconographic type is the image of the Lord with a blessing hand and an open or closed book. Also, an icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands is often purchased for the home.
The icon of the Mother of God is most often chosen from the following iconographic types:
“Tenderness” (“Eleusa”) - Vladimirskaya, Donskaya, Pochaevskaya, Feodorovskaya, Tolgskaya, “Recovery of the Dead”, etc.;
“Guide” (“Hodegetria”) - Kazanskaya, Tikhvinskaya, “Quick to Hear”, Iverskaya, Gruzinskaya, “Three-Handed”, etc.
Usually in Rus' it is customary to place an icon of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Lycia (Nicholas the Pleasant) in every home iconostasis. Of the Russian saints, images of the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov are most often found; Among the icons of martyrs, the icons of St. George the Victorious and the healer Panteleimon are very often placed. If space permits, it is advisable to have images of the Holy Evangelists, St. John the Baptist, and the Archangels Gabriel and Michael.
If desired, you can add icons of patrons. For example: Patrons of the family - the holy faithful Prince Peter (monastically David) and Princess Fevronia
Saints Peter and Fevronia are an example of Christian marriage. With their prayers they bring down Heavenly blessings on those entering into marriage.
- the holy martyrs and confessors Gury, Samon and Aviv - are known among Orthodox Christians as the patrons of matrimony, marriage, happy family; They are prayed to “if the husband innocently hates his wife” - they are the intercessors of a woman in a difficult marriage. PATRON OF CHILDREN. - Holy Child-Martyr Gabriel of Bialystok.

How to pray CORRECTLY. Prayers are read according to certain RULES. A rule is the order of reading prayers established by the Church, their composition and sequence. There are: morning, afternoon and evening rules, rules for Holy Communion.
Each of the rules has almost the same beginning - opening prayers:

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

Heavenly King...
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (three times).
Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us...
Lord, have mercy... (three times).
Glory to the Father and the Son...
Our Father …"
these initial prayers are followed by the rest.

If you are limited in time, then use the prayer Rule of Seraphim of Sarov:
After sleep, having washed, first of all, you need to stand in front of the icons and, reverently crossing yourself, read the Lord’s Prayer *Our Father* three times. Then three times *Virgin Mother of God, rejoice* and, finally, the Creed.

Is it possible to pray in your own words? It is possible, but within certain restrictions.
The Church does not prohibit praying in one’s own words. Moreover, she points to this and prescribes, say, in the morning rule: “Briefly offer a prayer for the salvation of your spiritual father, your parents, relatives, bosses, benefactors, those you know who are sick or in sorrow.” Thus, we can tell the Lord in our own words about what concerns our friends or us personally, about what was not said in the prayers included in the prayer book.
However, without achieving spiritual perfection, praying with the words that come to mind, even if they come from the depths of the soul, we can only remain at our level of spirituality. By joining the prayers of the saints, trying to delve into their words, each time we become a little higher and better spiritually.
The Lord Himself gave us an example of how to pray. The prayer He left for His disciples is called the Lord's Prayer. It exists in all prayer books and is included in church services. This prayer is *Our Father*.

The Lord's Prayer (given to us by Jesus Christ) -
Our Father who art in heaven! Hallowed be it your name, may your kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us our daily bread for this day;
and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;
and do not let us fall into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
**********

SYMBOL OF FAITH:
I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, everything visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten of the Father before the beginning of time; Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father, through whom all things were created.
For us, for the sake of people and for our salvation, he came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, and rose again on the third day, as the Scriptures predicted. And ascended into heaven and reigns with the Father. And He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead; His kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, equally worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets.
Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.
Symbol of faith - summary the foundations of the Orthodox faith, compiled at the I and II Ecumenical Councils in the 4th century; read in the morning as a daily prayer.

PSALM 50.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquities. Wash me from all my iniquities, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my iniquities, and my sin is always before me. I have sinned only before You, and I have done evil before You, so You are right in Your verdict and just in Your judgment. From my very birth I have been guilty before You; I am a sinner from my conception in my mother's womb. But You love the sincere in heart and reveal to them the secrets of wisdom. Sprinkle me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me and whiter than snow I will be. Return joy and gladness to my soul, and my bones, broken by You, will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with Your Sovereign Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your ways, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from premature death, O God, God is my salvation, and my tongue will praise Your righteousness. God! Open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice - I would give it - and You do not favor burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; God will not despise a contrite and humble heart. Renew, O God, by Thy mercy Zion, erect the walls of Jerusalem. Then righteous sacrifices will be acceptable to You; then they will lay sacrifices to You on Your altar.

*Song of the Most Holy Theotokos:
Virgin Mary, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

*Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary:
O Most Holy Lady Lady Theotokos! Raise us, servant of God (names), from the depths of sin and deliver us from sudden death and from all evil. Grant us, O Lady, peace and health and enlighten our minds and the eyes of our hearts to salvation, and grant us, Thy sinful servants, the Kingdom of Thy Son, Christ our God: for His power is blessed with the Father and His Most Holy Spirit.

*A simpler prayer -
Most Holy Mother of God, pray to Your Son and God for the revelation of my mind and for the blessing of my undertakings, and for sending from above help in my affairs, and for the forgiveness of my sins, and for receiving eternal blessings. Amen.

PRAYERS BEFORE EATING AND AFTER EATING FOOD
Blessing of food or Thanksgiving prayer is said before the start of the meal.
The prayer can be read while sitting or standing. But, if there are people present who profess a different faith, then it is better not to say the prayer out loud!
The content of the prayer can be short or lengthy. The three options for prayers before meals given below are the most common, as they are the shortest:

1. Lord, bless us and these Thy gifts that we partake of.
Yours. In the name of Christ our Lord, amen.

2. Bless, Lord, this food, so that it will benefit us and give us
strength to serve You and help those who need it. Amen.

3. Let us thank the Lord for the meal given to us. Amen.

We present to you other options for prayers before meals:

1. Our Father... Or: The eyes of all are turned to You, Lord, and You give food to everyone at the right time,
You open Your generous hand and satisfy all living things.

2. We thank You, Christ our God, for You have filled us with Your earthly blessings. Don't deprive us of
Your Heavenly Kingdom, but as you once came to Your disciples, giving them peace, come to us and save us.

Often, believers, before and after eating, simply read three prayers: “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen". “Lord, have mercy” (three times). “Through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen".

And, if you want to snack on an apple or a sandwich, for example, then the clergy recommend that you simply cross yourself or cross what you are eating!

PRAYERS FOR THE COMING SLEEP:
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.
Lord have mercy. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

*Prayer of Saint Macarius the Great, to God the Father
Eternal God and King of every creature, who has vouchsafed me even at this hour to come, forgive me the sins I have committed this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, O Lord, my humble soul from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And grant me, Lord, to pass through this dream in peace at night, so that, rising from my humble bed, I will please Your most holy name all the days of my life, and will trample the fleshly and incorporeal enemies that fight me. And deliver me, Lord, from vain thoughts that defile me, and from evil lusts. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

*Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, have mercy and have mercy on me, Thy sinful servant, and forgive me the unworthy, and forgive me all that You have sinned today as a man, and moreover, not as a man, but also worse than cattle, my free sins and involuntary, known and unknown: those who are evil from youth and science, and those who are evil from insolence and despondency. If I swear by Your name, or blaspheme in my thoughts; or whom I will reproach; or slandered someone with my anger, or saddened someone, or became angry about something; either he lied, or he slept in vain, or he came to me as a beggar and despised him; or made my brother sad, or married, or whom I condemned; or became proud, or became proud, or became angry; or standing in prayer, my mind is moved by the wickedness of this world, or I think about corruption; either overeated, or drunk, or laughing madly; either I thought evil, or saw someone else’s kindness, and my heart was wounded by it; or dissimilar verbs, or laughed at my brother’s sin, but mine are countless sins; Either I didn’t pray for the sake of it, or I didn’t remember what other evil things I did, because I did more and more of these things. Have mercy on me, my Creator Master, Thy sad and unworthy servant, and leave me, and let me go, and forgive me, for I am Good and Lover of Mankind, so that I may lie down in peace, sleep and rest, the prodigal, sinful and damned one, and I will bow and sing , and I will glorify Your most honorable name, with the Father and His Only Begotten Son, now and ever and forever. Amen.

*Prayer
Lord our God, who have sinned in these days in word, deed and thought, as He is Good and Lover of Mankind, forgive me. Grant me a peaceful and serene sleep. Send Your guardian angel, covering and keeping me from all evil, for You are the guardian of our souls and bodies, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

*Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of Your most honorable Mother, and Your disembodied Angels, Your Prophet and Forerunner and Baptist, the God-speaking Apostles, the bright and victorious martyrs, the reverend and God-bearing fathers, and all the saints through the prayers, deliver me from my present demonic situation. To her, my Lord and Creator, do not want the death of a sinner, but as if he were converted and live, grant me conversion, the accursed and unworthy; take me away from the mouth of the destructive serpent, who yawns to devour me and bring me to hell alive. To her, my Lord, is my consolation, Who for the sake of the accursed one has clothed himself in corruptible flesh, pluck me from accursedness, and grant consolation to my more accursed soul. Plant in my heart to do Thy commandments, and forsake evil deeds, and receive Thy blessedness: for in Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, save me.

*Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Good Mother of the King, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Thy Son and our God on my passionate soul and with Thy prayers instruct me in good deeds, so that I may pass through the rest of my life without blemish and through Thee I will find paradise, O Virgin Mother of God, the only Pure One and Blessed One.

*Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel
Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all who have sinned this day, and deliver me from every wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, so that in no sin I will anger my God; but pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, that you may show me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.

Prayer to the Honest Life-Giving Cross:
May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke disappears, let them disappear; as wax melts in the presence of fire, so let demons perish from the face of those who love God and signify themselves with the sign of the cross, and who say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons by force on you of our Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power the devil, and who gave us His Honest Cross to drive away every adversary. O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen.
Or briefly:
Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honest and Life-giving Cross, and save me from all evil.

*Prayer
Weaken, forgive, forgive, O God, our sins, voluntary and involuntary, even in word and in deed, even in knowledge and in ignorance, even in days and nights, even in mind and in thought: forgive us everything, for it is good and Lover of Humanity.
*Prayer
Forgive those who hate and offend us, Lord Lover of Mankind. Do good to those who do good. Grant to our brothers and relatives the same petitions for salvation and eternal life. Visit those who are infirm and grant healing. Manage the sea as well. For travelers, travel. Grant forgiveness of sins to those who serve and forgive us. Have mercy on those who have commanded us unworthy to pray for them according to Your great mercy. Remember, Lord, our fathers and brothers who have fallen before us, and give them rest, where the light of Your face shines. Remember, Lord, our captive brothers and deliver me from every situation. Remember, Lord, those who bear fruit and do good in Your holy churches, and give them petitions for salvation and eternal life. Remember, Lord, us, humble and sinful and unworthy Thy servants, and enlighten our minds with the light of Thy mind, and guide us on the path of Thy commandments, through the prayers of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and all Thy saints: for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages. . Amen.

*CONFESSION OF SINS DAILY:
I confess to You, Lord my God and Creator, in the One Holy Trinity, glorified and worshiped, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, all my sins, which I have committed all the days of my life, and for every hour, both now and in days gone by. and nights, by deed, by word, by thought, by gluttony, drunkenness, secret eating, idle talk, despondency, laziness, bickering, disobedience, slander, condemnation, neglect, pride, avarice, theft, unspeaking, foulness, money-grubbing, jealousy, envy, anger, memory malice , hatred, covetousness and all my feelings: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and my other sins, both mental and physical, in the image of my God and Creator I have angered You, and my neighbor for being untruthful: regretting these, I blame myself for You, my God I imagine, and I have the will to repent: then, Lord my God, help me, with tears I humbly pray to Thee: forgive me by Thy mercy for my sins, and forgive me from all these things that are said before Thee, for Thou art Good and Lover of mankind.

When you go to bed, be sure to say:

*In Your hands, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit: You bless me, You have mercy on me and grant me eternal life. Amen.*

The LORD save and preserve you!!!

Prayer for quick help that will protect you from trouble,
will help in misfortune and show the way to a better life

INTRODUCTION

Our world is like an ocean in a terrible storm, especially in these times of crisis. We are small chips in it, endlessly tossing waves across the water.

Failures and lack of money, uncertainty about the future and our strengths, fears for our children and loved ones - this ninth wave covers us almost constantly. And no, no, yes, we will feel how despair and hopelessness are squeezing our heart with icy tentacles. And at this moment we want to ask for help, and we look around, but everywhere we see the same people, wounded and beaten by life, who themselves do not know what to do.

And then, as if on a whim, we raise our gaze upward to Heaven. And we begin to talk about our affairs, about our lives, asking you to help us. Because, no matter who we are, no matter who we believe in words, we know in the depths of our souls that there is a God who never forgets us, and there is the Mother of God who loves us, and the saints who work for us. us before the face of the Lord.

That’s why we turn to them in the most difficult moments of our lives, ask them for protection and help, ask them to guide us on the right path and give us strength to survive difficult times.

And we express all our requests in prayer - sincere and fervent. And if we do not know the words of prayer, then we speak on our own, in our own words, all the same, the Lord and His helpers will hear us.

But there are prayers whose power is increased by time. Millions of people before us addressed and after us will address these words to Heaven. They are like medicine that needs to be used for acute pain. The request for help that is inherent in them goes straight to God, and we receive an answer immediately.

This book contains very necessary and very effective prayers that will help you in any difficult moments of your life.

PRAYERS OF THANKS

Thank the Lord for every day you live, for the blessings sent down to you, for the great gift of health, for the happiness of your children. For everything you have on this moment, even if, from your point of view, this is not so much.

If you begin to thank the forces of Heaven for your life and everything connected with it, your life will definitely change for the better. After all, good begets good. Having learned to appreciate what we have, we will perceive differently all the opportunities that the Lord will give us through our prayers.

Prayer of gratitude to the guardian angel

Having thanked and glorified his Lord, One God of the Orthodox Jesus Christ for His beneficence, I appeal to you, holy angel of Christ, warrior Divine. I call from prayer of thanksgiving, I thank you for your mercy towards me and for your intercession for me before the face of the Lord. Slaven be in the Lord angel!

A short version of a prayer of gratitude to the guardian angel

Having glorified the Lord, I pay tribute to you, my guardian angel. Glorious be you in the Lord! Amen.

PRAYERS THAT HELP EVERYONE AND ALWAYS

No matter how old we are, we always need support, we need help. Each of us hopes that he will not be left in Hard time that he will be given strength and self-confidence.

Read these prayers whenever you want to feel protected, when you feel bad or sad, when you start a business, or when you simply feel the need to talk to someone who is Above us.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth; Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel

Angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me from heaven by the Lord, I diligently pray to You, enlighten me today and save me from all evil, guide me to good deeds and direct me on the path of salvation. Amen.

Prayer to the Council of the 12 Apostles, protecting from trouble and problems

Consecration of the apostles of Christ: Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, James and Jude, Simon and Matthew! Hear our prayers and sighs, now offered by our contrite hearts, and help us, the servants of God (names), through your powerful intercession before the Lord, to get rid of all evil and enemy flattery, and to firmly preserve the Orthodox faith that you have firmly devoted to, in which your intercession will not We will not be diminished by wounds, rebuke, pestilence, or any wrath from our Creator, but we will live a peaceful life here and be honored to see good things on the land of the living, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the One in the Trinity, glorified and worshiped God, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to Nicholas the Ugodnik

In the Orthodox world it is difficult to find a second saint as revered as Nicholas the Wonderworker. Everyone turns to him, both simpletons and scientists, believers and non-believers, even many who are alien to Christianity, Muslims and Buddhists turn to him with reverence and fear. The reason for such large-scale veneration is simple - immediate, almost instantaneous help from God, sent through the prayers of this greatest saint. People who have turned to him at least once with a prayer of faith and hope certainly know this.

All-Blessed Father Nicholas! To the shepherd and teacher of all who flow with faith to your intercession, and who call you with warm prayer! Strive soon and deliver the flock of Christ from the wolves that are destroying it, and protect every Christian country and save the saints with your prayers from worldly rebellion, cowardice, invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare, from famine, flood, fire, sword and vain death. AND just as you had mercy on three men sitting in prison, and you delivered them from the king’s wrath and beatings sword, have mercy and me, mind, in word and deed dry yourself in the darkness of sins, and deliver me from the wrath of God and eternal punishment; like yes yours intercession and help, and by His mercy and grace, Christ God quiet and a sinless life will give to me live in this whole time, and deliver me vouchsafed desnago with everyone saints. Amen.

Prayer to the life-giving Cross

May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke disappears, let them disappear; as wax melts in the presence of fire, so let demons perish from the presence of those who love God and signify themselves with the sign of the cross, and who say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons by force on you of our Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power the devil, and who gave us His Honest Cross to drive away every adversary. O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for happiness and good luck

Benefactor, holy angel, my guardian forever and ever, as long as I live. Your ward is calling to you, hear me and come down to me. As you have done me good many times, do me good again. I am pure before God, I have not done anything wrong before people. I lived by faith before, and I will continue to live by faith, and therefore the Lord has endowed me with His mercy, and by His will you protect me from all adversity. So let the will of the Lord come true and you, saint, fulfill it. I ask you for a happy life for yourself and your family, and this will be the highest reward from the Lord for me. Hear me, heavenly angel, and help me, fulfill the will of God. Amen.

PRAYERS TO STRENGTHEN US IN SPIRIT TO SURVIVE TOUGH TIMES

You can ask the Lord for money. Yes, good job. But the most important thing that we must ask from Him in any time, but especially in times of crisis, is the strength of spirit to withstand difficult times, so as not to become despondent, not to despair and not to become embittered at the whole world.

Read these prayers every time you feel that your spirit has begun to weaken, when fatigue and irritation towards the whole world accumulate, when life begins to be seen in black colors, and it seems that there is no way out.

Prayer of the last Optina elders

Lord, please with all my heart meet with calm everything that brings to me coming day. Give to me surrender completely according to Your will saint. For every hour of this day, instruct and support me in everything. Whatever I received news in flow day, teach me accept them with calm soul And firm conviction that Your holy will is for everything. In all my words and deeds, guide my thoughts and feelings. In all unforeseen cases, do not give to me forget that everything is sent down You. Teach me straight and act wisely with each member of my family, no one embarrassing and not upsetting. Lord, please give me strength postpone the fatigue of the coming day and that's it events in during the day. Guide my will and teach me pray, believe, hope, endure, forgive and love. Amen.

Prayer of the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, protecting from falling

God! I am a miracle Your goodness, wisdom, omnipotence, since You brought from non-existence into being, since I am preserved by You hitherto in existence, By I have colic, due to goodness, generosity and philanthropy Your only begotten Son, to inherit eternal life, if I am faithful to You I will abide colic terrible sacred rite bringing Himself to sacrifice by Your Son, I am raised from terrible fall, redeemed from eternal destruction. I praise Your goodness, Yours infinite power. Your wisdom! But commit Your miracles goodness, omnipotence and wisdom is above me, damned, and weigh their fates save me, Thy unworthy servant, and bring me into Your kingdom is eternal, vouchsafe me life ageless, day non-evening.

Elder Zosima said: Whoever desires the Kingdom of Heaven desires the riches of God, and not yet loves God Himself.

Prayer of the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, protecting from despondency

God! Your name is love: do not reject me, a misguided person. Your name is Strength: strengthen me, who is exhausted and falling! Your name is Light: enlighten my soul, darkened by worldly passions. Your name is Peace: pacify my restless soul. Your name is Mercy: do not cease to have mercy on me!

Prayer of St. Dmitry of Rostov, protecting from despair

God! All desire and my sigh yes it will be in you. All wish my and diligence mine is in You alone yes will, My Savior! All my pleasure And my thought is in You let it deepen, and all my bones yes they recite: “Lord, Lord! Who is like You, who can compare in strength, grace and Thy wisdom? All bo wise and righteous and treated us kindly if you ».

Prayer to the guardian angel to strengthen faith and relieve despondency in moments of failure

My patron, my intercessor in the face of the One Christian God! Holy angel, I appeal to you with a prayer for the salvation of my soul. A test of faith came down from the Lord to me, a wretched one, for our Father God loved me. Help me, saint, to endure the test from the Lord, for I am weak and I am afraid that I will not be able to withstand my suffering. Bright angel, descend to me, send down great wisdom on my head so that I can listen very sensitively to the word of God. Strengthen my faith, angel, so that there are no temptations before me and I pass my test. Like a blind man walking through the mud, without knowing it, I will walk with you among the vices and abominations of the earth, not raising my eyes to them, but in vain only to the Lord. Amen.

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, protecting from despair

Vladych ic Ah, my Most Holy Theotokos. By your omnipotent and holy prayers before our Lord take me away from me, a sinner and humble Your servant (name), despondency, foolishness and all nasty, evil and blasphemous thoughts. I beg you! Take me away them from my heart sinner and my soul weak. Holy Mother of God! Deliver me from all kinds of evil and unkind thoughts and actions. Be blessed and glorified be Your name forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Dmitry of Rostov, protecting from despondency and despair

I'm worthless will reject it, yes nothing will excommunicate me from Divine Thy love, oh My God! Yes nothing will stop, neither fire nor sword or famine, nor persecution, nor depth, nor height, nor present nor future, exactly the same May this abide in my soul I'll take it out. Let me desire nothing else in this world, Lord, but day and night yes I will seek You, my Lord, and may I find eternal treasure I will accept and I will acquire wealth and be worthy of all blessings.

PRAYERS TO GIVE US PHYSICAL STRENGTH SO WE CAN SURVIVE TOUGH TIMES

Illnesses always take a lot of our strength and unsettle us, but it is especially scary to get sick in difficult times, and especially if we are responsible for the lives of children and loved ones, for the well-being of employees and colleagues.

Read these prayers during illnesses to speed up recovery and ease the course of the disease, and when you feel that your physical strength is running out. Read these prayers for yourself and for your children, for all your loved ones, so that the Lord gives them the strength to stay healthy.

Prayer to the Lord in illness

The sweetest name! A name that strengthens a person’s heart, a name of life, salvation, joy. Command by Your name, Jesus, that the devil may depart from me. Open, Lord, my blind eyes, destroy my deafness, heal my lameness, restore speech to my dumbness, destroy my leprosy, restore my health, raise me from the dead and restore life to me again, protect me on all sides from internal and external evil. May praise, honor and glory always be given to You from century to century. Let it be so! Let Jesus be in my heart. Let it be so! May our Lord Jesus Christ be always in me, may He revive me, may He preserve me. Let it be so! Amen.

Prayer for the health of St. Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon

Great servant Christ, passion-bearer and much-merciful physician Panteleimon! Umi- have mercy on me, a sinful slave, hear my groaning and cry, appease the Heavenly One, Verkhovnago May the physician of our souls and bodies, Christ our God, grant me healing from the illness that oppresses me. Accept undignified prayer the greatest sinner of all is man. Visit me gracious visit. Do not disdain my sinful ulcers, anoint them with the oil of mercy yours and heal me; yes healthy soul And body, the rest of my days, by grace God, I can spend it in repentance and pleasing God and I will achieve it perception good the end of my life. To her, servant of God! Pray to Christ God, yes representative- yours bestows health my body and the salvation of my soul. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for protection from injury due to an accident

Holy Angel of Christ, protector from all evil providence, patron and benefactor! Just as you take care of everyone who needs your help in a moment of accidental misfortune, take care of me, a sinner. Do not leave me, listen to my prayer and protect me from wounds, from ulcers, from any accident. I entrust my life to you, as I entrust my soul. And as you pray for my soul, the Lord our God, take care of my life, protect my body from any damage. Amen.

Prayer to the guardian angel in illness

Holy angel, warrior of Christ, I appeal to you for help, for my body is in serious illness. Drive away illnesses from me, fill my body, my arms, my legs with strength. Clear my head. I pray to you, my benefactor and protector, about this, for I have become extremely weak, infirm. And I experience great suffering from my illness. And I know that because of my lack of faith and because of my grave sins, illness was sent to me as punishment from our Lord. And this is a test for me. Help me, God's angel, help me, protecting my body, so that I can endure the test and not shake my faith in the least. And above all, my holy guardian, pray for my soul to our Teacher, so that the Almighty will see my repentance and take away the illness from me. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for eternal health

Listen up to the prayers of your ward(name), saint Angel of Christ. For he did good to me, interceded for me before God, looked after and protected me in a moment of danger, kept me, according to the will of the Lord, from bad people from misfortunes, from fierce animals and from the evil one, so help to me Once again, send health to my bodies, my hands, my feet, my head. Let in forever and ever, as long as I live, I will be strong in body, so that I can endure trials from God and serve in glory The Most High, until He calls me. I pray I love you damned, about this. If I have been guilty, I have sins behind me and am not worthy to ask, then I pray for forgiveness, for, sees God, I didn't think nothing bad and nothing bad did. If you did something wrong, then malicious intent, but By thoughtlessness. ABOUT I pray for forgiveness and mercy, health I beg for the whole life. I hope on you, angel of Christ. Amen.

PRAYERS TO PROTECT FROM POVERTY AND MONEY PROBLEMS

Each of us puts our own meaning and meaning into the concept of wealth and poverty. Each of us has our own money problems. But none of us wants to find ourselves below the poverty line, to experience all the horror of the question “What will my children eat tomorrow?”

Read these prayers so that you will overcome any financial problems and so that you always have the necessary financial minimum, which would allow you to live without fear for tomorrow.

Prayer against poverty

You, O Lord, are our wealth, and therefore we lack nothing. With You we desire nothing, neither in heaven nor on earth. In You we enjoy indescribably great bliss, which the whole world cannot give us. Do it, so that we may continually find ourselves in You, and then for Your sake we will willingly renounce everything that is displeasing to You, and we will be content, no matter how You, our Heavenly Father, arranges our earthly fate. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for material well-being

To you, the angel of Christ, I appeal. He also protected me and protected me and kept me, for I have not sinned before and will not sin in the future against faith. So respond now, come down on me and help me. I worked very hard, and now you see my honest hands with which I worked. So let it be, as Scripture teaches, that labor will be rewarded. Reward me according to my labors, holy one, so that my hand, weary with labor, may be filled, and I may live comfortably and serve God. Fulfill the will of the Almighty and bless me with earthly bounties according to my labors. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel so that the abundance on the table is not wasted

Having given tribute to our Lord God, Jesus Christ, for the dishes on my table, in which I saw a sign of His highest love, I now turn with prayer to you, holy warrior of the Lord, angel of Christ. It was the will of God that for my little righteousness, I, the accursed one, would feed myself and my family, my wife and unthinking children. I pray to you, saint, protect me from the empty table, fulfill the will of the Lord and reward me for my deeds with a modest dinner, so that I can satisfy my hunger and feed my children, who are sinless before the face of the Almighty. Since he sinned against the word of God and fell into disgrace, it was not out of malice. Our God sees that I did not think about evil, but always followed His commandments. Therefore, I repent, I pray for forgiveness for the sins that I have, and I ask to be given a plentiful table in moderation, so as not to die of hunger. Amen.

Prayer to the holy martyr Harlampius for deliverance from hunger, asking for the fertility of the earth, a good harvest

Most wonderful holy martyr Haralampie, unconquerable passion-bearer, priest of God, intercede for the whole world! Look at the prayer of us, who honor your holy memory: ask the Lord God for forgiveness of our sins, so that the Lord will not be completely angry with us: we have sinned and are unworthy of God’s mercy: pray to the Lord God for us, that he may send peace upon our cities and towns May He deliver us from the invasion of foreigners, internecine warfare and all kinds of discord and discord: establish, O holy martyr, faith and piety in all the children of the Orthodox Christian Church, and may the Lord God deliver us from heresies, schisms and all superstition. O merciful martyr! Pray for us to the Lord, may He save us from hunger and all kinds of diseases, and may He give us an abundance of the fruits of the earth, an increase in livestock for human needs, and everything useful to us: above all, may we be worthy, through your prayers, of the heavenly kingdom of Christ our God, to Him honor and worship befits, with His beginningless Father and the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

In prosperity and in poverty

(According to Acts 20:35; Matthew 25:34)

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for all the good things that You give me through the Lord Jesus Christ. Bless, dear Savior, the work that You have given me, and give me strength to do it for the good of Your kingdom. Give me the joy of seeing the fruits of my labors and donations. Fulfill Your words on me: “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” so that I can live in prosperity and not experience poverty.

But if I should experience poverty, then grant, Lord, wisdom and patience to endure it with dignity, without grumbling, remembering poor Lazarus, for whom You, Lord, have prepared bliss in Your kingdom.

I pray to You that one day I will hear: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel, protecting against failures

Making the sign of the cross over myself, I turn in fervent prayer to you, angel of Christ, guardian of my soul and body. Whoever is in charge of my affairs, who guides me, who sends me a happy occasion, do not leave me even in the moment of my failures. Forgive my sins, since I have sinned against the faith. Protect, saint, from bad luck. May failures pass by the servant of God (name), may the will of the Lord, the Lover of Mankind, be done in all my affairs, and may I never suffer from bad luck and poverty. This is what I pray to you, benefactor. Amen.

Prayer to Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria

Saint John of God, merciful protector of the orphans and those in misfortune! We resort to you and pray to you, Thy servants (names), as the quick patron of all who seek consolation from God in troubles and sorrows. Don’t stop praying to the Lord for everyone who flows to you with faith! You, having been filled with Christ’s love and goodness, appeared like a wonderful palace of the virtue of mercy and acquired for yourself the name “Merciful.” You were like a river, constantly flowing with generous mercies and abundantly watering all who thirst. We believe that after you moved from earth to heaven, the gift of sowing grace increased in you and that you became an inexhaustible vessel of all goodness. By your intercession and intercession before God, create “all kinds of joy,” so that everyone who comes running to you will find peace and tranquility: grant them comfort in temporary sorrows and help in everyday needs, instill in them the hope of eternal rest in the Kingdom of Heaven. In your life on earth, you were a refuge for everyone in every trouble and need, for the offended and ailing; not a single one of those who came to you and asked you for mercy was deprived of your grace. Likewise now, reigning with Christ in heaven, show all those who worship before your honest icon and pray for help and intercession. Not only did you yourself show mercy to the helpless, but you also raised the hearts of others to the consolation of the weak and to the charity of the poor. Move even now the hearts of the faithful to intercede for the orphans, comfort the mourners and reassure the needy. May the gifts of mercy not become scarce in them, and, moreover, may there be peace and joy in them (and in this house that looks after the suffering) in the Holy Spirit - to the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, protecting against loss of wealth and poverty

Our kind shepherd And God-wise mentor, Saint Nicholas of Christ! Hear us sinners (names), praying to you and calling for your speedy intercession for help: see us infirm, caught from everywhere, deprived of every good and from the mind cowardice of the darkened. Struggling servant of God, no leave us in sinful captivity let us not be happy our enemy and not We will die in our evil deeds. Pray for us unworthy our creator and Lord, to Him you are with disembodied faces pre-stand: be merciful to us create God ours in this life and in in the future, may he not reward us on business ours and by uncleanness hearts ours, but according to His goodness will reward us. To yours for the intercessor is trust in yours we boast of intercession, We call upon your intercession to help, and to the holy image yours desperately, we ask for help: deliver us, servant of Christ, from the evils that come upon us, and for the sake of your holy prayers will not embrace us attack and not let us wallow in the abyss of sin and mud passions ours. Pray to Saint Nicholas of Christ, Christ our God, that he will give us a peaceful life and remission of sins, to our souls salvation and great mercy, now and ever and ever.

Prayer to Saint Spyridon of Trimifuntsky, granting a serene, comfortable existence

Omniblessed to the saint Spiridone, great saint of Christ and glorious miracle worker! Pre- stand on heaven to the throne from the face of God Angel, look with your merciful eye at the people (names) coming here and asking for your strong help. Pray to the compassion of God, the Lover of Mankind, not to judge us according to our iniquities, but to deal with us according to His mercy! Ask us from Christ and our God peaceful And serene life, mental health And bodily, earth prosperity and in everything all abundance and prosperity, and let us not turn good into evil, bestowed to us from the generous God, but for His glory and glorification your intercession! Deliver everyone with undoubted faith in God coming from all sorts of mental troubles And bodily, from all yearnings And devilish slander! Be the sad comforter, the sick doctor in trouble assistant, naked patron, intercessor for widows, orphans defender, baby feeder, old strengthen tel, wandering guide, floating helmsman, And plead with everyone your strong help demanding, all, even to salvation useful! Yako yes by your prayers we instruct and observe, we will achieve eternal peace and together with you we will glorify God in the Trinity Holy glorified, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk for sending down a comfortable life and deliverance from poverty

All-praised saint and servant of Christ, from what's ours Quiet! Angelically on Having lived on earth, you, like a good angel, appeared in your long-ago glorification: we believe with all our hearts and thoughts, like you, our good-hearted one assistant And prayer book, your unfalse intercessions and grace from the Lord abundantly for you bestowed you always contribute to our salvation. Accept wow, dear saint Christ, and at this hour our unworthy prayers: own bodysuit thanks for your intercession from the vanity that surrounds us and superstition, disbelief and mistrust of man eternal; strive, quick representative for us, with your favorable intercession, beg the Lord to add His great and rich mercy to us sinners and unworthy His servants(names), may He heal with His grace unhealed ulcers and scabs of corrupt souls and body ours, may our petrified hearts dissolve tears of tenderness and Contrition for many sins ours, and may he deliver us from eternal torment and fire of Gehenna; to all His faithful people Yes grants peace and silence, health and salvation and good haste in everything, so quiet and silent living lived in every piety and purity, let us be honored with Angels and with everyone saints glorify and sing the all-holy name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit forever and ever.

Prayer to St. Alexy, a man of God, for protection in poverty

Great servant of Christ, holy man of God Alexis, stand with your soul in heaven before the throne of the Lord, and on earth, given to you from above by various graces, perform miracles! Look mercifully at the people (names) standing before your holy icon, tenderly praying and asking for your help and intercession. Stretch out your honest hands to the Lord God and ask us from Him for forgiveness of our sins, voluntary and involuntary, healing for the sick, intercession for the afflicted, consolation for the grieving, and for the needy. ambulance, to all who honor your peaceful and Christian death and good answer at the terrible judgment of Christ. To her, saint of God, do not disgrace our hope, which we place on you according to God and the Mother of God, but be our helper and protector for salvation, so that through your prayers we have received grace and mercy from the Lord, we glorify the love of mankind of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in To the Trinity we glorify and worship God, and your holy intercession, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer before the icons of the Mother of God “Joy of all who mourn” for consolation in the sorrow of lack of money

O Most Holy Lady Theotokos, blessed Mother of Christ God, our Savior, joy to all who mourn, visitation to the sick, protection and intercession of the weak, widows and orphans, patroness of the sad, all-reliable comforter of sad mothers, strength of weak babies, and always ready help and faithful refuge for all the helpless! You, O All-Merciful One, have been given grace from the Almighty to intercede for everyone and deliver them from sorrows and illnesses; you yourself have already endured fierce sorrows and illnesses, looking at the free suffering of Your beloved Son and Him crucified on the cross, seeing the weapon predicted by Simeon , Thy heart has passed through: in the same way, O beloved Mother of children, listen to the voice of our prayer, comfort us in the sorrow of those who exist, like an intercessor faithful to joy. Standing before the throne of the Most Holy Trinity, at the right hand of Your Son, Christ our God, you can, if you desire, ask for everything useful to us: for the sake of heartfelt faith and love, we fall to You, as the Queen and Lady: hear, daughter, and see, and incline Your ear, hear our prayer and deliver us from current troubles and sorrows: You are the Joy of all the faithful, as you give peace and consolation. Behold our misfortune and sorrow: show us Thy mercy, send comfort to our hearts wounded by sorrow, show and surprise us sinners with the riches of Thy mercy, give us tears of repentance to cleanse our sins and quench the wrath of God, and with a pure heart, good conscience and With undoubted hope we resort to Your intercession and intercession. Accept, our All-merciful Lady Theotokos, our fervent prayer offered to You, and do not reject us, unworthy of Your mercy, but grant us deliverance from sorrow and illness, protect us from all slander of the enemy and human slander, be our constant helper all the days of our life , as if under Your maternal protection we will always remain in purpose and preservation through Your intercession and prayers to Your Son and God our Savior, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His beginningless Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer before the icons of the Mother of God “Quench my sorrows” to calm the soul and heart in poverty

Hope to all the ends of the earth, Most Pure Virgin, Lady Theotokos, our consolation! Do not disdain us sinners, for we trust in Your mercy: extinguish the sinful flame burning in us and water our parched hearts with repentance; Cleanse our minds from sinful thoughts, accept the prayers offered to You from the soul and heart with sighs. Be an intercessor for us to Your Son and God and turn away His anger with Your Mother’s prayers. Heal mental and physical ulcers, Lady Lady, quench the illnesses of souls and bodies, calm the storm of evil attacks of the enemy, take away the burden of our sins, and do not leave us to perish until the end, and comfort our broken hearts with sadness, let us glorify Thee until our last breath. Amen.

Prayer before the icons of the Mother of God “Kazan” for deliverance from poverty and despondency when financial problems arise

O Most Holy Lady, Lady Theotokos! With fear, faith and love before honest and miraculous by Your icon we pray Cha: no turn away their faces yours from those running to you: beg, merciful Mother, Son yours and may our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, preserve I'm peaceful our country, His holy Church is unshakable May he preserve and deliver from unbelief, heresies and schism. Not Ibo imams other help, not imams other hope, is it for you, Most Pure Virgo: You are the omnipotent Christians assistant and intercessor: deliver us all, with faith in You those praying, from falls of sins, from the slander of the evil ones Human, from all sorts of temptations sorrows, illnesses, troubles and sudden death: grant us a spirit of contrition, humility of heart, purity of thoughts, correction sinful lives and forgiveness of sins, let everyone be grateful chantingly Thy greatness and mercy, appear above us here on land, let us be worthy and Heavenly Kingdom, and there with all the saints we will glorify honorable and the magnificent name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit, forever and ever.

Prayer before the icons of the Mother of God “Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary” for protection from money problems

O Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord of the Highest Powers, Queen of Heaven and Earth, our city and country, all-powerful Intercessor! Accept this singing of praise and gratitude from us, unworthy Thy servants, and lift up our prayers to the Throne of God Thy Son, that He may be merciful to our iniquities and add His grace to those who honor Thy all-honorable name and with faith and love worship Thy miraculous image. We are not, because you deserve to be pardoned by Him, if you do not propitiate Him for us, the Lady, as everything is possible for You from Him. For this reason, we resort to You, as to our undoubted and speedy Intercessor: hear us praying to You, cover us with Your all-powerful protection and ask God Your Son as our shepherd for zeal and vigilance for souls, as a city ruler for wisdom and strength, for judges for truth and impartiality. , a mentor, reason and humility, a spouse, love and harmony, a child, obedience, patience for the offended, the fear of God for those who offend, complacency for those who grieve, abstinence for those who rejoice:

to all of us the spirit of reason and piety, the spirit of mercy and meekness, the spirit of purity and truth. To her, Most Holy Lady, have mercy on Your weak people; Gather the scattered, guide those who have gone astray on the right path, support old age, educate the young with chastity, raise the infants, and look upon us all with the mercy of Your intercession; raise us up from the depths of sin and enlighten the eyes of our hearts to the vision of salvation; be merciful to us here and there, in the land of earthly arrival and at the Last Judgment of Your Son; Having ceased in faith and repentance from this life, our fathers and brethren began to live with the Angels and all the saints in eternal life. For you are, Lady, the Glory of heaven and the Hope of earth, You, according to God, are our Hope and Intercessor of all those who flow to You with faith. We therefore pray to You and to You, as the Almighty Helper, we commit ourselves and each other and our whole life, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer for protection from poverty and other troubles of Saint Xenia the Blessed

Holy all-blessed mother Ksenia! Having lived under the shelter of the Most High, knowing and strengthened by the Mother of God, having endured hunger and thirst, cold and heat, reproach and persecution, you have received the gift of insight and miracles from God and are resting under the shade of the Almighty. Now the Holy Church, like a fragrant flower, glorifies you: standing at the place of your burial, before your holy image, as if you were alive and dry with us, we pray to you: accept our petitions and bring them to the Throne of the Merciful Heavenly Father, as you have boldness towards Him , ask for eternal salvation for those who flow to you, and for our good deeds and undertakings a generous blessing, deliverance from all troubles and sorrows, appear with your holy prayers before our All-Merciful Savior for us, unworthy and sinners, help, holy blessed mother Ksenia, babies with the light of the Holy Illuminate Baptism and seal the gift of the Holy Spirit, educate boys and girls in faith, honesty, fear of God and chastity and grant them success in learning; heal the sick and ailing, family love and the consent of those who have descended, with the monastic feat of good will be worthy to strive and protect from reproach, strengthen the shepherds in the strength of spirit, preserve our people and country in peace and tranquility, pray for those deprived of communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ in the dying hour: you are our hope and hope, soon hearing and deliverance, we send thanks to you and with you we glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for protection from poverty

I appeal to you with prayer, my benefactor and patron, my intercessor before the Lord God, holy angel of Christ. I appeal to you, for my barns have become poor, my stables stand empty. My bins are no longer pleasing to the eye, and my purse is empty. I know that this is a test for me, a sinner. And therefore I pray to you, saint, for I am honest before people and God, and my money has always been honest. And I did not take sin on my soul, but always profited according to God’s providence. Do not destroy me with hunger, do not oppress me with poverty. Do not allow the humble servant of God to die despised by all as a beggar, for I worked very hard for the glory of the Lord. Protect me, my holy patron angel, from a life of poverty, for I am innocent. Since I am guilty, then everything will be God’s will. Amen.

PRAYERS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, RELATIVES, AND RELATIVES FROM TROUBLES AND MISCELLANIES

In difficult times, everyone suffers, both ourselves and our loved ones. The heart begins to break when you see what hardships and problems sometimes befall the people closest to us.

How can we help all our loved ones? How can we support them in troubles? Our fervent request for help addressed to God, our prayer for loved ones can provide very effective support. If we ask for our family and loved ones, then even in the most terrible troubles it will be a little easier for them to cope with the wave of everyday troubles.

Read these prayers whenever your children and loved ones have problems, when you want to help them cope with them.

A mother's prayer for her child

Lord Jesus Christ, son God's prayers for the sake of the Most Pure One Yours Mothers, hear me, sinful and unworthy Your servant (name). Lord, in the mercy of Your power my child (name) have mercy and save his name yours for the sake of. Lord, forgive me everything to him sins free And involuntary committed by him before You. Lord, guide him the true way of Your commandments and enlighten him and enlighten him by Thy light of Christ, in salvation of the soul and healing of the body. Lord, bless him in the house, around the house, in the field, at work and on the road and on every place of Your possession. Lord keep him under Your Holy Blood from a flying bullet, arrow, knife, sword, poison, fire, flood, from a deadly ulcer (rays atom) and from vain deaths. Lord, protect him from visible and invisible enemies, from all troubles, evils and misfortunes. Lord, heal him from all diseases, cleanse him from all filth (guilt, tobacco, drugs) and make it easier emotional suffering and sorrow. Lord, grant to him grace Holy Spirit for many summer life and health, chastity. Lord, please his blessing on the godly family life and godly childbearing. Lord, grant and I am unworthy and sinful Thy servant, a parental blessing on my child in the coming mornings, days, evenings and nights for Thy name's sake, for Your kingdom is eternal, omnipotent and omnipotent. Amen.

Prayer to the Mother of God for children

O Most Holy Lady Virgin Theotokos, save and preserve under Your shelter my children (names), all youths, young women and infants, baptized and nameless and carried in their mother’s womb. Cover them with the robe of Your motherhood, keep them in the fear of God and in obedience to their parents, pray to my Lord and Your Son to grant them what is useful for their salvation. I entrust them to Your maternal supervision, for You are the Divine Protection of Your servants.

Prayer for work and activities for children

All praise to the saint of Christ and the miracle worker Mitrofan! Accept this small prayer from us sinners who come running to you, and with your warm intercession beg our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, that having looked upon us mercifully, He will grant us forgiveness of our voluntary and involuntary sins, and, in His great mercy, will deliver us from troubles, sorrows, sorrows and illnesses, mental and physical, that support us: may he give us fruitful land and everything needed for the benefit of our present life; may He grant us to end this temporary life in repentance, and may He grant us, sinners and unworthy, His Heavenly Kingdom, to glorify His infinite mercy with all the saints, with His Beginning Father and His Holy and Life-giving Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to St. Mitrofan for the welfare of children in society

To the Holy Hierarch Father Mitrofan, by the incorruption of the honest relics yours and many good deeds, miraculously done and performed by you with faith flowing to you, convinced that imasha great grace from the Lord our God, humbly We all fall down and pray to you: pray for us, Christ our God, that he may bestow upon all, who honor Your holy memory and earnestly those who resort to you, rich in His mercy: yes will approve in His holy Orthodox Church the living spirit of the right faith and piety, spirit management and love, spirit of peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, and all its members, clean from worldly temptations and carnal lusts and evil actions of evil spirits, in spirit and in truth they worship Him and diligently care about compliance His commandments for the salvation of their souls. She is her shepherd will give the saint jealousy of care saving people those who have been entrusted, may they enlighten the unbelievers, may they guide the ignorant, may they enlighten and convince those who doubt, fallen away from Orthodox Church will be converted to its holy bosom, believers keep in faith sinners will be moved to repentance, those who repent will be consoled and strengthened in correction life, those who repent and reform will be confirmed in holiness life: and tacos lead everyone specified From him the path to the prepared eternal His kingdom. To her to the saint God's yes arrange it all through your prayers good souls and bodies ours: yes we too glorify in souls and teleseh our Our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, Himself with Father and Holy Spirit glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel to protect children from troubles and misfortunes

I pray to you, my kind guardian angel, who blessed me, overshadowed me with your light, protected me from all kinds of misfortune. And neither the fierce beast nor the enemy is stronger than me. And neither the elements nor a dashing person will destroy me. And thanks to your efforts, nothing will harm me. I remain under your holy patronage, under your protection, I receive the love of our Lord. So protect my unthinking and sinless children, whom I loved, as Jesus commanded, protect them from everything from which you protected me. Let no fierce beast, no enemy, no element, no dashing person cause them harm. For this I pray to you, holy angel, warrior of Christ. And everything will be God’s will. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel to protect loved ones from troubles and misfortunes

I pray to you, my kind guardian angel, who blessed me, overshadowed me with your light, protected me from all kinds of misfortune. And neither the fierce beast nor the enemy is stronger than me. And neither the elements nor a dashing person will destroy me. And thanks to your efforts, nothing will harm me. I remain under your holy patronage, under your protection, I receive the love of our Lord. So protect my neighbors, whom I loved, as Jesus commanded, protect them from everything from which you protected me. Let no fierce beast, no enemy, no element, no dashing person cause them harm. For this I pray to you, holy angel, warrior of Christ. And everything will be God’s will. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel to protect relatives from harm

I pray to you, my kind guardian angel, who blessed me, overshadowed me with your light, protected me from all kinds of misfortune. And neither the fierce beast nor the enemy is stronger than me. And neither the elements nor a dashing person will destroy me. And thanks to your efforts, nothing will harm me. I remain under your holy patronage, under your protection, I receive the love of our Lord. So protect my relatives, whom I loved, as Jesus commanded, protect them from everything from which you protected me. Let no fierce beast, no enemy, no element, no dashing person cause them harm. For this I pray to you, holy angel, warrior of Christ. And everything will be God’s will. Amen.

Prayer to protect loved ones from illnesses

The only speedy one in intercession, Christ, soon over show a visit to a suffering slave Yours, and get rid of illness and bitter illnesses, and raise thee to praise thee and glorify unceasingly, with prayers Mother of God, One is more humane. Glory to the Father And Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

PRAYERS PROTECTING FROM JOB LOSS, UNKINDNESS OF COLLEAGUES AND BOARDS

In difficult times, you can suddenly lose everything: your job, your savings, the friendly attitude of your colleagues and bosses. Even the best co-worker friends can suddenly start looking at you askance: after all, everyone is afraid that they might be “downsized”, and for some reason they want someone else to take their place - for example, you...

Read prayers that protect against ill will and envy, support the spiritual strength of those who have already been laid off, and protect against job loss as often as possible. And the Lord will not leave you!

Prayer for those who have been laid off

Thank you, Heavenly Father, that in the midst of sadness, anger, uncertainty, pain, I can talk to You. Hear me as I cry out in confusion, help me think clearly and calm my soul. As life goes on, help me to feel Your presence every day. And as I look to the future, help me find new opportunities, new paths. Lead me by Your Spirit and show me Your way, through Jesus - the way, the truth and the life. Amen.

Prayer for those who have kept their jobs

Life changed: colleagues were laid off and left without work. Suddenly everything that seemed stable was now so fragile. Difficult express what what I feel: sadness, guilt, fears regarding the future. Who will be next? How I can handle the increased workload At work? Lord Jesus, in the midst of this uncertainty help to me continue on your way: work the best obra- So, living with the worries of one day, and taking time every day, to be with You. Because You are the way, true and life. Amen.

Prayer of the Persecuted by People (Compiled by Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov)

I thank You, Lord and my God, for everything that has happened to me! I thank You for all the sorrows and temptations that You sent to me to cleanse those defiled by sins, to heal my soul and body, ulcerated by sins! Have mercy and save those instruments that You used to heal me: those people who insulted me. Bless them in this age and the next! Credit to them as virtue what they did for me! Give them abundant rewards from your eternal treasures.

What did I bring to You? What are acceptable sacrifices? I brought only sins, only violations of Your most Divine commandments. Forgive me, Lord, forgive the guilty one before You and before people! Forgive the unrequited! Grant me to be convinced and sincerely admit that I am a sinner! Grant me to reject crafty excuses! Grant me repentance! Grant me contrition of heart! Grant me meekness and humility! Grant love to my neighbors, immaculate love, the same to everyone, both those who console me and those who grieve me! Grant me patience in all my sorrows! Die me to the world! Take away my sinful will from me and plant Your holy will in my heart, so that I may do it alone in deeds, words, thoughts, and feelings. Glory is due to you for everything! To you alone belongs the glory! My only asset is the shame of my face and the silence of my lips. Standing before Thy Last Judgment in my wretched prayer, I do not find in myself a single good deed, not a single dignity, and I stand, only enveloped from everywhere by the countless multitude of my sins, as if by a thick cloud and mist, with only one consolation in my soul: with hope in the unlimited Your mercy and goodness. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for protection from those in power

By the will of the Lord you were sent down to me Guardian angel, protector and my guardian. Therefore I appeal to you in difficult moments in your prayer, so that amulet you me from great trouble. Those vested with earthly power oppress me, and I have no other defense than How power heavenly, which stands above us all and our world manages. Saint angel, amulets from oppression and insults from those who towered over me. Take care from their injustice, for I still suffer reason innocently. I forgive you as God taught these people their sins are before me, for it is the Lord He has exalted those who are exalted above me and thereby tests me. For all then the will of God, from everything that is beyond the will God's save me, my guardian angel. What am I asking for? you in my prayer. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for protection from mistrust at work

Angel of the Lord, who carries out the will of Heaven on earth, hear me, the accursed one. Turn your clear gaze on me, cast your autumn light on me, help me, a Christian soul, against human unbelief. And what was said in Scripture about unbelieving Thomas, remember, holy one. So let there be no mistrust, no suspicion, no doubt from people. For I am pure before people, just as I am pure before the Lord our God. Since I did not listen to the Lord, I greatly repent of this, for I did this out of thoughtlessness, but not out of evil intent to go against the word of God. I pray to you, angel of Christ, my holy protector and patron, protect the servant of God (name). Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for protection from misunderstandings with colleagues and superiors

My patron, heavenly angel, my bright guardian. I appeal to you for help, for I am in grave trouble. And this misfortune comes from a lack of understanding of people. Unable to see my good thoughts, people drive me away from them. And my heart is extremely wounded, for I am pure before people, and my conscience is clear. I have not conceived anything bad, contrary to God, therefore I pray to you, holy angel of the Lord, protect me from human misunderstanding, let them understand my good Christian deeds. Let them understand that I wish them well. Help me, holy one, protect me! Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for harmony in relationships with colleagues

Holy angel of Christ, your ward, the servant of God (name), calls to you in prayer. I ask you, saint, to protect me from discord and discord with my neighbors. For I am not guilty of anything before them, I am pure before them, as before the Lord. Since I have sinned against them and the Lord, I repent and pray for forgiveness, since it is not my fault, but the machinations of the evil one. Protect me from the evil one and do not allow me to offend my neighbors. God wants it, so be it. Let them too heed the word of God and love me. I ask you about this, angel of Christ, warrior of God, in my prayer. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for harmony in relationships with superiors

Holy angel of Christ, your ward, the servant of God (name), calls to you in prayer. I ask you, saint, to protect me from discord and discord with my superiors. For I am not guilty of anything before them, I am pure before them, as before the Lord. Since I have sinned against them and the Lord, I repent and pray for forgiveness, since it is not my fault, but the machinations of the evil one. Protect me from the evil one and do not allow me to offend my superiors. By the will of the Lord they have been placed over me, so be it so. Let them too heed the word of God and love me. I ask you about this, angel of Christ, warrior of God, in my prayer. Amen.

Prayer to protect against intrigue at work

Merciful God, now and forever delay and behind- wait until the time is right plans those around me about my displacement, dismissal, removal, expulsion. So now destroy the evil desires and demands of everyone judging me. Yes and now point spiritual blindness in everyone's eyes rebelling against me and against my enemies. And you, all the Holy Lands Russian, develop by force their prayers about All for me demonic spells, everything devilish plans and machinations - annoy me and destroy me and my property. And you, great and formidable guardian, Archangel Michael, fire sword flog all the enemy's desires the human race and all its minions who want to destroy me. Stop indestructible on guardian of this house of all living in it and everything commons his. And You, Lady, do not in vain called the "Unbreakable Wall", be for all warring against me and malicious dirty tricks there really is no way for me to do barrier and indestructible wall, protecting me from all evil and difficult circumstances., bless.

Prayer to Archangel Michael, protecting from troubles at work

Lord, Great God, King without beginning, send, O Lord, Thy Archangel Michael to the aid of Thy servants (name). Protect us, Archangel, from all enemies, visible and invisible. O Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Destroyer of demons, forbid all enemies fighting me, and make them like sheep, and humble their evil hearts, and crush them like dust in the face of the wind. Oh, Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Six-winged first Prince and Governor of the Heavenly forces - Cherubim and Seraphim, be our helper in all troubles, sorrows, sorrows, a quiet refuge in the desert and on the seas. O Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Deliver us from all the charms of the devil, when You hear us, sinners, praying to You, calling on Your Holy name. Hasten to our aid and overcome all who oppose us, by the power of the Honest and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos, the prayers of the holy Apostles, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Andrew, for Christ's sake, the holy fool, the holy prophet Elijah and all the holy great martyrs: holy martyrs Nikita and Eustus -fiy, and all our reverend fathers, who have pleased God from the ages, and all the holy Heavenly Powers.

O Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Help us sinners (name), and deliver us from cowardice, flood, fire, sword and vain death, from great evil, from the flattering enemy, from the reviled storm, from the evil one, deliver us forever, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Holy Archangel of God Michael, with Your lightning sword, drive away from me the evil spirit that tempts and torments me. Amen.

Prayer from enemies at work and during difficulties in business

From evil deeds, from evil people, with your wise words of God, I established heaven and earth, the sun and the month, the moon and the stars of the Lord. And so establish the heart of a person (name) in the footsteps and commandments. Heaven is the key, earth is the lock; that's the keys to the outside. So tyn, over amens, amen. Amen.

Prayer to protect you from troubles

O Great God, by Whom all things are saved, free me also from all evil. O great God, who has given consolation to all beings, grant it to me also. O great God, who shows help and support in all things, help me also and show your help in all my needs, misfortunes, enterprises and dangers; deliver me from all the snares of enemies, visible and invisible, in the name of the Father, who created the whole world, in the name of the Son, who redeemed it, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who perfected the law in all its perfection. I surrender myself into Your hands and completely surrender to Your holy protection. Let it be so! May the blessing of God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit always be with me! Let it be so! May the blessing of God the Father, who created everything with His one word, always be with me. May the blessing of our Almighty Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, always be with me! Let it be so! May the blessing of the Holy Spirit, with His seven gifts, be with me! Let it be so! May the blessing of the Virgin Mary and Her Son always be with me! Let it be so!

PRAYERS FOR PROTECTION FROM THIEVES, FINANCIAL FRAUD AND ECONOMIC FRAUDERS

In difficult times, we are defenseless and confused. But for those who know how to fish in troubled waters, difficult times are a period of good luck and prosperity. Scammers and swindlers of all stripes strive to defraud honest citizens of their savings, promising mountains of gold and millions in profits.

Read these prayers as often as possible, so that the Lord will admonish you not to succumb to deception and keep your wallet safe and sound. Read before you make a decision on even the most seemingly transparent transactions involving money.

Prayer to Archangel Michael asking for help and protection from thieves, option one

Holy Archangel Michael, bright and formidable commander of the Heavenly King! Before the Last Judgment, let me repent from my sins, deliver my soul from the net that catches it and bring it to the God who created it, who dwells on the cherubim, and pray diligently for it, so that through your intercession it will go to a place of rest. O formidable commander of the heavenly powers, representative of all at the Throne of the Lord Christ, guardian of the strong man and wise armorer, strong commander of the Heavenly King! Have mercy on me, a sinner who requires your intercession, save me from all visible and invisible enemies, and, moreover, strengthen me from the horror of death and from the embarrassment of the devil, and grant me the honor of unashamedly presenting myself to our Creator at the hour of His terrible and righteous judgment. Oh all-holy great Michael Archangel! Do not despise me, a sinner, who prays to you for help and your intercession in this world and in the future, but grant me there together with you to glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to Archangel Michael asking for help and protection from thieves, option two

Lord, Great God, King without beginning, send, O Lord, Thy Archangel Michael to the aid of Thy servants (name). Protect us, Archangel, from all enemies, visible and invisible. O Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Destroyer of demons, forbid all enemies fighting me, and make them like sheep, and humble their evil hearts, and crush them like dust in the face of the wind. O Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Six-winged first Prince and Governor of the Heavenly forces - Cherubim and Seraphim, be our helper in all troubles, sorrows, sorrows, a quiet refuge in the desert and on the seas. O Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Deliver us from all the charms of the devil, when You hear us, sinners, praying to You, calling on Your Holy name. Hasten to our aid and overcome all who oppose us, by the power of the Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos, the prayers of the holy Apostles, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Andrew, for Christ's sake, the holy fool, the holy prophet Elijah and all the holy great martyrs: holy martyrs Nikita and Eustathius, and all our reverend fathers, who have pleased God from the ages, and all the holy Heavenly Powers.

O Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Help us sinners (name) and deliver us from cowardice, flood, fire, sword and vain death, from great evil, from the flattering enemy, from the reviled storm, from the evil one, deliver us forever, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Holy Archangel of God Michael, with Your lightning sword, drive away from me the evil spirit that tempts and torments me. Amen.

Prayer for the return of stolen property, as well as for the loss of an item

From Julian, the godless king, Saint John Stratilates was sent to kill Christians, you helped some from your property, while others, convincing you to flee from torment by the infidels, you freed, and for this many suffered torment and imprisonment in prison from the tormentor. After the death of the wicked king, being released from prison, you spent the rest of your life in great virtues until your death, adorning yourself with cleanliness, prayer and fasting, giving abundant alms to the poor, visiting the weak and comforting the mourning. Therefore, in all our sorrows, we have you as a helper and in all the troubles that befall us: we have you as a comforter, John the warrior: running to you, we pray to you, be the healer of our passions and the deliverer of our spiritual suffering, because you have received from God power useful for the salvation of all give, John of ever-memorable, nourisher of wanderers, liberator of captives, physician of the weak: helper of orphans! Look at us, honoring your sacred joyful memory, intercede for us before the Lord, so that we may be heirs of His kingdom. Hear and do not reject us, and hasten to intercede for us, Stratelate John, denouncing thieves and kidnappers, and the thefts they commit in secret, faithfully praying to you, revealing to you, and bringing people to joy with the return of property. Resentment and injustice are heavy for every person, everyone grieves over the loss of something stolen or missing. Hearken to those who mourn, Saint John: and help them find the stolen property, so that, having found it, they glorify the Lord for His generosity forever. Amen.

Prayer against the encroachment of bandits to the righteous Joseph the Betrothed

O holy righteous Joseph! You I was still on earth, ABOUT had great things You boldness to Son of God, Izhe if you please name cha his father, like His betrothed to Matera, and By listen to you; we believe that now with faces righteous in abodes heavenly settling in, heard you will be in every way your petition to God And To our Savior. Them same as yours resorting to cover and intercession, we humbly pray cha: as if from a storm dubious thoughts You were delivered, so deliver us too, waves of embarrassment and overwhelmed by passions; how did you fence The All-Immaculate Virgin from human slander, protect us too from all vain slander; just as you kept the Incarnate Lord from all harm and bitterness, so keep through your intercession His Orthodox Church and all us from all bitterness and harm. Vesi, holy of God, like Son of God in these days His flesh in bodily you had needs, and you served them; for that sake we pray you, and our temporary needs good luck by your petition, giving us all the good things we need in this life. Fairer We ask you, intercede for us to forgive sins from accepting betrothed you Son, The only begotten Son of God, Lord our Jesus Christ, and worthy to be Kingdom heritage Heavenly us representation yours create, and we are in the mountains their villages with you settling, let's glorify Edinago Trinitarian God, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer from breakers of promises and contracts to the holy martyr Polyeuctus

Holy Martyr Polyeucte! Look down from the heavenly palace on those who demand yours help and not reject our petitions, but, as native our benefactor and intercessor, pray to Christ God, that, being philanthropic and abundantly merciful, He will save us from every cruel situation: from cowardice, flood, fire, sword, invasion foreigners and internecine abuse. May he not condemn us sinners By lawlessness ours, and let us not turn into evil the good things given to us from Almighty dear God, but for the glory of His holy name and for the glorification of the mighty your intercession. Yes with your prayers God give us peace thoughts, abstinence from harmful passions and from all filth and May He strengthen His Unity throughout the world Holy, Cathedral and Apostolic Church, for he has acquired with His honest Blood. Moli diligently, holy martyr. May Christ God bless Russian state, Yes will establish in His Holy Orthodox Church living great spirit of right faith and piety, and all its members are clean from superstition and superstitions, in spirit and in truth they worship Him and diligently care about keeping Him commandments, yes we are all in peace and piety let's live in present eventually we will achieve blissful eternal life in heaven, by the grace of the Lord our Jesus Christ, to Him belongs all glory, honor and power with Father and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Prayers read for loss or loss of any property

(Reverend Arefa Pechersky)

1. God, have mercy! Lord, about st And! All is yours, I don’t regret it!

2. The Lord gave. The Lord took it.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for protection from thieves

A Angel of God, my saint, save me, a sinner, from an unkind glance, from evil intent. Protect me weak and infirm from the thief in the night and other dashing people. Not leave me, holy angel, in difficult moment. Don't let me those who have forgotten God will lose their souls Christian. Sorry everything my sins, if any, have mercy on me, accursed and unworthy, and save from true death in in the hands of evil people. TO to you, angel of Christ, I appeal to such prayer I, unworthy. How cast out demons from man, so drive out dangers from my path. Amen.

Prayer to the guardian angel against dishonest money

I pray for you, holy angel of Christ, remembering our Lord in your face. I pray, crying out for mercy and protection. My patron, given by God, my merciful guardian, forgive me, a sinner and unworthy. Protect me from dishonest money, may this evil never come to me, may it not destroy my soul. Protect, holy one, so that the honest servant of the Lord is not caught in theft. Protect me from such shame and vice, do not let dishonest money stick to me, since this is not God’s providence, but satanic bribery. This is what I pray to you, saint. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for protection from deception, theft and dangers on the business road

Guardian angel, servant Christ, winged and incorporeal, you are not tired in your paths. I beg you to be my companion along my own path. There is a long road ahead of me, hard way passed out to a slave God's AND I am very afraid of the dangers that honest traveler in they are waiting on the road. Protect me saint angel, from these dangers. Let neither robbers, neither bad weather or animals, nothing else will interfere with my journey. I humbly pray you about this and I hope on your help. Amen.

PRAYERS FOR PROTECTION OF MATERIAL PROPERTY, FOR PROTECTION FROM NATURAL DISASTERS

In difficult times, we value our property, everything we have. Lose everything you have acquired long years, when it’s already difficult and difficult for all of us, is too strong a blow for anyone. In addition, many dishonest people want to take possession of other people’s property - steal, take away, redeem in a fraudulent way. And natural disasters, which are happening more and more often lately, also threaten us with loss.

Always read these prayers so that your home and all your property, movable and immovable, remain safe and sound.

Prayer to the Prophet Elijah

You can pray to the Holy Glorious Prophet Elijah during times of rainlessness, drought, rain, for changes in the weather, as well as for successful trading, from hunger and in cases where you want to receive a prophecy, prophetic dreams.

The great and glorious prophet of God, Elijah, for the sake of your zeal for the glory of the Lord God Almighty, not patient to see the idolatry and wickedness of the sons of Israel, the lawless king Aha-av, who denounced the lawbreaking king Aha-ava and, as punishment for those, a three-year famine on the land of Israel, through your prayer from the Lord, having asked the widow of Zarephat in the famine wonderfully nourished and her son died through your prayer, resurrected, after the passage of the time of famine, the people of Israel were gathered on Mount Carmel for apostasy and wickedness, reproaching the same fire for your sacrifice from heaven, and by this miracle Israel turned to the Lord, the cold prophets of Baal were put to shame and died, and yet with prayer he again resolved the sky and asked for abundant rain on the earth, and the people of Israel rejoiced! To you, wonderful servant of God, we zealously resort to sin and humility, the lack of rain and the heat of tomia: we confess that we are unworthy of the mercy and blessings of God, but we are worthy more than the fierce punishments of His wrath: for we do not walk in the fear of God and in the ways of the commandments Him, but in the lusts of our depraved hearts, and without shame we have created every form of sin: for our iniquities have surpassed our head, and we are not worthy to appear before the face of God and behold heaven: we also humbly confess that for this reason heaven was closed and like brass was created, First of all, our hearts were closed with mercy and true love: for this reason, the earth hardened and became barren, because the fruits of good deeds were not brought to our Lord: for this reason, there was no rain, lower dew, like tears of tenderness and the life-giving dew of the thought of God were not imams: for this Because of this, every grain and grass has withered away, as if every good feeling had dried up in us: for this reason the air has been darkened, as if our mind has been darkened with cold thoughts and our heart has been defiled with lawless lusts. We confess that we are unworthy of you, the prophet of God, to beg: you, having been servile to us as a man, became like an angel in your life, and like an incorporeal being, you were caught up in heaven, while we, with our cold thoughts and deeds, became like dumb cattle, and created our soul like flesh: you surprised angels and men with fasting and vigil, but we, indulging in intemperance and lust, are likened to senseless cattle: you were constantly burning with the utmost zeal for the glory of God, but we are about our glory It is an evil shame to confess the Creator and Lord negligently, to confess His venerable name: you have eradicated wickedness and evil customs, but we have served the spirit of this age, observing the customs of the world more than the commandments of God and the statutes of the church. What sin and untruth have we not created, and so our iniquities have exhausted God’s patience! Moreover, the just Lord was righteously angry with us, and in His anger punished us. Moreover, knowing your great boldness before the Lord, and trusting in your love for the human race, we dare to pray to you, most praiseworthy prophet: be merciful to us, unworthy and indecent, beg the great-gifted and all-generous God, so that he will not be completely angry with us and May it not destroy us with our iniquities, but may abundant and peaceful rain fall on the thirsty and parched earth, may it give it fruitfulness and the goodness of the air: bow with your effective intercession to the mercy of the Heavenly King, not for us for the sake of the sinful and nasty, but for the sake of His chosen servants , who did not bow their knees to the Baal of this world, for the sake of gentle babies, for the sake of dumb cattle and birds of the air, who suffer for our iniquity and are melted away by hunger, heat and thirst. Ask us with your favorable prayers from the Lord for the spirit of repentance and heartfelt tenderness, meekness and self-control, the spirit of love and patience, the spirit of the fear of God and piety, so that, having returned from the path of wickedness to the right path of virtue, we walk in the light of God’s commandments and achieve the good things promised to us , by the good will of the beginningless Father, by the love of His only begotten Son and by the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Prayer for the sanctification of every thing

You should sprinkle things with holy water three times and read:

To the Creator and Creator of the human race, the Giver of spiritual grace, the Giver of eternal salvation, You, Lord Himself, ate Your Holy Spirit with the highest blessing on this thing, as if armed with the power of heavenly intercession, those who want to use it will be helpful for bodily salvation and intercession and help, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for protection from a natural disaster

Protector of my soul and my weak body, guardian angel, I call you in my prayer. Come to me, so that I may find salvation in adversity. And neither hail, nor hurricane, nor lightning will harm my body, nor my house, nor my relatives, nor my property. Let them pass me, all the elements will pass by earthly, not at all I'll be with the sky is neither water, nor fire, nor wind, destruction. I pray you, holy angel of Christ, protect me from the harsh bad weather - from floods And earthquakes also save. For this I implore you to you, my benefactor and my guardian angel of God. Amen.

PRAYERS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST FAILURE IN BUSINESS AND BUSINESS

Every good deed needs support and blessing, especially Heavenly. For a long time, in Orthodox Russia, merchants, when starting a new business, tried to enlist the support of the church and God. Their prayer (if it came from the depths of their hearts, if their plans were pure, devoid of meanness and negativity) necessarily reached the heavenly throne. And now all those who are planning something new that can bring not only profit to one person, but also help others, also need prayer support.

Read these prayers before any undertaking so that the forces of Heaven will help you.

Initial prayer

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

Before starting any business

To the Tsar Heavenly, Comforter, Soul of Truth, may he abide everything everywhere filling with itself, the Treasure of good and life to the Giver, come and dwell in us and cleanse us from all filth, and save Blissful, our souls.

Bless Lord, help me, a sinner, to accomplish started by me it's about Your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Only Begotten Son Father, for You you speak with Your most pure lips, like without You can't help me create nothing existing. My Lord, Lord, faith fills my soul and heart with You spoken, I fall down to Thy kindness: help me, a sinner, this work that I have begun is about You Himself to do, in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit, prayers Mother of God and all yours saints Amen.

Prayer for success in business

Thank You, God, for Your spirit is in me which gives to me prosper and bless my life.

God, You are the source of my life abundance. I have full confidence at You, knowing that You will always guide me and multiply mine blessings.

Thank you God for Your wisdom, which fills me up shiny ideas and Thy blessed omnipresence, which ensures the generous fulfillment of all needs. My life is enriched in every way.

You are my source, dear God, and in You all are fulfilled needs. Thank you for your rich perfection, which blesses me and my neighbors.

God, Yours love fills mine the heart and attracts all that is good. Thanks to you endless nature, I live in abundance. Amen!

Prayer to the Apostle Paul for protection in opening an enterprise

Holy supreme Apostle Paul, chosen vessel of Christ, speaker of heavenly sacraments, teacher of all languages, church trumpet, glorious orbit, who endured many troubles for the name of Christ, who measured the sea and walked around the earth and turned us away from the flattery of idols! I pray to you and I cry to you: do not disdain me, who is filthy, raise up the one who has fallen through sinful laziness, just as you raised up the lame from the womb in Lystrek with your mother: and just as you revived Eutyches, who was dead, raise me up from dead deeds: and just as through your prayer You once shook the foundation of the prison and you freed the prisoners; now tear me out to do the will of God. For you can do all things by the authority given to you from Christ God; to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His Beginning Father, and with His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen!

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for success in business

Holy Angel of Christ, my benefactor and patron, I pray to you, a sinner. Help an Orthodox Christian who lives according to God’s commandments. I ask you for a little, I ask you to help me on my journey through life, I ask you to support me in difficult times, I ask you for honest luck; and everything else will come on its own, if it is the will of the Lord. Therefore, I don’t think about anything more than success in my life’s journey and in all sorts of affairs. Forgive me if I have sinned before you and God, pray for me to the Heavenly Father and send your blessings upon me. Amen.

Prayer in a situation when things and business are going badly

Lord, do not reprove me with Your wrath; do not punish me with Your wrath. As Thy arrows have struck me, and Thou hast strengthened Thy hand upon me. There is no healing in my flesh from the face of Your wrath, there is no peace in my bones from the face of my sin. For my iniquities have exceeded my head, for a heavy burden weighs upon me. My wounds have grown stale and rotten because of my madness. I suffered and sloshed to the end, walking around complaining all day. For my body is filled with reproach and there is no healing in my flesh. I would become embittered and humbled to death, roaring from the sighing of my heart. Lord, before You all my desire and my sighing are not hidden from You. My heart is confused, leave me my strength, and the light of my eyes, and that one will not be with me. My friends and my sincere ones are right near me and stasha, and my neighbors are far away from me, stasha and in need, seeking my soul, and seeking evil for me, vain verbs and teaching to flatterers all day long. As if I were deaf and did not hear, and because I was dumb and did not open my mouth. And as a man he would not hear, nor would he have reproach in his mouth. For in You, O Lord, I have trusted; You will hear, O Lord my God. As if he said: “Let my enemies never make me happy; and never can my feet move, but you speak against me.” As if I am ready for wounds, and my illness is before me. For I will proclaim my iniquity and take care of my sin. My enemies live and have become stronger than me, and have multiplied, hating me without truth. Those who repay me evil with a cart of good have slandered me, driving away goodness. Do not forsake me, O Lord my God, do not depart from me. Here come to my help, Lord of my salvation.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel for prosperity in business

Lord have mercy! Lord have mercy! Lord have mercy! Overshadowing the brow with the holy sign of the cross, I servant of God, I give praise to the Lord and pray to my holy angel for help. Saint angel, come to me this day and in the future! Budi to me assistant in my affairs. May I not anger God by any sin! But I will glorify him! May you show me worthy of the goodness of our Lord! Serve it to me angel, your help in my deed, so that I work for the good of man and for the glory of the Lord! Help me be very strong against my enemy and the enemy of the human race. Help me, angel, to do the will of the Lord and be in harmony with servants God's Help me, angel, put my cause for good man of the Lord and the glory of the Lord. Help me, angel, stand my business in for the good of the Lord and for the glory of the Lord. Help me, angel, prosper in my good man of the Lord and to the glory of the Lord! Amen.

Prayer for success in trading

Reading to the Great Martyr John the New about patronage in trade. Holy and glorious Great Martyr John, Christians strong visor, merchant all-round, fast more powerful to everyone to you who come running. Marine swimming I'll buy the abyss, from the east to the north, But God called you, like Matthew mytnitsa, trade you left and Tom followed you are the blood of torment, temporary having redeemed the impassable, and crown accepted you are invincible. Most Praiseworthy John, you don't care about fury torturer, nor words of caress, no torment of rebuke, no bitter beating torn away from Christ, and Him from You loved infancy, and He prayed to grant peace and greatness to our souls mercy. Having been a master of wisdom, a treasure of virtues, from there you got it Divine understanding. At the same time I call upon you to earnestly strive for feat you got off your guard, accepting martyr's wounds, shattering of flesh and blood exhaustion, and Now you live in indescribable light as martyrs. This for the sake of crying out you: pray to Christ the God of sins to grant forgiveness those who worship your holy relics with faith. Crush the weapon wicked, invincible warriors, unrighteously driven towards your the property you have chosen for yourself, having loved, and establish our fatherland, and so will we quiet and peacefully we will transfer the residence. Non-evening light coming, blessed one, with martyrs' faces praising you in memory yours, from temptations save with your prayers. Amen.

Prayer for those involved in business and trade

God, rich in mercy and bounty, in whose right hand are all the treasures of the world! By the arrangement of Your all-good Providence, I am destined to buy and sell earthly goods to those who need and need them. O All-Bountiful, Most Merciful God! Overshadow my labors and occupations with your blessing, make me rich in living faith in You, make me rich in all generosity in accordance with Your will, and grant me that income that on earth consists of contentment with one’s condition, and in the future life opens doors Thy mercy! Yes, having been pardoned by your compassion, I glorify you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for every good deed

Quick Intercessor and Mighty in help, present yourself now with the grace of Your power and bless, strengthen your servants to accomplish the good deeds.

Prayer at the end of the case

The fulfillment of all good things You are, my Christ, fill my soul with joy and gladness and save me, for I am the only One who is Most Merciful. Lord, glory to You.

Appendix ABOUT PRAYER

What is prayer?

Modern man, even the most religious, the most “churched,” quite often gets confused in matters of prayer. Some of us are sure that only canonical (i.e., taken from the Prayer Book) prayers help achieve the desired result. Others think that only fervent prayer, a request addressed to God in their own words, will help get rid of illnesses and any misfortunes. Still others do not consider it necessary to bother themselves with prayers at all: they say, the Lord already knows everything, sees everything, and will give each of us the necessary help.

So what is prayer?

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh said this:

…it is very important to remember that prayer is a meeting, it is a relationship, and a deep relationship into which neither we nor God can be forced. And the fact that God can make His presence obvious to us or leave us with a feeling of His absence is already part of this living, real relationship...

Prayer is like a meeting. A meeting with the Mother of God, with the saints to whom we pray, a meeting with God. But we just have to admit to ourselves: do we want this meeting? Probably, almost each of us, asking ourselves a similar question, will answer it in the affirmative. Yes, we want! Our life is sometimes so complex, difficult, and confusing that we cannot cope with the problems ourselves. We need help from above. And even children understand this.

How should you pray?

You can pray in your own words; you can pray with a short prayer formula; You can use what are called “ready-made prayers.” What's better? What is healthier for our soul? How to make the right choice?

Let's talk a little about each type of prayer in more detail.

Canonical prayers

You can easily find canonical prayers, or so-called “ready-made prayers” for all occasions, in any Prayer Book. The canonical collections of prayers are arranged very conveniently: they contain Morning and Evening prayers, prayers to the Lord, prayers to the Mother of God and prayers to the saints. Some expanded Prayer Books also contain akathists, troparia, kontakia and magnifications for the Feasts of the Lord, the feasts of the Mother of God, saints and icons of the Mother of God. Which Prayer Book to choose depends only on you. At first, it is best to opt for the simplest, small Prayer Book.

How to use the Prayer Book? Of course, you can simply find this or that prayer in the table of contents: as a rule, it is immediately clear from the headings for what occasion the prayer is intended (“for the living,” “for the dead,” “for illnesses,” “for fear,” etc.). d.).

But this is probably not the most important thing. If we summarize the entire centuries-old experience Orthodox Church, in essence, it will immediately become obvious that you can pray to any saint, in front of any icon, as long as your prayer comes from the heart!

In the book “Learn to Pray!” Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh wrote:

We have a rich selection of prayers that were suffered by ascetics of the faith and born in them by the Holy Spirit... It is important to find and know a sufficient number of them in order to find the appropriate prayers at the right time. It's about about learning by heart a sufficient number of significant passages from the psalms or from the prayers of the saints; Each of us is more sensitive to one passage or another. Mark for yourself those passages that touch you deeply, that are meaningful to you, that express something - about sin, or about bliss in God, or about struggle - that you already know from experience. Memorize these passages, because some day when you are so discouraged, so deep in despair that you cannot summon anything personal, no personal words, into your soul, you will find these passages floating to the surface and appearing before you, as a gift from God, as a gift to the Church, as a gift of holiness, replenishing the decline of our strength. Then we really need the prayers that we have memorized so that they have become part of us...

Unfortunately, too often we poorly grasp the meaning of the canonical prayers. An inexperienced person, picking up a Prayer Book, as a rule, does not understand many of the words in it. Well, what, for example, does the word “create” mean? Or the word "imam"? If you have an innate verbal sense, then “translating” incomprehensible words will not be so difficult for you. The word “create” is clearly derived from the word “creation”, that is, creation, creation; “create” means “create, create.” And “imam” is an old version of the word “I have,” and they have the same root. Only after you understand the meaning of the prayer texts can you proceed directly to prayer, otherwise your appeal to higher powers will be for you just a set of incomprehensible words. And, unfortunately, one cannot expect any effect from such a request.

Prayer in your own words

Quite often you can hear the following question: is it possible to pray in your own words? Of course you can! After all, we are all very different. It is easier for some to read “ready-made prayers,” while others are simply not currently able to fully understand the meaning of the canonical prayers, and therefore cannot use them.

This is what representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church say about prayers in their own words.

Every person has the right to pray in his own words, and there are many examples of this. We see this in church families when small children, imitating praying adults, raise their hands up, cross themselves, perhaps clumsily, take some books, babble some words. Metropolitan Nestor of Kamchatka in his book “My Kamchatka” recalls how he prayed as a child: “Lord, save me, my dad, my mom and my dog ​​Landyshka.”

We know that priests pray for their children and their flock at home and in their cells. I know an example when a priest in the evening, after a day of work, puts on clean clothes and simply, in his everyday words, grieves before the Lord for his flock, saying that some of them are in need, someone is sick, someone has been offended: “ Lord help them."

Archimandrite Alexy (Polikarpov), abbot of the Moscow St. Danilov Monastery

Sometimes it’s good to say a few words in prayer, breathing with ardent faith and love for the Lord. Yes, not everyone can talk with God in other people’s words, not everyone can be children in faith and hope, but one must show one’s mind and say one’s good word from the heart; We somehow get used to other people’s words and grow cold...

...When the prayer words are convincing for you, then they will be convincing for God...

Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt

Sometimes, in order to address your fervent request to God, there is no need to resort to words. Prayer can be silent. Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh gives such an example in his sermons. One peasant sat in the church for a long time and silently looked at the icons. He did not have a rosary, his lips did not move. But when the priest asked him what he was doing, the peasant replied: “I look at Him, and He looks at me, and we both feel good.”

These are the prayers people say when they are desperate and sincerely believe in Heavenly help:

What to do, such mental melancholy, horror, I don’t want to live, there is no work, there is nothing, there is no meaning in life, a dead end in life. Help me, Lord!

Tatyana, Rostov-on-Don

In the name of the Lord our God, Jesus Christ, I ask you to pray for me and my family!!! I just can’t find a job, it’s not working out... God bless you!!!

Irina, St. Petersburg

Brief Prayer Invocation

You can also pray with short prayer invocations throughout the day. First of all, this is the Jesus Prayer: “ Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner" This prayer in Orthodoxy is called the “prayer of stability.” Where did this name come from? The fact is that in the Jesus Prayer a person surrenders completely to the mercy of God, under His protection and intercession. According to the majority of Orthodox devotees, the Jesus Prayer sums up in a few words all the wisdom of the Gospels.

Prayer-appeals for help and protection to the saint whose name you bear are quite effective. It is best to contact your patron saints several times a day. There is also a short prayer for this.

Prayer addressed to the saint whose name you bear

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

We turn to the Mother of God for protection in the following prayer:

Virgin Mary, Rejoice, Blessed Mary, the Lord is with Thee: blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast given birth to the Savior of our souls.

If it’s difficult to remember the prayer right away, you can simply repeat to yourself from time to time:

Most Holy Theotokos, save us!

About time and attention in prayer

For a long time, it was recommended to read the prayer slowly, evenly, in order to “contain attention in the words.” Only when the prayer you want to offer to God is meaningful enough and means a lot to you, will you be able to “reach out” to the Lord. If you are inattentive to the words you say, if your own heart does not respond to the words of prayer, your requests will not reach God.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh said that when his father began to pray, he hung a sign on the door: “I’m home. But don’t try to knock, I won’t open it.” Bishop Anthony himself advised his parishioners, before starting prayer, to think about how much time they have, set an alarm clock and pray quietly until it rings. “It doesn’t matter,” he wrote, “how many prayers you manage to read during this time; It is important that you read them without being distracted or thinking about time.”

Prayer and feelings

But you should never confuse the words of a sincere prayer with a prayer that looks more like hysteria. Unfortunately, there is often an opinion among believers that only prayer with tears, in a raised voice, will achieve its goal. There is no need to shout to God about your problems and troubles, bursting into tears and shedding tears: He sees and hears everything perfectly. Falling into a hysterical state, a person no longer truly prays, but only uncontrollably splashes out emotions (often, by the way, devoid of objectivity and even negative).

Answered Prayer

Very often you can hear the following complaint: “I prayed and prayed, but all my prayers remained unanswered!”

For some reason, we are sure: all we have to do is start praying, and God is obliged to appear before us, pay attention to us, let us feel His presence, let us understand that He is listening to us attentively. Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, recognized as the most outstanding theologian, wrote:

If it were possible to call God... mechanically, so to speak, force Him to a meeting just because we have appointed this very moment to meet with Him, then there would be neither a meeting nor a relationship. Relationships should begin and develop in mutual freedom. … We complain that He does not make His presence evident in the few minutes we devote to Him throughout the day; but what can we say about the remaining twenty-three and a half hours, when God can knock on our door as much as He wants, and we answer: “Sorry, I’m busy,” or we don’t answer at all, because we don’t even hear Him knocking on our door? heart, our mind, our consciousness or conscience, our life. So: we have no right to complain about the absence of God, because we ourselves are absent much more!

There is one amazing story in the book of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh:

About twenty-five years ago, shortly after I became a priest, I was sent to serve in a nursing home before Christmas. There was an old woman there who later died at the age of one hundred and two. She came up to me after the first service and said: “Father Anthony, I would like to get advice about prayer.” ...I then asked her: “What is your problem?” And my old lady answered: “For fourteen years now I have been repeating the Jesus Prayer almost continuously and I have never felt God’s presence.” And then I really, out of simplicity, told her what I was thinking: “If you talk all the time, when will God insert a word?” She asked: “What should I do?” And I said: “After morning breakfast, go to your room, tidy it up, make the chair more comfortable, so that behind its back there are all the dark corners that an elderly woman always has in her room and where things are hidden from prying eyes. Light the lamp in front of the icon and then look around your room. Just sit, look around, and try to see where you live, because I'm sure if you've been praying for the last fourteen years, you haven't noticed your room for a long time. And then take your knitting and knit for fifteen minutes before the face of God; but I forbid you to say even one word of prayer. Just knit and try to enjoy the silence of your room.”

She thought that this was not very pious advice, but decided to try it. After some time, she came to me and said: “You know, it’s working out!” I asked: “What happens?” – because I was very curious how my advice worked. And she says: “I did as you said: I got up, washed, cleaned my room, had breakfast, came back, made sure that there was nothing around that would irritate me... I remembered that I had to knit in the face of God, and then I took knitting, and felt the silence more and more... It did not consist of absence, there was the presence of something in it. The surrounding silence began to fill me and merge with the silence within me.” And at the end she said something very beautiful, which I later came across in the French writer Georges Bernanos; she said: “I suddenly noticed that this silence is a presence; and at the core of this silence was the One who is Silence itself, Peace itself, Harmony itself.”

Very often this could happen to us, if instead of fussing and “doing” something, we could simply say: “I am in God’s presence. What a joy! Let me keep quiet..."

It often happens that in prayer we do not always ask for what we really need, we ask as if “in reserve.” Sometimes we ask for the wrong thing and end up getting nothing.

But even when we ask God for what we cannot live without, we lack patience and consistency. We believe that having asked once and not received what we wanted, we should give up the prayer: well, God doesn’t give what we ask for, what can you do! One of the Fathers of the Church says that prayer is like an arrow, but this arrow will fly and reach its target only if the shooter has enough shooting skills, skill, patience and willpower.

Unfortunately, we often don’t even notice that our prayer has already been answered. Yes, the answer is not always pleasant, but it is given to us as medicine, and medicines are rarely sweet.

Therefore, experienced people advise beginners on the prayer path: “Be careful in your prayers, because one day they may come true.”

Why does God send diseases to us?

The question “Why did God send me illness?” - perhaps the most common among those who have recently come to faith. Probably, people see the Lord as a kind of judge in a robe, who from morning to evening weighs the extent of everyone’s guilt and determines punishments. Did you act badly? Here's a disease for you! Did you act very badly? Your illness will be long and severe! Next time, think before you do something bad...

If God made everything so simple, life would be much easier for us here on Earth! It would be enough not to do bad things, and each of us would always be healthy and prosperous. But you’ve probably noticed yourself: very often kind, good, smart people they live difficult lives, get seriously ill, overcome adversity throughout their lives, but people who are not very decent live luxuriously and don’t give a damn. They have everything - health, money, and luck in business... Why does this happen? Yes, because the Lord, truly being the Supreme Judge, does not actually judge us during our lifetime. And he doesn't punish. There are, of course, exceptions, but for this you need to do something completely terrible. In other cases, the Lord gives us freedom of choice: to do this or that, to take this or that road. We build our own lives. And you will have to answer for HOW it was built much later - when this process has already been completed. Believe me, the Lord is not at all concerned with punishing us with illness for each of our sins. Moreover, very often illness is not a punishment for a person; it is sent to him, oddly enough, for his own good. It's hard to believe, but it's true. This is how Father Georgy Simakov, rector of the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God in the village of Troitskoye, Tver province, answers this question.

– Many people are sure that illness is God’s punishment for sins. Is it so?

- Of course not. In general, the Lord is merciful; He rarely punishes people. And our illnesses are not a punishment at all, as for some reason people tend to think. Sometimes illnesses are presented to a person as admonition so that he stops sinning. Do you feel the difference? Not as a punishment, but as an admonition. A person himself cannot stop on the wrong path in life, and the Lord helps him. Often illness can serve as a protection against evil that has not yet been committed. It can be sent to a righteous person to test his faith. Illnesses can be sent to us so that, having been healed, a person himself realizes and conveys to others through his healing the greatness of God. There is another type of illness; they are sent so that a person atones for those sins that he committed out of ignorance or that he forgot about. As you can see, there can be many causes of the disease. Every sick person should think carefully about what his illness means and why it was sent to him. Only after understanding this can you turn in prayer to the Lord, to the Mother of God, to the saints with a request for healing.

– We often hear: “God is merciful and just!” Why does He allow people - often very good people! – were you sick and suffering? Where is mercy and justice here?

– The Holy Fathers say: illness is not just suffering, it is a time when God visits a person. This happens invisibly and not always perceptibly, but immutably. The Lord brings physical illness to man as a bitter medicine for mental and spiritual illness. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk taught this: “The health of the body opens a person’s doors to many whims and sins, but closes the infirmity of the body. During illness, we feel that human life is like a flower that immediately dries up as soon as it blooms.”

And Saint Theophan the Recluse wrote: “God sends other things as punishment, like penance, and others as discipline, so that a person will come to his senses; otherwise, to save you from the trouble that a person would get into if he were healthy; another thing is for a person to show patience and thereby deserve a greater reward; other, to cleanse from some passion, and for many other reasons. There are diseases, the cure of which is prohibited by the Lord, when he sees that illness is more necessary for salvation than health... Sometimes the Lord takes away strength in order to at least calm a person down. He no longer knows how to fix it differently.” On my own behalf, I can only add that there is no disease that cannot be cured through our prayers.

After all, there is no human sin that would exceed God’s mercy...

– Why does the same suffering benefit some people and harm others?

– And you will remember the thieves crucified near the Lord on two crosses. One, suffering, thanked the Lord and asked Him to help him and bring him into His Kingdom, and the other blasphemed God. This is how all people relate to the cross of illness sent to them: some ask God, while others blaspheme Him. The prudent thief inherited heaven, and the evil thief inherited hell, although both were at the cross of the Lord.

– What should you do if you get sick?

– If a serious illness begins, you must first resort to prayer, as St. Neil of Sinai taught: “And before any medicine or doctor, resort to prayer.” Then it is good to ask the Lord to send a doctor who would understand your illness and help you heal.

During illness, each person needs to resort to holy things: eat the holy prosphora, anoint himself with holy oil, take it inside and sprinkle it with holy water, read prayers in front of the icons of the Mother of God, the holy saints of God who help in illness, especially the holy great martyr Panteleimon.

- Often, when I get sick, Orthodox people They don’t go to the doctor, they say: “Everything is God’s will!” How does the Church feel about this issue?

– The Lord created doctors so that they could heal sick people. Therefore, when we treat ourselves or do not treat ourselves at all, we commit a sin against our health. You definitely need to get treatment! But we shouldn’t forget about prayer, because prayer is our best helper and faithful healer in illness. It is very useful to drink Epiphany (Epiphany) water during illness, which has enormous healing power. There are many cases where just a few drops poured into the mouth of an unconscious patient brought him to his senses and changed the course of the disease.

Water of minor consecration (it can be taken at any temple on any day) is drunk as needed, saying the same prayer. In addition, they smear holy water, moisten sore spots, sprinkle themselves and sprinkle their belongings, room and hospital bed, and food. For headaches or other pains, a compress with Epiphany water helps.

Holy oil also eases the suffering of a sick person. For the patient, oil is important, which is consecrated during the unction, litia. They are anointed with it and added to food. Oil from lamps from holy places, from the relics of saints, miraculous icons has great power. The holy myrrh has even greater miraculous power. You can only anoint yourself with myrrh, and do it crosswise on your forehead and sore spots.

Sincere prayer pronounced with faith, holy water, anointing with oil from the relics of God's saints or from miraculous icons contribute to a speedy recovery from any, even the most serious, illness.

– What to do if neither medicine nor doctors help, and the person suffers?

– We must try to bear the illness complacently, endure the suffering that comes, and remember that the Lord will not lay on a person a cross that he cannot bear. Therefore, one should endure and ask the Lord to strengthen the soul to endure the illness. And, of course, continue to pray!

– How should we pray for our neighbors when they are sick?

– There are several very simple prayers that need to be read every day. These are the prayers:

First prayer for the healing of the sick

Master, Almighty, Holy King, punish and do not correct, strengthen those who fall and raise up the overthrown, correct the sorrows of bodily people, we pray to You, our God, visit Your weak servant (name) with Your mercy, forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary. Hey, Lord, send down Your healing power from heaven, touch the body, extinguish the fire, tame passion and all lurking weakness, be the Physician of Your servant (name), raise him from the sick bed and from the bed of bitterness, whole and all-perfect, grant him to Your Church, pleasing and doing Your will. For it is Yours to have mercy and save us, O our God, and to You we ascribe glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Second prayer for the healing of the sick

O Most Merciful God, Father, Son and Holy Soul, worshiped and glorified in the Undivided Trinity, look with compassion on your servant (name), who is overcome by illness; forgive him all his sins; grant him healing from his illness; restore his health and bodily strength; Give him a long and prosperous life, Your peaceful and worldly blessings, so that together with us he brings grateful prayers to You, the All-Bounteous God and my Creator.

Most Holy Theotokos, through Your omnipotent intercession, help me to beg Your Son, my God, for the healing of God’s servant (name).

All saints and angels of the Lord, pray to God for His sick servant (name). Amen.

– How do you feel about herbal medicine – herbal treatment, homeopathy, reflexology, acupuncture?

– I have a positive attitude towards professional herbal treatment. Homeopathy was widely used by priests before the revolution. Saint John of Kronstadt, Saint Theophan the Recluse, Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, Saint Ambrose of Optina and other fathers spoke with approval about this science and blessed the use of its methods. If acupuncture is carried out by acupuncturists who are not both bioenergeticists or psychics, based on knowledge of the meridians and the amplitude of the potentials of each biologically active point, this in no way contradicts the Orthodox doctrinal truth.

In principle, many treatment methods can be combined with each other. And, of course, we must not forget to pray during illness. And when recovery comes, you should definitely thank the Lord for healing! I always advise my parishioners to read the following prayer:

Prayer of thanksgiving, St. John of Kronstadt, read after healing from illness

Glory to Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of the Father Without Beginning, who alone heals every ailment and every illness among people, for You have had mercy on me, a sinner, and delivered me from my illness, not allowing it to develop and kill me according to my sins. Grant me from now on, Master, the strength to firmly do Your will for the salvation of my damned soul and for Your glory with Your Originless Father and Your Consubstantial Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Why do we pray to saints?

Why pray to saints if there is Christ? Sooner or later, every Orthodox person asks himself (and then not only himself) this question. What does this mean? Doesn't God Himself hear us? Do we necessarily need intermediaries to communicate with Him? And it turns out that the host of saints is something like the “reference service” of the Lord, through which all our requests for help, our prayers pass?

No, that's not how it works! As proof, I would like to give you the story of priest Dionisy Svechnikov, who in practice often has to deal with people who wonder why we pray to the saints.

Once I had to talk with one young man who, having come to the temple, was very outraged by the presence of a large number of icons in the church. It was clear that the young man was well versed in the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, had an understanding of some Christian dogmas, although somewhat distorted, but at the same time he was an absolutely non-church person...

...He supported his arguments with the words of Holy Scripture: “It is said, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only’” (Matthew 4:10). So why are there such a large number of icons of saints in Orthodox churches, when there should be nothing except images of Christ? And when you enter the church, all you hear is pray to the Mother of God, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Panteleimon the Healer and someone else. Where has God gone? Or have you already replaced Him with other gods?”

I felt that the conversation would be difficult and, apparently, long. I will not retell it in its entirety, but I will try to highlight only the essence, because in our difficult times, many people ask similar questions...

To begin with, I invited the young man to understand the definitions, following simple logic... So, who are the saints and why should we pray to them? Are these really some lower-order gods? After all, the Church calls to honor them and offer prayers to them. Let's start with the fact that the veneration of saints is an ancient Christian tradition that has been preserved since apostolic times. A martyr who suffered for Christ immediately after his death became an object of reverent veneration among believers. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the tombs of the first Christian saints, and prayers were offered to them. It is clear that the saint was given special veneration, but not at all as a separate god. These were people who gave their lives for God. And, first of all, they themselves would be against exalting them to the rank of deity. After all, we, for example, honor the memory of people who laid down their lives for the Fatherland on the battlefields. And we even erect monuments to them so that future generations will know and honor these people. So why can’t Christians honor the memory of people who especially pleased God with their lives or martyrdom, while calling them saints? I asked the young man to answer this question. There was an affirmative answer. The first bastion of sectarian thinking collapsed...

...Thus, Orthodox Christians do not worship saints at all, but venerate them. They are revered as senior mentors, as people who have reached spiritual heights, as people living in God and for God. People who have reached the Kingdom of Heaven. And the basis for honoring mentors was given by St. Paul: “Remember your teachers... and considering the end of their lives, imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7). And the faith of the saints is the Orthodox faith and it has called for the veneration of saints since apostolic times. And one of the greatest saints, John of Damascus, spoke about this veneration: “The saints are venerable - not by nature, we worship them because God glorified them and made them terrible for enemies and benefactors for those who come to them with faith. We worship them not as gods and benefactors by nature, but as servants and co-servants of God, who have boldness towards God out of their love for Him. We worship them because the King Himself honors Himself when He sees that the person He loves is revered not as a King, but as an obedient servant and a friend well-disposed towards Him.”

Our conversation with the young man moved into a calmer direction, and now he listened more than he spoke. But to be more convincing, it was necessary to give a couple more compelling arguments that I was right, and I hastened to do so.

The saints are our prayer books and patrons in heaven and therefore living and active members of the militant, earthly Church. Their grace-filled presence in the Church, externally manifested in their icons and relics, surrounds us as if with a prayer cloud of the glory of God. It does not separate us from Christ, but brings us closer to Him, unites us with Him. These are not intermediaries between God and people who would set aside the One Mediator Christ, as Protestants think, but our prayer partners, friends and helpers in our service to Christ and our communication with Him.

Now I could calmly move on to the question of prayer to the holy saints. As I have already shown above, the saints are our companions in prayer and friends on the path of serving God. But can we not ask to intercede for us before the throne of the Almighty? Isn't the same thing happening in our daily lives, when we ask our loved ones and acquaintances to put in a good word for us in front of our superiors? But our Heavenly Father is much higher than any earthly authority. And everything is truly possible for Him, which cannot be said about ordinary earthly people. But when praying to the saints, we must not forget about praying to the Lord. For He alone is the Giver of all blessings.

And this is a very important point, because many Orthodox Christians, in prayer to the saints, forget about the One to whom, in the end, the prayer request will be sent, even through the intercession of one of the saints. A Christian should not forget about the Lord his God. After all, the saints also served Him. By this I showed the young man how important it is not to go too far even in such a seemingly simple matter as prayer. It was clear that the guy was in some confusion, but having collected his thoughts, he asked the last question: “Tell me, why is it necessary to pray to different saints on a specific issue?” I was expecting this question and the answer was already ready. Saints can help us not because of the abundance of their merits, but because of the spiritual freedom they acquire in love, which is achieved by their feat. It gives them the power to stand before God in prayer, as well as in active love for people. God gives the saints, along with the angels of God, to accomplish His will in the lives of people with active, although usually invisible, help. They are the hands of God with which God does His works. Therefore, it is given to saints even beyond death to do works of love not as a feat for their own salvation, which has already been accomplished, but, indeed, to help in the salvation of other brothers. And this help is given by the Lord Himself in all our everyday needs and experiences through the prayers of the saints. Hence the saints - patrons of certain professions or intercessors before God in everyday needs. Pious church tradition, based on the lives of the saints, ascribes to them effective assistance to their earthly brothers in various needs. For example, St. George the Victorious, who was a warrior during his lifetime, is revered as the patron of the Orthodox army. They pray to the Great Martyr Panteleimon, who was a doctor during his lifetime, for deliverance from bodily ailments. Nicholas the Wonderworker is greatly revered by sailors, and girls pray to him for a successful marriage, based on the facts of his life. People who live off fishing pray to the apostles Peter and Andrew, who before their high calling were simple fishermen, for a successful catch. And, of course, one cannot help but say about the highest angel and archangel of all, the Most Holy Theotokos, who stands at the head of the host of saints. She is the patroness of motherhood.

Our conversation was coming to a logical end. I really hoped that the arguments I presented would leave a mark on the soul of this young man. And I was not mistaken. Finally, he said a phrase for which one could talk for a very long time: “Thank you! I realized that I was wrong in many ways. Apparently, my knowledge of Christianity is still not enough, but now I know where to look for the truth. In Orthodoxy. Thank you very much again." With these words my interlocutor left. Left alone with my joy, I hastened to the temple to offer prayer of thanksgiving To the Lord and all the saints who helped me on this day in my pastoral ministry. But that's a completely different story...

Why do we venerate holy relics?

What are holy relics? Why did the Orthodox Church establish their veneration? Where does the confidence of believers come from that through prayers at the holy relics they will certainly receive the help and intercession of the saints?

“The word “relics” literally means “remains” in Greek. The word “relics” has always been used in the same sense in the Church Slavonic language. However, it would be more accurate to say that it is customary to call relics the bones of a deceased person, something that remains for a long time after his departure to another world.

One chronicle of 1472 tells the following about the opening of the coffins of the Moscow metropolitans resting in the Assumption Cathedral: “Jonah found his whole being, but Photey’s whole being was found, not all of his being, the only “relics”” (Collected Russian Chronicles. T. VI. P. 195).

In 1667, Metropolitan Pitirim of Novgorod was informed about the discovery of the relics of St. Neil Stolbensky: “The coffin and his body holy land betrayed, and all his holy relics are intact" (Acts collected in libraries and archives Russian Empire archaeographic expedition of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. St. Petersburg T. IV. P. 156). In general, “in the language of ancient church literature, incorruptible relics are not incorruptible bodies, but preserved and undecayed bones” (Golubinsky E.E. Canonization of Saints. pp. 297–298).

Church history says that relics have always been the name given to the preserved remains of holy martyrs and great ascetics. Relics are venerated, even if they are preserved only in the form of ashes or dust.

In 156, the holy martyr Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, was killed with a sword and burned, but the bones that survived the fire and the ashes were for Christians “more honorable than precious stones and more valuable than gold.”

Saint John Chrysostom writes about the relics of the Antiochian martyr Babyla: “Many years passed after his burial, only bones and ashes remained in his tomb, which were transferred with great honor to the tomb in the suburb of Daphne.”

The Most Holy Lucian talks about the relics of the holy Archdeacon Stephen that he found: “Very small particles remained from his bones, and his whole body turned to dust... With psalms and songs they carried these relics (remains) of Blessed Stephen to the holy church of Zion...” Blessed Jerome says , that the highly revered relics of the prophet Samuel existed in the form of ashes, and the relics of the apostles Peter and Paul - in the form of bones (Golubinsky E.E. Decree. Op. P. 35, note).

IN present time during the discovery of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov (1903), St. Pitirim of Tambov and Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow (1914), only the bones of saints were found, which serve as an object of reverent veneration for all believers.

Why did the Orthodox Church establish the veneration of holy relics?

Explanation of this Orthodox tradition can be found in the works of the holy fathers.

John Chrysostom says: “The sight of the tomb of a saint, penetrating the soul, amazes it, and excites it, and brings it into such a state, as if the one lying in the tomb praying together, stands before us, and we see him, and thus the person experiencing this is filled with great jealousy and leaves here, having become a different person... Truly, it is as if a light breeze blows from everywhere on those present at the tomb of the martyr, a breeze that is not sensual and strengthens the body, but can penetrate into the soul itself, improving it in all respects and overthrowing She has every earthly burden."

One of the teachers of the ancient Church, Origen, says: “In prayer meetings there is a twofold society: one consisting of people, the other of celestial beings...” This means, praying at the relics of saints, we seem to pray together with them, with a single prayer.

Towards the end of the 7th century, the Frankish Council decided that the throne could only be consecrated in a church that contained the relics of saints, and the VII Ecumenical Council (787) determined that “for the future, any bishop who consecrated a church without relics must be deposed” ( Rule 7). Since then, every church has had antimensions, into which particles of holy relics are necessarily placed, and without which it is impossible to celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist. This means that in any church there are necessarily the relics of saints, which, according to our faith, serve as a guarantee of the presence of saints during divine services, their participation in our prayers, their intercession for us before the Lord.

The third basis for the veneration of holy relics is the teaching of the Orthodox Church about relics as carriers of grace-filled powers. “Your relics are like a full vessel of grace, overflowing upon all who flow to them,” we read in prayer to St. Sergius of Radonezh.

The grace of God is taught to humanity through the mediation of certain holy people who performed miracles during their lifetime, and after death imparted this miraculous power to their remains.

The forces of grace that act through the bodies of saints during their lives continue to act in them after death. This is precisely what the veneration of holy relics as bearers of grace is based on. The relics of saints, says the prophet Ephraim the Syrian, heal the sick, cast out demons, for the grace of the Holy Spirit is always found in holy remains...

Based on materials from the article “Veneration of Holy Relics”, Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, No. 1, 1997.

What prayers are read at home during Lent 2018

Everyone knows that the Easter fast - from February 19 to April 7, 2018 - is the strictest and longest, and there are many food restrictions during this seven-week period.

However, many of us forget that, in addition to giving up certain foods, during fasting a person must also cleanse himself spiritually, thereby, as it were, trying to “get closer” to God.

There are special prayers for every day during Lent, which should be read by all people who are Orthodox Christians.

What prayers are read during Lent are indicated in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, where an entire section is devoted to how one should behave throughout the entire seven-week period.

The main prayer is considered to be the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, which promotes liberation from the so-called “illness” that prevents a person from communicating with God. This prayer sounds like this:

Lord and Master of my life,

spirit of idleness, despondency, greed and idle talk

The spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love,

grant to me, Thy servant.

To her, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins,

and do not condemn my brother,

for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages, amen.

God, cleanse me, a sinner!

Morning prayers during Lent remain traditional, but their reading is certainly supplemented by the above prayer of Ephraim the Syrian. It can be read not only in church, but also at home, and its purpose is to prepare a person for confession, repentance and purification.

It is important to understand that food restrictions, as well as morning, afternoon and evening prayers during Lent have one common goal - a person must learn to manage himself, control his own feelings and emotions.

The seven-week period of Easter Lent is a time of peace and repentance. Every Christian believer must consciously enter into fasting, observe it, and correctly exit this state.

As a rule, it is quite difficult for an ignorant person to do this, therefore, having decided for the first time to take such a serious step as observing Lent, it is better to enlist the support of church ministers, who will definitely help in everything and tell you how to act correctly.

Prayers for Lent

Prayers during Lent are considered to have greater power. François Mauriac once said: “You don’t need to have faith to pray; you need to pray to gain faith.”

Prayer is not simple words listing sins and bright feelings. This is not something that you can talk about a lot and in different ways. And not something to be neglected.

Prayers were originally created so that every person could talk to God. A special melodious rhythm, syllable and Old Church Slavonic language are the key to a certain state when the mortal is forgotten and the spiritual triumphs. This is exactly the case when you may not have much faith when taking your first steps in prayer, but you will certainly feel the touch of the Divine.

Prayers for Lent

Lent is a special time for Christians and 2016 is no exception. During this period, it is commanded to especially observe the rules of abstinence, good morals and mutual assistance. This is the time when you need to limit your body in everything in order to free your spirit from its influence. Every day a layer of experience accumulates on us: emotions, desires, anger and routine interests. All this has negligible relation to the truth spiritual development. And restrictions, reaching the point of asceticism, are designed to remove everything similar, superficial, from our soul. In this matter, prayer becomes an integral assistant.

During Lent, the lifestyle changes; for many, these changes are noticeable to the point of discomfort. And when the body imposes its usual line of behavior, the Holy Word comes to the rescue. It has a wonderful effect, helping to renounce the feeling of dissatisfaction that often gnaws at the hungry, and the feeling of irritation that gnaws at the one who is limited. Prayer helps to understand and feel how fleeting all this is, how small in relation to the great Divine Principle that lives in each of us.

“Prayer must remain unanswered, otherwise it ceases to be prayer and becomes correspondence.”

A person praying who turns his heart to God must remember, especially during Lent, that one cannot expect miracles and instant accomplishments. The soul of the righteous is pure and submissive to the will of the Lord; it does not demand, but patiently waits and gives thanks for everything that happens, without complaining.

Lent is a time of prayer

The morning of the first day of Lent begins with special words addressed to Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Trinity. These prayers are called initial prayers. They mean a willingness to humbly accept the test of fasting, humility and participation in the passions of Jesus that he experienced in the desert.

Every morning begins with a prayer to Christ, a psalm of David, the third prayer of St. Macarius the Great, praise and song to the Mother of God. These are the main prayers read during Lent by a layman.

Throughout the day, thoughts should be turned to a prayer of gratitude for our daily bread, prayers before and after eating food.

Before going to bed, a righteous Christian turns his heart to the Guardian Angel through prayer and to God the Father.

These prayers can be called necessary to be read by a Christian during Lent. There are many more of them, but if you call on the listed saints with a pure soul, this will be enough.

The church service during Lent is also different from the usual one. Be sure to add the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian to the reading. It is considered a truly Lenten prayer, which fully reflects its content.

During the period of fasting, clergy are required to spend a lot of time in prayer. For them, prayer is a special and at the same time fundamental part of life. It should be practiced after waking up, before and after meals, before studying, at moments when temptation or bad thoughts overcome, before going to bed.

During Lent, they pray for their deceased and for the health of living loved ones and relatives. It is believed that a purified soul is closer to God, and He hears all prayers better. Therefore, you can turn to the Almighty in any prayers, and it will certainly respond, inside or outside.

“Work is the best prayer”

During Lent, purification is considered not only by verbal prayers, but also by deeds. It is said that during this period you need to refrain from unnecessary words, actions and desires.

We are accustomed to watching TV - we abstain. Unless it's for business. We are used to spending a lot of time chatting with friends on the phone – we limit ourselves to this period. This is a kind of work on yourself, the hardest work called “changing yourself for the better.”

But if a neighbor or acquaintance, and even if a stranger needs help, you need to help. Especially during Lent. Of course, help is possible and from the heart. It often happens that people contact us at the wrong time, they come at the wrong time. But this period exists precisely in order to overcome one’s dissatisfaction, to free oneself from it, so that this place in the soul is occupied by the awareness of the frailty of existence, the heights of spirit and unity. All people are equal, and everyone is given time. This time belongs to God, which means no one can take it away from us personally. But if we devote this time with an open heart to benefit someone, who will feel bad from it? On the contrary, kindness will only come. This is the purpose of Lent.

“God does not hear the words of prayer, God sees your heart”

There are people who are trying fasting for the first time. They do not know prayers, have not encountered miracles of faith. But something led them to try. It's never too late to take the path of improving your spirit. And for these people it is a bit of a problem to master a large amount of text. It may happen that for them reading a prayer will become an effort to pronounce correctly the right words, and not by a true turning of the soul to the Lord. In this case, you need to turn to the priest, he can help in directing you to the main prayers of a Christian. At the moment there are prayers translated into modern language while maintaining the meaning.

It is possible and advisable to attend church services. Prayer in church takes on a truly wonderful sound and effect. Everything is pure: the words, voices, thoughts of many dozens of lay people bowing their heads in bow. In this you can find for yourself the first lesson of a miracle taught by the Lord.

But ignorance of prayers does not mean that the desire for purity of spirit will go unnoticed. The main thing is pure thoughts and righteous actions. There is a divine censor in every person, and if you listen to him, our words will always be heard by God.

Prayers for Lent

During Lent, it is customary to read various prayers, but the most important is considered to be the repentant prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. A chapter in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah is dedicated to this holiday. It describes in detail how to behave during fasting and other nuances. On these days, you can perform various rituals, read conspiracies and prayers. People believe that all appeals to God during this period will certainly be heard.

Prayers read during Lent

As already mentioned, the most important prayer during the days of Lent is considered to be an appeal from Holy Sirin. It lists the most important aspects of repentance, and also indicates what exactly needs to be done and what to work on. The main idea of ​​prayer is that a person must free himself from illness, which is an obstacle to communication with God. The prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian sounds like this:

“Lord and Master of my life,

Do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk.

Grant me the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Your servant.

grant me to see my sins,

and do not condemn my brother,

for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages, amen.

God, cleanse me, a sinner!”

To make the prayer more understandable, you need to focus on the most important points which are described in it. First, a request is made to get rid of important sins:

1. Spirit of Idleness. The saint asks God to protect him from wasting his time. Everyone has certain talents and skills that need to be used correctly for the benefit of all humanity. Idleness is considered the root of all sins.
2. Spirit of despondency. If a person is controlled by despondency, then he does not have the opportunity to see goodness and happiness in life. He simply plunges into darkness and becomes a real pessimist. That is why, in order to move in the right direction and be closer to God, you need to get rid of this sin.
3. Spirit of greed. In almost every person’s life there is a desire to control people, for example, power in the family, at work, etc. The love of control can become a serious problem that prevents you from developing and communicating with God.
4. Spirit of pride. Man is the only creation of God who has received the ability to speak. Often words are used for insults, curses, etc. In prayer, the saint asks God to protect him from vain and evil words.

Fasting cannot take place without prayers. You can read morning, evening prayers or the Psalter. It is important to always add the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian.

Other prayers read during Lent:

Of great importance are kneeling prayers, read not during Lent, but on the Great Trinity, which is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. The priest reads them, kneeling and facing the novices. The prayers contain an appeal to the mercy of God; they speak of the sending of the Holy Spirit, as well as the repose of the dead.

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Prayer during Lent for every day and before Easter, prayer by Ephraim the Syrian - Examples of prayers before meals during Lent

Lent, which begins in 2017 on February 27, is not only a refusal of animal food and alcoholic beverages. This is a time devoted to studying the life of Jesus Christ and turning to God in prayer. During Lent, a person becomes deeper, renounces many earthly goods, rethinks his life and his purpose in this world. Lent, which lasts six weeks and Holy Week, ends with the bright Easter of Christ - the resurrection of Jesus as a miraculous proof of the existence of the Lord. Every Christian must come to Christ's resurrection purified not only physically, but also spiritually. Not all believers know how and what prayer to read during Lent. Temple servants often say that you can turn to God in any prayer. However, the prayer after Ephraim the Syrian must be read every day with the exception of Saturday and Resurrection Day. It is also read before Easter, during the cheese-free week. The purpose of reading it is to free the “belly” (life) from bodily and, what is considered the main thing, spiritual ailments. Prayers during fasting before meals are also considered important in Orthodoxy. They help a Christian avoid gluttony, set him up for modest food and a long absence of entertainment.

Prayer for Lent for every day - How and when to pray during Lent

In Orthodoxy there are prayers for every day of Lent. Believers who visit the temple know that the first day of the first week begins with chants. Priests tell parishioners about John the Baptist and Herod. On Tuesday of the first week, the main, first prayer is dedicated to the life of Andrew of Crete, a saint who dedicated his life to God as a result of a miracle that happened to him (gaining the gift of speech after becoming mute). On Wednesday, the third day of Lent, churchgoers visiting churches will learn the interpretation of the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, etc. If you cannot, for any good reason, go to church for prayer, set aside at least ten to fifteen minutes a day to study the Scriptures - the Old and New Testaments.

Examples of prayers for each day of Lent

Any believer will tell you that fasting without prayer does not exist. Of course, this statement does not mean that you should completely renounce everyday worries and immerse yourself in reading prayers. In the absence of praying often and going to temple, read the Scriptures. Having found free time, devote it to reading one of the prayers of Lent. Now you can download them all on the Internet. We suggest paying attention to the most famous prayers relating to the time of abstinence before Easter.

Prayer of praise to the Lord God

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

In this prayer we praise God without asking for anything in return. It is usually pronounced at the end of a task as a sign of gratitude to God for His mercy towards us. This prayer is said in short: Glory to God. In this abbreviated form, we say a prayer when we finish some good deed, for example, teaching, work; when we receive any good news, etc.

God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.

Prayer for forgiveness of our sins. It must be said as often as we often sin. As soon as we sin, we must immediately repent of our sin before God and say this prayer.

Prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ

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

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us (show mercy to us). Amen.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our soul.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, Who is everywhere and fills everything, Receptacle of all goodness and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all impurity, and save, O Merciful One, our souls.

Orthodox prayer during Lent before Easter - What is prayer

Any Orthodox prayer is an appeal to God, a conversation with the Mother of God, the saints. You can pray silently to yourself anywhere and at any time. They turn to God out loud at home, alone or in churches, standing before images. Before fasting, at the end of Cheese Week, they say the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, pray to the Lord God Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Most Holy Ones. Each prayer can be ended with an appeal to the Almighty, praise to God, a request and giving you strength during fasting.

Examples of Orthodox prayers before Easter during Lent

Church-goers have a custom of reading all the Gospels during the time allotted for Lent. Of course, not all believers are able to overcome Scripture. When fasting before Easter, read prayers whenever possible. We suggest memorizing the texts of some of them.

The Creed reads like this:

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

2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were.

3. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from Heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human.

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

5. And he rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures.

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

7. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.

8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the life-giving, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.

9. Into one holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

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

11. I hope for the resurrection of the dead,

12. And the life of the next century. Amen

 I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, of everything visible and invisible.

 And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one being with the Father, by Him all things were created.

 For the sake of us people and for the sake of our salvation, he came down from Heaven, and took flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became a man.

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

 And rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.

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

 And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; His kingdom will have no end.

 And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets.

 Into one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

 I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.

 I look forward to the resurrection of the dead,

 And the life of the next century. Amen (truly so).

What is said in the prayer to Ephraim the Syrian for Lent - What the prayer to Ephraim the Syrian calls for

History says that the prayer to Ephraim the Syrian was loved not only by the holy fathers, but also by A.S. Pushkin, the great Russian poet, who translated the words of the prayer into a poetic way. Saint Ephraim the Syrian, living in the Middle Ages, was filled with spiritual wisdom. He also owns “divine reflections” from the Psalter of the Mother of God. As for the famous prayer, which aims to cleanse the hearts of believers before Easter, it is known for its simplicity and depth. This prayer helps to cleanse the soul from idle talk, lack of chastity, and proud self-affirmation. She teaches meekness, humility, and gratitude.

When the prayer to Ephraim the Syrian is read during Lent

As the church recommends, the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian should be read daily, from late Sunday evening to Friday. There is no need to worry about repetitions of the prayer - each time you say its words, you perceive them in a new way. Prayer cleanses the soul and heart, setting the believer in a gracious mood during Lent.

“Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk.

Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant.

To her, Lord, King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever. Amen".

What prayer should you read during fasting - Prayers that help you fast

Each prayer is an appeal to God, containing our thoughts, a request to free us from “filth” - dishonest, unclean thoughts and actions. By asking the Lord God in prayer to protect us from temptation, we really become better people. In principle, any pious prayer addressed to God in time helps us to fast, abstaining from passions and temptations.

How prayers help to fast during Lent

Any prayers said during Lent are aimed at cleansing the soul from unfavorable, ungodly thoughts. By praying and reading the Gospel, we come to know God more deeply and understand the meaning of fasting.

I believe, Lord, but You confirm my faith.

but You strengthen my hope.

I loved you, Lord,

but You cleanse my love

and set it on fire.

I'm sorry, Lord, but you do it,

May I increase my repentance.

I honor You, Lord, my Creator,

I sigh for You, I call upon You.

Guide me with Your wisdom,

protect and strengthen.

I commend to You, my God, my thoughts,

let them come from You.

Let my deeds be in Your name,

and let my desires be in Thy will.

Illuminate my mind, strengthen my will,

cleanse the body, sanctify the soul.

Let me see my sins,

let me not be seduced by pride,

help me overcome temptations.

May I praise You all the days of my life,

which You gave to me.

What prayer is said before meals during fasting - Orthodox prayer “Our Father”

Christian believers pray before meals, regardless of whether food is eaten on a fast day or not. The most common prayer before meals is also the most famous prayer, known by heart even by children - “Our Father.” Very often during fasting, before meals, praises are said to the Lord, who gave food and drink. At the end of the meal, believers thank God, who gave them food, with prayers.

Lord's Prayer. Our Father

Lent is the longest and strictest of all. This period is aimed not only at physical, but also at spiritual cleansing. To prevent religious tradition from turning into a regular diet, pray daily to the Lord and the saints.

Lent is a preparation for Easter. During this period, believers can achieve unity with God and cleanse their souls of sins. Many people mistakenly think that during fasting they simply need to give up prohibited foods. However, without prayer requests and performing godly deeds, fasting is a common diet. Don't forget to attend church and try to devote more time to prayer than usual.

The meaning of Lent

The main meaning of Lent is not to give up meat and dairy products, but to cleanse the soul. That is why the church recommends abstaining not only from certain foods, but also from usual entertainment.

During fasting, it is recommended to spend less time in front of the TV or on the Internet. Entertainment programs and meaningless information only clog our lives. Free hours are best spent in church, where you can pray and repent of your sins.

During this period, you can rethink your life, think about your purpose. During fasting, you will be able to look into your heart and understand what you really want from life.

Take care not only of cleansing your body, but also your soul. Get rid of negative thoughts and try to let go of old grievances. Imagine that every day you have the opportunity to start life from scratch, but to do this you need to say goodbye to the past.

Morning prayer during Lent

Orthodox believers know that it is necessary to begin every morning with prayer, especially during fasting. With its help, you can create a positive attitude and protect yourself from any troubles.

“Lord God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Cleanse my soul from sins, deliver me from evil thoughts. Protect me from enemies and their atrocities. I believe in Your generosity and kindness that You give to us. Glory to You, God. Amen!"

Evening prayer during Lent

“Lord God, creator of all life on earth and the King of Heaven, forgive me for the sins I have committed during the day in word or deed. Even in a dream, I, God’s servant, do not lose faith in You. I believe that You will save me from sins and cleanse my soul. Every day I hope for Your protection. Hear my prayer, answer my requests. Amen".

Before going to bed, do not forget to pray to your Guardian Angel:

“Guardian Angel, protector of my soul and my body. If I have sinned this day, deliver me from my sins. Don't let the Lord God be angry with me. Pray for me, God’s servant (name), before the Lord God, ask him for the forgiveness of my sins and protect me from committing evil. Amen".

Prayer for forgiveness of sins

During Lent, every believer must repent for their sins - this is an important part of spiritual cleansing. Don't forget to say your prayer every day.

“I, servant of God (name), turn to You, Lord, and with all my heart I ask You to forgive my sins. Have mercy on me, Heavenly King, deliver me from mental torment and self-torture. I will turn to You, Son of God. You died for our sins and You rose again to live forever. I hope for Your help and ask you to bless me. Forever You are my Savior. Amen!"

Main prayer for Lent

A short prayer by Ephraim the Syrian is the main prayer for the period of Lent. It is said on weekdays, at the end of each Lenten service. With its help, you can repent, rid your soul of sins, and also protect yourself and your loved ones from illnesses and committing evil.

“Lord God, Lord of my days. Do not allow the spirit of inaction, sadness, self-love to come to me. Grant the spirit of sanity and humility, love and patience to me, Your servant (name). Lord God, punish me for my sins, but do not punish my neighbor for them. Amen!"

How to pray and what mistakes to avoid
Prayer Rule
What prayers should it consist of? prayer rule layman
When to do your prayer rule
How to Prepare for Prayer
How to make your own prayer rule at home
What to do when distracted during prayer
How to end your prayer rule
How to learn to spend your day in prayer
How to force yourself to pray
What you need for successful prayer

How to pray and what mistakes to avoid.

To express to God our reverence for Him and our veneration for Him, we stand during prayer and do not sit: only the sick and the very old are allowed to pray while sitting.
Realizing our sinfulness and unworthiness before God, we, as a sign of our humility, accompany our prayer with bows. They are waist, when we bend down to the waist, and earthly, when, bowing and kneeling, we touch the ground with our heads *.
God's law

[*] On Sundays, as well as from St. Day. Easter until the evening of St. Trinity, as well as from the day of the Nativity of Christ to the day of Epiphany, also on the day of the Transfiguration and Exaltation (on this day it is necessary to make only three bows to the ground before the cross), St. the apostles completely forbade bending the knees and making prostrations to the ground... for Sundays and other Lord's holidays contain memories of reconciliation with God, according to the word of the apostle: “Become a servant, but a son” (Gal. 4:7); It is not appropriate for sons to perform slavish worship.

The sign of the cross, according to the teachings of the holy fathers, should be performed like this: folding the right hand into three fingers, place it on the forehead, on the belly, on the right shoulder and on the left, and then, having placed the sign of the cross on oneself, bend down. About those who signify themselves with all five hands, or bow before finishing the cross, or wave in the air or across their chest, it is said in Chrysostom: “the demons rejoice at that frantic waving.” On the contrary, the sign of the cross, performed earnestly with faith and reverence, frightens demons, calms sinful passions and attracts Divine grace. Orthodox prayer book

The first three fingers folded together (thumb, index and middle) express our faith in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, as the Consubstantial and indivisible Trinity, and two fingers bent to the palm mean that the Son of God upon His descent to earth , being God, became man, that is, His two natures mean – Divine and human.
Making the sign of the cross, we place our folded fingers on our forehead - to sanctify our mind, on our womb (stomach) - to sanctify our inner feelings, then on our right and left shoulders - to sanctify our bodily strength.
You need to sign yourself with the sign of the cross, or be baptized: at the beginning of prayer, during prayer and at the end of prayer, as well as when approaching everything holy: when we enter a temple, when we venerate the cross, to icons, and in all important cases of our life : in danger, in grief, in joy, etc.
God's law

When starting to pray, you must always sober up your thoughts, distract them from earthly affairs and interests, and to do this, calmly stand, sit, or walk around the room. Then think about Whom you intend to stand before and Whom you want to turn to, so that a feeling of humility and self-abasement appears. After this, you should make several bows and begin prayers, slowly, delving into the meaning of each word and bringing them to the heart. When you read, the holy fathers teach: cleanse us from all defilement - feel your defilement; you read: forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors - forgive everyone in your soul, and in your heart ask the Lord for forgiveness, etc. The ability to pray is, first of all, necessary for cultivating a prayerful spirit in oneself, and it consists of a certain order of thoughts in prayer. This order was once revealed by an angel to a holy monk (Lev. 28:7). The beginning of prayer should consist of praise to God, thanksgiving for His countless benefits; then we must bring to God a sincere confession of our sins in contrition of heart and, in conclusion, we can express with great humility our petitions for mental and physical needs, reverently leaving the fulfillment and non-fulfillment of these petitions to His will. Each such prayer will leave a trace of prayer in the soul; daily continuation of it will instill prayer, and patience, without which nothing can be achieved in life, will undoubtedly instill a prayerful spirit. Sschmch. Metropolitan Seraphim Chichagov

Man sees on the face, but God sees on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7); but in a person the location of the heart is most consistent with the position of his face, his appearance. And therefore, when praying, give the most reverent position to the body. Stand like a condemned man, with your head bowed, not daring to look at the sky, with your hands hanging down... Let the sound of your voice be the pitiful sound of crying, the groan of someone wounded by a deadly weapon or tormented by a cruel disease. St. Ignatiy Brianchaninov

When praying, do everything wisely. When you add oil to the lamp, then imagine that the Giver of Life every day and hour, every minute of your life, supports your life with His Spirit, and, as if daily through sleep in the physical sense, and through prayer and the word of God in the spiritual sense, pours the oil of life into you , with which your soul and body burn. When you place a candle in front of an icon, remember that your life is like a burning candle: it will burn out and go out; or that others make her burn faster than she should through passions, overeating, wine and other pleasures. St. rights John of Kronstadt

Standing before the icon of the Savior, stand as if before the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, omnipresent in Divinity, and present with His icon in the place where it is located. Standing before the icon of the Mother of God, stand as if before the Most Holy Virgin Herself; but keep your mind formless: the greatest difference is to be in the presence of the Lord and stand before the Lord, or imagine the Lord.
The elders said: do not wish to see Christ or an angel sensually, lest you go completely mad by accepting a wolf instead of a shepherd and worshiping your enemies, the demons.
Only holy saints of God, renewed by the Holy Spirit, ascend to a supernatural state. A person, until he is renewed by the Holy Spirit, is incapable of communicating with holy spirits. He, as still in the realm of the fallen spirits, in captivity and slavery to them, is able to see only them, and they often, having noticed in him a high opinion of himself and self-delusion, appear to him in the form of bright angels, in the form of Christ Himself, for the destruction of his soul.
St. Ignatiy Brianchaninov

When you pray, pay attention to yourself so that your inner person prays, and not just the outer one. Although I am sinful beyond measure, still pray. Do not look at the devil’s incitement, deceit and despair, but overcome and defeat his wiles. Remember the abyss of Spasov’s philanthropy and mercy. The devil will present to you the face of the Lord as menacing and unmerciful, rejecting your prayer and your repentance, and you remember the words of the Savior, filled with all hope and boldness for us: He who comes to Me I will not cast out (John 6:37), and - come to Me you who labor and are burdened with sins and iniquities, and the wiles of the devil and slander, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). St. rights John of Kronstadt

Read the prayers slowly, listen to every word - bring the thought of every word to your heart, otherwise: understand what you read, and feel what you understand. This is the whole point of pleasing to God and fruitful reading of prayer. St. Feofan the Recluse

Ask for what is worthy of God, don’t stop asking until you receive it. Although a month, and a year, and three years, and more years will pass until you receive, do not give up, but ask in faith, constantly doing good. St. Basil the Great

Do not be reckless in your requests, so as not to anger God with your foolishness: he who asks the King of kings for something insignificant humiliates Him. The Israelites, ignoring the miracles of God performed for them in the desert, asked for the fulfillment of the desires of the womb - and the food that is in their mouths, the wrath of God arose against them (Ps. 77: 30-31). He who seeks in his prayer perishable earthly goods arouses the indignation of the Heavenly King against himself. Angels and archangels - these nobles of Him - look at you during your prayer, looking at what you ask from God. They are surprised and rejoice when they see an earthly one leaving his earth and making a petition to receive something heavenly; They grieve, on the contrary, for those who have ignored heavenly things and ask for their earth and corruption. St. Ignatiy Brianchaninov

When praying to the Lord, the Mother of God or the saints, always remember that the Lord gives according to your heart (the Lord will give you according to your heart - Ps. 19:5), as is the heart, such is the gift; if you pray with faith, sincerely, with all your heart, unfeignedly, then in accordance with your faith, the degree of fervor of your heart, you will be given a gift from the Lord. And vice versa, the colder your heart, the more unfaithful and hypocritical it is, the more useless your prayer is, moreover, the more it angers the Lord... Therefore, whether you call on the Lord, the Mother of God, angels or saints, call with all your heart; whether you pray for anyone living or dead, pray for them with all your heart, pronouncing their names with warmth of heart; whether you are praying for the granting of some spiritual good to yourself or another, or for deliverance of yourself or your neighbor from some calamity or from sins and passions, bad habits - pray about this with all your heart, wishing with all your heart for yourself or another the requested good, having a firm intention to lag behind, or wanting others to be freed from sins, passions and sinful habits, and the Lord will give you a gift according to your heart. St. rights John of Kronstadt

The beginning of prayer is to drive away incoming thoughts at their very appearance; the middle of it is that the mind should be contained in the words that we pronounce or think; and the perfection of prayer is admiration to the Lord. St. John Climacus

Why is prolonged prayer necessary? In order to warm up our cold hearts, hardened by prolonged bustle, through the duration of fervent prayer. For it is strange to think, much less to demand, that a heart matured in the vanity of life could soon be imbued with the warmth of faith and love for God during prayer. No, this requires work and work, time and time. St. rights John of Kronstadt

Staying in prayer for a long time and not seeing fruit, do not say: I have not gained anything. For the very stay in prayer is already an acquisition; and what good is greater than this, to cleave to the Lord and remain unceasingly in union with Him? St. John Climacus

At the end of your home morning and evening prayers, call on the saints: patriarchs, prophets, apostles, saints, martyrs, confessors, saints, abstinents or ascetics, unmercenaries - so that, seeing in them the implementation of every virtue, you yourself become an imitator in every virtue. Learn from the patriarchs childlike faith and obedience to the Lord; among the prophets and apostles - zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of human souls; among the saints - zeal to preach the word of God and, in general, through the scriptures to contribute to the possible glorification of the name of God, to the establishment of faith, hope and love in Christians; among martyrs and confessors - firmness for faith and piety before unbelieving and wicked people; among ascetics - the schedule of the flesh with passions and lusts, prayer and contemplation of God; among those without money - non-covetousness and free help to those in need.

When we call upon saints in prayer, to say their name from the heart means to bring them closer to our very heart. Then undoubtedly ask for their prayers and intercession for yourself - they will hear you and present your prayer to the Lord soon, in the blink of an eye, as the Omnipresent and All-Knowing One. St. rights John of Kronstadt

One day the brethren asked Abba Agathon: which virtue is the most difficult? He replied: “Forgive me, I think the hardest thing is to pray to God. When a person wants to pray, his enemies try to distract him, because they know that nothing opposes them as much as prayer to God. In every feat, no matter what a person undertakes, he receives peace after intense labor, but prayer until the last minute of life requires struggle.” St. Abba Agathon

Prayer rule.

What is a prayer rule? These are prayers that a person reads regularly, daily. Everyone's prayer rules are different. For some, the morning or evening rule takes several hours, for others - a few minutes. Everything depends on a person’s spiritual make-up, the degree to which he is rooted in prayer and the time he has at his disposal.
It is very important that a person follows 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 when constantly reading 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 at all costs.
I remember when I took monastic vows (I was twenty years old at the time), I turned to an experienced confessor for advice and asked him what prayer rule I should have. He said: “You must read the morning and evening prayers, three canons and one akathist every day. No matter what happens, even if you are very tired, you must read them. And even if you read them hastily and inattentively, it doesn’t matter, the main thing is so that the rule is read." I tried. Things didn't work out. Daily reading of the same prayers led to the fact that these texts quickly became boring. In addition, every day I spent many hours in church at services that spiritually nourished me, nourished me, and inspired me. And reading the three canons and the akathist turned into some kind of unnecessary “appendage”. I started looking for other advice that was 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 evening for half an hour, but this half hour must be completely given to God. And it is not so important whether during these minutes we read all the prayers or just one, or perhaps we devote one evening entirely to reading the Psalter, the Gospel or prayer in our own words. The main thing is that we are focused on God, so that our attention does not slip away and that every word reaches our heart. This advice worked for me. However, I do not rule out that the advice I received from my confessor would be more suitable for others. Here a lot depends on the individual 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 said with attention and feeling, is enough to be a real Christian. It is only important that the thought always corresponds to the words, the heart responds to the words of prayer, and the whole life corresponds to the prayer.
Try, following the advice of St. Theophan the Recluse, to set aside some time for prayer during the day and for daily fulfillment of the prayer rule. And you will see that it will bear fruit very soon.

What prayers should a layperson’s prayer rule consist of?

The prayer rule of a layman consists of morning and evening prayers, which are performed daily. This rhythm is necessary, because otherwise the soul easily falls out of the prayer life, as if waking up only from time to time. In prayer, as in any big and difficult matter, inspiration, mood and improvisation are not enough.

There are three basic prayer rules:
1) a complete prayer rule, designed for monks and spiritually experienced laity, which is printed in the Orthodox Prayer Book;
2) a short prayer rule designed for all believers; in the morning: “Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “Rising from sleep”, “Have mercy on me, O God”, “I Believe”, “God, cleanse”, “To You, Master”, “ Holy Angel”, “Most Holy Lady”, invocation of saints, prayer for the living and the dead; in the evening: “Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Have mercy on us, Lord”, “Eternal God”, “Good King”, “Angel of Christ”, from “The Chosen Governor” to “It is worthy to eat”; these prayers are contained in any prayer book;
3) a short prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov: “Our Father” three times, “Virgin Mother of God” three times and “I Believe” once - for those days and circumstances when a person is extremely tired or very limited in time.

The duration of prayers and their number are determined by spiritual fathers and priests, taking into account everyone’s lifestyle and spiritual experience.

You cannot completely omit the prayer rule. Even if the prayer rule is read without due attention, the words of the prayers, penetrating the soul, have a cleansing effect.

Saint Theophan writes to one family person: “In case of emergency, one must be able to shorten the rule. You never know how many coincidences there are in family life. When things do not allow you to complete the prayer rule in full, then perform it abbreviated.

But one should never rush... The rule is not an essential part of prayer, but is only its external side. The main thing is the prayer of the mind and heart to God, offered with praise, thanksgiving and petition... and finally with complete devotion to the Lord. When there are such movements in the heart, there is prayer there, and when not, there is no prayer, even if you stood on the rule for whole days.”

A special prayer rule is performed during preparation for the Sacraments of Confession and Communion. On these days (they are called fasting and last for at least three days), it is customary to fulfill your prayer rule more diligently: whoever usually does not read all morning and evening prayers, let him read everything in full; whoever does not read the canons, let him read at least on these days. one canon. On the eve of communion, you must be at the evening service and read at home, in addition to the usual prayers for going to bed, the canon of repentance, the canon to the Mother of God and the canon to the Guardian Angel. The canon for communion is also read and, for those who wish, an akathist to the Sweetest Jesus. In the morning, morning prayers are read and all the prayers for holy communion are read.

During fasting, prayers are especially long, in order, as the holy righteous John of Kronstadt writes, “in order to disperse our cold hearts, hardened in prolonged vanity, by the duration of fervent prayer. For it is strange to think, much less to demand, that a heart matured in the vanity of life could soon be imbued with the warmth of faith and love for God during prayer. No, this requires work and time. The Kingdom of Heaven is taken by force, and those who use force take it away (Matthew 11:12). The Kingdom of God does not come to the heart soon when people run so diligently from it. The Lord God Himself expressed His will that we should not pray briefly when He presents as an example a widow who went to the judge for a long time and bothered him for a long time (for a long time) with her requests (Luke 18:2-6).”

When to make your prayer rule.

In the conditions of modern life, given the workload and accelerated pace, it is not easy for the laity to set aside a certain time for prayer. We must develop strict rules of prayer discipline and strictly adhere to our prayer rules.
Morning prayers are best read before starting any task. As a last resort, they are pronounced on the way from home. The evening prayer rule is recommended by prayer teachers to be read in free minutes before dinner or even earlier - late in the evening it is often difficult to concentrate due to fatigue.

How to prepare for prayer.

The basic prayers that make up the morning and evening rules should be known by heart so that they penetrate deeper into the heart and so that they can be repeated in any circumstances. First of all, in your free time, it is advisable to read the prayers included in your rule, translate the text of the prayers for yourself from Church Slavonic into Russian in order to understand the meaning of each word and not pronounce a single word meaninglessly or without precise understanding. This is what the Church Fathers advise. “Take the trouble,” writes the Monk Nicodemus the Svyatogorets, “not during the hour of prayer, but at another, free time, to think and feel the prescribed prayers. Having done this, even during prayer you will not encounter any difficulty in reproducing the content of the prayer being read.”

It is very important that those who begin to pray should expel resentment, irritation, and bitterness from their hearts. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk teaches: “Before prayers, you need not to be angry with anyone, not to be angry, but to leave behind any offense, so that God yourself will forgive your sins.”

“When approaching the Benefactor, be beneficent yourself; when approaching the Good, be good yourself; approaching the Righteous One, be righteous yourself; when approaching the Patient One, be patient yourself; when approaching the Humane, be humane; and also be everything else, approaching the Kind-hearted, the Benevolent, the Sociable in good things, the Merciful to everyone, and if anything else is seen of the Divine, being likened in all this by will, thereby acquire for yourself the boldness to pray,” writes St. Gregory of Nyssa .

How to make your own prayer rule at home.

During prayer, it is recommended to retire, light a lamp or candle and stand in front of the icon. Depending on the nature of family relationships, we can recommend reading the prayer rule together, with the whole family, or for each family member separately. General prayer is recommended primarily on special days, before a festive meal and on other similar occasions. Family prayer is a type of church, public prayer (the family is a kind of home church) and therefore does not replace individual prayer, but only complements it.

Before starting prayer, you should sign yourself with the sign of the cross and make several bows, either from the waist or to the ground, and try to tune in to an internal conversation with God. “Stay silently until your feelings calm down, place yourself in the presence of God to the consciousness and feeling of Him with reverent Fear and restore in your heart a living faith that God hears and sees you,” says the beginning of the prayer book. Saying prayers out loud or in a low voice helps many people focus.

“When starting to pray,” advises Saint Theophan the Recluse, “in the morning or evening, stand a little, or sit, or walk, and try at this time to sober up your thoughts, distracting it from all earthly affairs and objects. Then think about who is the One to whom you will turn in prayer, and who you are who now have to begin this prayerful appeal to Him - and arouse in your soul the corresponding mood of self-abasement and reverent fear of standing before God in your heart. This is all the preparation - to stand reverently before God - small, but not insignificant. This is where prayer begins, and a good beginning is half the battle.

Having thus established yourself internally, then stand in front of the icon and, having made several bows, begin the usual prayer: “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee,” “To the Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Soul of Truth,” and so on. Read slowly, delve into every word, and bring the thought of every word to your heart, accompanying it with bows. This is the whole point of reading a prayer that is pleasing and fruitful to God. Delve into every word and bring the thought of the word to your heart, otherwise, understand what you read and feel what is understandable. No other rules are required. These two - understand and feel - when performed properly, adorn every prayer with full dignity and impart to it all its fruitful effect. You read: “cleanse us from all filth” - feel your filthiness, desire purity and seek it with hope from the Lord. You read: “forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors” - and forgive everyone in your soul, and With a heart that has forgiven everyone, ask the Lord for forgiveness. You read: “Thy will be done” - and in your heart completely commit your fate to the Lord and express an unquestioning readiness to graciously meet everything that the Lord wants to send you.

If you act like this with every verse of your prayer, then you will have a proper prayer.”

In another of his instructions, Saint Theophan so briefly systematizes advice on reading the prayer rule:
a) never read hastily, but read as if in a chant... In ancient times, everything recited prayers taken from the psalms... But nowhere do I find the word “read”, but everywhere “sing”...
b) delve into every word and not only reproduce the thought of what you read in your mind, but also arouse the corresponding feeling...
c) in order to trigger the urge to hastily read, do not read this or that, but stand for a reading prayer for a quarter of an hour, half an hour, an hour... how long you usually stand... and then don’t worry... how many prayers you read, and when the time has come, if you don’t want to stand any longer, stop reading...
d) having put this down, however, do not look at the clock, but stand in such a way that you can stand endlessly: your thoughts will not run ahead...
e) to promote the movement of prayerful feelings in your free time, re-read and rethink all the prayers that are included in your rule - and re-feel them, so that when you begin to read them according to the rule, you know in advance what feeling should be aroused in the heart.. .
f) never read prayers without interruption, but always break them up with personal prayer, with bows, whether in the middle of prayers or at the end. As soon as something comes to your heart, immediately stop reading and bow. This last rule is the most necessary and most necessary for cultivating the spirit of prayer... If some other feeling takes up too much, you should be with it and bow down, but leave reading... so until the very end of the allotted time.

What to do when distracted in prayer.

For a long time, it was recommended to read the prayer slowly, evenly, in order to “contain attention in the words.” Only when the prayer you want to offer to God is meaningful enough and means a lot to you, will you be able to “reach out” to the Lord. If you are inattentive to the words you say, if your own heart does not respond to the words of prayer, your requests will not reach God.
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh said that when his father began to pray, he hung a sign on the door: “I’m home. But don’t try to knock, I won’t open it.” Bishop Anthony himself advised his parishioners, before starting prayer, to think about how much time they have, set an alarm clock and pray quietly until it rings. “It doesn’t matter,” he wrote, “how many prayers you manage to read during this time; It is important that you read them without being distracted or thinking about time.”

Praying is very difficult. Prayer is primarily a spiritual work, therefore one should not expect immediate spiritual pleasure from it. “Do not look for pleasures in prayer,” writes Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov), “they are by no means characteristic of a sinner. The desire of a sinner to feel pleasure is already self-delusion... Do not prematurely seek high spiritual states and prayerful delights.”
As a rule, it is possible to maintain attention on the words and prayer for several minutes, and then thoughts begin to wander, the eye glides over the words of the prayer - and our heart and mind are far away.
If someone prays to the Lord, but thinks about something else, then the Lord will not listen to such a prayer,” writes the Monk Silouan of Athos.
At these moments, the Fathers of the Church advise to be especially attentive. Saint Theophan the Recluse writes that we must prepare in advance for the fact that when reading prayers we are distracted, often mechanically reading the words of the prayer. “When a thought runs away during prayer, return it. If he runs away again, come back again. It's like that every time. Every time you read something while your thoughts are running away and, therefore, without attention or feeling, do not forget to re-read. And even if your thought wanders off in one place several times, read it several times until you read it with concept and feeling. Once you overcome this difficulty, another time, perhaps, it will not happen again, or it will not happen again with such force.
If, while reading the rule, a prayer breaks through in your own words, then, as St. Nicodemus says, “do not let this opportunity pass by, but dwell on it.”
We find the same thought in St. Theophan: “Another word will have such a strong effect on the soul that the soul will not want to extend further in prayer, and although the tongue reads prayers, the thought keeps running back to the place that had such an effect on her. In this case, stop, do not read further, but stand with attention and feeling in that place, nourish your soul with them, or with the thoughts that it will produce. And don’t rush to tear yourself away from this state, so if time is pressing, it’s better to leave the unfinished rule, and don’t ruin this state. It will overshadow you, perhaps all day, like a Guardian Angel! This kind of beneficial influence on the soul during prayer means that the spirit of prayer begins to take root and that, therefore, maintaining this state is the most reliable means of nurturing and strengthening the spirit of prayer in us.”

How to end your prayer rule.

It is good to end the prayer with thanksgiving to God for the gift of communication and contrition for one’s inattention.
“When you finish your prayer, do not immediately move on to any of your other activities, but also, at least for a little while, wait and think that you have accomplished this and what it obliges you to, trying, if you are given something to feel during prayer, to preserve it after prayers,” writes Saint Theophan the Recluse. “Do not immediately rush into everyday affairs,” teaches St. Nicodemus, “and never think that, having completed your prayer rule, you have finished everything in relation to God.”
When getting down to business, you must first think about what you have to say, do, see during the day, and ask God for blessings and strength to follow His will.

How to learn to spend your day in prayer.

Having finished our morning prayers, we should not think that everything is complete in relation to God, and only in the evening, during the evening rule, should we return to prayer again.
The good feelings that arise during morning prayers will be drowned out in the bustle and busyness of the day. Because of this, there is no desire to attend evening prayer.
We must try to make sure that the soul turns to God not only when we stand in prayer, but throughout the entire day.

Here is how Saint Theophan the Recluse advises learning this:
“First, it is necessary throughout the day to more often cry out to God from the heart in short words, judging by the need of the soul and current affairs. You start by saying, for example: “Bless, Lord!” When you finish the job, say: “Glory to you, Lord!”, and not only with your tongue, but also with the feeling of your heart. Any passion that arises, say: “Save me, Lord, I am perishing!” The darkness of disturbing thoughts finds itself, cry out: “Bring my soul out of prison!” Wrong deeds are coming and sin leads to them, pray: “Guide me, Lord, on the path” or “Do not let my feet become confused.” Sins suppress and lead to despair, cry out in the publican’s voice: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” So anyway. Or simply say often: “Lord, have mercy; Lady Mother of God, have mercy on me. Angel of God, my holy guardian, protect me,” or cry out in some other word. Just make these appeals as often as possible, trying in every possible way so that they come from the heart, as if squeezed out of it. When you do this, we will often make intelligent ascents to God from the heart, frequent appeals to God, frequent prayer, and this frequency will impart the skill of intelligent conversation with God.
But in order for the soul to begin to cry out like this, it must first be forced to turn everything into the glory of God, every one of its deeds, big and small. And this is the second way to teach the soul to turn to God more often during the day. For if we make it a law for ourselves to fulfill this apostolic commandment, to do everything for the glory of God, even whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, you do everything for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), then in every deed we will certainly remember God, and let us remember not simply, but with caution, lest we act wrongly and offend God in some way. This will make you turn to God with fear and prayerfully ask for help and admonition. Just as we almost constantly do something, we will almost constantly turn to God in prayer, and, therefore, almost continuously go through the science of lifting up prayer in our souls to God.
But in order for the soul to perform this, that is, doing everything for the glory of God, as it should, it must be set up for this from early morning - from the very beginning of the day, before a person goes out to do his work and to do his work until the evening. This mood is produced by the thought of God. And this is the third way of training the soul to frequently turn to God. Thought on God is a reverent reflection on the Divine properties and actions and on what knowledge of them and their relationship to us obliges us, this is a reflection on the goodness of God, justice, wisdom, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, on creation and providence, on the dispensation of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, about the goodness and word of God, about the holy sacraments, about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Whichever of these subjects you don’t think about, this reflection will certainly fill your soul with a reverent feeling for God. Start thinking, for example, about the goodness of God - you will see that you are surrounded by God’s mercies both physically and spiritually, and you will only be a stone so as not to fall before God in the outpouring of humiliated feelings of gratitude. Start thinking about the omnipresence of God, and you will understand that you are everywhere before God and God is before you, and you cannot help but be filled with reverent fear. Begin to reflect on the omniscience of God - you will realize that nothing in you is hidden from the eye of God, and you will certainly decide to be strictly attentive to the movements of your heart and mind, so as not to offend the all-seeing God in any way. Begin to reason about the truth of God, and you will be convinced that not a single bad deed will go unpunished, and you will certainly intend to cleanse all your sins with heartfelt contrition and repentance before God. So, no matter what property and action of God you begin to reason about, every such reflection will fill the soul with reverent feelings and dispositions towards God. It directs the whole being of a person directly to God and is therefore the most direct means to accustom the soul to ascend to God.
The most decent, convenient time for this is the morning, when the soul is not yet burdened with many impressions and business concerns, and precisely after morning prayer. When you finish your prayer, sit down and, with your thoughts sanctified in prayer, begin to reflect today on one thing, tomorrow on another of God’s properties and actions, and create a disposition in your soul according to this. “Go,” said Saint Demetrius of Rostov, “go, holy thought of God, and let us immerse ourselves in meditation on the great deeds of God,” and his thoughts passed through either the works of creation and providence, or the miracles of the Lord the Savior, or His suffering, or something else, thereby touching the heart his own and began to pour out his soul in prayer. Anyone can do this. There is little work, all you need is desire and determination; and there is a lot of fruit.
So here are three ways, in addition to the prayer rule, to teach the soul to ascend in prayer to God, namely: to devote some time in the morning to contemplation of God, to turn every matter to the glory of God and often turn to God with short appeals.
When the thought of God is well accomplished in the morning, it will leave a deep mood for thinking about God. Thinking about God will force the soul to carefully carry out every action, both internal and external, and turn it into the glory of God. And both will put the soul in such a position that prayerful appeals to God will often be expelled from it.
These three—thought of God, all creation for the glory of God, and frequent invocations—are the most effective tools of mental and heartfelt prayer. Each of them lifts the soul to God. Whoever sets out to practice them will soon acquire in his heart the skill of ascent to God. This work is like climbing a mountain. The higher someone climbs the mountain, the freer and easier he breathes. So here, the more one gets used to the exercises shown, the higher the soul will rise, and the higher the soul rises, the more freely prayer will act in it. Our soul by nature is an inhabitant of the heavenly world of the Divine. There she should have been undiminished in both thought and heart; but the burden of earthly thoughts and passions drags and weighs her down. The methods shown tear it off the ground little by little, and then completely tear it off. When they are completely torn away, then the soul will enter its own region and grief will sweetly dwell - here heartily and mentally, and then with its very being it will be honored before the face of God to dwell in the faces of Angels and Saints. May the Lord vouchsafe all of you with His grace. Amen".

How to force yourself to pray.

Sometimes prayer doesn’t come to mind at all. In this case, Saint Theophan advises doing this:
“If this is prayer at home, then you can put it off a little, for a few minutes... If it doesn’t happen after that... force yourself to fulfill the prayer rule forcibly, straining, and understand what is being said, and feel... just like when a child doesn’t want to to bend over, they take him by the forelock and bend him over... Otherwise, this is what can happen... now you don’t feel like it, tomorrow you don’t feel like it, and then the prayer is completely over. Beware of this... and force yourself to willingly pray. The work of self-compulsion overcomes everything.”

Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt, also advising to force yourself in prayer when it does not work, warns:
“Forced prayer develops hypocrisy, makes one incapable of any activity that requires reflection, and makes a person sluggish in everything, even in fulfilling his duties. This should convince everyone praying in this way to correct their prayer. One must pray willingly, with energy, from the heart. Neither out of sorrow, nor out of need (forcibly) pray to God - Each give according to the disposition of his heart, not with grief and not with compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7).”

What is needed for successful prayer.

“When you desire and seek success in your prayer work, adapt everything else to this, so as not to destroy with one hand what the other creates.
1. Maintain your body strictly in food, in sleep, and in rest: do not give it anything just because it wants it, as the Apostle commands: Do not turn care for the flesh into lust (Rom. 13:14). Give no rest to the flesh.
2. Reduce your external relations to the most inevitable. This is for the time of teaching yourself to pray. Afterwards, the prayer, acting in you, will indicate that without prejudice to it it can be added. Take special care of your senses, and most of all, your eyes, your ears, and your tongue. Without observing this, you will not take a step forward in the matter of prayer. Just as a candle cannot burn in the wind and rain, so prayer cannot be warmed by the influx of impressions from the outside.
3. Use all your free time after prayer for reading and meditation. For reading, choose primarily books that write about prayer and, in general, about inner spiritual life. Think exclusively about God and Divine things, about the Incarnate Economy of our salvation, and in it especially about the suffering and death of the Lord Savior. By doing this, you will plunge into the sea of ​​Divine light. Add to this going to church as soon as you have the opportunity. One presence in the temple will overshadow you with a prayer cloud. What will you get if you spend the entire service in a truly prayerful mood!
4. Know that you cannot succeed in prayer without succeeding in general in the Christian life. It is necessary that there should not be a single sin on the soul that has not been cleansed by repentance; and if during your prayerful work you do something that troubles your conscience, hasten to be cleansed by repentance, so that you can boldly look to the Lord. Always keep humble contrition in your heart. Do not miss a single upcoming opportunity to do some good or to demonstrate any good disposition, especially humility, obedience and renunciation of your will. But it goes without saying that zeal for salvation should burn unquenchably and, filling the entire soul, in everything, from small to great, should be the main driving force, with the fear of God and unshakable hope.
5. Having thus tuned in, bother yourself in the work of prayer, praying: now with ready-made prayers, now with your own, now with short invocations to the Lord, now with the Jesus Prayer, but without missing out on anything that can help in this work, and you will receive what you are looking for. Let me remind you what Saint Macarius of Egypt says: “God will see your prayer work and that you sincerely desire success in prayer - and will give you prayer. For know that although prayer done and achieved through one’s own efforts is pleasing to God, real prayer is the one that settles in the heart and becomes persistent. She is a gift of God, a work of God's grace. Therefore, when you pray about everything, do not forget to pray about prayer” (Reverend Nicodemus the Holy Mountain).