When is it better to read prayers in the morning or evening? Daily prayers of preservation

home

Fire safety

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

Prayer book

A short prayer book

PrefaceMorning prayersPrayers for the future 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 is a complete prayer rule, designed for monks and spiritually experienced laity, which is printed in the Orthodox Prayer Book.

However, for those who are just beginning to get used to prayer, it is difficult to immediately begin to read the entire rule. Typically, confessors advise starting with several prayers, and then adding one prayer to the rule every 7-10 days, so that the skill of reading the rule is developed gradually and naturally.

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

Thus, by cultivating a reasonable attitude towards prayer rule, Saint Theophan the Recluse writes to one family person:

“Bless, Lord, and continue prayer according to your rule. But never commit yourself to a rule and think that there is anything valuable in having such a rule or always following it. The whole price is in heartfelt surrender before God. The saints write that if someone does not leave prayer as a condemned man, worthy of all punishment from the Lord, then he leaves it as a Pharisee. Another said: “while standing in prayer, stand as if at the Last Judgment, when God’s decisive decision about you is ready to come: go away or come.”

Formality and mechanism in prayer must be avoided in every possible way. Let this always be a matter of a deliberate, free decision, and make it with consciousness and feeling, and not somehow. In case you need to be able to shorten the rule. You never know family life accidents?.. You can, for example, in the morning and evening, when there is no time, read only the morning prayers and those for bedtime as a memory. You can not even read them all, but several at a time. You can not read anything at all, but make a few bows, but with true heartfelt prayer. The rule must be handled with complete freedom. Be the mistress of the rule, not the slave. She is only a servant of God, obligated to devote all the minutes of her life to pleasing Him.”

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

In the morning it includes:

“To the 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 “,” “Holy Lady,” invocation of saints, prayer for the living and the dead.

In the evening it includes:

“To the 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”.

Morning prayers

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

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.

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

Lord's Prayer

Hymn to 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.

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity

Having risen from sleep, I thank Thee, Holy Trinity, for for the sake of Thy goodness and long-suffering, Thou hast not been angry with me, lazy and sinful, nor hast Thou destroyed me with my iniquities; but you usually loved mankind and in the despair of the one who lay down, you raised me up to practice and glorify Your power. And now enlighten my mental eyes, open my lips to learn Your words, and understand Your commandments, and do Your will, and sing to You in confession of the heart, and sing the praises of the all-holy. your name, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

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

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

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for I know my iniquity, and I will take away my sin before me. I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You, so that You may be justified in Your words and triumph over the judgment of You. Behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. My hearing brings joy and joy; humble bones 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 my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation; My tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if you had desired sacrifices, you would have given them: you do not favor burnt offerings. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God will not despise a broken and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.

I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were. 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. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.

First prayer of Saint Macarius the Great

God, cleanse me, a sinner, for I have done nothing good before You; but deliver me from the evil one, and may Thy will be done in me, may I open my unworthy lips without condemnation and praise Thy holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages Amen.

To You, Lord, Lover of Mankind, having risen from sleep, I come running, and I strive for Your works with Your mercy, and I pray to You: help me at all times, in every thing, and deliver me from all worldly evil things and the devil’s haste, and save me, and bring us into Your eternal Kingdom. For You are my Creator and the Provider and Giver of every good thing, in You are all my hope, and I send up glory to You, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel

Holy Angel, standing before my accursed soul and my passionate life, do not leave me, a sinner, nor depart from me for my intemperance. Do not give room to the evil demon to possess me through the violence of this mortal body; strengthen my poor and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation. To her, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my accursed soul and body, forgive me everything, I have offended you so greatly all the days of my life, and if I sinned this past night, cover me on this day, and save me from every opposite temptation May I not anger God in any sin, and pray for me to the Lord, that He may strengthen me in His passion, and show me worthy as a servant of His goodness. Amen.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary

My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, with Your saints and all-powerful prayers, take away from me, Your humble and accursed servant, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, negligence, and all the nasty, evil and blasphemous thoughts from my accursed heart and from my darkened mind; and extinguish the flame of my passions, for I am poor and damned. And deliver me from many and cruel memories and enterprises, and free me from all evil actions. For Thou art blessed from all generations, and glorified is Thy most honorable name forever and ever. Amen.

Prayerful invocation of the saint whose name you bear

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

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

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

It is worthy to eat as truly to bless Thee, Theotokos, Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption. **

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

Prayers for the future

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)

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.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sin: have mercy on us.

Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You; Do not be angry with us, do not remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if you are gracious, and deliver us from our enemies; For Thou art our God, and we are Thy people; all works are done by Thy hand, and we call on Thy name.

And now: Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, so that we may not perish, but may be delivered from troubles by You: for You are the salvation of the Christian race.

Lord have mercy. (12 times)

Prayer 1, of Saint Macarius the Great, to God the Father, Eternal God and King of every creation, who has made me worthy even at this hour to be sung, forgive me the sins I have committed on this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, Lord, my humble soul from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And grant me, Lord, to 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 Most Holy Theotokos of the Blessed King, Good Mother, 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, Virgin Mother of God , one Pure and Blessed.

Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and patron of my soul and body, forgive me all who have sinned this day, and deliver me from every wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, so that I may not anger my God in any sin; but pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, that you may show me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.

To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil ones, let us write thanks to Thy servants, the Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Ti; Rejoice, Unbrided Bride.

I place all my trust in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your roof.

Virgin Mary, do not despise me, a sinner, who requires Your help and Your intercession, for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.

Prayer of Saint Ioannikios

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

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.

* From Easter to Ascension, instead of this prayer, the troparion is read:

“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tombs.” (Three times) From Ascension to Trinity, we begin prayers with “Holy God...”, omitting all the preceding ones. This remark also applies to future bedtime prayers.

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

** From Easter to Ascension, instead of this prayer, the chorus and irmos of the 9th song of the Easter canon are read:

“The angel cried out with grace: Pure Virgin, rejoice! And again the river: Rejoice! Your Son is risen three days from the grave and raised up the dead; people, have fun! Shine, shine, new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is upon you. Rejoice now and be glad, O Zion. You, Pure One, show off, O Mother of God, about the rise of Your Nativity.”

These remarks also apply to future bedtime prayers.

Compiled using materials from the book:

How to learn home prayer. Moscow, “Ark”, 2004. Trifonov Pechenga Monastery

An Orthodox believer is different from worldly people because in Everyday life keeps God's commandments and remains in prayer. The prayer rule for beginners is to read certain appeals to the Almighty and the saints to acquire a closer knowledge of the Creator.

Why are rules needed?

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

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

Prayer Rule

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

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

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

Daily conversation with the Creator is live communication, not an empty phrase. The Boldness of Communion with Almighty God Involves Conversation in the right words, in which there is no emptiness.

Important! By turning to the Almighty, the Orthodox are then filled with God's knowledge and His protection, when they leave vanity and are completely immersed in prayer.

How to behave correctly during prayer communication

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

Prayerful communication with God

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

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

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

How to be baptized correctly

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

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

Before reading spiritual texts, you should try to free yourself from vain thoughts; this is sometimes difficult, so try to imagine the great sacrifice of Christ and your presence before Him in this world.

Never perform your prayers “for show”; in the spiritual world they will be an empty phrase. Delve into every word of the appeal to the Savior, filling yourself with His grace and love.

Prayer Rule - Law or Grace

Many novice Orthodox Christians are interested in the question: if prayer is a free appeal to the Creator, then why make it conform to the law.

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

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

Regular, constant spending time reading prayers will help you develop the habit of daily communication with the Creator, even if it’s 15 minutes in the evening.

Prayer Rule

First, you should purchase a “Prayer Book” and read it. Sometimes Orthodox man understands that reading out of obligation turns into an empty habit; if this happens, then you can move on, as St. Theophan the Recluse did, to reading psalms and scriptures from the Bible.

The main thing is to be filled with worship of the Creator every day, to enter His presence, to feel His protection throughout the day. Evangelist Matthew wrote that to conquer the Kingdom of God you need to use force. (Matt. 11:12)

To help the beginning prayer book

There are three prayer lists for Orthodox believers.

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

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”.

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

Icon of Seraphim of Sarov

It consists of reading each prayer three times:

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

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

Advice! God's mercy accompanies those who began communicating with God in the morning, before breakfast, and ended by reading spiritual texts before dinner.

Moral preparation for worship

For a beginning Orthodox believer, it is advisable to purchase a “Prayer Book” in modern Russian, so that while reading what is written, delve into every word, filling it with strength and grace, and receive instruction and support.

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

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

According to Tikhon of Zadonsk, all negativism should be abandoned, for, as Gregory of Nyssa wrote, the Creator is Kind, Righteous, Patient, Lover of Humanity, Kind-hearted, Merciful, the goal of the prayer rule is to be transformed into the image of the Creator, to acquire all the qualities for philanthropy.

Reading prayers at home

Jesus Christ taught to communicate with Him to go into your prayer room, closing the doors from the outside world. In each Orthodox family There is a corner with icons, although it is becoming increasingly rare to see an icon lamp there.

Red corner in the house

Before starting to worship God, you should light a candle; it is advisable to purchase it in the temple. In a family, and this is a prototype of the church, there are rules for who prays in solitude, and some prefer to do it together, because the intense prayer of a righteous person can do a lot. (James 5:16)

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

Reading "Our Father";

give praise to the Creator who is in Heaven;
submit your life to His will;
truly forgive debts, misdeeds of other people, for this is prerequisites for God's forgiveness of each of the Orthodox;
ask Him for mercy in solving all material problems with the words “give us this day our daily bread”;
establish protection over yourself from demons and satanic temptations;
Declare the power of God in your life and His covering over you and your family.

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

The Lord teaches His children to be constant and persistent in prayer through the example of a poor widow (Luke 18:2-6); no petition will remain unanswered by Him. It is very important when communicating with the Savior to put aside all haste; only through a meaningful appeal can one reach God.

On the advice of Bishop Anthony, in order not to be distracted by time limits, you should wind the clock so that the bell rings at the right moment. It doesn’t matter how long the prayer rule lasts or how many prayers are read, the main thing is that they are completely dedicated to God.

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

If thoughts “run away”, there is no need to rush, you should return to where you began the absent-minded reading of the spiritual proclamation and start all over again. Helps you focus on readable text pronouncing all appeals out loud. It is not without reason that they say that prayers read silently are heard by God, but prayers spoken out loud are heard by demons.

Silouan of Athos noted that God does not hear words spoken in empty thoughts and worldly affairs.

Silouan of Athos

The spirit of prayer is strengthened by regularity, just as the body of an athlete is strengthened by training. Having finished your prayer, do not immediately “pounce” on worldly vain affairs, give yourself a few more minutes of being in God’s grace.

Is it necessary to read a prayer book during the day?

Having once dedicated my life to the Lord, Orthodox people are under His protection all their lives.

Throughout your busy day, you should not forget to invoke the Father’s mercy with the words “Bless, God!” Having passed through a test, receiving a reward or blessing, having done a successful job, do not forget to give all the glory to the Creator with the words “Glory to you, my God!” When you get into trouble, when you are sick or in danger, cry out: “Save me, God!” and He will hear.

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

By constantly being in prayer, having acquired the habit of crying out at any second, thanking, asking, repenting before God with all your heart, and not with empty words, an Orthodox person becomes God-thinking. God-thinking helps to understand the goodness of the Creator, the existence of the Heavenly Kingdom and brings Orthodox Christians closer to God.

Video about fulfilling the prayer rule

Date of publication or update 05/01/2017

A brief prayer rule for the laity

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

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

I. Initial bows

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

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

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

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

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

Without the number of sinners. Lord, forgive me (bow).

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

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

Saint (name of your Saint), pray to God for me (bow).

II. Initial prayers

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

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

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

Note. During the period from Holy Easter to Pentecost, the prayer to the Holy Spirit - “Heavenly King” is not read. On the week of St. On Easter the entire trisagion is not read, but is replaced by the troparion “Christ is Risen...” three times. Also, before the celebration of Easter, instead of “It is worthy to eat, as in truth,” the following is read or sung: “Shine, shine, new Jerusalem: for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you; rejoice now and be glad in Zion, but you, the Pure One, show off to the Mother of God, about the rise of Your Nativity.”

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 (three times).

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

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

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

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

Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. You have loved the truth; you have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Give joy and gladness to my hearing; humble bones will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins, and cleanse all my iniquities. God, create in me a pure heart, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation, and strengthen me with the Master’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from bloodshed. O God, God of my salvation, my tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness, O Lord, You have opened my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if you had wanted sacrifices, you would have given burnt offerings, but you would not have been pleased. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a contrite and humble heart, God will not despise. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then you will be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, the wave offering and the burnt offering: then they will lay the bullock on Your altar. (Psalm 50.)

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

2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God. Who was born of the Father before all ages. Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to 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 One, who proceeds from the Father, who is 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. Tea of the resurrection of the dead;

12. And the life of the next century. Amen.

Morning prayer (read only in the morning)

To You, Lord, Lover of Mankind, having risen from sleep, I come running and strive for Your works with Your mercy; and I pray to You: help me at all times, in every thing, and deliver me from all worldly evil things and the devil’s haste, and save me and bring me into Your eternal Kingdom. For You are my Creator, and the Provider and Giver of every good thing, and all my hope is in You, and I send up glory to You, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Evening prayer (read only in the evening)

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. To the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the age of ages. Amen.

Virgin Mary, rejoice. 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.

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 in nights, even in mind and in thought: forgive us everything, for it is Good and Lover of Humanity.

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. Contribute to the Emperor. 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 the greatness of Your 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 (bow).

Memorial for the living

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

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

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

About the departed

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

Grant, Lord, remission of sins to all who have previously departed in faith and hope of resurrection to our fathers, brothers and sisters, and create for them eternal memory (three times).

End of prayers

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

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

It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.

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). Bless.

Vacation

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

Note 1st. In the morning, without praying, do not start eating, drinking, or doing anything. Before starting any task, pray like this: “Lord, bless! In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen". At the end of the task, say: “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee! Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and throughout the age of ages. Amen".

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

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

Note 3. If, on the contrary, you have quite a bit of free time, then do not spend it idle, because idleness is the mother of vices, but even if you were no longer capable of work due to illness or old age, fill the time with prayerful deeds, so that you will find great mercy from the Lord God.

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

This section presents a short morning prayer rule in Old Church Slavonic, written in a modern font, which is suitable for beginner laity.

All prayers of the morning rule in a row:

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

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.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Trisagion

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

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn to 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.

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity

Having risen from sleep, I thank Thee, Holy Trinity, for for the sake of Thy goodness and long-suffering you were not angry with me, lazy and sinful, and you destroyed me with my iniquities. mi;

but You loved mankind as a rule, and in the despair of a lying person You raised me up to morning and glorify Your power.

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

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

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

Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God. (Bow)

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

Psalm 50

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

Above all, wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin;

for I know my iniquity, and I will take away my sin before me.

I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You, so that You may be justified in Your words and triumph over Your judgment.

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

Behold, you have loved the truth;

You have shown me Your unknown and secret wisdom.

Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

There is joy and gladness in my ears;

the bones of the humble will rejoice.

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

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

Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Give me the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit.

I will teach the wicked your way, and wickedness will turn to you.

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

my tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness.

Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise.

As if you had desired sacrifices, you would have given them: you do not favor burnt offerings.

The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit;

God will not despise a contrite and humble heart.

Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built.

Then take pleasure in the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering;

then they will place your calf on the altar.

Symbol of faith

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

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages;

Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to whom all things were.

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

Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried.

And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.

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

And the one who is to come will judge with glory the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, we are worshiped and glorified, who spoke 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.

Prayer 1, Saint Macarius the Great

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

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

Prayer 3, of the same saint

To You, Lord, Lover of Mankind, having risen from sleep, I come running, and I strive for Your works with Your mercy, and I pray to You:

help me at all times, in every thing, and deliver me from all worldly evil things and the devil’s haste, and save me, and bring me into Your eternal Kingdom.

For You are my Creator and the Provider and Giver of all good, in You is all my hope, and I send glory to You, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.

Prayer 9, to the Guardian Angel

Holy Angel, standing before my damned soul and my passionate life, do not forsake me, a sinner, and depart from me for my intemperance.

Do not give room to the crafty demon to possess me through the violence of this mortal body;

strengthen my poor and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation.

To her, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my accursed soul and body, forgive me everything, I have offended you so much all the days of my life,

and if I have sinned this past night, cover me this day, and keep me from every opposite temptation, so that in no sin I anger God, and pray for me to the Lord, so that He will establish me in the world. everything is His, and the slave will show me worthy Your goodness.

Prayer 10, to the Most Holy Theotokos

My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, through Your saints and all-powerful prayers, take away from me, Your humble and accursed servant, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, negligence, and all that is filthy, bow ugly and blasphemous thoughts from my damned heart and from my darkened mind;

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

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

For Thou art blessed from all generations, and glorified is Thy most honorable name forever and ever.

About the living

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

About the deceased

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

The rector of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Saratov, Hegumen Pachomius, answers questions about the personal prayer rule of a Christian. (Bruskov)

Prayer is the free appeal of a person’s soul to God. How to correlate this freedom with the obligation to read the rule even when you clearly don’t want to do it?

Freedom is not permissiveness. A person is designed in such a way that if he allows himself to relax, it can be very difficult to return to his previous state. In hagiographic literature there are many examples of ascetics abandoning their prayer rule for the sake of showing love to visiting brothers. Thus, they placed the commandment of love above their prayer rule. But it should be remembered that these people reached extraordinary heights of spiritual life and were constantly in prayer. When we feel that we do not want to pray, this is a banal temptation, and not a manifestation of freedom.

The rule supports a person in a spiritually developed state; it should not depend on the momentary mood. If a person abandons the prayer rule, he very quickly becomes relaxed.

In addition, it should be remembered that when a person communicates with God, the enemy of our salvation always strives to come between them. And not allowing him to do this is not a restriction of personal freedom.

This is clearly and clearly written in any Orthodox prayer book: “Rising from sleep, before doing anything else, stand in reverence before the All-Seeing God and, making the sign of the cross, say...” In addition, the very meaning of the prayers tells us that morning prayers are read at the very beginning of the day, when a person’s mind is not yet occupied with any thoughts. And evening prayers should be read before bedtime, after any business. In these prayers, sleep is compared with death, bed with a deathbed. And it’s strange, after talking about death, to go watch TV or communicate with relatives.

Any prayer rule is based on the experience of the Church, to which we must listen. These rules do not violate human freedom, but help to obtain maximum spiritual benefit. Of course, there may be exceptions to any rule based on some unforeseen circumstances.

What else, besides morning and evening prayers, can be included in a layman’s prayer rule?

A layman’s rule can include quite a variety of prayers and rites. These can be various canons, akathists, readings Holy Scripture or Psalms, bows, Jesus Prayer. In addition, the rule should include a brief or more detailed commemoration of the health and repose of loved ones. In monastic practice, there is a custom to include the reading of patristic literature in the rule. But before you add anything to your prayer rule, you need to think carefully, consult with a priest, and evaluate your strengths. After all, the rule can be read regardless of mood, fatigue, or other cardiac movements. And if a person promised something to God, it must be fulfilled. The Holy Fathers say: let the rule be small, but constant. At the same time, you need to pray with all your heart.

Can a person himself, without a blessing, begin to read canons and akathists in addition to the prayer rule?

Of course it can. But if he not only read the prayer according to the desire of his heart, but thereby increases his constant prayer rule, it is better to ask the confessor for a blessing. The priest, looking from the outside, will assess his condition correctly: whether such an increase will benefit him. If a Christian regularly confesses, watches his inner life, such a change in his rule will, one way or another, affect his spiritual life.

But this is possible when a person has a confessor. If there is no confessor, and he himself decided to add something to his rule, it is still better to consult at the next confession.

On days when the service lasts all night and Christians do not sleep, is it necessary to read evening and morning prayers?

We do not tie the morning and evening rule to a specific time. However, it would be wrong to read evening prayers in the morning, and morning prayers in the evening. We should not have a pharisaical attitude towards the rule and read it at all costs, ignoring the meaning of the prayers. If you are not going to sleep, why ask for God's blessing to sleep? You can replace the morning or evening rule with other prayers or reading the Gospel.

I think that it is better for a woman to perform the prayer rule in a headscarf. This cultivates humility in her and shows her obedience to the Church. After all, from the Holy Scriptures we learn that a woman covers her head not for those around her, but for the Angels (1 Cor. 11:10). This is a matter of personal piety. Of course, God doesn’t care whether you stand up for prayer with or without a scarf, but it is important for you.

How are the canons and the procedure for Holy Communion read: on one day the day before, or can their reading be divided over several days?

You cannot approach the fulfillment of the prayer rule formally. A person must build his relationship with God himself, based on prayer preparation, health, free time, and practice of communication with his confessor.

Today, in preparation for Communion, a tradition has developed to read three canons: to the Lord, the Mother of God and the Guardian Angel, an akathist to the Savior or the Mother of God, and the following to Holy Communion. I think it is better to read the entire rule on one day before Communion. But if it’s hard, you can spread it over three days.

Often friends and acquaintances ask how to prepare for Communion, how to read the Psalter? What should they answer to us, the laity?

You need to answer what you know for sure. You can’t take responsibility for something, strictly prescribe something to someone else, or say something you’re not sure about. When answering, one must be guided by the generally accepted tradition of church life. today. If not personal experience, we need to resort to the experience of the Church and the Holy Fathers. And if you are asked a question the answer to which you do not know, you should be advised to contact a priest or the patristic works.

I read the translation of some prayers into Russian. It turns out that before I put a completely different meaning into them. Should we strive for a common understanding, read translations, or can we understand prayers as our heart tells us?

Prayers should be understood as they are written. An analogy can be drawn with ordinary literature. We read the work and understand it in our own way. But it is always interesting to find out what meaning the author himself put into this work. Also the text of the prayer. In each of them the author invested special meaning. After all, we are not reading a conspiracy, but turning to God with a specific request or praise. You can recall the words of the Apostle Paul that it is better to say five words in an understandable language than a thousand in an incomprehensible one (1 Cor. 14:19). In addition, the authors of most Orthodox prayers are holy ascetics glorified by the Church.

How to relate to modern prayers? Is it possible to read everything that is written in prayer books, or prefer the more ancient ones?

Personally, I am more moved by the words of the more ancient canons, the stichera. They seem deeper and more insightful to me. But many people also like modern akathists for their simplicity.

If the Church has accepted prayers, you need to treat them with reverence, respect and try to find benefit for yourself. But understand that some modern prayers are not so High Quality, like prayers composed by ancient ascetics.

When a person writes a prayer for public use, he must understand what responsibility he takes on. He must have experience in prayer, but at the same time be well educated. All texts offered by modern prayer creators must be edited and undergo strict selection.

Go to the service. If a person is going to church, then public prayer should come first. Although the fathers compared public and home prayer to the two wings of a bird. Just as a bird cannot fly with one wing, neither can a person. If he does not pray at home, but only goes to church, then, most likely, prayer will not work for him in church either. After all, he has no experience of personal communication with God. If a person only prays at home, but does not go to church, it means that he has no understanding of what the Church is. And without the Church there is no salvation.

How can a layman, if necessary, replace the service at home?

Published today a large number of liturgical literature, various prayer books. If a layman cannot attend the service, he can read the morning and evening services and mass according to the canon.

The Apostle Paul writes: “Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is profitable” (1 Cor. 6:12). If you are tired or sick, you can sit in Church while reading house rules. But you should understand what you are guided by: pain, which prevents you from praying, or laziness. If the alternative to reading prayer while sitting is not doing it at all, it is, of course, better to read while sitting. If a person is seriously ill, you can even lie down. But if he is just tired or is overcome by laziness, he needs to overcome himself and get up. During services, the Charter regulates when you can stand or sit. For example, we listen to the reading of the Gospel and akathists while standing, but while reading kathismas, sedals, and teachings we sit down.

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

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

I. Initial bows

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

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

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

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

Without the number of sinners. Lord, forgive me (bow).

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

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

Saint (name of your Saint), pray to God for me (bow).

II. Initial prayers

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

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Note. During the period from Holy Easter to Pentecost, the prayer to the Holy Spirit - “Heavenly King” is not read. On the week of St. On Easter the entire trisagion is not read, but is replaced by the troparion “Christ is Risen...” three times. Also, before the celebration of Easter, instead of “It is worthy to eat, as in truth,” the following is read or sung: “Shine, shine, new Jerusalem: for the glory of the Lord has risen upon You; rejoice now and rejoice in Zion, you are the Pure One, adorn yourself to the Mother of God, about the rise of Your Nativity.”