Search line: Akathists

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Hello, father. Please explain why the blessing is taken for reading prayers, akathists (I often meet in your answers), if in fact this is a pious and good deed? Or to hurt yourself? (I read a book about Matushka Selaphiela, which shows the consequences of prayer work). It so happened that I read akathists, but I never took blessings. And then there was a case when, during a sermon, our father expressed the opinion that when a person takes a blessing for Great Lent, he thereby shifts the responsibility to the clergyman if he cannot bear it. This view is controversial. Thanks in advance for your reply.

Natalia

Natalya, if you want to regularly read akathists, you need to consult with the priest with whom you usually confess, and take a blessing, firstly, so as not to do your own will, but to show obedience. Many unwisely begin to read many prayers and akathists, forgetting about the daily morning and evening rule. Secondly, grace is given with a blessing, which will help in a good deed and protect from temptations.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Good afternoon, please tell me if everything can be read in a prayer book for a layman, there are sections, such as hymns from services or akathists, kontakions, magnifications, I read that only prayers are read, and that's it, and everything else, as it were, is only for the priest , is it true?

Nikita

Hello Nikita. Everything that is printed in the prayer book is placed for reading by the laity. Troparia in order to have their text for the holiday or to honor the saint separately, akathists - to pray separately, except for morning and evening prayers. God bless you.

Priest Sergiy Osipov

My husband left me almost 5 months ago, divorced me, I love him very much, during this time I realized that he is my soul mate, given by God, it’s very hard on my soul, I suffer, I go to church, I pray, I put candles, it becomes a little easier , but I understand that I cannot live without him, I love him very much, and I am bitter, and over time my sufferings are not relieved. Tell me, is it possible to pray for his return, I pray to Matronushka, I read akathists, it’s very hard on my soul ... Please, pray for us, the servant of God Roman and Photinia.

Svetlana

Sveta, unfortunately, you did not write how and why the husband left. What did you do, what did he do? Did he leave for another woman? Explain the situation, then it will be clear what and to whom to pray.

Archpriest Maxim Khyzhiy

Hello. I came to the Church recently, but there are many questions. 1. Will I be able to atone for my sins after death? If now I do not have time to properly repent? 2. Every day I try to read the morning and evening rules, akathists and soulful literature, go to confession and take communion. And I feel like I can do more, I'm not doing enough. This is fine? 3. Most often I read akathists on the road, when I go to work. Sometimes standing, sometimes sitting, I read carefully. Is it right to do so? Thank you.

Maria

Hello Maria. 1. Yes, but the power and effectiveness of repentance will already be minimal. Therefore, we must now learn to repent. A contrite and humble heart God will not despise. If we could be completely cleansed, then we would not need a Savior. We can only see our impurity, and from this consciousness cry out for mercy. This is repentance, which enables the Lord to save us. And that's exactly what He wants. 2. Do not multiply without measure and the need for a rule. Even a very useful thing, for example, a medicine taken in excess, becomes poison. Your morning rule should take 15-20 minutes, evening up to 30 minutes. That's enough for a rule. Spiritual reading must necessarily be from the holy fathers, especially those who wrote for all Christians in general, and not only for monastics. All writings of St. John Chrysostom, St. Abba Dorotheus, right. John of Kronstadt. I am skeptical about akathists. More benefit from reading the Psalter. With unhurried attention, with reflection, even better, with the interpretations of the holy fathers. Likewise, the daily reading of the Gospel with the interpretation of Bl. Theophylact. The mood of the soul must be protected and warmed up during the day with a short prayer: "Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me." The desire to increase the works of faith, when it does not reflect the needs of the soul, contains pride at its core. The same applies to the third point. I see that you have a sincere attraction to spiritual life, study the "Ascetic Experiences" of St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, there is no better teacher. God help you.

Priest Alexander Beloslyudov

Good afternoon. The servant of God Julia is writing to you. Father, tell me, please, is it possible to read the akathist to Cyprian and Justina without the blessing of the priest? The fact is that my sister got sick, in an instant everything began to hurt. We know that our own grandmother was engaged in witchcraft. After the death of my father, we stopped communicating with her. Please answer, father, is it possible to read an akathist without a blessing? Save you Lord!

Julia

Hello Julia. Akathists were written just for home prayers; there is no need to specially take a blessing for their reading.

Priest Alexander Beloslyudov

Hello, please tell me, is it possible to pray for the same problem to different saints (I read akathists) on the same day?

marina

You know, it's better to pray less, but better. “When praying, do not talk too much like pagans, for they think that in their verbosity they will be heard; do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:7-8) – says the Lord.

Deacon Ilya Kokin

I have been reading the Akathist to the Inexhaustible Chalice for about two years, however, every Saturday, and not every day. Recently, I was presented with an akathist Helper in childbirth, because. I am now 6 months pregnant. I started to read it, then I found out that I need to take a blessing from the priest and read it standing up. Is this necessarily so? I did not take a blessing to read the first akathist and always read while sitting. What do i do? Continue reading or not? I'm at a loss.

Irina

Dear Irina, for health reasons, according to your strength, you can continue to read akathists while sitting. It will be good, when you go to the temple, to personally ask for blessings for reading these akathists. Bless the Lord.

Priest Sergiy Osipov

Good afternoon Tell me, please, how to be. My husband and I are both highly educated. And there is no wealth in the family. I especially want to good job was with her husband, because he is the head of the family. We are married. My husband is a very good specialist, but he has no luck with work. They pay little and with long delays (2-3 months). And we have a son on a paid education, and the next year he finishes school. The sons are very good, diligent, both study excellently. I read akathists, pray, take communion, but, of course, I also sin, I know for myself everything that I do wrong, and I ask the Lord for forgiveness. I ask the Lord for a well-paid job for my husband for the sake of the children, their education and housing, and to help financially our parents, pamper them, and only last but not least for myself. Tell me how to be.

Ludmila

Dear Lyudmila, in difficult situations it is good to start with prayer, and then do everything in our power. You all do it. You can't do anything else than ask the Lord for help and look for a suitable job. May the Lord grant you what you ask!

Priest Sergiy Osipov

Hello! Please tell me how to read the morning and evening rules, the Psalter, the Gospel, akathists at home? I was told that it was impossible to be quiet: either in a voice or to myself. I do not live alone, and the whole family is unbaptized. And yet, when reading an akathist to Spyridon of Trimifuntsky after the "Alleluia", you can pronounce the names, for whom are you praying? Thank you for your indifference and patience with us, simple and illiterate lay people. Pray for God's servants Olga and Boris. God bless you!

Olga

Olga, the morning and evening rules should be read daily, and every day it is advisable to read one chapter of the Gospel. Akathists and everything else - read at will. You can read in a low voice and quietly, and you can also read to yourself - as it is most convenient for you, and you can pray for whomever you want. At home, in general, you can pray for everyone, including the unbaptized.

Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)

Father Sergiy Osipov, good afternoon, please explain to me. For many years I have had big problems with my spine and legs, is it possible for me to read akathists while sitting, when I bought them in our church shop, I was immediately told that akathists should only be read while standing, and nothing else. To all the priests of the site of good health, save you all, LORD.

Elena

Dear Elena, Such rules for reading an akathist - always standing - are written for healthy people. Due to illness, one has to adapt differently, and read, for example, while sitting. God help you.

Priest Sergiy Osipov

Hello! Let me ask you in order: 1) Should we pray for my stepfather, who raised me only a few years in early childhood, just like for my father, who, although he did not raise me at all, gave life? 2) Is it possible to read not 150 "Our Lady of the Virgin ...", but 50, or do you still need to pay attention not to the count, but to read as much as your heart wants? But if there is a great desire to read 150 times, but the children are distracting, is it possible to read not in a row, but to divide it into parts during the day? 3) One non-Orthodox relative told us: how can you call the Mother of God like that, because she did not give birth to God, but the son of God came into the world. I thought, because and I myself don’t know how I myself could answer her this statement ... 4) Is it possible to read akathists and prayers in front of the computer, which I don’t have? In general, if it is not possible in the house to pray in front of the icons for any reason, is it permissible to pray, for example, at the window or mentally while working in the garden? Save me, God!

Ludmila

Lyudmila, I will try to answer in the same way, in order: 1) Whether to pray on an equal footing or not - let your feeling of gratitude to this person tell you; It's no secret, after all, that people who are not our relatives sometimes make even more close relatives for us, so why not pray more fervently for them? 2) In this matter, I personally support this practice: it’s better to divide it into several parts, but read it in full; 3) It seems that that woman does not consider the Lord Jesus Christ to be God, how can you even talk to her then? 4) It is better not to read spiritual texts in front of a computer, especially prayers; if there is no way to pray at the icons, as a last resort, I think it is possible to pray like that.

hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Tatiana

Tatyana, you can pray to different saints at the same time, you can also read several akathists, and to different saints in turn.

Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)

Good afternoon I read that akathists cannot be read while sitting, only standing. I have a difficult pregnancy (now I'm in my 8th month). I left the hospital a week ago. I have (if possible) bed rest. Can I read akathists while sitting? We also want to go to confession and take communion with my husband - can I sit during the services? Thanks in advance for your reply!

Anastasia

Dear Anastasia, such rules as, for example, the obligatory reading of an akathist while standing, refer to the usual situation. Ladies in position do not have to abide by them. You can read reclining, and sit in the temple - do everything as the regime requires. God bless you!

Priest Sergiy Osipov

Good afternoon. Tell me, is it possible to read akathists to Nectarios of Aegina and the Most Holy Theotokos, called the All-Tsaritsa, every day with cancer? Thank you.

Victoria

Victoria, as it is said in the Holy Scriptures, you need to pray unceasingly. Therefore, you can always read akathists, at least every day - if possible.

Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)

Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin)

CHURCH LIFE

ABOUT PRAYER

Is it possible to say to God in prayer that you are ready to suffer for your faith, ready to sacrifice yourself for Him? Isn't it an attack of self-confidence and pride?

The Apostle Peter, before the Crucifixion of Christ, said that he was ready to die for Him, and on the same night he denied Christ three times, because he relied on his human strength, and not on God's help (Matt. 26, 35, 69-75).

I asked you a question about whether it is possible to say to God: "I am ready for everything for You." You cited the example of the Apostle Peter. Tell me, how to be thankful to God? Is it okay to say to God, “I am grateful to You for everything”? Isn't that self-confidence?

I think it's better to say the favorite prayer of St. John Chrysostom: "Glory to God for everything."

Please help me understand: the Lord said that whatever you ask in prayer with faith, you will receive. On the other hand, they say all the time that we are unworthy of God's mercy and we do not have the audacity to turn to God with requests. How then can I have faith that the Lord will hear my prayer? I pray and doubt that I will get what I ask because I am "bad". In addition, they say that if God is not pleased, then He will not fulfill our request. How then can you be sure that you will receive what you ask for in prayer? My father is an unbeliever, a drunkard, my mother is also an unbeliever. I pray for them and for the solution of my life problems, but in the depths of my soul I do not believe that I will receive what I ask for because I am “bad”.

During prayer, one must remember one's insignificance, but trust in God's mercy.

I don’t have a confessor, for the period of fasting I myself made it a rule to read an akathist, a kathisma and a chapter from Ivangelia every day, and I also determined the number of prostrations. Prayer doesn't work. I’ll start reading the akathist - thoughts aside, I can’t concentrate. You subtract everything, and thoughts come back. I think about family, about work, but not about prayer. I'm afraid to shorten the rule, but is it worth reading like that? Can you make your own rules? How to focus on prayer?

I find nothing wrong with your rule, so you can continue it. Attention in prayer is achieved by a hard struggle, I will even say more - by a constant, unceasing struggle, therefore the holy fathers said that it is as difficult to pray attentively as to shed blood. If you cannot now give your heart to God in prayer, then give your work - the Lord will accept this too. Before praying, remember the inevitable death: maybe this day will be the last day, and this prayer will be the last. During prayer, ask yourself the question: “Who am I standing before, with whom am I talking?”. If attention is scattered, then return it to the word from which it turned off. I do not advise you to shorten the rule without a serious reason.

Tell us in more detail about the Theotokos rule, namely: what, figuratively speaking, are the fruits of this prayer? Unfortunately, there is not so much information about this rule in books, on the Internet, you probably know more. And one more thing: what prayers are better to read, what saints to pray, if life, in the literal sense of the word, has been going downhill for several years (big health problems, I had to leave my studies at the university, and so on)? As if I fell into some kind of hole, a trap and I don’t know how to get out of it. I feel completely helpless.

1. Please clarify what you mean by the Theotokos rule. 2. I advise you to read the akathist to St. Nicholas of Myra as often as possible, and also read at least 40 times a day to the Virgin Mary.

By the Theotokos Rule, I mean reading 150 times a day to the Virgin Mary (with the blessing of the priest, of course). There are several varieties of reading this prayer, for example, before every ten we read “Our Father”, and at the end of “Mercy of the door”. You can also read it like this: at the beginning of the ten "Our Father", at the end of the ten there is a troparion or kontakion. Everyone chooses the performance that is closer to his liking.

The Theotokos rule originates from the blessing of St. Seraphim of Sarov. You should go around the groove of the Queen of Heaven in Diveevo and read at the same time 150 times “Hail to the Mother of God Virgin”. Many elders of our time blessed this rule to be read to their children. The fruit of this prayer is special help Holy Mother of God, both explicit and secret, which we will learn about in a future life.

Explain how to effectively pray for those who offend? Is it enough just to mention them in the general list of health? And one more thing: I pray for you in my home prayer, do you allow me to write your name in notes?

1. It is good to commemorate those who offend us in the temple during worship. 2. Thank you for your prayers - this is a great help. I will be grateful to you if you write my name in the notes.

How to deal with insults is known from the Gospel: to pray for those who offend and curse. But how to stop being offended in general? And if you are still offended, then how long do you need to pray for the offender and how?

We must remember that people who offend us help our salvation, therefore they are our best friends. The late shiigumen Savva (Ostapenko) had a special commemorative on which it was written: “On benefactors” - and then a list of names. He served this list at the Liturgy and distributed it to his spiritual children. People thought that the contributors to the monastery and his personal benefactors were recorded there, but it turned out that these were the ones who reviled the shegumen Savva. In addition to prayer, I also advise my offenders to do secret good.

The child needs to learn the initial prayers (from "King of Heaven" to "Our Father" inclusive), the Creed, "Virgin Mother of God", and read other prayers as much as possible. Fasting never hurts, except when the child has some sickness. In these cases, it is necessary to take a blessing from the parish priest to weaken the fast.

I reread the rule with great effort, vile conjectures and in the same state, then an explosion of uncontrollable anger against defenseless loved ones. What to do, is not such a prayer a condemnation? The same thing happens during housework.

I advise you not to say anything during your anger - neither good nor bad. The first victory over anger is to learn to be silent, postponing all explanations for at least one or two hours, or better, the next day. Pay no attention to thoughts, but continue prayers.

IN Lately(Literally two months) I can’t concentrate on prayer, on the prayer rule. Evil thoughts, sometimes even blasphemous ones (sorry), climb into my head, with some persistence. I try to drive them away, but after a minute they appear again. I do not count them as mine according to the commandment, but they do not depart. How can this be dealt with?

Pay no attention to blasphemous thoughts. Before praying, think for a few minutes about death, the Last Judgment, heaven, hell, and the Providence of God in your life. Ascetics call this the "five holy reasonings" that help concentrated and repentant prayer.

I suffer from the fact that last days I do not always succeed in reading akathists, the canon and the prayers that you advised me. On Wednesday, I couldn’t read the akathist to St. George the Victorious, and on Thursday last week I didn’t read the akathist to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and I read Psalm 90 six times a day instead of twelve. Of course, I don’t justify myself, but it’s still hard with free time: work, evening lessons with children, household chores, and so on. Plus, a lot of acquaintances and friends come to me, and all mostly with their own troubles. Many even jokingly call me "Mother Teresa." Father, maybe I shouldn’t waste time on people, but it’s better to pray more? It seems to me that I should not alienate people, especially if they are looking for support or advice from me. But sometimes I think, maybe by this I justify my own negligence in prayer?

Try to fill in the missing prayers with the Jesus Prayer, which you can read while you work. People should not be pushed away, but they should be taught to speak briefly and to the point, and in some cases invite them to pray together. It’s good to help a fallen person get up, but it’s bad if he doesn’t want to walk himself, but strives to sit on his neck.

Often in prayers it is said: “Visible and invisible enemies". Who is this?

Visible enemies are people who interfere with our salvation, and invisible ones are demonic forces. God bless you both from some and from others.

We have the blessing of the priest for a joint evening rule in the family. How can this be done without a sense of formality, without haste (tired at the end of the day), irritation? Do I need to force myself to pray together, or can I pray separately?

From several small streams connected to each other, a river is formed. And you ask if it is not better to take the river aside again, according to the principle: there is little water, but it is calm. The Lord said, “If two or three are gathered together in my name, then I am in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). The Church itself is a great spiritual family. As for individual prayer, the Jesus Prayer is always with us. With formality and absent-mindedness in prayer, we must fight all our lives.

I don't have time to pray in the morning because I have to go to the university. What prayers would you advise me to “create in my heart” while I am on the bus?

Read those morning prayers that you know by heart, and then the Jesus Prayer, alternating it with a prayer Mother of God"Virgin Virgin".

For many years I suffer from a mental disorder and experience serious and rather specific problems when practicing prayer. I consulted with many priests and Orthodox doctors, but I still cannot find any approach to solving the problem. It seems that you have experience in ministering to people with mental problems who were involved in the occult before joining the Church.

Read the prayer without tension, as a small child speaks to his father. Simplify your life and prayer as much as possible. If it is easier for you to pray in your own words, then you can replace some of the book prayers with such a prayer. If it is easier for you to read short prayers, then pray mainly with them. Don't get sad because you find it difficult to pray. The Lord will accept a short prayer of a sick person in the same way as a long prayer of a healthy one, only try, if possible, to always have the memory of God in your heart.

There is no such prayer. Here there should be an appeal to the holy Apostle John the Theologian in his own words, as a confession of the wounds of his soul.

How can a person get rid of dark forces during prayers? How should we distinguish our passionate thoughts from demonic ones?

Prayer is spiritual combat. Therefore, you can not ask if you can get rid of the enemy during the battle. There is only one answer: we must fight it, delving into the words of the prayer. Our passionate thoughts give us at least a brief pleasure, and thoughts from demons frighten the soul.

I ask for your advice in establishing my cell rule. The fact is that quite a long time ago I stopped reading the morning and evening prayers according to the Prayer Book and replaced them with my own rule drawn up to my liking. In the evening I read the usual beginning of the Lord's Prayer, then the kathisma of the Psalter, then the akathist to the Theotokos, then the chapter of the Gospel, then a few selected evening prayers, and I conclude with the centurion of Jesus. In the morning, with prostrations, I read the rule I composed myself from short prayers to the Lord, the Mother of God, the Guardian Angel, my saint, then I read Psalms 26, 50, 90 and the commemoration book, I conclude with the prayer of the Optina Elders at the beginning of the day. This is my secret rule for every day. Unfortunately, sometimes I shorten it out of laziness. If I am on the right track, bless me and continue to pray and not be lazy, if not, advise me on how best to proceed.

A better rule than what is given to us in liturgical books, we will not come up with. Morning and evening prayers are two walls that enclose day and night. The venerable fathers, except for some hermits, while engaged in the Jesus Prayer, did not leave the Psalter, canons and akathists. It is not safe to draw up a rule for yourself, as subtle arrogance may appear here. The elders often gave such a rule for those living in the world: a day one chapter of the Gospel, two chapters of the Epistles of the Apostles, two kathisma, the canon of Jesus Christ, the canon of the Mother of God. In the evening - five hundred in that order. The first three centurions are the Jesus Prayer, at the beginning of each centurion there are 10 earthly prostrations and 20 waist ones; on the fourth centurion, the prayer of the Mother of God (“Most Holy Theotokos, save us”, also begin with bows, like the previous ones); on the fifth - with the same bows, begin 50 prayers to the Guardian Angel (“Holy Angel, my Guardian, pray to God for me”) and 50 to all the saints (“More holiness, pray to God for us”). You can read canons or psalms at other times of the day, if there is no time in the morning. Try to fill the day with the Jesus Prayer.

I read your article "On preparation for prayer". First thank God, then condemn your favorite sin, repent, remember death. After that, you need to ask God, the Mother of God, Archangel Selaphiel ... ask for help. Can you give me the "order" of this petition? So that before the rule I always ask with this "rank" of grace-filled help.

It is necessary to ask Archangel Selaphiel for the gift of prayer in your own words, since there is no definite rank here.

I get very tired at work, and when I come home, I no longer have the strength to read the prayer - I leave it for later. I have supper, lie down to rest and, imperceptibly for myself, fall asleep. Waking up at night, I begin to fight the temptation not to read a prayer, but immediately go to bed. When I win, when I don't. Is it possible to read the evening prayer in the early evening, when the main things have not yet been completed, and the morning prayer, performed about an hour after waking up? (Immediately after sleep, I read a short prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov, prayers to the Guardian Angel, the saint whose name I bear, and the troparion to the Cross.)

Morning rule, 5th prayer of St. Basil the Great, fragment: “Beginningless and Eternal Light, with Him there is no change, or overshadowing change.” I did not quite understand what is being said here, I humbly ask you to interpret this fragment of the prayer.

I am translating a Slavic quote: “Beginningless and eternally existing Light, in which there is no change or increase”, that is, the Divine Light is always unchanged and does not depend on external conditions. Here Light refers to the Lord Himself.

Hours 1st, 3rd, 6th and 9th are read on Sunday, in prayer at home?

The hours are not read only during the Easter week, but rather they are replaced by the Easter hours.

I read morning and evening prayers according to the Prayer Book, I began to seek consolation in prayer, but I don’t know which prayer rule to choose. For a layman, can the Jesus Prayer be “read aloud” after evening and morning prayers?

It is very good after the evening and morning rule to read the Jesus Prayer, as well as the Gospel and the Psalter.

It is often difficult to pray, you get up for prayer, take the rosary in your hands, but your soul is so heavy, as if a stone is in your chest, and so you sit down. I don't know what to do... From what comes compunction in the Jesus Prayer? And one more thing: how to develop constancy in doing spiritual things? It happens that you live a week spiritually, attentively, prayerfully. And on the next one - you feel a burden, the body wants to be liberated, it becomes somehow painful, from this thoughts come obscene and the like ... you can’t find a place for yourself.

1. It is necessary to sit down and pray while sitting, if such a state is due to fatigue or ill health. And if from demons, then overcome yourself and bow down. 2. Tenderness comes from grace. 3. If the mind and feelings are disconnected from prayer words, then one must strain the will and not abandon prayer. The Lord will accept efforts and labors as mindfulness in prayer.

During prayer, my thoughts are often distracted, a series of chaotic thoughts, images often arise, often some kind of delusional, evil. I read that you need to pray without fantasies. If you can't force them out, can you just ignore them? But here the question immediately arises - does this not defile the prayer?

You need to distinguish between your fantasies, which give the soul a certain muddy pleasure, and thoughts that arise in the mind outside of your will. The first defiles prayer, the second must be fought. This is well written by Saint Hesychius in the second volume of the Philokalia.

Is there a generally accepted “structure” for home prayer? For example, Repentance to God, gratitude to God, and finish the prayer again with Repentance. What is the best way to end a prayer?

Saint Basil the Great offers the following structure for home prayer. First, gratitude to God for His blessings, known and unknown to us; then bring Repentance for their sins, after that state their petitions and end the prayer with a glorification (praise) of God. You can read about this in the collection “On Prayer and Sobriety”, compiled by St. Theophan the Recluse.

Very often I suffer from distraction during prayer, including during the Jesus Prayer. How to deal with it?

We must remember that during prayer we stand before God, who is closer to us than our own soul. I advise you to read the chapter on prayer in the "Ladder" of St. John of the Ladder.

Does it matter what a person wears when praying at home? (I mean clothes in bright colors, with any images; how important is this external factor?)

Although clothing is an external factor, it has its own significance. Clothing can discipline a person, such as a military uniform. The external should correspond to the internal, and not contradict it.

Can prayer be caused by superstition (for example, superstitious fear, in particular of leaving the house)? If so, what about such prayers? If you can’t pray on the go, is it possible to pray only at home and in church (but you can forget about the sinful thoughts that you visited during the day and not repent)?

You can pray anytime, anywhere, so check out our guide to the Jesus Prayer. One ascetic was asked: “Who taught you to pray attentively?” He answered: "Demons" - and explained that he was tormented by demonic temptations, and he sought protection from them in prayer.

Is it possible, if I didn’t have time at home, to read morning prayers to myself in transport on the way to work? Is it possible to change the order of morning (evening) prayers? And the most important question for me: how to learn to constantly say the Jesus Prayer if you live in a big city (Moscow)? Almost always I am in someone's company, as a rule, among people who are far from the Church (at work, in transport). I read that it is necessary to start with the oral Jesus Prayer, otherwise you can harm yourself (that is, it would be wrong for a beginner to pronounce it to himself). How then to be around all the time people? Or should I choose only those rare moments during the day when I really am alone? But then there is no hope of learning to pray constantly. How to be here?

1. Try to learn morning and evening prayers, or at least part of them, by heart and, if necessary, read in transport and in general anywhere. 2. The second question is not quite clear to me. If the question is about shortening prayers, then in case of illness, fatigue or urgent work, you can shorten them, guided by a sense of your own conscience. But try to supplement them with the Jesus Prayer. 3. The third question is about how to orally read the Jesus Prayer while being among people. You can read orally, but not aloud, that is, make movements with your lips and tongue, or rather, keep your attention on closed lips, which, during the pronunciation of a prayer, tense up, as if moving. And when you are alone, then say a prayer in a voice, but quietly, aloud to yourself. Students of the Jesus Prayer should not immediately switch to inner prayer, since oral prayer gradually transforms the mind and heart of a person and gives prayer the right rhythm. Sorry for this example. Alexander Suvorov said: "Hot porridge should be eaten from the edges of the plate, and not from the middle, so as not to burn your mouth." Graduality is important in the Jesus Prayer. But if the Jesus Prayer has itself awakened in the soul of a person, then in no case should it be interrupted until it stops itself. After some time, when the Jesus Prayer is firmly established in your life, you can alternate between oral and inner prayer, but you should never completely abandon oral prayer.

Are you aware of Christians with self-moving heartfelt prayer in our time?

Elders who have achieved self-moving heartfelt prayer prefer to hide it.

Is it possible to record yourself on a cassette, saying a prayer or expressing in words your repentant thoughts and feelings, and then listen to it?

My answer will be personal. Prayer is not only a combination of words, it is a new relationship of the soul with God, just as the sky is always new and unique. Prayer is creativity, but a special kind of creativity. Not only do I create a prayer, putting my thoughts and feelings into its words, but to an even greater extent, prayer creates me. The prayer record may not match mine. internal state, and, in this respect, such a method - prayerfully ousting sinful thoughts from one's soul - is alien to me. But this does not mean that it is unacceptable to others. After all, prayer has two aspects: it keeps the soul from sin and nurtures it, like Eden (see the first commandment to Adam: Preserve and nurture (Gen. 2.15). Therefore, even mechanical prayer, that is, subject to a certain mechanism, is much better than chaos thoughts.

I am 71 years old. Baptized 12 years ago. Recently, I have leaned towards the idea that the main thing to live with God is not constant repentance (of course, it remains), but prayer with attention. Is it correct? And one more thing: is it permissible in the canons and prayers of the holy fathers, read and learned, to replace words for understanding, that is, to read and pray like this? And the last thing: if possible, please explain more specifically your words: “But to an even greater extent, prayer creates me.”

The first act of grace is seeing your sins. St. John of Kronstadt wrote: "We sin all the time, so Repentance must be our constant feeling." Of course, this does not exclude such feelings as gratitude to God and spiritual joy. All Christian worship, even Easter, is permeated with the words: "Lord, have mercy." Repentance draws the mind to the heart and increases attention to the words of the prayer. Prayer transforms a person, makes him a new being, so we can say that the grace inherent in prayer creates a person: this is a mutually determining process. After prayer, we enter into a new relationship with God. This is what my words quoted by you refer to. In canons and prayers, the translation of words is acceptable only as a temporary measure, in order to understand the meaning of prayer at the level of semantics, but then we must return to the previous text, since the Slavic language has great emotional depth.

Can prayer for other people cause an increase in temptations and sorrows in the one who prays? If I am obsessed with passions, can I afford this prayer?

Prayer for one another is one of the commandments of the New Testament. Every good deed, especially prayer, causes envy and malice of demons. Abba Dorotheos warns: "If you do good, then prepare for temptation." But it should be remembered that, allowing a test, the Lord strengthens a person with His grace. Therefore, I advise you to pray for people, and, in response, their Guardian Angels will pray for you.

Saint Simeon the New Theologian writes that one must pray with the fear of God, and that whoever does not pray in this way takes upon himself a great sin. Father, I have such moments: sometimes I pray easily, and the prayer flows smoothly in me, and the Guardian Angel gives the fear of God, but sometimes it is very difficult to pray, the mind is so white that one cannot even talk about the fear of God. How to be in this state, please explain.

Sin is careless prayer, not one that is done with labor and effort of will. The petrification of the heart is a state that even the saints experienced when they were left by providence by grace, perhaps for the knowledge of human weakness.

Is it possible to read the rule with your eyes closed? It’s easier for me - less mind scatters.

If desired, you can say prayers with your eyes closed.

Is it possible to read evening prayers (according to the Prayer Book) an hour or two before bedtime: for example, at 20.00 start reading evening prayers according to the Prayer Book, but go to bed at 22.00? The evening rule can be divided into two small ones: the first is prayers according to the Prayer Book, the second is the Jesus Prayer? And between them there is a time interval of about half an hour? Is it okay to go to bed and wake up at a set time? Or does it not matter? If possible, advise some "rank" for a beginner in the world. And one more thing: is it possible to have breakfast in the morning after prayer, before dinner? Is it good to have dinner just before going to bed, or is it better, for example, to have dinner at 19.00, pray at 21.00, and go to bed at 22.00?

1. Evening prayers can be read an hour before bedtime, if after that you will be engaged in the Jesus Prayer. 2. In the time interval between prayers according to the Prayer Book and the Jesus Prayer, you can read the life of the saint of this day. Going to bed and getting up at a set time is good, but not necessary. To advise any prayer order, you need to know the lifestyle of a person. 4. The time of the meal must be adjusted to health and official circumstances. The holy fathers did not advise to have breakfast early, while a person was not yet hungry, and not to have dinner immediately before going to bed, which is not good for either the soul or the body. Eating dinner three hours before bedtime is normal.

The Fatherland mentions that the monks prayed with their hands raised. For what? Is it possible for us to pray like this and in what cases? And one more thing: how to distinguish tenderness from carnal warmth and from the spiritual warmth of the heart, mentioned by St. Theophan the Recluse?

1. The elders of our time do not bless praying with raised hands. 2. Tenderness comes from experiencing prayer words in the heart. The heart, as it were, softens, and sympathy for all people arises in it. Carnal warmth rises from the region of the kidneys; at the same time, an unclear, as if cloudy, feeling arises, and thought becomes dulled. Spiritual warmth arises in the very heart, as if a person has found his own heart. It is experienced as a feeling of purity and formless light; it comes unexpectedly for a person.

How to individually resolve the issue of prayer for unbelieving relatives (both living and deceased)? There is no militant atheism, but they don't go to church. Two people are especially concerned. 1. The late mother's aunt - I am the heiress of her apartment. After all, they used to leave deposits for the memory of the soul? From this amount I made a large donation to the church, but I don’t know what would be a sin in this case: to commemorate her at the Liturgy or not? 2. My godson is a boy of 15; neither in childhood, nor now, the parents did not allow and do not allow to participate in his upbringing, the boy does not go to the temple. How to pray in this case?

If the relatives are unbelievers, then you can pray for them individually: for the living - as for the lost, so that the Lord would give them faith, and for the departed - so that the Lord would ease their afterlife as much as possible. 1. The issue of commemoration of your aunt must be agreed with the priest of the temple in which you made a donation. 2. We must pray for the whole family that the Lord would give them faith. A fifteen-year-old boy is already somewhat responsible for his actions.

If for some reason you did not fulfill the evening prayer rule, then how should you act? Is it necessary to repent in the morning for this in the morning rule, is it necessary to fulfill the evening rule in the morning, and then the morning one, or is Repentance sufficient for not fulfilling the evening rule?

We must repent for the non-fulfillment of the rule through laziness and negligence. In certain cases, you can fulfill the rule in an abbreviated form, for example, read “Our Father” three times, “Virgin Mary” three times, and “I believe” once, as St. Seraphim of Sarov advised, if a person is very tired or sick. You can supplement the missing rule with the Jesus Prayer.

May we pray for our departed friends who were not members Orthodox Church? How can we comfort their souls?

People who did not belong to the Orthodox Church can only be remembered in home prayer and wish the Lord would give them relief and comfort and the mercy that their souls can receive. For them, you can give alms to the poor.

Is it possible to add the names of pop singers, artists, including foreign ones, to your synodik? After all, in cell prayer you can pray for any person. Wouldn't this be a step towards creating an idol for yourself?

Temple prayer refers to the inner life of the Church, and in an individual prayer at home, you can wish people a correction of life, a conversion to Orthodoxy, as well as earthly blessings, adding after such a prayer: “Lord, Thy will be done.”

In the Prayer Book it is indicated that they pray for it from “corruption” and “kindred” on babies (prayer to the holy martyr Nikita). Explain, please, what is the essence of these "damage", "kindred"?

"Kindred" was called convulsions in babies. As for "corruption", this is a clearly expressed effect of dark forces on a child. As for the prayer for the healing of babies to the holy martyr Nikita, this is a folk custom, and not a church institution. The Church allows some folk customs and traditions that do not contradict her teachings, but is not responsible for them. It must be said that over the past decades, many new prayers have penetrated into the Prayer Books, not sanctioned by the Church.

I live in a small apartment where my loved ones are constantly. Is it possible to read a prayer rule, prayers for Communion, canons - sitting? So no one bothers me to concentrate and does not distract me.

Under your conditions, the prayer rule for Communion can be read while sitting.

Lately I have taken a great interest in reading St. Theophan the Recluse, earlier this time was occupied with reading akathists, canons, and reflections on spiritual topics. Is it correct?

Prayer is greater than reading. You need to ask yourself what you are looking for in the works of St. Theophan the Recluse. And how does reading his creations help your prayer? Reading enriches the mind, and prayer sanctifies the heart.

Father, what to do in such a case: sometimes people come up to the church and ask to pray for their relatives, whom I don’t know at all. For example, one of our parishioners came up to me in the church with tears in her eyes and asked me to pray for her relative, who had done something terrible (I did not specify what exactly he had done). I immediately prayed for his enlightenment, but she asked me to write him down in the commemoration book and pray for him at home. I was embarrassed, promised, and now I doubt whether this should be done. After all, I do not know this relative, nor his attitude to Orthodoxy, nor what he did.

You can pray for each person that the Lord would help the believer to be saved, and turn the unbeliever to the Church. If we do not know about the churchness of a deceased person, but we believe that he was Orthodox, then when we pray for him, we base our prayer on hope. If we know that he is non-Orthodox, and we are asked to pray, then we can say: “Lord, ease his lot, according to Your will.”

Is it possible for me, while commemorating my sons and myself at Slava, to commemorate my husband as well? We lived for 25 years, he is a Tatar by nationality, a Muslim by birth, an Epicurean by conviction, “living according to carnal lusts, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and thoughts.” Sometimes it seems to me that his soul is dead. How to pray for him?

You need to pray that the Lord will convert your husband to Christianity. After the kathisma, you can separately, in your own words, pray for his conversion and salvation.

About prayer

How to pray for those who are unknown, whether they are alive?

“You will not be mistaken if you pray as for the living, because with God everyone is alive. All but heretics and apostates. These are the dead” - (Elder Nektary of Optina).

Laymen are allowed to read prayers from the Trebnik, except for priests and deacons. For example, there are such distant places where there is no church; there, the believers themselves perform an incomplete funeral service, i.e. they sing stichera, they read the canon, Apostle, but they do not read the Gospel, the prayer of permissiveness, they do not say exclamations and litanies of the priest and deacon. They even perform services in this way; for example, they serve not mass, but lunch.

Is it possible to eat at night after twelve o'clock for those who work the night shift? Do they need to read prayers "for the coming sleep"?

If necessary, you can eat, and it’s good to pray, at least briefly. Prayer will never hurt, but it will also save you from temptations.

After Communion at home, I recited prayers of thanksgiving, suddenly a neighbor came in, a conversation began, and I told her that I had just been to church, I took communion, and now I was reading prayers of thanksgiving, and immediately after her departure it became unpleasant in my soul, as if grace had departed from me . Why could this happen?

This happened because you had to keep your good deed, your prayer, a secret, but you opened it, and thereby destroyed it. Therefore, as if grace departed and mournful interceded, unpleasant feeling. The enemy of salvation often inspires to go to someone from the temple or sends a person with empty talk in order to take grace from the soul after visiting the temple and especially when a person takes communion.

If acquaintances unexpectedly came to me during prayer, should I leave the prayers or ask them to wait until I finish praying?

It is necessary to leave prayer (for love is higher than prayer), accept acquaintances, and having let them go, end your prayer.

Is it good if the prayer rule is larger: in addition to the usual morning and evening prayers - akathists, canons?

The most important thing in the fulfillment of the prayer rule is its constant daily fulfillment. If necessary, it is reduced. You must have such a rule that it does not exceed your strength and that your conscience does not reproach you for laziness.

Is it possible to imagine the prayer of the Lord, the saints? Is it possible to arouse in oneself the desire to see angels or feel the suffering of Jesus Christ?

Many saints forbid imagining the Lord. fathers, in particular Saint Simeon the New Theologian and Saint Theophan the Recluse. Saint Simeon the New Theologian speaks of three types of prayer, and prayer with imagination is not permitted as the prayer of delusion.

But sometimes, because of the invasion of blasphemous thoughts, you cannot look at the icon! How then to pray?

“So that thoughts hinder you less, you can only look at the icons from time to time,” says St. Ambrose of Optinsky, - but we must know that icons are only for external eyes, and therefore, standing in prayer, we must remember that we stand before God. In no case should one imagine an icon in the mind.

Is it possible to pray while walking or lying in bed? Is it necessary to stand while reading the Gospel when you pray at home, and is it possible to read the Gospel in public transport?

When you make a non-prayer rule, then you can pray in any position, but when you make a rule, it is sinful to lean on and sit without need. If you can, then it is better to read the Holy Gospel while standing, and if you are tired or weak, then sitting, with reverence. In public transport it is better to read the Psalter.

Do spiritually wise people advise engaging in the Jesus Prayer on their own, and if so, to what extent?

It is very useful and salutary to engage in the Jesus Prayer orally, usually, but it is possible to engage in a smart-hearted prayer only with the guidance of experienced elders and with St. books about the Jesus Prayer, and most importantly, do not seek anything through it, except for mercy.

But what use can there be from the Jesus Prayer if I pronounce it only with my lips, without understanding what I am saying, my mind keeps running to the side?

“You don’t understand,” said the Optina Elder Macarius, “but the demons understand and tremble. Calm down and keep on praying.”

“Do not believe your flesh, which threatens you with failure during prayer: it is lying. If you begin to pray, you will see that the flesh will become your obedient slave. Prayer will revive her. Always remember that the flesh is false” (St. John of Kronstadt).

How is it better to pray, one or two, three of us?

St. John of Kronstadt said: “The Lord loves and listens more to prayer when we pray not alone and not on our own and not for ourselves alone, but together, from everyone and for everyone.”

What to do on a holiday if you cannot go to the temple and cannot read spiritual books?

Pray at home, even when lying down, because God will require inner prayer even from a seriously ill person. It is also good to engage in divine thinking: about the life of the Savior on earth, about the Last Judgment, about the Resurrection of the dead, about eternal life, bliss and eternal torment, about death and ordeals. Elder Athos Fr. Arseny writes: "This is the same as prayer."

Why are the same prayers repeated so often in the church? It's like, "Lord, have mercy."

“And why do we repeat and quicken our breathing? It is necessary, it excites and sustains our lives. This also requires frequent prayers. And really, what does it mean: “Lord, have mercy”? This is the cry of the guilty and condemned to death, asking for mercy from an irritated justice. This is the cry of the penitent, who expresses his firm intention to improve and begin new life appropriate for a Christian. This is the cry of a sinner who himself is ready to have mercy on others, as one who has been infinitely pardoned and merciful by God, the Judge of his deeds” (St. John of Kronstadt.

Sometimes a person prays, it would seem, fervently, but his prayer does not bring him the fruits of peace and joy of the heart in the Holy Spirit. From what?

“Because, praying according to ready-made prayers, he did not sincerely repent of those sins that he committed on that day, with which he defiled his heart, this temple of Christ, and with which he angered the Lord. But remember them, and repent with all sincerity, condemning yourself impartially, and immediately peace will settle in your heart, surpassing all understanding (Philippians 4:7). In church prayers there is an enumeration of sins, but not all, and often those very ones are not mentioned, with which we have bound ourselves. One must by all means enumerate them in prayer with a clear consciousness of their importance, with a feeling of humility and with heartfelt contrition. That is why in the evening prayers it is said when listing sins: either this or that was done by evil, i.e. it is left to our will to mention certain sins” (St. John of Kronstadt).

At Baptism I will be 22 years old. I myself have been baptized for ten years, but something began to change in me quite recently, literally a year or two. But, probably, I have not yet become a Christian, because I am still ashamed to pray in church, although I pray at home. And as soon as I start to pray, I shed tears. What is this? Purification?

Tears in the temple can indeed be cleansing, but they can also be a reminder that the soul really wants repentance, confession and communion, and false shame (fear of prayer in the temple) prevents it from doing so.

What if I overslept and there is no time for the morning rule, and I am in a hurry to work or to the beginning of the service in the temple?

If it happens that you oversleep and do not have time to read the morning rule, then you can do this: start reading it at home, and finish it on the road.

It is possible, if the soul requires.

Is it possible to read the canon of repentance on holidays, Christmas time, Bright Week, if you have committed a sin?

According to the rules of the Church, in the days of Bright Week, according to the charter, penitential canons are not supposed to be read. Prayers of repentance during fasting are enough, and the committed sin is cleansed at confession. On these days, it is better to try not to sin.

Is it possible to bow to the ground at home prayer on Christmas time, holidays, Bright Weeks, if you have sinned and your conscience does not allow you to pray standing up?

We must try to live according to the charter of the Church, which cancels prostrations on the ground these days, but kneeling can also be allowed in home prayer.

Is it possible to replace morning and evening prayers with the reading of akathists and canons, after "Our Father ..." to "It is worthy to eat .."?

It is possible, if there is some special need for this, but it is better not to invent your own charters, but to follow the church. Canons and akathists are read in free time; Reading the Psalter is also recommended.

Tell me, please, which saint to turn to so that there is peace in the soul and finally happiness comes to our house and our desire with our son is fulfilled - to have a two-room apartment?

There is no magic in the church. When we want to receive something from the Lord or from the saints, we must not only pray to them, but also build our lives according to the commandments of the Lord. “The prayer of a righteous man can do much,” says Scripture, and vice versa: “God does not hear sinners,” because they do not want to hear Him. Through the Gospel, the Lord turns to all of us with a request that we be kind, loving, humble, etc., but we often do not even want to hear about this, but we ourselves ask Him to help us. And it also happens like this: we need the Lord only in difficult times; He fulfills our requests, and we even forget to thank Him and turn to Him again only when sorrows overtake us again; and in the days of peace and happiness, it’s as if we don’t need Him. You can apply to many saints, to the Mother of God, to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself with a request for the fulfillment of your desires, but for this it would be desirable for you to get acquainted with the Gospel, where our dogma is stated; it is good to read the lives of the saints, after which these chosen ones of God become close to you, and you turn to them with a warm, heartfelt prayer from all your heart.

What saints should be prayed to and what kind of icon is needed for the bees to multiply?

In the Ribbon there is a special prayer for the blessing of the hives (“Where the bees stand ...”) and another prayer: “Blessing of the swarms of bees planted in the new hive.” These prayers are read by the priest. So, if you have the opportunity, you need to invite him to consecrate your hives. If this is not possible, then you can read the following prayer: “God, by the labor of man and dumb animals, do good deeds, and by Thy indescribable mercy seven bees, the fruits and deeds to our needs, use teaching, we humbly pray to Thy Majesty: bless these bees deign to acquire I multiply the human race, supplying them, nourishing them, yes everyone to Your majesty and Your immeasurable bounty, trust, in the care of these animals, work hard, your labors will be vouchsafed to perceive, and the heavenly blessing will be fulfilled in Christ Jesus our Lord, Him honor and glory forever and ever, amen." After reading this prayer, sprinkle the hives with holy water.

When I read prayers (in the morning and in the evening), I yawn, cry, my body vibrates. Why is that?

You can only get an answer to this question from an experienced confessor after a detailed confession. In absentia such questions are not solved.

Is it true that you first need to read a prayer and only then - cross yourself? Or maybe while reading?

According to the charter of the Church, the sign of the cross is supposed to be performed at the beginning and at the end of prayer.

Is it good to pray for offenders?

The Lord is pleased to pray for those who offend us, and therefore we need to pray for them.

What saints to pray for those who offend?

For those who offend, it is necessary to serve a moleben to Archdeacon Stephen and light candles to the holy Apostle John the Theologian, and St. Seraphim ordered to put candles behind the throne for health and salvation. The ascetic George the Recluse wrote: “Order to commemorate those who are at war with you in churches for health, God will glorify the work of your good heart before everyone.”

Can you please explain what prayers are included in the Treasury?

Requirements are different. There is a Small Breed, there is a Big Breed. The Treasury of Peter the Grave is one of the most complete. Trebniks contain a wide variety of rites and prayers: the rite of the Funeral Service, Baptism, Confession, Communion at home, prayers for the consecration of icons, church utensils, bells, for the expulsion of dark forces, as well as the rites of reprimand, prayers for the consecration of the house, stove, beehives, against insect invasions, etc. This is only a small list of the prayers found in the Ribbon.

Is there a prayer against sleep?

Is such a prayer necessary? After all, sleep restores strength, and excessive stress can lead to a breakdown, to exhaustion. nervous system and even mental illness. Here is a recommendation for insomnia: for this you need to read the Jesus Prayer, “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice.” and others.

In the prayer books, in the Ribbon there are prayers with which we turn to the Lord. And sometimes I just sort of mentally talk to Him (in my own words). Is this allowed? Or maybe this is not pleasing to the Lord, and I should not do this?

Is it possible to pray without a prayer book and a Psalter at all?

Without reading the Psalter or the prayer book, we cannot. This heats up the heart, just as the fire that is weakening in the furnace is strengthened by throwing firewood. But when the heart flares up and some feeling takes possession of the whole soul, then you should stop reading and pray with your prayer. St. Theophan the Recluse speaks of this.

I myself do not know Russian, by nationality - a Yakut, a disabled person. I am collecting medicinal herbs. I would like to know what prayers should be read at the same time, is there any literature?

All prayers are good when they are prayed for good. You need to read short prayers: “Our Father.”, “Virgin Mary, rejoice.”, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner,” and others.

It happens that a Christian on the occasion of a special holiday drank a little alcohol. It's time for evening prayer. Isn't it a sin to pray to God for the coming sleep in such, albeit a mild, degree of intoxication?

Let your heart and conscience tell you what to do right.

I would like to ask you for a prayer for abortion. I have already repented of this sin to the priest.

Prayer for abortion is not handed out. This prayer is read by the priest at the request of the penitent directly.

I would like to pray with tears, but it doesn’t always work out, we are connected with the world, we are distracted. We gather with the same believers, we sing cants. Maybe write at least one?

Tears in prayer are a gift from God. The Church has always opposed artificial exaltations. The main thing in Orthodox prayer It is consciousness of sins and repentance for them. Prayer of repentance is the most correct. Kants are not used in church services. These chants are allowed to be sung at home; it's soul-saving. We read in the life of St. Demetrius of Rostov that the cantes were peta by his order during the last hours of his life. This already shows their significance for spiritual edification.

On the tablets in the commandments of the Lord it is written: "Do not pronounce the name of the Lord your God in vain." The Law of God says: “When we need something, we must turn to God with prayer. You can pray to God everywhere: in the house, in the temple, and on the road. A Christian is obliged to pray daily, morning and evening, before and after meals, before and after every work. Is it possible to often repeat "Lord, bless, save"?

In vain (i.e. in vain) pronouncing the name of God is when we pronounce it without realizing it, in a proverb, with every little thing. Prayer to God is not in vain.

What to do if it is impossible to cross yourself (hands are busy, etc.)?

“The Jesus Prayer will replace the sign of the cross, if for some reason it is impossible to lay it on” (Elder Nikon of Optinsky).

Are bows to the ground in a church or at home necessary during a prayer service, or is there no need for heartfelt prayer?

In the liturgical practice of the Church there is a special charter on prostrations. It is found in the Typicon, a book that is the Rule of Divine Services of the Orthodox Church. It says about prostrations to the ground there, in particular, that they are performed after the transfer of the Holy Gifts, during Lenten services, in particular, during the reading of the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, etc. Prostrations are not performed according to the charter on the great twelfth holidays, and are also canceled they are on Sundays. During home prayer, you can make earthly prostrations when your soul requires it.

If I read prayers and a candle is not lit in front of the image, do my prayers reach our Lord Jesus Christ?

A candle is a symbol of prayer. It's good when it glows during prayer; however, this is not a condition for the Lord to accept or not accept our prayers. Love for God, sincere repentance - these are some of the conditions for the intelligibility of our prayers to God.

Is it possible to replace morning and evening prayers with the reading of psalms, the Jesus Prayer, or something else?

Saint Theophan the Recluse answered a similar question that there was no need to replace evening and morning prayers with anything.

When is prayer considered a sin?

“There is no greater sin,” taught St. Theophan the Recluse, “how to pray to God without fear, attention and reverence; pray with the tongue, and with the mind talk with the demons.

How to deal with extraneous thoughts?

“During prayer and spiritual reasoning,” Archimandrite Feofan Novoezersky advises us, “beware of accepting any extraneous thoughts; with a prohibition, speak your thoughts: “In the name of God, I forbid you!” - and the thought will certainly listen. The Jesus Prayer and the Sign of the Cross will conveniently drive away all the power of the enemy.”

What if you want to pray with bows?

“When the desire comes to pray among the rule (or in general) with a special prayer and with bows, then there is no need to interfere with such a mood” (Rev. Ambrose of Optina).

What are the signs of God's visitations in prayer, and what are the signs of the enemy?

During grace-filled appearances or visitations of God, there are good thoughts and feelings: joy, love for God and neighbor and even for enemies, humility, self-reproach, penitential feeling, contrition, compunction, peace of mind, peace to all, the desire for good and salvation for all. In the presence of enemies: pride, consciousness of one's own dignity, anger, hatred, cruelty, anxiety, embarrassment, doubt in the phenomenon.

Is it possible for a worldly person to pray with a rosary?

“About prayer with a rosary,” writes St. Theophan the Recluse, “I myself first heard from a layman, and not from a monk. And many laymen and laywomen pray in this way. And we will need this. Only it is necessary to pray for them not ostentatiously, but secretly.

Is it really so important to keep your prayer home rule inexorably?

Christians who do not keep the house rule are dead Christians. The rule of the house is the stimulator of spiritual strength, the guide to unceasing prayer.

What to do when bad thoughts obsessively creep into your head during prayer?

If, during prayer, bad thoughts obsessively stick to us, then they advise, leaving the reading of the prayer, to pray to God against thoughts, so that He will drive them away from us.

Is it possible to pray for unbelieving bosses?

“Pray also for the authorities, even for those who persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the Cross, so that the fruit of your faith would be clear to everyone and you yourself would be perfect” (Martyr Polycarp of Smyrna).

Is it possible to pray in front of people?

“Pray either in body or in spirit in secret, and not in front of people, although they are sleeping” (Elder Adrian Yugsky).

What is the best way to pray in case of insensibility?

In case of insensibility, it is better to pray with short prayers.

Is it good to pray for ascetics who have not yet been glorified on earth?

Prayer is pleasing to God for those who have fallen asleep. Our prayer intercedes for them great glory and causes them to pray for us before the Lord.

How is it necessary to stand in prayer?

One should get up for prayer without relaxing the body, without stepping from one foot to the other and without leaning against a wall or a pillar. Hands should be kept decently folded, legs should be even and motionless, the head should not be turned to one side or the other, but bent slightly, the mind should not be scattered and thoughts should not be curious or distracted by lazy ones who talk to each other and whisper, but in every possible way keep the eyes from absent-mindedness and soul, listening to the words of the prayer so that not a single word in it is idly missed. For if you accustom yourself to do this in this matter, you will soon succeed and reach a perfect man. At the end of the doxology, do not immediately start conversations with one or the other. Keep silence and move away from everyone. Keep silence with this thought: “What can I say good, being all unclean and senseless and even unworthy to speak or hear anything, or be considered among the people” ( Reverend Simeon New Theologian).

During prayer, is it possible to dwell on spiritual thoughts or thoughts about useful deeds?

During prayer, one should oppose not only vain thoughts, but also all thoughts about spiritual and useful deeds that come untimely, but deepen and force oneself to read the prayer and think of God until they are completed.

Is it wrong to pray in passing?

“If anyone prays to God without fear, in passing, he invites the wrath of God, the exile of God. Better than that not to pray at all, than to pray somehow. There is no greater sin. Demons never attack so much as for contempt of God” (St. Simeon the New Theologian).

Is it possible for a husband to pray with his head covered when in need?

When your head is also covered, do not leave prayer, but observe only that you do it not with neglect.

Should one leave the reading of the Divine book in a prayerful mood?

If your mind and heart experience a prayerful mood while reading the Holy Scriptures, then you remain in prayer until the prayerful mood ceases.

Should one make prostrations beyond one's strength?

God does not require from us a rule higher than our strength, and therefore consider your strength!

Which saints should be prayed against nervousness?

Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb.

What should I read at home if I couldn't go to church?

Instead of Matins - morning prayers, twelve selected psalms and the first hour, and instead of Mass - the third and sixth hours with pictorial ones.

Does prayer before God have power if it is read without sympathy of the heart?

Without sympathy of the heart, prayer is invalid.

What does it mean to pray without ceasing?

Praying always and unceasingly does not mean always reading psalms or written prayers - this is an impossible thing. For every Christian must do his work according to his calling; likewise, a burdened body requires rest by sleep, and so on. But it means that often in every undertaking you raise your mind and heart, and sigh to God and ask Him for mercy, help and intercession.

Can you shorten your prayer home rule?

You can, only if you need to. According to St. Theophan the Recluse, only spiritually strengthened people are allowed to reduce the rule of prayer, and not to anyone who wants to get rid of prayer as soon as possible. Remember that he who threatens dogs with a stick irritates them against him, and the demons are irritated by the one who forces himself to pray often.

When I pray with others, can the inner movement of the soul be shown outwardly?

If we pray in partnership with others, then it is enough for us to show the inner movement of the soul before God only with the mind and heart, not to take on a sad, tearful face and not to make any signs with the body that would show what is in our soul, so that others would not become honor us, and others, perhaps, make fun of us - through this we are subjected to temptation, embarrassment in ourselves and anger at others. But when we are alone and others do not see us, in order to ridicule us, then we can accept the face of the one who prays, and the voice of sadness, and shed tears, lift up hands to grief, and bow to the ground.

If the mind is distracted by prayer, what should one do?

At a time when your mind is distracted, more than prayer, engage in reading the Divine.

Sometimes, a desire comes to pray for a person. What does it mean?

When the desire to pray for someone comes, it means that the Lord Himself wants to have mercy on that soul and graciously listens to your prayers.

Is it good to bow down at night?

Do not forget to never bow to the ground at night, and if you feel sick, then bow at least three times. With these nocturnal bows and prayers, a person overcomes the devil, and in what he sins during the day, they get rid of sin.

What if I don't find time to read St. books and prayers

Is it only then that prayer is considered when we pray in front of the icons?

Prayer is not the only one to be sure to stand in front of the icons in prayer. To keep the mind and heart turned and striving towards God is already prayer, no matter what position one is in, whether one is sitting, lying, or walking. The rule of home prayer in its own way: in the morning and in the evening before the icons, and this state of prayer - its own.

What should I do if during the prayer rule I am distracted by windows passing by?

When you're doing your home rule of prayer, pull down the curtain. And when you look out the window, then remember that you need to repent.

When I pray, am I afraid?

Consider the fear that occurs during prayer as a temptation from the enemy, who is trying to turn away from prayer everyone who wants to pray. When approaching prayer, shield yourself with the sign of the cross and continue to pray, and in time, by the grace of God, you will be delivered from this temptation if you become less angry with others and keep yourself from condemnation.

What is the most best time for prayer?

“Night is the best time for prayer,” writes St. Theophan the Recluse. “Especially at midnight.” And St. John Chrysostom says that the Lord especially bows to mercy with night prayers.

What is a call?

The urge is (the desire) to turn to God; it happens sometimes without a definite need, but only by a thirst for God. To what extent and in whatever form this urge manifests itself, one should never leave it unsatisfied, but immediately turn to prayer and pray in the position in which the urge found itself: if it is for work, then pray for it, if for reading - in the middle of it and pray, if while walking - walking and praying. But, of course, it is better and more fruitful to stand in a prayer place and take a prayer position, if possible. If this urge arises during prayer, stop reading the prayer and pray according to this urge, with your own word or without a word.

What if they ask me to pray, but I can’t pray for myself?

“Do not renounce prayer for others under the pretext of fear that you cannot plead for yourself - beware that you will not plead for yourself if you do not pray for others” (St. Philaret of Moscow).

What to do so that the Lord hears prayer?

If you wish to offer a pure prayer to God, then test your mind first and arrange it so that when you say: “Have mercy on me,” you will also be merciful to the one who implores you; when you say: “Remember not my sins,” and you did not remember the sins of your neighbor; when you say: "Do not remember my sins, voluntary and involuntary," - and you did not remember the insults that you were upset about. If you do not do this, you will pray in vain. And God will not hear you, as the Holy Scripture testifies. So, in the Gospel, the Lord commands us to pray in this way: And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. If you forgive a person their sins, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you (Matt. 6:12, 14). And in the Gospel of Luke he says: Let go, and they will let you go (Luke 6:37). And in another place he teaches his disciples to pray like this: And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one of our debtors (Luke 11:4).

How to get rid of the scattering of thoughts during prayer?

Praying with your mouth, pray with your mind, i.e. direct your mind to the power of the words of prayer. If, due to weakness or the pretense of enmity, in the midst of prayer you are carried away by thinking about any subject, then, sensing your imprudence, sigh with contrition to the Lord and with great fervor deepen your attention into prayer; always do this and you will reap the benefits. Constancy of mind and alertness attract special gifts of grace to the soul.

There is absolutely no time for prayer. How to be?

We have time for the body: we find time to drink tea, have lunch, dinner, but it’s hard to give the Lord even ten minutes! It is the One who gives us everything.

Meanwhile, our ancestors did not start any business without prayer: they asked for the blessings of higher powers before sitting down to the table, before going to bed, before the start of the day, before sowing crops and harvesting, before weddings and funerals, before starting a new business and before distant road.

They had a strong connection with the Russian gods, with the family and with all the family traditions, which commanded them to observe the laws of nature or cosmic laws, as we now call them. Therefore, they did not have the question of how and where to pray to God - the lawn, where they mowed hay or collected forest gifts, could become a place for offering prayers.

About prayers on the bus and in the car

Nowadays, a person has no time to stop and think about life, plans for the future, analyze the past day or year. And it is not at all possible to specifically allocate time for prayer.

Therefore, to the question “is it possible to read prayers while sitting on a bus or in a car”, we will answer in the affirmative. Of course, you can - it doesn’t matter to God from which place you send your request to him: from a car, bus, tram, plane or from a gilded temple.

After all, prayer is a thought colored by emotion. We turn to higher powers to ask for something specific, for some help. Or we want to repent of sin - also in some specific act or motive. After all, we know that a thought is the same act for the world as a deed, and the world reacts to a thought as to a deed. Or, with the help of prayer, we want to thank the upper world, the Masters for the help rendered.

For example, when one city was threatened with flooding, believing residents began to pray to Lord Maitreya to save the city. It seemed that trouble was inevitable, but the water was gone. Then the grateful residents raised funds and, with the help of the administration, placed on the square a huge statue of Lord Maitreya, whom they consider the future ruler of the earth, and believe that he will replace Christ. Every day, passing by the statue, they mentally express gratitude for the help. This is what prayer is.

How to pray in public transport

It is clear that a special state is needed for prayer - so that no one interferes, does not distract, in order to concentrate and delve into one’s thoughts, to get, so to speak, “in contact” with upper world for him to hear. In transport or a private car, this will not work. However, there is still a way out.

You can recite prayers on a voice recorder and simply listen to them on a carrier that you can take with you on your transport. This will not be a full-fledged prayer, but this method will help develop the so-called "prayer channel", which people usually do not have. Then it will be easier to pray at home or in church - you will begin to feel the very state of prayer that true believers who belong to any religion are well aware of.

Another way to pray, if you can’t close your eyes and focus, is introspection. Just think about how your day went. How did you treat people: with whom you quarreled, whom you helped. And honestly admit where you were right and where you were wrong. Also try to forgive the offenders and take all the attacks calmly. Then the next time you will be more calm to react to the negative.

This method of prayer is called repentance, and here it is not necessary to sprinkle ashes on your head, scold yourself for wrong actions and light candles for the health of the one you offended. The main thing is for yourself, from the inside, to understand that you were wrong / were wrong. And try not to do that again. This is very important for a person - awareness of mistakes, repentance. Then they are not recorded in the karma of today, you do not burden your fate.

Another way to pray in transport is simply to send your request high, high, as far as you can reach with your consciousness. It takes a few seconds, but it works very effectively because the message is very strong. So you can ask, and repent, and give thanks.

And in all actions, the most important thing is to be sincere, then any prayer will be heard.

There is not always the strength and ability to stand. The work is associated with hard physical labor, and by the evening a person is so tired that his legs are buzzing. Due to advancing age, age-related diseases are discovered. A pregnant woman whose lower back is pulled and her legs swell. There are many reasons, but a person feels the need for prayer.

What now, do not pray at all? Of course not. Be sure to pray while sitting. And this can be done, despite the indignation of the grandmothers from the church.

What is prayer?

It is direct communication with God. Conversation with Him. This is the conversation of a child with his Father. But we will not explain ourselves in lofty words, but we will talk about it in a simpler way.

When we pray, we meet with God. We meet with the Mother of God and with the saints, to whom we pray prayerfully. We ask them for something, and after a while we understand that our request has been fulfilled. And thanks to this comes the realization of the participation of the saints in our lives, as well as the participation of God. He is always there, always ready to help and patiently waiting for us to turn to him.

There is another kind of prayer. This prayer is a dialogue. When a person is talking, it is important for him not only to speak out, but also to hear the opinion of the interlocutor. At the moment when we offer prayers to God, we need to be prepared for the fact that He opens up to us. Sometimes not the way we imagine Him. Therefore, one cannot invent an image of God for oneself, somehow represent it. We see God on the icons, we see the Mother of God, saints. It's enough.

Is it possible to read prayers while sitting? Imagine that a man comes to his father. He came after work, he really wants to talk to him, but his legs hurt and are so tired that there is simply no strength to stand. Wouldn't a father, seeing this, talk to his child? Or make him stand in deference to the parent? Of course not. Rather, on the contrary: seeing how tired the son is, he will offer him to sit down, drink a cup of tea and talk.

So does God, seeing the zeal of a person, not accept sincere prayer just because the one who prays is sitting?

When do we pray?

Most often, when something happens in life and urgently need help. Then the person begins to pray and ask God for this help. He simply has no other hope. Help is coming happy person rejoices, forgets to thank, and departs from God until the next emergency. Is it correct? Hardly.

Ideally, we should live with prayer. Live with it just like we live with air. People do not forget to breathe, because without oxygen we will simply die in a few minutes. Without prayer, the soul dies, this is its "oxygen".

With our workload and living conditions, it is extremely difficult to constantly be in prayer. The hustle and bustle at work, the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the people around you - it's all too much. And it's too noisy around us. However, we wake up in the morning. And what do we think about first? About what to do today. We get up, wash ourselves, get dressed, have breakfast and forward - towards a new fuss. And you need to adjust your morning a little. Get up and thank God for another day. Ask for His intercession during the day. Of course the most the best option- read the morning prayers. But no one has yet canceled gratitude from the heart.

Prayer during the day

Is this possible with our workload? Why not, everything is possible. Is it possible to pray while sitting, for example, in a car? Certainly. You can go to work, and mentally pray to God.

A person sat down to eat - before the meal, you need to pray mentally, read "Our Father". No one will hear this, and what good is it for the one who prays! Ate, thanked the Lord for the meal - and again went to work.

Prayer in the temple

Is it possible for an Orthodox person to pray while sitting? Especially in the temple, where everyone is standing? In weakness - it is possible. There is such a wonderful phrase of the Metropolitan of Moscow Filaret: "It is better to think about God while sitting than standing - about your feet."

With some diseases, it is difficult for a person to stand. And with other infirmities, it is not always easy. Therefore, do not be embarrassed by the fact that they sat down on a bench in the temple. There are certain places in worship, at the proclamation of which you need to get up. This is the Cherubic Hymn, the reading of the Gospel, the prayers "I believe" and "Our Father", the removal of the Chalice. In other cases, if you feel that you cannot stand the service, sit down.

home prayer

Is it possible to sit in front of the icons to pray at home? There is nothing wrong with this if a person does this due to illness or other good reasons. If it’s just out of laziness, it’s better not to be lazy and get up, pray standing up.

In the event that the worshiper is very tired, it is quite permissible to sit on a chair or on a sofa near the icons, pick up a prayer book and pray from the heart.

How to be sick people?

But what if a person is so sick that he cannot get up on his own? Or bedridden? Or is it due to old age? He can't even pick up a prayer book. How then to pray? And in general, is it possible to pray lying or sitting?

In this case, you can ask someone from the household to submit a prayer book. Keep it close to the bed so that the patient can reach it on their own. Or rather, reach out and take it. As for the reading of the Gospel, the family may well set aside a couple of minutes and read, at the request of the patient, an excerpt from it.

In addition, a recumbent person is able to pray mentally. To address God in your own words, there is nothing reprehensible in this. In a prayer that comes from the depths of the heart, from the bottom of the soul, can there be anything offensive to God? Even if it is read in an "unspecified" position. The Lord sees the heart of the one who prays, knows his thoughts. And accepts the prayer of the sick or the weak.

Is it possible to pray at home, sitting or lying down? Yes. And not just possible, but necessary. "The healthy do not call a doctor to themselves, but the sick really need a doctor." And not only in the literal sense of these words.

Can prayer be objectionable?

Complex issue. She may not be heard, rather. Why? It all depends on the quality of the prayer. If a person routinely read in 15 minutes, without thinking about the words and their meaning, closed the prayer book - and that's the point, what kind of prayer is this? A person does not understand what and why he read. And God doesn't need a pattern, He needs sincerity.

Who can pray sitting at home? And God, and the Mother of God, and the saints. Let the prayer be performed in a sitting position, but proceeding from the heart. This is better than standing in front of the icons just reading the rule without understanding anything in it and without trying to do it.

Children's prayer

Can a child pray while sitting? Children's prayer is considered the most sincere. Because children are innocent, naive and trust God. No wonder the Lord himself said: be like children.

There are concessions for children. Including in the prayer rule. The most important thing is not to force the child to read long and incomprehensible prayers for him. Let the baby read before going to bed, for example, "Our Father" and talk to God in his own words. This is much more useful than reading the rule with a cold heart, because my mother said so, that is, according to the principle "it is necessary for adults." And it is necessary not for adults, it must be for the child himself.

Thanksgiving Prayers

We often ask without thanking. The latter must not be forgotten. It would be unpleasant for us to fulfill someone's request, and not to hear a thank you in response. Why should God give us something, knowing our ingratitude?

Is it possible to pray while sitting, read an akathist of gratitude, or are you tired of offering up? You feel sick? Sore feet? Then sit back and don't worry about it. You sat down, picked up an akathist or a prayer book, and read calmly, slowly, thoughtfully. Great benefit for the one who prays. And God is glad to see such sincere gratitude.

When there is no strength to pray

There are times when you don't have the strength to pray. No way. Not standing, not sitting, not lying down. Prayer does not go, the person does not want to do this.

How to be then? Force yourself to rise, stand in front of the icons, pick up a prayer book and read at least one prayer. Through strength. Because we do not always want to pray, no matter how surprising it may sound. Is it possible not to want to communicate with God? It's wild, strange, incomprehensible, but such states do happen. And when they appear, you must force yourself to pray.

But she same will not from souls perhaps? And here it all depends on the one who prays. You can read every word with utmost attention, even if it is just one prayer. Such a prayerful attitude will be much more useful than if you do not pray at all or read the rule with your lips alone, when thoughts are hovering somewhere far, far away.

How long does it take 20 minutes, no more. This is because a person quickly reads it, and that's it. So it’s better to spend these 20 minutes reading two prayers, but with sense and concentration, than to scold somehow, because it’s supposed to be so.

Important addition

What do you need to know before starting to pray? Just an answer to the question, is it possible to pray sitting or lying down? No. The main thing to remember is that you need to pray thoughtfully. Try to understand every word of the prayer. And the latter must come from the heart. That's why you need not only to read the rules, but also to pray in your own words.

Conclusion

From the article we learned whether it is possible to pray while sitting. In the case of a serious illness, senile infirmity, pregnancy or very severe fatigue, this is not forbidden. Children are allowed to pray while sitting.

As for the bedridden patients, in their case it is quite appropriate to offer up prayers to God in the usual position.

Position is not important, although it plays an important role. The most important thing is the heart and soul of a person, sincere, burning and striving for God.