“When you pray, do not say too much, as the pagans do: for they think that in their many words they will be heard; therefore, do not be like them: for your Father knows what you require before you ask.” Matt. 6:7-8

The prayer rule is the daily morning and evening prayers that Christians perform.

The rule can be general - mandatory for everyone, or individual, selected for the believer by the confessor, taking into account his spiritual state, strength and employment.

The rule consists of morning and evening prayers, which are performed daily. This vital 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.

Reading prayers connects a person with their creators: the psalmists and ascetics. This helps to gain a spiritual mood akin to their heartfelt burning. Our example in praying in other people’s words is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. His prayerful exclamations during the suffering of the cross are lines from the psalms (Ps. 21:2; 30:6).

There are three basic prayer rules:

1) a complete prayer rule, which is published in the “Orthodox Prayer Book”;

2) a short prayer rule; in the morning: “Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “Rising from sleep”, “God have mercy on me”, “Creed”, “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”;

3) a short prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov: three times “Our Father”, three times “Virgin Mother of God” and once “Creed” - for those exceptional days and circumstances when a person is extremely tired or very limited in time.

It is not advisable to completely omit the prayer rule. Even if the prayer rule is read without due attention, the words of the prayers, penetrating the soul, have a cleansing effect.

The main prayers should be known by heart (with regular reading, they are gradually memorized by a person even with a very poor memory), so that they penetrate deeper into the heart and so that they can be repeated in any circumstances. It is advisable to study the text of the translation of prayers from Church Slavonic into Russian in order to understand the meaning of each word and not pronounce a single word meaninglessly or without precise understanding. It is very important that those who begin to pray should expel resentment, irritation, and bitterness from their hearts. Without efforts aimed at serving people, fighting sin, and establishing control over the body and spiritual sphere, prayer cannot become the inner core of life.

In the conditions of modern life, given the workload and accelerated pace, it is not easy for the laity to set aside a certain time for prayer. The enemy of morning prayer is haste, and the enemy of evening prayer is fatigue.
Morning prayers are best read before starting anything (and before breakfast). As a last resort, they are pronounced on the way from home. Late in the evening it is often difficult to concentrate due to fatigue, so we can recommend reading the evening prayer rule in the free minutes before dinner or even earlier.

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

Before starting prayer, you should sign yourself with the sign of the cross and make several bows, either from the waist or to the ground, and try to tune in to an internal conversation with God. The difficulty of prayer is often a sign of its true effectiveness.

Prayer for other people is an integral part of prayer. Standing before God does not alienate a person from his neighbors, but binds him to them with even closer ties. We should not limit ourselves to just praying for people close and dear to us. Praying for those who have caused us grief brings peace to the soul, has an impact on these people and makes our prayer sacrificial.

It is good to end the prayer with thanksgiving to God for the gift of communication and contrition for one’s inattention. When getting down to business, you must first think about what you have to say, do, see during the day and ask God for blessings and strength to follow His will. In the midst of a busy day, you need to say a short prayer (Jesus Prayer), which will help you find the Lord in everyday affairs.

You can find all the morning prayers of the Orthodox Church in this article. The editors of Orthodoxy and Peace have collected for you the texts of prayers and explanations for them.

All morning prayers

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

Then wait a little until all your feelings come to silence and your thoughts leave everything earthly, and then say the following prayers, without haste and with heartfelt attention:

Publican's Prayer

(Gospel of Luke, chapter 18, verse 13)
God, be merciful to me, a sinner. (Bow)

Initial prayer

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

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

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. (2)

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. Amen.

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake. Lord have mercy. (Thrice). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. (3)

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.

Troparia Trinity

Having risen from sleep, we fall down to Thee, the Good One, and cry out to Thee, the Mightier, the angelic song: Holy, Holy, Holy art thou, O God, have mercy on us through the Mother of God. Glory: From bed and sleep You have raised me up, O Lord, enlighten my mind and heart, and open my lips to sing to You, Holy Trinity: Holy, Holy, Holy are You, O God, have mercy on us through the Mother of God.
And now: Suddenly the Judge will come, and every deed will be exposed, but we call with fear (4) at midnight: Holy, Holy, Holy art thou, O God, have mercy on us through the Mother of God. Lord have mercy. (12 times)

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 Thy words, and to understand Thy commandments, and to do Thy will, and to sing to Thee in heartfelt confession, and to sing Thy all-holy name, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages. centuries. 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)

Psalm 50

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.

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, 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.

Second prayer, of the same saint

Rising from sleep, I bring the midnight hymn to Ti, Savior, and falling down crying to Ti: do not let me fall asleep in a sinful death, but be gracious to me, crucified by will, and hasten me lying in laziness, and save me in standing and in prayer, and in sleep Rise up nightly for me a sinless day, O Christ God, and save me.

Prayer three, 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 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 four, of the same saint

Lord, Who through Your many goodness and Your great bounty has given me, Your servant, the passing time of this night without misfortune to pass away from all evil that is contrary to me; You Yourself, Master, the Creator of all things, grant me with Your true light and an enlightened heart to do Your will, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Fifth prayer, Saint Basil the Great

Lord Almighty, God of hosts and all flesh, living in the highest and looking down on the humble, testing the hearts and wombs and innermost parts of men, the fore-foreseen One, the Beginningless and Ever-Everlasting Light, with Him there is no change or overshadowing; Himself, Immortal King, accept our prayers, even at the present time, boldly for the multitude of Your bounties, from the bad lips we create towards You, and forgive us our sins, whether in deed, word, and thought, knowledge, or ignorance, we have sinned; and cleanse us from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And grant us with a cheerful heart and a sober thought to pass through the whole night of this present life, awaiting the coming of the bright and revealed day of Your Only Begotten Son, the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, in which the Judge of all will come with glory, to whom he will give to each according to his deeds; let us not fall and become lazy, but be watchful and raised up for the work that is to come, prepare us for joy and the Divine palace of His glory, where those who celebrate the unceasing voice and the ineffable sweetness of those who behold Your face, the ineffable kindness. For You are the true Light, you enlighten and sanctify all things, and all creation sings to You forever and ever. Amen.

Listen to morning prayers online

Prayer six, of the same saint

We bless you, O highest God and Lord of mercy, who always does great and unexplored, glorious and terrible things to us, countless in number, giving us sleep for the repose of our weakness, and the weakening of the labors of the arduous flesh. We thank Thee, for Thou didst not destroy us with our iniquities, but Thou didst usually love mankind, and in desperation, Thou didst raise us up to glorify Thy power. In the same way, we pray for Your immeasurable goodness, enlighten our thoughts, our eyes, and raise our minds from the heavy sleep of laziness: open our lips, and fulfill Your praise, so that we can unwaveringly sing and confess to You, in all, and from all, to the glorified God, To the Beginningless Father, with Your Only Begotten Son, and Your All-Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Seventh prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos

I sing Thy grace, O Lady, I pray to Thee, my mind is filled with grace. Go right and teach me the path of Christ’s commandments. Strengthen your children to songs, driving away despondency and sleep. Bound by the captivity of the Falls, allow me through Your prayers, Bride of God. Preserve me in the night and in the day, delivering me to those who fight against the enemy. She who gave birth to God, the life-giver, was killed by my passions and revived. Who gave birth to the non-evening Light, enlighten my blind soul. O wondrous Lady of the Palace, create for me the house of the Divine Spirit. You who gave birth to a doctor, heal my soul of many years of passion. Worried by the storm of life, guide me towards the path of repentance. Deliver me from eternal fire, and from evil worms, and from tartar. Do not show me joy as a demon, who is guilty of many sins. Create me again, having promised to be insensible, Immaculate, without sin. Show me the strangeness of all kinds of torment, and implore the Lord to all. Heavenly grant me joy with all the saints. Most Holy Virgin, hear the voice of Your indecent servant. Give me a stream of tears, Most Pure One, cleansing the filth of my soul. I bring lamentations from my heart to You continually, be zealous, Lady. Accept my prayer service and bring it to the blessed God. Transcending Angel, create me above the fusion of the world. Light-bearing heavenly Seine, direct spiritual grace in me. I lift up my hand and my lips to praise, defiled by filth, O All-Immaculate One. Deliver me from the dirty tricks that are strangling me, diligently begging Christ; To Him is due honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(1) Rising from sleep, before any other work, become reverent, presenting yourself before the All-Seeing God, and, making the sign of the cross, say:

Prayer of the Optina Elders Explanation of morning prayers Prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov

Prayer eight, to our Lord Jesus Christ

My most merciful and all-merciful God, Lord Jesus Christ, for the sake of love you came down and became incarnate for many reasons, so that you would save everyone. And again, Savior, save me by grace, I pray to You; Even if you save me from works, there is no grace and no gift, but more than debt. Hey, abundant in generosity and ineffable in mercy! Believe in Me, you say, O my Christ, you will live and will not see death forever. Even if faith in You saves the desperate, behold, I believe, save me, for You are my God and Creator. Let faith instead of works be imputed to me, O my God, for you will not find works to justify me. But may my faith prevail instead of all, may it answer, may it justify me, may it show me to be a partaker of Your eternal glory. Let Satan not kidnap me, and boast to the Word that he has torn me from Your hand and fence; But either I want, save me, or I don’t want, Christ my Savior, I will soon foresee, I will soon perish: For you are my God from my mother’s womb. Grant me, O Lord, now to love Thee, as sometimes I have loved that same sin; and again work for You without laziness, just as you worked before the flattering Satan. Most of all, I will serve You, my Lord and God Jesus Christ, all the days of my life, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Ninth 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 tenth, to the Most Holy Theotokos

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 if I diligently resort to you, a quick helper and a prayer book for my soul.

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.

Troparion to the Cross and prayer for the fatherland

Save, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thy inheritance, granting victories to Orthodox Christians against resistance, and preserving Thy life through Thy Cross.

Prayer for the living

(Name), my parents (names), relatives (names), bosses, mentors, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians.

Prayer for the departed

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. If you can, read this memorial instead of short prayers for the living and the dead:

About the living

Remember, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Thy mercy and generosity from all eternity, for whose sake Thou didst become man, and Thou didst deign to endure crucifixion and death, for the sake of the salvation of those who believe in Thee; and rose from the dead, you ascended into heaven and sit at the right hand of God the Father, and look upon the humble prayers of those who call upon You with all their hearts: incline Your ear, and hear the humble prayer of me, Your indecent servant, in the stench of the spiritual fragrance, brought to You for all Your people . And in the first place, remember Your Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, which You have provided with Your venerable Blood, and establish, and strengthen, and expand, multiply, pacify, and preserve the insurmountable gates of hell forever; Calm the tearing of the Churches, quench the pagan vacillations, and quickly destroy and eradicate the heresies of rebellion, and convert them into nothingness by the power of Your Holy Spirit. (Bow)

Save, Lord, and have mercy on our God-protected country, its authorities and army, protect their power with peace, and subdue every enemy and adversary under the nose of the Orthodox, and speak peaceful and good words in their hearts about Your Holy Church, and about all Your people: let us live a quiet and silent life in orthodoxy, and in all piety and purity. (Bow)

Save, Lord, and have mercy on our Great Lord and Father, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, Your Eminence metropolitans, archbishops and Orthodox bishops, priests and deacons, and the entire church clergy, who You have appointed to shepherd Your verbal flock, and through their prayers have mercy and save me, a sinner. (Bow)

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 the neighbors of my family, and friends, and grant them Your peaceful and most peaceful goodness. (Bow) Save, O Lord, and have mercy, according to the multitude of Your bounties, all the sacred monks, monks and nuns, and all those living in virginity and reverence and fasting in monasteries, in deserts, in caves, mountains, pillars, gates, rock crevices, and sea islands, and in every place of Thy dominion those who live faithfully, and piously serve Thee, and pray to Thee: ease their burden, and comfort their sorrow, and grant them strength and strength to strive for Thee, and through their prayers grant me remission of sins. (Bow)

Save, O Lord, and have mercy on the old and the young, the poor and the orphans and the widows, and those who are in sickness and sorrow, troubles and sorrows, conditions and captivity, prisons and imprisonments, and even more so in persecution, for You for the sake of the Orthodox faith, from the tongue of the godless, from the apostate and from the heretics, Thy present servants, and remember, visit, strengthen, comfort, and soon by Thy power I will weaken, grant them freedom and deliver. (Bow)

Save, O Lord, and have mercy on those who do good to us, who are merciful and nourishing to us, who gave us alms, and who commanded us to the unworthy to pray for them, and who give us rest, and do Thy mercy to them, granting them all, even petitions for salvation, and the perception of eternal blessings . (Bow)

Save, Lord, and have mercy on those sent to the service, those traveling, our fathers and brethren, and all Orthodox Christians. (Bow)

Save, Lord, and have mercy on them who I tempted with my madness, and turned away from the path of salvation, and led me to evil and inappropriate deeds; By Your Divine Providence, return again to the path of salvation. (Bow)

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

Those who have departed from the Orthodox faith and are blinded by destructive heresies, enlighten with the light of Your knowledge and bring Your Holy Apostles to the Catholic Church. (Bow)

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

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

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

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 . (Thrice)

From Ascension to Trinity, we begin prayers with “Holy God...”, omitting all the preceding ones.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.

Lord have mercy. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

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.

Tropari

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.

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 and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

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

Lord have mercy. (12 times)

Prayer 1, St. Macarius the Great, to God the Father

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

Prayer 2, Saint Antiochus, to our Lord Jesus Christ

To the Almighty, the Word of the Father, who is perfect himself, Jesus Christ, for the sake of Thy mercy, never leave me, Thy servant, but always rest in me. Jesus, good Shepherd of Your sheep, do not betray me to the sedition of the serpent, and do not leave me to the desires of Satan, for the seed of aphids is in me. Thou, O Lord God worshiped, the Holy King, Jesus Christ, preserve me as I sleep with an unflickering light, Thy Holy Spirit, with whom Thou didst sanctify Thy disciples. Grant, O Lord, to me, Thy unworthy servant, Thy salvation on my bed: enlighten my mind with the light of reason of Thy Holy Gospel, my soul with the love of Thy Cross, my heart with the purity of Thy word, my body with Thy passionless passion, preserve my thought with Thy humility, and uplift I am in time like Your praise. For Thou art glorified with Thy Beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

Prayer 3, to the Holy Spirit

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

Prayer 4, Saint Macarius the Great

What will I bring to You, or what will I reward to You, O most gifted Immortal King, generous and philanthropic Lord, since you were lazy in pleasing me, and did nothing good, you brought the conversion and salvation of my soul to the end of this day? Be merciful to me, a sinner and naked of every good deed, raise up my fallen soul, defiled in immeasurable sins, and take away from me all the evil thoughts of this visible life. Forgive my sins, O One Sinless One, even those who have sinned this day, in knowledge and ignorance, in word, and deed, and thought, and with all my feelings. You Yourself, covering me, save me from every opposing situation with Your Divine power, and ineffable love for mankind, and strength. Cleanse, O God, cleanse the multitude of my sins. Deign, O Lord, to deliver me from the snare of the evil one, and save my passionate soul, and overshadow me with the light of Your face, when You come in glory, and make me sleep without condemnation now, and keep the thoughts of Your servant without dreaming, and untroubled, and all the work of Satan take me away from me, and enlighten the intelligent eyes of my heart, so that I may not sleep into death. And send me an Angel of peace, guardian and mentor of my soul and body, that he may deliver me from my enemies; Yes, rising from my bed, I will bring you prayers of gratitude. Yes, Lord, hear me, your sinful and wretched servant, with your will and conscience; Grant that I have risen to learn from Thy words, and the despondency of demons is driven away from me, to be made by Thy Angels; may I bless Your holy name, and glorify, and glorify the Most Pure Mother of God Mary, Who hast given us sinners intercession, and accept this one praying for us; We see that He imitates Your love for mankind, and never ceases to pray. By that intercession, and the sign of the Honest Cross, and for the sake of all Thy saints, keep my poor soul, Jesus Christ our God, for Thou art holy and glorified forever. Amen.

Prayer 5

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

Prayer 6

Lord our God, in the worthlessness of faith, and we call upon His name above every name, grant us, who are going to sleep, a weakening of soul and body, and keep us from all dreams and dark pleasures except; restrain the desire of passions, extinguish the kindling of bodily rebellion. Grant us to live chastely in deeds and words; Yes, a virtuous life is receptive, Your promised good things will not fall away, for Blessed are You forever. Amen.

Prayer 7, St. John Chrysostom

(24 prayers, according to the number of hours of the day and night)

Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings.

Lord, save me from eternal torment.

Lord, whether I have sinned in mind or in thought, in word or in deed, forgive me.

Lord, deliver me from all ignorance and oblivion, and cowardice, and petrified insensibility.

Lord, deliver me from every temptation.

Lord, enlighten my heart, darken my evil lust.

Lord, as a man who has sinned, You, as a generous God, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul.

Lord, send Your grace to help me, that I may glorify Your holy name.

Lord Jesus Christ, write me Your servant in the book of animals and grant me a good end.

Lord, my God, even if I have done nothing good before You, grant me, by Your grace, to make a good beginning.

Lord, sprinkle the dew of Your grace in my heart.

Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, cold and unclean, in Thy Kingdom. Amen.

Lord, accept me in repentance.

Lord, don't leave me.

Lord, do not lead me into misfortune.

Lord, give me a good thought.

Lord, give me tears and mortal memory, and tenderness.

Lord, give me the thought of confessing my sins.

Lord, give me humility, chastity and obedience.

Lord, give me patience, generosity and meekness.

Lord, plant in me the root of good things, Thy fear in my heart.

Lord, grant me to love You with all my soul and thoughts and to do Your will in everything.

Lord, protect me from certain people, and demons, and passions, and from all other inappropriate things.

Lord, consider that you do as you will, that your will be done in me, a sinner, for blessed are you forever. Amen.

Prayer 8, to our Lord Jesus Christ

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

Prayer 9, to the Most Holy Theotokos, Peter of Studium

To Thee, Most Pure Mother of God, I fall down and pray: Consider, O Queen, how I continually sin and anger Thy Son and my God, and many times when I repent, I find myself lying before God, and I repent in trembling: will the Lord strike me down, and hour by hour I do the same again? ; I pray to this leader, my Lady, Lady Theotokos, to have mercy, strengthen me, and grant me good works. Believe me, my Lady Theotokos, for the Imam is by no means in hatred of my evil deeds, and with all my thoughts I love the law of my God; But we do not know, Most Pure Lady, from where I hate, I love, but I transgress what is good. Do not allow, O Most Pure One, my will to be fulfilled, for it is not pleasing, but may the will of Thy Son and my God be done: may He save me, and enlighten me, and give me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that I may cease from here from filthiness, and so on may I live as commanded Your Son, to Him belongs all glory, honor and power, with His Originless Father, and His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 10, to the Most Holy Theotokos

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

Prayer 11, to the Holy Guardian Angel

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

Kontakion to the Mother of God

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.

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

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.

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.

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 Theotokos, about the rise of Your Nativity .

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

Lord have mercy. (Thrice)

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.

Prayer of Saint John of Damascus

Master, Lover of Mankind, will this coffin really be my bed, or will you still enlighten my damned soul during the day? For seven the grave lies ahead, for seven the death awaits. I fear Your judgment, O Lord, and endless torment, but I do not stop doing evil: I always anger You, the Lord my God, and Your Most Pure Mother, and all the Heavenly powers, and my holy Guardian Angel. We know, Lord, that I am unworthy of Your love for mankind, but I am worthy of all condemnation and torment. But, Lord, whether I want it or not, save me. Even if you save a righteous man, nothing great; and even if you have mercy on a pure person, nothing is marvelous: you are worthy of the essence of Your mercy. But surprise me, a sinner, with Thy mercy: for this show Thy love for mankind, so that my malice may not overcome Thy unspeakable goodness and mercy: and as you wish, arrange a thing for me.

Enlighten my eyes, O Christ God, so that not when I fall asleep into death, and not when my enemy says: “Let us be strong against him.”

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Be the protector of my soul, O God, as I walk in the midst of many snares; deliver me from them and save me, O Blessed One, as a Lover of Mankind.

And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Let us ceaselessly sing with our hearts and lips the Glorious Mother of God and the Most Holy Angel, confessing this Mother of God as truly having given birth to God incarnate for us, and praying unceasingly for our souls.

Sign yourself with the sign of the cross.

Prayer to the Honest Cross

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

Or briefly:

Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honest and Life-giving Cross, and save me from all evil.

Prayer

Weaken, forgive, forgive, O God, our sins, voluntary and involuntary, even in word and in deed, even in knowledge and in ignorance, even in days and nights, even in mind and in thought: forgive us everything, for it is good and Lover of Humanity.

Prayer

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

Everyday confession of sins

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

When you go to bed, say:

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

Notes:

- Printed in italics (explanations and names of prayers) are not readable during prayer.

- When it is written “Glory”, “And now”, it must be read in full: “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen"

- In the Church Slavonic language there is no sound ё, and therefore it is necessary to read “we are calling”, not “we are calling”, “yours”, not “yours”, “mine”, not “mine”, etc.

The prayer rule should be read daily by every true Christian. The prayer book in Church Slavonic is most suitable for believers who are well acquainted with the works of the Orthodox religion and provides an opportunity to come into contact with eternity - to feel the connection of time between the birth of Christianity and modernity.

A collection of basic prayers for daily reading is designed to strengthen people's faith and contribute to their spiritual improvement. The Orthodox prayer book contains a variety of the most popular sacred texts, knowing which, a person can turn to the Lord for help in difficult moments of life that cannot be resolved without his support.

A prayer book in Church Slavonic, the language adopted in the times of Cyril and Methodius, allows you to fully experience the mystery of prayer and is an excellent gymnastics for the developing inquisitive human mind.

At first it will seem that ancient letters are heavy and inconvenient to read, especially when they are written in Old Church Slavonic script, but if you start with the sacred texts that the complete church prayer book contains, then soon this activity will be so fascinating that you want to study and enrich your vocabulary with more and more new ones (forgotten old) words that are the heritage of their ancestors for the Slavs. In addition, prayer books are often equipped with a brief dictionary-interpreter of Old Church Slavonic words and phrases.

Church Slavonic language: basics

It is, of course, best to start learning an ancient “dead” language from childhood. The initial assimilation of images that symbolize Old Church Slavonic words is much more productive than banal memorization of alphabetic characters. It’s not easy to understand, because this language arose solely for the needs of the church, based not on the Old Russian, but on the Old Bulgarian language.

In a believing family, prayer texts are first memorized by the child by ear, because prayers are sung, not read, so they are easy to understand. Then you can invite the child to create his own prayer book, where the main prayers that are already familiar to the child will be listed. The brochure should be signed to make it “native”, personalized. So the child will immediately, without being reminded, take his own book and read the morning and evening rules.

If a family lives, literally, the life and culture of the Orthodox Church, then instilling a love for the Church Slavonic language in its children will not be difficult at all.

For an adult, in addition to self-studying at home, it would be useful to attend church services (possibly with a prayer book) and, listening to the priest’s chants, compare them with the text written in Church Slavonic, so to speak, develop memory in two ways - aurally and visually.

The Orthodox Church is reluctant to part with the usual dogmas and canons, extremely slowly accepting the technologies and new norms emerging in the world. Originally written down in Church Slavonic, the prayers of Byzantine priests are still used today. And the fact that the majority of parishioners, who are not examples of a true believer, understand prayer at best, through the word, is not a reason to translate it into familiar Russian, from the point of view of Orthodoxy.

Features of the Church Slavonic prayer book

The ancient Slavic language differs from the modern one not so much in words as in accents and auxiliary unreadable letters, such as a solid sign at the end of words, as well as a bizarre font that is difficult for the untrained eye to perceive. If you are serious about conquering linguistics and making this language your own, it is better to purchase a textbook of the Church Slavonic language. To read prayers in the Old Russian dialect, you can use the dictionary application in the prayer book. With it, getting to know Church Slavonic will be easier.

The complete Orthodox prayer book in Church Slavonic contains the standard prayer rule (a set of mandatory prayers) and canons (brief and in full): to the Mother of God, Jesus and St. Andrew of Crete (penitential canon). The collection also includes sacred texts offered for reading on icons of saints and for all needs.

Slavic prayers are comparable to a strong amulet. They can help in a variety of endeavors and matters. It is noteworthy that in ancient times, people turned to their ancient deities in prayer requests. After the advent of Christianity, the meaning of the texts of Slavic prayers did not change, but in their prayer appeals, believing Slavs began to turn to God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Theotokos and other Saints.

For Slavic prayers to be effective, they should be read in a positive mood, and there should be no evil present in the soul.

The main commandments of the ancient Slavs when reading prayers are as follows:

• To honor sacredly means to recognize the power of the bright sides of life.
• To honor - translated from the Old Slavonic “CHI” - is the energy of life, and the word “thief” means “to appropriate.” The general interpretation is to receive light power from the Gods and fill your own soul with it.
• Praise - in prayers the Gods are glorified, but their power is not used to solve their own problems.
• To live according to conscience - “SO” in the Old Slavonic language meant joint good news. This meant that you should not do to others what you do not wish for yourself.
• Living in harmony with the surrounding nature - this made it possible to find life harmony in accordance with natural vibrations.

In ancient times, the Slavs prayed at temples. This ancient pagan temple, which was always located behind an equipped altar, used to install various sacred objects. In these places, not only prayers were offered to the Gods, but also rituals were performed by priests.

Today, an improvised “temple” can be arranged in your own apartment on a separate table. To do this, you need to choose a place for the altar and place images of the deity on it. It is best to carve it out of wood with your own hands. This will allow you to fill the idol with your energy.

When equipping a place for offering Slavic prayers, the following requirements must be met:

• The created deity should be placed on a piece of new fabric, and a small natural stone should be placed next to it.
• Provide a place to place candles and incense.
• Place the ritual dish and cup.

If you live in a private house, then it is recommended to offer Slavic prayers in nature. For example, to do this you can go to a tree. It is also recommended to travel outside the city to pray to the ancient Slavic gods. In this case, the best place is considered to be a spring.

More important are the basic rules that must be followed when reading Slavic prayers:

• The texts of ancient appeals to the Slavic gods are pronounced in a whisper, but very clearly.
• You can only pray if you are healthy and in a good mood, otherwise your prayers will not be heard.
• There must be faith in the soul that Slavic prayers are effective and contribute to the harmonization of life.

Read morning prayers

The most famous morning prayer of the ancient Slavs is considered to be the appeal to Dazhdbog.

It sounds in modern Russian as follows:

“The Red sun is rising on the eastern side, I praise you, our Dazhdbozh, as the whole world is illuminated with a bright light and filled with joy. My soul wants grace, since I am your Grandson (Granddaughter), May God. I look at the sky, which wakes up with the sun and fills my heart with joyful trembling. At this moment Dazhdbog enters my soul. Accept my greetings, Clear Morning Sun! My soul is open to you, bless it, fill my body with health, make me strong and strong, so that my life becomes blessed. Without You, Clear Sun, no one will be able to breathe or move. I am waiting for your blessing, Dazhdbog, for lightness and clarity, so that all my good undertakings will be successful on this day, and Falsehood and Untruth may sink into a deep Pit! Glory to Dazhdbog!”

The Slavs also often read morning praise.

Its text goes like this:

“Kin of the Most High! You are one for us, but in many manifestations. You are the true Light for us and the only Justice. You exude Eternal Life, you are a spring of boundless Love. You heal our souls and hearts. We praise you, come to us and rule us. We bring glory to you through our work, becoming wiser and stronger every day of our lives. We are true defenders of the Bright World and our righteous Family. You, God, inspire us, fill us with joy, bestow courage and perseverance, teach us patience. This will allow us to pass our life's path with honor. Thank you God."

Text of evening prayers

The list of Slavic prayers also includes a special prayer that is recommended to be read in the evening hour.

It sounds like this:

“Kin of the Most High! I glorify You as your blood child. Night has come to the Earth, Veles steps on it. Our souls walk in the night through Nav, calling to their ancestors in deep sleep. Veles the Father will take care of our souls, so that we will meet Dazhdbog with joy in our souls in the morning. Glory to the Native Gods!

Also often before going to bed, prayers were read for one’s family. Such praise might sound like this:

“Kin of the Most High! I call upon God’s blessing Light into our lives! Come and bless with your strength! Natural water - spring, cleanse our souls and thoughts, bring health. Life was born thanks to you, so renew our souls, fill our family with strength. Let our children be stronger and wiser than us. Amen".

When they talk about ancient Slavic prayers of the Slavs, they mean traditional ritual words that the Slavs used to communicate with Higher powers. The word “prayer” was not present in Old Church Slavonic vocabulary. This is due to the fact that the Slavs glorified their Gods and... Unlike Christians, they never asked them for anything. That is why the Slavs called appeals to God “glorification.”

Glorifications or appeals to the Higher Powers have always been a mandatory attribute of all major ritual holidays. In addition, every day the ancient Slavs read morning and evening praises; such prayers were offered before meals, before traveling and before starting any business. But it should be understood that ancient Slavic prayers were not canon, turning to God was not considered an obligatory event, it was necessary to do this only when the desire arose. For example, if a person wanted to praise God for a successful day, then he did it. Very often praises were offered to Perun for his victory over his enemies.

Ancient Slavic prayers are very diverse. It is important to choose the right prayer address. The words must be pronounced very sincerely and it is not at all necessary to follow the existing texts. It is allowed to replace both individual words and individual phrases in your own way. It is important that prayer comes from the depths of the soul.

There is no such thing as a “main ancient Slavic prayer.” The prayers of the ancient people are distinguished by their individuality. In order to understand how ancient Slavic prayers were read, you need to get acquainted with the folklore and ethnography of the Slavs.

Video: prayer of the old monk Julia Slavyanskaya