How to pray correctly at home: how to get in the right mood. How to pray correctly at home, in church, in front of an icon, relics, so that God hears and helps us: Orthodox church rules. Is it possible and how to pray correctly in your own words? What are the main prayers

How to pray correctly, and what is prayer? This is a verbal appeal to the Lord, in which requests and laudatory speeches are made. Just as blood is important for the body, so it is for the soul; whoever does not make conversions is dead in soul. Saying the words of prayer, they glorify the greatness of God, thank him for his mercy, ask for satisfaction of needs and forgiveness of sins. Therefore, behind the content of the prayer there are laudatory, grateful and petitionary. Also external - in the walls of the house in front of the icons, and internal - produced in religious buildings. When praying at home, in front of an icon, you need to turn to God verbally, at the same time apply the banner of the cross, and worship the icons. The Christian faith involves praying three times a day.

In the morning, as gratitude for the night we survived and asking for blessings for the coming day.

During the day, before and after meals, starting and finishing work.

In the evening, when you go to bed, pray with gratitude about your day and your ability to survive the night.

Inner prayer is accessible only to a few who have achieved perfection and received a special gift of prayer, that is, to ministers of the church; it is performed without bodily movements.

How to pray correctly in church, in front of an icon?

In the temple, everyone who comes performs the prayer verbally and putting their hearts in, glorifying the Creator of all living things, this is the place of God’s home, in which he is closer to all those who pray. The meager prayer of one is filled by the faith of another and is complemented by the lips of a clergyman and singers. The behavior of parishioners in the temple should correspond to the location; behave quietly, reverently, surrendering to prayer.

Have you ever paid attention to the shape of the buildings of temples and churches? It is no coincidence that their design is made in an oblong, cross-shaped or round shape. An elongated structure in churches, as a symbol of Noah’s saving ark, a structure made with a cross is a symbol of the fact that the church received its beginning and strength through the cross, a round building means eternity and invincibility.

To reproduce prayer within the walls of the temple, there are certain recommendations.

1. Before you begin, prepare yourself mentally, stand silently for a while, with your eyes closed, until your scattered thoughts come together and feel the silence.
2. Imagine yourself in front of the face of God to whom you are turning.
3. Pray with strong faith, that's the only way it will make sense.
4. Pronounce the address with humility and repentance for sins.
5. Ask for earthly needs, faith, love, hope, humility, spiritual wisdom, devotion to the will of God, do not pray for wealth, power and fame.
6. You need to pray only by forgiving your enemies, otherwise, if you have not forgiven, you yourself will not be forgiven.

Also, turning to God, you can pray for another person, while simply mentioning his name in the saying in the context of who he is in relation to you, and after the phrase - servant of God (name).

How to pray for the dead correctly?

In the Christian faith there is no darkness of death, but only rest, dormition in the hope of the joy of the morning of resurrection, that is, rebirth in a new appearance. There is the concept of a second death, more terrible than the death of the body - the death of the soul, therefore we pray for the peace of the soul and body that have left earthly life. To console the relatives and peace of mind of the deceased, the Psalter is read, mainly by church employees; after the burial, a liturgy must be ordered; the magpie will be performed by the priest within forty days, while the soul of the dead seeks refuge. You can come to the temple on your own and honor the deceased, take with you a donation for those in need, it could be bread, sugar, sunflower oil, cereals, leave what you brought on the alms table. Icons in temples for the deceased, as a rule, they are placed separately from the rest; they are distinguished by the rectangular shape of the candlestick. Buy candles, light them and put them in a candlestick, write a note for the repose, with the name of the deceased, and leave them in a box; if it’s difficult to navigate, contact the employees, they will not refuse help. When praying, say the name of the one remembering, ask for the repose of the soul and the eternal kingdom. You need to pray on certain memorial days, otherwise you will disturb the soul of the deceased unnecessarily.

May your prayers be heard, your thoughts pure, and your souls live forever.

Prayer is not just asking and thanking God. This is a way to become a little closer to the light forces of the invisible world. Often in a conflict or extreme situation, prayer “to yourself” helps a lot, calming not only you, but also those around you, and miraculously changing the situation. There are special prayers that allow you to protect yourself from demons. They are useful in situations where you feel unmotivated fear or have obsessive thoughts. Any sincere prayer is effective. However, you still need to know how to pray correctly.

As a rule, an Orthodox Christian is required to pray in the morning, evening before and after meals, as well as prayer in church every day. Those of us who did not go to Sunday school were not taught how to pray properly. Usually, at first it is not very difficult to pray; an inquisitive person is interested in every word in prayer and he is interested in the very words of the spoken prayer. Then the time comes when you have to force yourself to pray, the words are no longer new, and thoughts easily dissipate. However, if you don’t give up the habit of praying, then after a while each word of prayer will become for you as if the note of your favorite song, you will begin to catch yourself saying many prayers to yourself “in a chant”, this especially often happens if a person regularly goes to church. church services. A good alternative to intrusive music that is difficult to get out of your head.

First, let's discuss how to pray correctly at home. You need to purchase a small book with morning and evening prayers. A beginner need not immediately read the complete collection of prayers for the morning and evening - the “morning and evening rule.” There are several prayers that are read at the beginning of the rule, everyone must read them, and then there are numbered prayers that can be read partially, for example, three a day, ending the prayer with obligatory prayers (they come after the numbered ones). If you are preparing for communion, you need to read all the prayers. On average, reading prayers takes 20-25 minutes if you read them completely. How to read prayers correctly? Thinking about every word, saying prayers out loud or in a whisper. It is necessary to pronounce it, even with just your lips. This will allow you to better tune in to prayer and quickly memorize prayers.

What to do if attention wanders? Some priests advise setting aside a certain time for prayer, for example, 15 minutes. If this is an ordinary day, and not when you need to read everything, then you need to read carefully and take care of yourself. As soon as you are distracted, return to the place that you remember and read until the allotted time is over. This fosters concentration, despite the fact that at first you will not have time to read some prayers.

Execution as well as observance of weekly fasting on Wednesday and Friday is very important. If you have very little time due to external circumstances, read the Creed once in the morning and evening, the Our Father three times, and the Hail Mary three times. This should only be done if you are truly short on time and there is a valid reason for the lack of time. The fact that the rule was reduced or was not followed must be admitted in confession. It is also obligatory to pray before and after meals; before meals you can read the “Our Father”, and after meals - a special prayer after meals.

How to pray in church correctly? The most important thing is not to draw attention to yourself unnecessarily and not to disturb others in their prayers. Kneel when everyone else does, light candles before or after the service, if you are not standing near a candlestick, do not walk around the temple unless absolutely necessary. It is customary for women to pray on the left side of the temple, and for men on the right. But this rule is not always observed, especially if few men go to a given church. In the queue for Confirmation and Communion, it is customary to let men go first. You can buy a book about the liturgy, which outlines the main prayers, this will allow you to focus on what is happening and better understand what is happening, praying “silently” with the choir.

Most of us are far from being the “geniuses of religiosity” - saints, but God also needs our prayer. These may not be Church Slavonic words, but a sincere call from the heart. God will hear and help, especially in difficult situations. Just call him in prayer.

Some Orthodox believers do not always know how to behave in church, what traditions and customs to observe in church, how to pray correctly in church and be baptized. For the correct behavior of an Orthodox Christian in church, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the following rules that will help you.

All over the world, from the Holy Fathers, Orthodox Christians, before entering the temple, make the sign of the cross with three small bows and say at the same time:

“He who created me, O Lord, have mercy.”

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

“I have sinned beyond number, Lord, forgive me.”

In the Church you need to bow to the right and left, stand still and listen to prayers, psalms that are read in the church, but at this time you do not read your own prayers to yourself, do not read from books of other prayers that are currently read in the Church.

Bows must be done not at will, but as established: when “Holy God” (Trisagion), “Come, let us worship,” as well as the threefold “Alleluia” are read, it is necessary to make the sign of the cross three times, while making small bows. The same actions must be performed at the beginning of the doxology “Glory to God in the highest,” as well as after the priest says “Glory to Thee, Christ God, our hope.” It is necessary to make the sign of the cross with a small bow after each exclamation of the priest and when reading “The Most Honest Cherub.”

During the liturgy on weekdays it is necessary to bow to the ground:

- at the very beginning of singing “Worthy and Righteous”;

— at the beginning of reading the prayer “Our Father”;

- at the end of the prayers “We sing to you” and “It is worthy to eat”

- when pronouncing the words “Always, now and ever”;

- At the all-night vigil or morning service, when it is said “Let us exalt the Virgin Mary and Mother of Light in song.”

On Sundays, as well as during the periods from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany, from Easter to Trinity, on the days of the Transfiguration and Exaltation, the holy apostles are prohibited from kneeling and bowing to the ground.

In Orthodoxy, Christians do not kneel during prayers; this is not allowed by the Orthodox Church and the Church Charter. Only when the priest says “Pack and pack, kneel” can they throw themselves to the ground and get up again.

You need to be baptized in church at the moment when people are overshadowed by the cross, the Chalice, the Gospel or an image, and you need to bow your head. At the moment when they bless with their hands, light candles, burn incense, Orthodox Christians should not cross themselves at this moment, they just need to bow their heads. After all, there should be different worship between shrines and people, even if it is a priest. The only time when a priest with a Cross in his hand censes on the Bright Week of Easter, at that moment you need to cross yourself and say “Truly He is Risen.”

When you accept the blessing of a priest, you only need to kiss the right hand, but do not cross yourself before that. And clergy don’t kiss their left hand, only their right hand, through which he conveys a blessing to you.

The sign of the cross is carried out as follows: fold three fingers of the right hand, place it first on the forehead, then on the belly, on the right and then on the left shoulder. After you have applied the cross to yourself, you need to bend over. Do not bend down until you have completed the signs, and do not wave your hand during the sign in the air. Precisely, correctly, with faith and reverence, the perfect sign of the cross will frighten demons, console sinful passions, and also attract Divine grace.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ICONS IN THE HOUSE
Savior Not Made by Hands

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We present to you other options for prayers before meals:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The LORD save and preserve you!!!

Any self-respecting believer should know how to pray correctly at home or in church in front of an icon. Prayer is the most important component of the spiritual life of an Orthodox Christian. Like a mental tuning fork, it tunes the believer’s consciousness to the correct, pure sound, corresponding to Christ’s commandments.

Prayer plays several important roles in a person’s life:

• helps the believer to conduct a dialogue with the Higher Powers, glorify God, and ask him for help;
• allows you to overcome the worldly barriers that stand between the Redeemer and man;
• gives a feeling of the presence of God, but also receives answers from Above.
• brings consolation in moments of grief, peace in times of mental turmoil, a feeling of sincere gratitude in joyful days, and reminds of the greatness of the Savior.

The best place for prayer is church. An ideal atmosphere has been created here for communicating with the Almighty: silence, a large number of images, the opportunity to buy candles. The believer is surrounded by like-minded people who will not show either annoying interest or disrespect. Priests or church officials will be happy to tell you how to properly pray in church in front of an icon and help you find the image of the desired saint. Temples are perfect for both collective prayers during services and for individual conversations with God.

However, the church imposes certain requirements on believers. Men must remove their headdress when entering the temple; women enter the temple with their heads covered, showing their humility and modesty. Women should not come into church wearing short skirts and very bright clothes; they are inappropriate in God's house and distract the believers.

You can pray in a church anywhere, but usually Christians communicate with the Saints and God by standing near icons and placing candles next to them.

However, the false stereotype that you need to pray only in church alienates a Christian from the Savior. The hectic and busy life rhythm of a modern person sometimes does not allow him to attend church often. Soul-saving prayer leaves his life. He remembers Christ and his covenants less often and becomes more vulnerable to sin and temptation.

You need to pray daily. But how to find time in a busy schedule of tasks and responsibilities? You can try to turn to the Almighty in transport, at a bus stop or in a queue, but in such conditions it is very difficult to concentrate, to immerse yourself in a process that requires constant awareness and sincerity from the believer.

Therefore, home prayer seems to be the best option for a busy person. People associate their home, like a temple, with a feeling of peace and security. At home it is easier to find the necessary time and create the necessary conditions.

General principles

You don’t need any special skills on how to pray at home. There are no strict rules either. The main thing is to have Faith, the desire to pray and time. For the rest, it is enough to follow the advice of wise priests: “just talk to the Almighty.” The prayer can be long or very short. As the Holy Fathers say: the Savior needs a person’s heart, not his words. Words are secondary, what is primary is the open, strong connection that arises between the believer and God.

Preparation of spirit and body

For prayer to become a heartfelt dialogue with the Savior, the believer needs to prepare his spirit for it. You need to be able to renounce the vanity of the world and immerse yourself in prayer. Therefore, it is extremely unwise to start praying when the mind is irritated, offended or angry.

This is a sacrament and a holiday for a Christian, because during it comes a feeling of the presence of God, an understanding of his love and greatness. Therefore, reverence and peace should reign in the soul. It is from the silence and peace of the heart that the necessary words addressed to the Higher Powers grow.

Equally important is the preparation and participation of the body. Before prayer, it is advisable to wash and put on clean clothes. Of course, this is not an unconditional rule, but this way the believer will be able to more deeply feel the solemnity and importance of the moment, because it concerns the salvation of his soul.

It is best to pray standing or kneeling, although prayer while sitting or even lying down is allowed, this is especially true for sick and elderly people. As with words, God wants the believer's heart, not his feet.

Prayer should be accompanied by special gestures: signs of the cross, kneeling, bowing. They create the right emotional mood and help you focus on the spoken words.

Correct Concentration

Requires high concentration. We must not allow extraneous, vain thoughts that distract from sacred communion with God. However, the consciousness of a modern person is constantly in an intense information flow; many people hardly know how to concentrate, control the train of thoughts in their own minds. Their brains seem to operate in autonomous mode, tirelessly and almost uncontrollably generating thoughts unrelated to prayer.

It is very difficult to fight such autonomy, but it is necessary. To do this, it is better to start with short prayers that allow you to tune in and not lose focus. When the ability to cut off extraneous thoughts develops, you can move on to more complex and lengthy prayers.

Another danger lies in becoming accustomed to spoken words. For example, reading the same prayers every day, a believer tends to lose concentration and awareness, understanding the meaning of words, he begins to automatically repeat them, sometimes trying to do it as quickly as possible. The true meaning of prayer, its goal: the unity of a person’s soul with the Savior, is lost. The Holy Fathers have repeatedly called upon us to constantly guard our minds and thoughts, that is, to be able to include our own mind in every word of prayer.

Icons and candles

If there are no icons in your home, then you can choose any convenient place for prayer, for example, a quiet room or a window facing east. Communication with the Almighty and the Saints can take place without images. Moreover, clergy warn believers about the dangers of idolatry.

No matter how ancient and prayerful an icon may be, it is only a means to help the believer during prayer. It is correct to pray to the Saints, as the clergy teach, and not to the icons on which the Saints are depicted. Images should not replace or obscure the object of prayer from the believer.

But with a reasonable attitude, the icon provides invaluable assistance to the person praying: it awakens the desire to pray, tunes the spirit in a suitable mood, helps to discard unnecessary thoughts and find hidden words. The image is essentially an embodied prayer, a window into another, higher world.

Lamps and candles also help with prayers. A candle is a symbol of a Christian’s spiritual aspiration to the Savior. Melting wax symbolizes the desire to repent of one’s own sins and readiness to obey God’s Providence. The flame signifies the prayerful feeling of the believer. The presence of a candle is not a prerequisite, but it is better to light it, this will make communication with God deeper and more pious.

Choosing a Prayer

As already mentioned, for God, the true faith and hearts of those praying come first, rather than the words addressed to Him or the language in which these words are spoken. In Orthodoxy it is believed that a believer must know by heart at least five basic prayers:

• "Our Father";
• "King of Heaven";
• "Symbol of faith";
• “It is worthy to eat”;
• "Virgin Mother of God, rejoice."

An appeal to God can be very short and consist of simple words coming from the depths of the soul, it can be limited to a few readings of “Our Father” and “Lord, have mercy,” or it can be many hours of reading prayers. Every Christian is free to pray as his heart tells him.

A prayer book is very helpful, which contains all the main prayers: thanksgiving, holiday, evening, morning, as well as akathists, canons and other useful prayer information.

Objects of Prayer

Before starting prayer, it is advisable for the believer to imagine for whom he will ask God for mercy. This will help avoid confusion in thoughts and bring order to the prayer rule. Usually, In Orthodoxy it is customary to pray:

Daily Habit

Sometimes, citing business or lack of proper mood, a believer refuses the usual prayer. The Holy Fathers and priests warn against such behavior, which can become a habit. You cannot give in to laziness and worldly vanity; you must remember that prayer is necessary for the soul. In moments of weakness, you need to force yourself to pray by willpower, because the matter concerns the salvation of the eternal soul.

The best option for a believer is to strictly follow the prayer rule, that is, regularly read certain prayers day after day. The rule is selected according to the circumstances and capabilities of the person. It can consist only of short prayers, which will take no more than five minutes, or it can last an hour and include long texts from the prayer book. But in any case, it is important to follow the rule constantly, over time turning it into a mandatory and desirable habit.