Favourite prayers

[Andreas Moran]

I wonder if members would like to share favourite prayers which may or may not be well known? And perhaps share why they are favourites.

To start off, here is one of mine. It is significant because the Kazan icon of the Mother of God featured very much in my first visit to Russia to meet Lydia. The prayer is that at the end of the Akathist to the Kazan Mother of God.

Prayer before the Wonderworking Icon of Our Lady of Kazan
(kneeling [except from Pascha to Pentecost])


O All-holy Queen and Lady Theotokos; falling with faith and love before thy precious icon, we pray thee: Turn not thy face away from them that run unto thee; pray thy Son and Our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, O compassionate Mother, that He preserve us in peace and that He keep His Holy Church unmoved by disbelief, heresy or schism; for we have no other helper, no other hope save thee, O All-pure Virgin. Thou art the almighty succour and defender of Christians. Deliver all who pray unto thee with love from assaults of sin, from the attacks of evil men, from all temptations, afflictions and distress, and from sudden death; grant unto us a contrite spirit, a humble heart, pure thoughts, amendment of our sinful lives, and remission of our sins, that we may thankfully sing the praises of thy great things; and be vouchsafed the eternal kingdom. Amen.

[Effie Ganatsios]

I say these 4 prayers every day :

Prayer for the Acceptance of God's Will

Lord, I do not know what to ask of You. You alone know my true needs. You love me more than I know how to love. Help me to see clearly my real needs which I do not see. I open my heart to You. Visit and help me, for Your Great Mercy's sake. Examine and reveal to me my faults and sins. I put all my trust in You. I have no other desire than to fulfill Your will. Teach me how to pray. Pray in me. Amen.


Prayer of Metropolitan Philaret

Lord, give me the strength to greet the coming day in peace. Help me in all things to rely on Your holy will. Reveal Your will to me every hour of the day. Bless my dealings with all people. Teach me to treat all people who come to me throughout the day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings. In unexpected events, let me not forget that all are sent by you. Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give me the physical strength to bear the labors of this day. Direct my will, teach me to pray, pray in me. Amen.

Prayer III, to the Holy Spirit

0 Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, show compassion and have mercy on me Thy sinful servant, and loose me from mine unworthiness, and forgive all wherein I have sinned against Thee today as a man, and not only as a man, but even worse than a beast, my sins voluntary and involuntary, known and unknown, whether from youth, and from evil suggestion, or whether from brazenness and despondency. If I have sworn by Thy name, or blasphemed it in my thought; or grieved anyone, or have become angry about anything; or have lied, or slept needlessly, or if a beggar hath come to me and I disdained him; or if I have grieved my brother, or have quarrelled, or have condemned anyone; or if I have been boastful, or prideful, or angry; if, as I stood at prayer, my mind hath been distracted by the wiles of this world, or by thoughts of depravity; or if I have over eaten, or have drunk excessively, or laughed frivolously; if I have thought evil, seen the beauty of an! other and been wounded thereby in my heart; if I have said improper things, or derided my brother's sin when mine own sins are countless; if I have been neglectful of prayer, or have done some other wrong that I do not remember, for all of this and more than this have I done: have mercy, 0 Master my Creator, me Thy downcast and unworthy servant, and loose me, and remit, and forgive me, for Thou art good and the Lover of mankind, so that, lustful, sinful, and wretched as I am, I may lie down and sleep and rest in peace. And I shall worship, and hymn, and glorify Thy most honourable name, together with the Father and His Only-begotten Son, now and ever, and unto the ages.

And our Panayia :

It is truly meet to bless thee, the Theotokos, ever-blessed and most blameless and Mother of our God. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.

Amen.

Why do I love these prayers?

The first because it tells me that God's Will be done not mine, and it makes me realize that accepting God's will in my life is the way to peace.

The second because, saying it every morning, allows me to remember who is in charge of my life, and that no matter what the day brings, He is with me. This prayer is sort of like an energy charge............

The third I like because it allows me to "take stock" of what I have been doing all day, and it shows me where I have sinned.

I love the fourth because it is my way of honouring our Lady Theotokos and remembering that She is always with me.

This is a really nice thread, Andreas. Thank you for thinking of it.

Effie

[Anthony Stokes]

Prayer of Metropolitan Philaret
Lord, give me the strength to greet the coming day in peace. Help me in all things to rely on Your holy will. Reveal Your will to me every hour of the day. Bless my dealings with all people. Teach me to treat all people who come to me throughout the day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings. In unexpected events, let me not forget that all are sent by you. Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give me the physical strength to bear the labors of this day. Direct my will, teach me to pray, pray in me. Amen


I was going to say this one as well, but in a slight variation, and attributed as the Prayer of the Optina Elders:
"O Lord, grant that I may meet all that this coming day brings to me with spiritual tranquility. Grant that I may fully surrender myself to Thy holy will. At every hour of this day, direct and support me in all things. Whatsoever news may reach me in the course of this day, teach me to accept it witha a calm soul and the firm conviction that all is subject to Thy holy Will. Direct my thoughts and feelings in all my words and actions. In all unexpected occurrences, do not let me forget that all is sent down from Thee. Grant that I may deal straightforwardly with anyone I meet, neither embarrassing nor saddening anyone. O Lord, grant me the strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events that take place during it. Direct my will and teach me to pray, to believe, to hope, to be patient, to forgive, and to love. Amen."

I keep a copy of that one in my wallet just in case I need it during the day, and we say it in our family morning prayers.

I would also add the 2nd set of 24 prayers for the day by St. John Chrysostom:
"O Lord, accept me in repentance.
O Lord, abandon me not.
O Lord, lead me not into temptation.
O Lord, grant me good thoughts.
O Lord, grant me tears and remembrance of death and compunction.
O Lord, grant me the thought of confessing my sins.
O Lord, grant me humility, chastity and obedience.
O Lord, grant me patience, magnanimity and meekness.
O Lord, plant in me the root of all blessings, the Thy fear in my heart.
O Lord, enable me to love Thee with all my mind and soul, and in all things to do Thy will.
O Lord, protect me from certain people, and demons, and passions, and from every other unseemly thing.
O Lord, Thou knowest that Thou doest as Thou will; may Thy will be also in me, a sinner, for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.

Subdeacon Anthony

[Marianthy]

I love to say this prayer to Panagia. I do not have the words to express my love and gratitude to her. I have a book of homilies that I read over and over again by St. Gregory...I would read it while lying on my mother's couch when i was recovering from surgery and it would fill my heart. I am sorry this prayer is in Greek. If anyone would like to translate, please do!

' Υπεράγαθε Δέσποινα Θεοτόκε, επάκουσον της οικτράς μου δεήσεως
και μη καταισχύνης με από της προσδοκίας μου,η μετά Θεόν ελπίς πάντων
των περάτων της γης. Τον βρασμόν της σαρκός μου κατάσβεσον. Τον εν τη
ψυχή μου αγριότατον κλύδωνα κατεύνασον. Τον πικρόν θυμόν καταπράϋνον.
Τον τύφον και την αλαζονείαν της ματαίας οιήσεως εκ του νοός μου
αφάνισον. Τας νυκτερινάς φαντασίας των πονηρών πνευμάτων και τας
μεθημερινάς των ακαθάρτων εννοιών προσβολάς εκ της καρδίας μου μείωσον.
Παίδευσόν με την γλώσσαν λαλείν τα συμφέροντα. Δίδαξον τους οφθαλμούς
μου βλέπειν ορθώς της αρετής την ευθύτητα. Τους πόδας μου τρέχειν
ανυποσκελίστως ποίησον την μακαρίαν οδόν των του Θεού εντολών. Τας
χείρας μου αγιασθήναι παρασκεύασον , ίνα αξίως αίρω αυτάς προς τον
Ύψιστον. Κάθαρόν μου το στόμα, ίνα μετά παρρησίας επικαλείται Πατέρα
τον φοβερόν Θεόν και πανάγιον. Άνοιξόν μου τα ώτα, ίνα ακούω αισθητώς
και νοητώς τα υπέρ μέλι και κηρίον γλυκύτερα των αγίων Γραφών λόγια ,
και βιώ κατ ' αυτά από σου κραταιούμενος.

Δια γαρ σου , πανύμνητε και υπεράγαθε Δέσποινα, περισώζεται πάσα
βροτεία φύσις αινούσα και ευλογούσα Πατέρα, Υιόν και Άγιον Πνεύμα, την
παναγίαν Τριάδα και ομοούσιον, πάντοτε, νυν και αεί και εις τους αιώνας
των αιώνων.Aμήν. '

[Effie Ganatsios]

I was going to say this one as well, but in a slight variation, and attributed as the Prayer of the Optina Elders:
"O Lord, grant that I may meet all that this coming day brings to me with spiritual tranquility. Grant that I may fully surrender myself to Thy holy will. At every hour of this day, direct and support me in all things. Whatsoever news may reach me in the course of this day, teach me to accept it witha a calm soul and the firm conviction that all is subject to Thy holy Will. Direct my thoughts and feelings in all my words and actions. In all unexpected occurrences, do not let me forget that all is sent down from Thee. Grant that I may deal straightforwardly with anyone I meet, neither embarrassing nor saddening anyone. O Lord, grant me the strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events that take place during it. Direct my will and teach me to pray, to believe, to hope, to be patient, to forgive, and to love. Amen."

I keep a copy of that one in my wallet just in case I need it during the day, and we say it in our family morning prayers.

I would also add the 2nd set of 24 prayers for the day by St. John Chrysostom:
"O Lord, accept me in repentance.
O Lord, abandon me not.
O Lord, lead me not into temptation.
O Lord, grant me good thoughts.
O Lord, grant me tears and remembrance of death and compunction.
O Lord, grant me the thought of confessing my sins.
O Lord, grant me humility, chastity and obedience.
O Lord, grant me patience, magnanimity and meekness.
O Lord, plant in me the root of all blessings, the Thy fear in my heart.
O Lord, enable me to love Thee with all my mind and soul, and in all things to do Thy will.
O Lord, protect me from certain people, and demons, and passions, and from every other unseemly thing.
O Lord, Thou knowest that Thou doest as Thou will; may Thy will be also in me, a sinner, for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.

Subdeacon Anthony''

Subdeacon Anthony, I think I like your version better.

Effie

[Andreas Moran]

Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered; let them that hate Him flee from before His face: as smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish; as wax melteth before the fire, so let the demons perish before the face of them that love God and sign themselves with the sign of the Cross and say in gladness: Rejoice, O most honourable and life-giving Cross of the Lord, driving away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Who wast crucified on thee, Who descended into Hades, and trampled down the power of the devil, and granted us His honourable Cross, to repulse every foe. O most honourable and life-giving Cross of the Lord, help me, together with the holy Virgin Lady Mother of God, and with all the saints unto the ages. Amen.

This is a favourite, especially of my wife's, because of its power against assaults of evil and against any sort of threat. I've only seen it in Russian prayer books in which it appears at the end of evening prayers.

[Effie Ganatsios]

Andreas, this is a little off topic, but your last prayer made me think of it.

Do Russian mothers make the sign of the cross over their children to bless them and do Russians make the sign of the cross when they leave the house in the morning?

I was just wondering whether the above are done only here in Greece or whether they are universal.

Effie

[Jonathan Michael]

Effie,

I was reading Anna Karenina by Tolstoy recently and he describes exactly that: mothers making the sign of the cross over their children, and even spouses blessing each other in a likewise manner when they meet. Of course, it's hardly an up-to-date source, so I don't know if it's still common practice!

Andreas,

The beginning of that excellent prayer sounded awfully like a Psalm in content and style, so I looked it up and found this:

"Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered: and let those who hate Him flee from His face. As smoke vanisheth, let them vanish: as wax melteth from the face of fire, thus let the sinners perish from the face of God. And let the righteous be glad and rejoice in the sight of God: and let them be glad with joyfulness. Sing unto God, sing praises unto His name: make a way to Him who goeth up into the west. God is His name. They shall be put to confusion from the face of Him who is the Father of the orphans, and the Judge of the widows. God is in His holy place: God, who maketh men to dwell with one mind in an house, bringing forth them that are bound with might, and equally those who provoke unto anger, who dwell in the sepulchres: God, when Thou wentest forth in the sight of Thy people, in passing into the desert."

Psalm 67/68: 1-7

[Olga]

Do Russian mothers make the sign of the cross over their children to bless them and do Russians make the sign of the cross when they leave the house in the morning?

I was just wondering whether the above are done only here in Greece or whether they are universal.

Effie

Yes, Effie, they certainly do. And it's not just Russian mothers. I know many Russian fathers who do the same. And many a mama or babushka making prosphori, kulichi, or any baked goods, makes the sign of the cross over the ingredients, over the mixed dough in the basin, and, before closing the oven, over the unbaked dough in the tin. Many also add a little holy water as part of the water used when making prosphori.

It is also common for someone embarking on a long car journey to cross himself as he sits in the driver's seat, then make the sign of the cross over the steering wheel, before driving off.

I would be very surprised if such practices are not part of other Slavic, Romanian or other cultures associated with Orthodoxy.



"Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered: and let those who hate Him flee from His face. As smoke vanisheth, let them vanish: as wax melteth from the face of fire, thus let the sinners perish from the face of God. And let the righteous be glad and rejoice in the sight of God: and let them be glad with joyfulness.


Very fittingly, these psalm verses are used as stikhera (canticles) between the verses of the Canon for the Resurrection.

[Andreas Moran]

Your question has been answered, Effie, but I would just say that Russians cross everybody and everything all the time! When we leave the house, we bow and cross ourselves before the icon corner in the hallway. Lydia crosses the front door after it's shut. When we have got into the car, we cross ourselves and I now can't drive off without saying, 'Gospodi blagoslovi'. In Moscow, Lydia's mother crosses us every time we leave the apartment and says 'spasi Gospodi' when we return. The prayer I posted starts off in Slavonic, 'Voskresne Bog' (I think!), and I hear Lydia saying it quietly to herself very often. I've picked up the habit when cooking of pouring oil into the pan of doing it in the sign of the cross.

[Anthony Stokes]

Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered; let them that hate Him flee from before His face: as smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish; as wax melteth before the fire, so let the demons perish before the face of them that love God and sign themselves with the sign of the Cross and say in gladness: Rejoice, O most honourable and life-giving Cross of the Lord, driving away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Who wast crucified on thee, Who descended into Hades, and trampled down the power of the devil, and granted us His honourable Cross, to repulse every foe. O most honourable and life-giving Cross of the Lord, help me, together with the holy Virgin Lady Mother of God, and with all the saints unto the ages. Amen.
This is a favourite, especially of my wife's, because of its power against assaults of evil and against any sort of threat. I've only seen it in Russian prayer books in which it appears at the end of evening prayers.


In fact, tying in with question of crossing children, etc., this prayer is to be read while making the sign of the cross over your bed with your cross before sleep, at least in my prayer book.

My wife and I both make the sign of the cross over our daughter whenever we check on her sleeping at night.

Subdeacon Anthony

[Anthony Stokes]

''

Subdeacon Anthony, I think I like your version better.

Effie


That translation comes from the "Orthodox Prayer Book" published by St. Tikhon's Seminary Press, but it is now out of print. It's at the very end of the Morning Prayers. They have been saying that it will be reissued soon, but that has been for about 2 or 3 years now.

Subdeacon Anthony

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

That translation comes from the "Orthodox Prayer Book" published by St. Tikhon's Seminary Press, but it is now out of print. It's at the very end of the Morning Prayers. They have been saying that it will be reissued soon, but that has been for about 2 or 3 years now.

Subdeacon Anthony

These prayers are aso written in the Old Rite prayer book from Erie, Pa but at the end of the Evening prayers.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Andreas Moran]

These prayers are aso written in the Old Rite prayer book from Erie, Pa but at the end of the Evening prayers.

This is a beautiful book containing some lovely prayers which I haven't seen elsewhere.

[Michael Y.]

This is one of my favorite prayers:

At all times and in every hour, you are worshiped and glorified in heaven and on earth, Christ our God. Long in patience, great in mercy and compassion, you love the righteous and show mercy to sinners. You call all to salvation through the prom­ise of good things to come. Lord, receive our prayers at the present time. Direct our lives according to your commandments. Sanctify our souls. Purify our bodies. Set our minds aright. Cleanse our thoughts and deliver us from all sorrow, evil, and distress. Surround us with your holy an­gels that, guarded and guided by their host, we may arrive at the unity of the faith and the understanding of your ineffable glory. For you are blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.

[Effie Ganatsios]

When baking bread or phosphoro we also make the sign of the cross. My father in law, before cutting into a new loaf of bread would always make the sign of the cross with his knife. My husband's stepmother made the most delicious large round bread....mmm, I can still taste it.

I also make the sign of the cross when starting on a journey, and my husband crosses himself each time he passes a church, as do most people here.

After reading the above messages, I thought of the old posts concerning Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, American Orthodox etc. This matter of the sign of the cross is just one more example of how we are all just Orthodox without national differences.

Effie

[Nina]

In fact, tying in with question of crossing children, etc., this prayer is to be read while making the sign of the cross over your bed with your cross before sleep, at least in my prayer book.

Subdeacon Anthony

Yes, in my tradition it is the same. We cross our bed and also our pillow (since the head lies there and dreams and fantasies of the night may be cause for temptation) and also we say this part:

"Let God arise and all His enemies be scattered, and those who hate His Holy Name may flee from His Face."

- three times when in the midst of great temptation, or facing a great spiritual challenge.

Andreas, as Effie already said, thank you for starting this thread.

I can't decide which prayer is my favorite but I can mention several: those to the Holy Trinity, Christ, Panagia and Saints, most of the Psalms. And of course the 'Jesus Prayer' and 'Our Father'.

'Kirie ekekraksa', 'Soson Kirie ton Laon Sou' 'Theotoke Parthene' 'Fotizou, fotizou o Nea Jerusalim' (I have read that this was also one of the favority hymns of St. Seraphim of Sarov) 'Agni Parthene' 'Exomologisthe to Kirio' 'Aineite ton Kirion' 'Ton Patera Proskinizomen' and many more.

[Effie Ganatsios]

This is another prayer that I like :

"Prayer for Strength in Weakness

Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings,
You have power over life and death.
You know what is secret and hidden,
and neither our thoughts nor our
feelings are concealed from You.
Cure me of duplicity; I have done
evil before You. Now my life declines
from day to day and my sins increase.
O Lord, God of souls and bodies,
You know the extreme frailty of
my soul and my flesh.
Grant me strength in my weakness,
O Lord, and sustain me in my misery.
Give me a grateful soul that
I may never cease to recall Your benefits,
O Lord most bountiful. Be not mindful of my many sins,
but forgive me all my misdeeds.
O Lord, disdain not my prayer -
the prayer of a wretched sinner;
sustain me with Your grace until the end,
that it may protect me as in the past.
It is Your grace which has taught me wisdom;
blessed are they who follow her ways,
for they shall receive the crown of glory.
In spite of my unworthiness,
I praise You and I glorify You, O Lord,
for Your mercy to me is without limit.
You have been my help and my protection.
May the name of Your majesty be praised forever.
To you, our God, be glory.

Amen.

St. Ephrem of Syria"

[Nina]

Dearest Effie,

Thank you so much for this prayer. Love it! And it came in a very good moment.

[Andreas Moran]

Once when I fell badly, Fr Zacharias gave me a prayer to say. He said sometimes we need short, sharp 'arrows':


O Lord, I stumbled for I am blind. Give me strength to continue my life in peace. Lord, make up for what I cannot do myself

[Andrew]

Elder Joseph's Prayer Before Vigil

Lord Jesus Christ, sweetest Father, God and Lord of mercy, and Creator of all creation; look upon my humility and forgive my sins which I have commited all the years of my life up to this very day and hour. Send forth Thine All Holy Spirit, the Comforter, so that He may teach, illumine, and shelter me so that I shall not sin, so that with a pure soul and heart I may adore and worship, glorify, thank, and love Thee with all my soul and heart, my sweetest Savior, Benefactor, and God, who is worthy of all love and worship. Yes, good eternal Father, co-eternal Son, and All-Holy Spirit, count me worthy of enlightenment with divine spiritual knowledge, so that beholding thy sweet grace I may bear this vigil tonight, and render unto Thee my prayers and thanks, throught the intercessions of the Most Holy Theotokos and of all the Saints. Amen.


Prayer of Elder Ieronymos of Aegina

My Lord, Thou who becamest man for me, Thou wast reviled, Thou wast mocked, Thou wast spit upon, Thou wast scourged, Thou didst wear a crown of thorns, Thou wast crucified, Thou didst pour out Thy Precious Blood: whereas I have defiled Thine image by my sins, I implore Thee and entreat Thee, condemn me not, give me time for repentance and confession, that I may weep for my sins. Help me, O my God, because by myself, without Thy grace, I can do nothing.


There are a lot of good prayers in St. Nephon's Life, but I don't own this book (and it's no longer in print in English).

[Andreas Moran]

A PRAYER TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST


Lord Jesus Christ; I confess that thou art the Son of God. Wherefore do thou dwell in me and vouchsafe me to dwell in thee .

Teach me to love thee with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my strength, and with all my mind .

Teach me to love thee before all others, that I may be thy disciple .

Teach me to be meek and lowly in heart .

Teach me the truth, that the truth shall set me free .

Teach me to love all others, that thy love may be perfected in me .

Teach me to make my love perfect, that my fear may be cast out .

Teach me the love that thou hast to me, that I may dwell in love, dwell in thee, and thou in me .


Lines based on
1 John 4:15-17
Luke 10:27
Luke 14:26
Matthew 11:29
John 8:32
1 John 4:12
1 John 4:18
1 John 4:16

[Nina]

There are a lot of good prayers in St. Nephon's Life, but I don't own this book (and it's no longer in print in English).

Dear Andrew, thank you for reminding me. St. Nifon's prayers are truly beautiful.


And after he would eat and drink well [he did this to get back at the evil one for trying to keep him away from going to church/prayer and he did this with complete confidence in God's help], he would say to himself: "Think, Nephon, that as soon as a dog eats and drinks, he barks joyfully. Well, then, you too, since you also ate and drank of all the gifts of God, you must thank Him." Therefore, he would go to church, and with his hands raised to heaven, he would say:

"Glory to You, O Christ, my God, for filling me with Your earthly goods! I beg you, O Most Merciful One, do not deny me Your Heavenly Kingdom." p.7

[Nina]

"My Lord, do not permit men to glorify me. Do not permit them to show me admiration and respect. Give me instead the glory that remains in the ages. Because only then my spirit will rest, when it rejoices close to You."

St. Niphon p.13

[Nina]

While giving money/things to the poor:


"Thine own of Thine own we offer unto Thee on behalf of all and for all."

And he would bow his head first paying homage to the beggar with fear and trembling and he would explain: "It is not enough that Christ comes to our feet to beg, but must He also go through the trouble of begging us, imploring us and paying homage to us? No! But we must- according to His commandment - give him eagerly and console Him, so that we may have His mercy. Blessed is He who cares for Christ!"St. Nephon, pp-13-14

To be continued...

[Andrew]

While giving money/things to the poor:
St. Nephon, pp-13-14

To be continued...

I wish I had a copy of that book... I had to borrow it from a friend of mine. It is such a great one!

[Effie Ganatsios]

Dearest Effie,

Thank you so much for this prayer. Love it! And it came in a very good moment.

Nina, sweetheart, nothing is coincidence. If you needed it, God provided you with it.

I hope everything is OK with you.

Effie

[John King]

Andreas,

This is a very ancient Irish prayer, probably 400 AD or so:

I lie with God
May He lie with me.
God's shade above me,
An angel-girdle around my waist.
Where will you lie tonight?
Between Mary and her Son
between Bridget and her cloak
between Colm Cille and his shield
between God and His right hand.
Where will you rise tomorrow?
I will rise with Patrick.
Who are those before us?
Two hundred angels.
Who are those behind us?
The rest of God's people.
Close the ramparts on Hell
and open God's heavenly gate.
Let the great light out,
let the wretched soul in.
God have mercy upon us.
Son of the Virgin, receive our souls!


If anyone wants to have this in Irish Gaelic I will post it.

[Nicolaj]

I very much like the prayer the blind beggar Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus as he heard Jesus will pass near him:

Lord Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.

It is a very moving prayer, not using much words but it has to whole gospel within it. And it is the prayer that brought me to the Orthodox Church.

I also like the Creed as sung in the service by all and the Otschen Nash as well, very moving, heart touching and one day I hope to sing it in heaven along with the all saints and tears running down over my cheek as they do in church.

Christos voskrese, Nicolaj

[Andreas Moran]

Thank you for the Irish prayer, John.

. . .

I love the service of Vespers, and especially the hymns 'Blessed is the man' (which can be sung just as well in English to the Russian melody as in Slavonic), 'Svyeti Tikhi', and 'Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, Master'.

[Nina]

He raised his hands to the East and let a deep sigh escape from his heart:

"Father, accept the lifeless one, who lost his soul. Accept the den of sins. Accept the blasphemous one, the evil one, the shameless, the obscene, the polluted in soul and body. Accept the one enslaved in all demonic activities. Have mercy on me, the immoral, the thief, the transgressor, the abomination of sin. Have mercy on me, rich Fountain of mercy, and do not turn away Your good face from me. Lord, do not say: 'I do not know you!' Do not say: 'Where were you up to now?' Do not despise me, the dirt, the smoke, the corruption, the iniquity, the disgrace, the abomination, the rubbish, the ruins of the demons, the scandal of men. Do not turn away, Master, but have pity on me and save me. Because I know, Lover of man, that You 'have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he turn from his way and live.' I will not stop, until You have mercy on me, until You help me!..."St. Nephon

Stories, Sermons, and Prayers of St. Nephon: An Ascetic Bishop, p.20 http://www.monachos.net/forum/images/misc/progress.gif http://www.monachos.net/forum/images/buttons/edit.gif (http://www.monachos.net/forum/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=67288)

[Nina]

"O Lord, 'Who strechest out the heaven as it were a curtain' and adorned it with stars, the sun, the moon, and the clouds, adorn me also with humility instead of stars. In place of the sun let Your Holy Spirit shine within me. Let Your wisdom illuminate my mind like the moon. Gird me with meekness, holiness and righteousness, instead of clouds. Gird my feet 'with equipment of the gospel of Your peace.' My God, my God, Who richly spread the wind in Creation so that the people may breathe and rejoice, richly pour within me the Grace and gift of the Holy and Life-creating Spirit, that I may become god-like, pure, full of light, modest, and meek, 'full of grace and truth.' Enrich me, O Lord, with wisdom and spiritual knowledge."St. Nephon

Stories, Sermons, and Prayers of St. Nephon: An Ascetic Bishop, p.21

[Nina]

Link from monachos.net (http://www.monachos.net/forum/showpost.php?p=43591&postcount=14)

[Olga]

Thank you for the Irish prayer, John.

. . .

I love the service of Vespers, and especially the hymns 'Blessed is the man' (which can be sung just as well in English to the Russian melody as in Slavonic), 'Svyeti Tikhi', and 'Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, Master'.

While not prayers as such, I would add Dostoyno Yest' (It is Meet), Angel Vopiyasche (The Angel Cried Out), and Antiphon 15 from the Matins of Great Friday (Simeron Krematai Epi Xylou) as sung in the Greek church. Magnificent and humbling.

[Effie Ganatsios]

While not prayers as such, I would add Dostoyno Yest' (It is Meet), Angel Vopiyasche (The Angel Cried Out), and Antiphon 15 from the Matins of Great Friday (Simeron Krematai Epi Xylou) as sung in the Greek church. Magnificent and humbling.

Petros Gaitanos' rendering of Simeron Krematai is beautiful and can be found here :

http://www.nme.com/video/id/xvPjcmeW0pM/search/simeron

I have Gaitanos' Hymns for each day of Holy Week and each year I play this CD during Megali Ebdomada while preparing my home for Easter Sunday. I love everything on this CD but my favourite is Axion Esti "It is right to magnify Thee".

You can hear it here : http://www.imeem.com/groups/qf-67kPm/music/xG9ZDSmx/petros_gaitanos_axion_esti/



"PETROS GAITANOS

Petros Gaitanos was born in Drama, in northern Greece. After many years of studies in music he got his degree in Byzantine and European music from the Hellenic Conservatory of Athens. His teacher was Manolis Hatzimarkos.

In Easter 1995, he brought out an album entitled “Enati ora” (“Ninth Hour”) which contains Hymns of Holy Week. This album is the landmark of an artistic course focused on Byzantine ecclesiastic music and a series of CDs that contain Byzantine hymns.

The album “Passion Week» follows, which is a live recording of the concert he gave in Easter 1996 in the Athens Cathedral with hymns of Holy Week. What follows next is “Fos ek fotos” (“Light from light”) with Christmas, New year’s Day and Theophany hymns and later a triple tri-lingual box entitled “Psalo to theo mou eos yparho” (“I will chant to my God as long as I exist”) which comprises besides the albums “Passion Week” and “Ninth Hour”, the “Pentekostarion” with hymns of the Resurrection, the Ascension Day, the Holy Spirit and the Miracles of Jesus. In 2000 he releases the CD “I pigi tis zois” (The source of Life) with hymns to Virgin Mary and the actor Gianni Ferti as a narrator, while in 2003 he releases separately the CD “Pentekostarion”. "

[Effie Ganatsios]

I've been trying to find a translation of Axion Esti - the church hymn - and all I keep getting is Elitis' Axion Esti which is about Greece and was set to music by Theodorakis. This work won a Nobel prize for literature for Elitis and is wonderful, but not what I am looking for.

Can anyone help?

[Nina]

Dear Effie,

Please find here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axion_Estin)what you are looking for.

Dear Olga,

I love Simeron Krematai as well. And many of the hymns of the Holy Week. And "All the generations" and so on.

[Peter S.]

Here is one prayer I like:


Prayers of thanksgiving after Communion

(V) A prayer to the Theotokos:


O All-holy Lady Theotokos, light of my darkened soul, my hope, my shelter, my refuge, my consolation and my joy: I thank thee that thou hast accounted me worthy, although unworthy, to be a partaker of the immaculate Body and precious Blood of thy Son. But do thou, who gavest birth to the true Light, enlighten the mental eyes of my heart; O thou who didst bear the fountain of immortality, quicken thou me who lie dead in sin. O compassion-loving Mother of the merciful God, have mercy upon me and grant me humility and contrition of heart, and meekness in my thoughts, and deliverance from the bondage of my vain imaginings. And account me worthy, even unto my last breath, to receive without condemnation the sanctification of the immaculate Mysteries, unto the healing of both soul and body. And grant unto me tears of repentance and confession, that I may hymn thee and glorify thee all the days of my life: for blessed and glorified art thou unto all ages. Amen.



It contains much good stuff. :)



Peter

[Mary Ann H.]

This prayer is also at the end of the evening prayers in the Romanian prayerbook! In general, I think we share a lot of things with the Russians, like the longer set of pre-Communion prayers.
Mary Ann



Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered; let them that hate Him flee from before His face: as smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish; as wax melteth before the fire, so let the demons perish before the face of them that love God and sign themselves with the sign of the Cross and say in gladness: Rejoice, O most honourable and life-giving Cross of the Lord, driving away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Who wast crucified on thee, Who descended into Hades, and trampled down the power of the devil, and granted us His honourable Cross, to repulse every foe. O most honourable and life-giving Cross of the Lord, help me, together with the holy Virgin Lady Mother of God, and with all the saints unto the ages. Amen.This is a favourite, especially of my wife's, because of its power against assaults of evil and against any sort of threat. I've only seen it in Russian prayer books in which it appears at the end of evening prayers.

[Andreas Moran]

Dear Mary Ann - thank you for telling us that this prayer is not only in Russian prayer books. I wonder if it is in Serbian and other prayer books.

[Nina]

"My Lord, Who showed Your immaculate Mother to be more venerable than the heavenly powers, forgive my sins through her holy intercessions and drive far away from me every immorality, impurity, judgment, jealousy, wrath, injustice, negligence, vainglory, pride, avarice, cruelty, drunkenness, evil desire, and especially the insignificant and very bitter praise of men. Yes, my God, grant that men consider me worthless, that they may detest me. O Lover of man, let no one on earth praise or honor me. My Lord, let no one say that Nephon is a saint, that I may not be punished for it. O God of Heaven and earth, deliver me from praise of men. Liberate me from the bonds of the desire to please man..."

St. Nephon, p.22

[Nina]

Sweet and beautiful Jesus, You came to the least of Your creatures! The life, joy and fragrance of the immaculate angels, You came to delight Your vile servant. Welcome, You Who fill all things and transcend every delight! Blessed and glorified be He Who comes. Remember me n Your glory, in the beauty of Paradise. Remember me in Heaven, in the songs of the angels. Remember me, O blessed by the Cherubim and the Seraphim, full of grandeur and light, divine reflection and perfect imprint of the Father. Remember me, O endless sea of immortal philanthropy. My Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me as long as I breathe. Never depart from my side. Shield me and show me the way to eternity."

St. Nephon, pp.54-55

[Mary Ann H.]

There is a wonderful long prayer by St. Isaac the Syrian that we read at the end of the Acathist to Jesus that I wonder if any of you outside of the Romanian tradition are familiar with. I have seen the first part of it in Greek but would love to know where I could find the entire prayer in Greek, English or Slavonic. In my own poor translation the prayer starts out like this:

"Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who wept for Lazarus and shed tears of grief and compassion for him, receive my tears. With your suffering, cure my suffering. With your wounds, heal my wounds. With your blood, purify my blood …"

and ends with these words:


"Count me among the sheep of your most select flock. Feed me together with them from the verdure of your divine mysteries. For their pure heart is your lodging and in it can be seen the glory of your revelations. Your glory is comfort and rest for those who have struggled for you in misfortune and every kind of torment. Make me the unworthy one also worthy of this glory, with the grace and love of mankind of our saviour Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen."

Mary Ann

[Effie Ganatsios]

Dear Effie,

Please find here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axion_Estin)what you are looking for.

D

Nina, I was referring to the hymn that is sung during Holy Week. If you visit the site I provided a link for, you can hear it sung by Gaitanos. Thanks for going to the trouble to look for it.

Petros Gaitanos can also be heard here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZm7SY-DqkM

This is a really beautiful video. I have bookmarked it for Easter.

Effie

This is the CD I have : http://greekhits.blogspot.com/2008/03/blog-post_9040.html

[Nina]

Ah, Effie, you are speaking about the Lamentations' Axion Esti and not the Axion Estin for Panagia! Sorry...

What you are looking for is the Second Part of the Lamentations chanted on Friday Evening (but it is really part of the Great Saturday Matins).

Here is a part of it from this website (http://www.ocf.org/OrthodoxPage/prayers/triodion/hwk_sat):

IT IS RIGHT TO MAGNIFY YOU,
LIFE-GIVING LORD;
YOU HAVE STRETCHED OUT YOUR MOST PURE ARMS UPON THE CROSS,
AND BROKEN THE ENEMY'S POWER.

Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I
may learn Your commandments.
IT IS RIGHT TO MAGNIFY YOU,
O CREATOR OF ALL.
WE ARE FREED FROM PASSION THROUGH YOUR PASSION,
AND DELIVERED FROM CORRUPTION. ...

However the bilingual book (Holy Week services by Fr. Papadeas) that I have, has a better translation. I do not have lots of time right now to type the translation in English here. However later I can - and of course if you need it.

[Effie Ganatsios]

Ah, Effie, you are speaking about the Lamentations' Axion Esti and not the Axion Estin for Panagia! Sorry...

What you are looking for is the Second Part of the Lamentations chanted on Friday Evening (but it is really part of the Great Saturday Matins).

Here is a part of it from this website (http://www.ocf.org/OrthodoxPage/prayers/triodion/hwk_sat):

IT IS RIGHT TO MAGNIFY YOU,
LIFE-GIVING LORD;
YOU HAVE STRETCHED OUT YOUR MOST PURE ARMS UPON THE CROSS,
AND BROKEN THE ENEMY'S POWER.

Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I
may learn Your commandments.
IT IS RIGHT TO MAGNIFY YOU,
O CREATOR OF ALL.
WE ARE FREED FROM PASSION THROUGH YOUR PASSION,
AND DELIVERED FROM CORRUPTION. ...

However the bilingual book (Holy Week services by Fr. Papadeas) that I have, has a better translation. I do not have lots of time right now to type the translation in English here. However later I can - and of course if you need it.

Nina, what can I say? Thank you so much.

This is exactly what I wanted. I am listening to Gatianos right now and reading the words in English and I have goose bumps.

Thank you so much and if it is not too much trouble, please post the full translation from your book.

Beautiful!!!

Effie

[Nina]

1. It is meet to magnify Thee, the Giver of Life, Thou Who didst extend Thine hands upon the Cross, and shatter the power of the enemy.
2. It is meet to magnify Thee, the Creator of all; for by Thy sufferings we are freed from suffering and delivered from corruption.
3. The earth shuddered and the sun hid itself, when Thou, O Christ the Saviour, the unwaning Light, didst in the flesh sink down into the grave.
4. Though hadst neither form nor comeliness, O Word before, in Thy sufferings, but rising up Thou hast illuminated and beautified mortals with Divine radiance.
5. The sun and the moon were darkened, O Saviour, and these servants shewed themselves faithful, wrapped round with black robes.
6. The sun darkened his light and shuddered when he saw Thee, O Christ, the unseen Light, bereft of breath, and hidden in the grave.
7. O God, the eternal Word,beyond description, Thy pure Mother, beholding Thee in a Tomb, wept bitterly.
8. When Thine all-pure Mother beheld Thy death, O Christ, she cried out with bitterness: Tarry not, O Life, among the dead.
9. The fearful Hades trembled when it saw Thee, O Immortal Sun of Glory, and in haste gave up its captives.
10. Now, all the faithful, who were redeemed from death by the Tomb, extol with hymns Thy Crucifixion and Thy Tomb, O Christ.

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

11. God without beginning, co-eternal Word and Spirit, as a righteous Lord strengthen the scepters of the kings against their enemies.

Now and ever and to the Ages of Ages. Amen.

12. O Glorious and most pure Virgin, who didst bring forth the Life, of thy goodness cause discord to cease in the Church, and do thou grant peace.From prayers of the Great Friday Evening - Lamentations: Second Stasis

Μεγαλι Εβδομασ - Πασχα; Holy Week - Easter, Compiled by Father George L. Papadeas Protopresbyter

[Andreas Moran]

Prayer at Daybreak

O Lord Eternal and Creator of all things,
Who of Thine inscrutable goodness didst call me to this life;
Who didst bestow on me the grace of Baptism
and the Seal of the Holy Spirit;
Who hast imbued me with the desire to seek Thee,
the one true God: hear my prayer.

I have no life, no light, no joy or wisdom;
no strength except in Thee, O God.
Because of my unrighteousness I dare not raise my eyes to
Thee.
But Thou didst say to Thy disciples,
'Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive’
and 'Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do'.
Wherefore I dare to invoke Thee.
Purify me from all taint of flesh and spirit.
Teach me to pray aright.

Bless this day which Thou dost give unto me,
Thine unworthy servant. By the power of Thy blessing
enable me at all times to speak and act to Thy glory
with a pure spirit, with humility, patience, love,
gentleness, peace, courage and wisdom:
aware always of Thy presence.

Of Thine immense goodness, O Lord God, shew me the
path of Thy will,
and grant me to walk in Thy sight without sin.

O Lord, unto Whom all hearts be open,
Thou knowest what things I have need of.
Thou art acquainted with my blindness and my ignorance,
Thou knowest my infirmity and my soul's corruption;
but neither are my pain and anguish hid from Thee.

Wherefore I beseech Thee, hear my prayer
and by Thy Holy Spirit teach me the way wherein I should
walk;
and when my perverted will would lead me down other paths
spare me not, O Lord, but force me back to Thee.
By the power of Thy love, grant me to hold fast to that which is
good.
Preserve me from every word or deed that corrupts the
soul;
from every impulse unpleasing in Thy sight
and hurtful to my brother-man.
Teach me what I should say and how I should speak.
If it be Thy will that I make no answer,
inspire me to keep silent in a spirit of peace
that causeth ncithcr sorrow nor hurt to my fellow.
Establish me in the path of Thy commandments
and to my last breath let me not stray from the light of Thine ordinances,
that Thy commandments may become the sole law of my being,
on this earth and in all eternity.

Yea, Lord, I pray Thee, have pity on me.
Spare me in mine affliction and my misery
and hide not the way of salvation from me.

In my foolishness, O God, I plead with Thee for many and
great things.
Yet am I ever mindful of my wickedness, my baseness, my
vileness.
Have mercy upon me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence because of my
presumption.
Do Thou rather increase in me this presumption,
and grant unto me, the worst of men,
to love Thee as Thou hast commanded,
with all my heart, and with all my soul,
and with all my mind, and with all my strength:
with my whole being.

Yea, O Lord, by Thy Holy Spirit,
teach me good judgment and knowledge.
Grant me to know Thy truth before I go down into the grave.
Maintain my life in this world until I may offer unto Thee
worthy repentance.
Take me not away in the midst of my days,
nor while my mind is still blind.
When Thou shalt be pleased to bring my life to an end,
forewarn me that I may prepare my soul to come before
Thee.
Be with me, O Lord, at that dread hour
and grant me the joy of salvation.
Cleanse Thou me from secret faults,
from all iniquity that is hid in me;
and give me a right answer before Thy judgment-seat.

Yea, Lord, of Thy great mercy
and immeasurable love for mankind,

Hear my prayer.


This prayer is by Fr Sophrony and appears in his book, ‘His Life is Mine'. He writes that Christ calls sinners to repentance and that it is the sick who need a physician. He then writes that the Church has proved that for prayer no sickness of spirit is incurable. Whatever wordly loss or disadvantage we may suffer, if we turn to God, a process of healing begins. We are healed of the wounds of our passions and even our appearance will change. He goes on, ‘If any of my readers is suffering from some psychological wound occasioned by failure in life, he can attain to a regal freedom of spirit and radically change his whole life if he turns to God every day with a personal prayer such as this.’

Fr Sophrony says such praying is not easy. But if we persist so that prayer permeates our being, the soul is freed from extraneous pressure, and we create a loving tie with God. Then we ‘shall not care what people think of us, or how they treat us. We shall cease to be afraid of falling out of favour. We shall love our fellow men without thought of whether they love us . . . Prayer can accomplish all things’.

Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos writes that this prayer not only blesses the day but is also eschatological for it is a prayer for the advent of that great day, the Second Coming of Christ. This prayer expresses a personal relationship with God like that which the Psalmist had. It is the prayer of a child of God – there are no orphans. The prayer contains profound self-accusation which ‘is a sign of an Orthodox disposition’. It is a prayer for all, not only for monastics.

[The Greek text of the prayer on which Met. Hierotheos comments at some length differs slightly from the text given above.]

I have to confess that I rarely say this prayer these days but there was a time when it was very important to me and did indeed help to heal a certain sickness of soul. It is, though, a favourite prayer, and thinking about it now inspires me to think I should take it up again.

[Nina]

This is beautiful dear Andreas. Thank you!

[Nina]

Lord, have mercy on all who ridicule me or hate me. You know the evil one incites them to do this, just as he makes me continually embitter Your divine Name. For this reason I beg You, Almighty God and Lord of mercy, to forgive and bless those who scorn me. Cause them to emerge as spiritual stars, great saints. Grant them goodness and gentleness. Give them peace, enlighten them, and enable them to enjoy Your eternal glory, O Lover of man.

St. Nephon

From Stories, Sermons, And Prayers of St. Nephon an Ascetic Bishop, p. 57

[Allen Long]

Nina,

I needed this prayer today. Thank you, for sharing it.

Allen

St. Nephon

From Stories, Sermons, And Prayers of St. Nephon an Ascetic Bishop, p. 57

[Christopher]

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me!

[Nina]

"Christ, Master of all, free us from all destructive passions and the thoughts born of them. For Your sake we came into being, so that we might delight in the paradise which You have planted and in which You have placed us. We brought our present disgrace upon ourselves, preferring destruction to the delights of blessedness. We have paid for this, for we have exchanged eternal life for death. O Master, as once You have looked on us, look on us now; as You became man, save all of us. For You came to save us who were lost. Do not exclude us from the company of those who are being saved. Raise up our souls and save our bodies, cleansing us from all impurity. Break the fetters of the passions that constrain us, as once You have broken the ranks of the impure demons. Free us from their tyranny, so that we may worship You alone, the eternal light, having risen from the dead and dancing with the angels in the blessed, eternal and indissoluble dance. Amen."From St. Thalassios (The Philokalia Vol. 2; Faber and Faber pg. 324)

[Nina]

A prayer of St. Silouan the Athonite:


O holy Virgin Mary, tell us, thy children, of thy love on earth for thy Son and God. Tell us how thy spirit rejoiced in God thy Savior, Tell us of how thou didst look upon His fair countenance, and reflect that this was He Whom all the heavenly hosts wait upon in awe and love.
Tell us what thy soul felt when thou didst bear the wondrous Babe in thine arms. Tell us of how thou didst rear Him, how, sick at heart, thou and Joseph sought Him three long days in Jerusalem.
Tell us of thine agony when the Lord was delivered up to be crucified, and lay dying on the Cross.
Tell us what joy was thine over the Resurrection.
Tell us how thy soul languished after the Lord’s Ascension.
We long to know of thy life on earth with the Lord but thou wast not minded to commit all these things to writing, and didst veil thy secret heart in silence.

From email

[Nina]

A Morning Prayer of St. Basil the Great to the Holy Trinity


Our spirit seeks You in the early dawn, O God, for Your commandments are a light.
Teach us, O Master, Your righteousness and make us worthy to follow Your commandments with all our strength, and to leave aside the desires of the snaring flesh.
Illumine the eyes of our souls, so that we may never sleep in sins unto death.
Take away from our hearts every darkness.
Grant to us the Sun of Righteousness and protect our life from any bad influence with the seal of Your most-Holy Spirit.
Direct our steps to the way of peace and grant to us that this present morning be peaceful so that we may send up the morning hymns to You the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the only God, Who is more than without beginning and supersubstantial and the creator of all. Amen

[Peter Manolakos]

Geia, I'm trying to study the Holy Week hymns and i cannot find the words, in greek, of "I Zoi En Tafo". I have the hymn, just not the words to it.

If anyone would be able to help me?

[Andreas Moran]

I have put together some sayings of the Fathers about repentance together with some psalms, canons and hymns. The following extract shows a few prayers of repentance which I find helpful and so have become favourites:



PENITENTIAL PRAYERS
by Saint Seraphim of Sarov
A prayer of repentance (‘of St Antioch’)

Trusting, O Lord, in the abyss of Thy loving-kindness, I offer to Thee this prayer from my foul mouth and my unclean lips. Remember me, for Thy holy Name wast invoked over me, and Thou hast redeemed me with the price of Thy blood; for Thou hast sealed me with the betrothal of Thy Holy Spirit, and Thou hast raised me from the depth of my transgressions, that I should not be seized by the enemy.

O Jesus Christ, defend me and be my strong helper in my struggle; for I am a slave of lust, and I am assailed thereby. But do Thou not, O Lord, leave me cast to the earth and condemned by my deeds. Free me, O Lord, from the evil slavery of the prince of this world, and make me Thine own in Thy commandments. Thy Person is the way of my life, O my Christ, and the light of mine eyes. O God, Master and Lord, give me not roving eyes; dispel from me evil lust. Defend me with Thy holy arm. Let not longings and lusts overwhelm me, and give me not up to a shameless soul.

May the light of Thy presence shine in me, O Lord, lest darkness overwhelm me, and I be snatched by them that walk in the night. Do not surrender to invisible beasts, O Lord, a soul which confesseth to Thee. Do not allow Thy servant, O Lord, to be wounded by strange dogs.

Grant me to be a vessel of Thy Spirit, and make me a house of Thy Christ, Holy Father. O Guide of the lost, guide me lest I stray to the left. I long to see Thy face, O Lord. O God, guide me by the light of Thy countenance.

Grant me, Thy servant, a fountain of tears, and give Thy creature the dew of Thy Holy Spirit, lest I wither like the fig tree which Thou didst curse; and let tears be my drink, and prayer my food.

Turn, O Lord, my weeping into joy, and receive me into Thine eternal tabernacles. Let Thy mercy overtake me, O Lord, and Thy bounty encompass me, and pardon all my sins; for Thou art the true God Who pardonest transgressions. And allow not, O Lord, the work of Thy hands to be put to shame on account of the multitudes of my transgressions; but call me, O Lord, through Thine only-begotten Son, our Saviour.

And raise me who lie prostrate like Levi the publican, and quicken me who am slain by my sins, like the son of the widow.

For Thou alone art the Resurrection of the dead, and to Thee is due all glory; for ever. Amen.



Prayer for moments of despondency and despair

Master and Lord of Heaven and of earth, and King of the ages! Deign to open unto me the door of repentance; for in anguish of heart I pray to Thee, our true God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. Look upon me in Thy great loving-kindness, and accept my prayer. Incline Thine ear to my prayer and forgive me all the evil that I have done by the abuse of my free will. Behold, I seek rest, yet I do not find it; for I have not received forgiveness from my conscience. I thirst for peace, but there is no peace in me from the dark abyss of my transgressions. Hear, O Lord, a heart which crieth unto Thee. Regard not my evil deeds; but consider the agony of my soul and make haste to heal me who am badly wounded. By the grace of Thy love for men, give me time for repentance and deliver me from my shameful deeds. Reward me not according to Thy justice and requite me not according to my deeds, lest I finally perish.

Hear me, O Lord, in my despair. Behold, I am bereft of my will and of every thought of amendment. Therefore, I have recourse to Thy compassion. Have mercy on me, cast down and condemned on account of my sins. O Lord, rescue me who am enslaved and held by my evil deeds, as if I were shackled with chains. Thou alone knowest how to set prisoners free; and as Thou alone knowest secret things, Thou healest wounds which are known to none but seen by Thee.

Therefore, being tortured in every way by cruel pains, I cry only to Thee, the Physician of all who are afflicted, the Door of them that knock without, the Way of the lost, the Light of them in darkness, the Redeemer of those in bonds, Who ever restrainest Thy right hand and withholdest Thine anger prepared for sinners, but Who givest time for repentance through Thy great love for men.

O Thou Who art quick to show mercy and slow to punish! – shine upon me, who have fallen badly, the light of Thy countenance, O Lord. And in Thy loving-kindness, stretch out Thy hand to me and raise me from the depth of my transgressions.

For Thou alone art our God, Who dost not rejoice at the destruction of sinners, and Who dost not turn Thy face away from them that cry unto Thee with tears.
Hear, O Lord, the voice of Thy servant who crieth unto Thee; and manifest Thy light to me who am deprived of light. And give me Thy grace, for I have no hope whatever, that I may always trust in Thy help and power. Turn my weeping into joy, rend my rags, and gird me with Thy gladness.

And grant that I may rest from my dark deeds, and enjoy the morning calm with Thy chosen, O Lord, whence all pain, sorrow and sighing have fled away. And may the door of Thy Kingdom be opened unto me, that I may enter with them that rejoice in the light of Thy countenance, O Lord, and that even I may receive eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.


FURTHER PENITENTIAL PRAYERS
From the Great Book of Needs

O Lord God of righteousness, my strength and my help, my refuge in evil days; Thou Who savest in times of sorrows: do Thou save me, for the waters have come in to my soul; I have sunk into a muddy abyss, and there is no standing before the face of the violent enemy. For my soul is pursued, my life is trampled down to the ground, and all night long the toll-keepers assail me. Be well pleased, O Lord, to deliver me from the hands of transgressors and them that do wrong, that I sin not against Thee. For the terrors of death have fallen upon me, and darkness covereth me. How long shall I cry unto Thee, O Lord, and Thou hearest not? Wounded, I call out unto Thee, and Thou dost not save. Look down from Heaven, O Lord, and consider from Thy holy house, where is Thy glory; for Thou hast shewn mercy to us according unto Thy mercies. O Lord, do Thou judge them that assail me: be not as a man that sleepeth, nor as a man not able to save. For Thou art a merciful God Who lovest mankind, and unto Thee do we send up glory: to the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

[Olga]

Geia, I'm trying to study the Holy Week hymns and i cannot find the words, in greek, of "I Zoi En Tafo". I have the hymn, just not the words to it.

If anyone would be able to help me?

Hello Peter, and welcome to the forum.

Here it is:

Η ζωή εν τάφω, κατετέθης Χριστέ, καί Αγγέλων στρατιαί εξεπλήττοντο, συγκατάβασιν δοξάζουσαι τήν σήν.

[Mary Ann H.]

I think Peter is looking for the entire text of the lamentations that are sung on the evening of Good Friday in anticipation of Great and Holy Saturday. He can find it and just about any other liturgical text in Father Leo Schefe's collection of Greek liturgical texts. Here is the exact address to get Holy Saturday including Good Friday vespers (you need to scroll down about an inch to find the first stasis of the Lamentions):
http://www.analogion.net/glt/texts/Tri/t)7.uni.htm (http://www.analogion.net/glt/texts/Tri/t%297.uni.htm)
I love this service - we sing all the verses of the three stasis alternating between men and women.
Mary Ann

[Nina]

Attributed to Sts. Boris and Gleb, martyred sons of St. Vladimir, Prince
of Kiev, 1015:


"O Lord Jesus Christ, who in this form didst come down to us on earth,
and who of thine own free will didst deign to be nailed upon the cross
and endure suffering for our sins: vouchsafe me also to endure suffering.

I am being slain, and I do not know the reason...but this I know: O
Lord, my Lord, thou knowest."

[Jonathan Michael]

Attributed to Sts. Boris and Gleb, martyred sons of St. Vladimir, Prince
of Kiev, 1015:

I love this one, Nina!

[Nina]

Glory be to God for everything! Glory be to God for having created me in His image and likeness. Glory be to God for having redeemed me, the fallen. Glory be to God for having extended His solicitude to me, the unworthy. Glory be to God for having led me, the sinner, to repentance. Glory be to God for having offered me His holy words, like a lamp in a dark place, thus setting me on the path of righteousness. Glory be to God for having illumined the eyes of my heart. Glory be to God for having made known to me His holy name. Glory be to God for having washed away my sins through the bath of baptism. Glory be to God for having shown me the way to eternal bliss. This way is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who says of Himself, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

[Nina]

A Morning Prayer


O Lord Jesus Christ my God,
give me a good, sinless, and spotless day.
O Lord, forsake me not.
O Lord, do not stand afar off from me
O Lord, stretch out to me a helping hand.
O Lord, support me with the fear of you.
O Lord, plant this fear
and the love for you in my heart.
O Lord, teach me to do your will.
O Lord, grant mourning
and humility to my heart.
O Lord, give me unceasing tears, compunction,
and remembrance of death.
O Lord, free me from every temptation of soul and body.
O Lord, expel from me every unclean thought,
and every shameful and improper imagination.
O Lord, wipe out of me the negligence,
the indolence, the sorrow, the forgetfulness,
the insensitivity, the hardness,
and the captivity of my mind.
O Lord, have mercy on me,
as you know and as you wish,
and forgive all my transgressions.
And grant that my pitiful soul
may depart from my wretched body
in quietude, in good repentance,
in unhesitating confession,
and in pure and spotless faith, Amen.

St. Paisios the Great, 4th century

[Nina]

Prayer to the Lord Jesus, Crucified

From the Akathist Hymn to the Divine Passion of Christ (Monachos.net - Liturgical section)

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God,
Creator of Heaven and earth, Saviour of the world,

Behold I who am unworthy and of all men most sinful,
humbly bow the knee of my heart before
the glory of Thy majesty and praise Thy Cross and Passion,
and offer thanksgiving to Thee, the King and God of all,
that Thou wast pleased to bear as man all labours and hardships,
all temptations and tortures,
that Thou mightest be our Fellow-sufferer and Helper,
and a Saviour to all of us in all our sorrows, needs, and sufferings.

I know, O all-powerful Lord, that all these things
were not necessary for Thee,
but for us men and for our salvation Thou dist endure Thy Cross and Passion vthat Thou mightest redeem us from all cruel bondage to the enemy.

What, then, shall I give in return to Thee, O Lover of mankind,
for all that Thou hast suffered for me, a sinner?
I cannot say, for soul and body and all blessings come from Thee,
and all that I have is Thine, and I am Thine.
Yet I know that love is repaid only by love.
Teach me, then, to love and praise Thee.

Trusting solely in Thine infinite compassion and mercy, O Lord,
I praise Thine unspeakable patience,
I magnify Thine unutterable exhaustion,
I glorify Thy boundless mercy,
I adore Thy purest Passion,
and most lovingly kissing Thy wounds, I cry:
Have mercy on me a sinner,
and cause that Thy holy Cross may not be fruitless in me,
that I may participate here with faith in Thy sufferings
and be vouchsafed to behold also the glory of Thy Kingdom in Heaven.

Amen.

[Nina]

Prayer to all Holy Heavenly Hosts
All Holy Heavenly Bodiless Hosts,vouchsafe us your power to cast down all evil and passions under our feet.
Holy bodiless Seraphim, vouchsafe us to have a blazing heart towards God.
Holy bodiless Cherubim, vouchsafe us to have wisdom for the glory of God
Holy bodiless Thrones, vouchsafe us to discern the truth from the untruth.
Holy bodiless Dominions, vouchsafe us to dominate over passions, so that the spirit should govern over the flesh.
Holy bodiless Powers, vouchsafe us to have courage in fulfilling the will of God.
Holy bodiless Authorities, vouchsafe us to have the power of victory over evil.
Holy bodiless Principalities, vouchsafe us to serve the Lord God in the purity of our hearts and our hands.
Holy bodiless Archangels, vouchsafe us to fulfill the will of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Holy bodiless Angels, vouchsafe us to instruct the weak enlightening them in the truth.

[Andreas Moran]

Prayer to the Lord Jesus, Crucified

I remember this prayer from the Passia service at the Lavra Podvorie just before Holy Week. We bought the CD of the whole service. The whole was sung slowly and prayerfully and was most moving. The only problem was that I had found a quiet corner of the church and there was an analogion leaning on the wall beside me. At the moment when the faithful kneel, I caught the analogion which crashed down on to the marble floor!

[Andreas Moran]

One of my favourite prayers is the hymn we sing at vespers, 'Phos Hilaron' or 'Svete Tikhiy':

'O tender light of the holy glory of the immortal, heavenly, holy, blessed Father, O Jesus Christ: having come to the setting of the sun, having beheld the evening light, we praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. Meet it is at all times to hymn Thee with reverent voices, O Son of God, Giver of life. Wherefore the world doth glorify Thee.'

This is said to be oldest Christian prayer not taken from the Bible, and comes from the Apostolic Constitutions. At the monastery here in Essex, it is usually sung in Slavonic to a very mystical melody which I always find moving. There seems to be no satisfactory way of rendering the Slavonic word 'tikhiy'. My wife says it includes tender, gentle, and gladsome, but more besides. I'm not sure of the symbolism of the hymn. No doubt it has something to do with Christ being the Light of the world even during the darkness of night, and the lighting of the lamps reminds us of this.

[Andreas Moran]

A short 'arrow' prayer to be said at a time of difficulty in life:

Lord: show me how to proceed at this time of great trial, so that I lose not Thy blessing. Protect Thou my life.


Archimandrite Zacharias.

[Christophoros]

There are a lot of good prayers in St. Nephon's Life, but I don't own this book (and it's no longer in print in English).

Reprints are available through the Australian bookseller Crossroad Books:

http://www.crossroadbooks.com.au/index.php?products_id=120&option=com_oscommerce&osMod=product_info&osCsid=888499f351136d5e60d90a672cb5a55

I just received my copy, with shipping, for about $25.

In Christ,
Chris

[J. K. Amra]

Can someone please recommend some good Orthodox prayer book(s) in English that will be of use to me? I have many in old slavonic language, but they are very hard for me to read, and I don't often feel like reading something I do not fully understand.

The prayers given on this thread are very useful, and I'd like a book that contains some that are like that, in that "fashion" if you will.

Thank you.

[Vasiliki D.]

My favourite is:


A Prayer Book: An Anthology of Orthodox Prayers
by Fr. Peter Chamberas
Bilingual edition, in English and Greek, Alexander Press, 2005
Paper bound, 430 pages US$25.00 / CDN$30.00

From: http://www.alexanderpress.com/books3.html

However, there are many available online that can be of benefit in the short term:

http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/prayerbook/main.htm
http://www.transchurch.org/sguide/praybk.htm

[Ryan]

J.K.- Have you looked at the Jordanville Prayer Book, published by ROCOR? It is probably the most widely used English prayer book. Most Orthodox online booksellers will carry it. An older online version is here (http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/prayerbook/main.htm). Another good option is the Old Orthodox Prayer book, published by ROCOR's Old Rite parish in Erie, PA. It has both the English and Slavonic on facing pages.

[J. K. Amra]

J.K.- Have you looked at the Jordanville Prayer Book, published by ROCOR? It is probably the most widely used English prayer book. Most Orthodox online booksellers will carry it. An older online version is here (http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/prayerbook/main.htm). Another good option is the Old Orthodox Prayer book, published by ROCOR's Old Rite parish in Erie, PA. It has both the English and Slavonic on facing pages.



Thank you Ryan! I will definately look into that.


God Bless you.

[Nina]

"Every hymn falls short in describing the multitude of Your manifold mercies; for if we were to praise You with hymns, equal in number to the sands of the sea, we would do nothing comparable to what You, O Holy King, have done for us, who cry out to You: Alleluia." 4th Friday, The Salutations of the Theotokos, Akathist Hymn

[Christophoros]

Good description of various prayerbooks:

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Prayer_book

[Nina]

Link (http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/prayerbook/main.htm) THE TALE OF THE FIVE PRAYERS

From the times of the Apostles, Christians of all ages, when entering upon a task, began it with prayer, and the end of it they also hallowed with prayerful thanksgiving to the Lord, in Whom we live and move and have our being. And let us do the same, beloved reader.
But not having the gift of effectual prayer, let us recall and commit to memory what once was offered to the Lord by the grace of the Holy Spirit out of the inspired heart of the great Russian man of prayer, our father among the Saints, Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov and Yaroslav.
I am sure that for you, as for me, in offering to your attention "The Tale of The Five Prayers" the work of the great Bishop, it will be both welcome and useful, especially in the view of the wonderful promises which it contains. So hear this tale, my beloved reader.
You will not blame me for offering you in this Tale something new - it is not mine, and not new, but only fundamentally and completely forgotten, forgive me that I have disturbed the dust of ages: but this dust is holy ...
*** One of the holy fathers, standing in prayer and being in ecstasy, heard the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ speaking to the Immaculate and Holy Mother of God, His Mother, saying to her: "Tell me, My Mother, which were the greatest of your sufferings, when you lived in the world, which you suffered for My sake?" The Immaculate One replied: "My Son and God, five times I have endured my greatest suffering for you: First, when I heard from the Prophet Simeon that you were to be killed; Second, when I looked for you in Jerusalem, and did not see you for three days; Third, when I heard that you were seized and bound by the Jews; Fourth, when I saw you on the Cross crucified between the robbers; Fifth, when I saw you placed in the Tomb." And the Lord said to her: "I tell you. My Mother, whoever reads every day each of your sufferings with My prayer, i.e. 'Our Father,' for the first suffering I will give the knowledge of his sins and sorrow for them; for the second, I will give the forgiveness of all his sins; for the third, I will restore to him the virtues lost through sin; for the fourth, I will refresh him at death with my Divine Body and Blood; for the fifth, I will appear to him Myself at his death, and receive his soul into eternal life. Amen."
*** After this vision of the Holy Father, the following prayers were added by St. Dimitri:
At the beginning of the five prayers:
"Glory to Thee, Christ my God, that Thou hast not destroyed me a sinner, with my sins, but even till now hast borne -with my sin."
Bow
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep me this day without sin. Grant, O Lord, that I may not anger Thee, my Creator, in thought, word or deed, but that all my actions, counsels and thoughts may be to the glory of Thy Holy Name."
Bow
"God be merciful to me, a sinner, throughout my whole life. In my passing and after death, forsake me not."
Bow
Falling low on the earth, say:
"Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, accept me, dead in mind and soul, accept me, a sinful prodigal, impure in soul and body. Take from me all shameless enmity and resistance, and turn not Thy Face from me, O Lord, nor say: I know not who thou art. But hear the voice of my prayer: save me, for Thou hast a wealth of compassion and desirest not the death of a sinner. I will never leave Thee nor depart from Thee, my Creator, till Thou hearest me and givest me forgiveness of all my sins, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother, the intercession of the honourable Bodiless Powers of Heaven, of my holy and glorious Guardian Angel, of Thy Forerunner and Prophet, the Baptist John, of the God-speaking Apostles, of the holy and victorious martyrs, of our Reverend and God-fearing fathers, and all Thy Saints, have mercy and save me, a sinner."
Heavenly King, Comforter,...
Holy God, Holy Mighty,...
Our Father...
Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, Mary full of grace; the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.
First Prayer "O merciful Mother, Virgin Mary, I thy sinful and unprofitable servant, remembering thy suffering on hearing from the Prophet Simeon of the merciless murder of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, offer thee this prayer and the Angelic Salutation. Accept it in honour and memory of thy suffering, and pray thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to grant me the knowledge of my sins and sorrow for them."
Bow
Second Prayer Our Father .. .
Virgin Mother ...
"O Divinely-blessed and Immaculate Maiden, Mother and Virgin, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering when thou didst lose thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Temple, and for three days didst not see Him. Pray and beg of Him the forgiveness and remission of all my sins, O only Blessed One."
Bow
Third Prayer Our Father .. .
Virgin Mother ...
"O Mother of Light, most blessed Virgin Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering on hearing that thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, had been seized and bound. Pray Him to restore to me the virtues lost through sin, that I may magnify thee, O Most Pure One, for ever."
Bow
Fourth Prayer Our Father ...
Virgin Mother ...
"O Fountain of Mercy, Virgin Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering when thou didst see thy GOD, our Lord Jesus Christ, on the Cross between the robbers. Pray Him, O Lady, to grant me the gift of His mercy in the hour of my death, and to refresh me with His Divine Body and Blood, that I may glorify thee, my Defender, for ever."
Bow
Fifth Prayer Our Father .. .
Virgin Mother . ..
"O my Hope, Most Pure Virgin, Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering when thou didst see thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, placed in the Tomb. Pray Him, O Lady, to appear to me in the hour of my death, and to receive my soul into eternal life. Amen."
Bow

[David Robles]

My favorite prayer is a prayer by St Dimitry of Rostov;

A Prayer Before Communion

Open, O doors and bolts of my heart
that Christ the King of Glory may enter!
Enter, O my Light and enlighten my darkness;
enter, O my Life, and resurrect my deadness;
enter, O my Physician and heal my wounds;
enter, O Divine Fire, and burn up the thorns of my sins;
ignite my inward parts and my heart with the flame of Thy love;
enter, O my King, and destroy in me the kingdom of sin;
sit on the throne of my heart and alone reign in me,
O Thou, my King and Lord.

[Nina]

A Mother's Prayer for her children (http://vatopaidi.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/a-mothers-prayer-for-her-children/)

[Nina]

Prayer to Saint Jude Thaddeus
whose memory is celebrated on June 19


Holy Apostle, Holy Jude Thaddeus, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, Orthodoxy in the whole world honors you and invokes you as the patron of desperate cases, those that have lost all hope.

Pray for me. I am so desperate and alone. I pray thee, use this special grace that you have been given, to bring visible and speedy help where there is practically no hope of assistance. Help me in this hour of need, that I may receive the consolation and help of the Holy Trinity, in all my needs, trials and tribulations -- (here express your request) -- and that I may praise Christ together with you and with all Orthodox Christians.

I promise, O blessed Saint Jude Thaddeus, to always remember this great gift. To honor you always, especially as my strongest protector, and with gratefulness to encourage devotion towards you, Amen.

May the name of the Holy Trinity to be worshiped and praised by all Orthodox Christians, for ever and ever, Amen.

May the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be praised and glorified always, Amen.

Saint Jude Thaddeus pray for us and hear our prayers, Amen.


Blessed be the name of Jesus Christ. Blessed be the name of the Most Holy and Ever-Virgin Mary. Blessed be Saint Judas Thaddeus.

Throughout the world and in all ages, Amen.

Our Father ... ...

Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mother of God, advocated for us sinners, now and forever and at the hour of our death, Amen.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PRAYER ENNEAIMEROU (Nine-day prayer)

This prayer is said when we encounter problems or when there does not appear to be any help, and we are most despaired.

The prayers should be recited (7) times a day for nine (9) consecutive days. The prayers are heard on the ninth and before, an never till now have failed. You will receive the Grace you have asked for, no matter how unrealistic it seems.

(Spread devotion to Saint Judas Thadeus).

Saint Jude has written an epistle which is in the New Testament, before the Revelation of John. Spread it with this Blessing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY9vKmSfGGs&feature=related

[Donna Rail]

"We fly to your protection," to the Theotokos.

[Kusanagi]

one worth including is one given to me from a friend from Fr Raphael of the monastery in Essex.

Lord, speak a word in the heart of N
and speak a word in my heart about N

This is used when there are any problems between yourself and someone else for whatever reason so both can be reconciled.

[Nina]

Lord Jesus Christ, help me and keep me from sinning, for I have strayed. Do not allow me to be lost through my sins. Take pity on me, for I am Thy creation; do not ignore me, for I am ill; do not forsake me, for I have sought refuge in Thee. Cure my soul, for I have sinned before Thee. All that I have suffered is found before Thine eyes, and I have no refuge save Thee, my Lord. Lord, save me, by virtue of Thy mercy upon sinners. Let all those who have risen up against my soul and seek my soul, in order to destroy it, come to shame; for Thou, O Lord, art All-Powerful, and through Thee are glorified God the Father and the Holy Spirit unto the ages. Amen. ~ St. Isaiah, pp. 186-187, The Evergetinos IV

[Dova Nisavic]

My favourite prayer:
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Also, I love to pray and read the Bible in Greek lenguage.

[Nina]

The Pentitential Prayer of St. Mary of Egypt to the Theotokos (http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/04/saint-mary-of-egypt-living-example-of.html?spref=fb)

May <3 Saint Mary of Egypt <3 intercede for our souls now and always!

[Yolanda]

My favourite prayer:

Prayer of the Three Holy Children (The Prayer of Azariah and the Prayer of the Three Holy Children)

Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: thy name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore:
For thou art righteous in all the things that thou hast done to us: yea, true are all thy works, thy ways are right, and all thy judgments truth.
In all the things that thou hast brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, thou hast executed true judgment: for according to truth and judgment didst thou bring all these things upon us because of our sins.
For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from thee. In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed thy commandments, nor kept them, neither done as thou hast commanded us, that it might go well with us.
Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment.
And thou didst deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God, and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world.
And now we cannot open our mouths, we are become a shame and reproach to thy servants; and to them that worship thee.
Yet deliver us not up wholly, for thy name's sake, neither disannul thou thy covenant:
And cause not thy mercy to depart from us, for thy beloved Abraham's sake, for thy servant Issac's sake, and for thy holy Israel's sake;
To whom thou hast spoken and promised, that thou wouldest multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that lieth upon the seashore.
For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, and be kept under this day in all the world because of our sins.
Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to sacrifice before thee, and to find mercy.
Nevertheless in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted.
Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like as in ten thousands of fat lambs: so let our sacrifice be in thy sight this day, and grant that we may wholly go after thee: for they shall not be confounded that put their trust in thee.
And now we follow thee with all our heart, we fear thee, and seek thy face.
Put us not to shame: but deal with us after thy lovingkindness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies.
Deliver us also according to thy marvellous works, and give glory to thy name, O Lord: and let all them that do thy servants hurt be ashamed;
And let them be confounded in all their power and might, and let their strength be broken;
And let them know that thou art God, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.
And the king's servants, that put them in, ceased not to make the oven hot with rosin, pitch, tow, and small wood;
So that the flame streamed forth above the furnace forty and nine cubits.
And it passed through, and burned those Chaldeans it found about the furnace.
But the angel of the Lord came down into the oven together with Azarias and his fellows, and smote the flame of the fire out of the oven;
And made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them.
Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed, God in the furnace, saying,
Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
And blessed is thy glorious and holy name: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Blessed art thou in the temple of thine holy glory: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and above ail to be praised and glorified for ever.
O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever,
O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O all ye waters that be above the heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O all ye winds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever,
O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye dews and storms of snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord: bless and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye ice and cold, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye frost and snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O let the earth bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye mountains and little hills, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O all ye things that grow in the earth, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye mountains, bless ye the Lord: Praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye seas and rivers, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O Israel, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever: far he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us from the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame: even out of the midst of the fire hath he delivered us.
O give thanks unto the Lord, because he is gracious: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O all ye that worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks: for his mercy endureth for ever. Daniel 3:52-90

[Jonathan Michael]

Morning Prayer from St Gregory Nazianzen:

In the morning I greet my God
and resolve to give no room to sin
but rather consecrate this day to you
abiding firm
and master the passions.
for wickedness would bring dishonour
upon my greying hairs
and on the table at which I minister.
Do you, my Christ,
bring this beginning
to a happy end.



Evening Prayer from St Gregory Nazianzen:

I deceived you, Word of God, and very truth,
when I consecrated this day to you.
Now night comes upon me
and my own light is not undimmed.
This I prayed over and foresaw
but in part my feet have stumbled,
and on me darkness fell,
that hater of salvation.
Rekindle my light, O Christ,
and shine on me again.

[Effie Ganatsios]

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Isaiah 26:3


Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

[Andreas Moran]

Lord, Thou seest that I am weak and sinful: make me to be as Thou wouldst have me be.

[Alexander Ignatiev]

I particularly enjoy the Prayer before the Ambon from the Divine Liturgy, and the Great Doxology.

[Mark Harris]

The morning Prayer of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow is one of my favorites and I have shared it with many friends Orthodox and non Orthodox alike.
O Lord,
grant that I may meet the coming day in peace.
Help me in all things
to rely upon Thy Holy Will.
In every hour of the day,
reveal your will to me.
Bless my dealings with all who surround me.
Teach me to treat all that comes to me
throughout the day with peace of soul,
and with the firm conviction that Your will governs all.
In all my deeds and words,
guide my thoughts and feelings.
In unforeseen events, let me not forget
that all are sent by You.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely,
without embittering and embarrassing others.
Give me the strength to bear the fatigue
of the coming day with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will.
Teach me to pray and Yourself pray within me.
+ My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity glory be to you. Amen.

[Anna Stickles]

I can't believe that no one has posted the Optina Elders prayer on here which is one of my favorites

Lord, grant me strength to meet with serenity everything forthcoming today. Grant me to submit completely to Thy holy will. At every hour of this day guide and support me in all things. Whatsoever news may reach me in the course of this day, teach me to accept it with calmness and the conviction that all is subject to Thy holy will.
In all my words and actions direct my thoughts and feelings. In all unexpected occurrences, do not let me forget that all is sent down by Thee. Teach me to deal straightforwardly and wisely with every member of my family, neither embarrassing nor saddening anyone.
O Lord, grant me strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events that take place during it. Direct my will and teach me to pray, to believe, to hope, to be patient, to forgive and to love. Amen.

[Rob Bergen]

From Pseudo-Dyonysius the Areopogite's Mystical Theology:

Trinity!! Higher than any being,
any divinity, any goodness!
Guide of Christians
in the wisdom of heaven!
Lead us up beyond unknowing and light,
up to the farthest, highest peak
of mystical scripture,
where the mysteries of God's Word
lie simple, absolute and unchangeable
in the brilliant darkness of a hidden silence.
Amid the deepest shadow
they pour overwhelming light
on what is most manifest.
Amid the wholly unsensed and unseen
they completely fill our sightless minds
with treasures beyond all beauty.

It is quite beautiful and poetic.

[Nina]

"My hope is the Father,
My refuge is the Son,
My shelter is the Holy Spirit.
O Holy Trinity, Glory to You."

- The Prayer of St Ioannikios the Great of Olympus (+846) whom we commemorated yesterday.

[Rick H.]

"My hope is the Father,
My refuge is the Son,
My shelter is the Holy Spirit.
O Holy Trinity, Glory to You."

- The Prayer of St Ioannikios the Great of Olympus (+846) whom we commemorated yesterday.

Thanks Nina.

[Michael Stickles]

I'm rather fond of a Prayer of St. Macarius the Great which I end my morning prayers with. It manages to sum up so much in so few words:


Having risen from sleep, I hasten to Thee, O Master, Lover of mankind, and by Thy loving-kindness I strive to do Thy work, and I pray to Thee: Help me at all times, in everything, and deliver me from every worldly, evil thing and every impulse of the devil, and save me and lead me into Thine eternal kingdom. For Thou art my Creator, and the Giver and Provider of everything good, and in Thee is all my hope, and unto Thee do I send up glory, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

There is also a very short prayer I have said a few times in the past, which my spiritual father has instructed me to begin praying daily. The exact wording varies, but one example is:


O Lord, please get me to where you want me to be in my life, in spite of me.

Effectively, the idea is asking God, "Even when I'm intransigent, stubborn, digging in my heels and saying 'NO!', please don't stop working in me to make me more like Christ."

In Christ,
Michael