Let us pray to the Lord in peace - How we believe

Orthodox wedge

Author: Archpriest Igor Gagarin

“Let us pray to the Lord in peace.” This is the first petition of the Great or Peaceful Litany. Every believer knows these words well. They sound at the very beginning of the Divine Liturgy, immediately after the exclamation “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit...” With these words we proclaim the purpose of our meeting, our prayer and, ultimately, our entire earthly life. And now: “Let us pray to the Lord in peace.”

The word “peace” is close to our hearts. This word has many meanings. First of all, when we say “peace,” we mean the state of soul of each person praying. After all, if there is no peace in the soul, how can it speak to God? But the paradox lies precisely in this: there is no peace in the souls of the majority of those who come to the temple. We seek it, we strive for it. In the meantime, we are taking the first steps, without which peace in the soul will never be achieved.

Even before the service, we had to reconcile with all our neighbors, forgive everyone who offended us, ask for forgiveness from those who offended us, if possible. We are reconciled to God by confessing our sins to Him with a broken heart. Without this, peaceful prayer will not work.

But there is also another meaning to this word. In Rus' they often said “the world” or “the whole world” meaning - all together, unanimously. We should not come to church each on our own. We come to our family, to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our prayer is a general prayer, without ceasing to be personal. “Let us pray to the Lord in peace,” proclaims the priest or deacon. And we all answer: “Lord, have mercy!” And although these words are usually sung only by the choir, they are sung on behalf of all those praying. We mentally participate in this singing, making the sign of the cross and bowing before God. "Lord have mercy!" - we all mentally ask. Everyone puts something of their own into these common words. The word “have mercy” embraces all human needs. But the main one is the desire to be reconciled with God, to communicate with Him, to unite with Him, so that God is in us, and we are in God.

“Peace” - all together. Who is “everyone”? Everyone in the temple? No, much more. In every Divine service, even in the smallest rural church, the entire Ecumenical Orthodox Church is spiritually present. Not only Christians who are alive and well today, but also those living in another, better world, and above all, saints.

“Let us pray to the Lord in peace.” Let us appear before the Lord, reconciled with people and with ourselves, bound by bonds of love and like-mindedness, with all the brothers and sisters who follow Christ along the thorny earthly paths, and with those who have already walked their path, carried their cross and are in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Photo: Gennady Alekseev

With the fear of God, why is the lamp lit in front of the icon?

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“Let us pray to the Lord in peace” Explanation of the Peaceful Litany

The Peaceful or Great Litany is located at the beginning of all services of the daily cycle. This means that it contains requests for the most necessary things, for what we need first.

“Let us pray to the Lord in peace”

Peace is a very important quality of a person, true to God’s plan for him. "World!" - this ancient biblical greeting organically entered the life of the Christian Church from the first days of its existence. The Savior said to the disciples: “My peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you” (John 14:27) - it is this peace of Christ that is taught by a bishop or priest during a church service, proclaiming “Peace to all!” In the Western Latin liturgical tradition, the exclamation “Peace to all” was rendered as “The Lord be with you,” which emphasizes the biblical understanding of the word “Peace” as one of the qualities of God.

Peace and a peaceful mood and dispensation of the spirit are one of the main foundations of the entire Christian life, and, of course, the primary condition for prayer. – Let us pray to the Lord in peace! - the deacon calls.

If we try to describe this concept “by contradiction,” then “unpeace” is anger, rage, resentment, irritability, condemnation, passionate desire for something, unhealthy excitement and other destructive states of the soul. All this is an obstacle to communication with God and to prayer. Not because it’s impossible, but because it’s impossible. The soul in this case is already busy with something else, and that means that it is not ready for God, for communication with Him, now, it is simply busy with something else. If we have a serious conversation with one person, we try to talk to him alone. If there are several such issues, then we solve them one by one - you cannot solve a serious issue together. Conversation with God is a matter that requires exceptional attention. Therefore, the main result of preparing for prayer is tranquility, liberation from everything, attention and peace.

“Let us pray to the Lord for peace from above and the salvation of our souls”

“Without Me you can do nothing” is the eternal answer to all our despair at our own helplessness. It is really difficult in our age to come not just to church to pray, but to come to a peaceful state of soul, ready to communicate with God. May the Lord send us His peace from above and save our souls - this is the content of this petition.

“Let us pray to the Lord for the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of God’s holy churches and for the unity of all.”

Only when we ourselves have come to a peaceful state can we pray for the peace of the whole world - the cosmos, the entire Universe, so that all people will be filled with the peace of Christ. Praying for peace brings much more results than “fighting for peace.”

What is “welfare”? This, in modern language, is when “everything is in order.” Praying for the “well-being of God’s holy churches,” we ask the Lord that the life of the Church be freed from disorder, schisms, and differences of opinion. As we have seen quite recently, all this is not a thing of the past, the history of the Church, but a reality that we have to face every day. People in the Church are different. Peace and a creative atmosphere are not the goal for everyone. Personal ambitions, delusions and, often, sinful rather than holy simplicity lead to the fact that people who call themselves believers violate the “well-being” of the Church, confuse the minds of others and thereby commit a great sin. We want “everything to be in order” in the Church, so that the Church can fulfill its goal - to testify to the whole world about God.

"About connecting everyone." From the time of the Fall until today, our human society has been a society of division. Everyone is divided and for different reasons. States that were previously one are being divided, families are being separated, friends, colleagues, relatives, and neighbors are being separated. The main goal of the Devil is to sow division among people. Separation is sin, death, godlessness. The Lord commands unity to His disciples and prays for their unity before the suffering of the cross. The apostles call on the first Christian communities to preserve unity as a great value. Finally, with its unity, the Church testifies to the world that the Lord gives healing from the sin of separation, and only in Christ can one accept the healing of sin and learn to live by union, and not by division, and learn to build, and not destroy, one’s life and the life of one’s neighbors. With this petition we pray, firstly, to overcome divisions in the Church itself, among our community, and of course, just like the petition for “peace of the whole world,” we also ask for the unity of all people in the world who suffer from division and hostility.

“For this holy temple and for those who enter it with faith, reverence and fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.”

Prayer for a church is even more natural, like prayer for a residential building, industrial or other building, which are consecrated by the Church through a special rite. The content of the prayer for the temple can best be expressed by those who spent several years or decades of their lives creating the temple. How earnestly those of us who do not yet have a temple pray - in a residential area of a modern metropolis, or on the ruins of an ancient temple desecrated in godless times. And what joy our prayer is filled with on the long-awaited day of the consecration of the temple! I am reminded of the Old Testament King Solomon, who uttered an inspired prayer at the completion of the construction of the Jerusalem Temple: “Let Your eyes be open on the temple this day and night... Hear the prayer that Your servant will pray in this place.” (1 Kings 8:29). In the New Testament, a Christian temple is the place where the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated. If there is a temple, there is the Eucharist. Our prayer “for this holy temple” is a request to the Lord not to deprive us in the future of the life-giving sacrament of the Eucharist and the opportunity to communicate with our Heavenly Father.

Those who enter the temple with faith, reverence and fear of God.

A temple is a meeting place for a community of Christians - people whose lives are subordinate to God, His commandments, and filled with communication with Him. You can’t just enter a temple like you can enter any building. The temple is a special place of communication with God. And you have to come here with a special mood.

Faith – in God – is the condition and content of Christian life.

Reverence is caution and attentiveness to oneself, one’s actions, their compliance with God’s commandments, seeking God’s will about one’s life, actions, deeds.

Fear of God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). The perfection of spiritual life is ardent, perfect love for God, which, as the Apostle John the Theologian writes, “casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). But you must, of course, enter the temple with the fear of God.

Only those who enter the temple with such feelings of the soul are actually members of the Christian assembly, community. Anyone who, upon entering the temple, talks (including on a mobile phone), behaves disrespectfully towards others, and towards the divine service going on in the temple, the Church does not pray for such people, they, in a figurative sense, did not come to the temple , are present here only in body, and of course, they sin with such behavior.

“For the Great Lord and our Father, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, for the venerable presbytery, for the diaconate in Christ, for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.”

The bishop is the head of the Christian community, archpastor, heir of the apostles. Prayer for the bishop is a testimony to the belonging of the Church to the entire community as a whole and to each of us individually. In the early Christian Church there was a bishop in every community. It was the bishop who celebrated the sacrament of the Eucharist. As the Church multiplies, the bishop becomes the ruler of vast dioceses; he ordains and appoints priests to the parish and gives them the right to celebrate the Eucharist. Without a bishop there is no Church and no Eucharist. By lifting up the name of the bishop during divine services, we testify that our community lives with the blessing of the bishop, and that the Eucharist in our church is celebrated with his blessing.

The bishop's assistants are presbyters - priests, deacons, the entire clergy, which in the ancient Church had many levels and names, and finally - all people - all members of the community. Thus, in this petition we pray for all of us - members of the Christian Church and testify to the composition of the Church.

“Let us pray to the Lord for our God-protected country, its authorities and its army”

The fact that we were born and live in our country is undoubtedly the will of God for each of us. “You are the salt of the earth,” the Savior says to us Christians. We can say that Christians are the “salt of the country.” The task of every Local Church, every Christian community is to be salt for those around them. Witnessing to the truth in word and life, and of course, praying for one’s country is an important calling of a Christian.

The Apostle Paul also called on Christians to pray “for kings (that is, the pagan emperors of the Roman Empire) and for all those in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and serene life” (1 Tim. 2:2).

The prayer “for the authorities” in the rite of worship of the Russian Orthodox Church appeared in the 20s. twentieth century, when new realities of life gave rise to changes in the liturgical commemoration of power. Until February 1917, the deacon called for prayer “for the most pious...”. Praying for those who have civil authority over us does not mean recognizing that these people are Christians who care about the good of the Church. Whatever they are, we still pray and will pray that their activities will benefit the Church, even if now they only bring harm to the Church.

Always pray for the army - and now we do not want to be ruled by foreigners. During the Great Patriotic War, Metropolitan and then His Holiness Patriarch Sergius (Stragorodsky), blessing the soldiers of the Red Army for the battle with Nazi Germany, knew that the Army defended not only Soviet power, but also the Church, churches, which in the long-term ideological program of the Nazis were supposed to be destroyed by 1960

“For this city (this city), for every city, for the country, and for those who live in them by faith, let us pray to the Lord.”

A city or village is not just a populated area, but a collection of people living in it, righteous and sinful. Remembering the events of biblical history, we see that the fate of cities depends entirely on people. For the sake of ten righteous people the Lord could save Sodom (Gen. 18:32). The Lord condemns the Jewish cities: “Woe to you Chorazin, woe to you Bethsaida... And you, Capernaum, who ascended to heaven, will be cast down to hell, for if the powers that were manifested in you had been manifested in Sodom, it would have remained to this day...” (Matt. 11:21-23). The people who live in the city make its destiny. Seemingly randomly united into one community - “Muscovites”, “Kievians”, “Minsk residents” - depend on each other through moral actions. And the good for the city is the righteous. Therefore, when praying for the city, we do not ask God for an increase in square meters of housing and infrastructure development, but for Him, by His mercy, to increase the number of righteous people in our city, so that it can still stand on the face of the earth, so that God’s service in the city’s churches continues. The same thoughts apply to the country. We pray for all cities, countries, and believers living in them.

“Let us pray to the Lord for the goodness of the air, for the abundance of the fruits of the earth and for times of peace.”.

Today, in an era of environmental crisis, this petition is becoming increasingly clear to us. It is the “prosperity (i.e., when everything mixes well) of the air” that is disrupted by rapid human activity and leads to typhoons, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes and other “discontents” of nature. The prayer “for the abundance of the fruits of the earth” is a prayer for the benefit of all workers of the agrarian-industrial complex, all producers of agricultural products. Everything the earth gives is our food. Bread is also bread for the sacrament of the Eucharist. A person cannot live without this. “Peacetime” is the opposite of “wartime.” Here we are already praying that there will be no war.

“Let us pray to the Lord for those floating, traveling, sick, suffering, captives, and for their salvation.”

In ancient times, even more than today, sailing was a very risky undertaking, which was undertaken solely due to the lack of an alternative method of transportation. Danger of sea elements, danger of sea robbers, diseases, etc. - all this placed those traveling by sea in a separate order of concern and prayer for them. “Travelers” are those traveling overland, where there were fewer dangers, but they did exist—robbery on the roads was common. In addition, travel took considerable time: poor people traveled on foot, rich people traveled on horseback. Today we would add a special mention to those who travel by air - this main modern mode of travel over long distances is also a matter of concern for both the travelers themselves and those waiting for them at home.

“Sick people” are patients who are obsessed with some kind of illness.

“Suffering” - the Greek original of this word means 1) “tired of life”; 2) terminally ill.

There were ancient people in almost every family who were in enemy captivity during the era of constant wars. Unfortunately, in our time, some Russian families have again experienced what this is like.

“Let us pray to the Lord for deliverance from all sorrow, anger and need”

What prevents us from completing the work of our salvation?

Grief is an external circumstance that is unpleasant for us. Despite the fact that sorrows often help a person turn his face to God after he has forgotten to do this, for the normal course of life we ask God to deliver us from sorrows.

Anger is any evil that comes from us due to our weak human nature, damaged by sin. We are just trying to learn how to control ourselves, but often the soul gets out of control and we vent our anger at those around us.

Need is a lack of material means for subsistence. Need forces people to commit crimes, deception, and destroys families and businesses. Lord, deliver us from want!

“Intercede, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace”

Stand up - protect in difficult circumstances of life and spiritual growth

Save - deliver from sin, curse and death

Have mercy - heal our sinful wounds

Keep me in the Church and in prayer to You with Your grace. Even now we see people who diligently went to church and left the Church without any external persecution. Lord, keep us in Your Church!

“We commemorate our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed, Glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary with all the saints, and commend ourselves and each other and our whole life to Christ our God.”.

Source - Church of John the Baptist on Presnya
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Prayer of offer when placing the paten and cup:

God, our God, heavenly bread, food for the whole world, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who sent our Savior and Savior and Benefactor, blessing and sanctifying us, bless this offer yourself and accept it into your heavenly Altar. Remember that you are good, and the Lover of Mankind, who brought, and for the sake of whom they brought: keep us uncondemned in the sacred action of your divine mysteries.
For hallowed and glorified is your most honorable and magnificent name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. People: Amen.

And again the singers sing the Cherubic song:

There come before this the faces of angels with all principality and power, the many-eyed Cherubim, and the six-faced Seraphim, covering their faces, and crying out the song: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Each throne:

Master Almighty, King of Glory, Knowing everything before their existence, come to us in this holy hour, those who call upon You, and deliver us from the shame of sin, cleanse our minds and thoughts from unclean lusts and worldly charms and every devilish action, and accept from this incense from the hands of us sinners, as you accepted the offering of Abel, and Noah, and Aaron, and Samuel, and all your saints, delivering us from every evil deed, and saving us to always please, and worship, and glorify you, the Father and only begotten thy Son, and thy all Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, amen.

Let us take in the wisdom of God.

I believe

God and Lord of all, make us worthy of this hour, unworthy, so that, having purified ourselves from all deceit and all hypocrisy, we may unite with each other in peace and love, confirmed by your knowledge of God through the sacredness, for the sake of your only begotten Son Christ, with whom you are blessed, with the most holy and good , and by your life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Let's become kinder. Let us pray to the Lord in peace.

For you are the God of mercy, love, generosity and love for mankind, you, and your only begotten Son, and your all-holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

People: Amen.

Peace to all.

People: And to your spirit.

Let us love one another with a holy kiss.

People:
I will love you, O Lord, my strength, the Lord my strength, and my refuge and deliverer.
Kissing the paten, the cup, the meal, the concelebrants.

Let us bow our heads to the Lord.

People: To you, Lord.

One Lord and merciful God, who bowed his neck before your holy altar, and asked you for spiritual gifts, bestow your good grace, and bless us all with every spiritual and inalienable blessing, who lives in the highest and looks upon the humble. For your all-holy name, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is praised, and worshiped, and glorified. Amen.

May the Lord bless us, and hasten us, and make us worthy of the presence of his holy altar and the coming (+ here signifies the diskos) of his holy Spirit (+ here signifies the cup) with his grace and love for mankind, always, now and ever, and unto the ages centuries.

People: Amen.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (3 times).
Lord, open my lips. and my mouth will declare Your praise (three times). Let my lips be filled with praise, O Lord, for I will sing of Your glory, Your splendor all day long (3 times).
The minister comes out to the people and sings in voice 5:

Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

People answer in the same voice:

The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the highest will overshadow you.

Let us pray to the Lord in peace.

Save, have mercy, be merciful and preserve us, O God, by your grace.

Let us pray to the Lord for heavenly peace and God’s love for mankind, and for the salvation of our souls.

Let us pray to the Lord for the peace of the whole world and the unity of all the holy churches of God.

For the saints of the universes and apostles of the church, from the end of the earth even to the end of it, let us pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to the Lord for the salvation and intercession of our most holy father and archbishop (name of the rivers), all the clergy and Christ-loving people.

Let us pray to the Lord for the most pious and divinely crowned Orthodox kings, for their entire chamber and army, and for help and victory from heaven.

For the holy city of Christ our God, the reigning city, every city and country, and those
who live in them in the Orthodox faith and piety of God, for their peace and tranquility, let us pray to the Lord.
Let us pray to the Lord for those who are fruitful and virtuous in God’s holy churches, and for those who remember the poor, the widows and the orphans, the strange and those in need, and for those who commanded us that we remember them in our prayers.

For those in old age and weakness, those who are sick, those who are toiling, and those who are cold from unclean spirits, for God’s speedy healing and salvation for them, let us pray to the Lord.

For the reverend fathers and brethren who labor in virginity and pure asceticism, and for those who remain in honest marriage, and for the reverend fathers and brethren who struggle in the mountains, dens and abysses of the earth, let us pray to the Lord.

For the sailing, traveling, strange Christians, and for our brothers in captivity and exile, and for our living brethren in prison and hard work, for the peaceful return of each one to his home with joy, let us pray to the Lord.

For the fathers and brothers who stand and pray to us in this holy hour and at all times, let us pray to the Lord for their diligence, labor and zeal.

And for every soul of Christians, grieving and embittered, demanding God’s mercy and help, and for the conversion of the lost, the health of the sick, the liberation of the captives, the repose of the fathers and brothers who were previously entrusted, let us pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to the Lord for the remission of sins and forgiveness of our trespasses, and for us to be delivered from all sorrow, anger, misfortune and need, the uprising of our tongues.

Let us pray more extensively to the Lord about the goodness of the air, peaceful rains, good dews, abundance of fruits, perfect fertility and the crown of summer.

Let us pray to the Lord for our prayer to be heard and favored before God, and for His rich mercy and bounty to be granted to us.

Our Most Holy, Most Pure, Glorious, Blessed Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, Saints and Blessed John, the Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, Stephen the Chief Deacon and First Martyr, Moses, Aaron, Elijah, Elisha, Samuel, David, Daniel the Prophets, and all the saints and Let us remember the righteous, for through their prayers and supplications we will all receive mercy.

We pray to the Lord God for the honorable and above-heaven, ineffable, most pure, glorious, terrible, terrible divine gifts that are presented and for the salvation of our honorable father and bishop (the name of the rivers, or the priest the name of the rivers, if the priest is liturgisating) the Lord God who is coming and bringing this.

People: Lord, have mercy. 3 times:

Prayer of Saint James:

Having looked upon us with mercy and bounty, O Lord Lord, and having granted us boldness, as your humble and sinful and unworthy servants, to stand before your holy altar and bring you this terrible and bloodless sacrifice for our sins and human ignorance, look upon me, your indecent servant, and blot out my sins of compassion for your sake, and cleanse my mouth and heart from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and leave from me every shameful and unreasonable thought, and satisfy me, by the power of your all-holy Spirit, in this service, and accept me for the sake of your goodness, approaching the holy altar, and deign, O Lord, to be pleased to be brought to You with this gift by our hands, condescending to my weakness, and do not cast me away from Your presence, abhor my unworthiness, but have mercy on me, O God, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, despise my iniquities, for having come before your glory without condemnation, I may be granted the protection of your only begotten Son and the illumination of your all-holy Spirit, and not as a slave of sin will I be rejected, but as your servant I will find grace and mercy and remission of sins, in this and the future.
To her, Master Almighty, Omnipotent Lord, hear my prayer: for you are all active in all, and from you we expect all help and intercession in all, and from your only begotten Son and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
And this prayer:

God, who for the sake of your many sakes and unspeakable love for mankind sent down your only begotten Son into the world, so that the lost sheep may return, do not turn away from us sinners, who present this terrible and bloodless sacrifice to you: for we do not trust in our righteousness, but in your good mercy, which You keep our family. And now we pray and ask for your kindness: may this sacrament arranged for our salvation not be for the condemnation of your people, but for the remission of sins, for the renewal of souls and bodies, for the benefit of you, God and the Father.

Veil Prayer:

We thank you, Lord our God, for you have given us boldness in entering the saints, and you have renewed for us a new and living way through the veil of the flesh of your Christ. Having been deemed worthy to bring your glory into the place of your dwelling, and within the veil to be, and to behold the Holy of Holies, let us bow down to your grace, Master, have mercy on us: even though we are afraid and trembling, we want to stand before your holy altar, and bring you this terrible and bloodless sacrifice for our sins and about human ignorance. Send down upon us, God, Thy good grace, and sanctify our souls and bodies and spirits, and change our thoughts to piety, so that with a clear conscience we will offer you mercy, peace, the sacrifice of praise for the mercy and generosity and love of your only begotten Son, with whom we are blessed Thou art with thy most holy and good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

People: Amen.

Peace to all.

People: And to your spirit.

Deacon: Let's become kinder. Let's become more pious. Let us stand with the fear of God and contrition. Let us remember: holy offerings in the world to God.

Mercy of the world, sacrifice of praise.

And the one who significantly dresses this sacred rite, opening the veils of fortune-telling, clearly show us, and fill our intelligent eyes with your incomparable light, and having cleansed our poverty from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, make us worthy of this terrible and terrible stand, for Thou
art most gracious and merciful, and We send up glory to you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Blessing:

The love of God and the Father, and the grace of the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, and the communion and gift of the All-Holy Spirit, be with you all.

People: And with your spirit.

Woe is our mind and heart.

People: Imams to the Lord.

Bishop or Priest: We thank the Lord.

Further

Texts of powerful prayers for peace

You can ask the Lord for peace for all people in your own words. But special canonical texts will be heard much faster.

The clergy recommend praying for peace by choosing such saints as mediators:

Righteous Father John of Kronstadt;
Saints Silouan of Athos and Seraphim of Sarov;
Archangel Michael.

The prayer words read in front of the “Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos” icon, as well as Psalm 26, also have divine power.

Silouan of Athos

The Monk Silouan of Athos was known as a great man of prayer for peace. His parents wanted to make him a warrior, but the righteous man, knowing the grief wars bring, left military service to serve the Lord.

Throughout his earthly life, the saint called on people to reconciliation and forgiveness of enemies. Silouan of Athos believed that the salvation of humanity is possible only through the preservation of peace. The saint taught to love enemies, and then the grace of God will fill the soul.

Text of the prayer of Silouan of Athos:

“Lord, grant Thy peace to Thy people. Lord, grant to Your servants Your Holy Spirit, so that He will warm their hearts with Your love and guide them into all truth and goodness. Lord, grant them Your grace, so that in peace and love they may know You, and love You, and say, like the apostles on Tabor: “It is good for us, Lord, to be with You.” Warm the sad hearts of people; let them glorify You in joy, forgetting the sorrows of the earth. O good Comforter, I tearfully ask You, comfort the sorrowful souls of Your people. Let all Your people understand Your love and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit, may people forget the sorrows of the earth, and may they leave behind everything bad and cling to You with love, and may they live in peace, doing Your will for Your glory.”

John of Kronstadt

John of Kronstadt is one of the favorite saints of many Christians. Believers turn to him for help in a variety of situations. But not everyone knows that St. John not only preached Christianity, but also composed prayer texts.

Believers read one of these sacred texts during a prayer for peace; it reads as follows:

“Glory to You, God, my Benefactor, forever and ever! Be known, O Lord, in Thy faith to all Thy people and all the tribes of the earth, that they may all glorify Thee with one mouth and one heart, from the east of the sun to the west. Be, be!

Seraphim of Sarov

The Monk Seraphim of Sarov is one of the saints who helps believers in defending the Fatherland. According to legend, those warriors who received a blessing from the miracle worker before the battle returned home alive and healthy. And now Seraphim of Sarov is being addressed with prayers for help and protection during military conflicts.

Words of a strong prayer to Seraphim of Sarov:

“O wonderful Father Seraphim, great miracle worker of Sarov, quick and obedient helper to all who come running to you! During the days of your earthly life, no one left you weary and inconsolable, but everyone was blessed with the vision of your face and the benevolent voice of your words. Moreover, the gift of healing, the gift of insight, the gift of healing for weak souls has appeared abundantly in you.

When God called you from earthly labors to heavenly rest, your love ceased from us, and it is impossible to count your miracles, which multiplied like the stars of heaven: you appeared to the people of God throughout the entire end of our earth and granted them healing. In the same way, we cry out to you: O most quiet and meek servant of God, daring man of prayer to Him, denying no one who calls you, offer up your powerful prayer for us to the Lord of hosts, may He strengthen our power, may He grant us all that is useful in this life and all that is spiritual useful to salvation, may he protect us from the falls of sin and teach us true repentance, so that we can enter without stumbling into the eternal Heavenly Kingdom, where you now shine in unfathomable glory, and there sing with all the saints the Life-Giving Trinity until the end of the age. Amen".

Before the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Heavenly patroness of all Christians. There is a legend about the miraculous salvation of Constantinople from Muslim invaders. The residents of the city, together with the priest, gathered in the temple, asking the Lord for help and protection from enemy troops.

Suddenly the parishioners saw the image of the Most Pure Mother of God kneeling near the altar. After reading the prayer, the Mother of God turned to the worshipers, took off the omophorion from her head and extended it over the parishioners.

The people of Constantinople managed to win the battle and save the city from enemy invasion. Since then, a holiday was established, popularly called Intercession. And the icon painters captured the event itself on the icon.

In front of the shrine, believers ask for peace, turning to the Mother of God with the following sacred words:

“Oh, Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord of the Highest Powers, Heaven and Earth Queen, our city and country, omnipotent Intercessor! Accept this singing of praise and gratitude from us, Thy unworthy servants, and lift up our prayers to the Throne of God Thy Son, that He may be merciful to our unrighteousness and add His grace those who honor Your all-honorable name and worship Your miraculous image with faith and love. For we are not worthy of mercy from Him, unless You propitiate Him for us, O Lady, for all that is possible for You from Him is possible. For this reason we resort to You, as to our undoubted and speedy Intercessor: hear us praying to You, cover us with Your all-powerful protection and ask God for Your Son to shepherd We strive for our zeal and vigilance for souls, for wisdom and strength as a ruler, as a judge of truth and impartiality, as a mentor reason and humility, love and harmony for a spouse, obedience for a child, patience for those offended, fear of God for those offended, complacency for those who mourn, self-control for those who rejoice: to us all the spirit of understanding and goodness stia, the spirit of mercy and meekness, the spirit of purity and truth. Hey, Most Holy Lady, have mercy on Your weak people; Gather the scattered, guide those who have gone astray on the right path, support old age, bring up the youth with integrity, educate the young, and look upon us all with the care of Your merciful intercession; raise us up from the depths of sin and enlighten the eyes of our hearts to the vision of salvation; be merciful to us here and there, in the land of earthly advent and at the Last Judgment of Your Son; Having ceased in faith and repentance from this life, our fathers and brothers created eternal life with the Angels and with all the saints. For you are, Lady, the Glory of heaven and the Hope of earth, You, according to God, are our Hope and Intercessor of all who flow to You with faith. We therefore pray to You and to You, as the Almighty Helper, to ourselves and to each other and our whole lives we commit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen".

Archangel Michael

Archangel Michael, who leads the army of the Lord, has been helping faithful people in battles since ancient times. According to eyewitnesses, in 1239, thanks to the archangel, the Novgorodians managed to resist the Tatar troops. Archangel Michael appeared to the soldiers of Khan Batu, who were about to storm the city, forbidding them to storm the fortress. Since then, prayers have been offered to the main Heavenly warrior for world peace.

Words of the sacred text:

“O Saint Michael the Archangel, light-shaped and formidable commander of the Heavenly King! Before the Last Judgment, let me repent from my sins, deliver my soul from the net that catches me and bring me to the God who created me, who sits on the Cherubim, and pray diligently for her, so that through your intercession I will send her to the resting place. O formidable commander of the Heavenly Powers, representative of all at the Throne of the Lord Christ, guardian of the strong man and wise armorer, strong commander of the Heavenly King! Have mercy on me, a sinner who requires your intercession, save me from all visible and invisible enemies, and moreover, strengthen me from the horror of death and from the embarrassment of the devil, and grant me the honor of unashamedly presenting myself to our Creator at the hour of His terrible and righteous Judgment. O all-holy, great Michael the Archangel! Do not despise me, a sinner, who prays to you for your help and intercession, in this world and in the future, but grant me there together with you to glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen".

Psalm 26

The Old Testament Psalm 26 was written by King David. According to many Orthodox elders, it has great protective power. One of the Optina elders, Saint Ambrose, recommended reading it to soldiers before battle. And the Monk Arseny of Cappadocia advised peasants to read a psalm to prevent enemy attacks on fields and villages.

Text of Psalm 26:

“The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom will I fear? The Lord is the Protector of my life, from whom shall I fear? Sometimes those who are angry approach me and destroy my flesh; those who insult me and defeat me become exhausted and fall. Even if a regiment turns against me, my heart will not fear; Even if he fights against me, I will trust in Him. I have asked one thing from the Lord, and this I will require: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord, and that I may visit His holy temple. For He hid me in His village in the day of my evil, for He covered me in the secret of His village, and lifted me up on a stone. And now, behold, you have lifted up my head against my enemies: the waste and devouring in the village of His sacrifice of praise and exclamation; I will sing and make praise to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, my voice in which I cried, have mercy on me and hear me. My heart says to you: I will seek the Lord, I will seek your face, O Lord, I will seek your face. Do not turn Your face away from me and do not turn aside in anger from Your servant: be my helper, do not reject me and do not forsake me. God, my Savior. As my father and mother abandoned me. The Lord will accept me. Give me the law, O Lord, in Thy way, and guide me on the right path for my enemy’s sake. Do not betray me into the souls of those who are afflicted by me: for I have stood up as a witness of unrighteousness, and lied untruthfully to myself. I believe in seeing the good of the Lord on the land of the living. Be patient with the Lord, be of good courage, and let your heart be strong, and be patient with the Lord.”

The Power of Prayers for World Peace

Communication with God is impossible without prayer. Any words addressed to the Lord reach him. The purer and sincere the thoughts of the person praying, the sooner the Almighty will hear them. The more people read sacred texts asking for peace, the more effective the prayers will be.

This is especially true for sacred texts written by one of the saints during earthly life. During the attack of enemies on the Fatherland, the righteous prayed to the Creator for protection. Their words had a special energy. Therefore, even now believers read prayers for peace, once said by one of the saints.

But to achieve peace in the whole world, people must eradicate malice, anger, and hatred within themselves. Then, perhaps, the human race will be awarded God's grace.

How to read correctly

They offer prayers to the Lord in church during worship or at home. This can be done during the morning or evening prayer rule. When reading the sacred text in private, it is recommended to observe the following rules:

Choose a secluded place, relax, forgetting about all your problems for a while.
Place a lit lamp or church candle in front of the iconostasis.
After reading the Lord’s Prayer “Our Father,” say a prayer for world peace.
Thank the Lord, the Mother of God, and the holy saints for their help, ending the prayer service with the sign of the cross.

They read the prayer slowly, thoughtfully, delving into the meaning of the words spoken. Otherwise, the Lord will not answer prayer. The regularity of reading prayer texts is also important. It is advisable to pray for world peace every day, even if there is a war going on somewhere far away.

Rite of the Divine Liturgy

prayer

Deacon: Bless, master

Priest: Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir: Amen

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord in peace

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord for peace from above and the salvation of our souls.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord for the peace of the whole world, the prosperity of the Holy Churches of God and the unity of all.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord for this holy temple and for those who enter it with faith, reverence and fear of God.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: About our Great Lord and Father, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, about our Lord, His Eminence Metropolitan (or: Archbishop, or: Bishop) (name of the rivers), the honorable presbytery, the diaconate in Christ, for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord for our God-protected country, its authorities and its army.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: For this city (or: this city; if in a monastery, then: for this holy monastery), every city, country and the faith of those living in them, let us pray to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord for the goodness of the air, for the abundance of earthly fruits and times of peace.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord for those who are sailing, traveling, the sick, the suffering, the captives, and for their salvation.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord for deliverance from all sorrow, anger and need.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Intercede, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Having commemorated our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed, Glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and each other, and our whole life (our whole life) to Christ our God.

Choir: To you, Lord.

Priest: For all glory, honor and worship is due to You. To the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Fine antiphons

Sung on Sundays; on weekdays they are replaced by daily antiphons, and on holidays - by special holiday ones

First antiphon

Choir: Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all His rewards: He who cleanses all your ailments, who delivers your belly from corruption, who crowns you with mercy and bounties, who fulfills your desires for good: your youth will be renewed like an eagle. The Lord is generous and merciful, long-suffering and abounding in mercy. Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, His holy name. Blessed are you, Lord.

Deacon: Let us pray again and again in peace to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Intercede, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Choir: To you, Lord.

Priest: For Thine is the dominion, and Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Second Antiphon

Chorus: Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord in my belly, I will sing to my God until I am. Do not trust in princes, in the sons of men, for there is no salvation in them. His spirit shall depart and return to his land: and on that day all his thoughts shall perish. Blessed is the God of Jacob who is his helper; his trust is in the Lord his God, who created the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them: keeping the truth forever, bringing judgment to the wronged, giving food to the hungry. The Lord decides the bound: the Lord makes wise the blind: the Lord raises up the downtrodden: the Lord loves the righteous: the Lord protects the stranger, the orphan and the widow he receives, and the way of sinners he destroys. May the Lord reign forever, your God, in Zion, forever and ever.

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

The Only Begotten Son, and the Word of God, is immortal, and desiring for our salvation to be incarnate from the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, immutably made man, crucified Christ God, trampling down death by death, the One of the Holy Trinity, glorified to the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.

Deacon: Let us pray again and again in peace to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Intercede, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Choir: To you, Lord.

Priest: For You are a good and Lover of mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Third Antiphon, Blessed

The Blessed are a variable part of the Liturgy. Along with the Gospel verses, excerpts from the canon of the holiday or saint whose memory is celebrated on this day are sung.

Chorus: In Your Kingdom, remember us, O Lord, when You come to Your Kingdom.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for to them is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who cry, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blesseds of mercy, for there will be mercy. Blessed are those who are pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for these shall be called sons of God. Blessed is the expulsion of truth for the sake of them, for those are the Kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are you when they revile you, and mistreat you, and say all sorts of evil things against you, who lie to Me for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is abundant in heaven.

Login with the Gospel

Deacon: Wisdom, forgive me.

Chorus: Come, let us worship and fall before Christ. Save us, Son of God, risen from the dead, singing Ti: Alleluia.

Variable part of the Liturgy: the choir sings troparia and kontakia - the day, holiday or saint in whose honor the temple is consecrated, and the holiday or saint whose memory is celebrated today

Priest: For You are holy, our God, and to You we send glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever.

Deacon: And forever and ever.

Chorus: Amen.

Trisagion

Chorus: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (three times). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

Deacon: Let's see

Priest: Peace to all.

Reader of the Apostle: And your spirit.

Deacon: Wisdom

Reader and choir

Prokeimenon (changeable; here is the Sunday one, 1st tone)

May Thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, as we trust in Thee.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Reader: Reading of the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Romans, or: Reading of the Catholic Epistle of James; or: Reading the Acts of the Apostle, etc. (depending on what kind of reading is required).

Deacon: Let's take a look.

Reading the Apostle.

Priest: Peace be with you.

Reader: And to your spirit.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Reader and Choir: Alleluia (three times)

Deacon: Bless, Vladyka, the evangelist, the holy Apostle and Evangelist (the name of the evangelist of the Gospel being read).

Priest: God, through the prayers of the holy, glorious, all-validated apostle and evangelist (name of the rivers), may he give you the word to preach the good news with much power to fulfill the Gospel of His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ

Deacon: Amen.

Priest: Wisdom, forgive me, let us hear the Holy Gospel. Peace to all.

Chorus: And to your spirit.

Deacon: Reading from Matthew (or another evangelist) of the Holy Gospel

Chorus: Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee.

Priest: Let's take a look. And the Gospel is read. After finishing reading:

Chorus: Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee.

Deacon: We recite everything with all our souls and with all our thoughts.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Lord Almighty, God of our fathers, we pray to You, hear and have mercy.

Chorus: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray to You, hear and have mercy.