The most important and important prayers of Christians

Types of prayers by content

Eucharistic canon

The most important and important prayers of Christians

Orthodox prayer “I believe in one God...”, or the Symbol of Faith

Orthodox prayer “Our Father” - interpretation and essence

Prayer to the Holy Spirit “Heavenly King”

Jesus Prayer

Prayers to the Mother of God and Saints

How to order a prayer service and what is a thanksgiving prayer service

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There are a great many prayers in Orthodoxy. They vary in degree of importance and usage . Some of them are read constantly, others only on special occasions.

A series of prayers are used in worship. They are not called prayers, but liturgical texts and have their own special names: kontakion, troparion, stichera. There are also prayers and canons that are read only by the priest, and parishioners are prohibited from reading them.

Types of prayers by content

According to the content of prayer, prayers can be divided into four types:

Praise . This is the highest form of prayer, in which a Christian does not ask God for anything, but only glorifies Him. A type of prayer of praise is doxology - the glorification of all three persons of the Holy Trinity. The most famous is the so-called small doxology (“Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit...”), which always ends church prayers and chants. There is also a great doxology (“Glory to God in the highest”), which is sung at the end of Matins.
Thanksgiving or thanksgiving prayer . In meaning, it is close to laudatory: a person thanks the Lord for everything he has.
Repentant . In such a prayer, the believer repents, that is, he admits his sins before God and asks for His forgiveness.
Petition , or petitionary prayer . Such prayers are said when God’s help or consolation is needed in trouble, need or illness. Before asking, you should always read a prayer of repentance.

What is true prayer?

In turning to God of mind and heart.

“True prayer does not consist in words and saying them, but true prayer consists “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). When we pray to God, we must stand before Him not only in body, but also in spirit; and say prayer not only with your lips, but also with your mind and heart; and not only bow our heads and knees, but also our hearts before Him; and raise our intelligent eyes to Him with humility. For all prayer must come from the heart; and what the tongue says, the mind and heart must say.” Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk

When sorrow comes, Father Nikon taught to read the prayer: “Glory to you, my God, for the sorrow you have sent! I accept what is worthy according to my deeds. Remember me in Your Kingdom. May Your holy will be done in everything!” Venerable Nikon of Optina

The most important and important prayers of Christians

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There are some prayers that every Christian should know by heart:

Lord's Prayer "Our Father"
Prayer to the Holy Spirit "Heavenly King"
Prayer to the Mother of God “O Virgin Mary, Rejoice”
Prayer to the Mother of God “It is worthy to eat”
and the Creed.

They are used both in home prayer and in worship services.

Orthodox prayer “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty”

The prayer that begins with these words is called the Creed and is one of the most important prayers . Unlike other prayers, the Creed does not contain an appeal to God, the Mother of God, saints or angels, but sets out in a brief form the whole essence of Orthodox Christian teaching. A person who does not agree with the statements listed in the Creed, or simply does not understand them, cannot be called an Orthodox Christian.

This is one of two prayers that are sung aloud at the Liturgy by all those praying in the church, and not just by the singers. Before baptizing a child, future godparents must learn the Creed by heart: the godfather or godmother pronounces it during the sacrament.

Orthodox prayer “Our Father” - interpretation and essence

The Lord's Prayer, also called the Lord's Prayer, is the prayer that the Lord Jesus Christ taught to His disciples. It sets out all the requests that a Christian should offer to God.

According to this prayer, a true believer

believes that God lives forever in heaven
praises the name of God
awaits the coming of the Kingdom of God
submits to the will of God
asks God to grant him what he needs to live
he himself forgives those who are guilty before him and prays to God to forgive his sins
asks God to deliver him from the temptations and power of the devil.

“Our Father,” like the Creed, is sung by all those praying in the church during the Liturgy . This prayer must also be known by heart .

What to ask God for in prayers?

About what is necessary for the salvation of the soul in eternity, leaving everything else to the will of God.

“In prayer, ask only for righteousness and the Kingdom, that is, virtue and knowledge, and everything else will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). Pray, firstly, for cleansing from passions; secondly, about deliverance from ignorance and, thirdly, about salvation from all temptation and abandonment.” Venerable Neil of Sinai

“The objects of our prayer should be spiritual and eternal, and not temporary and material. The main and initial prayer should consist of requests for forgiveness of sins. Do not be reckless in your requests, so as not to anger God with your cowardice: he who asks the King of kings for something insignificant humiliates Him. Carnal verbosity and floridity in prayer are forbidden to us; petitions for earthly blessings and advantages are prohibited, petitions with which only the prayers of pagans and carnal people similar to pagans are filled.” Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov)

“Do not indignate yourself with prayer, but ask for what is worthy of God. And when you ask for something worthy, do not give up until you receive it. In prayer one should not ask for the fulfillment of one’s own will, but to leave everything to God, who builds the house beneficially.” Saint Basil the Great

“Do not ask God for what He Himself gives us without our asking, according to His providence, which He gives not only to His own and beloved, but also to strangers to know Him.” Venerable Isaac the Syrian

Jesus Prayer

The Jesus Prayer occupies a special place among Orthodox prayers. It is very short and sounds like this: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

What is the power of the Jesus Prayer?

The Jesus Prayer has been known in the monasteries of the Orthodox Church since ancient times. Its constant repetition aloud, in a whisper or in the mind is one of the main Orthodox monastic practices. According to Orthodox teaching, it is saving for a person to pronounce the very name of our Lord Jesus Christ: the name of God is a kind of icon (image of God), and, pronouncing it with reverence, prayerfully, a person is sanctified by God's grace. And disrespectful, careless treatment of the name of God (blasphemy and especially blasphemy) is blasphemy that offends God.

Jesus Prayer - how to pray correctly?

The continuous repetition of the Jesus Prayer can only be practiced under the guidance of a priest.

To do this, you need to take a blessing, and also be able to constantly tell this priest about your spiritual state.

Independent, uncontrolled practice of the continuous Jesus Prayer is dangerous both for the spiritual state and for mental health.

Another practice must be distinguished from the continuous Jesus Prayer. Sometimes priests may give a general recommendation: for example, all parishioners of the temple should read the Jesus Prayer 10 times a day during Lent. Or in the rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov for the laity it is recommended from time to time to say “Lord, have mercy” or “Most Holy Theotokos, save us.” This is not continuous prayer and does not require special spiritual direction.

Prayers to the Mother of God and Saints

In addition to appeals to the Lord God, the most important prayers also include prayers praising the Most Holy Theotokos, the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. The Christian Church considers the Mother of God superior to saints and even angels.

The prayers “Mother of God, Virgin, Rejoice” and “It is worthy to eat” are part of the daily prayer rule and are constantly used in worship.

A short prayer to the Mother of God - “Most Holy Theotokos, save us!” - It is recommended to say it as often as possible during the day.

Why do we pray to saints?

In addition to the Lord Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Christians also pray to the saints. Saints are people upon whom God's grace descended during their lifetime. After death, they ascended to God in heaven and there they eternally glorify His greatness. However, out of their mercy, the saints do not forget those who remained on earth. They hear our prayers and eternally intercede for us before God .

Veneration of the saints

Christians venerate saints as their intercessors before God, and also as an example for themselves. Looking at the actions of the saints, a Christian learns to please God and do the right thing - as Christ commanded him. The Church has honored saints from the very beginning of its existence. The first saints were the apostles - the disciples of Christ.

Feats of Martyrs

In the first three centuries of the existence of the Christian Church, believers were persecuted by the authorities, first Jewish, then Roman. The Jews considered Christ a false messiah, and His followers - dangerous heretics and blasphemers. The Romans demanded that all their subjects honor the emperor as a deity.

Christians did not give divine honors to anyone other than God. Many were forced to make sacrifices to the emperor or pagan deities, but believers preferred to die rather than betray God. These people were called martyrs. Their remains (relics) were taken and kept by their fellow members of the community. This is how the tradition of venerating saints and their relics arose.

Our heavenly patrons and intercessors

Every person has two heavenly patrons:

guardian angel whom God sends to a person at baptism, and
a saint with whom a person shares the same name.

Both of these wonderful intercessors always help a person , wishing him salvation and all sorts of benefits . Therefore, you should always turn to them in prayer. Prayers to the guardian angel and saint are included in the daily prayer rule.

PRAYER TO THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL.

Lord, Great God, King without beginning, send Your Archangel Michael to help Your servants (name). Protect us, Archangel, from all enemies, visible and invisible. Oh, Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Destroyer of demons, forbid all enemies who fight with me, and make them like sheep. And humble their evil hearts and crush them like dust in the face of the wind. Oh, Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Six-winged first prince and commander of the heavenly powers, Cherubim and Seraphim, be our helper in all troubles, sorrows and sorrows, a quiet refuge in the desert and on the seas. Oh, Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Deliver us from all the charms of the devil, when You hear us, sinners, praying to You and calling on Your Holy name. Hasten our help and overcome all those who oppose us by the power of the Honest and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos, the prayers of the holy Apostles, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Andrew Christ for the Fool's sake, the holy prophet Elijah and all the holy great martyrs, the holy martyrs Nikita and Eustathius and all the reverend fathers ours, who have pleased God from the ages and all the holy heavenly powers. Oh, Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Help us sinners (name) and deliver us from coward, flood, fire, sword and from vain death, from great evil, from the flattering enemy, from the reviled storm, from the evil one, deliver us always, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen. Holy Archangel of God Michael, with Your lightning sword, drive away from me the evil spirit that tempts and torments me. Amen.

Of course it's better to learn them by heart

Guardian Angels can move faster than Superman. According to St. Thomas Aquinas. “The speed of an angel’s movement does not depend on the magnitude of his virtue, but on the determination of his will.” Therefore, if you ask your Guardian Angel to help another person, he will return to you long before you can imagine.

What is a prayer service?

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A prayer service is a special, short service addressed to the Lord God, the Mother of God or some saint. The rite of prayer is, in fact, an abbreviated and simplified Matins.

In church, prayer services are usually served after the Liturgy, sometimes after Matins and Vespers. A prayer service can be served not only in church, but also at home and in nature. Public prayer services are held on holidays and on special occasions (for example, during disasters). Private prayer services are held according to the needs of parishioners.

Thanksgiving prayer

In case of need or at the request of someone, petitionary prayers . The reasons for a petitionary prayer can be illness, epidemic, enemy invasion, travel, new business, natural disasters, infertility.

The peculiarity of the thanksgiving prayer service is that it is served only to the Lord Jesus Christ and only after the Liturgy. In a prayer of thanksgiving, believers express their gratitude to God for His help. It must be served if the Lord has heard the prayers and the difficult situation has been resolved. After all, even if we turn to saints for help, help always comes only from God.

How to order a prayer service

When a Christian wants to ask for help or express gratitude to God for all the good that God sends him in life, he orders a prayer service in the church. To order a prayer service, you need to go to the candle box and write a note. It should list:

type of prayer service (if it is a petition, indicate the need),
who to serve the prayer service (to the Lord God, the Most Holy Theotokos or saints - indicate the names of the saints),
for whom the prayer service will be served (names in the church version, in full form).

A child under 7 years of age is considered an infant, and accordingly, the note is written as “baby” and the name in the genitive case.

ALIVE IN HELP...

Living in the help of the Most High, he will settle in the shelter of the Heavenly God. Says the Lord: Thou art my Protector and my Refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. For He will deliver you from the snare of hunters, and from rebellious words, His lashes will overshadow you, and under His wing you hope: His truth will surround you with weapons. Do not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies during the day, from the things that pass in the darkness, from the fallings, and from the demon of the midday. A thousand will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come close to you, otherwise you will look at your eyes, and you will see the reward of sinners. For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge. Evil will not come to you, and wound will not come close to your body, as His Angel commanded you, keeping you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, but not when you dash your foot on a stone, step on an asp and a basilisk, and cross a lion and a serpent. For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver, and I will cover, and because I have known My name. He will call to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in sorrow, I will destroy him, and I will glorify him, I will fill him with long days, and I will show him My salvation.

Prayer "Doors of Mercy"

This makes sense considering that the "Sun" and "Moon" were not created until the fourth day!
Therefore, angels are a separate part of God's creation, and we do not become a completely new being when we die. We remain human, and if we are granted the Vision of Beatida, we will transform ourselves and receive our resurrected bodies at the end of time. Los Angeles de la Guarda communicates with us through thoughts, images and feelings. Angels are spiritual beings and do not have bodies. Sometimes they may take the form of a body and may even influence the material world, but by nature they are pure spirits. It may not be entirely obvious that he is our guardian angel trying to communicate with us, but we can understand that the idea or thought did not come from our own thoughts. On rare occasions, angels can manifest physical appearances and communicate verbally. This is not the rule, but the exception, so don't expect your Guardian Angel to appear in your room!