Orthodox prayer before meals

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10-09-2018
Author: Mysekret Team
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The rule “Not by bread alone...” is often forgotten, especially when it comes to prayer before meals. But most religions of the world include the need to say prayers before and after meals. This way, respect for higher powers is emphasized for the grace sent down and gluttony is denied.

Why bless food before eating?

The Church teaches that a parishioner who considers himself to be a true believer is obliged to sit at the refectory table and get up from it, having prayed twice. Words of thanksgiving, said before and after eating foods, are auxiliary to correctly accept the sacrifice of angelic love, which the food symbolizes. In order to emphasize the sacredness of the moment and fill it with religious meaning, a prayer is read before eating.

Appeal to higher powers during a meal is divided into:

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Prayer before meals - read “Our Father”, you can also read “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...”;
Prayer for blessing the products on the table;
A prayer said at the end of the meal.

As you know, food is the source of life, but it is fraught with a number of dangers. The easiest way to succumb to the sin of gluttony. If you perceive food only as a means of obtaining pleasure, it will not bring maximum benefits . Spoiled or unhealthy foods also harm the body and depress the spirit. That is why it is important to pray before eating, asking the Almighty that the food will be beneficial, restoring not only the mortal shell, but also the spiritual content.

If a person is truly grateful for the food sent, he says the prayer with diligence and does not perceive it as a duty. Consecrated food is digested better and acquires a richer taste for those who consider it a gift from God.

When you make the sign of the cross over your food, you are signaling to heaven that you need a blessing. You need to cross yourself, from left to right. Shading should be done from the top and bottom of the table, as well as on the left and right sides.

Some believers pray additionally before preparing food. A short prayer such as:

“O Creator and Creator of all things, God, the works of our hands, which we begin for Your glory, hasten to correct with Your blessing, and deliver us from all evil, for One is Omnipotent and Lover of Mankind.”

If you want to protect yourself from intemperance while cooking, say the following prayer:

“Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son of the Beginningless Father! You declared with Your most pure lips that without Me you cannot do anything. For this reason, falling to Your goodness, we ask and pray to You, Your servant (name) and all those present here and praying to You, help in all their good deeds, their undertakings and their intentions. For Your power, kingdom and strength, all help is acceptable from You, we trust in You and send glory to You, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen!"

Questions for the priest

Who should say a prayer before eating?
There is no clear distribution of responsibilities. Everyone can read the prayer in chorus and sing it. More often, the text is read by the head of the family, or the guest of honor is given this right. When there is a large company at the table, and not all those present are true believers, everyone reads the prayer for blessing the food to himself, folding his hands for a moment and bowing his head.

Is it necessary to thank the Lord for food?

A believer does everything with the blessing of God. Gratitude for food has special meaning. Everything we have in this life was given to us by the Almighty. A Christian must constantly remind himself of this, thanking the Lord for everything he has. Then he will receive more mercy from Heaven and live happier.

A person earns his own food, rent and other needs. What should he be grateful for?

Adults actually go to work and regularly receive a salary on which they live. But nothing happens without the knowledge and desire of the Lord. After all, people receive both work and certain skills to perform it in the knowledge of the Almighty. It has become common for Christians to turn to saints for help in finding work, so that the family does not starve, has a roof over its head and bread on the table. God gives a person everything, starting from his appearance in this world, daily awakening and everything that surrounds him. We must appreciate His care and remember to give thanks in order to receive even more.

How to pray before eating?

The Christian religion teaches that turning to God before a meal is not just a given, but a certain educational element that helps instill faith in children. If a child from an early age watches his mother and father praise the Lord for sending food, they develop a completely different attitude towards products and parental work, thanks to which the food appeared on the table.

Proper prayer before meals includes the following aspects:

People gathered to have a meal together stand in front of the icon or remain seated at the table and say a prayer out loud. This can be done by the eldest member of the family while the rest remain in reverent silence;
The text of the appeal should contain thanksgiving to the Almighty, as well as a request to bless the meal;
After finishing the prayer, cross yourself and start eating;
After finishing your meal, do not forget to thank the Creator for it;
If you eat in a public place (cafe, canteen, restaurant), make the sign of the cross before and after eating, and read the prayer in your thoughts;
The church allows prayers to be said during snacks.

We have listed the basic rules. There are also unspoken statutes, the observance of which is encouraged:

During mealtime prayer, it is advisable that all family members be at the table;
The rule for reading the prayer words is given to its head or the most respected relative;
Hands can be folded in a prayer gesture - a boat or fingers crossed. Bring them to your forehead and turn to your thoughts;
Holding hands with others is optional, but not frowned upon;
When a prayer is read, those present must remain silent and speak out loud; conversations are not allowed;
At the end of the prayer, you need to cross your plate. It shouldn't be empty.

Remember that for a true believer, food serves as energy for the mind and body. It should not be taken only as pleasure. The Orthodox prayer before meals is read in order to strengthen willpower and eat food in due humility. Having expressed your gratitude to heaven, start eating.

Please take into account that if strangers have gathered at the table, it is better to postpone reading the prayer, since the guests may hold different religious views or profess a different faith. Ask their opinion and act according to the situation. You should also behave if you are a guest.

Text of Orthodox prayer before meals

Hunger, the need to replenish strength, the thirst for satiety - all this should not become a key point during the meal. In order not to fall into temptation, prayer is needed before eating food. It's pretty simple:

“Bless this table for our bodies, Lord, and let us hold You in our hearts. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen."

The following text is also allowed:

“Thank you, Lord, for our daily bread and food for the bright good. Forgive me the sin of gluttony and do not send hunger as atonement. Let it be so now, and forever, and forever and ever. Amen".

It is believed that food blessed as a result of prayer maintains vitality and gives the body health. If the words of gratitude were sincere, you will gain enlightenment and begin to appreciate the gifts of existence more, setting its priorities correctly.

Muslim prayer before meals

In Islam, food intake requirements are very strict. For example, only utensils that belong to a Muslim should be used at the table. Otherwise, it should be washed for a long time and thoroughly under running water. Islam requires cleanliness, neatness and moderation during meals. In addition, prayer before meals is a mandatory ritual.

Before eating, Muslims recite special duas in Arabic.

Translated into Russian they mean the following:

“In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate and the Merciful.” “Great, Allah! Your food is good for us, protect us from evil forces and from the devil.”

Moreover, the first phrase, that is, the dua “Bismilyakh” is pronounced before each change of dishes. If it happens that for some reason a Muslim forgot to say special duas before eating, then after eating he must say a phrase in Arabic.

Translated into Russian it means:

“I begin and end with the name of Allah.”

Before and after eating, Muslims must wash their hands thoroughly. Moreover, it is noteworthy that hand washing is performed directly at the table. The youngest members of the family bring a basin and a jug to the household member, from which they pour water onto their hands. After this, a towel is offered. If there are honored guests at the table, then the owner of the house brings a jug with a basin for washing hands directly.

How to pray after eating food?

Completing a meal is a special ritual, which also includes the stage of reading prayer words. They are pronounced like this:

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Thank you for bread and salt, and also for life-giving moisture. May my satiety not become gluttony, and may hunger not come as retribution for sins. Amen".

Please note that when the prayer after eating food is completely read, it is no longer possible to continue the meal after that. Set the plate aside and thank the person who prepared the food. To avoid awkward situations, distribute portions in such a way that by the time the prayer is read, they are completely consumed.

Prayer after a meal is the best way to remind those gathered once again of who should be praised for this moment. It is said to praise the food on the table and ask for inexhaustible abundance in the future.

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On the need for prayer

Many saints expressed their opinion about the need for such prayer in their writings. Among the most famous are:

John of Kronstadt,
Athanasius the Great,
Tikhon of Zadonsky,
Alexey Mechev,
Seraphim Vyritsky.

So Saint Seraphim said that we often get sick because we have stopped praying before eating, and we prepare food with bad thoughts. Alexey Mechev asked to separate a piece of food every time during a meal and give it to those who really need it. John of Kronstadt did not advise sitting down at the table after a quarrel or in an irritated state. This attitude will contribute to the development of diseases. In Orthodoxy, prayer before and after meals has existed since ancient times, only over time, during the hours of struggle against Orthodoxy, it was forgotten. It’s good that now this tradition is being revived again.