Turning to God helps a believer to find the right way out of difficult situations, gain strength to overcome pain, preserve the humanity in the soul in suffering under the burden of worries and illnesses, hatred of neighbors and betrayals of loved ones. This is how it was in past centuries, and this is how it is now. In times of despair and anxiety, people often resorted to prayer. There are many ways to gain the protection of higher powers. Here, confession and strict fasting, church services and sincere repentance, conversations with a priest, brothers and sisters in faith are often effective. One of the options to be heard by God and receive support from him is the magpie in three churches. This method, which has always enjoyed well-deserved trust and popularity among the Orthodox population, has been known since time immemorial.
What is magpie
This church sacrament got its name due to the fact that it usually lasts exactly forty days. In essence, this is a liturgy, a specially enhanced and very effective prayer in churches, which can be ordered both for the health and for the repose of the person of interest, but only necessarily baptized in Orthodoxy, that is, a churchgoer. But it is carried out by clergy within the walls of churches not just once, but for forty days. Therefore, it turns out that during the specified period the name of the believer appears before God every day. Therefore, the Almighty has been influencing a person’s life all this time and helping in solving his problems.
The magpie in three churches turns out to be especially useful, because in this case the desired name will be mentioned in three places at once for forty days. Every day in these churches a piece of prosphora will be immersed in the Holy Chalice for this person. This rite personifies the Blood and Body of the Savior. This is a sacrifice for which forgiveness of sins and grace are granted.
You can order a prayer service not only for a specified period, but for six months or even a year, while the parishioner has the right to choose the days when exactly the ceremony should be performed and when not.
You can pray for health at home in front of icons
In addition to the magpie, you can read prayers at home or read the home psalter. You can also read the prayer of 40 lips for health for forty days in a row.
Prayer:
O Most Merciful God, Father, Son and Holy Soul, worshiped and glorified in the inseparable Trinity, look kindly upon Thy servant (name), who is overcome by illness; forgive him all his sins; give him healing from his illness; restore his health and bodily strength; Grant him a long and prosperous life, Your peaceful and worldly blessings, so that together with us he may bring grateful prayers to You, the All-Bountiful God and my Creator.
Most Holy Theotokos, through Your omnipotent intercession, help me to beg Your Son, my God, for the healing of God’s servant (name). All saints and angels of the Lord, pray to God for His sick servant (name). Amen.
See also the article How to read the psalter for the deceased at home for up to 40 days
Special number 40
Why is a forty-day period usually chosen for the ritual? It is not for nothing that the number 40 has a symbolic meaning for believers. The Virgin Mary, having received good news from the Angel, carried the Savior-son under her heart for exactly forty weeks. Jesus himself prayed for the same number of days in the desert in order to learn the highest truth and communicate it to the inhabitants of the Earth. He appeared to his disciples for forty days after his brilliant Resurrection.
This date was also mentioned in the Old Testament, because the fast of the world-famous prophet Moses also lasted forty days. During the same period, the Flood continued. And similar examples taken from the Holy Scriptures can be continued ad infinitum.
But why is the magpie ordered in three churches, why is it advisable to choose exactly this number of churches? We'll talk about this further.
What is the magpie prayer
Sorokoust is a special prayer for any need. The ritual is practiced for both living and dead people. The soul of the newly deceased is on earth and during this period the sins of the deceased are atoned for, but the ritual can be performed after death at any time.
They also order the magpie about health to sacred ministers before or during the liturgy, when reading the psalter and during prayers. A special prayer for health includes success, material well-being, and finding peace of mind. This ritual has no restrictions, except for the exception for unbaptized people. You can order sorokoust for forty days, six months and a year.
Three is a special number
In Christianity, this is the famous trinity number. The meaning here is that God is essentially one, but appears to man in three Persons. There is no direct division here, and therefore such a riddle of the trinity is usually not entirely clear to a resident of the carnal world. The difference here is only in certain abstract properties. In this regard, the number 3 seems to any Orthodox Christian to be special, symbolic, carrying a sacred meaning.
It should be added to this that the number 3 is often used in church rituals and, like 40, is often mentioned in the scriptures, personifying Divine essences, and therefore is considered sacred. Here it is appropriate to mention the threefold glorification addressed to the Creator, the appearance of three angels to the biblical heroes, and much more. This is where the answer lies to why magpie is ordered in three churches: this corresponds to ancient customs, to which tribute is paid.
In exceptional cases, in case of serious illnesses and dire life situations, parishioners are advised to order a prayer service in seven churches at once (also a sacred number). But this is a very important sacrament, not everyone is allowed to participate in it, and one should prepare spiritually and physically for a long time, observing fasting. Otherwise, as the clergy say, the effect will be no greater than from one forty.
A pregnant woman can order - magpie about health
Many people ask what service can be ordered for a pregnant woman? Is it possible to order 40 lunches?
Mass
service, which is held in the morning until lunch
For a pregnant woman, you can order a magpie about health. To understand whether it is possible to order 40 luncheons, you need to know what a massacre is. Mass is a service that is held in the morning, before lunch.
In large churches and monasteries it is celebrated every day, but in small churches the liturgy is celebrated only on Sundays. One of the main elements of mass is the Sacrament of the Eucharist, that is, communion.
At mass, people also submit notes asking them to pray for their loved ones. Mass is ordered if a person wants to pray for health or wish longevity. Therefore, a pregnant woman can also order mass.
Mass is ordered if a person wants to pray for health or wish longevity. Therefore, a pregnant woman can also order mass
The difference is that you can order mass every time you come to church, but you order magpie once for 40 days. At mass you should also write down the name of the person given to him at baptism.
Why is sacrament needed?
For what reason and to whom funeral magpies should be ordered is quite clear. This may be especially important for those who have just died. Indeed, in Orthodoxy it is believed that the sentence of the soul is pronounced within 40 days, and it is during this period that the fate of the newly deceased is decided in Heaven. And before the expiration of the specified period, the prayers of the living remaining on Earth can help him.
It is more difficult to resolve the question of why and to whom the magpie about health in three churches might be useful and important. Some are sincerely convinced that such daily prayers, ordered in the temple, can only be useful to seriously ill people. But this is a misconception. This also helps in other difficult life circumstances: to strengthen the spirit of the weak, to establish a material base, to advance a career and improve relationships with others, as well as to protect against fatal accidents.
Price per forty in any temple - can be fixed
How to order a service? To do this, you need to come to the temple and go to the church bench. You will be given a piece of paper, on it you must write the name of the person given to him at baptism. Next to it you need to write his needs, for example, sick or suffering. Below is the text of the health note.
In the church shop you will be given a piece of paper on which health will be written. You will need to write people's names, but no more than 10 names in one note
For each name written, a monetary donation must be made. What is the price? The cost of the service can vary greatly. It can be either a fixed amount or depending on what amount is offered in a given temple.
The price in each temple may be different, so you need to find out in advance before you submit your note.
600 rubles
for 1 name - the approximate cost of a magpie in the temple
Also, do not think that the magpie about health is taken instead of medicine. We pray to God, submit a petition in church and make a bloodless sacrifice in the hope that God will help us avoid and overcome the disease.
The Lord knows what is best for our soul, therefore the magpie about health is not an unconditional guarantee of a person’s recovery. But only with God's help can we hope for a good outcome.
Very often magpie is ordered to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Many people turn to this saint; the reason for the large-scale veneration is simple - immediate, almost instantaneous help from God, sent through the prayers of this greatest saint.
Very often the magpie about health is ordered to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
How to choose the right churches
The clergy claim that the magpie about health ordered in three churches puts incredibly strong spiritual protection around a person against life’s troubles, human malice, the evil eye and damage, and restores his moral state. Quite useful, isn't it?
In order to serve the magpie in three churches correctly and in compliance with all religious requirements, you must do the following. Select three suitable temples. It is desirable that their location form the most regular triangle. But if this is inconvenient and difficult, you should not get hung up on the requirement just mentioned. The main thing is that in these churches or monasteries services are held daily. If the temple only reserves certain days for this, that’s okay too. However, it should be borne in mind that the prayer service in this case will not last for a month and a half, but for a longer period. Next, they advise you to go around all the selected temples before 12 o’clock (noon) and order magpie everywhere.
Sorokoust about health is ordered in church - when a person is sick
When is it ordered? For what? Sorokoust is usually ordered when a person is sick, or for peace of mind. We also all know that the church does not perform services every day, therefore the magpie about health will not be read every day.
Sorokoust
this is a daily prayerful commemoration that takes place during the Divine Liturgy for forty days
Where the liturgy is performed only on certain days, the magpie can last quite a long time, about a month, or even more, but if you perform the service in a church every day, for example, in a monastery, then for 40 days in a row, prayers will be read every day.
Very often during worship, people try to hear the name of the person they wrote down for the magpie. In fact, priests do not advise thinking about this during prayer. Instead of listening to prayer and praying to God, they begin to think and worry.
God knows the names of all people, especially those who are asked for health during the magpie, believe me, God will never confuse anything.
Sorokoust can only be served for baptized Orthodox people.
Why can you submit notes only for baptized people? A strict rule has been introduced that you can give the magpie for health only for baptized people. This is due to the fact that the Lord respects human freedom and does not force anyone to come to him.
If a person does not want to be part of the church, to live the church life, then he most likely would not like the fact that they are praying for him.
If you are not sure that a person is baptized, then you can pray for him yourself, but you cannot give magpie for him. It is not necessary to order a sorokoust just for a sick person; you can also order a sorokoust just for a loved one who asks to protect him from illnesses.
It is also important to order and pray for those people who themselves agree to this. If a person does not want you to write a note for him in the temple, then it is better not to do this, you will not do it better for anyone.
How to order
When serving magpie, they usually find a church shop. This could be a room or just a corner of the temple or perhaps even outside it. There, nuns or novices, in accordance with the request of the applicant, enter the names of the people for whom the prayer service is intended in a special book. Sometimes these records are made by ordinary parishioners on their own, and in case of ignorance, you can consult with knowledgeable church ministers or believers.
It is very important to remember that it is necessary to record in the book the full Orthodox name of the person received at baptism, and not something else. If this church rite was not performed either immediately after birth or during the subsequent period of life (the person was not a church member), ordering a magpie in three churches is useless, because the rite has no meaning. After all, requests for unbaptized people, unfortunately, remain unanswered by God.
What does magpie give to a person?
What are magpies used for? By submitting a petition for service, the believer receives hope for the mercy of the Lord. There are many reasons for magpie:
The prayer service will help maintain well-being in the family. For the healing of seriously ill people, before surgery, for the healing of chronic diseases. Before conceiving a baby, for a successful pregnancy and childbirth. For the health of children and the longevity of the elderly. Before the idea of a new beginning and successful office work. To pacify enemies. To return material wealth. To strengthen faith in people dependent on passions and vices. For career growth. To find love and family. For a safe journey and return home. For success in acquiring knowledge. For a quick recovery of the nervous system, protection from phobias and fear .
It has been noticed that a sincere request, supported by the magpie and coming from a Christian, never goes unnoticed by the Savior, and in the near future the believer begins to notice that real miracles are happening in his life.
However, there are strict rules according to which a request will be denied:
People who have not been baptized in the Orthodox faith. Persons professing a different religion. Atheists and those who reject the faith of Christ.
The doors of the temple are always open to unfeigned worshipers of the Lord.
Who can I order from?
It is possible to order such an effective prayer service not only for someone else, close or stranger, but also for yourself. The clergy claim that the magpie, read in three churches, helps especially quickly when it comes to a pregnant woman or child, because such prayers reach God before others. The main thing is not only to know, but also to correctly indicate their Orthodox names.
It is not necessary, but it is highly desirable that during the period when prayer services are held, the person who ordered them regularly visits the temples of his choice. It is also believed that women are especially helped by magpies placed in nunneries, and men’s monasteries are very suitable for men.
About enemies and ill-wishers
It is not only possible, but also recommended to order prayers for health to your enemies. This often works and helps neutralize all the evil that they direct towards a person who needs the protection of higher powers. And such rituals allow him to find peace and peace of mind. As evidenced by reviews of the magpie, ordered in three churches, it often happens that haters and spiteful critics, after intense prayers, leave a person’s life for various reasons. It happens that illnesses and all sorts of troubles happen to them. But you shouldn’t wish your enemies harm, because only God has the right to decide what is fair in this life and what is not.
What time is best to choose
There are no special days for ordering sorokoust (serving the demand, as is usually said in church language). That is, you can sign up for this sacrament at any time when a person wishes to ask the Almighty for help.
Execution of the application begins on the next day after submission of the request. Knowing this, you need to calculate the order time taking into account the state of your own affairs, personal time and the needs of one or more interested parties. If someone close to you is undergoing an important operation, a responsible event, or a difficult journey, it is recommended to place a church order a week or five days before the important event. Thus, it will be much easier to implement plans in accordance with your own ideas. You should also correctly calculate your capabilities, remember that at the time of submitting your application you will have to go to three churches on one day. This is how Sorokoust is ordered, as already mentioned.
Sorokoust about repose - they write, praying for the soul of the newly deceased servant of God
Sorokoust about the repose of the newly deceased is written after the person dies. After his funeral, all that can be done for his soul is prayer.
Sorokoust about the repose is also read for forty days. It is advisable to order it at the monastery, since services are held in the monastery every day. As we see, the Lord loves us so much that he leaves us the opportunity to save our soul, even after death.
Only his relatives, relatives and close people can help a person with this. Therefore, especially after death, you need to pray sincerely, with all your heart and ask the Lord for a better fate for the deceased. It is the help in this matter that the magpie for the repose will provide.
To order a magpie for repose, you also need to come to the church shop, fill out a special form in which you need to write down the names of the deceased people
Notes can only be submitted for Orthodox baptized Christians. You should always pray for the deceased, not only after his death. In the first forty days, a person’s soul goes through certain ordeals, so prayer at this time is very important.
The cost of the service is the sorokoust of repose - 600 rubles for 1 name.
Who cannot order
Of course, God strives to help all those who suffer. However, you should also take into account that it is necessary to prepare for the important serious ritual described with all responsibility. Firstly, the reason for filing an application should not be trivial, but still important. This remedy is usually resorted to if a person really needs help. Secondly, one should seriously prepare for the sacrament: before this, fast for nine days, cleanse oneself spiritually and live in accordance with the commandments. And only after this, ask for the magpie celebration to be held in three churches.
But that's not the only thing that matters. The clergyman has the full right to refuse a parishioner to perform a ceremony if the person for whom care is being shown practically does not attend church, does not go to confession and does not consider it necessary to receive communion. And of course, prayer services are not held for sectarians and atheists, as well as for non-Orthodox people, that is, representatives of other religions. The same applies to those people who experience rejection of God, not recognizing the influence of the Almighty on earthly life, and also ignore his commandments.
What changes to expect
But what improvements can we expect? After all, if they don’t exist, why would the magpie be held in three churches at all? According to believers, changes in morale and life circumstances can in some cases be expected after several days have passed since the beginning of the sacrament. Sometimes just two or three services are enough. And the more dangerous the disease and the more severe the problems, the more noticeable the effect is often. But if you take into account the reviews, things don’t always work out so simply and smoothly.
How to explain the fact that the desired changes in fate did not happen (and such cases are known)? Sometimes it is useful to look for the reason within yourself. And it is not necessary to immediately begin to repent of your own sinfulness, although discord with God is quite capable of becoming a significant obstacle to the fulfillment of your plans. But in some cases, a person is simply not ready to accept the help of higher powers in the form in which it arrives. After all, it is difficult to immediately judge which changes should be considered positive and which should not. And it often happens that even a true believer asks the Almighty for something that is not at all for his good.
