Interpretation of the prayer "to the king of heaven." To the Heavenly King: a prayer to the One who consoles

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How to learn to understand prayers?

Translation of the words of prayers from the prayer book for the laity from Church Slavonic, clarification of the meaning of prayers and petitions. Interpretations and quotes of the Holy Fathers. Icons.

Morning prayers

Beginning of morning prayers

Rising from sleep, first of all other things, stand reverently, presenting yourself before the All-Seeing God, and, having made the sign of the cross, say:.

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Amen. Amen

- truly, truly, so be it (Hebrew).

With the first words of our morning prayer we invoke the Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and we dedicate all our prayers to Him, His name.

“We must learn to behave in the presence of the invisible Lord as we would in the presence of the Lord who has become visible to us...” Sign of the Cross - sign of the Cross. A sign is a symbol, an image, but also a military banner and a miracle (let us remember the expression “miracles and signs” often found in the Holy Scriptures). The sign of the cross is our testimony of the crucifixion of Christ; it was used in all circumstances of life by the first Christians. This sacred and terrible sign is filled with great power, and it should be used clearly, carefully, without the slightest carelessness. Three first fingers right hand(large, index and middle) are put together as a sign of our faith in the One and Indivisible Holy Trinity. Ring finger and the little finger is bent to the palm, which signifies the two natures of the Lord Jesus Christ (that he is the true God and

You should apply the sign of the cross on yourself in such a way that you feel the touch of your own hand (and not cross the air), and bow only after touching the right and left shoulders (without “breaking the cross” before it is drawn).

Then wait a little until all your feelings come to silence and your thoughts leave everything earthly, and then say the following prayers without haste and with heartfelt attention.

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“Never say your prayers hastily, and not hastily, with thoughts and feelings that are expressed in read prayers. The integrity of our prayer is disrupted by thoughts. Try to fix it. The first step towards this is, when starting prayer, to arouse in yourself the fear of God and reverence; then become attention in the heart and from there cry out to the Lord."

Saint Theophan the Recluse

From letters to spiritual children.

Publican's Prayer

God, be merciful to me, a sinner(Bow).

Publican- tax collector; in the 1st century the word was almost equivalent to "sinner."

Wake me- come to me.

As an example of true prayer, these words were given in His parable by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself:

“He also spoke to some who were confident in themselves that they were righteous, and destroyed others, the following parable: Two men entered the temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, and the other was a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: God! Thank you You, that I am not like other people, robbers, offenders, adulterers, or like this publican: I fast twice a week, I give a tenth of everything I acquire, but the publican, standing in the distance, did not even dare to raise his eyes to heaven. But striking himself on the chest, he said: God, be merciful to me, a sinner! :9-14).

If we have good deeds, they are our debt to God, and not merit; and our sins are incomparably greater than our good deeds, and only God’s mercy can cover our unworthiness: God, be merciful to me, a sinner. According to Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, “even if someone stood at the very height of virtues, if he does not pray as a sinner, his prayer is rejected by God.” In prayer you need to have a repentant and humble heart, asking and crying.

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“What is the most important way for grace to be retained in the soul? By humility. What is it most rejected for? From any movement of pride, conceit and self-reliance. As soon as it senses this bad smell of pride inside, it immediately moves away.”

Saint Theophan the Recluse.

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Initial prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.

For prayers- by prayers.

Your Most Pure Mother- Your Most Pure Mother (genitive case).

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"...How! God has the power to forgive sins through His prayers Blessed Mother and saints, and not yourself independently? - And without the prayers of others he has power - of course, One has power; but in order to highly honor the virtues of the saints, especially His Most Pure Mother, who are His friends, who pleased Him to the last strength in earthly life, He accepts their prayerful intercessions for us, unworthy, for us, who often have to block their lips because of the great and his frequent falls into sin... Through the prayer of His Most Pure Mother, He has mercy on us, who in themselves, for great and frequent sins and iniquities, would be unworthy of His mercy.”

Saint righteous John Kronstadt

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Glory to You Our God glory to You.

This prayer is called a small class: we briefly glorify God, give Him praise.

With deep feeling, with all the soul, this doxology can be pronounced in all circumstances of life, in joy and sorrow. The truly Christian feeling of life, to which we must approach as best we can, is in the last words of St. John Chrysostom, who died in persecution, in severe exile: Glory to God for everything!

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and life to the Giver, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed One, our souls.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth... Giver of life(vocative case) - O Heavenly King, Comforter, spirit of truth... Giver of life! Same everywhere- You, Omnipresent (everywhere): others like- which; syy- existing, existing, located, abiding; and do everything- and filling everything with Himself, and also - replenishing and improving everything; perform- (participle from the verb fulfill) - fill, complete, complete; Treasure of the Good- treasury, source of all good things (all good things); to us- in us; Better(also vocative case) - Save, O Good One, our souls!

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This is a prayer to the Holy Spirit as the Person of the Holy Trinity.

To the Heavenly King: The Holy Spirit, as God, reigns over the entire universe, so that everything is in His power and authority.

Jesus Christ called Him the Comforter and Spirit of truth in a secret conversation with his disciples at the Last Supper:

But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything that I have said to you (John 14:26).

But when the Teacher comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me (John 15:26).

When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth... He will glorify Me, because He will take of Mine and declare it to you (John 16:13-14).

The Holy Spirit, having descended on the apostles after the Ascension of the Lord, comforted them in their separation from the Lord, and they rejoiced that He dwelt in them and began to guide them into all truth. In the same way, the Holy Spirit can comfort us in sorrow and misfortune and give us every good and knowledge of the truth.

Life to the Giver... These words of prayer correspond with the words of the 8th member of the Creed: And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving... In the "Long Christian Catechism" of St. Philaret it is explained: "This should be understood to mean that He, together with God the Father and the Son, gives life to all created things, and especially spiritual life to men."

We turn to the Holy Spirit at the beginning of our prayers, since the gift of true prayer is also a gift of the Holy Spirit.

Whoever thinks that he is praying in a real way without the Holy Spirit, while glorifying God with hymns, is also blaspheming Him, since he is unclean and has not yet made friends with God.”

Reverend Simeon New Theologian

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“The Holy Spirit teaches true prayer. No one, until he receives the Holy Spirit, can pray such a prayer that is truly pleasing to God. Because if someone, without having the Holy Spirit in him, begins to pray, then his soul is scattered in different directions, from one thing to another, and he cannot keep his thoughts on one thing, and moreover, he does not properly know himself, nor his needs, nor how to ask and what to ask from God, and he does not know who such a God. But the person in whom the Holy Spirit dwells knows God and sees that He is his Father; he knows how to approach Him and how to ask, and what to ask from Him, his thoughts are harmonious, pure and directed. to one subject - God; and with his prayer he can definitely do everything."

Saint Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow

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Note. From Easter to Ascension, instead of this prayer, the troparion of Easter is read:

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tombs(Three times).

From Ascension to Trinity, we begin the prayers of the cell rule (morning and at bedtime) with the Holy God, omitting all the previous ones.

This remark also applies to future bedtime prayers.

The prayer to the Holy Spirit is not read from Easter to Trinity - during the period when, after the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ, we symbolically await the Descent of the Holy Spirit. For the first time after the break, this prayer will be heard at the all-night vigil of the feast of Pentecost, or Trinity.

King, Comforter, Soul, Giver, Better- all these are forms of the vocative case, which is always used when addressing. When we say: Lord, God, Jesus Christ, Our Father, this is also the vocative case.

Treasure of the Good: good ones - he will give birth. Plural case numbers avg. Rhoda. In the Church Slavonic language, in the generalized meaning of a noun, neuter adjectives are often used, not only singular, as in modern Russian, but also plural: good - good, or all good things, rich - wealth, Holy of holies- literally: The holy of the holy; good and useful to our souls...we ask the Lord (from the litany of petition) - we ask the Lord for what is good and useful (or: good and beneficial) for our souls; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours(Ps. 50:8) - the unknown (hidden) and secret (that is, the hidden secret) You showed me Your wisdom.

Trisagion

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us(Read three times, with the sign of the cross and a bow from the waist).

Saint- saint.

This is a prayer to the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity.

Under the words Holy God of course God the Father; under the words Holy Mighty- God the Son (He is the Mighty, or All-Powerful, since by His resurrection he destroyed hell and defeated the Devil; the coming Lord Jesus Christ is called the Mighty God by the prophet Isaiah - chapter 9, verse 6: For to us a child is born - to us a son is given; Dominion is upon us Him, and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace); under the words: Holy Immortal- God the Holy Spirit (He, like God, is eternal, and He is the Life-giving Spirit: He gives life to everyone, and especially spiritual, virtuous life and immortality to people). Since all Three Persons constitute the One and Undivided God, the conclusion of the prayer contains a singular verb - have mercy on us - refers to the same Being of God.

The story of this prayer is wonderful. In the 5th century in Constantinople there was terrible earthquake. All the people cried and prayed to God. During a national prayer service, one boy was lifted high into the air by an invisible force, and then lowered to the ground unharmed.

The boy could not answer where he was and what he saw; he only heard the harmonious and touching singing: “Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal!” The people realized that this was the singing of Angels, and everyone began to sing the same words, adding: “Have mercy on us!” - and the earthquake stopped. God had mercy on His people. Since then, this song began to be used by Christians. It is sung and read in the Church at every church service. It is also called the Angelic Song to the Most Holy Trinity.

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Song of the Angels "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God!" The prophet Isaiah also conveyed to us: Seraphim stood around Him; each of them had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And they called to each other and said: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts! The whole earth is full of His glory! (Isa.6:2-3).

This vision is repeated in the Revelation (Apocalypse) of St. John the Theologian: ... in the middle of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind ... And each of the four living creatures had six wings around, and inside they were full of eyes; and they have no rest day or night, crying out: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come (Rev. 4:6-8).

“We understand the words Holy God about the Father, not only separating the name of the Divinity from Him alone, but knowing Him as God, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And we understand the words Holy Mighty about the Son, without depriving the Father and the Holy Spirit of strength. And the words Holy Immortal we refer to the Holy Spirit, not placing the Father and the Son outside of immortality, but regarding each of the Hypostases, accepting all the Divine names simply and independently and truly, imitating the divine Apostle, who says: We have one God the Father, from whom are all things, and we are for Him, and there is one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him (1 Cor. 8:6), and one Holy Spirit, in whom are all things, and we in him.”

Venerable John of Damascus

"An accurate statement Orthodox faith"

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Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prisno- Always; forever and ever - forever.

This is a short, or small, doxology.

It means that the same glory and worship belongs to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and not only now, but always, as the One, Eternal God, in all ages, in all generations, constantly and unchangeably.

“God is One in Three Persons. We do not comprehend this inner mystery of the Divine, but we believe in it according to the immutable testimony of the word of God: No one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:11).”

Saint Philaret.

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"Long Christian Catechism"

In prayer books and liturgical books, this prayer, since it is often used, is often abbreviated: Glory, and now: (or Glory: And now:). In such cases, one should read in full: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake. Lord, cleanse our sins- appeal to God the Father; Master, forgive our iniquities- Appeal to God the Son; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities- appeal to God the Holy Spirit;

for your name's sake - for the glory of Your name. First words of prayer: Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us- refer to all Three Persons of the Holy Trinity, to the One Being of God; then, to strengthen the prayer, a petition is raised to each Person separately: Lord... Master... Holy... Conclusion of the prayer:

The Being of God is incomprehensible to us. If the Angels do not comprehend the Trinity Being of God, but reverently worship and confess Him, then who are we to dare to test how this is One God in Three Persons? We cannot understand this with our minds; we can only accept with reverent faith what is incomprehensible and know what is open and known.

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It is revealed and known to us from the Word of God itself that there has been from time immemorial the One, Eternal God, that He is the Spirit, the All-Good, the All-Knowing, the All-Righteous, the Almighty, the Omnipresent, the Unchangeable, the All-Satisfied, the All-Blessed;

that He is One in Essence, but Trinity in Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Trinity Consubstantial and Indivisible. For three bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one (1 John 5:7).

“Just as man, divided into many things, is one by nature, so the Holy Trinity, although divided by names and hypostases, is one by nature. You cannot comprehend the nature of God, even if you soar to Him on wings. God is incomprehensible, like our Creator … Do not test the Trinity, but believe only and worship, for whoever tests does not believe.”

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Venerable Neil of Sinai(Philokalia vol. 2)

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Lord have mercy

(Three times).

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“What is the meaning of the verb have mercy or be merciful in all these prayers? This is the consciousness of a person’s destruction, this is the feeling of that mercy, of that self-pity that the Lord commanded us to feel for ourselves and which is felt by very few; this is the rejection of one’s own dignity “This is a request for God’s mercy, without which there is no hope of salvation for the lost.”

Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov

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"Whoever said: have mercy, made a confession and acknowledged his sins, because it is common for those who have sinned to desire mercy. Whoever said: have mercy on me received remission of sins, because the one who has mercy is not punished. Whoever said: have mercy on me received the Kingdom of Heaven, because that God, whoever has mercy, not only frees him from punishment, but also honors him with future benefits.”

Saint John Chrysostom

Glory, and now:

Let us remind you once again that in all cases of such writings one should read in full: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord's Prayer Our Father, who art in Heaven, be hallowed your name, Yes

kingdom come- Father (appeal is a form of the vocative case). Who art thou in heaven- existing (living) in Heaven, that is, Heavenly (like - which). Yesi- form of the verb being in the 2nd person singular. Numbers of the present tense: in modern language we say you are, and in Church Slavonic - you are. Literal translation of the beginning of the prayer: O our Father, He who is in Heaven! Any literal translation is not entirely accurate; words: Father Dry in Heaven, Heavenly Father - more closely convey the meaning of the first words of the Lord's Prayer. Hallowed be - let it be holy and glorified. Like in heaven and on earth - both in heaven and on earth (as in). Urgent - necessary for existence, for life. Give it a try - give. Today - Today. Like - How. From the evil one - from evil (the words crafty, wickedness are derivatives of the words “bow”: something indirect, curved, crooked, like a bow. There is also Russian word

"falsehood").

This prayer is called the Lord’s Prayer because our Lord Jesus Christ Himself gave it to His disciples and all people:

“It happened that when He was praying in one place and stopped, one of His disciples said to Him: Lord! Teach us to pray!

He told them: “When you pray, say: Our Father who art in heaven!” Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every debtor to us; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Luke 11:1-4).

Pray like this:

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"Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done both on earth and in heaven; give us our daily bread for this day; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever” (Matthew 6:9-13). Reading daily Lord's prayer

, let us learn what the Lord requires of us: it indicates both our needs and main responsibilities.

Our Father... In these words we still do not ask for anything, we only cry out, turn to God and call him father.

“Saying this, we confess God, the Ruler of the universe, as our Father - and thereby we also confess that we have been removed from the state of slavery and appropriated to God as His adopted children.”

Having achieved so high degree sons of God, we must burn with such filial love for God that we no longer seek our own benefits, but with all desire desire the glory of Him, our Father, saying to Him: hallowed be Thy name, by which we testify that all our desire and all joy is glory Our Father, may the glorious name of our Father be glorified, reverently honored and worshiped.”

May Your Kingdom come - that Kingdom “by which Christ reigns in the saints, when, after taking away power over us from the Devil and driving out passions from our hearts, God begins to reign in us through the fragrance of virtues - or that which at a predetermined time is promised to all perfect, to all the children of God, when Christ says to them: Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34).”

The words “Thy will be done” turn us to the Lord’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane: Father! Oh, that You would deign to carry this cup past Me! however, not My will, but Yours be done (Luke 22:42).

Give us this day our daily bread. We ask for the granting of bread necessary for our subsistence, and not only large quantities, but only for this day... So, let us learn to ask for the most necessary things for our life, but we will not ask for everything leading to abundance and luxury, because we do not know whether it is useful to us. Let us learn to ask for bread and everything necessary only for this day, so as not to become lazy in prayer and obedience to God. If we are alive the next day, we will ask for the same thing again, and so on all the days of our earthly life.

However, we must not forget the words of Christ that man will not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

It is even more important to remember the other words of the Savior: I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; And the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world (John 6:51). Thus, Christ means not only something material, necessary for a person for earthly life, but also eternal, necessary for life in the Kingdom of God: Himself, offered in Communion. Some holy fathers interpreted

And forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors. The Lord Himself concluded this prayer with an explanation: For if you forgive people their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, then your Father will not forgive you your trespasses (Matthew 6:14-15 ).

“The merciful Lord promises us forgiveness of our sins if we ourselves show an example of forgiveness to our brothers: forgive us, as we forgive. Obviously, in this prayer only one who has forgiven his debtors can boldly ask for forgiveness. Who from all will not let go of his heart to his brother who sins against him, with this prayer he will ask for himself not mercy, but condemnation: for if this prayer of his is heard, then in accordance with his example, what else should follow, if not inexorable wrath and inevitable punishment without mercy? who showed no mercy (James 2:13)."

Here sins are called debts, because by faith and obedience to God we must fulfill His commandments, do good, and shun evil; is that what we do? By not doing the good we should do, we become debtors to God.

This expression of the Lord's Prayer is best explained by Christ's parable about the man who owed the king ten thousand talents (Matthew 18:23-35).

And do not lead us into temptation. Bringing to mind the words of the apostle: Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because, having been tried, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love Him (James 1:12), we should understand these words of prayer not like this: “do not let us ever be tempted,” but this way: “do not allow us to be overcome by temptation.”

When tempted, no one should say: God is tempting me; because God is not tempted by evil and does not tempt anyone Himself, but everyone is tempted by being carried away and deceived by his own lust; lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin that is committed gives birth to death (James 1:13-15).

But deliver us from the evil one - that is, do not allow us to be tempted by the devil beyond our strength, but when tempted, give us relief, so that we can endure it" (1 Cor. 10:13).

Venerable John Cassian the Roman

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The Greek text of the prayer, like Church Slavonic and Russian, allows us to understand the expression from the evil one both personally (the evil one is the father of lies - the devil) and impersonally (the evil one is all unrighteous, evil; evil). Patristic interpretations offer both understandings. Since evil comes from the devil, then, of course, the petition for deliverance from evil also contains a petition for deliverance from its culprit.

Troparia Trinity

Rising from sleep, we fall down to Thee, the Good One, and cry out the angelic song to Thee, the Stronger: Holy, Holy, Holy art thou, O God, have mercy on us through the Mother of God.

Glory: From bed and sleep you have raised me up, O Lord, enlighten my mind and heart, and open my lips, to Pete You, Holy Trinity: Holy, Holy, Holy are you, O God, have mercy on us through the Mother of God.

And now: Suddenly the Judge will come, and every deed will be revealed, but with fear we call at midnight: Holy, Holy, Holy art thou, O God, have mercy on us by the Mother of God.

Lord have mercy(12 times)

Troparion- a short song in which the deeds of God or His saints are glorified. Trinity - related to the Most Holy Trinity, addressed to Her, dedicated to Her.

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God, cleanse me, a sinner, for I have never done anything good before You, but deliver me from the evil one, and Your will be done in me, that I may open my unworthy lips without condemnation and praise Your holy name, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever.

Amen.

Yako - here: since. Nikolizhe - never. Created - I created (made).

God, cleanse me, a sinner, for I have done no good before You... “Those who are well-skilled before God recognize themselves as very small and extremely unskillful, and for them it has become a natural and indispensable thing to consider themselves low or even nothing... The rich before God seem poor to themselves.” . And I will praise Your holy name, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The end of this prayer (like many others) brings into perspective

human life

participation in Divine eternity: now, always and forever and ever, may man praise the Triune God! This “formula” already contains the promise of our stay in eternity, where, like the Angels, we will praise God, and a reminder that this eternity lies ahead of us.

Having risen from sleep, I offer the midnight hymn to Ti, Savior, and cry out to Ti: do not let me fall asleep in a sinful death, but have mercy on me, crucified by will, and raise me up as I lie in laziness, and save me in standing and in prayer, and in my nightly sleep. Rise upon me a sinless day, O Christ God, and save me.

Don't give me - don't give me. Have mercy on me - literally: have mercy on me. Crucified by will - voluntarily crucified.

Let us cite another saying of St. Macarius the Great:

“Penetrate into the mental essence of the soul, and delve not lightly. The immortal soul is a certain precious vessel. Look how great heaven and earth are, and God did not bless about them, but only about you. Look at your nobility and dignity, because not the Angels sent, but the Lord Himself came as an intercessor for you, to call upon the lost, revealed one, to return to you the original image of pure Adam. God Himself came to intercede for you and deliver you from death. Stand firm and imagine what kind of providence is for you.”

Prayer 3, of the same saint

To You, Lord, Lover of Mankind, having risen from sleep, I come running, and I strive for Your works with Your mercy, and I pray to You: help me at all times, in every thing, and deliver me from all worldly evil things and devilish haste, and save me, and bring us into Your eternal Kingdom. You are my Creator and the Provider and Giver of every good thing; all my hope is in You, and I send up glory to You, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Amen.

To You, Lord, Lover of Mankind... I resort... Although in modern language the verb to resort, to resort (to resort to decisive measures) has been preserved, like the related word refuge, the meaning of the word, its internal form usually eludes our consciousness.

Children's perception of the word resort as running is completely correct. Just as a child, out of fear, always resorts to his mother’s womb, and to the protection of his mother’s hands, so in prayer we resort to the protection of the Lord, His Mother, His saints. Let us recall the image of a medieval city - a space enclosed by stone walls. The city fence very soon began to not accommodate the inhabitants, who were forced to settle outside, behind the walls (suburban residents). But when the enemy’s troops were approaching, the country residents fled (often burning their houses) to the city-city - a refuge, a refuge, to which they looked with great hope. This image leads us to God and the Most Holy Theotokos: They are our refuge from any enemy invasion. The famous image of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall” (in the Church of St. Sophia of Kyiv) embodies precisely this symbol.

“I tell you that every person desires and longs for all this: fornicators, tax collectors, and unjust people would like to receive the Kingdom so easily, without labor and deeds. That is why temptations, many trials, sorrows, struggles and shedding sweat, so that those who really loved the one Lord with all their will and with all their strength, even to death, and with such love for Him, no longer had anything else desired for themselves, would become visible. Therefore, in truth, they enter the Kingdom of Heaven, having renounced. themselves, according to the Lord’s word, and having loved the only Lord more than their own breath, which is why they will be rewarded with high heavenly gifts for their high love.”

For you are... the Thinker and Giver of all good... The Lord is called here the Thinker: the One who creates and directs everything in the world with His thought that anticipates and determines all things. Let us remember the words of the Bible: What You thought, that was done: what You determined, that was also manifested and said: Here I am (Judith 9: 5-6). More often we use the noun providence (sometimes in the Slavic text - industry) - “the unceasing action of the omnipotence, wisdom and goodness of God, by which God preserves the existence and strength of creatures, directs them to good goals, helps every good, and suppresses the evil that arises through removal from good or corrects and turns to good consequences" ("Long Christian Catechism" by St. Philaret of Moscow). IN secular dictionaries in modern Russian language we can find a word of the same meaning and extremely similar form - providence; Wed Church Slavonic: looking (another word of the same meaning).

Prayer 4, of the same saint

Lord, Who hast given me Your much goodness and Your great bounties, to your servant, the past time of sowing night without misfortune to pass away from all evil is disgusting; You Yourself, Master, the Creator of all things, grant me with Your true light and an enlightened heart to do Your will, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Misfortune is trouble; temptation. She is repugnant from all evil - having been preserved from all evil. All Creators - Creator of all things (vocal case).

The expressions all, all creation are used in the language of the Church to designate the entire world created by God - earthly and heavenly, visible and invisible.

Lord Almighty, God of Powers and all flesh, living in the highest and looking down on the humble, testing the hearts and wombs and innermost parts of men, the Foreknowledgeable One, the Beginningless and Ever-Everlasting Light, which has no use, or overshadowing application; Himself, Immortal King, accept our prayers, even now, boldly for the multitude of Your bounties, from the bad lips we create towards You, and forgive us our sins, whether in deed, word, and thought, knowledge, or ignorance, we have sinned; and cleanse us from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And grant us with a cheerful heart and a sober thought to pass through the whole night of this present life, awaiting the coming of the bright and revealed day of Your Only Begotten Son, our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, the Judge of all will come with glory, to whom he will give according to his deeds;

let us not fall and become lazy, but be watchful and raised up for the work that is to come, prepare us for the joy and Divine palace of His glory, where those who celebrate the unceasing voice and the ineffable sweetness of those who behold Your face, the ineffable kindness. For You are the true Light, you enlighten and sanctify all things, and all creation sings to You forever and ever. Amen.

God of the Powers and all flesh - God of the heavenly Powers, incorporeal and of all flesh. Living in the highest - living in the sky, on the heights of heaven. Look down upon the humble (more correctly, look down upon the humble) - one who looks down (bows his gaze) on the humble, the lower, the earthly. Test the hearts and wombs - he who observes the innermost thoughts.

In the highest he lives and looks down upon the humble.

The heights of heaven are contrasted in this biblical expression with the valleys of the earth: Who is the Lord our God? He lives on the high and looks down on the lowly in heaven and on earth (Ps. 113:5-6; in the Russian translation of the psalm: Who is like the Lord our God, Who, dwelling on high, bows down to look down on heaven and earth) . The same expression is in Ps. 137:6: For the Lord is exalted, and looks down on the humble, and the message is high from afar.

It is not good to carry change, or change, overshadowing. These words are from the Epistle of St. James: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no change or change (James 1:17; in Russian translation: Every good work and every perfect gift is coming down from above from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change and not a shadow of change). The Slavic translation of the apostle’s words is somewhat incomprehensible, and the Russian translation is not entirely accurate (the words change and change seem to repeat each other). The words of the transformation convey overshadowing to the Greek... meaning the shadow that is formed when the luminary turns (when turning, the luminary illuminates objects, but they certainly cast a shadow, so that all objects and places cannot be illuminated evenly, but the light of the Divine illuminates everything equally and leaves no shadow) . Those who dare to receive the multitude of Your bounties. We easily understand the word generosity, which is often used in prayers, as generous mercy. This is true, of course, but the main meaning of the corresponding

Those who await the coming of the bright and revealed day of Your Only Begotten Son, Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ... Let us not fall and become lazy, but watchfully and rise to the work that is to come, prepare for the joy and Divine palace of His glory, where those who celebrate the unceasing and ineffable voice the sweetness of those who behold Your face, the unspeakable kindness. These words of prayer bring to mind the parables of Christ about His Second Coming: Let your loins be girded and with burning lamps. And you be like people who wait for their master to return from marriage, so that when he comes and knocks, they will immediately open the door for him. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, finds awake;

Truly I tell you, he will gird himself and make them sit down, and he will come and serve them (Luke 12:35-37; see also chapters 24-25 of the Gospel of Matthew).

Ineffable kindness - the ineffable beauty of the Face of God - is not an aesthetic concept, but a fusion of the highest beauty and the highest Good. Let us remember the title of the precious collection of patristic teachings on how a person can and should approach God: “The Philokalia.” The beautiful Church Slavonic word kindness, consonant with our goodness, kindness, should return our mind to the understanding of goodness and goodness as the ultimate, highest beauty. To be a Christian means to be expecting and desiring the coming of the day of God (2 Pet. 3:12), the bright and revealed day when this highest beauty of Good will finally be revealed to those who love God. The Apostle James consoles and strengthens us in this expectation: Therefore, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and for it he endures for a long time until he receives the early and late rain. Be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is drawing near (James 5:7-8).

Stink, stink - into him. The spelling in one, in on is wrong. This spelling was born from the understanding of the word as a combination of the preposition in with the pronoun he; this is true in content, but not in form (it could not have appeared at the end of the pronoun, our soft sign). Here, rather, it’s stinking, stinking: the preposition въ and the form of the pronoun it - и, to which “n” is added in the position after the vowel of the preposition - въ (н) - stink. Wed.

Let us bless you, the highest God and Lord of mercy, who always does great and unexplored, glorious and terrible things to us, countless in number, giving us sleep to repose our weakness and weaken the labors of the arduous flesh. We thank Thee, for Thou didst not destroy us with our iniquities, but Thou didst usually love mankind, and in desperation, Thou didst raise us up to glorify Thy power. We also pray for Your immeasurable goodness, enlighten our thoughts, clear our eyes, and raise our minds from the heavy sleep of laziness; open our lips and fulfill Your praise, so that we may unwaveringly sing and confess to You, in all, and from all, to the glorified God, the Beginning Father, with Your Only Begotten Son, and Your All-Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.

We bless you - we praise you (the word bless in the Church Slavonic language, following the Greek, means not only the priestly or parental blessing we are accustomed to, but also a generally good word - praise). Unexplored - incomprehensible (let us remember - this was said in the note to the prayer "To the Heavenly King" - that in the Church Slavonic language in the generalized meaning of a noun adjectives of the neuter plural are used: great and unexplored, glorious and terrible, there are countless of them - great and incomprehensible, glorious and terrible without number). Usually - as always, as You always do. We lie in despair - we, sleeping (in our sleep, not aware of the surrounding reality). In order to (note: this is why, why the Lord awakened us from sleep!).

Power is strength, power, subject area (that is, the whole world of God). If I fulfill them, fill them. Notice the similarity of this prayer with the morning prayer to the Most Holy Trinity. You can compare these two prayers. Please note that the prayer to the Most Holy Trinity is constructed in the singular (addressed to God from “I”), and the prayer of St. Basil the Great is constructed in the plural (from “we”). The prayer rule wisely alternates prayers with “I, me” - such, for example, are all the prayers of St. Macarius the Great - and prayers in plural

(“we, us”), an example of which is provided primarily by the Lord’s Prayer. This teaches a Christian to constantly pray for his neighbors, the Church and the whole world of God and at the same time never pray abstractly, “in general” - not to forget about the desperate state of his own soul.

Prayer 7, to the Most Holy Theotokos

I sing Thy grace, O Lady, I pray to Thee, my mind is filled with grace. Go right and teach me the path of Christ’s commandments. Strengthen your children to song, driving away despondency and sleep. Bound by the captivity of the Falls, allow me through Your prayers, Bride of God. Preserve me in the night and in the day, delivering me to those who fight against the enemy. Who gave birth to God, the life-giver, was killed by my passions and revived. Even as you gave birth to the non-evening Light, enlighten my blind soul. O wondrous Lady of the plateau, create for me the house of the Divine Spirit. You who gave birth to a doctor, heal my soul of many years of passion.

Worried by the storm of life, guide me towards the path of repentance. Deliver me from eternal fire, and from evil worms, and from tartar. Do not show me to be a demon of joy, who is guilty of many sins. Create me anew, worn out by the insensible, Immaculate, in the face of sin. Show me the strangeness of all kinds of torment, and implore the Lord to all. Grant me heavenly joy, with all the saints. Most Holy Virgin, hear the voice of Your indecent servant. Give me a stream of tears, Most Pure One, cleansing the filth of my soul.

Create me, worn out and insensible, again, Immaculate One, from sin. Prayer points to an important side in the action of sin: it makes a person more and more insensitive to the spiritual, becomes less and less noticeable to the sinner, who at the same time loses freshness and strength, deteriorates, weakens, moving further and further from the Source of true grace-filled life.

Exceeding the Angel, create me beyond the fusion of the world. This is a petition to the Supreme heavenly powers The Mother of God (the Most Honest Cherub and the Most Glorious Seraphim) about otherworldliness, a necessary property of a Christian. In a secret conversation with his disciples at the Last Supper, the Lord repeatedly repeats to them that they are not of the world: If you were of the world, then the world would love its own; But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you (John 15:19). Let us also recall the words of the apostle: For everything that is in the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but from this world (John 2:16);.

it is impossible to cling to this lust of the flesh, the lust of hair and the pride of life, to merge with it, to let it into yourself, but you can only avoid such a worldly merger with the help of

The first chapter of the “Mystical Theology” of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite is called: “What is Divine Darkness.” At the pinnacle of knowledge, “in the complete absence of light, in the complete absence of sensations and visibility, our mind, impervious to spiritual enlightenment, is illuminated by the brightest light, filled with the most pure radiance!” God is absolute light - the true Light, which enlightens every person who comes into the world: In Him was life, and life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it (John 1:4-5,9); but this Light is unapproachable: the One and having immortality, which dwells in the unapproachable light, which no man has seen or can see (1 Tim. 6:16).

You cannot see My face, because man cannot see Me and live (Ex. 33:20).
The impossibility of knowing God and approaching Him is resolved only by the fact that God became incarnate and became human. That is why the Most Holy Theotokos is for us not only the Burning Bush, which is not burned by the fire of the Divine, but also the Luminous Shadow of the Divine “Darkness”, similar to Mount Sinai: in Her God appears in the darkness of His light.

Prayer 8 Our Lord Jesus Christ Most merciful and all-merciful

Like you will save everyone - to save everyone.

Packs - more. If only You had saved me from my deeds - if only You had saved me for my deeds. No, this is not. But debt is more - but rather debt (more - more). Advertise you - You said. Or worse - because, because. Not at all - absolutely, in no way. Let it suffice - let it be sufficient (doveleti - to be sufficient; cf.: enough). Participant - participant. Let him not kidnap - and let him not kidnap (Ubo is an intensifying particle; here it can be translated both as “well” and as “truly”. And he will boast... that he has torn me away - and he will boast that he has torn me away (stolen) me. Preface - warn (my desire to be saved - that is, do not wait for this desire). - my life.

Even if you save me from works, there is no grace and a gift, but more than a duty. To her, abundant in generosity and unspeakable in mercy... May faith instead of works be imputed to me, O my God, for you will not find works that justify me.

The idea of the prayer is based on the words of the apostle: The reward of the one who works is not imputed according to mercy, but according to duty. But to him who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness (Rom. 4:4-5).

Holy Angel, come before me more dearly than my soul and more passionately than my life, do not leave me, a sinner, and forsake me for my intemperance. Do not give room to the evil demon to possess me through the violence of this mortal body; strengthen my poor and thin hand, and guide me on the path of salvation. To her, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my blessed soul and body, forgive me everything, I have offended you greatly all the days of my life, and if I sinned this past night, cover me on this day, and save me from every opposite temptation May I not anger God in any sin, and pray for me to the Lord, that He may strengthen me in His passion, and show me worthy as a servant of His goodness. Amen.

Forthcoming - upcoming. More wretched - unfortunate, poor, full of struggle. More passionate - here: long-suffering, unhappy (remember that passion means suffering); however, it is slavery to sinful passions that is the main source of unhappiness in human life. Below - and nothing. To the evil one - evil, deceitful. Strengthen my poor and thin hand, and guide me on the path of salvation - in the Greek text of the prayer literally: “take me by the unfortunate and drooping (weak-willed) hand and lead me to the path of salvation”; Dan image of a person who has lost his will and energy, with his hands “dropping”, unable to independently get out on the path of salvation. To her - yes, truly (cf. colloquial: “she-she”). All... great things I have insulted you with - everything with which I have insulted you (great - how many, how great). Cover - cover, protect.

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Opposite - opposing, enemy. She will show me worthy of the servant of His goodness - she will make me a slave worthy of His mercy (to show usually does not mean “to bring to an external likeness,” as in modern language, but “to make obvious”).

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“Know that the Angels stir us up to prayer and stand with us in it, rejoicing and praying together for us. So, if we are careless and accept contrary thoughts, then we extremely anger them: for while they struggle so much for us, we about ourselves We don’t want to beg God for ourselves, but, neglecting our service to God and abandoning their God and Master, we carry on a conversation with unclean demons (in our thoughts).”

My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, with Your saints and all-powerful prayers, take away from me, Your humble and accursed servant, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, negligence, and all the nasty, evil and blasphemous thoughts from my accursed heart and from my darkened mind; and extinguish the flame of my passions, for I am poor and damned. And deliver me from many and cruel memories and enterprises, and free me from all evil actions. For Thou art blessed from all generations, and glorified is Thy most honorable name forever and ever. Amen.

Drive away - drive away. Humble - pathetic, low. Enterprises - here: plans (an enterprise is what precedes the acceptance of a thought or action, a preliminary intention).

"Why do people sin?" - the Venerable Ambrose of Optina sometimes asked a question and solved it himself: “Either because they do not know what to do and what to avoid; or, if they know, they forget, then they become lazy, despondent... These are three giants: despondency or laziness, oblivion and ignorance - from which the entire human race is bound by insoluble bonds. And this is followed by negligence with the whole host of evil passions. That is why we pray to the Queen of Heaven: My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, with Your holy and all-powerful prayers, take away from me, the humble and accursed servant. Yours, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, negligence, and all the nasty, evil and blasphemous thoughts."

It is also worth comparing these words of prayer with one of the petitions of John Chrysostom’s prayer (according to the number of hours of the day and night, from prayers for sleep): Lord, deliver me from all ignorance and oblivion, and cowardice, and petrified insensibility.

Your humble and accursed servant... The words humble and accursed are often found in prayers, so it is worth delving deeper into their basic meanings.

Humble means not only “endowed with humility” - one of the most important Christian virtues (to say about yourself to God: “I am humble” is even more absurd than to say to people: “I am modest,” and in prayer we should not allow even a shadow of exaltation to our imaginary " humility"!) - but generally humiliated, low, pitiful (in the explanation to the 5th prayer, the constant opposition in the Holy Scriptures of the highest - the above and the humble - the lower was pointed out). Damned - unhappy, rejected, filled with torment. free us from numerous evil (many fierce) thoughts, both about the past (memories) and the future (enterprises), as well as from the evil actions associated with these thoughts. The focus of this petition on guarding the mind and heart is very important. Standing attentively in prayer, we inevitably notice the invasion of those very memories and enterprises from which we pray to the Most Holy Theotokos for deliverance; The struggle for prayer (and for a truly Christian inner life) is to a large extent a struggle against precisely these enemies, which it is impossible to defeat alone, without the help of God’s grace.

Prayerful invocation of the saint whose name you bear

Pray to God for me, holy servant of God (name), as I diligently resort to you, a quick helper and prayer book for my soul.

Yako az - because I am. I come running and ask for help.

The prayer to the patron saint in all prayer books is given in this most general form, but in practice it is often pronounced differently, according to church custom - with the name of the rank of holiness of the heavenly intercessor: “Pray to God for me, holy Archangel of God Michael...”; “Pray to God for me, holy prophet of God Elijah...”; "...Holy Apostle of God Peter...";

"...Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene..."; "...to Saint Father Nicholas..."; “...holy great martyr and victorious George...”, “...holy martyr...”, “... holy martyr...”, “... reverend Father Sergius...”, “... reverend mother Mary...” - and so on. To this part prayer rule

It is also good to include short prayer appeals to other saints of God who are most revered by you. They can be completed with an appeal to all saints: All saints, pray to God for us! It is also good, at least sometimes, not to limit yourself to one prayerful appeal, but to read or sing a troparion to a saint (or several commemorated saints).

The troparion should be known and understood by your patron saint.

Virgin Mary, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the Fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

The words of this, the oldest and most beautiful of the countless prayers of the Mother of God, are taken from the Gospel - from the story about the event of the Annunciation:

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to the city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a husband named Joseph, from the house of David; The name of the Virgin is: Mary. The angel came to Her and said:

Rejoice, O Blessed One! The Lord is with You;

Blessed are You among women.

She, seeing him, was embarrassed by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this would be. And the Angel said to Her:

Fear not, Mary, for you have found favor with God; and behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus. Having received good news from the Angel, Holy Virgin

She immediately went to her holy relative - the righteous Elizabeth, the future mother of John the Baptist. As soon as Elizabeth saw the Most Pure Virgin, she was filled with the Holy Spirit, and exclaimed in a loud voice and said:

Blessed are You among women, and blessed is the Fruit of Your womb! And where does it come from for me that the Mother of my Lord came to me? (Luke 1:26-31,41-43).

Holy righteous Elizabeth, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, uttered the same amazing words as Archangel Gabriel: Blessed are You among women (or, in Church Slavonic: Blessed are You among women). And we add to the words of the Angel and righteous Elizabeth: for you gave birth to the Savior of our souls, thereby expressing to the Most Holy Theotokos faith in Her Divine Son, Whom we recognize with all our hearts as the Savior of our souls.

Troparion to the Cross and prayer for the fatherland

Save, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thy inheritance, granting victories against resistance, and preserving Thy residence through Thy Cross. Property - heritage. On the resistance - over opponents, over enemies. Residence

- the home, that is, the people of God - Orthodox Christians.

The Cross of Christ has a special power to save us from all evil. We call upon this power in prayer to the Cross for all the property of God - for everything that belongs to Christ: for His people, that is, Orthodox Christians who even bear the name of Christ; on our fatherland and especially on the Holy Church - the community of all true believers, among whom the Lord invisibly abides and lives.

Prayer for the living

Prayer for the departed

Lord rest the souls of your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.

Memorial

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“To remember in prayer the peace of the Holy Churches and everything else that follows is good, for this is the apostolic testament; but in doing this, one must recognize oneself as unworthy and not having the strength to do so. The Gospel and Apostolic word says: Pray for one another in order to be healed: the fervent prayer of the righteous can do much (James 5:16), and: As you want people to do to you, do so to them (Luke 6:31). condemns himself; and therefore, whether I can or cannot, I force myself to fulfill the commandment.”

Venerable Barsanuphius the Great

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The memorial is usually placed in prayer books at the end morning prayers, however, not everyone is comfortable and able to pray for the living and the dead in the morning. We need to find the most appropriate time for the commemoration; for some it will be the evening, when all the work has been done, for others it will be the middle of the day, lunch break...

If you can, read instead short prayers This commemoration is about the living and the deceased: (on the next 2 pages of the site editor).

About the living

Remember, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Thy mercy and generosity from all eternity, for whose sake Thou didst become man, and Thou didst deign to endure crucifixion and death, for the sake of the salvation of those who believe in Thee; and you rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sit at the right hand of God the Father, and despise the humble prayers of those who call upon You with all their hearts; incline Your ear, and hear the humble prayer of me, Your indecent servant, into the stench of the spiritual fragrance, brought to You for all Your people. And in the first place, remember Your Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, which You have provided with Your Honest Blood, and establish, and strengthen, and expand, multiply, pacify, and preserve the insurmountable gates of hell forever; Calm the tearing of the Churches, quench the pagan vacillations, and quickly destroy and eradicate the heresies of uprising, and turn them into nothingness by the power of Your Holy Spirit. (Bow)

Generosity - manifestations of mercy, compassion. From the beginning of existence - eternal, existing from the beginning of the world. For their sake - for which, for which you are the Prize - you graciously look from above, bow down with love. Into the stench of a spiritual fragrance - like a fragrant spiritual sacrifice (to stench is a smell, aroma; the form in the stench is similar here to the form “as a sacrifice” in the expression “accept as a sacrifice”). In the first place - first of all, first of all. South - which. You supplied - saved, protected (supply - protect, preserve; save). The gates of hell - the forces of hell (an ancient, frequent expression in the Bible). Rending - discord, division into parts, separation. Unrest - disturbances, riots.

Remember, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Thy mercy and generosity from all eternity... Remember the first prayer - a request to the Lord Jesus Christ to remember the mercies He did, for the sake of which He became man, and endured crucifixion and death, and was resurrected, and ascended. In prayer the whole work of God's economy - God's providence - is remembered. All this - the mercy of God shown to the human race from time immemorial - is the basis for our subsequent petitions for the whole world.

Save, Lord, and have mercy on our God-protected country, its authorities and army, so that we may live a quiet and silent life in all piety and purity. (Bow)

Save, Lord, and have mercy on the Great Master and Father of our Holiness Patriarch (name), your Eminence metropolitans, archbishops and Orthodox bishops, priests and deacons, and all the church ranks, who You have appointed to shepherd Your verbal flock, and through their prayers have mercy and save me sinful. (Bow)

Even - which ones. Verbal - here: spiritual, rational (there is also the expression “your verbal flock of sheep”).

Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father (his name), and with his holy prayers forgive my sins. (Bow)

Save, O Lord, and have mercy on my parents (their names), brothers and sisters, and my relatives according to the flesh, and all the neighbors of my family, and others, and grant them Your peaceful and most peaceful goodness. (Bow)

Your peaceful and super-worldly good - Your earthly and heavenly blessings (literally: Your worldly and supermundane good).

Save, O Lord, and have mercy on the old and the young, the poor and the orphans and the widows, and those who are in sickness and sorrow, troubles and sorrows, conditions and captivity, prisons and imprisonments, and even more so in persecution, for You for the sake of the Orthodox faith, from the tongue of the godless, of the apostate and of the heretics, who are Thy servants; and remember, visit, strengthen, comfort, and soon by Your power I will weaken, grant them freedom and deliver. (Bow)

Existing - existing, abiding.

Circumstances - difficult circumstances of life, adversity (the main meaning of the word “circumstance” is siege). Fairly - especially, more than anything. For you and the Orthodox faith - for You and the Orthodox faith. From the tongue - from the pagans. I ... them. When I weaken, it’s a relief. Deliverance - deliverance.

Save, Lord, and have mercy on those sent to the service, those traveling, our fathers and brethren, and all Orthodox Christians. (Bow)

Save, O Lord, and have mercy on them who I tempted with my madness, and turned away from the path of salvation, and led me to evil and inappropriate deeds;

By Your Divine Providence, return again to the path of salvation. (Bow)

Theirs - those whom. Az - I. I tempted, turned away, brought - I seduced, turned away, brought (form of the 1st person singular of the past tense - aorist).

Paki - again.

Save, Lord, and have mercy on those who hate and offend me, and those who create misfortunes against me, and do not leave them to perish for me, a sinner. (Bow) Those who create misfortunes for me - those who do evil to me.

Those who have departed from the Orthodox faith and are blinded by destructive heresies, enlighten with the light of Your knowledge and bring Your Holy Apostles to the Catholic Church. (Bow)

The prayer “To the Heavenly King” is also the stichera of the Pentecost service. We call on the Holy Spirit to come and dwell “in us” and this can be understood in two ways: either we want each of us to become an abode of the Spirit, or for the Holy Spirit to dwell among us, uniting us into the Body of Christ. But one does not exclude the other.
Priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY comments.
Descent of the Holy Spirit. Handwritten Gospel of the Syrian monk Rabula. 586 Laurentian Library, Florence
Stichera, tone 6:
Heavenly King,
Comforter,
Soul of truth,
Same everywhere
and do everything,
Treasure of the Good
and life to the Giver,
come

and move into us,
Βασιλεῦ οὐράνιε,
Παράκλητε,
τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας,
ὁ πανταχοῦ παρών,
καὶ τὰ πάντα πληρῶν,
ὁ θησαυρὸς τῶν ἀγαθῶν,
καὶ ζωῆς χορηγός,
ἐλθέ,
καὶ σκήνωσον ἐν ἡμῖν,
καὶ καθάρισον ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης κηλῖδος,
καὶ σῶσον ἀγαθὲ τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

and cleanse us from all filth,
and save, O Lord, our souls.
Greek original:
Translation by Hierom. Ambrose (Timroth):
King of Heaven,
Comforter,
Spirit of Truth,
everywhere abiding
and filling everything,
Treasury of benefits
and the Giver of life,
come

and dwell in us,

“To the King of Heaven” is perhaps one of the most famous prayers, along with the “Our Father” (the Lord’s Prayer) and the 90th Psalm of King David. It is part of the so-called “usual beginning,” that is, that sequence of prayers that sounds at the beginning of many services and sequences, including at the beginning of our usual morning and evening prayers: “Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Holy Trinity”, “Our Father”.

In addition, there is a custom to read “To the King of Heaven” in order to invoke the Holy Spirit before starting any work. Undoubtedly, one of these things is prayer, church service. And this, presumably, explains the inclusion of the prayer “Heavenly King” in the composition of the usual beginning.
Finally, this prayer is one of the stichera of the Pentecost service - and it was this circumstance that became the reason for our note today. However, let us first consider the text of the prayer itself.

We turn to the Holy Spirit as the Heavenly King (cf. the beginning of the Lord's Prayer: “Our Father who art in Heaven...”). This appeal, strictly speaking, is not specific to the Third Hypostasis. So, for example, at Lenten Vespers the prayer “Heavenly King, establish your faith...” is read, which most likely refers to Christ - however, this is not entirely clear; one might also think that it is addressed to the Holy Trinity.

This is followed by the address “Comforter” (Greek Παράκλητος). This is how the Savior called the Holy Spirit in a conversation with his disciples: “And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). In addition to the obvious meaning of “one who comforts,” this word can also be understood in the meaning of “mediator,” “intercessor,” “intercessor.”

We speak of the Holy Spirit, like God “in general,” as omnipresent: “Who is everywhere.” The Church Slavonic expression that follows - “do everything” - probably confuses many. As can be seen from the Russian translation above, in in this case We are not talking about the fulfillment of our prayers and desires, but all about the same thing - about the omnipresence of the Divine: “fulfilling everything” means “filling everything with Himself.” However, here we can see something more: the Holy Spirit does not just “mechanically” fill the universe with Himself, but He animates it, every second supports its existence - otherwise everything would fall apart and fall apart, since the world we see has no other reason for its own emergence and continued existence besides God.

There is another expression in the Church Slavonic translation of the prayer, which, as one might assume, is misunderstood by many: “Treasure of good things” does not mean at all that the Holy Spirit is some kind of treasure for good people. No, the Life-Giving Spirit is a treasury of goods, a container and source of all that is good and good.

Next, we call the Spirit the giver of life - here it is appropriate to recall another chant, quite often heard at the all-night vigil: “By the Holy Spirit every soul is alive and exalted in purity...”
All those words and expressions that were discussed now were all an appeal, which takes up about two-thirds of the prayer. And then comes the pleading part.
What do we ask of God the Holy Spirit? We ask Him to come and dwell “in us.” The latter can be understood in two ways (and one understanding does not exclude the other): either we want each of us to become an abode of the Spirit, a temple of God; or (cf. John 1:14) - so that the Holy Spirit dwells among us, among us, uniting us into the one Body of Christ.

Then we ask that the Spirit, having settled in us, cleanse us from all filth - that is, from passions, from sin - and that He, the Good (i.e., good) will save our souls, that is, deliver us from the power of the world, the devil and, again, our own passions, and so that He would grant us the Kingdom of Heaven - that is, His own Kingdom (see the beginning of the prayer).

As mentioned above, the prayer “To the Heavenly King” is part of the service of the Feast of Pentecost (otherwise, Trinity Day). Let us remember that this prayer is not read during the period from Easter to Pentecost: during the Easter period it is replaced by three times reading (or singing) the troparion of Easter, and from Ascension to Easter it is not replaced by anything at all - and this significant absence emphasizes the tension with which the Church Every year he waits for the day of the sending of the Holy Spirit. And so on the day of Pentecost, after seven weeks of a kind of abstinence, the prayer “Heavenly King” is heard again (it is often sung publicly) - first at Great Vespers, as the penultimate stichera in the stichera, and then twice at Matins - after the 50th psalm and before the great doxology (instead of the usual “Blessed are you, O Virgin Mother of God...”). From this day on, “To the Heavenly King” is read daily until the first day of Easter.

To the Heavenly King: a prayer to the One who consoles

PRAYER

« CareuNfucking,Uto the comforter,Dear of truth, who is everywhere and fulfills everything,WITHtreasure of good things and lifePgiver, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filthiness, and save us,Beven our souls.”

TRANSLATION by Hier. Ambrose (Timroth):

“Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, abiding everywhere and filling everything, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls. »

The prayer “Heavenly King” is addressed to the Third Person of the Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giving Lord, emanating from the Father (see Creed). The origin and authorship of this prayer are unknown, but there is reason to believe that it originated towards the end of the first millennium of the Christian era.

"King of Heaven" - perhaps one of the most famous prayers, along with the “Our Father” (Lord’s Prayer) and the 90th Psalm of King David. It is part of the so-called “ordinary beginning,” that is, that sequence of prayers that sounds at the beginning of many services and successions, including at the beginning of our usual morning and evening prayers: “To the Heavenly King,” the Trisagion, “The Most Holy Trinity.” , "Our Father".

Finally, this prayer is one of the stichera of the Pentecost service - and it was this circumstance that became the reason for our note today. However, let us first consider the text of the prayer itself.

We speak of the Holy Spirit, like God “in general,” as omnipresent: “Who is everywhere.” The Church Slavonic expression that follows - “do everything” - probably confuses many. As can be seen from the above Russian translation, in this case we are not talking about the fulfillment of our prayers and desires, but all about the same thing - about the omnipresence of the Divine: “fulfill everything” means “filling everything with Himself.” However, here we can see something more: the Holy Spirit does not just “mechanically” fill the universe with Himself, but He animates it, every second supports its existence - otherwise everything would fall apart and fall apart, since the world we see has no other reason for its own emergence and continued existence besides God.

There is another expression in the Church Slavonic translation of the prayer, which, as one might assume, is misunderstood by many: “Treasure of the good” does not at all mean that the Holy Spirit is some kind of treasure for good people. No, the Life-Giving Spirit is a treasury of goods, a container and source of all that is good and good.

All those words and expressions that were discussed now were all an appeal, which takes up about two-thirds of the prayer. And then comes the pleading part.

What do we ask of God the Holy Spirit? We ask Him to come and dwell “in us.” The latter can be understood in two ways (and one understanding does not exclude the other): either we want each of us to become an abode of the Spirit, a temple of God; or (cf. John 1:14) - so that the Holy Spirit dwells among us, among us, uniting us into the one Body of Christ.

Priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY

“To the King of Heaven” is perhaps one of the most famous prayers, along with the “Our Father” (the Lord’s Prayer) and the 90th Psalm of King David. It is part of the so-called “ordinary beginning,” that is, that sequence of prayers that sounds at the beginning of many services and successions, including at the beginning of our usual morning and evening prayers: “To the Heavenly King,” the Trisagion, “The Most Holy Trinity.” , "Our Father".

The prayer “To the Heavenly King” is also the stichera of the Pentecost service. We call on the Holy Spirit to come and dwell “in us”and this can be understood in two ways: either weWe want each of us to become an abode of the Spirit, or for the Holy Spirit to dwell among us, uniting us into the Body of Christ. But one does not exclude the other.

PRAYER
“Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed One, our souls.”

TRANSLATION
“Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, abiding everywhere and filling everything, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.”

– The prayer “Heavenly King” is addressed to the Third Person of the Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giving Lord, emanating from the Father (see Creed). The origin and authorship of this prayer are unknown, but there is reason to believe that it originated towards the end of the first millennium of the Christian era.

This is followed by the address “Comforter” (Greek παράκλητος). This is how the Savior called the Holy Spirit in a conversation with his disciples: “And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). In addition to the obvious meaning of “one who comforts,” this word can also be understood in the meaning of “mediator,” “intercessor,” “intercessor.”

We speak of the Holy Spirit, like God “in general,” as omnipresent: “Who is everywhere.” The Church Slavonic expression that follows – “do everything” – probably confuses many. As can be seen from the above Russian translation, in this case we are not talking about the fulfillment of our prayers and desires, but all about the same thing - about the omnipresence of the Divine: “fulfill everything” means “filling everything with Himself.” However, here we can see something more: the Holy Spirit not only “mechanically” fills the universe with Himself, but He animates it, every second supports its existence - otherwise everything would fall apart and crumble, since the world we see has no other reason for its own emergence and continued existence besides God.

All those words and expressions that were discussed now were all an appeal, which takes up about two-thirds of the prayer. And then comes the pleading part.

O. Theodore Ludogovsky

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed One, our souls.

This prayer is read and sung many times festive service Pentecost and is included in the initial prayers of almost all church services and home rule (in particular, morning prayers and prayers for those to come). Why is it one of the first to be read? - So that during our prayer The Spirit Himself petitioned for us with unspeakable sighs(Rom. 8:26).

Before we begin to explain this prayer, which is familiar to all of us, let us remember who the Holy Spirit is and what His action is in man.

The Holy Spirit is the Divine Person, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, penetrating and filling everything, the Source of blessings and the Giver of life (Life-Giving). He is the true God, eternally (out of time) coming from the Father. The Holy Spirit has omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, the ability to work miracles, cleanse people from sin, revive and sanctify their souls, and help them do good deeds. Through His inspiration, inspired books were written, He put the words of God into the mouths of the prophets and apostles. He descended on the apostles in the form of tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit is constantly active in the Church of Christ. By his action during the Liturgy, a great Sacrament is performed: the transformation of the Holy Gifts - bread and wine - into the Body and Blood of Christ. During the Sacrament of Confirmation, which takes place immediately after Baptism, the Holy Spirit descends on a person and puts into his soul the seed of a new grace-filled life in Christ. Then it depends on the person himself (and his loved ones, if Baptism occurred in infancy) whether this good seed will sprout and bear fruit or be drowned out by weeds.

The Monk Seraphim of Sarov taught that the goal of a Christian’s life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, that is, such a state of man when the Holy Spirit incomprehensibly inhabits him and remains in him, introducing him to the fullness of Divine life. Explaining this to his student N. Motovilov, Father Seraphim was transformed: his face shone like the sun. And then, through his prayer, the Lord gave Motovilov to experience the power of the Holy Spirit: peace, silence, joy, warmth, sweetness, fragrance and light that surpassed any earthly concept.

We call a person holy if he has acquired (that is, acquired) the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit in such a person are righteousness and truth (see Eph. 5:9), love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control(Gal. 5:22-23).

What does it take to acquire these wonderful qualities? - Trust every word of Christ and try to live according to His will, seek more heavenly than earthly things, try to love everyone and not offend anyone, repent of sins and beg the Lord to save us. Let us not forget that spiritual work is not so much an external feat (prayers, frequent participation in divine services, etc.), but a painstaking, constant forcing of oneself to fulfill the commandments of God in thoughts, desires, words and deeds. (We know all this, but we are lazy - we think that just like that, lying on a warm stove, we will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. However, thank God, we are at least doing something - maybe the long-suffering Lord, who accepted two mites, will look at us, careless.) In all these little labors of ours, the Lord Holy Spirit helps us. He gives grace in church Sacraments, in home prayers; Our churches are filled with It, help is given through our prayer from holy icons and relics.

Let us also pray together with the Apostle Paul, so that God... gives us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to the knowledge of Him, and enlightened the eyes of the heart ours so that we we knew what was the hope of His calling, and what the riches of His glorious inheritance are for the saints, and how immeasurable is the greatness of His power in us(Eph. 1:17-19). And let us not forget the words of the Savior: Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him(Luke 11:13).

Now let's move on to the explanation of the prayer itself.

1. King, Comforter, Soul, Giver, Better- these are forms of the vocative case (now lost). Translated into modern language, these words sound like this: King, Comforter, Spirit, Giver, Good.

2. Heavenly King. We call the Holy Spirit the King, the Ruler of the Heavenly Kingdom as God and the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.

"Heavenly" means spiritual, not earthly. The Kingdom of Heaven is also called paradise, “the life of the next century,” “new heaven,” “Heavenly Jerusalem” (the latter names refer to the time of the Second Coming of the Savior). In it the angelic powers and souls of the righteous, for whom God is the Source of love and light that surpasses all understanding, are blissful (abiding in eternal joy and mutual love). There is no evil in the Kingdom of Heaven, including death.

The Lord commanded us to seek first of all earthly things the Kingdom of God, which is hidden in our hearts. “The ladder (ladder) leading to the Kingdom is inside you, hidden in your soul,” says the great seventh-century ascetic St. Isaac the Syrian. “Flee from sin, plunge into yourself and you will find there steps leading to heaven.”

3. Comforter means "Called for help, Patron, Intercessor." The Greek verb “to comfort” also means “to calm, pacify, console in sorrow, convince, instruct to a virtuous life.”

4. Soul of truth- The Spirit of truth, revealing to man the truth about himself and the visible and surrounding things invisible world(that is, about the meaning of his life, the spiritual laws of existence, heaven and hell, etc.), admonishing and instructing people on the true path of God, putting words into the mouths of prophets and confessors: The Spirit of your Father will speak in you(Matt. 10:20).

Before His death on the Cross, the Lord said to the disciples: But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me and guide you into all truth.(John 15, 26; 16, 13); But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of everything that I have told you.(John 14:26). After the Ascension of Christ, the Holy Spirit directly instructed and admonished the disciples preaching the gospel of Christ and His Kingdom.

5. Sit everywhere and do everything- Who abides everywhere and fills everything (the whole world, all existence).

6. Treasure of the Good- Source, Treasury of all good things.

7. Life Giver. The Holy Spirit gives life to the whole world, to all living things, that is, it animates, and also gives people Divine, eternal life, that is, it spiritualizes, provided that they seek, hunger and thirst for this life.

8. In us - in us.

9. Cleanse us from all filth. The Holy Spirit cleanses the faithful and humble of heart from sinful filth. This is necessary, since nothing bad can enter the “paradise of sweetness” of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the earthly world, Christ dwells only in those souls that are cleansed by sincere repentance.

10. Better. The Holy Spirit is called good as one of the persons of the Holy Trinity, for no one is good but God alone(Mark 10:18).

11. Save... our souls. The most important thing for a person is the salvation of his soul. This is precisely why the Lord came to earth. This is what we ask the Holy Spirit to do. If it is important to save a person’s earthly life, then it is incomparably more important to save his eternal soul.

About prayer. Errors and temptations during prayer
Author: Archpriest Arkady Steinberg
The first and most serious mistake in prayer is the lack of prayer. This happens either because a person has never prayed and does not know how to begin this (and often - and why?..), or because the “cares of this age” have weakened a person so much that there is no longer room for God in his life. his life.

To a lonely woman about prayer
Author: Saint Nicholas of Serbia
You are upset that God does not hear your prayers... Do not complain about Him from Whom we have being, and life, and breath, and intelligence, and everything. I ask you, do not complain about the One who has a thousand times more right to complain about us before His Angels and Saints.
Even if the Lord does not literally fulfill our prayers, they still bear fruit for our souls, making our souls more mature and rich. This is the secret that those who walk the path of spiritual experience have learned

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