No matter how a person prays - on his own or according to a prayer book - the main thing, as the Church teaches, is that he does it systematically, with attention and reverence. An example of such an attitude to prayer is the recently published “Cell Book” of Archimandrite John (Krestyankin). This is an ordinary notebook, where the priest’s especially favorite prayers, collected over the last 25 years of his life, and the order of their reading are written down by hand. The priest always carried this pocket prayer book with him and resorted to it every day. Our correspondent Ekaterina STEPANOVA talked about this book and more about it with Father John’s cell attendant, Archimandrite FILARET (Koltsov) and Father’s clerk Tatyana SMIRNOVA.

— How did this book appear?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: Shortly before his death, Father John gave me this notebook. We were all surprised why me, because there are priestly prayers here: the prayer of the confessor, the prayer before confession, before the service, before the delivery of the sermon. But the priest said: “I read every day, and you read too.” Father John probably wanted to show by this that his little book can be useful not only to monks and priests, but also to the laity. In the spring of 2007, we published this notebook in a small edition; we thought of making such a gift to his spiritual children for the birthday of Father John. Father loved to give gifts, he especially loved to give books. But so many people wanted to receive a notebook with the priest’s favorite prayers that our circulation was not enough and now we are re-issuing it for wide sale. We also prepared and published for Father’s Angel Day a small edition of the second book – prayers of repentance and reflections.

— Did Father teach you to pray? How did he himself pray when he was alone?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: It is only the Lord and no one else knows how he prayed when he was alone. I can only say that he did not have a big light in his cell. He prayed in the twilight. There were two night lights on the table, lamps were burning in front of the icons. He was alone only at night. The rest of the time from early morning until the evening was occupied by visitors and obediences. But the priest knew how to pray even without special conditions; he prayed constantly, despite the bustle around him, and his prayer was very effective. How many times have I tested this on myself! It happened that you would run to him with some kind of trouble, he would read just one troparion in front of the Kazan Icon and everything would get better! And he taught us: “Every day, be sure to sit in an armchair or on a sofa and sit and think - just sit under God.” Don’t rush in the corner, read quickly, but think about your own things, but be silent, think, “be before God.” But at the same time, the priest said that the rule always remains the rule and cannot be abandoned: “Can you really come up with a better idea than Basil the Great or John Chrysostom?” said Father John.

Archimandrite Philaret: We constantly resorted to priest’s prayers. Let’s say someone went on vacation, wrote a petition, but they didn’t let him go. The person is seething inside: “How come they didn’t let me go? I made plans here, already bought tickets, made arrangements - they meet me there, they see me off here! All. I won’t go to the service, I won’t perform obedience!” He will come to Father John, waving his fists: “Father, they didn’t let me go, the governor is so and so.” The priest will listen: “Well, let’s pray, let’s wait a few days.” He will caress you, stroke you, and most importantly, he will pray and advise this person to pray. And after two or three days everything was really resolved. The storm went away somewhere, he no longer waved his fists, accepted the Will of God, and calmed down. And then after some time it turned out that he shouldn’t have gone anywhere at all, it wouldn’t have been good for him.

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: Father had a very good memory, memory of the heart. He remembered people and their sorrows. Everyone has forgotten to think, everything has been erased from their heads, six months have passed, and he carries everything in the heart of every person who turned to him, carries it in his arms in prayer. When he was given notes asking for prayers, he made sure to remember everyone first at home and then in church. But the priest’s strength was diminishing, and the number of notes was increasing. It seemed simply impossible to cover them! But he still prayed for everyone himself. And if the names were written small and not clear, I copied these notes to him in larger size. And yet, he always asked to sign on a note what to pray for, what this particular person needs, what to ask for him.

Archimandrite Philaret: Father John didn’t tell, he showed more how to pray. But he did not demand or force. He could say: “you can read this prayer now” or “you can pray in front of this icon.” When so many collections of different prayers were not yet available for free sale, the priest immediately handed out leaflets with the necessary prayers, either typewritten or handwritten. For example, he was very fond of distributing the short prayer of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh: “God, You know everything, and Your love is perfect; take this life into Your hand, do what I long to do, but cannot.” And he also added: “and in the life of this person” or “my child” or “my daughter.”

-Where did he get these prayers? Did you also copy from the holy fathers or did you come up with something yourself?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: The priest had a whole “pharmacy,” as we called it, of sayings of the holy fathers, prayers and icons. Father wrote down on a piece of paper the questions that his children asked him, and then looked for answers to them from the holy fathers. There were many extracts from the letters of Ignatius Brianchaninov, from Theophan the Recluse. We have accumulated such answers in our “pharmacy” for almost any question. They were arranged thematically in boxes and lay here in the cell, under the bed. Sometimes he just read something himself, and then told me: “Copy this and that, from this page, put it in this topic.”

Archimandrite Philaret: There were no icons then, not even paper ones, but people needed them. The priest determined which icons to pray in front of for which needs. And his children took out these images, photographed them on film, printed them and brought them here. All this - icons and prayers in front of certain images - the priest distributed as a blessing. And, of course, this was a great consolation for people. Let’s say that for a long time we did not know about the prayer of the Optina elders. It was not published anywhere. There was also no talk about the opening of Optina, but he already had this prayer. I still have some of the prayers and icons that he gave.

— Did the priest himself write down any of his prayers?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He didn’t write down prayers, but he prepared very carefully for sermons. Especially when people appeared in the temples. After all, before it didn’t hurt to let me talk. It happened that he was dragged into the altar on the carpet. He started talking and it was very difficult for him to stop. He recalled: “I feel like the carpet has moved.” They pull him out of the altar, saying that’s enough talking already. And our local monks and lay parishioners, of course, were very fond of the priest’s sermons. We always found out where and when Father John spoke and gathered. Over the years, people recorded the sermons that we published on CDs for themselves on tape recorders. And then, after many years, they began to bring it to us - and you see, so much has gathered that we have already released several discs. Father John even listened to the first of them himself: “Oh, how good, but who is saying this?” - he asked me. "You!" – I answer him, but he just shakes his head.

—You say that Father read a lot, but what books did he read? Did you subscribe to the press?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He was a very educated person. Moreover, he was educated not only in the spiritual, but in the broad sense of the word. He read a lot, but when he did it, I cannot say. Probably at night, during the day it was absolutely impossible. All his books were numbered and stored in an archive, even his card index was in separate drawers. About our time, he said that now there are more books than bread! Now is the time! But we didn’t need any press, no radio, no TV. They brought everything to us, brought it to us, told us about it. Father said: we have the most accurate information! Because politics is mixed in the press, but here a living person with his pain is the clearest and most reliable information.

— Did Father himself give his blessing to write memories about him?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: About a year before his death, Father John called me and said: “Here, I am your confessor; so that you can’t even say half a word about me,” I listened and went to prepare breakfast. There is a secret life that only God and the person who lives this life knows. And as soon as you make this experience public, you lose it - if not completely, then the fruits of it. On the way to the kitchen, the priest met me alone and asked: “Are you writing anything down there?” I told him that Father John had just forbidden him to write. He didn’t tell me anything, but in the evening he and the governor came to Father John. We were worried, and rightly so. And the priest said to them: “What other memories? Who else are these memories about? No memories! What are you doing? But they came up very smartly. Father then read what was written about Father Nikolai Guryanov, and was very worried about him: “He is a man of God, and they are making such an action against the Church against him!” Then the governor said to him: “Father, now you are leaving; they will write anyway – whether we want it or not. But then the monastery will no longer be able to say anything contrary. Whatever is written will be accepted as truth.” Then the priest prayed, thought and called me: “You were scribbling something there. So, collect the material. Just be careful when you write your memories that your eyes don’t sparkle! And don’t invent anything, nothing. Write only what happened.” I started writing on scraps of paper, on envelopes. I began to save his letters, which he dictated to me, otherwise it had never even occurred to me before - they were sent and, Thank God, everything went into the oven. This is how all these books with memoirs turned out. I didn’t invent anything, everything was as it was, I just wrote it down.

— What was Father’s daily routine?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He got up at five o’clock every day and went to a fraternal prayer service. They are already ringing the bell for lunch, one o'clock in the afternoon, and he just bursts into the cell and brings a tail of visitors with him. Moreover, he is in the church, and then walking along the road - all the time in a crowd of people, and then he makes an appointment for the afternoon, before the service. Those who were leaving that day were always received by the priest. And at night after twelve he received the brothers. And after them, I used to leave, even when I reached the gate, he would send someone after me: “Let him come back.” This means that someone else fell on the head of the newcomers there. And in the morning everything starts all over again. I don't know when he rested.

— How many people came to him a day?

Archimandrite Philaret: So many people came to see him, it’s absolutely impossible to count! Each with their own questions, problems, prayer requests. And there were people who, when they saw that a lot of people were coming to the priest, were embarrassed, thought that maybe other people had more problems, and did not approach. They were consoled by the fact that they attended his services and listened to the sermons addressed to them. And when they prayed with the priest in the temple, that was enough for them. It's amazing, they left satisfied! You can never deceive the spirit. Father prayed sincerely.

“Has it ever happened that he told you a lot about a person who had come, but asked him, waiting with questions outside the cell door, to tell you only part of what was said about him?”

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He said exactly as much as needed to be said. I was very embarrassed by this moment when I had to convey the words of the priest to people. Firstly, I don’t have a particularly high opinion of my memory, and I thought: what if I forget something. And secondly, when you convey, it is very important how to say it. Intonation can color what is said in a completely different way from how it was conveyed. And I told him this about my embarrassment, and he answered me: “You are in obedience, you are not. You are a serving spirit. You will convey exactly as much as I told you, and in the way I told you.”

— How did the conversation go when people came to the priest’s cell?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: A cell full of people was gathering. He hasn’t even gotten there yet, but everyone he appointed is already sitting here. They stand on chairs, on a sofa. The priest comes in, first reads “To the Heavenly King” in front of the icons, then begins a general conversation. It’s not like he sits down, looks into your eyes and starts explaining something - what’s going on inside you. No, he, in general, spoke to everyone together, but everyone knew that what he said applied specifically to him. This was an amazing feeling. You think, a general conversation, and then from this all the answers, personal for everyone, are built. Different people could answer the same question in completely different ways. Then they said: “Why did he tell me this and tell her that?” This means that the measure of one is one, and the measure of the other is different. And at the end of the conversation, the priest always sprinkled and anointed everyone, in full order, as at the Unction! No one left here without being anointed! That’s how it was with the priest. And I won’t let you out either!

— What do you think makes a person turn to an elder? And how does an elder differ from an experienced priest?

Archimandrite Philaret: Those who sought the truth, those who doubted, those who were embarrassed by something, turned to the priest. Those who were confident in themselves, in their choice, in their life, did not come. You ask how the elder differs from any other experienced priest. The elders are like the prophets in the Old Testament. There were other righteous people there, too, but prophets are the voice of God for the people. So are the elders. Some of the priests can pray, some can say a beautiful sermon - these are all gifts: the gift of service, the gift of prayer, the gift of speech. And here, in the priest, there was everything. And in the conversation, he did not just say beautiful words, but prayed that the Lord would reveal to him and show His Will through him. And the Lord revealed himself to him and inspired him with what to say.

— Did Father say anything about modern monasticism?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He spoke, he spoke. Read his letters. The process of creation is underway. We, our generation, will undo the rubble. “Whom the world has given birth to, God has rewarded.” We all came from the world sick and crippled. And so we do as much as we can, as far as there is understanding. Now the monasteries are all under construction. We haven’t gotten around to doing spiritual things yet. But once we cancel the rubble, it means we are laying the foundation for future monasticism. God can create children for Abraham from stones.

- What made the priest happy and what made him sad?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: Life made him happy! He loved life very much! And he never complained. Even when we all saw that he was already weak, he only said once: “Where is my former prowess?” - That was his only complaint! “Father, is it hard for you?” - "No". “Why are you sighing?” - “It’s easier for me this way...”

Archimandrite Philaret: He was sincere, lively and, of course, had the gift of love, the gift of reasoning, and he did not remain indifferent to any person. That's why everyone loved him so much. He was born in that Orthodox, imperial Russia. He said: “We are from Nikolaev.” He said: “I still remember the aroma of that incense.” Imagine that pre-revolutionary incense! He knew all the traditions, saw them, passed them through himself, absorbed them, and then he passed it all on to us. He told how in his childhood they went to admire the miter in the cathedral - there was only one in almost the whole city. Because it was a church award that was given to truly deserved archpriests or archimandrites, and not like today. I was rewarded through the priest’s prayers: I came to him, cried, I said: “Father, they still won’t give me a miter,” and he said: “They will give it, they will give it, they will give it...”. I was joking with him, but they gave it to him. He fell in love with me because of my liveliness, because of my agility and all-terrain ability. And indeed, he really, really loved me. And people complained about me: they wanted to come to him, but I didn’t allow him, because it was hard for him. He could never refuse anyone, and I was like a watchdog, as they called me a shepherd dog in one place. Because if everyone was allowed in, they would crush him, smear him and that’s it - there would be nothing left of him. It’s the same today for any elder. I brought him to his cell, and he kissed me probably fifty times. “Save you, Lord, save you, Lord.” He himself could not refuse; indeed, his spirit is not like that.

“It’s hard to live without a priest now.” Is there anything you would ask him now?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: It’s very difficult without a priest. We must learn to live again. But, nevertheless, we saw the priest, we know how he lived, we remember him. We have an example of how to build your life.

Archimandrite Philaret: But this just scares me. Because God will say: Have you seen? Why don't you live like that? He will ask twice. I used to feel good that I was with my father, but today it scares me so much, it scares me so much. And God will ask doubly, why don’t you live like this? That's all.

Today I would have asked him a lot, but at the same time it was awkward to ask the priest about internal, purely personal, intimate things. This is personal, inner depth - and the priest did not let it in and did not open it. This is a special gift, we couldn't fit it all in. He said that it is our own fault that we now have no elders. There are none because there are no novices among us.

— Are any miracles happening now after the death of the priest?

Archimandrite Philaret: Father never looked for miracles, he did not like these miracles. He said: “Don’t write akathists for me.”

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He also said: the greatest miracle is that we are in the Church and that we must see ourselves as we are. This is a miracle. And the priest always: “Not to us, not to us, but to Your name, Lord, give glory,” to the Church. He could not stand glorifiers and glorifiers.

Archimandrite John (in the world Ivan Mikhailovich Krestyankin) is a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church, archimandrite. For about forty years he was a resident of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery. One of the most revered elders of the Russian Orthodox Church at the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st centuries.
The cell book “The ABC of a Christian” is a continuation of the series of “Cell Books” by Archimandrite John Krestyankin. Father John collected patristic instructions throughout his life, wrote them down and recommended them for regular reading to his spiritual children.

IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN

1. When you wake up in bed, first of all remember God and place the sign of the cross on yourself.
2. Don’t start your day without a prayer rule.
3. Throughout the day, everywhere and with every task, pray short prayers.
4. Prayer is the wings of the soul, it makes the soul the throne of God, all the power of a spiritual person is in his prayer.
5. For God to hear a prayer, you need to pray not with the tip of your tongue, but with your heart.
6. Let none of those around you be left in the morning without your sincere greetings.
7. Don’t give up prayer when the enemy makes you feel insensitive. He who forces himself to pray with a dry soul is superior to him who prays with tears.
8. You need to know the New Testament with your mind and heart, learn from it constantly; Don’t interpret anything you don’t understand yourself, but ask St. for clarification. fathers.
9. Take holy water with thirst for the sanctification of your soul and body - do not forget to drink it.
10. Greetings of gratitude to the Queen of Heaven - “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...” say more often, even every hour.
11. In your free time, read the writings of the fathers and teachers of spiritual life.
12. In temptations and misfortunes, repeat the Psalter and read the prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos “We contain many misfortunes...”. She is our only Intercessor.
13. When demons throw their arrows at you, when sin approaches you, then sing the hymns of Holy Week and Holy Easter, read the canon with an akathist to the Sweetest Jesus Christ, and the Lord will loosen the bonds of darkness that have shackled you.
14. If you cannot sing and read, then in a moment of battle remember the name of Jesus: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Stand at the cross and heal yourself by crying.
15. During fasting time, fast, but know that God is pleased with fasting not only of the body, that is, abstinence of the belly, but abstinence of the eyes, ears, tongue, as well as abstinence of the heart from serving the passions.
16. A person embarking on spiritual life must remember that he is sick, his mind is in error, his will is more inclined to evil than to good, and his heart remains impure from the passions bubbling in it, therefore from the beginning of spiritual life everything should be aimed at acquiring mental health.
17. Spiritual life is a constant, incessant struggle with the enemies of the salvation of the soul; never sleep mentally, your spirit must always be alert, always call your Savior in this battle.
18. Be afraid to unite with the sinful thought that approaches you. Anyone who agrees with such thoughts has already committed the sin he thought about.
19. Remember: to perish, you need to be careless.
20. Constantly ask: “Instill Your fear, O Lord, into my heart.” Oh, how blessed is he who is constantly in awe of God!
21. Give your whole heart to God without a trace - and you will feel heaven on earth.
22. Your faith should be strengthened by frequent resort to repentance and prayer, as well as by communicating with people of deep faith.
23. Create a reminder for yourself, write down there, if possible, all your living and dead acquaintances, all those who hate and offend you, and remember them daily.
24. Seek constantly acts of mercy and compassionate love. Without these works it is impossible to please God. Be the sunshine for everyone, mercy is above all sacrifices.
25. Don’t go anywhere unless absolutely necessary (don’t spend time in idleness).
26. Talk as little as possible, don’t laugh, don’t be curious with idle curiosity.
27. Never be idle, and honor church holidays and Sundays according to the commandment of God.
28. Love holy solitude (to the full extent for monasticism, partly for the laity).
29. Endure all insults in silence, then reproach yourself, then pray for those who offend.
30. The most important thing for us is to learn patience and humility. With humility we will defeat all enemies - demons, and with patience - the passions that war against our soul and body.
31. During prayer, do not show anyone but God your tears of tenderness and zeal for salvation.
32. Consider an Orthodox priest as an angel of good news, sent to rejoice you and bring you deliverance.
33. Treat people as carefully as you would the messengers of a great kingdom, and as carefully as you treat fire.
34. Forgive everyone everything and sympathize with everyone in their suffering.
35. Don’t just rush around with yourself, like a chicken with an egg, forgetting your neighbors.
36. Whoever seeks peace here cannot have the Spirit of God abide in him.
37. Melancholy and confusion attack from lack of prayer.
38. Always and everywhere call your Guardian Angel to your aid.
39. Always keep your heart crying for your sins, and when you confess them and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, then quietly rejoice over your liberation.
40. You should only know your own indecencies and shortcomings, be careful about the sins of others and think and reason, do not ruin yourself by condemning others.
41. Do not be self-willed, seek spiritual advice and guidance.
42. Every evening confess to God all your sinful deeds, thoughts, words that happened during the day.
43. Before going to bed, make peace with everyone in your heart.
44. You should not tell your dreams to other people.
45. Fall asleep with the sign of the cross.
46. ​​Night prayer is more expensive than daytime prayer.
47. Do not lose touch with your spiritual father, be afraid of offending him, offending him, do not hide anything from him.
48. Always thank God for everything.
49. Human nature must always be divided into your own self and the enemy who is attached to you because of your sins - and watch yourself carefully, check your thoughts and actions, avoid what your inner enemy, and not your soul, wants.
50. Inner sorrow for one’s sins is more salutary than all bodily labors.
51. There are no better words in our language than “Lord, save me.”
52. Love all the church rules and bring them closer to your life.
53. Learn to vigilantly and constantly (always) monitor yourself, especially your feelings: through them the enemy enters the soul.
54. When you recognize your weaknesses and powerlessness to do good, then remember that you do not save yourself, but your Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, saves you.
55. Your faith should be your impregnable fortress. The fierce enemy does not sleep - he guards your every step.
56. We are brought closer to God by the cross of life: sorrow, hardship, illness, labor; do not murmur against them and do not be afraid of them.
57. No one enters heaven living well.
58. As often as possible, with tenderness of heart, partake of the Holy Life-giving Mysteries of Christ, you live only by them.
59. Never forget that He, the Lord Jesus Christ, is near at the door, do not forget that the Judgment and reward is coming at what hour for whom.
60. Remember also what the Lord has prepared for those who love Him and for those who do His commandments.
61. Read this alphabet, Christian, at least once a week, it will help you in fulfilling what is written, and will strengthen you on the spiritual path.

your favorite prayers.

Monday – pages: 1-6; 36-38; 50-54; 55-62; 63-65.

Tuesday – pages: 13-14; 36-38; 55-62; 63-65.

Wednesday – pages: 18-19; 36-38; 55-62; 63-65.

Thursday – pages: 24-26; 36-38; 55-62; 63-65.

Friday – pages: 33-35; 36-38; 55-62; 63-65.

Saturday – pages: 43-47; 36-38; 50-54; 55-62; 63-65.

Sunday – pages: 47-49; 36-38; 55-62; 63-65.

Cell book of Archimandrite John (Krestyankin)

In this cell book, Father John collected
your favorite prayers.
He was her for the last 25 years of her life, always
had it with him and resorted to it every day

The order of reading the prayers contained in the cell book.

Monday - pages: 1-6; 36-38; 50-54; 55-62; 63-65.

Tuesday - pages: 13-14; 36-38; 55-62; 63-65.

Wednesday - pages: 18-19; 36-38; 55-62; 63-65.

Thursday - pages: 24-26; 36-38; 55-62; 63-65.

Friday - pages: 33-35; 36-38; 55-62; 63-65.

Saturday - pages: 43-47; 36-38; 50-54; 55-62; 63-65.

Sunday - pages: 47-49; 36-38; 55-62; 63-65.

Prayers pages 1 - 15

Lord, Your name is Love, do not reject me, a lost person.
Lord, Your name is Strength, strengthen me, who is exhausted and falling.
Lord, Your name is Light, enlighten my soul, darkened by passions.?
Lord, Your name is Peace, die? my restless soul.
Lord, Your name is Mercy, do not cease to have mercy on me.
interpretation

Divine names are a concept of Orthodox theology, reflecting the entire set of names of Divine actions in the world. Divine names are divided into affirmative (cataphatic) and negative (apophatic). Being above every name, the incomprehensible Divine essence is revealed in the created world through the so-called Divine energies. Thus, God, unnameable and incomprehensible in His essence, becomes “infinitely many-named” (St. Dionysius the Areopagite) in His actions. Divine names are active manifestations of God in the world, His diverse relationships to created being. In them, God appears as a Being who gives Himself in His grace-filled actions (“creative processes”, St. Dionysius) as a gift to all beings, imparting to the created world “the participation of all blessings.” Moreover, the names themselves are not rational concepts, the result of intellectual speculation. They recreate images of God present in the created universe and contain created analogies of the uncreated Creator. The doctrine of the Divine Names is most fully expounded by St. Dionysius in the Areopagitica. In first place among the Divine names of St. Dionysius calls Goodness. Because of His goodness, God creates the world, spreading life-giving “rays of complete goodness” to all things. Illuminating the world with a good radiant radiance, God is called spiritual or mental Light. The Good Light is the beginning of unity, gathers creation together, embraces it with Itself, and gives a single knowledge about Itself. The one-creating rays of the Good Light speak of God as a Single Being, who reveals Himself as the Foundation of everything that exists. Being the One Good and Light, God is also Beauty, since from Him “charm is imparted to everything that exists” (St. Dionysius), He acts as the Cause of the well-being and grace of the created world. Like Goodness and Beauty, God is an object of love. And this is because God himself embraces the universe with His love, revealing Himself in His Goodness and Goodness to the world in the form of endless and beginningless Love. In addition to Goodness, Light, Unity, Beauty, Goodness and Love, Dionysius mentions the Divine names Existing, Life, Wisdom, Mind, Reason (Word), Strength, Perfect, etc. Divine names reflect Divine actions in which God becomes entirely available for communion to your creations. At the same time, the names of God do not speak exhaustively about Him, but only reflect the multiplicity of His deeds. The Divine essence remains incomprehensible, and names are insufficient to describe It. Therefore, all statements about God can be surpassed and denied, for nothing is commensurate with Him, He is above all created being and all created analogies. Thus, cataphatic theology turns into apophatic theology, returning the theologian from the realm of Divine actions to the Divine essence residing beyond the boundaries of the created world. Names of God are names attached to God, formed from His actions in the world He created. Following Orthodox theology, the Divine essence itself is incomprehensible, and therefore unnameable. “There is not a single name that, having declared the entire nature of God, would be sufficient to fully reflect it” (St. Basil the Great)

Prayer for the granting of prayer

interpretation

Prayer is a gift of God > God requires faith from me, and I make an effort to believe; He requires me to love my neighbor, and I try to do deeds of love; He demands to be pure, and I struggle to achieve this - this is the spontaneous reaction of many Christians. This is touching, this testifies to the presence of good will and generosity, but it is also very naive, for this is a sign of faith that is still immature, childish, ignorant of the truth present on every page of Holy Scripture, that a person without divine support is not able to please God, to respond. to His waiting. > Believing in Christ is impossible unless God Himself intervenes: “No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him” (John 6.44). To love is impossible on its own: only the Holy Spirit, writes St. ap. Paul, pours love into our hearts. To be pure is also to be expected only from God: “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps. 50). And with prayer the situation is exactly the same. Have you ever thought about this? > You realized that it was necessary to provide a place for prayer in your life, and you got down to business, but you succeeded little in it, and then you began to reproach yourself for your lack of skill, lack of will, and perseverance. But shouldn’t you have reproached yourself first for the lack of mature faith? Aren't you relying too much solely on yourself? Do you want to say a prayer? - So ask God for the grace of prayer! Prayer is a flame in us, rising to God, and we should ask Him, just as Elijah called fire from heaven onto the wood he had piled. Ask persistently and humbly; ask impatiently, relentlessly. Do not forget that Christ praised the persistent man who does not give up until he gets his way.

Prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ by Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow

God! I don’t know what to ask from You. Are you the only one who knows? what I need. You love me more than I can love myself. Father! Grant to Your servant what I myself do not dare ask for. I do not dare to ask for either a cross or consolation: I only stand before You. My heart is open to You; You see needs that I don't know. See and create according to Your mercy. Smite and heal, overthrow and raise me. I am in awe and silent before Your Holy Will and Your destinies, incomprehensible to me. I sacrifice myself to You. I surrender to You. I have no other desire than the desire to fulfill Your Will. Teach me to pray! Pray within me yourself. Amen.
interpretation

Lord, let me meet with peace of mind everything that the coming day will bring. Grant that we may completely surrender to Thy holy will. For every hour of this day, instruct and support me in everything. Whatever news I receive during the day, teach me to accept them with a calm soul and the firm conviction that everything is Your holy will.

In all my words and deeds, guide my thoughts and feelings. In all unforeseen cases, do not let us forget that everything was sent down by You. Teach me to act directly and reasonably with each member of my family, without embarrassing or upsetting anyone. Lord, give me the strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events during the day. Guide my will and teach me to pray, believe, hope, endure, forgive and love. Amen.
interpretation

Optina Pustyn became famous for its spirit-bearing elders, who labored in the monastery in the 19th - early 20th centuries, and are now canonized by the Church as saints. These elders were famous not only for their experience of inner work and unceasing prayer, but also for their special gift of prudence. Thanks to him, many people received instructions in everyday and spiritual problems: from simple peasants to highly educated intelligentsia. And the most important thing for spiritual life was the instruction on correct prayer. As the most general, most refined, suitable for literally everyone, the prayer of the Optina elders at the beginning of the day has reached us. In it, a person asks for the most important thing - to spend the day holy. It is wise and sacred to treat all your neighbors, as well as the circumstances of life sent from above. The authorship of this prayer in its modern form is unknown, but it is known that its main part belongs to Hieroschemamonk Ambrose, judging by his biography. Some prayer requests were supplemented by the elders of the Optina Monastery who lived later. Therefore, the modern text of the prayer of the Optina elders can truly be considered conciliar. She included the prayer experience of the Council of Optina Saints.

Save me, Save me? mine, by Your goodness, and not by my doing! Do you want to save me, you weigh? how to save me: save me as you want, as you are able, as you know: in the image of destinies, save me! I trust in You, my Lord, and I commit myself to Your Holy will: do with me whatever you want! Would you like more? have me in the light: be blessed. If you want to have me in the darkness, be blessed again. Will you still open it? I am the door of Thy mercy: is it good? and good. Will you still shut it? and I am the door of Thy mercy: blessed art thou, who shutteth me into righteousness. If You do not destroy me with my iniquities, glory to Your immeasurable mercy. Or else you will destroy it? me with my iniquities, glory to Thy righteous judgment: arrange for me as you wish!
interpretation

Prayers pages 1-15

Prayer to the Lord is right. John of Kronstadt

Lord, Your name is Love: do not reject me, the erring one.
Lord, Your name is Strength: strengthen me, who is weak and falling.
Lord, Your name is Light: enlighten my soul, darkened by worldly passions.?
Lord, Your name is Peace: die? my restless soul.
Lord, Your name is Mercy: do not cease to have mercy on me.
interpretation

Divine names are a concept of Orthodox theology, reflecting the entire set of names of Divine actions in the world. Divine names are divided into affirmative (cataphatic) and negative (apophatic). Being above every name, the incomprehensible Divine essence is revealed in the created world through the so-called Divine energies. Thus, God, unnameable and incomprehensible in His essence, becomes “infinitely many-named” (St. Dionysius the Areopagite) in His actions. Divine names are active manifestations of God in the world, His diverse relationships to created being. In them, God appears as a Being who gives Himself in His grace-filled actions (“creative processes”, St. Dionysius) as a gift to all beings, imparting to the created world “the participation of all blessings.” Moreover, the names themselves are not rational concepts, the result of intellectual speculation. They recreate images of God present in the created universe and contain created analogies of the uncreated Creator. The doctrine of the Divine Names is most fully expounded by St. Dionysius in the Areopagitica. In first place among the Divine names of St. Dionysius calls Goodness. Because of His goodness, God creates the world, spreading life-giving “rays of complete goodness” to all things. Illuminating the world with a good radiant radiance, God is called spiritual or mental Light. The Good Light is the beginning of unity, gathers creation together, embraces it with Itself, and gives a single knowledge about Itself. The one-creating rays of the Good Light speak of God as a Single Being, who reveals Himself as the Foundation of everything that exists. Being the One Good and Light, God is also Beauty, since from Him “charm is imparted to everything that exists” (St. Dionysius), He acts as the Cause of the well-being and grace of the created world. Like Goodness and Beauty, God is an object of love. And this is because God himself embraces the universe with His love, revealing Himself in His Goodness and Goodness to the world in the form of endless and beginningless Love. In addition to Goodness, Light, Unity, Beauty, Goodness and Love, Dionysius mentions the Divine names Existing, Life, Wisdom, Mind, Reason (Word), Strength, Perfect, etc. Divine names reflect Divine actions in which God becomes entirely available for communion to your creations. At the same time, the names of God do not speak exhaustively about Him, but only reflect the multiplicity of His deeds. The Divine essence remains incomprehensible, and names are insufficient to describe It. Therefore, all statements about God can be surpassed and denied, for nothing is commensurate with Him, He is above all created being and all created analogies. Thus, cataphatic theology turns into apophatic theology, returning the theologian from the realm of Divine actions to the Divine essence residing beyond the boundaries of the created world. Names of God are names attached to God, formed from His actions in the world He created. Following Orthodox theology, the Divine essence itself is incomprehensible, and therefore unnameable. “There is not a single name that, having declared the entire nature of God, would be sufficient to fully reflect it” (St. Basil the Great)

In the hand of Your great mercy, I commend my spirit, accept it in peace. Amen.

Prayer for the granting of prayer

Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God! Give me? spirit of prayer! I want to pray, but I can’t collect my thoughts, I can’t concentrate my attention on a single subject of prayer, I can’t calm my worried soul, I can’t ease the tense and constantly growing sinful, vain ideas. I feel darkness in my soul, heaviness in my heart; no consolation, no joy, no tears. The vain objects of everyday duties and sins stand like a wall before my eyes and prevent me from freely conversing with the Lord.

Almighty God, who once sent an Angel to roll away the stone lying at the tomb of our Savior God, send the same Angel to roll away the burden that lies on my heart, which contains Your image and likeness. The Savior has risen from the grave, may the forces hidden in my soul, which constitute Your image, also rise again. May the risen Christ Himself make His abode in me. He is the source of all good. He is the source of prayer. Then I will pray attentively, reverently, freely, tenderly, joyfully, willingly, with thirst, with good insatiability, when Christ Himself will live in me and teach me how I should pray. He Himself deigned to say: without Me you can do nothing. Oh my God! Packs? I ask you to give me the motivation, the means, the strength to pray, and the prayer itself. Amen!
interpretation

Prayer is a gift of God > God requires faith from me, and I make an effort to believe; He requires me to love my neighbor, and I try to do deeds of love; He demands to be pure, and I struggle to achieve this - this is the spontaneous reaction of many Christians. This is touching, this testifies to the presence of good will and generosity, but this is also very naive, for this is a sign of faith that is still immature, childish, ignorant of the truth present on every page of Holy Scripture, that a person without divine support is not able to please God, to respond. to His waiting. > Believing in Christ is impossible unless God Himself intervenes: “No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him” (John 6.44). To love is impossible on its own: only the Holy Spirit, writes St. ap. Paul, pours love into our hearts. To be pure is also to be expected only from God: “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps. 50). And with prayer the situation is exactly the same. Have you ever thought about this? > You realized that it was necessary to provide a place for prayer in your life, and you got down to business, but you succeeded little in it, and then you began to reproach yourself for your lack of skill, lack of will, and perseverance. But shouldn’t you have reproached yourself first for the lack of mature faith? Aren't you relying too much solely on yourself? Do you want to say a prayer? – So ask God for the grace of prayer! Prayer is a flame in us, rising to God, and we should ask Him, just as Elijah called fire from heaven onto the wood he had piled. Ask persistently and humbly; ask impatiently, relentlessly. Do not forget that Christ praised the persistent man who does not give up until he gets his way.

Prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ by Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow

Lord, I don’t know what to ask of You. Are you the only one who knows? what I need. You love me more than I can love myself. Father, give to Your servant what I myself do not dare ask for. I do not dare to ask for either a cross or consolation: I only stand before You. My heart is open to You; You see needs that I don't know. See and create according to Your mercy. Smite and heal, overthrow and raise me. I am in awe and silent before Your holy will and Your destinies, incomprehensible to me. I sacrifice myself to You. I have no other desire than the desire to do Your will; teach me to pray; Pray in me yourself! Amen.
interpretation

These words express the desire of the person praying to accept from the Lord any of His deeds as good, according to the words of the Apostle: “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Well, in a narrower sense, the person praying asks God to overthrow, most of all, the devilish pride that has reigned on the throne of his heart, ambition and all selfishness. That is, defeat all demonic passions in me and raise me up, that is, plant Your Divine humility in me.

Prayer of the last Optina elders

Lord, let me meet with peace of mind everything that the coming day will bring me. Let me completely surrender to Your holy will. For every hour of this day, instruct and support me in everything. Whatever news I receive during the day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul and the firm conviction that everything is Your holy will.

In all my words and deeds, guide my thoughts and feelings. In all unforeseen cases, do not let me forget that everything was sent down by You. Teach me to act directly and wisely with every person, without confusing or upsetting anyone. Lord, give me strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events during the day. Guide my will and teach me to pray, believe, hope, endure, forgive and love.
interpretation

Optina Pustyn became famous for its spirit-bearing elders, who labored in the monastery in the 19th - early 20th centuries, and are now canonized by the Church as saints. These elders were famous not only for their experience of inner work and unceasing prayer, but also for their special gift of prudence. Thanks to him, many people received instructions in everyday and spiritual problems: from simple peasants to highly educated intelligentsia. And the most important thing for spiritual life was the instruction on correct prayer. As the most general, most refined, suitable for literally everyone, the prayer of the Optina elders at the beginning of the day has reached us. In it, a person asks for the most important thing - to spend the day holy. It is wise and sacred to treat all your neighbors, as well as the circumstances of life sent from above. The authorship of this prayer in its modern form is unknown, but it is known that its main part belongs to Hieroschemamonk Ambrose, judging by his biography. Some prayer requests were supplemented by the elders of the Optina Monastery who lived later. Therefore, the modern text of the prayer of the Optina elders can truly be considered conciliar. She included the prayer experience of the Council of Optina Saints.

Prayer of St. Demetrius of Rostov

Save me, Save me? mine, by Your goodness, and not by my doing! Do you want to save me? Do you weigh? , how to save me: save me as you want, as you are able, as you know: in the image of destinies, save me! I trust in You, my Lord, and I commit myself to Your Holy will: do with me whatever you want! Would you like more? have me in the light: be blessed. If you want to have me in the darkness, be blessed again. Will you still open it? I am the door of Thy mercy: is it good? and good. Will you shut it again? I am the door of Thy mercy: blessed art thou, who shutteth me into righteousness. If You do not destroy me with my iniquities, glory to Your immeasurable mercy. Or else you will destroy it? me with my iniquities, glory to Thy righteous judgment: arrange for me as you wish!
interpretation

The Kingdom of God is not a reward for labor, but a mercy offered to man by God, freely, freely, and assimilated according to the spiritual development of each person. Fulfillment of the Gospel commandments is necessary; it is a means of spiritual improvement, struggle with passions, purification of the soul and acquisition of God's grace. At the same time, a person is saved not by works, but by the grace of God, salvation is always a gift from God to one who becomes by faith and life - His, Christ's, by a living, active faith, having assimilated His salvation, becoming a regenerated, pure soul capable of communion with God, of a grace-filled life in Christ. “Retribution,” says Rev. Isaac the Syrian, - there is no longer virtue, and not work for it, but the humility that is born from them. If it is lost, then the first will be in vain.” It is impossible to be saved from works; no deeds of a person are sufficient to earn him salvation. Our sins, no matter how many good deeds we do, would still not allow us into the Kingdom of Truth.

Prayers pages 15 - 30

Blessed be the day and hour, in the room? The Lord my God Jesus Christ was born for my sake, endured crucifixion and suffered through death. O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God! At the hour of my death, accept the spirit of Your servant, on your journey, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, for blessed are You forever and ever. Amen.
interpretation

Prayer of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk


interpretation

Holy Archangel of God Michael, be the conqueror of all my passions.

Arch. Michael - the Archangel of the Heavenly Powers - has the unparalleled power of God (Daniel 10-13; 12-1. Apocalypse 12-1)

interpretation

All-merciful Lord!
Representation? Most Holy Our Lady, Theotokos, and all Your saints, pour into our hearts the spirit of prayer pleasing to You, and teach us to always do Your will. Grant us to turn away from worldly vanity and love You alone with all our hearts. Do not deny us Thy face on the day of Thy terrible judgment, and deliver us from Gehenna, prepared for the Devil and his followers; the heart shudders at the thought, at the thought of the cruelest and endless torment. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on Your creation! We are weak, sin-loving - we have not fulfilled Your commandments, but we have always believed in You, prayed to You, resorted to You as our heavenly Father, in our needs and sorrows. Forgive us, Lord, all our sins, painful and involuntary, whether in word, deed, knowledge or ignorance, and with all our feelings - committed? Yes, and we are in the ranks, though, of the last of Your servants. We will forever bless and glorify Your name. Amen.
interpretation

Prayer before starting anything

Bless, Lord, and help me, a sinner, to complete the work I have begun, for Your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of Your Father without beginning, You declared with Your most pure lips that without Me you cannot do anything. My Lord, Lord, with faith in my soul and heart spoken by You, I fall down in Your goodness: help me, a sinner, to complete this work, which I have begun, in You, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, through the prayers of the Mother of God and all Your saints . Amen.
interpretation

interpretation
Prayer after reading a chapter

Prayers pages 15 - 30

Hourly prayer of St. Joasaph Gordenko

He himself said and advised others to say the following short prayer at the ringing of the hour bell, signifying the passage of fleeting, irrevocable time:

Blessed be the day and hour, in the room? The Lord my God Jesus Christ was born for my sake, endured crucifixion and suffered through death. O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God! At the hour of my death, receive the spirit of Your servant, on a journey? existence, prayers for the sake of Thy Most Pure Mother and all the saints, for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
interpretation

Archim. John (Krestyankin) spoke about atonement: “Sin is a great evil. And there is no greater evil in the world than sin! This is such an evil for which man himself was not able to pay the Justice of God and reconcile with God. The sacrifice of the Son of God was necessary. We know, my dears, how grave is just one sin committed by us, and how painful is the punishment for it, what if there are more sins than grains of sand on the seashore?.. How much more does this burden increase? And did the Lord have to take it? on ourselves... And therefore, the significance of the suffering of Christ our Savior on the Cross is invaluable for you and me. We are now our own, dear and close to God... We can now turn to Him, pray to Him, bring our personal repentance with the confidence that God is us. hears and will not turn away from us, no matter how grave sinners we are. We can! Because out of divine love for all people the Lord drank the bitter cup of the greatest suffering...

Prayer of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

I worship with my flesh the ascension to Heaven and I pray to Thee, my Lord: lift up my mind from the earthly to the heavenly, strengthen my infirmity, fulfill my insufficiency and poverty and lead me to a good and saving end, there, to Yourself in Heaven, there is our fatherland, our home, our inheritance, possessions, wealth, honor, glory, comfort, joy and eternal bliss. Amen.
interpretation

People were not created to live only here on earth, like animals that disappear after their death; but with the sole purpose of living with God and living not for a hundred or a thousand years, but forever. Every person strives for happiness. This desire was implanted in us by the Creator Himself, and therefore it is not a sin. But you need to know that here, in this temporary life, it is impossible to find complete happiness, because it is in God, and outside of God it cannot be found. Only He Who is the highest Good and the source of life can completely quench the thirst of our soul and give us the highest joy.

Prayer to the Holy Archangels and Angels

Holy Archangel of God Michael, be the conqueror of all my passions.

Holy Archangel Gabriel, messenger of God, announce to me the hour of my death.

St. Archangel Raphael, healer, heal my illnesses of body and soul.

Holy Archangel Uriel, the Enlightener, enlighten my feelings of soul and body.

Holy Archangel Salafiel, God's prayer book, pray to God for me, a sinner, and instill in me good thoughts that lift my soul to God.

Holy Archangel Jehudiel, glorifier, glorify me with good deeds.

Holy Archangel Barachiel, the blessing, bless me to guide my whole life in spiritual salvation.

Holy Archangels, Angels, Principalities, Thrones, Dominions, Seraphim, Cherubim, Powers, Powers - pray to God for me, a sinner.

Arch. Michael - the Archangel of the Heavenly Powers - has the unparalleled power of God (Daniel 10-13; 12-1. Apocalypse 12-1)

Arch. Gabriel - Messenger of the power and mysteries of God (Daniel 8-16; Luke 1-26)

Arch. Raphael - doctor of human ailments (Book of Tobit 3.17 - 12, 13)

Arch. Uriel - the radiance of the Divine light ((3 Ezra 4, 1-50; 5 apocrypha)

Arch. Salafiel - God's prayer book for people.

Arch. Barachiel, - giver of God's blessing (Book of Tobit 12 - 15)

Arch. Yehudiile, - glorifier of God (St. Demetrius of Rostov for November 8)
interpretation

The heavenly hierarchy consists of three faces. Each face has three ranks. The highest face consists of seraphim, cherubim and thrones; middle - from dominations, forces and authorities; the lowest - from the beginnings, archangels and angels. The highest angelic face is the seraphim. Their name means fiery, fiery. Directly and continuously standing before the One who is love, who lives in the unapproachable light, and whose throne is a flame of fire, the seraphim burn with the highest love for God, and this fire of love ignites others. The prophet Isaiah tells us about the seraphim in chapter 6: “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the whole temple. 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 one another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” The second rank of the senior rank consists of the cherubim, whose name means understanding or knowledge. For this reason they are called many-readers. Contemplating the glory of God and possessing supreme knowledge and wisdom, they pour out the wisdom of God to others. The Holy Scriptures speak about cherubim in many places, for example: “And God cast out Adam and placed a cherubim and a flaming sword that turned around in the garden of Eden in the east to guard the way to the tree of life” (Gen. 3:24). The book of the prophet Ezekiel speaks about cherubim many times: “And the cherubim were seen to have the likeness of human hands under their wings. And I saw: behold, four wheels next to the cherubim, one wheel next to each cherub, and the wheels looked like they were made of topaz stone” (10, 8-9). The third rank of the senior rank is the thrones, called God-bearing not in essence, but in service, on which God gracefully and incomprehensibly rests. Through this face God reveals His greatness and justice. Let us now move on to the middle face of the heavenly hierarchy. Its senior rank consists of dominions that rule over the lower angels. By willingly and joyfully serving God, they impart to those living on earth the power of prudent self-control and wise self-organization; They teach to control the feelings, subdue disorderly lusts and passions, enslave the flesh to the spirit, dominate the will and defeat temptations. The dominions in the middle face are followed by powers through which God works signs and wonders for the glory of God, to help and strengthen those who labor and are burdened. The Apostle Peter announces to us about this rite, saying that the angels, the authorities, and the powers submitted to Christ who ascended into heaven. The lowest rank of the middle rank includes the authorities who have great power over the devil, defeat him, protect a person from his temptations and strengthen him in deeds of piety. Some holy fathers believe that the guardian angel of the Apostle Peter, who led him out of prison, belonged to this rank of angels. In the lowest rank of the heavenly hierarchy are: in the first rank the principles that rule over the younger angels, assign positions, distribute ministries among them, govern kingdoms and human societies. The penultimate rank consists of archangels, evangelists and heralds of the mysteries of God, and communicate the will of God to people. The last rank is simply called angels, the disembodied spirits closest to people. They are primarily sent into the world as our guardian angels. This is what we know about the ranks and faces of the heavenly hierarchy. Great Seven. St. is a little more open to us. Scripture and St. The legend of the seven highest archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salafiel, Jehudiel and Barachiel. The first two archangels stand at a special height and are also called the archangels of the power of the Lord. They are above all angelic faces and seem to lead all heavenly ethereal forces. The name Michael from Hebrew means: “Who is like God?” or “Who is equal to God?” "IL" is an abbreviation of the ancient Hebrew word "Elohim", which in Russian means God. Michael was second in the heavenly hierarchy after Satanael, who was also called Lucifer or Dennitsa, i.e. son of the dawn. When the latter, in his pride, rebelled against God, the Lord, according to His Divine discretion, allowed the angels who remained faithful to Him, led by the Archangel Michael, to fight him. Apparently the struggle was very difficult, for they (the forces of light), according to the Revelation of John the Theologian, “overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and did not love their souls even to death” (Rev. 12:11). This passage of Revelation makes us understand that the mystery of redemption through the Blood of the Lamb, foreordained in the plans of God, had already begun to act representatively in the heavenly world and contributed to the victory of the angels who testified to it in heaven. As for the struggle “even to death,” here one should see the intensity of this struggle to the last limit, a struggle that could end, as it were, in the spiritual death of part of the heavenly hosts. What else can be said about Archangel Michael? The Prophet Daniel calls him the guardian angel of the Jewish people. And after the stiff-necked Jewish people brought a curse upon themselves, betraying their Savior and Redeemer to death, and thereby losing their chosenness, the Archangel Michael, according to universal Christian belief, became the heavenly patron and champion of the Church of Christ. Therefore, many Holy Fathers, not without reason, believe that Archangel Michael, together with Archangel Gabriel, were precisely the angels who appeared to the myrrh-bearing women and preached the good news of the resurrection of Christ. And in a number of other New Testament appearances of angels it is possible to see this supreme duality. We will talk about the special phenomena of the Archangel Gabriel below. On the day of the Last Judgment, of course, none other than the Archangel Michael will lead the heavenly army coming with Christ. Therefore, on icons this archangel is always depicted in a warlike form with a spear or sword in his hands. Sometimes the top of the spear is crowned with a white banner on which a cross is inscribed. The white banner means the archangel’s unshakable purity and unshakable loyalty to the Heavenly King, and the cross indicates that the battle with the kingdom of darkness and victory over it can only be achieved with the help of the Cross of Christ. The second place in the entire heavenly hierarchy is occupied by the Archangel Gabriel. This name signifies the power of God. Since among the heavenly inhabitants the name always signifies the essence of his ministry, this archangel is especially the herald and servant of the omnipotence of God. It was he who announced to Zechariah how, by the power of God, from him, a barren old man, the greatest of all those born of women, John the Baptist and Baptist of the Lord, would be born. He announced to the godfathers Joachim and Anna about the birth of the wonderful and blessed Virgin. He visited and instructed Her in the Jerusalem temple, strengthening Her bodily strength with heavenly food. He brought Her a branch of paradise on the day of the Annunciation with the wonderful news that it was She who was chosen by God to receive God the Word into His bosom. Archangel Gabriel appears repeatedly to righteous Joseph, giving him the necessary advice. According to some Fathers, it was he who was the angel who strengthened the Lord at night in Gethsemane while praying for the cup. And, as stated above, he and Archangel Michael participated together in the gospel of the resurrection and ascension of Christ the Savior. Finally, the same Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Mother of God to announce to Her the day of Her earthly Dormition. In church hymns, Archangel Gabriel is called “the minister of miracles,” as the harbinger of God’s great miracles. Therefore, iconographically he is sometimes depicted with a branch of paradise in his right hand, and sometimes he holds a lit lantern in it, while in his left he holds a jasper mirror. The lantern means that God’s destinies are hidden until time, and the mirror means that they are reflected through Gabriel, as in a mirror. From the Word of God we know the names and deeds of five more archangels. The third of them is called Raphael, which means the healing of God. He is a healer of illnesses and a helper in sorrows. The Archangel Raphael is described in the book of Tobit. It tells how this archangel, disguised as a man, accompanied the righteous Tobiah, freed his bride from an evil spirit, restored sight to his elderly father and, having taught Tobiah useful instructions, disappeared. Therefore, this archangel is depicted with a medical vessel in his hand, as Panteleimon the Healer was later painted. It is appropriate to call upon Him for all those who suffer mentally and physically, supporting prayer with deeds of mercy and love. The name of the fourth archangel is Uriel, which means light or fire of God. He is depicted with a sword raised up and held in his right hand near his chest, and with a flame in his left hand, facing down. As an angel of light, Uriel primarily enlightens the minds of people with the revelation of truths in general, and divinely revealed truths in particular. As an angel of Divine fire, he inflames the hearts of those who call upon him with love for God and destroys from them everything unclean, earthly and sinful. Therefore, he is considered the patron saint of those who are zealous for the spread of the true faith of Christ, i.e. missionaries, as well as people who devoted themselves to pure science. He is the true source of many great scientific discoveries. Those discoveries that those who made them themselves say that they often came to them suddenly, as if by inspiration from above. It is good for writers and poets to pray to Archangel Uriel for inspiration if they want to be writers and poets by God's grace. But we should not ask the archangel for the revelation of the secrets of nature that exceed our reason and our human needs, as well as the foreshadowing of future events. Let us listen to how Uriel answered Ezra, a pious man, but not overly inquisitive. Ezra wanted to learn from the angel the secret of God's destinies for the world, and why evil apparently triumphs in the world? The Archangel agreed to answer, but demanded that Ezra first fulfill one of his three wishes: either weigh the flame of fire, or indicate the beginning of the wind, or return the past day. When Ezra pointed out that he was unable to do this, the godly archangel answered him like this: “If I asked you how many dwellings are in the heart of the sea, or how many springs are in the very foundation of the abyss, or what are the limits of paradise, you might , would tell me: I never descended into the abyss, nor into hell, nor did I ever ascend into heaven. Now I asked you only about the fire, the wind and the day that you experienced, i.e. about what you cannot be without - and to this you did not answer me.” And the angel said to Ezra: “You cannot know what is yours and with you from your youth; How could your mind accommodate the path of the Most High, and in this already corrupted age understand the corruption that is obvious in my eyes?” (3 Esdras 4, 7-11). This wise instruction of the archangel would not hurt to remember the scientists of this age and not to forget that it behooves people of knowledge to be, first of all, servants of the light of truth. The fifth archangel is called Salafiel, which means the prayer book of God. He is mentioned in the same book of Ezra. He is depicted in a prayer position, with his hands on his chest and his eyes downcast. For those who have poor prayer progress, it is good for them to ask Archangel Salafiel to teach them how to do prayer. And how many of us can boast that they can pray attentively, undistractedly and, if not fervently, then at least warmly? And how few people know that there is a heavenly teacher of prayer, and do not call on the Archangel Salafiel for help. The name of the sixth archangel is Jehudiel, which means the glory or praise of God. He has a golden crown in his right hand, and a three-rope scourge in his left. His duty, with a host of angels subordinate to him, is to protect, instruct and protect in the name of the Holy Trinity and the power of the Cross of Christ people working for the glory of God in various responsible branches of human service, to reward good workers and punish evil ones. Kings, military leaders and mayors, judges, householders, etc. should direct their prayerful gaze to this great celestial being. Finally, the last of the sacred seven of the highest angels, the last in order, and not in dignity, is Barachiel, the angel of God’s blessings, as his name means and expresses the appearance in which he appears on holy icons. He is depicted with many pink flowers in the depths of his clothing. Since the blessings of God are varied, the ministry of this archangel is very diverse. He is the supreme leader of the guardian angels, because through it the blessings of family well-being, the goodness of the air and the abundance of earthly fruits, success in purchases and in general in all everyday affairs are sent, i.e. everything that their guardian angels help people with. The same book of Ezra also mentions the name of the archangel Jeremiel, which means the height of God, but the Church believes that this is the second name of the archangel Uriel. (Fragment from the text of Archbishop Seraphim of Chicago).

A humble prayer to the sweetest Lord Jesus.

All-merciful Lord!
Representation? Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and all Your saints, pour into our hearts the spirit of prayer pleasing to You, and teach us to always do Your will. Grant us to turn away from worldly vanity and love You alone with all our hearts. Do not deny us Thy face on the day of Thy terrible judgment, and deliver us from Gehenna, prepared for the Devil and his followers; the heart shudders at the thought, at the thought of the cruelest and endless torment. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on Your creation! We are weak, sin-loving - we have not fulfilled Your commandments, but we have always believed in You, prayed to You, resorted to You as our heavenly Father, in our needs and sorrows. Forgive us, Lord, all our sins, painful and involuntary, whether in word, deed, knowledge or ignorance, and with all our feelings - committed? Yes, and we are in the ranks, though, of the last of Your servants. We will forever bless and glorify Your name. Amen.
interpretation

Why is Jesus called the Sweetest? Don't be embarrassed. Here we are talking about the high spiritual pleasure of communion with God. St. Macarius the Great: “Truth-loving and God-loving souls, with great hope and faith, desiring to be completely clothed in Christ... if for their faith they are worthy to receive the knowledge of the Divine mysteries, or become partakers of the joy of heavenly grace: then they do not rely on themselves, considering themselves to be something or; but to the extent that they are worthy of spiritual gifts, in the same way, due to the insatiability of heavenly desire, they seek them with even greater tension; the more they feel spiritual advancement in themselves, the more they hunger and thirst for communion and increase in grace, the more they are enriched spiritually; moreover, they seem to become impoverished in their own opinion of themselves, due to the insatiability of the spiritual desire to strive for the heavenly Bridegroom, as the Scripture says: “those who eat Me will still hunger, and those who drink Me will still thirst” (Sirach. 24, 23). fiery and insatiable love for the Lord, worthy of eternal life; and therefore, they are worthy of deliverance from passions and, in the fullness of grace, completely accept the illumination and communion of the Holy Spirit, ineffable and mysterious communication... ...the pleasure of God is insatiable, and to the extent that someone eats and partakes, the more hungry he becomes. Such people have ardor and uncontrollable love for God; The more they try to succeed and acquire, the more they recognize themselves as poor, as meager in everything and having acquired nothing. ...Therefore, whoever wants to be a partaker of the Divine glory, and to see the image of Christ as in a mirror in the sovereign power of his soul, with insatiable love, with unsatisfied desire, with all his heart and with all his might, day and night, must seek God’s omnipotent help, which is impossible to receive , if someone, according to what was said before, does not first abstain from worldly voluptuousness, from the desires of the resistive force, which is alien to the light and is an evil activity, hostile to good activity and completely alienated from it.”

Prayer before starting anything

Bless, Lord, and help me, a sinner, to complete the work I have begun, for Your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of Your Beginning Father, You said with Your most pure lips: “For without Me you can do nothing.” My Lord, Lord, I believe, having accepted in my soul and heart what You said, and I fall to Your kindness: help me, a sinner, to complete this work that I have begun, for Your glory, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, through the prayers of the Mother of God and all Your saints. Amen.
interpretation

One saint, Pachomius the Great, asked God to teach him how to live. And then Pachomius sees the Angel. The angel first prayed, then began to work, then prayed again and again began to work. Pachomius did this all his life. Prayer without work will not feed you, and work without prayer will not help you. Prayer is not a hindrance to work, but a help. You can pray in the shower while working, and this is much better than thinking about trifles. The more a person prays, the better his life is.

Prayer before reading the Holy Gospel

Lord, my God, enlighten my mind with the light of the mind of Your Holy Gospel and teach me to do Your will.
interpretation

St. Ephraim the Syrian writes: “When you sit down to read or listen to someone reading, pray first to God, saying: “Lord, open the ears and eyes of my heart, so that I may hear Your words and do Your will” (Ps. 119:18). “I hope, my God, that You will enlighten my heart” - always pray to God so that your mind will be enlightened and the power of His words will be revealed to you. Many, relying on their own understanding, fell into error and, “professing to be wise, became fools” (Rom. 1:22).” Likewise, the Monk Isaac the Syrian instructs: “Do not approach the words of the sacraments contained in the Divine Scripture without prayer and asking for help from God, but say: “Grant me, Lord, to receive the feeling of the power contained in them.” Consider prayer as the key to the true meaning of what is said in the Divine Scriptures.”

Prayer after reading a chapter

With the words of the Divine Gospel, may every action of Satan, composed in the mind, heart and in all the feelings of my soul and body, disappear, and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ dwell in it, forgiving, enlightening and sanctifying the whole person in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit . Amen.

Prayers pages 30-45

Prayer when you sit down to read or listen to someone reading.
(extract from the works of our venerable father Ephraim the Syrian)

Lord Jesus Christ!

interpretation

The Word of God is not only spiritual guidelines according to which a Christian builds his life, it is also an inexhaustible source of Divine grace. Schema-abbot John (Alekseev) wrote about reading the Gospel this way: “The Holy Fathers advise reading the Holy Gospel daily; If you are too lazy, read at least one of them. Read not so that you just read it, but inwardly pray to the Lord to open the eyes of your heart to understand the power of the holy gospel of Christ; read carefully, exactly according to the warehouses. You will experience the spiritual power that comes from such reading.

Ancient prayer

Oh my God!

So that I forgive where they offend.




So that I can bring light into the darkness.

Oh my God! Honor it!


He who forgets himself finds.
He who dies wakes up to eternal life. Amen.
interpretation

Self-denial is the secret of love. Love is a mystery. True love is self-sacrifice: the other is more important to you than yourself. And then you begin to truly be. Without love you are not in this world, you are closed in on yourself, you are a consumer. Without love there is no person, no family, no Church, no country. Love is life, without love there is no love, life has no meaning.

interpretation

The priest is a mediator between God and people. The priesthood is people chosen to serve the Eucharist and shepherd - care, spiritual care of believers. The Lord first chose 12 apostles, and then 70 more, giving them the power to forgive sins and perform the most important sacred rites (which became known as the Sacraments). The priest in the Sacraments acts not by his own power, but by the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by the Lord after His Resurrection (John 20:22-23) to the apostles, transmitted from them to the bishops, and from the bishops to the priests in the Sacrament of Ordination (from the Greek Heirotonia - ordination) .

interpretation

The priest is a symbol of Christ. The most important Sacrament of the Church is the Eucharist. The priest celebrating the Eucharist symbolizes Christ. Therefore, the liturgy cannot be celebrated without a priest. Archpriest Sergiy Pravdolyubov, rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Troitsky-Golenishchevo (Moscow), master of theology, explains: “The priest, standing before the Throne, repeats the words of the Lord Himself at the Last Supper: “Take, eat, this is My Body...” And in the prayer for He pronounces the following words from the Cherubim song: “You are the One who offers and the One who is offered, and the One who accepts this Sacrifice, and the One Who is distributed to all believers - Christ our God...” The priest performs a sacred act with his own hands, repeating everything that Christ Himself did . And he does not repeat these actions and does not reproduce, that is, he does not “imitate”, but, figuratively speaking, “pierces time” and is completely inexplicable for the usual picture of space-time connections - his actions coincide with the actions of the Lord Himself, and his words - with the words of the Lord! That is why the liturgy is called Divine. It was served once by the Lord Himself in the time and space of the Zion Upper Room, but outside of time and space, in the abiding Divine Eternity. This is the paradox of the doctrine of the Priesthood and the Eucharist. Orthodox theologians insist on this, and this is how the Church believes.

Amen.
interpretation

During a sermon, a priest fulfills the duty of a bishop. Another ministry of a priest is preaching. Preaching, carrying the Good News of salvation is also a commandment of Christ, a direct continuation of his work, therefore this ministry is sacred. True, as Archpriest Sergius Pravdolyubov clarifies, “to be dogmatically and canonically precise, preaching is not part of the priestly, but of the bishop’s service. During episcopal consecration, the grace to preach is given, and to us, as Hieroconfessor Afanasy (Sakharov) writes, the bishop delegates this grace to us. That is, he instructs him to speak in his place, because he cannot simultaneously preach in dozens and hundreds of churches in the diocese. During the sermon we perform the duties of a bishop.

Prayer of Bishop Ignatius

interpretation

Prayers pages 30-45

Lord Jesus Christ!
Open the ears and eyes of my heart, so that I may hear Your words and do Your will, because I am a stranger on the earth; Hide not Thy commandments from me, O Lord, but open my eyes, and I will understand the wonders of Thy law. (Ps. 119:18) For I trust in You, my God, that You may enlighten my heart.
interpretation

The Word of God is not only spiritual guidelines according to which a Christian builds his life, it is also an inexhaustible source of Divine grace. Schema-abbot John (Alekseev) wrote about reading the Gospel this way: “The Holy Fathers advise reading the Holy Gospel daily; If you are too lazy, read at least one of them. Read not so that you just read it, but inwardly pray to the Lord to open the eyes of your heart to understand the power of the holy gospel of Christ; read carefully, exactly according to the warehouses. Through experience you will learn the spiritual power that comes from such reading. Information taken from the missionary Orthodox portal - www.dishupravoslaviem.ru

Ancient prayer

Oh my God!
Honor me to be an instrument of Your peace
So that I bring love where there is hate.
So that I forgive where they offend.
So that I can connect where there is a quarrel.
So that I speak the truth where error reigns.
So that I can build faith where doubt crushes.
So that I can inspire hope where despair torments.
So that I can bring light into the darkness.
So that I can stir up joy where grief lives.
Oh my God! Honor it!
So that they would not console me, but I would console.
So that they don’t understand me, but I understand others.
So that they don’t love me, but so that I love others.
For whoever gives, receives.
He who forgets himself finds.
He who forgives will be forgiven.
He who dies wakes up to eternal life. Amen.
interpretation

Self-denial is the secret of love. Love is a mystery. True love is self-sacrifice: the other is more important to you than yourself. And then you begin to truly be. Without love you are not in this world, you are closed in on yourself, you are a consumer. Without love there is no person, no family, no Church, no country. Love is life, without love there is no love, life has no meaning.

Daily prayer of a reverent priest

O my Dearest and Sweetest Jesus! I thank You that You have clothed me, most unworthy, with the great grace of the priesthood! But forgive me, my Jesus, that I did not enhance the gifts of Your grace and ruined the precious time of my life! Grant me, my Sweetest Jesus, from now on to make a good beginning: to daily force myself towards the Kingdom of Heaven and to daily assimilate Your holy truths with my mind, heart and life. Make me, the most unworthy, a true, good and wise shepherd and leader of Your people; Give me strong and unshakable faith and clothe me in the depths of holy humility. By their destinies, save me, the unworthy, my relatives in the flesh and my spiritual children. Amen.
interpretation

Priest - mediator between God and people Priesthood - people chosen to serve the Eucharist and shepherd - care, spiritual care of believers. The Lord first chose 12 apostles, and then 70 more, giving them the power to forgive sins and perform the most important sacred rites (which became known as the Sacraments). The priest in the Sacraments acts not by his own power, but by the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by the Lord after His Resurrection (John 20, 22-23) to the apostles, transmitted from them to the bishops, and from the bishops to the priests in the Sacrament of Ordination (from the Greek Heirotonia - ordination) .

A prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ, read by the priest before the Divine service.

Lord Jesus Christ my God, visiting His creation, My passions, and the weakness of my nature, and the strength of my adversary were revealed to You. You Yourself, Master, cover me from his malice, even though his strength is strong and my nature is passionate, and my strength is weak. You are good, knowing my weakness and bearing the inconvenience of my powerlessness, save me from the thought of confusion, and the flood of passions, and make me worthy of this holy service, lest I corrupt its sweetness in my passions, and I will find myself cold and bold before You. . Lord, my sweet Jesus, have mercy and save me. Amen.
interpretation

The priest is a symbol of Christ. The most important Sacrament of the Church is the Eucharist. The priest celebrating the Eucharist symbolizes Christ. Therefore, the liturgy cannot be celebrated without a priest. Archpriest Sergiy Pravdolyubov, rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Troitsky-Golenishchevo (Moscow), master of theology, explains: “The priest, standing before the Throne, repeats the words of the Lord Himself at the Last Supper: “Take, eat, this is My Body...” And in the prayer for In the Cherubic song, he pronounces the following words: “You are the One who offers and the One who is offered, and the One who accepts this Sacrifice, and the One Who is distributed to all believers - Christ our God...” The priest performs a sacred act with his own hands, repeating everything that Christ Himself did . And he does not repeat these actions and does not reproduce, that is, he does not “imitate”, but, figuratively speaking, “pierces time” and is completely inexplicable for the usual picture of space-time connections - his actions coincide with the actions of the Lord Himself, and his words - with the words of the Lord! That is why the liturgy is called Divine. It was served once by the Lord Himself in the time and space of the Zion Upper Room, but outside of time and space, in the abiding Divine Eternity. This is the paradox of the doctrine of the Priesthood and the Eucharist. Orthodox theologians insist on this, and this is how the Church believes.

PRAYER before delivering a sermon (From the works of Simeon the New Theologian)

You are my God and Creator, deigning to become the teacher of us sinners, teach me to say as I should, both for myself and for the people ahead, what is necessary for the salvation of the soul. For You are the Guide and enlightenment of our souls.
You open our mouths and give the word with much power to us who preach Your Gospel, and we send up glory to You, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen.
interpretation

During a sermon, a priest fulfills the duty of a bishop. Another ministry of a priest is preaching. Preaching, carrying the Good News of salvation is also a commandment of Christ, a direct continuation of his work, therefore this ministry is sacred. True, as Archpriest Sergius Pravdolyubov clarifies, “to be dogmatically and canonically precise, preaching is not part of the priestly, but of the bishop’s service. During episcopal consecration, the grace to preach is given, and to us, as Hieroconfessor Afanasy (Sakharov) writes, the bishop delegates this grace to us. That is, he instructs him to speak in his place, because he cannot simultaneously preach in dozens and hundreds of churches in the diocese. During the sermon we perform the duties of a bishop.

Call to me, and I will hear you, and I will tell you important and hidden things that you do not know. (Jeremiah 33 -3)

Prayer of Bishop Ignatius

I thank You, Lord and my God, for everything that has happened to me! I thank You for all the sorrows and temptations that You sent me to cleanse those defiled by sins, to heal my soul and body, ulcerated by sins! - Have mercy and save those instruments that You used to heal me: those people who insulted me. Bless them in this age and the next! Credit to them as virtue what they did for me! Assign them from your eternal treasures and abundant rewards. - What did I bring to You? What are acceptable sacrifices? - I brought only sins, only violations of Your Divine commandments. Forgive me, Lord, forgive the guilty one before You and before people! Forgive the unrequited! Grant me to be convinced and sincerely admit that I am a sinner! Grant me to reject crafty excuses! Grant me repentance! Grant me contrition of heart! Grant me meekness and humility! Grant love to my neighbors, immaculate love, the same to everyone, both those who console me and those who insult me! Grant me patience in all my sorrows! Die me to the world! Take away my sinful will from me, and plant Your holy will in my heart, so that I may do it alone in deeds, words, thoughts, and feelings. - You deserve glory for everything! To you alone belongs the glory! My only asset is the shame of my face and the silence of my lips. Standing before Thy terrible judgment in my wretched prayer, I do not find a single dignity in myself, and I stand, only enveloped from everywhere by the countless multitude of my sins, as if by a thick cloud and mist, with only one consolation in my soul: with hope in Thy unlimited mercy and goodness . Amen.
interpretation

Know and remember that the gratitude we offer to God in prayer, together with the repentance brought to Him, deeply, radically changes our heart. If we are always grateful, if we confess our sins, then our spiritual gaze gradually becomes clearer, and we gain the ability to see what is in our heart; we learn to take care of ourselves, to notice what people who are morally loose, people who are spiritual, not spiritual, do not see, we gain the ability to concentrate more deeply. Complete purification of the heart and our gratitude to God gives us God’s great grace.

Prayers pages 45-60

Prayer for the Holy Church

Lord our God, the great and merciful one! In the tenderness of our hearts, we humbly pray to You: preserve under the shelter of Your goodness from every evil situation Your Holy Church, our God-preserved country and us Her faithful children. Protect us on all our paths with Your holy Angels. Fill us with long days and strength of strength, so that we will accomplish everything for Your glory, for the good of Your Holy Church and our Fatherland. We, rejoicing in Your all-good providence for us, every day and hour we bless and glorify Your all-holy Name, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
interpretation

Prayer to the Lord


interpretation








interpretation

Prayers pages 45-60

Prayer for the Holy Church

Lord our God, the great and merciful one! In the tenderness of our hearts, we humbly pray to You: preserve under the shelter of Your goodness from every evil situation Your Holy Church, our God-preserved country and us Her faithful children. Protect us on all our paths with Your holy Angels. Fill us with long days and strength of strength, so that we will accomplish everything for Your glory, for the good of Your Holy Church and our Fatherland. We, rejoicing in Your all-good providence for us, every day and hour we bless and glorify Your all-holy Name, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
interpretation

In the fullest sense, the concept of the Church of Christ means a gathering under a single Head - the Lord Jesus Christ of all Orthodox Christians, living and dead (Luke 20:38), united among themselves by faith and love of Christ, the hierarchy and the holy Sacraments.

Prayer to the Lord

Send us, Lord, the Comforter Spirit, the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding and the Spirit of reasoning. Cleanse our heart from all filth and make it the Temple of Your Spirit, so that the Holy Spirit may move in and pour out the gifts of Grace and use the talents You have given us for good. Send us kindness, meekness, abstinence, mercy, love, purity, spiritual peace and tranquility, spiritual joy. Bless our relationship with the spirit. Children so that they are pure and impartial. Save us from slander and human malice, from deadly ulcers and illnesses, from sudden and violent death. Help me preserve the Orthodox faith, monastic vows and Your commandments until the end of my life. Help me acquire smart heartfelt prayer; never be burdened by any obedience. Help us to perform the Divine Liturgy and all prayers always with fear and dignity. Strengthen your faith, teach to pray, to be worthy communicants of the Holy Mysteries. Help us to recover from addiction, pride, lustful thoughts, hardness of heart, anger and irritability. Help us to be merciful to all people; help us in all our affairs. Soften the hearts of those in charge and those around us and grant us to live in the Holy monastery and our cell until the end. Lord, do not impute sin for my sake to any person who condemned, slandered, secretly or openly did evil to me, for I forgive everyone and everything from my heart. Forgive my countless sins. Amen.
interpretation

Venerable Isaac of Optina (Antimonov) (1810-1894). While praying, I often asked myself for what seemed good to me, and persisted in my request, foolishly forcing God’s will and not allowing God to arrange it better, which He Himself recognizes as useful, but, having received what I asked, subsequently I was extremely grieved, why did I ask for it to be fulfilled? my will was better, because things turned out to be different for me than I thought. Pray not for your desires to be fulfilled, because they do not in any case agree with God’s will, but pray better, as taught, saying: Thy will be done (Matthew 6:10) in me. Ask God not for something pleasant, but for something useful. If you ask for the first, God will not give it, and even if you receive it, it will be lost. Pray, firstly, for cleansing from passions, secondly, for deliverance from ignorance and, thirdly, for salvation from all temptation and abandonment.

Prayer for Christian death

Lord Jesus Christ, the time of my life is shortening, approaching the gates of death; I fear and tremble at the hour of death, at this fiery baptism, for I am a sinner to all; my heart fears the vision of evil spirits seeking my destruction; I am horrified by the passage of airy ordeals - this is Your righteous Judgment, on which the Imam will give his word about everyone who has sinned in life; This unknown country frightens me, but place me in it after my death.
Lord, Lover of mankind, not wanting the death of a sinner, but turning to him and living to be him, have mercy on me, turning to You, number me among Your flock and grant me the opportunity to enjoy the Christian death of my life - painless, shameless, peaceful. Behold, I, a great sinner, before this hour of death, fall before You and with the hope of Your saving suffering and death on the cross, I bring tearful repentance for all my sins and iniquities, voluntary and involuntary, known and unknown, forgive all sins and iniquities and with the fire of Your Holy Spirit I have mercifully incinerated May they not be remembered at the end of my life.
Forgive, Lord, all insults and grief inflicted on me by my neighbors, and have mercy on all those who hate and offend me, so that I may depart from this life in peace with all people. Grant me the rest of my life to remain in purity and honest living and to end it in peace and repentance.
Before my death, O Gracious Lord, vouchsafe me to receive the Most Pure and Life-Giving Mystery - Your Most Holy Body and Blood; May I, purified and sanctified by the Communion of these Heavenly Mysteries, be able to face my last hour of death fearlessly by You, the All-Good Lord, preserved and protected from all misfortunes and temptations. By Your almighty power, deliver me at that hour of death from the attacks and violence of evil demons, protect me from them with Your holy Angels, strengthen and pacify my weak soul then through the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and Your Saints.
Grant me permission to peacefully go through the ordeals of the air with firm hope in You, my Savior.
Hey, Lord Lord! Do not deprive me of Your rich mercy and intercession in the terrible hour of my death, then accept my soul, for even I, a great sinner and unworthy, by Your mercy, will be worthy in the future life to be with You, the Source of all good, and offer You prayers and praises forever and ever. . Amen.
interpretation

Among the petitions with which we turn to God during the hours of worship, there is a prayer that unites us all, in which our heads are bowed low, and some of us accompany it with a bow to the ground. This is a prayer: “We ask the Lord for the Christian death of our life, painless, shameless, peaceful.” We ask the Lord - and several times during each service - that our death be peaceful and not shameful. This means that we want death to be the beginning of eternal joys for us. This means that we are looking for what constitutes the goal of our earthly life, for what every true Christian soul strives for. Eternal bliss is the cherished dream of every Christian... and that is why this petition is so close to the heart of each of us.

Prayers pages 60-75

Prayers of the sick





Thank God for everything!
interpretation

Illnesses refer to external temptations, or sorrows - difficult, unpleasant experiences that come to a person according to God's Providence for his good - as punishment for correction, for testing in faith, for spiritual improvement. The Holy Fathers teach that illnesses must be endured with patience and gratitude, like healing medicines sent by God, and then the Christian will reap abundant fruits: forgiveness of sins, God’s mercy and help, spiritual revival and growth, purification of the heart, and ultimately, salvation.

Stichera "Always and Always"

interpretation

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, do not allow vanity, self-love, sensuality, negligence, anger to dominate me and snatch me away from Your love. O Lord, my Creator, all my Hope! Do not leave me without an inheritance in blissful eternity; do it, and I too will follow Your holy example. Grant me this purity of spirit, this simplicity of heart, which make us worthy of Your love. To You, O my God, I lift up my soul and heart, do not allow Your creation to perish, but deliver me from the greatest and only true evil - sin. Grant, Lord, that I may endure with the same patience the anxieties and sorrows of my soul as I joyfully accept the pleasures of my heart. If You want, Lord, you can cleanse and sanctify me. So I surrender myself to Your goodness, asking to destroy from me everything that is contrary to You and join me to the host of Your chosen ones. God! Take away from me the idleness of spirit that destroys time; vanity of thoughts that interfere with Your presence and distract my attention in prayer; If, while praying, I deviate from You with my thoughts, then help me, so that by turning my mind away, I do not turn my heart away from You. I confess to You, my Lord God, all the sins of my iniquity, now and before committed before You: forgive me them for the sake of Your holy name and save my soul, which You have redeemed with Your precious Blood. I surrender myself to Your mercy, I surrender to Your will, do with me according to Your goodness, and not according to my malice and lawlessness. Teach me, Lord, to arrange my affairs so that they contribute to the glorification of Your holy name. Have mercy, O Lord, on all Christians, hear the desires of all those who cry to You, deliver from all evil and save Your servants (names): send them joy, consolation in sorrows and Your holy mercy. God! I pray to You especially for those who have offended and saddened me in some way, or have done any evil: do not punish them for the sake of a sinner, but pour out Your goodness on them. God! I pray to You for all whom I, a sinner, have saddened, offended or tempted by word, deed, thought, knowledge or ignorance. Lord God! Forgive us our sins and mutual insults; remove, Lord, from our hearts all indignation, suspicion, anger, resentment, quarrels and everything that can hinder love and reduce brotherly love. Have mercy, Lord, on those who entrusted me, a sinner and unworthy, to pray for them! Have mercy, Lord, on everyone who asks for Your help. God! Make this day a day of Thy mercy, give to everyone according to his request; be the shepherd of the lost, the leader and light of the ignorant, the mentor of the unwise, the father of the orphans, the helper of the oppressed, the doctor of the sick, the comforter of the dying, and lead us all to the desired goal - to You, our refuge and blessed rest. Amen.

interpretation

It is extremely dangerous to follow your own thoughts and reasoning in the matter of salvation. Our mind is the limited eye of the flesh, which can only see and distribute external and material affairs; and we must commit the higher paths to God Himself through our Father and Mentor and follow his reasoning in everything. Our human will is only to wish good and seek means for it, and the doer and doer of all good is God, and evil comes from us. Beware of judging your neighbor, and in order not to fall into this temptation of the tongue, do not look closely at the actions of others. With all his efforts, without the assistance of God, man cannot control either his external life or the state of his soul. Without God - no way to the threshold. Love of poverty and lack of possessions prepare great treasures for the soul. Inexpressible benefits stem from solitude, but prayer must be inseparable from it. Anger, vanity or arrogance and condemnation of one's neighbor drives away the grace of the Holy Spirit. Physical and mental purity can only be achieved through prayer and the aspiration of the mind to God; the coming of the Holy Spirit scorches and destroys all passions. Keeping your body clean must be accompanied by keeping your mind clean.

Prayers pages 60-75

Prayers of the sick

Lord, You see my illness, You know how sinful and weak I am; help me to endure and be grateful for Your goodness.
Lord, make this illness a cleansing of my many sins.
Master Lord, I am in Your hands, have mercy on me according to Your will and, if it is useful for me, heal me soon.
I accept what is worthy according to my deeds; remember me, Lord, in Your Kingdom!
Thank God for everything!
interpretation

Illnesses refer to external temptations, or sorrows - difficult, unpleasant experiences that come to a person according to God's Providence for his good - as punishment for correction, for testing in faith, for spiritual improvement. The Holy Fathers teach that illnesses must be endured with patience and gratitude, like healing medicines sent by God, and then the Christian will reap abundant fruits: forgiveness of sins, God’s mercy and help, spiritual revival and growth, purification of the heart, and ultimately, salvation.

Stichera "Always and Always"

Even though I always crucify You with my sins, You, my Savior, dying, do not turn away from me, but bow your head, forgive me, calling me to You. Moreover, my Savior, I, a sinner, come running to You, crying out to You with tears: have mercy on me, grant forgiveness of sins to me and remember me when you come in Your Kingdom. Amen.

Lord God, Master of my life, You, in Your goodness, said: I do not want the sinner to die, but for him to turn and live. I know that this disease from which I suffer is Your punishment for my sins and iniquities; I know that for my deeds I have deserved the heaviest punishment, but, O Lover of Mankind, deal with me not according to my malice, but according to Your boundless mercy. Do not wish my death, but give me strength so that I patiently endure the disease as a test I deserve, and after healing from it I turn with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my feelings to You, the Lord God, my Creator, and live to fulfill the saints Your commandments, for the peace of my family and for my well-being. Amen.
interpretation

There is no sin in praying for recovery. But we must add: if you will, Lord! Complete submission to the Lord, with obedient acceptance of what is sent as good from the Good Lord, and gives peace to the soul... and appeases the Lord... And He will either heal you or fill you with consolation, despite the deplorability of the situation.

Daily prayer of Hieroschemamonk Parthenius of Kyiv

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, do not allow vanity, self-love, sensuality, negligence, anger to dominate me and snatch me away from Your love. O Lord, my Creator, all my Hope! Do not leave me without an inheritance in blissful eternity; do it, and I too will follow Your holy example. Grant me this purity of spirit, this simplicity of heart, which make us worthy of Your love. To You, O my God, I lift up my soul and heart, do not allow Your creation to perish, but deliver me from the greatest and only true evil - sin. Grant, Lord, that I may endure with the same patience the anxieties and sorrows of my soul as I joyfully accept the pleasures of my heart. If You want, Lord, you can cleanse and sanctify me. So I surrender myself to Your goodness, asking to destroy from me everything that is contrary to You and join me to the host of Your chosen ones. God! Take away from me the idleness of spirit that destroys time; vanity of thoughts that interfere with Your presence and distract my attention in prayer; If, while praying, I deviate from You with my thoughts, then help me, so that by turning my mind away, I do not turn my heart away from You. I confess to You, my Lord God, all the sins of my iniquity, now and before committed before You: forgive me them for the sake of Your holy name and save my soul, which You have redeemed with Your precious Blood. I surrender myself to Your mercy, I surrender to Your will, do with me according to Your goodness, and not according to my malice and lawlessness. Teach me, Lord, to arrange my affairs so that they contribute to the glorification of Your holy name. Have mercy, O Lord, on all Christians, hear the desires of all those who cry to You, deliver from all evil and save Your servants (names): send them joy, consolation in sorrows and Your holy mercy. God! I pray to You especially for those who have offended and saddened me in some way, or have done any evil: do not punish them for the sake of a sinner, but pour out Your goodness on them. God! I pray to You for all whom I, a sinner, have saddened, offended or tempted by word, deed, thought, knowledge or ignorance. Lord God! Forgive us our sins and mutual insults; remove, Lord, from our hearts all indignation, suspicion, anger, resentment, quarrels and everything that can hinder love and reduce brotherly love. Have mercy, Lord, on those who entrusted me, a sinner and unworthy, to pray for them! Have mercy, Lord, on everyone who asks for Your help. God! Make this day a day of Thy mercy, give to everyone according to his request; be the shepherd of the lost, the leader and light of the ignorant, the mentor of the unwise, the father of the orphans, the helper of the oppressed, the doctor of the sick, the comforter of the dying, and lead us all to the desired goal - to You, our refuge and blessed rest. Amen.
interpretation

It is extremely dangerous to follow your own thoughts and reasoning in the matter of salvation. Our mind is the limited eye of the flesh, which can only see and distribute external and material affairs; and we must commit the higher paths to God Himself through our Father and Mentor and follow his reasoning in everything. Our human will is only to wish good and seek means for it, and the doer and doer of all good is God, and evil comes from us. Beware of judging your neighbor, and in order not to fall into this temptation of the tongue, do not look closely at the actions of others. With all his efforts, without the assistance of God, man cannot control either his external life or the state of his soul. Without God - not to the threshold. Love of poverty and lack of possessions prepare great treasures for the soul. Inexpressible benefits stem from solitude, but prayer must be inseparable from it. Anger, vanity or arrogance and condemnation of one's neighbor drives away the grace of the Holy Spirit. Physical and mental purity can only be achieved through prayer and the aspiration of the mind to God; the coming of the Holy Spirit scorches and destroys all passions. Keeping your body clean must be accompanied by keeping your mind clean.

4. If you feel completely uneasy, read the Gospel of John chapter 12.








4. If you feel completely uneasy, read the Gospel of John chapter 12.
5. If you begin to completely lose faith in people, read the apostle 1 Corinthians, chapter 1.
6. If everything doesn’t turn out your way, read the apostle’s letter to James, chapter 3.
7. If you hesitate through unbelief, read Philippians 2 chapter verses 5-12. Gospel of John chapter 6. Chapter 7 verses 16-17
8. If you are completely tired and tormented by sin, read the Gospel of John, chapter 8. Gospel of Luke 18 chapter verses 9-14.
9. If you are close to despair, read the Gospel of Luke, chapter 19, verse 10. Gospel of John 3 chapter 16 verse.
10. If everything is fine, warm yourself up, read Psalm 121. Gospel of Matthew 6 chapter 33-34 verses. Apostle, Epistle to the Romans, Epistle of James.
11. If you want to be strengthened in hope in God, read Psalm 26.
12. If any of you suffers, let him pray, if any of you are happy, let him sing psalms, read the apostle's epistle of James, chapter 5, verse 14.
In general, on the advice of the holy fathers, one should read the passionate Gospels (i.e., the last chapters of the four Evangelists).

If you are a Christian

4. Prayer is the wings of the soul, it makes the soul the Throne of God, all the strength of a spiritual person is in his prayer.


7. Do not give up prayer when the enemy makes you feel insensitive. He who forces himself to pray with a dry soul is superior to him who prays with tears.

9. Take holy water with thirst for the sanctification of your soul and body - do not forget to drink.
10. Greetings of gratitude to the Queen of Heaven - “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...” - say more often, even every hour.

12. In temptations and adversities, repeat the Psalter and read the Prayer Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos - “We contain many adversities.” She is our only Intercessor.








21. Give your whole heart to God without a trace - and you will feel heaven on earth.






28. Love holy solitude.
30. The most important thing for us is to learn patience and humility. With humility we will defeat all our demonic enemies, and with patience the passions that war against soul and body.

Spiritual Instructions

My dears!
It is impossible to live thoughtlessly in our time. Beware, then, that no one deceives you! Hold fast to the Orthodox Church. Take care of the grace God has given us!
Watch and pray. Quietly work for your salvation according to the commandments of the Lord, with the guidance and science of the holy fathers. Do not forget, but comprehend the words of the Lord: “...if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).
The heart is surrounded by constant anxiety and is not given rest. But cleave to the Lord, and He will give you rest; and you will, being at peace within yourself and seeing everything around you with light, walk unhindered with the Lord through the darkness and darkness of this life to a blissful Eternity full of joy and spaciousness.

If you are a Christian

1. When you wake up in bed, first of all remember God and place the sign of the cross on yourself.
2. Don’t start spending your day without a prayer rule.
3. Throughout the day, everywhere, with every task, pray short prayers.
4. Prayer is the wings of the soul, it makes the soul the Throne of God, all the power of a spiritual person is in his prayer.
5. For God to hear a prayer, you need to pray not with the tip of your tongue, but with your heart.
6. Let none of those around you be left in the morning without your sincere greetings.
7. Do not give up prayer when the enemy makes you feel insensitive. He who forces himself to pray with a dry soul is superior to him who prays with tears.
8. You need to know the New Testament with your mind and heart; study it constantly; do not interpret anything you do not understand yourself, but ask the Holy Fathers for clarification.
9. Take holy water with thirst for the sanctification of your soul and body - do not forget to drink.
10. Greetings of gratitude to the Queen of Heaven - “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...” - say more often, even every hour.
11. In your free time, read the writings of the fathers and teachers of spiritual life.
12. In temptations and adversities, repeat the Psalter and read the Prayer Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos - “We contain many adversities.” She is our only Intercessor.
13. When demons throw their arrows at you, when sin approaches you, then sing the hymns of Holy Week and Holy Easter, read the canon with an akathist to the Sweetest Jesus Christ, and the Lord will loosen the bonds of darkness that have shackled you.
14. If you cannot sing and read, then in a moment of battle remember the Name of Jesus: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Stand at the Cross and heal yourself by crying.
15. During fasting time, fast, but know that God is pleased with fasting not only of the body, that is, abstinence of the belly, but more importantly abstinence of the eyes, ears, tongue, as well as abstinence of the heart from serving the passions.
16. A person embarking on spiritual life must remember that he is sick, his mind is in error, his will is more inclined to evil than to good, and his heart remains impure from the passions bubbling within him, therefore the beginning of spiritual life and everything must be in acquiring mental health.
17. Spiritual life is a constant, incessant war with the enemies of the salvation of the soul. Never sleep mentally, your spirit must always be vigorous, and be sure to call on your Savior in this battle.
18. Be afraid to unite with sinful thoughts that come to you; he who agrees with such thoughts has already committed the sin he thought about.
19. Remember: to perish, you only need to be careless.
20. Constantly ask: “Instill Your fear, O Lord, into my heart.” Oh, how blessed is he who has constant awe of God.
21. Give your whole heart to God without a trace - and you will feel heaven on earth.
22. Your faith should be strengthened by frequent resort to repentance and prayer, as well as by communicating with people of deep faith.
23. Create a memorial for yourself, write down your relatives, close acquaintances, living and dead, everyone who hates and offends you, remember them daily.
24. Constantly seek deeds of mercy and compassionate love; without these deeds it is impossible to please God. Be the sunshine for everyone, mercy is above all sacrifices.
25. Don’t go anywhere unless absolutely necessary.
26. Talk as little as possible, don’t laugh, don’t be curious with idle curiosity.
27. Never be idle, and honor church holidays and Sundays according to the commandment of God.
28. Love holy solitude.
29. Endure all insults, first with silence, then by reproaching yourself, then by prayer for those who offend.
30. The most important thing for us is to learn patience and humility. With humility we will defeat all our demonic enemies, and with patience the passions that war against soul and body.
31. During prayer, do not show anyone but God your tears of tenderness and zeal for salvation.
32. Honor an Orthodox priest as an Angel, a messenger of good news, sent to rejoice you and bring deliverance.
33. Treat people as carefully as you would the messengers of the Great Kingdom, and as carefully as you treat fire.
34. Forgive everyone everything and sympathize with everyone in their suffering.
35. Don’t just rush around with yourself, like a chicken with an egg, forgetting your neighbors.
36. Whoever seeks peace here cannot have the Spirit of God abide in him.
37. Melancholy and confusion attack from lack of prayer.
38. Always and everywhere call your Guardian Angel to your aid.
39. Always keep your heart crying for your sins, and when you confess them and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, then quietly rejoice over your liberation.
40. Know only your own indecencies and shortcomings, and carefully beware of thinking and reasoning about the sins of others, do not ruin yourself by condemning others.
41. Do not believe even your good wishes before your confessor approves them.
42. Every evening, confess to God all your sinful deeds and thoughts that occurred during the day.
43. Night prayer is more expensive than daytime prayer.
44. Before going to bed, bow to the ground or bow from the waist to everyone.
45. You should not tell your dreams to other people.
46. ​​Fall asleep with the sign of the cross.
47. Do not lose touch with your spiritual father, be afraid of offending him, offending him, do not hide anything from him.
48. Always thank God for everything.
49. Human nature must always be divided into your own self and the enemy who has attached itself to you because of your sins, and watch yourself carefully, check your thoughts and actions, avoid what your inner enemy, and not your soul, wants.
50. Inner sorrow for one’s sins is more salutary than all bodily labors.
51. There are no better words in our language than “Lord, save me!”
52. Love all the church rules and bring them closer to your life.
53. Learn to always watch yourself vigilantly, especially your external feelings, through them the enemy enters the soul.
54. When you recognize your weaknesses and powerlessness to do good, then remember that you do not save yourself, but your Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, saves you.
55. Your impregnable fortress should be your faith. The fierce enemy does not sleep, guarding your every step.
56. We are brought closer to God by sorrow, hardship, illness, labor; do not complain about them and do not be afraid of them.
57. No one enters Heaven living well.
58. As often as possible, with tenderness of heart, partake of the Holy Life-giving Mysteries of Christ, you live only by them. Take communion in two weeks, on Angel's Day and on or around the twelve feasts.
59. Never forget that He, our Lord Jesus Christ, is near at the door, do not forget that judgment and reward are coming soon at what hour for whom.
60. Remember also what the Lord has prepared for those who love Him and for those who do His commandments.
61. Read this alphabet, Christian, at least once a week, this will help you in fulfilling what is written and will strengthen you on the spiritual path.

February 5, 2018 is 12 years since the death of Archimandrite John Krestyankin. He wrote down his favorite prayers in a book, after his death they were published - the handwritten original was rewritten and reproduced

Even the blots and fingerprints of the priest were preserved on the pages, so that everyone could have exactly the notebook that Fr. John called it “the cell book.” The priest read both books daily and recommended many of the prayers from them to be read by everyone.

The first book for the priest was rewritten, and the collection of “prayers and penitential reflections” is brought to us by the neat handwriting of Fr. John. The second book contains prayers of repentance translated into Russian from the Lenten Triodion and the Canon of St. Andrei of Crete, as well as the cell monastic confession of sins of the 19th century Nizhny Novgorod bishop Jeremiah (Soloviev) and the reflections of the former bishop of Chigirin Porfiry (Uspensky) about what a Christian should be.

About the history of the appearance of the book of prayers by Arch. John, says cell attendant Arch. John, Father Filaret:

— In Soviet times, it was difficult to buy books, especially spiritual ones, especially collections of prayers. Almost nothing was published except the Bible and the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate. And they came out in limited editions. And to Father John, his children from all over the country brought spiritual literature, lives of saints, collections of sermons, letters - everything they could get.

About how to pray, Fr. John did not tell, but rather showed. But he did not demand or force. He could say: “you can read this prayer now” or “you can pray in front of this icon.” When so many collections of different prayers were not yet available for free sale, the priest immediately handed out leaflets with the necessary prayers, either typed or handwritten.

For example, he was very fond of distributing the short prayer of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh: “God, You know everything, and Your love is perfect; take this life into Your hand, do what I long to do, but cannot.” And he also added: “and in the life of this person” or “my child” or “my daughter.”

Since the inheritance gift of Archimandrite. John - his cell book - is doomed to become a bibliographic rarity, we publish several prayers given in the first book:

Schearchim rule. John of Finland

(For what was not heard or understood during the service):

45 prayers: 33 Jesus prayers, 12 - Rejoice to the Virgin Mary.

Reading order:

12 Jesus prayers

4 - Mother of God

9 Jesus Prayers

4 - Mother of God

12 Jesus Prayers

4 - Mother of God

Prayer of St. Archangels and angels

Holy Archangel of God Michael, be the conqueror of all my passions.

Holy Archangel Gabriel, messenger of God, announce to me the hour of my death.

St. Archangel Raphael, healer, heal my illnesses of body and soul.

St. Arch. Uriel, enlightener, enlighten my feelings of soul and body.

St. Arch. Salafiel, God’s prayer book, pray to God for me, a sinner, and instill in me good thoughts that lift my soul to God.

St. Arch. Jehudiel, glorifier, glorify me with good deeds.

St. Arch. Barachiel, blesser, bless me to see you through my entire life in spiritual salvation.

Holy Archangels, Angels, Principalities, Thrones, Dominions, Seraphim, Cherubim, Powers, Powers - pray to God for me, a sinner.

Ancient prayer

Oh my God!

Honor me to be an instrument of Your peace!

So that I bring love where there is hate.

So that I forgive where they offend.

So that I can unite where there is a quarrel.

So that I speak the truth where error reigns.

So that I can build faith where doubt crushes.

So that I can inspire hope where despair torments.

So that I can bring light into the darkness.

So that I can stir up joy where grief lives.

Oh my God! Honor it!

So that they would not console me, but I consoled.

So that they don’t understand me, but I understand others.

So that they don’t love me, but so that I love others.

For whoever gives, receives.

He who forgets himself finds.

He who forgives will be forgiven.

He who dies wakes up to eternal life.

No matter how a person prays - on his own or according to a prayer book - the main thing is that he does it systematically, with attention and reverence. An example of such an attitude is the “Cell Book” of Archimandrite John (Krestyankin). This is an ordinary notebook, where the priest’s especially favorite prayers, collected over the last 25 years of his life, and the order of their reading are written down by hand. The priest always carried this pocket prayer book with him and resorted to it every day. Our correspondent Ekaterina STEPANOVA talked about this book and more about it with Father John’s cell attendant, Archimandrite FILARET (Koltsov) and Father’s clerk Tatyana SMIRNOVA.

Archimandrite John Krestyankin

- How did this book appear?

The cell where Father John lived

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: Shortly before his death, Father John gave me this notebook. We were all surprised why me, because there are priestly prayers here: the prayer of the confessor, the prayer before confession, before the service, before the delivery of the sermon. But the father said: “I read every day, and you read too.” Father John probably wanted to show by this that his little book can be useful not only to monks and priests, but also to the laity. In the spring of 2007, we published this notebook in a small edition; we thought of making such a gift to his spiritual children for the birthday of Father John. Father loved to give gifts, he especially loved to give books. But so many people wanted to receive a notebook with the priest’s favorite prayers that our circulation was not enough and now we are re-issuing it for wide sale. We also prepared and published for Father’s Angel Day a small edition of the second book - prayers of repentance and reflections.

- Did Father teach you to pray? How did he himself pray when he was alone?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: It is the Lord alone who knows how he prayed when he was alone, no one else. I can only say that he did not have a big light in his cell. He prayed in the twilight. There were two night lights on the table, lamps were burning in front of the icons. He was alone only at night. The rest of the time from early morning until the evening was occupied by visitors and obediences. But the priest knew how to pray even without special conditions; he prayed constantly, despite the bustle around him, and his prayer was very effective. How many times have I tested this on myself! It happened that you would run to him with some kind of trouble, he would read just one troparion in front of the Kazan Icon and everything would get better! And he taught us: “Every day, be sure to sit in an armchair or on a sofa and sit and think - just sit under God.” Don’t rush in the corner, read quickly, but think about your own things, but be silent, think, “be before God.” But at the same time, the priest said that the rule always remains the rule and cannot be abandoned: “Can you really come up with a better idea than Basil the Great or John Chrysostom?”- said Father John.

“We didn’t have a big light, when the priest prayed, he lit lamps and this small church lamp,” said Tatyana Sergeevna

Archimandrite Philaret: We constantly resorted to priest’s prayers. Let’s say someone went on vacation, wrote a petition, but they didn’t let him go. Everything is boiling inside a person: “How come they didn’t let me go? I made plans here, already bought tickets, made an agreement - they meet me there, they see me off here! All. I won’t go to the service, I won’t perform obedience!” He comes to Father John, waving his fists: “Father, they didn’t let me go, the governor is so-and-so.” Father will listen: “Well, let’s pray, wait a few days.” He will caress you, stroke you, and most importantly, he will pray and advise this person to pray. And after two or three days everything was really resolved. The storm went away somewhere, he no longer waved his fists, accepted the Will of God, and calmed down. And then after some time it turned out that he shouldn’t have gone anywhere at all, it wouldn’t have been good for him.

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: Father had a very good memory, a memory of the heart. He remembered people and their sorrows. Everyone has forgotten to think, everything has been erased from their heads, six months have passed, and he carries everything in the heart of every person who turned to him, carries it in his arms in prayer. When he was given notes asking for prayers, he made sure to remember everyone first at home and then in church. But the priest’s strength was diminishing, and the number of notes was increasing. It seemed simply impossible to cover them! But he still prayed for everyone himself. And if the names were written small and not clear, I copied these notes to him in larger size. And yet, he always asked to sign on a note what to pray for, what this particular person needs, what to ask for him.

Archimandrite Philaret: Father John did not tell, he showed more how to pray. But he did not demand or force. He could say: “You can read this prayer now” or “You can pray in front of this icon.” When so many collections of different prayers were not yet available for free sale, the priest immediately handed out leaflets with the necessary prayers, either typed or handwritten. For example, he was very fond of distributing the short prayer of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh: “God, You know everything, and Your love is perfect; take this life into Your hand, do what I long to do, but cannot.” And he also added: “and in the life of this person” or “my child” or “my daughter.”

-Where did he get these prayers? Did you also copy from the holy fathers or did you come up with something yourself?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: The priest had a whole “pharmacy,” as we called it, of sayings of the holy fathers, prayers and icons. Father wrote down on a piece of paper the questions that his children asked him, and then looked for answers to them from the holy fathers. There were many extracts from the letters of Ignatius Brianchaninov, from Theophan the Recluse. We have accumulated such answers in our “pharmacy” for almost any question. They were arranged thematically in boxes and lay here in the cell, under the bed. Sometimes he would just read something himself and then tell me: “ Write this and that down, from this page, put it in this topic.”

Archimandrite Philaret: There were no icons then either, not even paper ones, but people needed them. The priest determined which icons to pray in front of for which needs. And his children took out these images, photographed them on film, printed them and brought them here. All this - icons and prayers in front of certain images - the priest gave out as a blessing. And, of course, this was a great consolation for people. Let’s say that for a long time we did not know about the prayer of the Optina elders. It was not published anywhere. There was also no talk about the opening of Optina, but he already had this prayer. I still have some of the prayers and icons that he gave.

Icon lamp

Did the priest himself write down any of his prayers? Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He didn’t write down any prayers, but he prepared very carefully for sermons. Especially when people appeared in the temples. After all, before it didn’t hurt to let me talk. It happened that he was dragged into the altar on the carpet. He started talking and it was very difficult for him to stop. He recalled: “I feel like the carpet has moved.” They pull him out of the altar, saying that’s enough talking already. And our local monks and lay parishioners, of course, were very fond of the priest’s sermons. We always found out where and when Father John spoke and gathered. Over the years, people recorded the sermons that we published on CDs for themselves on tape recorders. And then, after many years, they began to bring it to us - and you see, so much has gathered that we have already released several discs. Father John even listened to the first of them himself: “Oh, how good, but who says this?”- he asked me. "You!"- I answer him, but he just shakes his head.

- You say that Father read a lot, but what books did he read? Did you subscribe to the press?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He was a very educated man. Moreover, he was educated not only in the spiritual, but in the broad sense of the word. He read a lot, but when he did it, I cannot say. Probably at night, during the day it was absolutely impossible. All his books were numbered and stored in an archive, even his card index was in separate drawers. About our time, he said that now there are more books than bread! Now is the time! But we didn’t need any press, no radio, no TV. They brought everything to us, brought it to us, told us about it. Father said: we have the most accurate information! Because politics is mixed in the press, but here a living person with his pain is the clearest and most reliable information.

Father John prayed in front of these icons

- Did Father himself give his blessing to write memories about him?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: About a year before his death, Father John called me and said: “Behold, I am your confessor; so that you can’t even say half a word about me,” I listened and went to prepare breakfast. There is a secret life that only God and the person who lives this life knows. And as soon as you make this experience public, you lose it - if not completely, then the fruits of it. On the way to the kitchen, the priest met me alone and asked: “Are you writing anything down there?” I told him that Father John had just forbidden him to write. He didn’t tell me anything, but in the evening he and the governor came to Father John. We were worried, and rightly so. And father to them: “What other memories? Who else are these memories about? No memories! What are you doing? But they came up very smartly. Father then read what was written about Father Nikolai Guryanov, and was very worried about him: “He’s a man of God, and they’re using him to carry out such an action against the Church!” Then the governor says to him: “Father, now you are leaving; they will write anyway - whether we want it or not. But then the monastery will no longer be able to say anything contrary. Whatever is written will be accepted as truth.” Then the priest prayed, thought and called me: “You were scribbling something there. So, collect the material. Just be careful when you write your memories that your eyes don’t sparkle! And don’t invent anything, nothing. Write only what happened.” I started writing on scraps of paper, on envelopes. I began to save his letters, which he dictated to me, otherwise it had never even occurred to me before - they were sent and, Thank God, everything went into the oven. This is how all these books with memoirs turned out. I didn’t invent anything, everything was as it was, I just wrote it down.

- What was Father’s daily routine?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He got up at five o'clock every day and went to a fraternal prayer service. They are already ringing the bell for lunch, one o'clock in the afternoon, and he just bursts into the cell and brings a tail of visitors with him. Moreover, he is in the church, and then walking along the road - all the time in a crowd of people, and then he also makes an appointment for the afternoon, before the service. Those who were leaving that day were always received by the priest. And at night after twelve he received the brothers. And after them, it used to be that I would even leave, when I reached the gate, he would send someone for me: "Let him come back." This means that someone else fell on the head of the newcomers there. And in the morning everything starts all over again. I don't know when he rested.

- How many people came to him a day?

Archimandrite Philaret: So many people came to see him, it’s absolutely impossible to count! Each with their own questions, problems, prayer requests. And there were people who, when they saw that a lot of people were coming to the priest, were embarrassed, thought that maybe other people had more problems, and did not approach. They were consoled by the fact that they attended his services and listened to the sermons addressed to them. And when they prayed with the priest in the temple, that was enough for them. It's amazing, they left satisfied! You can never deceive the spirit. Father prayed sincerely.

Has it ever happened that he told you a lot about a person who had come, but asked him, waiting with questions outside the cell door, to tell you only part of what was said about him?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He said exactly as much as needed to be said. I was very embarrassed by this moment when I had to convey the words of the priest to people. Firstly, I don’t have a particularly high opinion of my memory, and I thought: what if I forget something. And secondly, when you convey, it is very important how to say it. Intonation can color what is said in a completely different way from how it was conveyed. And I told him this about my embarrassment, and he answered me: “You are in obedience, you are not there. You are a service spirit. You will convey exactly as much as I told you, and in the way I told you.”

This inscription hangs on the door to the priest's cell

- How did the conversation go when people came to the priest’s cell?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: A cell full of people gathered. He hasn’t even gotten there yet, but everyone he appointed is already sitting here. They stand on chairs, on a sofa. The priest comes in, first reads “To the Heavenly King” in front of the icons, then begins a general conversation. It’s not like he sits down, looks into your eyes and starts explaining something - what’s going on inside you. No, he, in general, spoke to everyone together, but everyone knew that what he said applied specifically to him. This was an amazing feeling. You think, a general conversation, and then from this all the answers, personal for everyone, are built. Different people could answer the same question in completely different ways. Then they said: “Why did he tell me this and tell her that?” This means that the measure of one is one, and the measure of the other is different. And at the end of the conversation, the priest always sprinkled and anointed everyone, in full order, as at the Unction! No one left here without being anointed! That’s how it was with the priest. And I won’t let you out either!

Archimandrite Philaret sprinkles holy water on Tatyana Sergeevna, as was customary with Father John

- What do you think makes a person turn to an elder? And how does an elder differ from an experienced priest?

Archimandrite Philaret: Those who were looking for the truth, who doubted, who were embarrassed by something, turned to the priest. Those who were confident in themselves, in their choice, in their life, did not come. You ask how the elder differs from any other experienced priest. The elders are like the prophets in the Old Testament. There were other righteous people there, too, but prophets are the voice of God for the people. So are the elders. Some of the priests can pray, some can say a beautiful sermon - these are all gifts: the gift of service, the gift of prayer, the gift of speech. And here, in the priest, there was everything. And in the conversation, he did not just say beautiful words, but prayed that the Lord would reveal to him and show His Will through him. And the Lord revealed himself to him and inspired him with what to say.

- Did Father say anything about modern monasticism?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He talked and talked. Read his letters. The process of creation is underway. We, our generation, will undo the rubble. “Whom the world has given birth to, God has rewarded.” We all came from the world sick and crippled. And so we do as much as we can, as far as there is understanding. Now the monasteries are all under construction. We haven’t gotten around to doing spiritual things yet. But once we cancel the rubble, it means we are laying the foundation for future monasticism. God can create children for Abraham from stones.

- What made the priest happy and what made him sad?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: Life made him happy! He loved life very much! And he never complained. Even when we all saw that he was already weak, he only said once: “Where is my former prowess?”- That was his only complaint! “Father, is it hard for you?” - "No". “Why are you sighing?” - “It’s easier for me this way...”

Archimandrite Philaret: He was sincere, lively and, of course, had the gift of love, the gift of reasoning, and he did not remain indifferent to any person. That's why everyone loved him so much. He was born in that Orthodox, imperial Russia. He said: "We are from Nikolaev." Said: “I still remember the aroma of that incense.” Imagine that pre-revolutionary incense! He knew all the traditions, saw them, passed them through himself, absorbed them, and then he passed it all on to us. He told how in his childhood they went to admire the miter in the cathedral - there was only one in almost the whole city. Because it was a church award that was given to truly deserved archpriests or archimandrites, and not like today. I was rewarded through the priest’s prayers: I came to him, cried, and said: “Father, they still won’t give me a miter.”, and he said: “They will give, they will give, they will give...” I was joking with him, but they gave it to him. He fell in love with me because of my liveliness, because of my agility and all-terrain ability. And indeed, he really, really loved me. And people complained about me: they wanted to come to him, but I didn’t allow him, because it was hard for him. He could never refuse anyone, and I was like a watchdog, as they called me a shepherd dog in one place. Because if everyone was allowed in, they would crush him, smear him and that’s it - there would be nothing left of him. It’s the same today for any elder. I brought him to his cell, and he kissed me probably fifty times. “Save you, Lord, save you, Lord.” He himself could not refuse; indeed, his spirit is not like that.

The cave where Father John is buried

- It’s hard to live without a priest now. Is there anything you would ask him now?

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: It’s very difficult without a priest. We must learn to live again. But, nevertheless, we saw the priest, we know how he lived, we remember him. We have an example of how to build your life.

Archimandrite Philaret: But this is what scares me. Because God will say: Have you seen? Why don't you live like that? He will ask twice. I used to feel good that I was with my father, but today it scares me so much, it scares me so much. And God will ask doubly, why don’t you live like this? That's all.

Today I would have asked him a lot, but at the same time it was awkward to ask the priest about internal, purely personal, intimate things. This is personal, inner depth - and the priest did not let it in and did not open it. This is a special gift, we couldn't fit it all in. He said that it is our own fault that we now have no elders. There are none because there are no novices among us.

- Are any miracles happening now after the death of the priest?

Archimandrite Philaret: Father never looked for miracles; he did not like these miracles. He said: “Don’t write akathists for me.”

Tatyana Sergeevna Smirnova: He also said: the greatest miracle is that we are in the Church and that we must see ourselves as we are. This is a miracle. And father always: “Not to us, not to us, but to Your name, O Lord, give glory,” Churches. He could not stand glorifiers and glorifiers.

The grave of Archimandrite John (Peasant)