Evening prayer for the coming sleep. Evening prayer rule in Russian (translation by Hierome Ambrose (Timrot))

Hello, dear readers! Orthodox people adhere to certain prayer rules and read morning and evening prayers every day.

For a long time, humanity has associated going to sleep with higher powers; many people asked themselves, when going to bed, whether the next day would come for them. Therefore it was very important read evening prayers, before going to bed.

Traditions of Orthodox Christians

From time immemorial, at the end of the day, people return to their home in the evening after a hard day of work, talk with their family and friends, wish them a good and restful sleep.

At the same time, in Ancient Rus' they never forgot about the Lord, because it was he who gave people confidence in the future, instilled hope and peace in their souls.

It was very important to find a state of peace for bedtime, it was in this state that a person felt completely relaxed and rested, ready to begin new achievements in the morning.

Prayers for the coming sleep were created by holy people in the first centuries after the adoption of the Christian faith; they are also called rules, since they must be read regularly.

Today, evening prayers for beginners are available in any form. An Orthodox Christian can not only memorize the sacred text, but also listen to it in the form of an audio recording, watch a video of it, or simply read it online.

In this case, the chosen method of reading the rules will not be important to the Lord, the main thing is that there is deep faith and a desire to serve him sincerely.

These texts were compiled by clergy in the Church Slavonic language; unfortunately, this language is forgotten by many today and is difficult to perceive visually; previously it was included in the compulsory curriculum studied in schools. Today it is studied only by philologists and those who are planning to become a clergyman.

Today, the texts of most evening prayers have been adapted for modern people, that is, they can be read in Russian, so their meaning becomes more understandable.

How to read sacred texts for the coming sleep

Many beginning Christians are interested in the questions of what evening rules to read, at what time, and how to read. It is worth noting that reading the prayer words will take approximately 15 minutes; such texts should be read slowly, pondering each word; some changes should occur in the person’s soul, awareness of what you are reading.

The Holy Fathers recommend reading prayers for the coming sleep every day, spending an extra half hour on this, which could be spent at the computer or watching TV. It is very important to read the rules before communion and during Lent.

Also, some people are interested in the question of whether it is possible to read evening prayers while sitting. There are several opinions on this issue.

Most believers believe that you only need to turn to the Lord while standing in front of icons. But, at home, many people read sacred texts in a sitting position. Communicating with God while sitting is also allowed for those people who, for some reason, cannot stand at all, or can, but not for long.

What is included in evening prayers

• First of all, a Christian should read the appeal to the Holy Trinity;
• Next, the well-known prayer “Our Father” is read by heart (you can read the prayer not only for the coming sleep, but also when there is a strong need to communicate with God);
• Then the person must turn in turn to God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. This address was compiled by the monk Macarius the Great, the author of many sacred texts.

Appeal to the Holy Trinity

Our Father

Prayer of Macarius the Great

Also, in evening prayers, people often turn to God with a request for forgiveness of sins. This is due to the fact that night is a time of rest, but in this state a person is weak, since demons can take possession of his soul, exposing it to various temptations and temptations that are very difficult to fight.

To prevent demons from visiting and to make it easier to cope with their temptations, it is necessary to cleanse the soul through repentance.

In addition, in the rules read in the evening, it is important for a Christian to turn to his Guardian Angel. Each person who has undergone the rite of baptism has his own Guardian Angel, who protects his soul and body, tells his ward what to do in this or that case.

It is known that the symbol of the Christian faith is the Cross, therefore there is a prayer to it. Everyone knows that the Cross symbolizes the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ for the sins committed by humanity. The sign of the cross means protection from the forces of darkness, so it is important not to forget to cross yourself when reading the evening rules.

When to read the words of the prayer for the coming sleep

Each person has his own regime, but it is worth considering that time on the church day is calculated differently. You can start reading the evening rules after three o'clock in the afternoon. People are also interested in what time in the evening they can do this, whether it is possible at night. The clergy recommend reading prayers for the coming sleep before 12 o'clock at night.

If a person attends evening services in a church, then the rules must be read out after its completion. You can read the sacred texts at home, take a prayer book with large print and slowly pronounce the phrases.

It is believed that one prayer, pronounced with feeling and understanding, can replace a dozen of those that were read hastily, and their deep meaning was not understood by a person.

It is very important for beginning Christians, when reading evening prayers, not to be distracted by extraneous thoughts, to be collected, to try to understand their essence, only if these conditions are met will spiritual benefit be obtained.

When you go to bed, say:
In Your hands, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit: You bless me, You have mercy on me and grant me eternal life. Amen.

Offering prayer words before going to bed is necessary for an Orthodox Christian to gain protection and support at night. From time immemorial, mothers asked the Lord for protection for their children, turning to him with prayers for the coming sleep.

Saints always hear sincere words addressed to them and strive to protect their charges and send them mercy.

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In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.
Lord have mercy. (Thrice) Glory, and now: (read in full “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.”)

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Tropari

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sin: have mercy on us.
Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You; Do not be angry with us, do not remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if you are gracious, and deliver us from our enemies; For Thou art our God, and we are Thy people; all works are done by Thy hand, and we call on Thy name.
And now: Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, so that we may not perish, but may be delivered from troubles by You: for You are the salvation of the Christian race.
Lord have mercy. (12 times)

Prayer 1, St. Macarius the Great, to God the Father

Eternal God and King of every creature, who has vouchsafed me even at this hour to come, forgive me the sins I have committed this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, O Lord, my humble soul from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And grant me, Lord, to pass through this dream in peace at night, so that, rising from my humble bed, I will please Your most holy name all the days of my life, and will trample the enemies of the flesh and the incorporeal that fight me. And deliver me, Lord, from vain thoughts that defile me, and from evil lusts. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 2, Saint Antiochus, to our Lord Jesus Christ

To the Almighty, the Word of the Father, who is perfect himself, Jesus Christ, for the sake of Thy mercy, never leave me, Thy servant, but always rest in me. Jesus, good Shepherd of Your sheep, do not betray me to the sedition of the serpent, and do not leave me to the desires of Satan, for the seed of aphids is in me. Thou, O Lord God worshiped, the Holy King, Jesus Christ, preserve me as I sleep with an unflickering light, Thy Holy Spirit, with whom Thou didst sanctify Thy disciples. Grant, O Lord, to me, Thy unworthy servant, Thy salvation on my bed: enlighten my mind with the light of reason of Thy Holy Gospel, my soul with the love of Thy Cross, my heart with the purity of Thy word, my body with Thy passionless passion, preserve my thought with Thy humility, and uplift I am in time like Your praise. For Thou art glorified with Thy Beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

Prayer 3, to the Holy Spirit

Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of Truth, have mercy and have mercy on me, Thy sinful servant, and forgive me the unworthy, and forgive me all that I have sinned today like a man, and moreover, not like a man, but also worse than cattle, my free sins and involuntary, driven and unknown: those who are evil from youth and science, and those who are evil from impudence and despondency. If I swear by Your name, or blaspheme in my thoughts; or whom I will reproach; or slandered someone with my anger, or saddened someone, or became angry about something; either he lied, or he slept in vain, or he came to me as a beggar and despised him; or made my brother sad, or married, or whom I condemned; or became proud, or became proud, or became angry; or standing in prayer, my mind is moved by the wickedness of this world, or I think about corruption; either overeated, or drunk, or laughing madly; either I thought evil, or saw someone else’s kindness, and my heart was wounded by it; or dissimilar verbs, or laughed at my brother’s sin, but mine are countless sins; Either I didn’t pray for the sake of it, or I didn’t remember what other evil things I did, because I did more and more of these things. Have mercy on me, my Creator Master, Thy sad and unworthy servant, and leave me, and let me go, and forgive me, for I am Good and Lover of Mankind, so that I may lie down in peace, sleep and rest, the prodigal, sinful and damned one, and I will bow and sing , and I will glorify Your most honorable name, with the Father and His Only Begotten Son, now and ever and forever. Amen.

Prayer 4, Saint Macarius the Great

What will I bring to You, or what will I reward to You, O most gifted Immortal King, generous and philanthropic Lord, since you were lazy in pleasing me, and did nothing good, you brought the conversion and salvation of my soul to the end of this day? Be merciful to me, a sinner and naked of every good deed, raise up my fallen soul, defiled in immeasurable sins, and take away from me all the evil thoughts of this visible life. Forgive my sins, the only Sinless One, even those who have sinned this day, in knowledge and ignorance, in word, and deed, and thought, and with all my feelings. You Yourself, covering me, save me from every opposing situation with Your Divine power, and ineffable love for mankind, and strength. Cleanse, O God, cleanse the multitude of my sins. Deign, Lord, to deliver me from the snare of the evil one, and save my passionate soul, and overshadow me with the light of Your face, when You come in glory, and now make me sleep without condemnation, and keep the thoughts of Your servant without dreaming, and untroubled, and all the work of Satan take me away from me, and enlighten the intelligent eyes of my heart, so that I may not sleep into death. And send me an Angel of peace, guardian and mentor of my soul and body, that he may deliver me from my enemies; Yes, rising from my bed, I will bring you prayers of gratitude. Yes, Lord, hear me, your sinful and wretched servant, with your will and conscience; grant that I have risen to learn from Thy words, and the despondency of demons is driven away from me, to be made by Thy Angels; may I bless Your holy name, and glorify, and glorify the Most Pure Mother of God Mary, Who hast given us sinners intercession, and accept this one praying for us; We see that He imitates Your love for mankind, and never ceases to pray. By that intercession, and the sign of the Honest Cross, and for the sake of all Thy saints, keep my poor soul, Jesus Christ our God, for Thou art holy and glorified forever. Amen.

Prayer 5

Lord our God, who have sinned in these days in word, deed and thought, as He is Good and Lover of Mankind, forgive me. Grant me a peaceful and serene sleep. Send Your guardian angel, covering and keeping me from all evil, for You are the guardian of our souls and bodies, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 6

Lord our God, in the worthlessness of faith, and we call upon His name above every name, grant us, who are going to sleep, a weakening of soul and body, and keep us from all dreams and dark pleasures except; restrain the desire of passions, extinguish the kindling of bodily rebellion. Grant us to live chastely in deeds and words; Yes, a virtuous life is receptive, Your promised good things will not fall away, for Blessed are You forever. Amen.

Prayer 7, St. John Chrysostom
(24 prayers, according to the number of hours of the day and night)

Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings.
Lord, save me from eternal torment.
Lord, whether I have sinned in mind or in thought, in word or in deed, forgive me.
Lord, deliver me from all ignorance and oblivion, and cowardice, and petrified insensibility.
Lord, deliver me from every temptation.
Lord, enlighten my heart, darken my evil lust.
Lord, as a man who has sinned, You, as a generous God, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul.
Lord, send Your grace to help me, that I may glorify Your holy name.
Lord Jesus Christ, write me Your servant in the book of animals and grant me a good end.
Lord, my God, even if I have done nothing good before You, grant me, by Your grace, to make a good beginning.
Lord, sprinkle the dew of Your grace in my heart.
Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, cold and unclean, in Thy Kingdom. Amen.
Lord, accept me in repentance.
Lord, don't leave me.
Lord, do not lead me into misfortune.
Lord, give me a good thought.
Lord, give me tears and mortal memory, and tenderness.
Lord, give me the thought of confessing my sins.
Lord, give me humility, chastity and obedience.
Lord, give me patience, generosity and meekness.
Lord, plant in me the root of good things, Thy fear in my heart.
Lord, grant me to love You with all my soul and thoughts and to do Your will in everything.
Lord, protect me from certain people, and demons, and passions, and from all other inappropriate things.
Lord, weigh that you have done as You willed, that Your will be done in me, a sinner, for Thou art blessed forever. Amen.

Prayer 8, to our Lord Jesus Christ

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of Your most honorable Mother, and Your disembodied Angels, Your Prophet and Forerunner and Baptist, the God-speaking Apostles, the bright and victorious martyrs, the reverend and God-bearing fathers, and all the saints through the prayers, deliver me from my present demonic situation. To her, my Lord and Creator, do not want the death of a sinner, but as if he were converted and live, grant me conversion, the accursed and unworthy; take me away from the mouth of the destructive serpent, who yawns to devour me and bring me to hell alive. To her, my Lord, is my consolation, Who for the sake of the accursed one has clothed himself in corruptible flesh, pluck me from accursedness, and grant consolation to my more accursed soul. Plant in my heart to do Thy commandments, and forsake evil deeds, and receive Thy blessedness: for in Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, save me.

Prayer 9, to the Most Holy Theotokos, Peter of Studium

To Thee, Most Pure Mother of God, I fall down and pray: Consider, O Queen, how I continually sin and anger Thy Son and my God, and many times when I repent, I find myself lying before God, and I repent in trembling: will the Lord strike me down, and hour by hour I do the same again? ; I pray to this leader, my Lady, Lady Theotokos, to have mercy, strengthen me, and grant me good works. Weigh, my Lady Theotokos, for the Imam is by no means in hatred of my evil deeds, and with all my thoughts I love the law of my God; But we do not know, Most Pure Lady, from where I hate, I love, but I transgress what is good. Do not allow, O Most Pure One, my will to be fulfilled, for it is not pleasing, but may the will of Thy Son and my God be done: may He save me, and enlighten me, and give me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that I may cease from here from filthiness, and so on may I live as commanded Your Son, to Him belongs all glory, honor and power, with His Originless Father, and His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 10, to the Most Holy Theotokos

Good Mother of the King, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Thy Son and our God on my passionate soul and with Thy prayers instruct me in good deeds, so that I may pass through the rest of my life without blemish and through You I will find paradise, O Virgin Mother of God, the only Pure and Blessed.

Prayer 11, to the Holy Guardian Angel

Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all who have sinned this day, and deliver me from every wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, so that in no sin I will anger my God; but pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, that you may show me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.

Kontakion to the Mother of God

To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil ones, let us write thanks to Thy servants, the Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Ti; Rejoice, Unbrided Bride.
Glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Your Son and our God, may You save our souls.
I place all my trust in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your roof.
Virgin Mary, do not despise me, a sinner, who requires Your help and Your intercession, for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.

Prayer of Saint Ioannikios

My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.
It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.
Glory, and now: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all saints, have mercy on us. Amen.

Prayer of Saint John of Damascus

Master, Lover of Mankind, will this coffin really be my bed, or will you still enlighten my damned soul during the day? For seven the grave lies ahead, for seven the death awaits. I fear Your judgment, O Lord, and endless torment, but I do not stop doing evil: I always anger You, the Lord my God, and Your Most Pure Mother, and all the Heavenly powers, and my holy Guardian Angel. We know, Lord, that I am unworthy of Your love for mankind, but I am worthy of all condemnation and torment. But, Lord, whether I want it or not, save me. Even if you save a righteous man, nothing great; and even if you have mercy on a pure person, nothing is marvelous: you are worthy of the essence of Your mercy. But surprise me, a sinner, with Thy mercy: for this show Thy love for mankind, so that my malice may not overcome Thy unspeakable goodness and mercy: and as you wish, arrange a thing for me.
Enlighten my eyes, O Christ God, so that not when I fall asleep into death, and not when my enemy says: “Let us be strong against him.”
Glory: Be the protector of my soul, O God, as I walk in the midst of many snares; deliver me from them and save me, O Blessed One, as a Lover of Mankind.
And now: Let us incessantly sing with our hearts and lips the Glorious Mother of God and the Most Holy Angel of Saints, confessing this Mother of God as truly having given birth to us God incarnate, and praying unceasingly for our souls.

Mark yourself with a cross and say a prayer to the Honest Cross:

May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke disappears, let them disappear; as wax melts in the presence of fire, so let demons perish from the face of those who love God and signify themselves with the sign of the cross, and who say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons by force on you of our Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power the devil, and who gave us His Honest Cross to drive away every adversary. O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen.

Or briefly:
Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honest and Life-giving Cross, and save me from all evil.

Prayer

Weaken, forgive, forgive, O God, our sins, voluntary and involuntary, even in word and in deed, even in knowledge and in ignorance, even in days and nights, even in mind and in thought: forgive us everything, for it is good and Lover of Humanity.

Prayer

Forgive those who hate and offend us, Lord Lover of Mankind. Do good to those who do good. Grant to our brothers and relatives the same petitions for salvation and eternal life. Visit those who are infirm and grant healing. Manage the sea as well. For travelers, travel. Grant forgiveness of sins to those who serve and forgive us. Have mercy on those who have commanded us unworthy to pray for them according to Your great mercy. Remember, Lord, our fathers and brothers who have fallen before us, and give them rest, where the light of Your face shines. Remember, Lord, our captive brothers and deliver me from every situation. Remember, Lord, those who bear fruit and do good in Your holy churches, and give them petitions for salvation and eternal life. Remember, Lord, us, humble and sinful and unworthy Thy servants, and enlighten our minds with the light of Thy mind, and guide us on the path of Thy commandments, through the prayers of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and all Thy saints: for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages. . Amen.

Everyday confession of sins

I confess to You, Lord my God and Creator, in the One Holy Trinity, glorified and worshiped, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, all my sins, which I have committed all the days of my life, and for every hour, both now and in days gone by. and nights, by deed, by word, by thought, by gluttony, drunkenness, secret eating, idle talk, despondency, laziness, bickering, disobedience, slander, condemnation, neglect, pride, avarice, theft, unspeaking, filthiness, money-grubbing, jealousy, envy, anger, memory malice , hatred, covetousness and all my feelings: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and my other sins, both mental and physical, in the image of my God and Creator I have angered You, and my neighbor for being untruthful: regretting these, I blame myself for You, my God I imagine, and I have the will to repent: then, Lord my God, help me, with tears I humbly pray to Thee: forgive me my sins by Thy mercy, and forgive me from all these things that are spoken before Thee, for Thou art Good and Lover of mankind.

When you go to bed, say:

In Your hands, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit: You bless me, You have mercy on me and grant me eternal life. Amen.

Every believer must be in contact with God every second of his existence. This should be his goal and daily work, expressed in prayer. Many holy elders said that every appeal to the Creator should be accompanied by three prayers. The first is read as given by the Almighty, the second as gratitude to the Mother of God, and the third - for support in faith and Christian morals.

In order to make the path to God easier for believers, some holy people created special prayer rules that indicated when and where it was appropriate to read a particular prayer. Also, thanks to this list, one could find out how many times a day it is necessary to contact the Creator. Particular attention was paid to the days of church holidays and sacraments, requiring special spiritual preparation from the laity. The most famous is the prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov for the laity, which we will tell you about today. In addition to this, in the article we will touch on some additional nuances of turning to God.

Prayerful work of the soul

Christianity takes daily prayer very seriously. The clergy instruct the flock, explaining to them that it is necessary to move towards God in small steps, but without stopping for a minute. Immediately after baptism, you should not rush headlong into reading religious books and actively attend all services in the church. This way you will not gain spiritual purity, but will only become confused in your feelings and sensations.

It is worth starting your movement towards God by studying the prayer rule, which will help you correctly put into words your spiritual impulse. Moreover, every church minister will say that you need to accustom yourself to prayer. Despite the daily rhythm of life, mood and fatigue, you need to force yourself to turn to God with gratitude and a request for protection. At first it will be quite difficult to do this, but gradually prayer will begin to bring joy and spiritual enlightenment.

At this stage, the believer can already say all the prayers from the prayer rule. And this work gives him an incredible feeling of unity with the Creator, who pushes him to further self-improvement. And over time, prayer begins to evoke such happiness that a special state of peace and tranquility descends on a person. Filled with such sensations, a believer can leave everyday activities in order to immediately turn to God.

It is precisely such religious feelings that push people to go to a monastery, because within its walls prayer takes on a completely different meaning - transformed into a single impulse of several souls, it becomes a real purification. Many holy elders say that it is for prayer that people go to the monastery. It becomes their reward, because with other ideas about God, few people will be able to endure the difficult everyday life of a monastery.

More than once in the article we have used such a phrase as “prayer rule.” Let's look at this church term in more detail.

Prayer rule for the laity: a brief description

Since it is quite difficult for lay people who have just come to faith to accustom themselves to daily prayer, special collections have been compiled that help to correctly calculate their strengths and turn to the Creator with a certain spiritual message.

Prayer rules were not invented overnight. Sometimes they were created by holy elders at the request of the laity, while others appeared in connection with various church rituals. Be that as it may, every Orthodox believer must adhere to certain regulations that allow him to cleanse himself as much as possible from everything worldly and vain in order to open his heart to his Creator.

Prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov for the laity

It is worth noting that the holy elder considered communication with the Creator to be the first necessity for a Christian. It should be more important to him than food, water and air. No believer can imagine his life without prayer.

The elder himself spent most of his time in this activity and bequeathed such a pastime to his spiritual children. Sometimes he even demanded that his followers pray for many hours every day, and therefore he composed a rule for them to help them with their difficult spiritual work.

Morning

Seraphim of Sarov believed that the new day must be greeted with the sign of the cross and the fulfillment of the morning prayer rule. The elder argued that to pray, a Christian should stand near icons or in another place where nothing would distract him from communication with God.

The morning prayer rule includes three texts. Reading must be done in the following order:

• "Our Father";
• "Virgin Mother of God, rejoice";
• Symbol of faith.

Keep in mind that the first two texts must be read three times, but for the last prayer once is enough. After following the rules, a person can begin his daily activities and responsibilities.

Day

Seraphim of Sarov advised not to forget about the prayer rule during usual activities. In Russian, you can quietly read the Jesus Prayer. This allows you not to be distracted in your thoughts from communication with the Creator and makes it possible to correlate your thoughts with Christian virtues every second.

You should not start your lunch meal without repeating the morning ritual; only after it can you start eating.

Afternoon

According to the precepts of Seraphim of Sarov, an Orthodox believer cannot be distracted from prayer even after dinner. At this time it is better to read:

• “Lord Jesus Christ, through the Mother of God have mercy on me a sinner”;
• "Most Holy Mother of God, save me, a sinner."

The first of these texts is suitable for solitude, when you can completely surrender to turning to the Almighty. But the second one can be read while doing business until going to bed.

Prayers for evening time

Naturally, a Christian cannot calmly fall asleep without devoting time to his God. The evening prayer rule is identical to the morning one; all words must be said when you definitely will no longer be doing business. At the conclusion of the prayer, the believer makes the sign of the cross and can calmly go to bed.

It is interesting that it is customary for Christians to fall asleep only after turning to God, because in a dream a person can end his life’s journey, and there is nothing worse than appearing before the Creator unprepared. Therefore, believers end every day with prayer and repent of their sins. Only this characterizes the true relationship between the soul and the Almighty.

Communion: features of preparation

Communion is a special procedure that requires great labor and abstinence from the Orthodox. He must approach the sacrament prepared according to all the rules. They include a list of six points, which includes a prayer rule before Communion.

First of all, a Christian must keep himself physically and spiritually clean, and also observe fasting. Usually, preparation for the sacrament lasts several days; on the evening before Communion, it is necessary to take part in a church service, and read several prayers at night:

• penitential canon;
• prayer canon to the Mother of God;
• canon to the Guardian Angel;
• Follow-up to Holy Communion.

Do not forget that the listed texts are read several times in a row, and the Orthodox believer must be in an even mood and not harbor any grudges against anyone. Only in this state can one come to the sacrament.

Bright Week: the first days of Easter

Many Christians who have recently come to God are interested in the prayer rule for Bright Week. Lay people are often confused in the numerous rituals and ceremonies that accompany this or that church festival.

During this period, Christians must completely change the order of their previous prayers, because the prayer rule for Bright Week includes a fairly wide list of canons and chants. So, on the eve of the holiday (on the night of Easter), Orthodox Christians should read:

• Easter hours;
• "Christ is Risen";
• “Seeing the Resurrection of Christ”;
• Easter troparia;
• "Lord have mercy";
• "Christ is Risen" (again).

Keep in mind that the first song is sung for at least seven minutes. The Orthodox claim that during this time incredible grace descends on them. The second and third prayers are read three times, but the fifth must be said at least forty times.

From Easter to the Ascension of the Lord

The prayer rule for Easter means starting and ending the day with the troparion of Easter. It is necessary to read it three times, but more times will not be a violation - such is the impulse of your soul in honor of the bright holiday.

Also, the prayer rule for Easter includes the Trisagion. This prayer must be read at least three times.

From Ascension to Trinity

If you are not good at church holidays, then keep in mind that all days from the beginning of Easter to Trinity are considered holidays. Therefore, special prayers are read during this period. Of course, if you start and end your day with the usual appeal to the Almighty out of ignorance, then this will not be a serious deviation from the rules. However, it is best to observe a special prayer rule after Easter.

Each holiday that comes, the order in which the prayers are read changes. We have already covered the period from Easter to Ascension in the previous section. Now we need to talk about the prayer rule after Easter until Trinity.

During this period, which lasts ten days, the troparia to the Mother of God and the “Heavenly King, the Comforter” are not read. There is also a ban on bowing to the ground. Every day the clergy recommend starting with the Trisagion.

Optina elders

Many believers have heard about the prayer rule of the Optina elders. However, not every Christian understands who these holy people are and how effective their advice is in this or that life situation. Therefore, we decided to tell you a little about the Optina elders themselves.

So, Optina Pustyn is one of the most ancient monasteries in Russia. It is located near the Kaluga province, and the first mention of it dates back to the time of Boris Godunov.

Of course, the main value of the monastery were its monks, who quickly began to be called elders. All of them were not ordinary people, but had a number of characteristics that, during their lifetime, placed them on the same level as recognized Orthodox saints.

The following characteristics can be safely attributed to the peculiarities of the Optina elders:

• The gift of healing or predicting the future. Almost every one of the elders had some kind of gift received from above. But most often these holy people predicted the future or healed seriously ill people. There are cases when they were even called sorcerers, but all their deeds were only with the blessing of God.
• Faith. Each of the elders stood firmly in faith no matter what happened in his life. This condition was one of the main ones for acceptance into the monastery, because only a true believer can help other people.
• Service. The entire life of the Optina elders was aimed at serving the Creator and the people. For them there was no concept of fatigue; everyone who needed help received it from the monks.
• Repentance for the sins of others. The fact is that the Optina elders took a vow of repentance for all Orthodox Christians in this world. People often came to the monastery for confession, talking about all their sins. The elders spent long hours atone for people’s misdeeds and then let them go with a pure soul and heart.

It is worth noting that people went to Optina Pustyn regardless of their social status and financial situation. And for every misfortune, the elders found words of consolation; they advised many pilgrims on certain prayer rules that turned out to be very effective.

Prayers from the Optina elders

The monks of the Optina Hermitage spent most of their time in prayer. Therefore, they had accumulated a sufficient number of prayer rules, which they shared with pilgrims.

For example, in the morning twenty-seven texts were required to be read. Among them we can especially highlight:

• Trisagion;
• Symbol of faith;
• prayer for the living;
• prayer for the dead;
• prayer to the Holy Trinity.

The Optina elders advised reading prayers once and in any order. The main attribute of turning to God is true faith and thirst for communication with the Almighty. Only in this case will prayer be effective and bring purification.

The monks of the Optina Hermitage shared prayer rules with pilgrims for any occasion. For example, in case of temptation it was necessary to read a psalm to David. And if you cannot attend church services for one reason or another, then you should read the following texts at home during the day:

• morning - twelve psalms, prayer to the Mother of God, daily akathist;
• evening prayer rule - the canon to the Guardian Angel, twelve psalms, chapters from the Gospel, the prayer “Loosen, leave”;
• for the coming sleep - the prayer “Everyday Confession”.

It is interesting that the Optina elders allowed some deviations from these regulations. They believed that, for certain reasons, the laity could become completely immersed in everyday affairs. This may be due to some serious problems or illness. However, after all problems are resolved, a Christian must return to his previous religious behavior and again devote time to communication with the Creator.

Conclusion

We hope that our article will be useful to you and you will be able to choose for yourself some kind of prayer rule that will gradually bring you closer to God. Of course, the prayers we have listed are not the only ones, and if desired, every Christian can find other religious texts, the reading of which will give him a feeling of grace and spiritual joy. Remember that it is this feeling that accompanies your daily appeal to the Almighty that says that you are doing the right thing and your prayer is heard. Many Christians consider it work, but in fact there is no greater joy than working with the name of God on your lips and for His glory. Don’t forget about daily prayer in the bustle of everyday life, and perhaps then the Lord will change your life.

Orthodox believers turn to God in prayer in the morning after waking up and in the evening. This rule has been in effect for centuries. Prayers for the future help to take stock of the day, prepare for a good rest in order to gain strength for the new day.

The meaning of prayer before bed

We spend more than a third of our lives sleeping, and sometimes even more. It has been proven that sleep after prayer is much more restorative and brings wisdom, invisibly connecting reality and the world of dreams. It’s not for nothing that there is a proverb: “The morning is wiser than the evening.” But if you do not pray, then a person can be especially vulnerable to sinful desires and the influence of evil forces.

No matter what happens, it is important to come to God before going to bed. Open your heart, reveal all your sorrows and joys, even if your strength is running out. Evening prayer has a calming and protective effect. It serves as an excellent addition to the end of any day - work or weekend. You can pray in the form of petition, thanksgiving or doxology.

Prayers before going to bed are very important for Orthodox Christians. They include cycles of petitions to the saints, psalms, and doxologies. We thank the gentlemen for the day we lived and the unforgettable experience we gained. They apologize for sins – imaginable and unthinkable. After getting rid of the burden of daily life and bad influences, the quality of sleep improves greatly.

What it is advisable to pray for:

• about forgiveness of sins;
• about obedience and instruction;
• about the message of an angel;
• on protection and preservation;
• about sending wise and good thoughts;
• about patience;
• about the salvation of soul and body;
• about getting rid of the actions of enemies and ill-wishers.

Many believers note that if you do not pray, it is very difficult to fall asleep, and the sleep itself can be intermittent and restless. You need to read sacred words every day, and not occasionally. Then you will be able to avoid many of the problems and misfortunes that many face on the path of life. In turning to the Lord, they ask for protection in dreams and at night from fears, and ask for the advent of a new joyful day, filled with happiness and meaning.

Prayer always helps believers, regardless of whether a person is awake or asleep. With the help of the words with which we turn to God and Heavenly intercessors, we can ward off trouble, prevent troubles, and receive miraculous help.

• coming to bed;
• troparia;
• Saint Macarius;
• Saint Antiochus;
• to the Holy Spirit;
• Saint Macarius the Great;
• John Chrysostom;
• to Jesus Christ;
• to the Blessed Virgin Mary;
• to the Guardian Angel;
• To the Honest Cross.

• to Saint Martha;
• to the Kazan Mother of God;
• at the Guardian Angel of a baptized baby;
• to Matrona of Moscow;
• for the blessing of a child.

To read, stand at the head of the bed and quietly pray. In the morning, you can notice that fidgets wake up well-rested, joyful and less capricious. While children are small, mothers or fathers pray for the salvation of their souls. When your children grow up, you can begin to teach them to pray on their own.

Ask God and Heavenly protectors with faith and love for help before going to bed, and your prayer will never go unheeded.

Sincere and earnest appeal will overshadow with divine grace and send effective help. Dreams will be kind and joyful.

Video “Evening prayers for the coming sleep”

In this video you can listen to an audio recording of evening prayers for bedtime with text.

Evening prayers

Appeal to the Lord God

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

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

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sin: have mercy on us.

Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You; Do not be angry with us, do not remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if you are gracious, and deliver us from our enemies; For Thou art our God, and we are Thy people; all works are done by Thy hand, and we call on Thy name.

And now: Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, so that we may not perish, but may be delivered from troubles by You: for You are the salvation of the Christian race.

Lord have mercy. (12 times)

Prayer 1, St. Macarius the Great, to God the Father

Eternal God and King of every creature, who has vouchsafed me even at this hour to come, forgive me the sins I have committed this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, O Lord, my humble soul from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And grant me, Lord, to pass through this dream in peace at night, so that, rising from my humble bed, I will please Your most holy name all the days of my life, and will trample the enemies of the flesh and the incorporeal that fight me. And deliver me, Lord, from vain thoughts that defile me, and from evil lusts. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Good Mother of the King, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Thy Son and our God on my passionate soul and with Thy prayers instruct me in good deeds, so that I may pass through the rest of my life without blemish and through Thee I will find paradise, O Virgin Mother of God, the only Pure One and Blessed One.

Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel

Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all who have sinned this day, and deliver me from every wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, so that in no sin I will anger my God; but pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, that you may show me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.

Kontakion to the Mother of God

To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil ones, let us write thanks to Thy servants, the Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Ti; Rejoice, Unbrided Bride.

Glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Your Son and our God, may You save our souls.

I place all my trust in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your roof.

Virgin Mary, do not despise me, a sinner, who requires Your help and Your intercession, for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.

Prayer of Saint Ioannikios

My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.

It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.

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

Before we fall asleep, we very often think about how our day went. And everything would be fine if it was the same with everyone. But many, at times, go crazy from their own thoughts, which lead them to nightmares and unpleasant ideas. That is why it is very important to turn to the Lord God before going to bed, reading the evening prayer for those coming to bed. To make the night pass quickly and easily, you should definitely talk to the Almighty, protecting yourself from all doubts and fears.

Evening rule for bedtime prayer

In general, in Orthodoxy it is customary to read prayers for the morning and evening; this should become a habit. Since the set of prayers for every day is very large, some people simply do not have time to read everything that is necessary. That is why you should know at least this prayer in order to protect yourself from bad thoughts. Also, in the evening, people have much more time to spend 5-10 minutes talking with God than to take time off from their day's work. When exactly should you turn to evening prayer?

• if you have a lot of bad thoughts, especially before going to bed;
• if there is grief in the family;
• if there is a fear of nightmares;
• if you often have prophetic dreams.

Reading the evening rule of prayer for the coming sleep is very useful. At this time, the Lord envelops a person with his invisible “wing,” driving away all demons during sleep. They say that it is at night that our body becomes more vulnerable, as we can dream about anything. That is why it is very important to pray and say the evening prayer. Moreover, over its long history of existence, Orthodoxy has proven that the sacred text for the evening protects all believers who talk with God. After reading the prayer, a person feels much better, freer, filled with positivity and with a surge of good mood.

Evening prayer for the coming sleep

Prayer 1

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

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

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

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)

Prayer 2

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

If you don’t have the time or opportunity to read the sacred text, then you can listen to the evening prayer for bedtime in an audio version. Now the Internet is full of sites where there is information about all the prayers of Orthodoxy. Just go to any one and find the text you need by searching, turning it on in the player.

How to properly pray before going to bed

Be sure to clear your mind, try not to think about anything bad or extraneous. Forgive those who once offended you, let go of all bad situations, calm down, take a deep breath. You need to stand straight, without slouching. The prayer book should be slightly above your waist if you decide to read the text yourself.

If you can light a candle, that would be just wonderful. This attitude towards prayer will only strengthen the conversation with God, and will also set a person in a full-fledged prayer mood. This action will make you feel much warmer both physically and spiritually. The sacred text should be read slowly, it is important to think through every written word. Do not do this mechanically, just to pray quickly - otherwise everything will be in vain.

An appeal to the Almighty must, first of all, come from the soul. Also, you should remember that prayer is not a talisman that will help you out of bad dreams. After reading the text, you should not expect that you will now fall asleep and dream about a fairy tale. Everything works completely differently here. First of all, you ask the Lord to protect you from illness, to protect you and always protect you, to always be nearby.

Miracles after reading the prayer for the evening

Always pay attention to how your mind behaves before you go to sleep. If something is wrong, and you can’t endure it any longer, then be sure to read the evening prayer before going to bed to know that you are completely safe, under the strong protection of your Guardian Angel and the Lord God.

Pray for your children, for your family, for your loved one and, of course, for yourself. Our sleep is the most mysterious state, because we do not know what is happening to us at this time. Any entity can penetrate our head and give us bad emotions. Therefore, remember that the Lord will always be there, you just need to talk to him and read the right prayer.

Evening prayer for the coming sleep - read the text and listen was last modified: July 8th, 2017 by Bogolub

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