Orthodox Prayer

[cobweb]

After reading a few threads in General Theology (namely http://www.christianforums.com/t3202101-would-you-pray-with-the-orthodox-christians.html and http://www.christianforums.com/t3203021-if-you-are-an-orthodox-christian-would-you-pray-with-the-protestants.html ) I realized how little I know about everyday Orthodox prayer.

Are there any websites out there that explain daily prayers?

[kamikat]

This is the website that got me started with the morning and evening Orthodox prayers.
http://www.oca.org/OCSelect.asp?SID=2
Are you interested in learning about the cycle of prayers or do you want to learn the prayers themselves?

kamikat

[cobweb]

This is the website that got me started with the morning and evening Orthodox prayers.
http://www.oca.org/OCSelect.asp?SID=2
Are you interested in learning about the cycle of prayers or do you want to learn the prayers themselves?

kamikat

Both. I know nothing about Orthodox prayer (other than what I see in DL). It honestly didn't dawn on me that it would be much different than protestant prayer. :doh:

[kamikat]

That site I gave you is a good start. It has the daily morning prayers and the evening prayers. Here are a couple brief articles on the cycle of prayer
http://www.goholycross.org/studies/studies_worship.html
http://www.oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=63

[kamikat]

Here's to get you started. These are called the Trisagion prayers and we say these at the start of all prayers

The Trisagion Prayers


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

O heavenly King, O Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who art in all places and fillest all things; Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O gracious Lord.

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

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

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy God, visit and heal our infirmities for thy Name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 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 on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

[cobweb]

This will probably sound like a really dumb question, but are your prayers said or sung? (I know that they are sung in DL.... that is why I ask.)

[kamikat]

I say mine, except for all the "Lord have mercies".

[cobweb]

One more question. I just want to make sure that I am understanding correctly. (I am learning a lot here :thumbsup: )

(Hypothetically) If you were in the middle of Taco Bell getting ready to eat with your family would you all just stop what you are doing and have one of you say outloud:

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

O heavenly King, O Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who art in all places and fillest all things; Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O gracious Lord.

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

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

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy God, visit and heal our infirmities for thy Name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 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 on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit


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

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

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

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

O Christ our God, bless the food, drink, and fellowship of Thy servants, for Thou art holy always, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.


and then after everyone is finished eating:

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

O heavenly King, O Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who art in all places and fillest all things; Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O gracious Lord.

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

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

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy God, visit and heal our infirmities for thy Name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 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 on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit


We give thanks to Thee, O Christ our God, that Thou hast satisfied us with Thy earthly blessings; deprive us not also of Thy Heavenly Kingdom. As Thou didst come to Thy disciples and didst grant them peace; so come to us and save us, O Savior.

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

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Blessed is God, Who has fed and nourished us with His bountiful gifts by His grace and compassion always, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

[Anhelyna]

The answer to that one for me is that it depends where I am :P

And that doesn't help you .

If I am alone at home - then I chant - if my husband [ a non-believer is in ] I read them silently.

[choirfiend]

Most people would just say

The Lord's Prayer
Glory to the Father.....Now and Ever....
Lord have mercy (3x)
Christ bless

and then someone says "Lord, bless the food and drink of these Thy servants for blessed are Thou unto ages of ages" or a variant thereof.


When you're at SVS, you sing the above, then after the meal, you sing "We give thanks to Thee, O Christ our God, that Thou hast satisfied us with Thy earthly blessings; deprive us not also of Thy Heavenly Kingdom. As Thou didst come to Thy disciples and didst grant them peace; so come to us and save us, O Savior."

I dont find that many people typically do the after meals prayer in their regular homelife. We don't do it at my church after meals or anything, either.

[eoe]

In public I will silently say :

The Lord's Prayer
Glory to the Father.....Now and Ever....
Lord have mercy (3x)
Lord, bless the food and drink of these Thy servants for blessed are Thou unto ages of ages
and in a non-extravagant way make the sign of the cross over the food.

I am not doing it to be noticed - I am doing it to ask the blessing. There is no need to stand up and attract attention at all imho.
I dont find that many people typically do the after meals prayer in their regular homelife. We don't do it at my church after meals or anything, either.I try to do it everytime I eat but I do fail sometimes. When I do it I do it privately tho.

Frostymama:
When talking about any issue of Ascesis or spiritual work - you need to get your priest's instruction and blessing before you put anything into action. That includes, prayer, fasting and any bodily asceticsm at all. Take what you read here as a grain of salt - seriously.

[eoe]

I also have to state that both of those threads are really pretty bad.

Every person has some area of prayer that they are not comfortable with, those threads illustrate that very well. Some refuse to pray to Saints, some refuse to pray for the dead. It is the same thing no matter who is saying it and comdemning someone for it is the pot calling the kettle black in a big way.

[Nickolai]

After reading a few threads in General Theology (namely http://www.christianforums.com/t3202101-would-you-pray-with-the-orthodox-christians.html and http://www.christianforums.com/t3203021-if-you-are-an-orthodox-christian-would-you-pray-with-the-protestants.html ) I realized how little I know about everyday Orthodox prayer.

Are there any websites out there that explain daily prayers?

http://www.fatheralexander.org/page12.htm

look on the right side. The Law of God is a great book, that has TONS of good info for someone who doesn't know a whole lot about Orthodoxy, and has some good explainations on prayer. It was my catechism, and is a great read.

Reader Nikolai

[RobNJ]

The Jordanville Prayerbook is online here:

http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/prayerbook/main.htm

[gzt]

i think you'd like "beginning to pray" by metropolitan anthony bloom, it's a popular book which you can even find in catholic bookstores, but it's Orthodox.

[Akathist]

I say all the prayers rather than "chant" or "sing" them. That said, once in a while I will simple chant.

Keep in mind that while we have many prayers that we read. We are allowed to add to them prayers of our own words. I often stop part way into my evening prayers and speak a confession and then sometimes ask for something (such as that I will be given the strength to do this or that... etc.)

I agree with the comment above, it is important that you consult your Priest about prayers. My Priest had a prayer book that he preferred for me to use and then went through and told me where to stop in the morning and evening prayers. Then a few weeks latter he said I could say them all.