Prayer to St. Ephraim the Syrian, bows during Great Lent. At home and in church. Very strict fasting dry eating prayers prayer

What prayers are read at home during Lent 2018

Everyone knows that the Easter fast - from February 19 to April 7, 2018 - is the strictest and longest, and there are many food restrictions during this seven-week period.

However, many of us forget that, in addition to giving up certain foods, during fasting a person must also cleanse himself spiritually, thereby, as it were, trying to “get closer” to God.

There are special prayers for every day in Lent which should be read by all people who are Orthodox Christians.

What prayers are read during Lent are indicated in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, where an entire section is devoted to how one should behave throughout the entire seven-week period.

The main prayer is considered to be the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, which promotes liberation from the so-called “illness” that prevents a person from communicating with God. This prayer sounds like this:

Lord and Master of my life,

spirit of idleness, despondency, greed and idle talk

The spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love,

grant to me, Thy servant.

To her, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins,

and do not condemn my brother,

for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages, amen.

God, cleanse me, a sinner!

Morning prayers during Lent remain traditional, but their reading is certainly supplemented by the above prayer of Ephraim the Syrian. It can be read not only in church, but also at home, and its purpose is to prepare a person for confession, repentance and purification.

It is important to understand that food restrictions, as well as morning, afternoon and evening prayers during Lent have one common goal - a person must learn to manage himself, control his own feelings and emotions.

The seven-week period of Easter Lent is a time of peace and repentance. Every Christian believer must consciously enter into fasting, observe it, and correctly exit this state.

As a rule, it is quite difficult for an ignorant person to do this, therefore, having decided for the first time to take such a serious step as observing Lent, it is better to enlist the support of church ministers, who will definitely help in everything and tell you how to act correctly.

Prayers for Lent

Prayers during Lent are considered to have greater power. François Mauriac once said: “You don’t need to have faith to pray; you need to pray to gain faith.”

Prayers were originally created so that every person could talk to God. A special melodious rhythm, syllable and Old Church Slavonic language are the key to a certain state when the mortal is forgotten and the spiritual triumphs. This is exactly the case when you may not have much faith when taking your first steps in prayer, but you will certainly feel the touch of the Divine.

Prayers for Lent

Lent is a special time for Christians and 2016 is no exception. During this period, it is commanded to especially observe the rules of abstinence, good morals and mutual assistance. This is the time when you need to limit your body in everything in order to free your spirit from its influence. Every day a layer of experience accumulates on us: emotions, desires, anger and routine interests. All this has negligible relation to true spiritual development. And restrictions, reaching the point of asceticism, are designed to remove everything similar, superficial, from our soul. In this matter, prayer becomes an integral assistant.

“Prayer must remain unanswered, otherwise it ceases to be prayer and becomes correspondence.”

A person praying who turns his heart to God must remember, especially during Lent, that one cannot expect miracles and instant accomplishments. The soul of the righteous is pure and submissive to the will of the Lord; it does not demand, but patiently waits and gives thanks for everything that happens, without complaining.

Lent is a time of prayer

The morning of the first day of Lent begins with special words addressed to Jesus Christ, Holy Trinity. These prayers are called initial prayers. They mean a willingness to humbly accept the test of fasting, humility and participation in the passions of Jesus that he experienced in the desert.

Every morning begins with a prayer to Christ, a psalm of David, the third prayer of St. Macarius the Great, praise and song to the Mother of God. These are the main prayers read during Lent by a layman.

Throughout the day, thoughts should be turned to a prayer of gratitude for our daily bread, prayers before and after eating food.

Before going to bed, a righteous Christian turns his heart to the Guardian Angel through prayer and to God the Father.

These prayers can be called necessary to be read by a Christian during Lent. There are many more of them, but if you call on the listed saints with a pure soul, this will be enough.

During the period of fasting, clergy are required to spend a lot of time in prayer. For them, prayer is a special and at the same time fundamental part of life. It should be practiced after waking up, before and after meals, before studying, at moments when temptation or bad thoughts overcome, before going to bed.

During Lent, they pray for their deceased and for the health of living loved ones and relatives. It is believed that a purified soul is closer to God, and He hears all prayers better. Therefore, you can turn to the Almighty in any prayers, and it will certainly respond, inside or outside.

“Work is the best prayer”

During Lent, purification is considered not only by verbal prayers, but also by deeds. It is said that during this period you need to refrain from unnecessary words, actions and desires.

We are accustomed to watching TV - we abstain. Unless it's for business. We are used to spending a lot of time chatting with friends on the phone – we limit ourselves to this period. This is a kind of work on yourself, the hardest work called “changing yourself for the better.”

“God does not hear the words of prayer, God sees your heart”

There are people who are trying fasting for the first time. They do not know prayers, have not encountered miracles of faith. But something led them to try. It's never too late to take the path of improving your spirit. And for these people it is a bit of a problem to master large quantity text. It may happen that for them, reading a prayer will become an effort to pronounce the right words correctly, and not a true turning of the soul to the Lord. In this case, you need to turn to the priest, he can help in directing you to the main prayers of a Christian. IN at the moment there are prayers translated to modern language while maintaining the meaning.

But ignorance of prayers does not mean that the desire for purity of spirit will go unnoticed. The main thing is pure thoughts and righteous actions. There is a divine censor in every person, and if you listen to him, our words will always be heard by God.

Prayers for Lent

During Lent, it is customary to read various prayers, but the most important is considered to be the repentant prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. A chapter in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah is dedicated to this holiday. It describes in detail how to behave during fasting and other nuances. On these days, you can perform various rituals, read conspiracies and prayers. People believe that all appeals to God during this period will certainly be heard.

Prayers read during Lent

As already mentioned, the most important prayer during the days of Lent is considered to be an appeal from Holy Sirin. It lists the most important aspects of repentance, and also indicates what exactly needs to be done and what to work on. The main idea of ​​prayer is that a person must free himself from illness, which is an obstacle to communication with God. The prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian sounds like this:

“Lord and Master of my life,

Do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk.

Grant me the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Your servant.

grant me to see my sins,

and do not condemn my brother,

for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages, amen.

God, cleanse me, a sinner!”

To make the prayer more understandable, you need to dwell on the most important points that are described in it. First, a request is made to get rid of important sins:

1. Spirit of Idleness. The saint asks God to protect him from wasting his time. Everyone has certain talents and skills that need to be used correctly for the benefit of all humanity. Idleness is considered the root of all sins.
2. Spirit of despondency. If a person is controlled by despondency, then he does not have the opportunity to see goodness and happiness in life. He simply plunges into darkness and becomes a real pessimist. That is why, in order to move in the right direction and be closer to God, you need to get rid of this sin.
3. Spirit of greed. In almost every person’s life there is a desire to control people, for example, power in the family, at work, etc. The love of control can become a serious problem that prevents you from developing and communicating with God.
4. Spirit of pride. Man is the only creation of God who has received the ability to speak. Often words are used for insults, curses, etc. In prayer, the saint asks God to protect him from vain and evil words.

Fasting cannot take place without prayers. You can read morning, evening prayers or the Psalter. It is important to always add the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian.

Other prayers read during Lent:

Of great importance are kneeling prayers, read not during Lent, but on the Great Trinity, which is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. The priest reads them, kneeling and facing the novices. The prayers contain an appeal to the mercy of God; they speak of the sending of the Holy Spirit, as well as the repose of the dead.

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Prayer during Lent for every day and before Easter, prayer by Ephraim the Syrian - Examples of prayers before meals during Lent

Lent, which begins in 2017 on February 27, is not only a refusal of animal food and alcoholic beverages. This is a time devoted to studying the life of Jesus Christ and turning to God in prayer. During Lent, a person becomes deeper, renounces many earthly goods, rethinks his life and his purpose in this world. Lent, which lasts six weeks and Holy Week, ends with the bright Easter of Christ - the resurrection of Jesus as a miraculous proof of the existence of the Lord. Every Christian must come to Christ's resurrection purified not only physically, but also spiritually. Not all believers know how and what prayer to read during Lent. Temple servants often say that you can turn to God in any prayer. However, the prayer after Ephraim the Syrian must be read every day with the exception of Saturday and Resurrection Day. It is also read before Easter, during the cheese-free week. The purpose of reading it is to free the “belly” (life) from bodily and, what is considered the main thing, spiritual ailments. Prayers during fasting before meals are also considered important in Orthodoxy. They help a Christian avoid gluttony, set him up for modest food and a long absence of entertainment.

Prayer for Lent for every day - How and when to pray during Lent

In Orthodoxy there are prayers for every day of Lent. Believers who visit the temple know that the first day of the first week begins with chants. Priests tell parishioners about John the Baptist and Herod. On Tuesday of the first week, the main, first prayer is dedicated to the life of Andrew of Crete, a saint who dedicated his life to God as a result of a miracle that happened to him (gaining the gift of speech after becoming mute). On Wednesday, the third day of Lent, churchgoers visiting churches will learn the interpretation of the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, etc. If you cannot, for any good reason, go to church for prayer, set aside at least ten to fifteen minutes a day to study the Scriptures - the Old and New Testaments.

Examples of prayers for each day of Lent

Any believer will tell you that fasting without prayer does not exist. Of course, this statement does not mean that you should completely renounce everyday worries and immerse yourself in reading prayers. In the absence of praying often and going to temple, read the Scriptures. When you find free time, devote it to reading one of the prayers of Lent. Now you can download them all on the Internet. We suggest paying attention to the most famous prayers relating to the time of abstinence before Easter.

Prayer of praise to the Lord God

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

In this prayer we praise God without asking for anything in return. It is usually pronounced at the end of a task as a sign of gratitude to God for His mercy towards us. This prayer is said in short: Glory to God. In this abbreviated form, we say a prayer when we finish some good deed, for example, teaching, work; when we receive any good news, etc.

God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.

Prayer for forgiveness of our sins. It must be said as often as we often sin. As soon as we sin, we must immediately repent of our sin before God and say this prayer.

Prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ

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

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us (show mercy to 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 soul.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, Who is everywhere and fills everything, Receptacle of all goodness and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all impurity, and save, O Merciful One, our souls.

Orthodox prayer during Lent before Easter - What is prayer

Any Orthodox prayer is an appeal to God, a conversation with the Mother of God, the saints. You can pray silently to yourself anywhere and at any time. They turn to God out loud at home, alone or in churches, standing before images. Before fasting, at the end of Cheese Week, they say the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, pray to the Lord God Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Most Holy Ones. Each prayer can be ended with an appeal to the Almighty, praise to God, a request and giving you strength during fasting.

Examples of Orthodox prayers before Easter during Lent

Church-goers have a custom of reading all the Gospels during the time allotted for Lent. Of course, not all believers are able to overcome Scripture. When fasting before Easter, read prayers whenever possible. We suggest memorizing the texts of some of them.

The Creed reads like this:

1. I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.

2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, consubstantial with the Father, to whom all things were.

3. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from Heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human.

4. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried.

5. And he rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures.

6. And ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.

7. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.

8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the life-giving, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.

9. Into one holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

10. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

11. I hope for the resurrection of the dead,

12. And the life of the next century. Amen

 I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, of everything visible and invisible.

 And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one being with the Father, by Him all things were created.

 For the sake of us people and for the sake of our salvation, he came down from Heaven, and took flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became a man.

 He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried,

 And rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.

 And he who ascended into Heaven and sat on right side Father.

 And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; His kingdom will have no end.

 And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets.

 Into one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

 I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.

 I look forward to the resurrection of the dead,

 And the life of the next century. Amen (truly so).

What is said in the prayer to Ephraim the Syrian for Lent - What the prayer to Ephraim the Syrian calls for

History says that the prayer to Ephraim the Syrian was loved not only by the holy fathers, but also by A.S. Pushkin, the great Russian poet, who translated the words of the prayer into a poetic way. Saint Ephraim the Syrian, living in the Middle Ages, was filled with spiritual wisdom. He also owns “divine reflections” from the Psalter of the Mother of God. As for the famous prayer, which aims to cleanse the hearts of believers before Easter, it is known for its simplicity and depth. This prayer helps to cleanse the soul from idle talk, lack of chastity, and proud self-affirmation. She teaches meekness, humility, and gratitude.

When the prayer to Ephraim the Syrian is read during Lent

As the church recommends, the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian should be read daily, from late Sunday evening to Friday. There is no need to worry about repetitions of the prayer - each time you say its words, you perceive them in a new way. Prayer cleanses the soul and heart, setting the believer in a gracious mood during Lent.

“Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk.

Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant.

To her, Lord, King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever. Amen".

What prayer should you read during fasting - Prayers that help you fast

Each prayer is an appeal to God, containing our thoughts, a request to free us from “filth” - dishonest, unclean thoughts and actions. By asking the Lord God in prayer to protect us from temptation, we really become better people. In principle, any pious prayer addressed to God in time helps us to fast, abstaining from passions and temptations.

How prayers help to fast during Lent

Any prayers said during Lent are aimed at cleansing the soul from unfavorable, ungodly thoughts. By praying and reading the Gospel, we come to know God more deeply and understand the meaning of fasting.

I believe, Lord, but You confirm my faith.

but You strengthen my hope.

I loved you, Lord,

but You cleanse my love

and set it on fire.

I'm sorry, Lord, but you do it,

May I increase my repentance.

I honor You, Lord, my Creator,

I sigh for You, I call upon You.

Guide me with Your wisdom,

protect and strengthen.

I commend to You, my God, my thoughts,

let them come from You.

Let my deeds be in Your name,

and let my desires be in Thy will.

Illuminate my mind, strengthen my will,

cleanse the body, sanctify the soul.

Let me see my sins,

let me not be seduced by pride,

help me overcome temptations.

May I praise You all the days of my life,

which You gave to me.

What prayer is said before meals during fasting - Orthodox prayer “Our Father”

Christian believers pray before meals, regardless of whether food is eaten on a fast day or not. The most common prayer before meals is also the most famous prayer, known by heart even by children - “Our Father.” Very often during fasting, before meals, praises are said to the Lord, who gave food and drink. At the end of the meal, believers thank God, who gave them food, with prayers.

Lord's Prayer. Our Father

In arrival and departure bows instead "Worthy to eat"(before Easter is celebrated) the irmos of the ninth song of the Easter canon is read:

Shine, shine, new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is upon you. Rejoice now and be glad in Zion, You are pure, rejoice, O Mother of God, about the rise of Your Nativity (bow to the ground).

On Bright Week, instead of the morning and evening prayers outlined above, you can pray the Midnight Office (and the Night Office) with the Easter rite.

From the week of St. Thomas until the celebration of Easter, instead of “To the King of Heaven,” we read “Christ is Risen” (three times).

In morning prayers (and at the Midnight Office) after parish bows and “ For prayers...” - “Christ is Risen” (three times). Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee, for everyone's sake” (three times). Further, as usual.

From the celebration of Easter to the feast of the Holy Trinity “ To the King of Heaven” is not readable and cannot be replaced with anything.

PRAYERS BEFORE AND AFTER DINNER, BEFORE DINNER AND AFTER ON HOLY EASTER

On Bright Week, from the Resurrection of Christ until Friday inclusive, according to the instructions of the Great Charter, before lunch instead of "Our Father", after lunch instead "Worthy to eat", before dinner instead "Beggars eat" and after dinner instead "Glory, and now", "Be Thy womb" And "You have made me glad, Lord" read (three times). Next: Glory, and now(with bows), and everything in order, as indicated above.

From Saturday of Bright Week until Tuesday of the 6th week (the eve of Easter), inclusive, in prayers before and after meals (lunch and dinner), after "For the prayers of our holy fathers..." we read: "Christ is risen from the dead"(three times), then - the same prayers as during the rest of the year, only after lunch instead "It's worthy to eat" - "Glow, glow".

Explanation: although the celebration of the Easter holiday falls on Wednesday, we already begin the meal after the service: we said the release - the release took place; That’s why, on Wednesday of Easter, before and after lunch, we say prayers as on ordinary days. This is the meaning of the instructions of the Great Charter regarding prayer at meals these days. A similar interpretation also applies to Saturday of Bright Week.

Morning and evening prayers

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In the morning, while still in bed, cross yourself with prayer:

God(on the head), Jesus Christ(on the stomach), Son of God(on the right shoulder), have mercy on me, a sinner(on the left shoulder).

Females should pronounce “sinful” instead of “sinful”; Likewise, in all prayers one should make a declination according to its type.

If several people are praying and the prayers are read by the eldest, then in most prayers (with the exception of the publican’s prayer, psalms and other prayers with a set text) “me”, “mine”, “me”, etc. is replaced by “us”, “ours”, “us”, respectively, the word “sinner” is not read (for example, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us”, “Saints, glorious and great martyr and victorious George, pray to God for us” and etc.).

Rising from bed and washing your face, and in the evening, going to bed, stand with reverence before the holy icons and, looking at them, directing your thoughts to the invisible God and His saints. Sincerely, slowly, making the sign of the cross and bowing, say with tenderness the prayer of the publican:

Services for Holy Easter

CHARTER OF THE HOURS, EVEN VERS AND MIDNIGHT OFFICE THROUGH ALL BRIGHT WEEK

Midnight Office

Semipoklonny began (instead of "Worthy to eat » « Glow, glow »).

Z A Min.

Cross yourself and say:

X Christ is risen from the dead, tread death upon death, and give life to the grave (three times, singing, on tone 5).

IN Having seen the resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus, the only Sinless One (bow). We worship Your Cross, Christ (bow), and we sing and glorify Your holy resurrection. For you are our God, do we know no other to you, we call your name. Come, all you faithful, let us worship the Holy Resurrection of Christ (bow), behold, the Cross has come for joy to the whole world; Let us always bless the Lord and sing His Resurrection: for He endured crucifixion, and destroyed death by death (three times).

P When the morning dawned with Mary, and the stone was rolled away from the tomb, I heard from the Angel, Who in the ever-present light shall not look for Him with the dead, as for a man. You see the grave linens, preach to you and to the world: for the Lord has risen, you who have put to death; for He is the Son of God, saving the human race.

A He also descended into the grave, Immortal, but having destroyed the power of hell and rose again as a victor, Christ God. He proclaimed joy to the myrrh-bearing women and gave peace to His apostle; Giving resurrection to those who have fallen.

IN about the tomb with the flesh, in hell with the soul, like God, in paradise with the thief, and on the throne of Christ, with the Father and the Spirit, fulfilling all things indescribable.

Glory. I Who is the life-bearer, who is truly the reddest of paradise, and who appears brightest in every palace of the king, Christ Your sepulchre, the source of our resurrection.

And now. IN I rejoice in God’s most sanctified universe, for You have given joy to the Mother of God, crying to You: Blessed are You among women, Most Immaculate Lady.

Also, G Lord have mercy (40). Glory, even now. H the most natural cherub... Bless you in the name of the Lord, father.

Z and the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us (bow). A Min.

X Christ is risen.. (completely, three times).

And let go: IN resurrected from the dead, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, by the power of the honorable and life-giving Cross, and the glorious and all-praised apostles , and all the saints, have mercy and save me, a sinner, for you are Good and Lover of Mankind, amen.

Without crossing yourself, bow to the ground and read forgiveness: ABOUT weaken, leave, let go, God...

When you get up, read: N those who hate and offend us, forgive us, Lord...

G Lord have mercy (three times), and the usual initial bows.

Starting March 11, 2019, Orthodox Christians begin their longest fast. Great Lent lasts 48 days, starting on Holy Monday and ending on the eve of Easter on Holy Saturday.

Duration of Lent

The church established a seven-week fast in memory of how Jesus Christ spent 40 days in the desert. All this time he did not eat anything and constantly resisted the temptations of the devil. He withstood the test of loneliness and hunger, did not succumb to the temptations of the Devil, and forced him to retreat.

A believer, starting a multi-day fast, strives to cleanse his soul, fighting external and internal temptations. This behavior helps to understand what a feat the Savior accomplished, struggling for 40 days with the passions of human nature, and to feel the weight of resisting temptations.

To the 40 days of Christ's Fasting in the desert, the Church added Holy Week, in memory of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem, where the Savior suffered and suffered martyrdom. During Great Week, believers remember and experience the torment of Jesus, mourn on the day of his death in order to sincerely rejoice on the Bright Sunday of Christ.

Post Description

Great Lent is not only the longest, but also the strictest of all the fasts of the annual cycle. It involves a complete rejection of meat and dairy products. Fish and vegetable oil allowed to be consumed several times in 48 days. In the last Holy Week, the rules of fasting are close to complete abstinence from food. The church presents the daily diet of a fasting person in detail on annual Orthodox calendars. Such calendars can be purchased at any church store.

To make it easier for people to endure Great Lent, it is preceded by Maslenitsa week. It's time festive feasts with an abundance of quick dishes. The body stores the required amount of animal proteins, and abstinence from meat and dairy products is much easier to tolerate.

For beginners, maintaining a multi-day fast can be very difficult. The clergy say that you should not exhaust yourself with fasting on the road, in illness or in motherhood. Nursing mothers, sick people, as well as those who are on the go need more nutrients to maintain the body, so during such periods it is not only possible, but necessary to retreat from fasting.

Those who have just set out on the path of Christianity, first of all, need to understand that the time of fasting is not only the refusal of certain foods, it is abstinence from all sin, including alcohol, intimate relationships and slander.

The holy apostles and clergy unequivocally say that the time of fasting is a time for the education of the spirit. “It’s not the sin that goes into the mouth, it’s the sin that comes out of the mouth,” says the biblical aphorism. This phrase contains the deep meaning of fasting. By deviating from the rules of eating Lenten food, a person does not sin in the eyes of the Lord, but when he curses and curses, offends his neighbors in word and deed, then his soul is denigrated by grave sin.

How to pray correctly during Lent?

It is difficult to endure Lent according to all church canons. Prayer helps strengthen oneself in faith. During Lent, churches hold daily services to help parishioners pray. That is why during Lent you should strive to come to church as often as possible. The clergy will prompt and guide the believer who has accepted fasting. During the service, a person not only joins in the divine chants, but has the opportunity to communicate with like-minded people and feel that he is not alone in his faith. Communication with other believers increases the desire to endure the fast to the end according to all the rules.

Lay people who are unable to attend church can pray at home on their own or with the whole family. During Lent, daily morning and evening prayers are read, to which is added the well-known universal prayer of Ephraim the Syrian.

When choosing daily prayers, the fasting person must remember that on these days he only needs to ask the Lord to cleanse his soul from vices and strengthen him in faith. Petitions for love and prosperity are best left for holidays.

Prayers need to be read daily, and several times a day, especially when moments of temptation arise. Reading the Gospel helps to take your mind off bad thoughts. If you have children, have a Bible reading every night. By introducing a child to faith, parents themselves become one step closer to God, pleasing him with their actions.

No matter how long Lent is, it ends by Easter. Believers who were able to withstand it according to Orthodox laws, on the festive night of the Resurrection of the Lord receive an indescribable reward - God's Grace. May God be with you.

Prayers during Lent

The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is one of the most often said during Great Orthodox Lent. The prayer is read daily, except weekends and until Wednesday of Holy Week inclusive.

Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk. Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. To her, Lord, King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever. Amen

Morning prayer

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.

On March 14, 2016, Orthodox Christians begin a 40-day fast before Easter, which will last until April 30. This is the strictest and most important of all Orthodox fasts, which is why it is called the Great Fast. What should you do during Lent? How to eat properly? Which prayers should I say at which icons? How to cleanse yourself from sins?

Great Lent is a kind of filter for the soul of an Orthodox believer. This is a fast that limits not only food, but also sin, sinful acts.

If a believer during this 40-day Great Lent can restrain himself from sinful acts, he will be able to cleanse his soul. Awareness of one's sinfulness and pure repentance. Great Lent is a state of man when his soul is purified through restrictions imposed on the flesh.

Let us emphasize once again: Great Lent stipulates that the believer fasts not only in food, but also in terms of actions, insults, rude words, and vile thoughts.

Lent calendar 2016

The greatest strictness of fasting is required in the first and Holy weeks.

IN clean monday you must completely abstain from food.

The rest of the time you should eat as follows:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday– dry eating, that is, it is allowed to eat bread, water, fruits, vegetables;

Tuesday, Thursday– you can eat hot foods of plant origin without oil;

Saturday, Sunday– it is allowed to eat foods of plant origin with vegetable oil;

at the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is celebrated this year April 7, you can eat fish;

on Lazarus Saturday which will April 23, fish roe is allowed to be served;

on Good Friday, which in 2016 will be April 29, you cannot eat before the shroud is taken out during a church service.

During Great Lent, a believer can eliminate all illnesses and sorrows from his heart, cleanse himself and tune in to a positive mood. Daily prayers help with this.

Every morning of Lent must begin with prayer and end the day with it. If possible, you should attend church.

You cannot get married during Lent, much less get married.

The celebration of special dates during Lent should also be postponed.

How to spend Lent correctly

During the weekdays of Great Lent, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, the Church does not perform the full liturgy, this most solemn and festive Christian service. Instead of the full liturgy, on Wednesdays and Fridays the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served. The composition of other church services changes with the times. On weekdays, singing almost stops; reading from the Old Testament scriptures, especially the Psalter, is preferred; prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian with great (earthly) bows, and the third, sixth and ninth hours are connected with vespers to indicate the time until which the day's fast should extend.

Holy Pentecost and its services begin with Vespers of the Week of Cheese. Cheese Sunday is also colloquially called Forgiveness Sunday, because during the evening service on this day there is a rite or ritual of general forgiveness in the church.

The rite of forgiveness It is done like this: the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God are brought out on the salt and placed on lecterns; the abbot bows to the ground before them and kisses them, then he usually pronounces a word, asking for forgiveness of his sins from the clergy and the people, saying: “Bless me, holy fathers and brothers, and forgive me, a sinner, for those who have sinned this day.” and all the days of my life: in word, deed, thought and all my feelings.” At the same time, he makes a general prostration to the clergy and people. Everyone also responds to him with a bow to the ground, saying: “God will forgive you, Holy Father. Forgive us, sinners, and bless us.” Then the rector takes the altar Cross, and all the clergy, in order of seniority, venerate the icons on the lectern, approach the rector, kiss the honorable Cross, and his hand holding the Cross kisses the rector. After them, the laity come up, venerate the holy images and the Cross and ask for forgiveness from the clergy and from each other.

During the rite of forgiveness, it is customary to sing “Open the doors of repentance”, “On the rivers of Babylon” and other penitential chants. In some churches, the stichera of Easter are also sung at the same time, up to and including the words “and thus let us cry out” (in the last stichera).

Venerable Ephraim the Syrian

In accordance with the words of the Gospel read this Sunday, inspiring to forgive one another’s sins and to be reconciled with everyone, in ancient times Egyptian hermits gathered on the last day of Cheese Week for common prayer and, having asked each other for forgiveness and blessing, while singing Easter stichera, as if as a reminder of the expected Easter of Christ, at the end of Vespers they went into the desert for solitary exploits during the Pentecost and gathered again only for Vai Week. That is why now, following this ancient pious custom, the sons Orthodox Church as a sign of reconciliation and forgiveness, they pray for the dead and visit each other on cheese week.

First week Lent is characterized by particular severity, for it is proper to have zeal for piety at the beginning of the feat. Accordingly, the Church holds longer services in the first week than on the following days. From Monday to Thursday at Great Vespers the penitential prayer is read. Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete(+ 712). This canon is called Great both by the multitude of thoughts and memories contained in it, and by the number of troparia it contains - about 250 (in ordinary canons there are about 30). For reading during the first week of Lent, the canon is divided into four parts, according to the number of days.

On Wednesday and Thursday, several troparions are added to the Great Canon in honor of the Venerable Mary of Egypt (+ 522), who came from a deep spiritual decline to high piety.

The Great Canon ends with troparions in honor of its creator, Saint Andrew of Crete.

On Monday or Tuesday of the first week, after Matins or hours, the priest in the stole reads to the parishioners “Prayers at the beginning of the Lent of the Holy Pentecost”, laid down in the Trebnik.

On Saturday of the first week The Church commemorates the miraculous help shown Great Martyr Theodore Tiron(+ c. 306) to the Christians of Constantinople in 362, under Emperor Julian the Apostate (+ 363), when in the first week of Great Lent the saint, appearing to the Archbishop of Constantinople, ordered the use of kolivo (boiled grain) instead of the food defiled by the secret sprinkling of the blood of idolaters in the marketplaces . The consecration of the koliva (otherwise known as kutiya) takes place on Friday of the first week at the Presanctified Liturgy, following the prayer behind the pulpit and moleben singing to the Great Martyr Theodore.

Great Martyr Theodore Tiron

In many churches, on Fridays or Sundays, a touching liturgical rite called passion (from the Latin passio - suffering) is performed. It was introduced into church use under the Metropolitan of Kiev Peter Mohyla (XVII century).

It is celebrated at Compline (on Friday) or at Vespers (on Sunday) in the first, second (often from the second), third and fourth weeks of Lent and consists of reading the Gospel about the Passion of Christ, singing the hymns of Passion Week - “To you, clothed with light, like a robe”, “Come, let us please Joseph of ever-memorable” and others - and teachings. The Church Charter does not speak about passions. The order of passions was first placed at the end of the Colored Triodion, published in 1702 by Archimandrite of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Joasaph Kronovsky. At the end of the description of the rite it is said: “All this is remembered by advice, and not by command, even though all of it is submitted under the judgment of the Holy Orthodox Church.”

First Week(Sunday) of Great Lent is also called Week, or triumph of Orthodoxy. On this day, the celebration of the triumph of Orthodoxy is commemorated, established in Byzantium in the first half of the 9th century in memory of the final victory of the Orthodox Church over all heretical teachings that outraged the Church, especially over the last of them - iconoclast, condemned by the Seventh Ecumenical Council in 787. On this Week, a special divine service is performed, called the Rite of Orthodoxy. This order was compiled by Methodius, Patriarch of Constantinople (842 - 846). The victory of Orthodoxy was originally celebrated on the first Sunday of Great Lent, and thus the basis for celebrating the triumph of Orthodoxy on this day is historical.

The rite of Orthodoxy consists mainly of prayer singing and is performed in cathedrals after reading the hours before the liturgy or after the liturgy in the middle of the church, before the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God.

Second week and the Sunday of Great Lent are called the Week and the Week of Light-Giving Fasts: the Church prays to the Lord for the grace-filled illumination of those who fast and repent. In the divine service of this week and Sunday, along with contrition for the sinful state of man, fasting is praised as a path to such inner grace-filled illumination.

The Orthodox teaching on fasting is revealed with particular force in the memory of the second week Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica, miracle worker (XIV century). Saint Gregory, himself a great ascetic of Athos, is known as a defender of Orthodoxy and denouncer of the heretical teaching of Barlaam, a Calabrian monk who rejected the Orthodox teaching about the grace-filled light that enlightens inner man and sometimes visibly opening, for example, as was the case at Tabor and Sinai. Varlaam did not allow the possibility of achieving this insight through prayer, fasting and other spiritual feats of selflessness. At the Council convened on this occasion in Constantinople in 1341, Saint Gregory Palamas, called the son of Divine Light, denounced the heretics and defended the doctrine of the Divine Light, uncreated, ever-present, with which the Lord shone on Tabor and with which ascetics are illuminated, achieving such illumination through prayer and fasting .

Saint Gregory Palamas

The third Sunday of Lent is called the Worship of the Cross., since on this Sunday the Church glorifies the Holy Cross and the spiritual fruits of the Savior's death on the Cross.

The meaning of the Cross of Christ for those who labor in fasting is explained by the Church in liturgical hymns in many different images and similarities. Like a hay-leaved tree that provides thick shade and brings coolness and rest to a weary traveler, the Cross of Christ, in the midst of the labors of Lent, provides believers with coolness and encouragement to complete their work.

The Cross of Christ, as a banner of victory over death, prepares us for the joyful glorification of the Conqueror of hell and death. The Cross of Christ is compared with the tree that sweetened the bitter waters of Marah, with the tree of life planted in the middle of paradise. The Good News of the Cross and worship of him comfortingly remind us of the approaching bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ.

In addition to the glorification of the Holy Cross, on which the Lord humbled Himself to death, in the service of the fourth week of Great Lent, Pharisee pride, condemned by God, is exposed, and the publican’s humility is praised.

Starting from Wednesday of the Week of the Cross, at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts until Great Wednesday, special litanies are pronounced for those preparing for enlightenment (baptism).

In worship fourth week(Sundays) The Church offers high example fasting life in the person of the ascetic of the 6th century Venerable John Climacus, from 17 to 80 years of age, labored on Mount Sinai and in his creation “Ladder of Paradise” depicted the path of a person’s gradual ascent to spiritual perfection along the ladder of the soul, leading from earth to ever-present glory. There are 30 such degrees indicated in the “Ladder,” according to the number of years of the Savior’s earthly life before His entry into public service to the human race.

Venerable John Climacus

On Thursday of the fifth week at Matins they read the entire thing The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and the Life of St. Mary of Egypt(V – VI centuries) from the abyss of vice, who ascended through repentance to such a height of perfection and holiness that she became like disembodied angels. This service is therefore also called Mary’s (or less commonly: St. Andrew’s) standing.

In practice, it takes place on Wednesday evening. When reading, the Life is divided into two parts: one part is read after the kathismas, the second - according to the third song of the canon. The Life of the Venerable Mary was compiled by Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem (638 - 644), and Saint Andrew of Crete, sent by the Patriarch Theodore of Jerusalem to the VI Ecumenical Council of Trullo (680 - 681), brought the Life of Saint Mary along with his canon. The reading of the canon of St. Andrew and the Life of St. Mary of Egypt on Thursday of the fifth week at Matins is established at this Council.

On Wednesday of the fifth week at Vespers, which refers to Thursday, in addition to the usual stichera on “Lord, I cried,” 24 penitential stichera of the Great Canon are sung - the creation of St. Andrew of Crete. All stichera have the ending: “Lord! Before I even die completely, save me.”

On Thursday, for the reading of the Great Canon, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated and the ringing occurs during the “red” period, that is, not during Lenten.

Saturday of the fifth week is called Saturday of the Akathist, and the service itself was called “Praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” On this day at Matins the Akathist from Greek is read. - unseated (of course singing) of the Mother of God in memory of Her intercession and deliverance of Constantinople during the days of fasting from the invasion of foreigners in the 7th century. This first of the akathists was compiled in the 7th century. based on even more ancient kontakia, which glorify the events of the Nativity of the Lord and the Annunciation of the Most Pure Theotokos.

IN Passion Sunday The Church remembers and glorifies Saint Mary of Egypt.

In the hymns of the canon for this Week, as well as in the worship of the seven days of the next week, the Gospel parable of the rich man and Lazarus is revealed in order to encourage believers to true repentance, through which the Kingdom of God is achieved. The Church urges believers to avoid the mercy and inhumanity of the rich man, and to be jealous of the patience and generosity of Lazarus, for the Kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and abstinence with holiness and mercy.

Venerable Mary of Egypt

IN Saturday of the sixth week- Vaiy Church remembers miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus by the Lord Jesus Christ That's why it's called Lazarus Saturday.

By the resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus Christ demonstrated His Divine power and glory and assured His disciples and everyone of His coming Resurrection and the general resurrection of the dead on the day of God’s Judgment.

The week of Vai is dedicated to the remembrance of the solemn Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, where He went for suffering and death on the Cross. This event is described by all the evangelists: Matt. 21, 1 – 11; Mk. 11, 1 – 11; OK. 19, 29 – 44; In. 12, 12 – 19. This holiday is called the Week of Vaii (branches), the Week of Flowers, and in common parlance among Russians it is also Palm Sunday from the custom of consecrating palm branches on this day, which we replace with willows.

The beginning of the holiday dates back to ancient times. The first indication of the holiday - in the 3rd century - belongs to Saint Methodius, Bishop of Patara (+ 312), who left a teaching for this day. In the 4th century, the holiday, as Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus testifies, was celebrated very solemnly. Many of the holy fathers of the 4th century. left their teachings for this holiday. In the 7th – 9th centuries. Saints Andrew of Crete, Cosmas of Maium, John of Damascus, Theodore and Joseph the Studites, as well as the Byzantine Emperor Leo the Philosopher, Theophanes and Nikephoros Xanthopoulos glorified the holiday with hymns, which are still sung by the Orthodox Church.

Venerable John of Damascus

The Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem belongs to the twelve feasts, but has neither a pre-celebration nor a post-celebration, since it is surrounded by the fasting days of Lent and Holy Week. However, although it does not have forefeast days, like the other twelve holidays, the service of the entire previous week, starting on Monday, in many stichera and troparia is dedicated to the event of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem.

On Friday of Vai week, the fast of the Holy Pentecost ends. On this day, in one of the stichera on “Lord, I cried,” it is sung: “Having celebrated the soul-bearing Feast of Lent, and the Holy Week of Your Passion, we ask you to see, O Lover of Mankind.”

Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday serve as the transition from Lent to Holy Week.

How to eat healthy during Lent

Food during Lent should be simple, not of animal origin and not fatty.

Meat, poultry, milk, eggs, mayonnaise, chocolate, baked goods and fish (it can be occasionally included in the diet) are completely prohibited.

But you shouldn’t limit yourself to only vegetables, herbs and fruits, because this way you put your muscles at risk, which are difficult to maintain without getting protein from food.

That is why it is important to include plant-based protein foods in your diet every day: beans, beans, peas, lentils, buckwheat.

In addition, it is allowed to use bakery products, which were prepared without the use of milk or eggs. However, the most important thing is that during Lent it is forbidden to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. This is where you should always start.

Nutrition during Lent

Nutrition during Lent differs depending on the week of fasting. The most strict are the first and last weeks; the rest of the time some concessions are possible. Products and dishes that include Lenten menu :

♦ sprouted grains of wheat or oats, the usefulness of which was proven several decades ago;

♦ nuts – almonds, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts are incredibly healthy and contain a lot of protein and essential microelements for the body;

♦ Lentils, beans, soybeans and peas are also rich in natural protein. What makes Lenten cuisine during Lent an indispensable element in the diet of a fasting person;

♦ soy milk, cheese (tofu) and other soy products are not the most nutritious, but they also contain protein;

♦ mushrooms have a high nutritional value, you can prepare a wide variety of dishes from them, thanks to which you can diversify your diet;

♦ asparagus - this product, not very popular, but quite healthy, should definitely find a place on the table of a fasting person.

Lent is the longest and strictest of all. This period is aimed not only at physical, but also at spiritual cleansing. To religious tradition has not become a regular diet, pray daily to the Lord and the saints.

Lent is a preparation for Easter. During this period, believers can achieve unity with God and cleanse their souls of sins. Many people mistakenly think that during fasting they simply need to give up prohibited foods. However, without prayer requests and performing godly deeds, fasting is a common diet. Don't forget to attend church and try to devote more time to prayers than usual.

The meaning of Lent

The main meaning of Lent is not to give up meat and dairy products, but to cleanse the soul. That is why the church recommends abstaining not only from certain foods, but also from usual entertainment.

During fasting, it is recommended to spend less time in front of the TV or on the Internet. Entertainment programs and meaningless information only clog our lives. Free hours are best spent in church, where you can pray and repent of your sins.

During this period, you can rethink your life and think about your purpose. During fasting, you will be able to look into your heart and understand what you really want from life.

Take care not only of cleansing your body, but also your soul. Get rid of negative thoughts and try to let go of old grievances. Imagine that every day you have the opportunity to start life from scratch, but to do this you need to say goodbye to the past.

Morning prayer during Lent

Orthodox believers know that it is necessary to begin every morning with prayer, especially during fasting. With its help, you can create a positive attitude and protect yourself from any troubles.

“Lord God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Cleanse my soul from sins, deliver me from evil thoughts. Protect me from enemies and from their atrocities. I believe in Your generosity and kindness that You give to us. Glory to You, God. Amen!"

Evening prayer during Lent

During Lent, it is recommended not only to begin, but also to end the day with prayer. It is advisable to say this prayer every evening before going to bed:

“Lord God, creator of all life on earth and the King of Heaven, forgive me for the sins I have committed during the day in word or deed. Even in a dream, I, God’s servant, do not lose faith in You. I believe that You will save me from sins and cleanse my soul. Every day I hope for Your protection. Hear my prayer, answer my requests. Amen".

Before going to bed, do not forget to pray to your Guardian Angel:

“Guardian Angel, protector of my soul and my body. If I have sinned this day, deliver me from my sins. Don't let the Lord God be angry with me. Pray for me, God’s servant (name), before the Lord God, ask him for the forgiveness of my sins and protect me from committing evil. Amen".

Prayer for forgiveness of sins

During Lent, every believer must repent for their sins - this is an important part of spiritual cleansing. Don't forget to say your prayer every day.

“I, servant of God (name), turn to You, Lord, and with all my heart I ask You to forgive my sins. Have mercy on me, Heavenly King, deliver me from mental torment and self-torture. I will turn to You, Son of God. You died for our sins and You rose again to live forever. I hope for Your help and ask you to bless me. Forever You are my Savior. Amen!"

Main prayer for Lent

A short prayer by Ephraim the Syrian is the main prayer for the period of Lent. It is said on weekdays, at the end of each Lenten service. With its help, you can repent, rid your soul of sins, and also protect yourself and your loved ones from illnesses and committing evil.

“Lord God, Lord of my days. Do not allow the spirit of inaction, sadness, self-love to come to me. Grant the spirit of sanity and humility, love and patience to me, Your servant (name). Lord God, punish me for my sins, but do not punish my neighbor for them. Amen!"

Holy Week is an important period of Lent. At this time, you need to eat right, excluding prohibited foods, and the nutrition calendar will help you with this. We wish you happiness and health, and don't forget to press the buttons and