The prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov for the laity. Prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov Morning rule of Seraphim of Sarov
(77 votes: 4.1 out of 5)Hieromonk Sergius
Seraphim's rule (3 times “Our Father”; 3 times “Virgin Mother of God...”; 1 time “Creed”) It was intended to pray in individual cases, when for some reason it was not possible to read the full text. That is, as an exception.
In addition, Rev. Seraphim gave it to the Diveyevo sisters, who, being nuns, had the opportunity to visit often - more often than the laity.
- and this especially applies to prayer - is such that if you do not constantly force yourself, there will be no success. says that prayer requires constant self-compulsion, no matter what spiritual state a person is in, i.e. even the saints forced themselves to pray. It is labor that is valuable before. Constancy is important in work.
But there is another side to prayer. When a person constantly forces himself to do it, he suddenly discovers a special inner joy in the practice of prayer, so that at times he wants to give up everything for the sake of prayer. That is why there are people who go to monasteries. They go there for nothing other than prayer. And if prayer did not bring joy, it is unlikely that anyone would be able to stay there.
As for attention, which is truly the soul of prayer, it directly depends on the kind of life a person leads. He who leads an attentive life has attentive prayer. “The reason for the involuntary is arbitrary,” said the Fathers. An attentive life is when a person is attentive to everything that happens to him. First of all - inside him, and then around him: to all thoughts, experiences, desires, intentions. Every desire and every thought is compared with the Gospel: are they pleasing to God? - and leaves in the heart and mind only what is pleasing to God, expelling from there every manifestation of sin. It helps a lot to live an attentive life when a person has a spiritual father and can ask him what to do in a given situation, and can resolve various perplexities regarding spiritual life and external circumstances.
The saints of God were wise people. They understood that it is necessary to accustom a person to a pious life gradually: they do not pour new wine into old wineskins. Therefore, at first they gave their students small rules, and then they demanded greater severity. This is an indispensable law of spiritual life: forgetting what lies behind, reaching forward, as the apostle said.
They commanded short prayers as unceasing prayers so that the mind would not be distracted by many words and would maintain attention. Continuous prayer is performed during any task, called obedience in the monastery, and work in the world. These short prayers, performed according to the commandment “pray without ceasing,” should not interfere, therefore, if the work is mental, prayer is abandoned at this time. The home rule was commanded individually, in accordance with the spiritual strength of the student. And worship, sometimes even for the laity, took considerable time. No wonder it was called an all-night vigil. The reductions began in the 19th century. On Mount Athos, services still last 13-14 hours.
In detail: the rule of prayer of Seraphim of Sarov - from all open sources and different parts of the world on the site for our dear readers.
A short daily prayer rule bequeathed by Seraphim of Sarov to all the laity. Father Seraphim himself called him “correct.” This prayer rule is also called: Seraphim’s rule.
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Brief prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov
Many, coming to Fr. Seraphim, they complained that they prayed little to God, even leaving the necessary daytime prayers. Some said that they were doing this out of ignorance, others - out of lack of time. O. Seraphim bequeathed the following prayer rule to such people:“Having risen from sleep, every Christian, standing before the holy icons, let him read
– the Lord’s Prayer: Our Father – three times, in honor of the Holy Trinity,
- then the hymn to the Mother of God: Virgin Mary, rejoice - also three times,
- and, finally, the Creed: I believe in one God - once.
Having completed this rule, let every Christian go about his business to which he has been assigned or called.
While working at home or on the way somewhere, let him read quietly: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner or a sinner; and if others surround him, then, while doing business, let him say only this with his mind: Lord, have mercy and continue until lunch.
Just before lunch, let him perform the above morning rule.
After dinner, while doing his job, let every Christian also read quietly: Most Holy Theotokos, save me a sinner, and let him continue this until sleep.
When he happens to spend time in solitude, let him read: Lord Jesus Christ, through the Mother of God have mercy on me, a sinner or a sinner.
When going to bed, let every Christian again read the above-mentioned morning rule, that is, three times Our Father, three times the Mother of God, and once the Creed. After that, let him fall asleep, protecting himself with the sign of the cross.”
“By adhering to this rule,” said Father Seraphim, “one can achieve a measure of Christian perfection, for the above three prayers are the foundation of Christianity: the first, as a prayer given by the Lord Himself, is a model of all prayers; the second was brought from heaven by the Archangel in greeting to the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Lord; The symbol briefly contains the saving dogmas of the Christian faith.”
For those who, for various reasons, cannot follow this small rule, the Monk Seraphim advised reading it in every position: during classes, at work, and even in bed, presenting the basis for this as the words of Holy Scripture: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord , will be saved.
Prayers for the rule
Lord's Prayer: Our FatherOur Father, who art in heaven! |
Prayer: Virgin Mary, rejoiceRejoice, Virgin Mary, |
Prayer: CreedI believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, |
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To all laity who cannot perform the full reading of the evening prayer, Father Seraphim bequeathed the following prayer rule:
“When going to sleep, let every Christian again read three times the Our Father, three times the Mother of God, and once the Creed. After that, let him fall asleep, protecting himself with the sign of the cross.”
All evening prayers in a row:
Prayer to the Lord (Our Father)
Our Father who art in Heaven!
Hallowed be Thy name;
Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done both in heaven and on earth.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;
Virgin Mary, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the Fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls. (Read 150 times daily)
.
After every ten additional prayers are read:
First ten.
We remember the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We pray for mothers, fathers and children.
O Most Holy Lady Theotokos, save and preserve Your servants (names of parents and relatives) and rest those who have died with the saints in Thy eternal glory.
Second ten.
We remember the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We pray for those who are lost and have fallen away from the Church.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, save and preserve and unite (or join) to the Holy Orthodox Church of Your lost and fallen servants (names).
Third ten.
We remember the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We pray for the quenching of sorrows and the consolation of those who mourn.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, quench our sorrows and send comfort to your grieving and sick servants (names).
Fourth decade.
We remember the Meeting of the Most Holy Theotokos with Righteous Elizabeth. We pray for the unification of those who are separated, whose loved ones or children are separated or missing.
O Most Holy Lady Theotokos, unite Your servants who are separated (names).
Fifth decade.
We remember the Nativity of Christ, we pray for the rebirth of souls, for new life in Christ.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, grant to me, who was baptized into Christ, to be clothed in Christ.
Sixth decade.
We remember the Presentation of the Lord, and the word prophesied by Saint Simeon: “And a weapon will pierce your very soul.” We pray that the Mother of God would meet the soul at the hour of death and would grant her, with her last breath, to partake of the Holy Mysteries and lead the soul through terrible ordeals.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, grant me, with my last breath, to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ and lead my soul through terrible ordeals.
Seventh decade.
We remember the flight to Egypt of the Mother of God with the Infant God, we pray that the Queen of Heaven would help us avoid temptations in this life and deliver us from misfortunes.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, do not lead me into temptation in this life and deliver me from all misfortunes.
Eighty.
We remember the disappearance of the twelve-year-old boy Jesus in Jerusalem and the grief of the Mother of God over this. We pray, asking Our Lady for the constant Jesus Prayer.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Most Pure Virgin Mary, grant me the unceasing Jesus Prayer.
Ninth decade.
We remember the miracle in Cana of Galilee, when the Lord turned water into wine according to the word of the Mother of God: “They have no wine.” We ask the Mother of God for help in business and deliverance from need.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, help me in all matters and deliver me from all needs and sorrow.
Ten ten.
We remember the standing of the Mother of God at the Cross of the Lord, when sorrow, like a weapon, pierced Her soul. We pray to the Mother of God for strengthening of spiritual strength and for driving away despondency.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Most Blessed Virgin Mary, strengthen my spiritual strength and drive away despondency from me.
Eleventh ten.
We remember the Resurrection of Christ and prayerfully ask the Mother of God to resurrect the soul and give new vigor to feat.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, resurrect my soul and grant me constant readiness for heroic deeds.
Twelfth decade.
We remember the Ascension of Christ, at which the Mother of God was present. We pray and ask the Queen of Heaven to lift up the soul from earthly vain amusements and direct it to strive for things above.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, deliver me from vain thoughts and grant me a mind and a heart striving for the salvation of the soul.
Thirteenth decade.
We remember the Upper Room of Zion and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the Mother of God and pray: “Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, send down and strengthen the grace of the Holy Spirit in my heart.
Fourteenth decade.
We remember the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos and ask for a peaceful and serene death.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, grant me a peaceful and serene death.
Fifteen ten.
We remember the glory of the Mother of God, with which She is crowned by the Lord after Her transmigration from earth to Heaven, and we pray to the Queen of Heaven not to abandon the faithful who are on earth, but to protect them from all evil, covering them with Her Honest Omophorion.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, save me from all evil and cover me with Your Honest Omophorion.
Complete collection and description: Seraphim's rule of prayer for the spiritual life of a believer.
The Venerable Elder Seraphim of Sarov was an extraordinary man of prayer and a humble guardian of God’s laws. Until now, he is a wise teacher and mentor for many Orthodox laity. His prayer rule acts every minute on those who fulfill it with true zeal, who truly believe in Jesus Christ and the Mother of God. Many prayers are also offered to Seraphim of Sarov himself, so that he will help in overcoming difficulties and protect from various troubles. The days of his memory are celebrated by the Orthodox Church on January 15 - when the priest appeared before the Lord, and on August 1 - on the day of the discovery of holy relics.
The childhood of Seraphim of Sarov
The proposed prayer rule was literally developed by the elder himself, who had to endure and endure a lot. And only by the will of God to remain alive. Even the Devil himself once became the tempter of Seraphim of Sarov, but more on that later.
So, Prokhor Moshnin (that was his name in the world) was born on July 19, 1754 (or 1759) in Kursk into the merchant family of the Moshnins. His father was involved in various construction contracts, including the construction of churches.
Today, a church has been preserved in Kursk - the Sergius-Kazan Cathedral, which the father of Seraphim of Sarov began to build, but he soon died, and his wife took over the management of the construction of the church. Prokhor once found himself at a construction site with his mother and accidentally, through a childish prank, fell from a high bell tower. However, to the surprise of everyone, he remained alive, since God had prepared a completely different fate for him. Today in this temple, in this very place, there is a monument to the Reverend Father Seraphim of Sarov.
Boyhood
From a young age, Prokhor tried to follow the prayer rule for the laity. He often attended church services and learned to read and write. He often read the books Lives of the Saints and the Gospel aloud to his peers. When he became very ill, his mother put his head to the icon of the Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos - and the boy received healing from her. Soon, the very young Prokhor wanted to become a novice in a monastery. His own mother blessed him and gave him a crucifix, which he carried with him all his life. Today it is kept by the nuns in the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery.
Monasticism
Soon Prokhor makes a pilgrimage to the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. There he receives the blessing of Elder Dosifei to serve and goes to the Holy Dormition Sarov Hermitage. Upon Prokhor’s arrival at the monastery, Father Pachomius assigned him a confessor, Elder Joseph. Prokhor fulfilled all his duties with great pleasure and diligence and read the prayer rule with great diligence.
Then, following the example of other monks, he wanted to retire to the forest for the Jesus Prayer. Elder Joseph blessed him for this.
After some time, the young novice began to suffer from dropsy. The illness did not let him go for a long time, but he did not want to see doctors and completely surrendered to the will of God. And then one night after communion he saw the Mother of God with John the Theologian and the Apostle Peter. She poked him in the side with her staff and the liquid immediately flowed out of it. From that moment Prokhor began to recover.
After eight years of staying in the Sarov monastery, Prokhor becomes a monk with the name Seraphim. He began to live in a cell located in the forest not far from the monastery. It was then that he became involved in monastic feats, in particular physical ones, since he wore the same clothes both in summer and in winter. He obtained his meager food in the forest, since he mostly kept a fast. He slept little, spending time in constant prayer and fulfilling the daily prayer rule, rereading the Gospel and patristic writings.
He achieved such spiritual development that at church services he more than once saw Holy Angels helping the ministry. And once I even saw Jesus Christ himself, who entered the image at the Royal Doors. After such visions, Seraphim of Sarov prayed even more intensely. With the blessing of the abbot of the monastery, Father Isaiah, he decides on a new feat - he goes several kilometers into a deserted forest cell. He comes to the monastery to receive communion only on Saturdays.
At the age of 39 he becomes a hieromonk. Father Seraphim devotes himself almost entirely to prayer and can even lie motionless for a long time. Over time, again with the blessing of the abbot of the monastery, he stopped receiving visitors, the path to him was almost overgrown, only wild animals, which he loved to treat with bread, could wander there.
The Devil did not like such exploits of Father Seraphim. He decided to send robbers against him, who came to him and began to demand money from the poor old man. These uninvited guests beat Father Seraphim almost to death. He was strong enough to repel them, but decided not to shed blood, since he lived according to the commandments and his faith in the Lord was strong. They did not find any money from him, and therefore, ashamed, they went home. The brethren were simply shocked when they saw the wounded priest. But the elder did not need a doctor, since the Queen of Heaven Herself healed him, once again appearing to him in a dream.
Hermitage
After several months, Father Seraphim returned to his desert cell. During 15 years of hermitage, he was constantly in the thought of God and for this he was gifted with the gift of clairvoyance and miracles. When the priest became very weak from old age, he returned to the monastery and began to receive visitors, whom he treated with great respect and addressed only as “My Joy.”
It is thanks to Seraphim of Sarov that we have a short prayer rule that gives every Orthodox Christian the opportunity to always and at any moment be closer to God.
His real brainchild was the Diveevo Convent, the development of which was inspired by the Mother of God herself.
Before his death, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov took communion and, kneeling before his beloved icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness,” departed in peace to the Lord. This happened in 1833.
The canonization of the holy relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov took place on August 1, 1903. Russian Tsar Nicholas II took part in this process.
Prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov
Seraphim of Sarov asked his spiritual children to pray tirelessly, believing that they needed prayer like air. He said that you need to pray both in the morning and in the evening, before and after work, and at any time. However, it is difficult for ordinary parishioners to read all the necessary numerous prayers; not everyone has enough time for this task due to the constant bustle and busyness of life. That is why, in order for people to sin less, special short prayer rules of Seraphim of Sarov appeared.
Morning and evening prayer rules
These prayers do not require any special effort or work. But, according to the saint, it is precisely these rules that will become a kind of anchor that reliably holds back the ship of life on the raging waves of everyday problems. By following these rules daily, you can achieve high spiritual development, since prayer is the main essence of the foundation of Christianity.
The morning prayer rule says that every believer, waking up in the morning, must first cross himself three times and in a certain place in front of the icons read the prayer “Our Father” three times, three times “Hail Mary” and once the “Creed”. And then you can calmly begin your business. During the day, you also need to periodically turn to God with the prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” If there are people around, then say the words: “Lord have mercy.”
Rule of Seraphim of Sarov
And so on until lunch, and before it you need to repeat the morning prayer rule exactly. After lunch, a short prayer is read: “Most Holy Virgin Mary, save me, a sinner.” This prayer must be read periodically until the evening. In solitude from everyone, read “Lord Jesus Christ, Mother of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”
At the end of the day, the evening prayer rule is read. The text of his prayers absolutely coincides with the morning ones. And then, having been baptized three times, you can go to bed. This is the prayer rule for beginners from the holy elder Seraphim of Sarov himself.
Designation of prayers
The Lord's Prayer is the word of the Lord, set by Him as a model. The prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” became the Archangel’s greeting to the Mother of God. The “Creed” prayer is already a dogma.
However, along with these prayers, it is necessary to say others, and it is also necessary to read the Gospel, canons of praise and akathists.
Our wise elder Seraphim advised that if, due to being very busy at work, it is not possible to read prayers with dignity, then this can be done while walking, and during any activity, even lying down. The main thing is to always remember his words: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Prophecies
The perspicacious old man could predict the future. So, he predicted war, revolution and the execution of Nicholas II and his family. He also predicted his own canonization. But the main thing is that he predicted the revival of Russia (starting in 2003), that despite all the severe suffering, it would become a great power, since it was its Slavic people who became the custodians of the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is Russia that will become the world leader, many nations will submit to it, there will not be a stronger and more powerful state on Earth. Everything that Holy Father Seraphim of Sarov predicted certainly came true. And now we can only pray to God and the holy elder, so that this time all his prophecies will come true.
Seraphim's rule prayer
Many, coming to Father Seraphim, complained that they did not pray to God enough, even leaving out the necessary daily prayers.
St. Seraphim bequeathed a prayer rule to such people:
“When every Christian gets up from sleep, let him read the Lord’s Prayer: Our Father… three times, in honor of the Most Holy Trinity, then a hymn to the Mother of God: Virgin Mary, rejoice... three times and the Creed: I believe in one God... once.
Having completed this rule, let him go about his business. While working at home or on the road, let him read quietly: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner; and if other people surround him, then while doing business, let him say with his mind only: Lord have mercy, and so on until lunch.
Before lunch, let him do the above rule. After lunch, while doing his job, let him read also quietly: Most Holy Theotokos, save me, a sinner, and so on until sleep.
When he happens to spend time in solitude, let him read: Lord Jesus Christ, Mother of God, have mercy on me, a sinner..
When going to bed, let every Christian read the above rule again, i.e. three times Our Father…, three times Virgin Mary, rejoice... and once Symbol of faith. After that, let him fall asleep, protecting himself with the sign of the cross.”
At the same time, the holy Elder said, pointing to the experience of the holy fathers, that if a Christian adheres to this small rule, like a saving anchor among the waves of worldly vanity, humbly fulfilling it, then he can achieve a high spiritual measure, for these prayers are the foundation of Christianity: first - as the word of the Lord Himself and the prayer set by Him as a model for all prayers, the second was brought from heaven by the Archangel in greeting to the Blessed Virgin, Mother of the Lord. The latter contains all the dogmas of faith.
If it is impossible for someone to follow this rule, then the God-inspired Elder advised reading it in every position - during classes, while walking, and even lying down, remembering the words of Scripture: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Let him who has time read the Gospel, the Apostle, akathists, and canons. Reading other prayers, let him thank the Lord with all humility for having the time to sacrifice something else from the sacred fruits to Him. In this way, a Christian can little by little rise to the heights of Christian virtues.
Lord's Prayer
Our dear, 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. (Thrice)Prayer to the Mother of God
Little Virgin, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with Thee; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls. (Thrice)Symbol of faith
I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. 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, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were. 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. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giving Lord, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen. (One time)* Dear reader, I ask for your holy prayers for R.B. Sergius, Seraphim and relatives. Save me, God.
Brief rule of Seraphim of Sarov
As a last resort, if it is not possible to read morning or evening prayers, read the short rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Theotokos, Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and Mother of our God. We magnify Thee, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison, the Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption. ( bow)
Virgin Mary, rejoice (3 times) ;
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. (3 times)
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Lady Mary the Mother of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. (3 times)
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us. Ah min.
Having completed this rule, let everyone go about their work to which they have been assigned or called.
While working at home or on the road somewhere, let him read quietly: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner” , and if others surround him, then, while doing business, let him say with his mind only: "Lord have mercy" , and continues until lunch. Just before lunch, let him perform the above morning rule. After lunch, while doing his job, let him read quietly: “Most Holy Mother of God, save me, a sinner” , and let this continue until sleep.
When going to bed, let every Christian read the above morning rule again; after that, let him fall asleep, protecting himself with the sign of the cross.
Let him who has time read the Gospel, the Apostle, other prayers, akathists, and canons.
Prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov
The Monk Seraphim of Sarov taught everyone the following prayer rule: “Having risen from sleep, every Christian, standing before the holy icons, let him read
– the Lord's Prayer Our Father three times, in honor of the Most Holy Trinity,
- Then hymn to the Mother of God Virgin Mary, rejoice also three times
- and finally Symbol of faith once.
Having completed this rule, let him go about his business to which he has been assigned or called.
While working at home or on the road somewhere, let him read quietly. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner or a sinner, and if others surround him, then, while doing business, let him speak only with his mind Lord have mercy and continues until lunch.
- Just before lunch, let him perform the above morning rule. After dinner, while doing his job, the Most Holy Theotokos quietly reads to the Most Holy Theotokos, save me a sinner, or Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, have mercy on me, a sinner or a sinner, and let this continue until sleep.
– When going to bed, let every Christian read the above morning rule again; after that, let him fall asleep, protecting himself with the sign of the cross.”
“By adhering to this rule,” says Father Seraphim, “one can achieve a measure of Christian perfection, for the above three prayers are the foundation of Christianity: the first, as a prayer given by the Lord Himself, is a model of all prayers; the second was brought from heaven by the Archangel in greeting to the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Lord; The symbol briefly contains the saving dogmas of the Christian faith.”
For those who, for various reasons, are unable to follow this small rule, St. Seraphim advised reading it in every position: during classes, while walking, and even in bed, presenting the basis for this as the words of Holy Scripture: everyone who calls on the name of the Lord , will be saved.
About the prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov
The Monk Seraphim of Sarov taught the following prayer rule: “Having risen from sleep, every Christian, standing before St. icons, let him read the Lord’s Prayer “Our Father” three times, in honor of the Most Holy Trinity, then the hymn to the Mother of God “Rejoice, Virgin Mary” also three times and, finally, the Creed once. Having completed this rule, let everyone go about their work to which they have been assigned or called. While working at home or on the road somewhere, let him quietly read: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner,” and if others surround him, then, while doing business, let him say with his mind only: “Lord have mercy,” and continues until lunch. Just before lunch, let him perform the above morning rule. After lunch, while doing his work, let him read quietly: “Most Holy Theotokos, save me a sinner,” and let him continue this until sleep.When going to bed, let every Christian read the above morning rule again; after that, let him fall asleep, protecting himself with the sign of the cross.”
For those who, due to various circumstances, cannot follow this small rule, Rev. Seraphim advised reading it in any position: during classes, while walking, and even in bed, presenting the basis for this as the words of Scripture: “whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
The Seraphim rule (3 times “Our Father”; 3 times “To the Virgin Mary...”; 1 time “Creed”) was supposed to be prayed in individual cases when for some reason it is not possible to read the full rule. That is, as an exception.
In addition, Rev. Seraphim gave it to the Diveyevo sisters, who, being nuns of the monastery, had the opportunity to often attend divine services - more often than the laity.
Spiritual life - and this especially concerns prayer - is such that if you do not constantly force yourself, there will be no success. Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) says that prayer requires constant self-compulsion, no matter what spiritual state a person is in, i.e. even the saints forced themselves to pray. It is labor that is valuable before God. Constancy is important in work.
But there is another side to prayer. When a person constantly forces himself to do it, he suddenly discovers a special inner joy in the practice of prayer, so that at times he wants to give up everything for the sake of prayer. That is why there are people who go to monasteries. They go there for nothing other than prayer. And if prayer did not bring joy, it is unlikely that anyone would be able to stay there.
As for attention, which is truly the soul of prayer, it directly depends on the kind of life a person leads. He who leads an attentive life has attentive prayer. “The reason for the involuntary is arbitrary,” said the Fathers. An attentive life is when a person is attentive to everything that happens to him. First of all - inside him, and then around him: to all thoughts, experiences, desires, intentions. Every desire and every thought is compared with the Gospel: are they pleasing to God? - and leaves in the heart and mind only what is pleasing to God, expelling from there every manifestation of sin. It helps a lot to live an attentive life when a person has a spiritual father and can ask him what to do in a given situation, and can resolve various perplexities regarding spiritual life and external circumstances.
The saints of God were wise people. They understood that it is necessary to accustom a person to a pious life gradually: they do not pour new wine into old wineskins. Therefore, at first they gave their students small rules, and then they demanded greater severity. This is an indispensable law of spiritual life: forgetting what lies behind, reaching forward, as the apostle said.
They commanded short prayers as unceasing prayers so that the mind would not be distracted by many words and would maintain attention. Continuous prayer is performed during any task, called obedience in the monastery, and work in the world. These short prayers, performed according to the commandment “pray without ceasing,” should not interfere, therefore, if the work is mental, prayer is abandoned at this time. The home rule was commanded individually, in accordance with the spiritual strength of the student. And worship, sometimes even for the laity, took considerable time. No wonder it was called an all-night vigil. The reductions began in the 19th century. On Mount Athos, services still last 13-14 hours.
I believe that the minimum required for any layman is morning and evening prayers in full.
Christianity, like any other religion, has its own rules and traditions. Most of them came to us from antiquity and were modernized, adapting to modern society and the fast pace of life. The rules help modern man not to stray from the true path and cleanse his soul from the sinful temptations of worldly life. One of the most powerful cleansing prayers, which is recommended for a believer to read every day, is the “Rule of the Mother of God.”
There are both daily prayer rules and those that are performed only on holidays and special occasions. The daily duties of any true believer include a number of prayers, which he must read in the morning and evening. These include, in reading order:
These holy words are read by a person who has just woken up and got out of bed. It is necessary to say morning prayer before icons and before meals, but some deviation from the rules is allowed for especially busy and constantly rushing contemporaries.
After the day's worries, in the evening, before eating, a Christian must perform another ritual and read another list of prayers, which is designed to cleanse his soul and thoughts from the dirt of the past day. These, in reading order, include:
Daily appeal to God and the Mother of God is called a rule because it disciplines a person and sets him up for a certain time for personal communication with the Heavenly forces. Modern churchmen note that for working Christians it is not necessary to complete a full course of reading the holy words, doing it mechanically and “on the run.”
Ten minutes of communication with God sincerely and from the heart is allowed. There is nothing wrong with the fact that the person praying did not fulfill the rule completely, but he was in no hurry and was completely tuned in to the desired wave.
The church includes daily obligatory appeals to the Higher powers and communication with the Immaculate Virgin. This appeal to the Mother of all mothers also has certain rules and canons that must be followed.
The fact that the Mother of God rule, a strong appeal to the Mother of God, was given to people by the All-Holy One herself is reported in many sources. Religious scholars and clergy note that the rule came to the laity back in the 8th century AD and was an unshakable decree for daily execution. Every Christian believer had to turn to the Mother of God 150 times during the day and read not only the prayer “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary,” but also, every ten, remember one of the fifteen important life moments, called “Members.”
- Seraphim of Sarov;
- Alexy Uminsky;
- Theophan the Recluse.
The hieromonk from the village of Diveevo, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, instructing the parishioners who turned to him on the true path, knew a certain church ritual, which people called “The Rule of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov for the laity.”
In order to cleanse the soul and heart, the founder of the Seraphim-Diveevo convent recommended that those wishing to walk along the trodden path around the holy monastery and read the appeal to the Virgin Mary “Rejoice, Virgin Mary” 150 times in a row. The elder assured that these 23 simple words, spoken sincerely and from the heart, can perform a miracle, heal anyone and help in solving any life situation.
Realizing that it is not always easy for a person to read the holy appeal to the Mother of God, St. Seraphim said: the recitation of the prayer text can be shortened by 50 times for those who are just starting this righteous activity or those who really have little time to read it in full . Since turning to the saints every day is the true duty of any believer, Seraphim of Sarov compiled his simplified list of holy words that his eternally busy contemporaries will be able to observe. The brief rule of Seraphim of Sarov consists of the following necessary morning prayers:
- "Our Father";
- Trinity;
- "Virgin Mother of God";
- "Symbol of faith".
The prayer of all Christian prayers, “Our Father,” must be said 3 times, then turn to the Holy Trinity 1 time. After which the appeal to the Virgin Mary is read 3 times and the “Creed” is finally read 1 time. Having finished the morning communication with the Heavenly forces, a person can calmly begin breakfast and other planned activities.
Having a few free minutes, the monk recommended reading from memory to himself or, if possible, out loud an appeal to the Lord, or simply repeating “Lord, have mercy.” And the Evening Rule of the Theotokos of Seraphim of Sarov consists of three, the most important, in the opinion of the hieromonk, holy texts:
- "Our Father";
- “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”;
- "Symbol of faith".
It is recommended to read all three addresses when you come home before dinner, leaving all worldly affairs for a few minutes and retiring in the communion of your soul with the Creator. “Our Father” and the Seraphim’s rule for the laity recommend reading it 3 times, but the last holy text must be said only once.
Alexey Uminsky and Feofan the Recluse
The importance of turning to the saints and to the Virgin Mary was repeatedly emphasized by other clergy. For example, Archpriest Alexei Uminsky noted that prayer rules exist for the purpose of adhering to them and, if possible, saying them every day. Communication with the Mother of God enhances the effect of communication with God, since it is the Virgin Mary who always begs for the most necessary things for those who turn to her.
Saint Theophan the Recluse also advised believers and people in need of help to observe the prayer rule and especially the Theotokos. Regarding the rush and lack of extra time, he always said that it is better to read one prayer slowly and thoughtfully than to quickly recite the entire list in a tongue twister, when the mind of the person praying is far from understanding the holy words.
There is even a church legend. It says that a believer, who often prayed and turned to the Mother of God, somehow dreamed of a heavenly court in which he was judged. He was so frightened by what was happening that he could not utter a word, but the Guardian Angel, who was always nearby, asked him to calm down and not be afraid of what was happening.
To the sincere surprise read in the eyes of the dreamer, the heavenly protector replied that the Virgin Mary, to whom he so often turned in life, would definitely intercede for him. Having woken up, the believer believed even more strongly in the correctness of his actions, and began to venerate the Mother of God even more sincerely and more often.
In the age of modern technology, an appeal to the Virgin Mary and other heavenly powers can always be listened to online. The main thing is to remember that communication with God must come from the heart, and the words are spoken sincerely, then the appeal will be heard faster.
Attention, TODAY only!
