On Prayer | St. Mary Orthodox

A SIMPLE PRAYER RULE
Saint Seraphim of Sarov

If you are struggling to maintain your prayer rule at home in front of your icons or do not know how to begin, St. Seraphim of Sarov offers us this simple advice.

“Let any Christian, upon arising from sleep, (or before going to sleep) stand before the holy icons, and read…

1. “Our Father” (3 times)

2. “O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice…” (3 times)

3. The Symbol of Our Faith (once).

Saint Seraphim explained why he chose these particular prayers for the rule: “The three prayers indicated are the foundation of Christianity. The first, as the payer given to us by Christ Himself, is the model for all prayers (Luke 11.1-13). The second was brought from Heaven by the Archangel to greet the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Our Lord (Luke 1.26-38). The Symbol of our faith contains in brief all of the salvific dogmas of the Christian Faith.”

May this simple prayer rule help you strengthen your relationship with the almighty God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One God. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (Three times).

Hymn to the Theotokos, Virgin Mary

Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, Mary full of grace; the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb; for thou hast borne the Savior of our souls. (Three times).

The Symbol of Our Faith

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, Begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets; And I believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the Resurrection of the dead, And the Life of the world to come. Amen.