Surrounded by picturesque nature, Optina Pustyn is located, which has known periods of darkness and lush flowering. Unfortunately, information about the real date and history of the emergence of the desert has been lost. But its name allows us to assume that the founder was Opta - dashing man, living in the 14th century. He carried out robberies and was famous for his cruelty and callousness. Once he was pursued by people who wanted him dead. He decided to hide in a quiet, secluded place and then continue his fishing. But something happened that contributed to the creation of the well-known monastery. God's grace descended on the robber. After which he began to be called Macarius and was known as a hermit.

For a long time, Optina Pustyn was subjected to predatory seizures, attacks, defeats and devastation. But with the arrival of Father Abraham, the situation changed. The monastery blossomed, accepting the elders into its arms.

Centuries have passed, but the elders who have reached the highest degree of spiritual perfection are remembered today, following their advice, instructions and predictions.

Their lives were spent turning to the Lord and healing wounded human souls.

The highly respected elders advised observing the rule consisting of morning and evening prayers.

In the morning, when people are running along important matters, it is extremely difficult to find time to read prayers. But in the evening, every person is obliged to thank the Lord for the blessings given, ask for forgiveness for sinful thoughts and actions, and also repent.

The evening prayers of the wise elders of Optina Pustyn, sounding like a life-giving song in the monastery, should be read daily; if this is problematic, you can turn on the audio recording and listen to each word, delving into its meaning.
Prayer for the coming sleep

“In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all saints, have mercy on us. Amen. Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee. Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.” (Three times).

“Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake. Lord have mercy". (Three times).

“Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, 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 lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Tropari

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

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

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

Prayer 2, Saint Antiochus, to our Lord Jesus Christ

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

Prayer 3, to the Holy Spirit

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

Prayer 4, Saint Macarius the Great

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

Prayer 5

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

Prayer 6

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

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

Prayer 8, to our Lord Jesus Christ

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

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

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

Prayer 10, to the Most Holy Theotokos

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

Prayer 11, to the Holy Guardian Angel

“To the Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all who have sinned this day, and deliver me from every wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, so that I may not anger my God in any sin; but pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, that you may show me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen"

Kontakion to the Mother of God

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

Prayer of Saint Ioannikios

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

Prayer of Saint John of Damascus

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

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

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

Or briefly:

“Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honest and Life-giving Cross, and save me from all evil”

Everyday confession of sins

“I confess to You, the Lord my God and Creator, in Holy Trinity To the One, glorified and worshiped, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, all my sins, which I have committed all the days of my life, and for every hour, and at the present time, and in days and nights that have passed, by deed, word, thought, food, drunkenness, secret eating, idle talk, despondency, laziness, bickering, disobedience, slander, condemnation, negligence, pride, avarice, theft, lack of speech, foulness, money-grubbing, jealousy, envy, anger, memory malice, hatred, covetousness and all my feelings: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and my other sins, both mental and physical, in the image of my God and Creator, I have angered You, and my neighbor has not been truthful:
I feel sorry for these things, I present my guilt to You to my God, and I have the will to repent: then, Lord my God, help me, with tears I humbly pray to You: I have passed over my sins with Your mercy, forgive me, and forgive me from all these things that are said before You , as Good and Lover of Humanity"

Optina's evening prayers have miraculous powers. Listening to them, the soul trembles in reverent anticipation of something beautiful. The heart is filled with love for the Lord and faith in his power. And healing and cleansing tears sparkle in the eyes.

People who read the evening prayers of the Optina elders soon notice how their worldview, and subsequently their whole life, radically changes. Finding the meaning of existence, a person grows wings, with the confident flap of which he worthily overcomes difficulties on the path of life.

Before pronouncing centuries-old words, you need to visit the temple, ask the clergyman for absolution and blessing. You should buy candles, icons, and collect holy water.

When you get home, you don’t need to turn on music, TV or organize entertainment. The rest of the day should be spent quietly and calmly.

When you go to bed after a tiring day, you can start reading your evening prayers.

The evening pronunciation of the sacred words of the Optina elders can surprise and evoke a desire to read without stopping.

Forbidden:

• Expect thrills and euphoria;
• Show wild imagination and violent emotions;
• Be verbose;
• Be in a bad mood;
• Watch TV, listen to music, read books and magazines after saying the evening prayer:
• Say prayers when preparing to leave for the night;
• Get distracted.

Allowed:

• Pray tirelessly sincerely, heartily and spiritually;
• Pronounce words with meaning and understanding;
• Thank the Lord and ask for a gift a decent life every evening, without missing a single day.

Prayer is a sacrament, so it is advisable to read it alone. If this is not possible, you need to retire to separate room or turn on the audio recording and listen using headphones. During the prayer period, you should either wait until the household members go to bed, or ask for half an hour of silence.

Evening prayers are like a treasury filled with priceless spiritual gifts of the Optina elders.

What do evening prayers give a person?

Evening prayers at Optina Pustyn:

• Gives self-confidence;
• They guide you on the right path;
• Heal mental and physical illnesses;
• They provide an opportunity to resist sinful temptations;
• Charge with positive energy;
• They are instructed to perform Godly deeds;
• Repel evil spirits, evil eyes and damage;
• They reward with the benefits that people ask for.

By reading the morning and evening prayers of the Optina elders, a person resists the devil’s intrigues and demonic tricks. No matter how the evil one laughs, trying to exploit the human soul, laying out intricately woven nets, a diligently read prayer protects and protects.

The evening prayers heard within the walls of Optina Pustyn are an example of insight and wisdom!

The prayer of the Optina elders is a person’s appeal to God, in which he asks for repentance and help in everyday affairs. A lot of people were able to find consolation in this important matter for the salvation of the soul.

Over so many centuries of Christianity, many prayers have been invented. Many of them have an edifying function, that is, they indicate what values ​​a Christian should profess. One of these prayers will be considered today.

The Optina elders are saints who lived in the Optina Hermitage (Kaluga region, Russia). The monastery is located at a distance of two kilometers from Kozelsk, if you move to the northeast.

To get to it, you need to cross the Zhizdra River. You need to move to Optina Pustyn from the Tupik station, which is located on the same bank from the river as the monastery in question today.

Here saints numbered among the venerable Optina elders:

• Hieromonk Lev. He founded the very phenomenon of Optina eldership. This man was extremely brave and energetic. His faith made it possible to perform miracles, and crowds of the disadvantaged flocked to him.

He tried to show incredible God-imitating humility and prayed unceasingly. The whole life of this elder was an expression of gospel love. The faith of Hieromonk Leo was unshakable, and this contributed to the acquisition of abundant gifts of the Holy Spirit.

One of the prayers of the Optina elders was written by him. She asks God to have mercy on the unbaptized and suicides.

• Hieromonk Macarius. He took part in the sacraments together with Elder Leo and was his student. He considered humility to be the basis of Christian life, on which what a person has depended.

The elder said that the humble person has everything, and the one who does not have this virtue has nothing. It was Macarius who contributed to the publication of patristic works in Optina Hermitage, which connected the best spiritual minds of Russia with it. The feat of caring for the elderly was carried to death.

• Schema-Archimandrite Moses was the rector of Optina Pustyn, who became famous in God for his meekness. He was able to combine strict monasticism with running a monastery. The ascetic was also actively involved in charitable activities.

It is believed that he had boundless mercy and compassion for the poor. That is why many wanderers took advantage of the overnight accommodation provided by the monastery.

Schema-Archimandrite Moses contributed to the reconstruction of old churches and was involved in the construction of new churches and monastery buildings. He made a significant contribution to the flourishing of Optina Pustyn.

There were many other Optina elders who contributed to the development of the monastery or were shot by the communist regime.

How do the holy Optina elders help?

The Optina elders, with the help of prayer, performed miracles during their lifetime. They saw well human soul, thanks to which everyone heard from them something that really touched the thin strings of their souls. They could console upset people and give practical advice in various life situations.

First of all, they help those who are in severe sorrow or despondency, as well as in situations where faith in God becomes weaker than usual.

Especially for this purpose, back in the 19th century, a separate prayer was created, which is now added to almost all prayer books that can be bought in Orthodox churches. With its help, a person tunes in to the coming day, prepares for possible temptations and asks God for help in overcoming them.

In addition, he asks the Triune Trinity for humility, so that no matter what events happen during the day, the person praying understands that everything is Her holy will.

Does the prayer of the Optina elders help?

Of course yes. But here we need to take into account that God will not do something without effort on the part of man. He can only support him in his endeavors. It's not that he's incapable, it's just that he needs people to take responsibility for their own lives.

Therefore, if you do not try to show humility and wait until God sends it, you may never get rid of your sinful nature.

Living righteously is a skill that must be constantly honed. Every time a person does good deed or humbly accepts changes in life (which, by the way, are not always bad, although they are perceived as such), then nervous connections are strengthened.

Speaking figuratively (albeit close to the truth), highways are made in the brain. And each time humility will become easier and easier. That is why you will have to work on your soul yourself.

God created man free, and this is the greatest gift that can only be. And you shouldn’t waste it in the hope that He will do everything himself.

If expressed in scientific terms, then a person must become the subject of his own salvation, independently determine the direction in which to move. That's the fun. God needs the Kingdom of Heaven to be earned independently. He loving Father who would like development.

Every parent would like their child to be able to solve the problems given at home at school. And many try to give their son or daughter a fishing rod, not a fish. God is the same way.

Orthodox prayer of the last Optina elders for every day to come - full version: text

This prayer is read as part of morning prayers. It is printed in most modern prayer books, although there are also options in which this prayer is not present.

The Optina elders used only one version of prayer, but there is individual texts, written by individual saints.

Here is the prayer in full. With its help, a person asks God for humility and understanding that everything is God’s holy will. The person praying also wants God to send him reason in his actions, so that he does not offend or upset anyone.

Another item that is asked for is the ability to pray and willpower in all good endeavors, in order to make it easier to endure everything life difficulties. The Orthodox also asks God not to leave the one praying to the mercy of enemies, blessings in all endeavors and thanks for everything that has been and will be.

Brief prayer of the Optina elders

The above prayer is a short version. It contains all the requests that are in full form, except for protection from enemies and gratitude for everything that has been and will be. In addition, the text of this prayer itself is much broader.

The Optina elders listed in detail all their neighbors: seniors, juniors, and so on, then in the summary there is a generalization - to treat each person wisely. The text of the abbreviated version is given.

Song-prayer for the beginning of the day - morning

How short version, and large, are different texts of the same morning prayer. It must be read carefully, with love for God, and all worldly worries should be left for the time of prayer. Moreover, if someone asks for help, then it can be given to another person.

Many beginning Orthodox Christians make the same mistake - they get angry at people who, in their opinion, are preventing them from praying. This leads to the fact that there is no use in talking with God, because the sin of malice is embedded in a person’s soul.

The main thing is to adhere to the commandment “Love your neighbor.” And the prayer belongs to the commandment “Thou shalt love thy God.” Both are important, and therefore we need to both help other people and pray.

Evening prayer of the Optina elders at the end of the day - prayer for the night

The prayer of the Optina elders became known primarily as the morning prayer. But in the evening you can also read it and pray to God to send humility to all events that may happen at night. Or you can ask for blessings for tomorrow using the same text.

How to listen and read the prayers of the Optina elders - rules

God answers any prayer said correctly. But there is no need to approach it with pharisaical literalness, carefully following small instructions pulled from thin air: how to stand, in front of which icon to read this or that prayer, in what sequence to read them, how many bows to make.

As for the prayers of the Optina elders specifically, there is no need to pay attention to the rules after which prayer they should be read at what time of the day.

Indeed, what prevents you from praying during the day and asking for blessings in the evening? God made the human brain flexible and does not like unnecessary patterns. The main thing here is to pray, get up from all your activities and raise a petition to God, trying to concentrate as much as possible. Over time it will work out better and better. Extraneous thoughts will go away on their own.

Under no circumstances should you scold yourself if you can’t concentrate right away. The brain is designed in such a way that it is constantly distracted. God arranged it this way so that if something happened it was possible to interrupt. For example, if a neighbor asks for help or some kind of danger threatens.

In addition, if a person criticizes himself, then he actually performs an action opposite to that described in the very prayer of the Optina elders. Instead of humility, a person grumbles internally. God wants to try to be better, not to be perfect. And only He himself can be ideal.

In addition, there may be temptations during prayer. This is when not only a person is distracted from the prayer itself, but at the same time engages in ungodly thoughts. In this case, they return to prayer with regret and a request to God to deliver them from these thoughts. Each time, in this way, the person praying proves to God his determination to fight temptations.

Morning prayer rule

The prayer of the Optina elders is added to the morning prayer rule. It includes a list of prayers approved by the church, which are read in a strictly specified order.

You can do without the morning rule and pray in your own words, but this is not so effective, because the prayer written by the holy fathers is a kind of tuning fork by which the human soul is tuned.

The morning rule is read so that a person is prepared for all the temptations of the present day.

Evening prayer rule

The prayer of the Optina elders is in no way included in the evening rule. Nevertheless, you can add it by changing pieces of text that relate to the morning, adapting it to the time of day. The evening rule consists of a series of prayers, the purpose of which is God's forgiveness of all sins committed during the day, as well as blessings on sleep so that it goes for good and not for sin.

Akathist to the Optina elders

In addition to the prayer written by the Optina elders, there is the opportunity to read the akathist themselves.

You need to read the akathist while standing. The only exception is if a sick person prays. The Akathist consists of two parts – kontakia and ikos. The first briefly describes a specific event in the lives of the saints, and the second is more detailed. At the end of the akathist there is a prayer that can be read separately or after it.

Prayer of the Optina elders for children, about children

Every mother or father wants the greatest happiness for their child. Why not ask God about it. Especially for this, Ambrose of Optina composed a mother’s prayer for her children. Here is her text.

Prayer of the Optina elders for peace of mind

The prayer of the Optina Elders was written in the period from 1811 to 1931. It was written in parts over 120 years, every Elder at the end of his life path added my own lines. The prayer of the Optina elders is often called “for peace of mind,” because this is what a person asks of the Lord using this prayer.

Full text of the Prayer of the Optina Elders quoted from the book " Reverend Elders Optina Pustyn. Lives. Miracles. Teachings."

Prayer of the Optina Elders for Russia

The prayer of the Optina elders concerns primarily ordinary person without reference to a specific country. It can be read by any Russian-speaking person. If you want to pray for Russia, you can change the subject of prayer. For example, instead of “Father, let me meet with peace of mind...” read “Father, let Russia meet with peace of mind...”.

Jesus Prayer of the Optina Elders

An Orthodox person should try to pray unceasingly, so that after a while the soul will do it itself. For this can be used a short prayer which is repeated many times. An example is the Jesus Prayer., for the grant of which you can ask the Lord. The Optina elders created a prayer for the granting of the Jesus Prayer, which can be found here.

Prayer for Suicides

In general, people who have voluntarily committed suicide are not prayed for in the Church or have a funeral service. But permission is given privately, and therefore there is even a separate prayer for suicides, written by Lev Optina. It is very short and can be learned and read anywhere.

Prayer for family

Reading the prayer of the last Optina elders can also be applied to the family, paraphrasing some parts. At the same time, there is a separate prayer for the family, written by Anthony of Optinsky, the text of which is given here.

Each saint gave his instructions and advice to other Orthodox Christians. The Optina elders are no exception. Here Some recommendations they gave:

• Before you can do good, you must first avoid evil. Otherwise, a good deed can be used as an excuse for an evil one. At the same time, the other extreme is not to do good deeds at all, justifying it by fighting one’s own evil. Everything should be in moderation.
• Experience is the best teacher.
• You can offend a person with a careless word spoken out of simplicity of heart. That's why need to be sensitive to the feelings of others.

Optina elders: predictions, prophecies

The Optina elders often prophesied large-scale events.

For example, Saint Ambrose already knew about the possible onset of the Russian revolution half a century before it. Elder Macarius said that his mother’s great-grandchildren would learn terrible things, although the children and grandchildren would not live to see the Antichrist.

They say that Elder Nektarios was able to foresee world wars and cold war(there will be a quiet but dangerous enmity). Many other prophecies were given that came true.

Optina elders - sayings, quotes

The prayers of the Optina elders will help you become more humble and peace of mind accept what is sent by God. The main thing is to regularly read prayer words every morning (and throughout the day, if desired).

Prayer of the Optina elders:

Prayer of the Optina elders for every day:

PRAYERS OF THE OPTINA ELDERS FOR VARIOUS NEEDS

Prayer of St. Anthony of Optina
About the beginning of every business

God, come to my help, Lord, strive for my help. Rule, Lord, everything I do, read and write, everything I think, speak and understand, for the glory of Your Holy Name, so that all my work may begin from You and end in You. Grant to me, O God, that I may anger Thee, my Creator, neither by word, nor by deed, nor by thought, but may all my deeds, advice and thoughts be for the glory of Thy Most Holy Name. God, come to my help, Lord, strive for my help.

Prayer of St. Nikon of Optina Confessor
in times of grief

Glory to Thee, my God, for the sorrow sent to me, I now accept what is worthy of my deeds. Remember me when you come into Your Kingdom, and may all Your will be one, good and perfect.

Prayer of St. Joseph of Optina
when invaded by thoughts

Lord Jesus Christ, drive away from me all inappropriate thoughts! Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am weak... For You are my God, support my mind, so that unclean thoughts do not overcome it, but in You, my Creator, let (he) delight in how great He is Your name loving you.

Prayer of St. Anatoly of Optina (Potapov)
From the Antichrist

Deliver me, O Lord, from the seduction of the god-hating, evil, cunning Antichrist of the coming, and hide me from his snares in the hidden desert of Your salvation. Grant me, Lord, the strength and courage to firmly confess Your Holy Name, so that I will not retreat from fear for the sake of the devil, and may not deny You, my Savior and Redeemer, from Your holy Church. But grant me, Lord, day and night to cry and tears for my sins and have mercy on me, Lord, at the hour of Your Last Judgment. Amen.

Prayer of St. Nektarios of Optina
From the Antichrist

Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is coming to judge the living and the dead, have mercy on us sinners, forgive the fall of our entire lives and through their own destinies hide us from the face of the Antichrist in the hidden desert of Your salvation. Amen.

Prayer of St. Macarius of Optina
In carnal warfare

O Mother of my Lord Creator, You are the root of virginity and unfading color cleanliness. O Mother of God! Help me, the one who is weak with carnal passion and painful, for one is Thine and with Thee is the intercession of Thy Son and God. Amen.

Prayer of the last Optina Elders

Lord, let me meet with peace of mind everything that the coming day will bring. Grant that we may completely surrender to Thy holy will. For every hour of this day, instruct and support me in everything. Whatever news I receive during the day, teach me to accept them with a calm soul and the firm conviction that everything is Your holy will. In all my words and deeds, guide my thoughts and feelings. In all unforeseen cases, do not let us forget that everything was sent down by You. Teach me to act directly and reasonably with each member of my family, without embarrassing or upsetting anyone. Lord, give me the strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events during the day. Guide my will and teach me to pray, believe, hope, endure, forgive and love. Amen.

Prayer rule

which St. Ambrose of Optina
blessed to read during times of sorrow and temptation

During the Grief

Psalm 3

Lord, why have you multiplied the cold? many rise up against me, many speak against my soul; there is no salvation for him in his God. But you, Lord, are my intercessor, my glory, and lift up my head. I cried out to the Lord with my voice, and he heard me from his holy mountain. I fell asleep and fell asleep, and arose, as if the Lord would intercede for me. I will not be afraid of the people around who attack me. Arise, Lord, save me, my God; for You have struck down all those who were at enmity with me in vain, You have crushed the teeth of sinners. Salvation is the Lord's, and Your blessing is upon your people.

Psalm 53

God, in Your name save me and in Your power judge me. God, hear my prayer, inspire the words of my mouth; as strangers rose up against me, and sought my soul with strength, and did not offer God before them. Behold, God helps me, and the Lord is the intercessor of my soul; the evil one will turn away my enemy; consume them with Your truth. I will devour You with my will; let us confess to Your name, O Lord, that it is good; for you have delivered me from all sorrow, and my eye has looked upon my enemies.

Psalm 58

Deliver me from my enemies, O God, and deliver me from those who rise up against me; deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from the men of blood. For behold, having caught my soul, the strong ones attacked me; Below is my iniquity, below is my sin, Lord; without iniquity we have flown and corrected; arise to meet me and see. And You, Lord God of hosts, God of Israel, come to visit all languages; May you not show mercy to all those who practice iniquity. They will return in the evening, and will hunger like a dog, and will go through the city. Behold, these speak with their lips, and the sword is in their lips; like who is listening? And You, Lord, make fun of them and humiliate all languages. I will preserve my power to You; for You, O God, are my intercessor. My God, His mercy will go before me; My God will show me against my evils. Kill them not, lest they forget Thy law; squander thy power and bring down, O Lord, my protector, the sin of their lips, the word of their lips; and let them be in their pride, and from oaths and lies they will be proclaimed in death, in the wrath of death, and they will not be; and they will show that God rules over Jacob and the ends of the earth. They will return in the evening, and will hunger like a dog, and will go through the city; they will be filled with food; If they don’t get enough, they will grumble. I will sing of Your power and rejoice in Your mercy in the morning; for you were my intercessor and my refuge in the day of my tribulation. You are my helper, I sing to You; For God is my intercessor, my God, my mercy.

Psalm 142

Lord, hear my prayer, inspire my prayer in Thy truth, hear me in Thy righteousness; and do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for no one living will be justified before You. For the enemy has driven away my soul; I humbled my belly to the ground; He planted me in dark, like dead centuries. And my spirit is depressed within me, my heart is troubled within me. I have remembered the days of old, I have learned in all Your works, I have learned Your hand in all creation. I lift up my hands to You; my soul is like a waterless land for You. Hear me soon, O Lord, my spirit has disappeared; do not turn Your face away from me, and I will become like those who go down into the pit. I hear Thy mercy upon me in the morning, for I trust in thee; tell me, Lord, the way, in the same way I will go, as if I have taken my soul to You. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, I have fled to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your good Spirit will guide me to the right land. For Thy name's sake, O Lord, live me by Thy righteousness; remove my soul from sorrow; and by Thy mercy consume my enemies and destroy all my cold souls; For I am Your servant.

Psalm 101

Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to You. Do not turn Your face away from me; In the day when I mourn, incline Your ear to me; One day I will call on You, hear me soon. As if my days had disappeared, like smoke, and my bones had dried up. I was wounded like grass, and my heart was gone, as if I forgot to take my bread. Because of the voice of my groaning my bone cleaves to my flesh. We became like the tawny owl of the desert, like a nighttime corvid on a dive. Bdekh and bykh like a special bird here. All day long I reproach you, and those who praise me curse me. Behind me there is ashes, like bread eaten and my drink dissolved with weeping, from the presence of Thy anger and Thy wrath; For as you have exalted you, you have cast me down. My days have turned away like the shade, and I have dried up like hay. But you, Lord, endure forever, and your memory endures forever. You have risen, having spared Zion; for the time has come to reward him, for the time has come. For Thy servants are well pleased with his stone, and the dust will destroy him. And the heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth shall fear Thy glory; for the Lord of Zion will build and appear in his glory. Consider the prayer of the humble and do not despise their prayers. May this be written for generations, and the people of the land will praise the Lord; as if from the height of His holiness, the Lord looked down from heaven to earth, to hear the sighing of the chained, to release the sons of the slain; proclaim the Name of the Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem, and always gather together the people and the king who work for the Lord. Answer him on the way of his fortress; Bring up the lowliness of my days to me; do not bring me to the end of my days; in the generation of Thy generations. In the beginning, O Lord, You founded the earth, and the works of Your hand are the heavens. They will perish, but You remain; and they will all promise like a robe, and like a garment they will take off, and they will be changed. You are the same, and Your years will not become scarce. The sons of Your servants will dwell, and their seed will be corrected forever.

During times of temptation

Psalm 36

Do not be jealous of those who are evil, nor be jealous of those who commit lawlessness. Like the grass, they will soon dry up, and like the herb, the herbs will soon disappear. Trust in the Lord and do goodness; and they inhabited the earth, and enjoyed its riches. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will grant you the petitions of your heart. Open your way to the Lord and trust in Him, and he will do it. And he will bring out your truth like light and your destiny like noon. Obey the Lord and beg him. Do not be jealous of the one who sleeps on his way, the person who commits a crime. Stop being angry and abandon rage; do not be jealous, even if you are deceitful, those who are wicked will be consumed, but those who endure the Lord will inherit the earth. And yet a little while, and there will be no sinner; and you seek its place and will not find it. The meek ones will inherit the earth and enjoy the abundance of the world. The sinner despises the righteous and gnashes his teeth; The Lord will laugh at him, and will foresee that his day will come. The sinner has drawn the sword, strained her bow, cast down the wretched and the poor, and slain the upright in heart. Let their sword enter into their hearts, and let their bows be broken. A little is better for the righteous than much for the riches of sinners. The sinners' muscles will be broken, but the Lord confirms the righteous. The Lord knows the way of the blameless, and their success will endure forever. They will not be ashamed in times of cruelty and in days of famine they will be satisfied, as sinners will perish. Defeat the Lord, and become glorified by them and ascend, disappearing like smoke. The sinner borrows and does not return; the righteous one is generous and gives. For those who bless him will inherit the earth, but those who curse him will be consumed. From the Lord, man’s feet are straightened, and his ways are greatly admired. When he falls, he will not be broken, for the Lord strengthens his hand. The youngest was, for he grew old, and did not see the righteous man left, below his seed asking for bread. All day long the righteous man shows mercy and gives back, and his seed will be a blessing. Turn away from evil and do good, and dwell in the age of the century. For the Lord loves judgment and will not abandon His saints; will be preserved forever; But the wicked will become wives, and the seed of the wicked will be consumed. The righteous will inherit the earth and dwell in it forever and ever. The mouth of the righteous will learn wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment. The law of God is his heart, and his feet will not falter. The sinner looks at the righteous and seeks to kill him; The Lord will not leave him in his hand; he will judge him below when he judges him. Be patient with the Lord and preserve His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the earth; never be consumed by a sinner, see. I saw the wicked being exalted and towering like the cedars of Lebanon; and he passed by, and behold, he was not there, and he sought him, and his place was not found. Maintain kindness and see righteousness, for there is a remnant for a peaceful man. The lawless ones will be consumed together; the remains of the wicked will be consumed. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, and their protector is in time of trouble; and the Lord will help them and deliver them, and will take them away from sinners and save them, because they trusted in him.

Psalm 26

The Lord is my enlightenment and my savior, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life, from whom shall I fear? Sometimes those who are angry come close to me, even to destroy my flesh, those who insult me ​​and defeat me, they are exhausted and fallen. Even if a regiment turns against me, my heart will not fear; Even if he fights against me, I will trust in Him. If I ask one thing from the Lord, I will require it; Even if I live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, I see the beauty of the Lord and visit his holy temple. Because you hid me in your village in the day of my evil, you covered me in the secret of your village, and lifted me up on a stone. And now, behold, lift up my head against my enemies; waste and devouring in the village of his sacrifice of praise and exclamation; I will sing and make praise to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, my voice in which I cried, have mercy on me and hear me. My heart speaks to you; I will seek the Lord; I will seek Your face, O Lord, I will seek Your face. Turn not Thy face away from me, and do not turn aside in anger from Thy servant; Be my helper, do not reject me and do not forsake me, O God, my savior. For my father and mother have abandoned me, but the Lord will receive me. Give me the law, O Lord, in Thy way, and guide me on the right path for my enemy’s sake. Do not betray me into the souls of those who suffer; as if I stood up as a witness to unrighteousness, and lied untruthfully to myself. I believe in seeing the good of the Lord on the land of the living. Be patient with the Lord, be of good courage, and let your heart be strong, and be patient with the Lord.

Psalm 90

He who lives in the help of the Most High will dwell in the shelter of the heavenly God, says the Lord; You are my protector and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. As if he will deliver you from the snare of traps and from rebellious words; His blanket will cover you, and you will hope under his wing; His truth will surround you as a weapon. Do not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies during the day, from the thing that passes in the darkness, from the debris and the demon of the midday. Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will fall at your right hand, but it will not come close to you; Look at your eyes and see the reward of sinners. For you, O Lord, are my hope; The Most High has made you your refuge. No evil will come to you, and no wound will come near your body; as his angel commanded you, keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, but not when you dash your foot against a stone; tread on the asp and the basilisk, and cross the lion and the serpent. For I have trusted, and I will deliver; I will cover and because I know my name. He will call to me, and I will hear him; I am with him in sorrow, I will destroy him and glorify him; with the length of days I will fulfill him and show him my salvation.

Psalm 39

I endured the Lord, and listened and heard my prayer; and raise me up from the pit of passions and from the clay of the mire, and set my feet on stones and straighten my steps; and put into my mouth a new song, singing to our God. Many people will see and fear, and trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man, who has the name of the Lord as his hope, and does not look upon false vanity and unrest. You have done many, O Lord my God, Your miracles, and by Your thoughts there is no one like You; announced and verbs; multiplying more than the number. You did not desire sacrifices and offerings, but you completed the body for me; You did not require burnt offerings or sins. Then reh; Behold, I will come; in the main book it is written about me; I have already desired to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is in the midst of my belly. I will preach the truth in the great church; behold, I will not forbid my lips; Lord, You understood me. I have not hidden Your righteousness in my heart, I have not hidden Your truth and Your salvation, I have not hidden Your mercy and Your truth from the multitude. But You, Lord, do not remove Your compassions from me; I will take Your mercy and Thy truth and intercede for me. As if evil has possessed me, there is no end to it; My iniquities befell me, and I was not able to see; You have multiplied more than the hair of my head, and forsake me my heart. Deign, O Lord, to deliver me; Lord, please help me, please. Let those who seek my soul be ashamed and put to shame and take it away; Let those who wish me evil turn back and be ashamed. May those who say: better, better, accept their bitterness. Let all who seek You, O Lord, rejoice and rejoice in You, and let them cry out, May the Lord be magnified, who love Your salvation. But I am poor and wretched, the Lord will take care of me; You are my Helper and My Protector, O my God, do not become stubborn.

Prayer of St. Anthony of Optina

For the enemies

Thy servants who hate and offend us ( names) Forgive, O Lord, Lover of Mankind: they do not know what they are doing, and warm their hearts to love us, the unworthy.

Prayer to the Council of Fathers and Elders, who shone in Optina Pustyn

Troparion, tone 6

The lamps of the Orthodox faith, the unshakable pillars of monasticism, the consolation of the Russian land, the venerable Elders of Optinstia, having acquired the love of Christ and laid down your souls for your children, pray to the Lord that your earthly fatherland may establish your earthly fatherland in Orthodoxy and piety and save our souls.

Kontakion, tone 4

Truly marvelous is God in His saints, the wilderness of Optina, like the heliport of eldership, revealed, where the enlightened fathers, the secret of the human heart, who knew the secret of the human heart, appeared to the people of God, sorrowful women of goodness: these were instructing those burdened with sin on the path of repentance, enlightening those wavering in faith with the light of Christ’s teaching and teaching God’s wisdom, to the suffering and the weak he gave suffering and healing. Now, abiding in the glory of God, we pray unceasingly for our souls.

Prayer

About Reverence and God-Bearing Our Fathers, Elders of Optinas, God-wisdom teachers of faith and piety, pillars and lamps for all who seek salvation and eternal life: Ambrose, Moses, Anthony, Leo, Macarius, Hilarion, Anatoly, Isaac, Joseph, Barsanuphius, Anatoly, Nektarios, Nikon, confessor and holy martyr of Isaac, we pray to you ever, unworthy, that Christ God, through your intercession, will preserve His Holy Church, the Russian country, the Optina monastery and every city and country where His Divine name is glorified and Orthodox confessed.
O Reverence, pray to the Mother of Light, the Queen of Heaven, the Most Pure Theotokos, that He may open the doors of mercy of His Son and our God, that we may see our iniquities and bring tearful repentance before Him, that He may cleanse our many sins and grant us times of peace and prosperous salvation, may the vanity of this age be tamed under the strong hand of God, so that we may acquire the spirit of peace, meekness, brotherly love and mercy for the suffering.
O Reverence and return to the saints of God, Elders of Optinstia, moreover, pray to Christ the Lord that He will grant us a good answer at His Last Judgment, that He may deliver us from eternal torment and together with you we will be worthy to glorify and sing the most honorable things in the Kingdom of Heaven. great name Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to St. Ambrose of Optina

Troparion, tone 5

Like a healing source, we flow to you, Ambrose, our father, for you faithfully instruct us on the path of salvation, protect us with prayers from troubles and misfortunes, comfort us in bodily and mental sorrows, and, moreover, teach us humility, patience and love, pray to the Lover of Mankind and Christ Zealous Intercessor for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion, tone 2

Having fulfilled the covenant of the Chief Shepherd, you inherited the grace of eldership, sick at heart for all those who flow to you with faith, and we, your children, cry out to you with love: Holy Father Ambrose, pray to Christ God to save our souls.

First prayer

O great elder and servant of God, reverend our father Ambrose, praise to the Optina and all Rus' teacher of piety! We glorify your humble life in Christ, by which God exalted your name while you were still on earth, especially crowning you with heavenly honor upon your departure to the palace of eternal glory. Accept now the prayer of us, your unworthy children, who honor you and call on your holy name, deliver us through your intercession before the throne of God from all sorrowful circumstances, mental and physical ailments, evil misfortunes, corrupting and evil temptations, send peace to our Fatherland from the great-gifted God, peace and prosperity, be the immutable patron of this holy monastery, in which you yourself labored in prosperity and you pleased our glorified God with all in the Trinity, and to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Second prayer

O venerable and God-bearing Father Ambrose! You, desiring to work for the Lord, lived here and labored tirelessly, in vigils, in prayers and fasts, and you were a mentor to monastics, and a zealous teacher to all people. Now, after your departure from earthly presence before the Heavenly King, pray to His goodness to be generous to the place of your settlement, this holy monastery, where you continually abide in the spirit of your love, and to all your people, who with faith fall to the race of your relics, for the good of their petitions fulfill. Ask our merciful Lord to grant us an abundance of earthly blessings, even more so for the benefit of our souls, and may he grant us the opportunity to end this temporary life in repentance, and on the day of judgment may he be worthy of standing and enjoying His Kingdom forever and ever. . Amen.

Prayer three

O all-honorable elder of the glorious and wondrous Optina Hermitage, venerable and God-bearing Father Ambrose! Our Church is a good adornment and a gracious lamp, illuminating everyone with heavenly light, the red and spiritual fruit of Russia and all the sunflowers, abundantly delighting and cheering the souls of the faithful! Now, with faith and trembling, we fall before the celibate reliquary of your holy relics, which you have mercifully granted for comfort and help to the suffering, we humbly pray to you with our hearts and lips, holy father, as an all-Russian mentor and teacher of piety, a shepherd and a doctor of our mental and physical ailments: look for your children, who greatly sin in words and deeds, and visit us with your abundant and holy love, with which you gloriously succeeded even in the days of earth. And especially after your righteous death, instructing the saints and God-enlightened fathers in the rules, admonishing us in the commandments of Christ, you were jealous of them until the last hour of your difficult monastic life; ask us, weak in soul and distressed in sorrow, a favorable and saving time for repentance, true correction and renewal of our life, in which we, sinners, have become vain in mind and heart, having given ourselves over to indecent and cruel passion, vice and lawlessness, of which there is no number ; accept therefore, protect and cover us with the shelter of your many mercies, grant us a blessing from the Lord, so that we may bear the good yoke of Christ in long-suffering until the end of our days, looking forward to the future life and the Kingdom, where there is no sorrow or sighing, but life and endless joy, abundantly flowing from the one, all-holy and blessed source of immortality, in the Trinity worshiped God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

A new book

Published in the publishing house of our monastery A new book — “The Life of the Hieromartyr Veniamin (Kazan), Metropolitan of Petrograd and Gdov, and those like him who suffered the Venerable Martyr Sergius (Shein), the martyrs Yuri Novitsky and John Kovsharov » .

In the new book of the famous Russian hagiographer Archimandrite Damascene (Orlovsky), the reader is offered the life of Metropolitan Veniamin (Kazan) of Petrograd - one of the first holy martyrs who did not sin with their soul or conscience during the persecution that began and gave their life for Christ and His Church .

Schedule of Divine Services

March ← →

Today, March 25th March 12th Art. Art.

Vvedensky Cathedral

Morning prayers, midnight office

Kazan Temple

3, 6, 9 o'clock, fine, vespers

Vvedensky Cathedral

Prayer service with akathist at the relics of St. Ambrose of Optina

Vladimir Church

Prayer service with akathist to the Optina elders

Kazan Temple

Great Compline, Matins, 1st hour

Latest photo album

Video

Spiritual conversations with pilgrims

Optina prayer book

Prayer of the Optina elders at the beginning of the day

Lord, let me meet with peace of mind everything that the coming day will bring me. Let me completely surrender to Your holy will. For every hour of this day, instruct and support me in everything. Whatever news I receive during the day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul and a firm conviction that everything is Your holy will. In all my words and deeds, guide my thoughts and feelings. In all unforeseen cases, do not let me forget that everything was sent down by You. Teach me to act directly and wisely with each member of my family, without confusing or upsetting anyone. Lord, give me strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events during the day. Guide my will and teach me to pray, believe, hope, endure, forgive and love. Amen.

Other prayers of the Optina elders

Prayers of St. Anthony of Optina

About the beginning of every business

God, come to my help, Lord, strive for my help. Rule, Lord, everything I do, read and write, everything I think, speak and understand, for the glory of Your Holy Name, so that all my work may begin from You and end in You. Grant to me, O God, that I may anger Thee, my Creator, neither by word, nor by deed, nor by thought, but may all my deeds, advice and thoughts be for the glory of Thy Most Holy Name. God, come to my help, Lord, strive for my help.

About family

In the hands of great mercy, O my God, I entrust: my soul and much-painful body, the husband given to me from You, and all my beloved children. Thou shalt be our Helper and Patron throughout our life, in our exodus and at death, in joy and sorrow, in happiness and misfortune, in illness and health, in life and death, in everything may Thy holy will be with us, as on heaven and earth. Amen.

For the enemies

Those who hate and offend us, Your servants (names), forgive, Lord, Lover of mankind: they don’t know what they are doing, and warm their hearts to love us, unworthy.

Prayer of St. Macarius of Optina

In carnal warfare

O Mother of the Lord my Creator, You are the root of virginity and the unfading color of purity. Oh, Mother of God! Help me, the one who is weak with carnal passion and painful, for one is Thine and with Thee is the intercession of Thy Son and God. Amen.

Prayer of St. Joseph of Optina

When thoughts invade

Lord Jesus Christ, drive away from me all inappropriate thoughts! Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am weak... For You are my God, support my mind, so that unclean thoughts do not overcome it, but in You, my Creator, (he) delights, for great is the Name Yours to those who love Cha.

Prayer of St. Nikon of Optina Confessor

In grief

Glory to Thee, my God, for the sorrow sent to me, I now accept what is worthy of my deeds. Remember me when you come into Your Kingdom, and may all Your will be one, good and perfect.

Prayer of St. Anatoly of Optina (Potapov)

From the Antichrist

Deliver me, O Lord, from the seduction of the god-hating, evil, cunning Antichrist of the coming, and hide me from his snares in the hidden desert of Your salvation. Grant me, Lord, the strength and courage to firmly confess Your Holy Name, so that I will not retreat from fear for the sake of the devil, and may not deny You, my Savior and Redeemer, from Your holy Church. But grant me, O Lord, day and night weeping and tears for my sins and have mercy on me, O Lord, at the hour of Your Last Judgment. Amen.

Prayer of St. Nektarios of Optina

From the Antichrist

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, who is coming to judge the living and the dead, have mercy on us sinners, forgive the fall of our entire lives and through their destinies hide us from the face of the Antichrist in the hidden desert of Your salvation. Amen.

Prayer of St. Leo of Optina

About the unbaptized, those who died without repentance and suicides

Seek, O Lord, the lost soul of Your servant (name): if it is possible, have mercy. Your destinies are unsearchable. Do not make this my prayer a sin, but Thy holy will be done.

People who have just begun to study religion more deeply are faced with many new things: new information, new people who have or had an influence on people with their spirituality. Among such people, the Optina elders are distinguished. The prayer of the Optina elders every day helps to form a positive attitude towards the implementation of all planned activities.

History of appearance
The Optina elders are residents of the Optina Monastery, located in the Kaluga region. They differed from ordinary monks in that:

*had the gift of God;
*served the people;
*deeply believed in God;
*performed repentance for all those who suffered.
In addition, the elders were excellent predictors of future events and could easily retell the events of past decades. The Optina monks had the gift of healing, so many pilgrims came to this temple in search of recovery for their body and soul.

The most famous were three monks:

*Lev Danilovich. This old man had the gift of healing people with the help of oil from a lamp that burned constantly.
*Reverend Seraphim. This man was famous for his righteous behavior. Believers from all over the country tried to come to his sermon.
*Student of Lev Danilovich Makar, could predict future events.
The elders of the Optina monastery are clergy who are characterized by high spirituality, faith, holiness and purity of soul.

Prayers of the Elders
The prayer of the Optina elders at the beginning of the day should be said as soon as a person wakes up in the morning. For the sacrament to happen correctly, you need to pray with understanding. You need to pronounce the holy text, realizing and tuning yourself to turn to the Lord, and not for the sake of marking that it was done. Prayer should not become boring, for this would be a great sin.

Often the morning prayer of the Optina elders is read together with other prayers, for example, “Our Father.” This helps add variety to your morning routine. You should pray every morning with a fresh head and a clear mind. You are allowed to use your own words if the text is difficult to remember.

Prayer of the Optina Elders, text:

Lord, let me meet with peace of mind everything that the coming day will bring me.
Lord, let me completely surrender to Your holy will.
Lord, at every hour of this day, instruct and support me in everything.
Lord, no matter what news I receive during this day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul and with the firm conviction that everything is Your holy will,
Lord, reveal to me Your holy will for me and those around me.
Lord, guide my thoughts and feelings in all my words and thoughts.
Lord, in all unforeseen cases, do not let me forget that everything was sent down by You.
Lord, teach me to correctly, simply, rationally treat everyone at home and those around me, elders, equals and juniors, so that I do not upset anyone, but contribute to the good of everyone.
Lord, give me strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events during the day.
Lord, You yourself guide my will and teach me to pray, hope, believe, love, endure and forgive.
Lord, do not leave me to the mercy of my enemies, but for the sake of Your holy name, lead and rule me.
Lord, enlighten my mind and my heart to understand Your eternal and unchangeable laws that govern the world, so that I, Your sinful servant, can correctly serve You and my neighbors.
Lord, I thank You for everything that will happen to me, for I firmly believe that all things work together for good to those who love You.
Lord, bless all my exits and entries, deeds, words and thoughts, deign me to always joyfully glorify, sing and bless You, for You are blessed forever and ever.
Amen
This sacred text helps to heal the soul, achieve wisdom and inner harmony. You should read it at the beginning of the day in order to tune in to Good work. Best to use full version prayers, but you can also read the short version.

A short version of the prayer goes like this:

Lord, let me meet with peace of mind everything that the coming day will bring me. Let me completely surrender to Your holy will. For every hour of this day, instruct and support me in everything. Whatever news I receive during the day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul and the firm conviction that everything is Your holy will. In all my words and deeds, guide my thoughts and feelings. In all unforeseen cases, do not let me forget that everything was sent down by You. Teach me to act directly and wisely with each member of my family, without confusing or upsetting anyone. Lord, give me strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events during the day. Guide my will and teach me to pray, believe, hope, endure, forgive and love. Amen.
Whatever prayer is used, the main thing is to say it with faith and love for the Lord God.
The Lord is always with you!

Watch another video with the prayer of the Optina elders for every day: