Rule of Seraphim of Sarov for the laity. A short prayer rule. Brief prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov

Reverend Elder Seraphim of Sarov was an extraordinary man of prayer and a humble guardian 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 - the day of the discovery of holy relics.

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 Moshnin merchant family. 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 Holy Mother of God- 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.

Enoch

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 this spiritual development, What's on church services More than once I saw the Holy Angels helping in 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.

Tests

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 everyone the opportunity Orthodox Christian always and at any moment be closer to God.

Diveevsky became his real brainchild convent, the development of which was inspired by the Mother of God herself.

Before death Venerable Seraphim Sarovsky took communion and, kneeling before his favorite 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 and works. 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 foundations 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 her Slavic people became the keeper of 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.

This article contains: prayer according to the rules of Seraphim of Sarov - information taken from all over the world, the electronic network and spiritual people.

“The prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov”

Brief prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov

Many, coming to Fr. Seraphim, complained that they prayed to God little, even leaving the necessary afternoon 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

- Lord's Prayer: Our Father - three times, in honor 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, 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.

Prayers for the rule

Lord's Prayer: Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven!

Hallowed be it your name,

let him come Your kingdom,

Thy will be done

as in heaven and on earth.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our debts,

just as we also leave our debtors;

and do not lead us into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Prayer: Virgin Mary, rejoice

Rejoice, Virgin Mary,

Blessed Mary, the Lord is with you:

blessed are you among wives,

and blessed is the fruit of Your womb,

For you gave birth to the Savior of our souls.

Prayer: Creed

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,

begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were.

For our sake man and for our sake of 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,

Let us worship and glorify those who spoke with the Father and the Son.

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.

Saints of Russia: Saints of God of Russia, lives, icons, prayers, akathists, days of remembrance, miracles, places of veneration.

Brief rule of Seraphim of Sarov

As a last resort, if it is not possible to read the morning or evening prayers, the short rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov is read.

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.

Rule of Seraphim of Sarov for the laity. Brief prayer rule

St. Seraphim of Sarov insisted on the need to pray unceasingly and compiled a prayer rule - sequence short prayers, which are easy to remember and repeat constantly.

A short morning 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 Holy Trinity),

Having completed this morning rule, let him go about his business to which he has been assigned or called.

Prayers before lunch

While working at home or on the road, let him read quietly Jesus Prayer. If there are people around, then repeat only in your mind: "Lord have mercy", and continue like this until lunchtime.

Just before lunch, let him perform the above morning rule.

Prayers after lunch

After lunch, while doing his job, everyone should read quietly “Most Holy Mother of God, save me, a sinner”, which continues until the night.

Whenever you happen to spend time in solitude, you need to read “Lord Jesus Christ, through the Mother of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”.

Prayers before bed

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.

Father Seraphim said that if a Christian adheres to this small rule, he can “achieve the measure of Christian perfection, for the three prayers indicated 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 any position: during classes, while walking, and lying in bed, remembering the words of Scripture: Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Log in

Prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov

In the daily whirlwind, it is difficult for us to carve out a piece of time to talk with the Almighty. But every true believer Christian tries to follow the righteous path, observing the prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov.

The Monk Seraphim - known in the world as Prokhor, the son of the Kursk merchant Isidor Moshnin - became famous for his Orthodox deeds in turn of XVIII-XIX centuries. While still a novice in Sarov, young Prokhor experienced a severe illness (dropsy), from which the young man was healed, according to him, by the Mother of God herself, who appeared before him at night.

Even then, Prokhor was firm in his decision to serve the Lord, and his miraculous recovery only strengthened his faith.

At the age of 27, the young man became a monk and found his famous name Seraphim (Heb. - “warming”). Such a selfless monk was worth looking for in Rus'. Seraphim spent all his waking hours in prayer.

After the death of their spiritual superior, Father Pachomius, Seraphim and several other monks went into hermitage - they built a cell far from the bustle of the world and served there in the name of God for more than twelve years. The devil sent many temptations to the hermits, trying to destroy their faith and holiness. But adversity only gave strength to Seraphim and his brothers in sincere worship of the Heavenly Father.

The Mother of God and even the Almighty himself appeared to the monk more than once, and more than once he healed laymen who sought help from deadly ailments. Many prophecies of the holy elder remained as a legacy to descendants. But the main gift to all laity is undoubtedly the prayer rule that Seraphim of Sarov bequeathed to the people.

The covenant spread, according to church descriptions, when a woman came to Father Seraphim and asked how to pray correctly if there was too much work to do and there was absolutely no time to stand before the images and go to church every day. Parishioners repeatedly turned to the reverend with this question. He gave everyone the same instruction - to pray unceasingly from morning until the dead of night - and suggested which prayers were best to read.

Why do you need a prayer rule?

Among the people, the prayer rule is endowed with a special magical meaning. When analyzing how and to whom the rule is useful, it is important to know that there is a short set of prayers that St. Seraphim ordered the faithful to read, and the so-called Theotokos rule, which consists of repeated repetition of the prayer to Mother Theotokos.

You have unique opportunity write an online letter-note to Saint Seraphim of Sarov with your request.

In the short version of the rule, three prayers are required to be read: “Our Father”, “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary!”, “Creed”. The texts of the prayers are read in the morning (immediately after sleep) and after supper (before bed) in this order, with the first two being read three times, and the last once.

Before lunch, going about his business, a person quietly says, “Lord, Son of God Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner!” Or he simply constantly repeats the words “Lord, have mercy!” Throughout the second half of the day after mass, it is necessary to make a request in a whisper or in the mind to the Mother of Christ: “Most Holy Theotokos, save me a sinner!”

Don't forget about sign of the cross: before reading the morning and evening rules.

The Theotokos rule is read 150 times a day, every ten is diluted with the most famous prayers: “Our Father” to the Almighty, “Doors of Mercy” to the Mother of God. Everyone who works is not forbidden to say the words of prayers during the work process, on the go. In order not to lose count when reading the Theotokos, you are allowed to use church rosaries, selecting one after 5-10 texts.

Do not neglect bowing. As Seraphim of Sarov said, 200 bows per day should definitely be done. Only those who are completely infirm and not walking are allowed to read the prayer and the Theotokos rules while sitting (lying down), without bowing.

By constantly adhering to the prescriptions of the Rules (standard or Theotokos), a person is able to experience the mystery of faith and come to a righteous life that meets Christian canons. Saint Seraphim understood that only constant prayers and concentration on the correct reading of texts could help to the common man get rid of sinful thoughts, cleanse yourself and find spiritual unity with the Lord. Even prayers said automatically, without giving due meaning to the words, are capable of returning the human soul to holiness and humility.

Evidence of the Value of Prayer

There are thousands of cases known all over the world when a prayer included in the Rule, read at the right time, saved from imminent death or healed from a serious illness.

Divine power saved us from troubles, gave us hope, and helped our cherished desires come true. History contains a lot of evidence of such events that cannot be called anything other than a miracle.

During the Second World War, soldiers were protected from a stray bullet by the phrase “Lord, have mercy” uttered before battle (although that time was famous for the persecution of the church).

Contemporaries also share a lot of information via the Internet. interesting stories: someone quit drinking and became an athlete after coming to church and studying the prayer rule; to someone higher power bestowed the joy of motherhood; others heard the voices of the Saints with instructions on how to change their lives. But all the evidence convinces us that only faith is capable of bestowing grace and working miracles!

Prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov

Rev. Seraphim of Sarov taught the following prayer rule:

“Rising from sleep, the Christian stood before St. icons, let him read:

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 the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, 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 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.”

Prayer of the rule of Seraphim of Sarov

BRIEF PRAYER RULE OF THE REVEREND SERAPHIM OF SAROV

The Monk Seraphim of Sarov taught everyone the following prayer rule: “Having risen from sleep, every Christian, standing before St. icons, let him read Lord's Prayer “Our Father” three times, in honor of the Holy Trinity, then hymn to the Mother of God “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” also three times and finally 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 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 continue 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.” “Adhering to this rule,” says Fr. Seraphim, “it is possible to achieve a measure of Christian perfection, for the three prayers indicated are the foundations 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 all the saving dogmas of the Christian faith.” 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.”

Our Father, Who art in Heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

SONG OF THE HOLY VIRGIN

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.

I believe in One God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in the 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, by whom all things were. For our sake, man and for our salvation came down from Heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and became human. Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, she suffered and was buried. And 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 Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, 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.

In order to accept and feel the light of Christ in your heart, you must, as much as possible, distract yourself from visible objects. Having purified the soul with repentance and good deeds, with sincere faith In the Crucified One, having closed the bodily eyes, one must immerse the mind inside the heart and cry out, constantly calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then, according to the zeal and ardor of the spirit towards the beloved, a person finds pleasure in the called name, which arouses the desire to seek higher enlightenment.

When the mind remains with such exercise for a long time and the heart is hardened, then the light of Christ will shine, sanctifying the temple of the soul with divine radiance, as St. Prophet Malachi: “And the sun of righteousness will shine upon you who fear My name” (4:2). This light is also life, according to the Gospel word: “In Him was life, and life was the light of man” (John 1:4).

Venerable Seraphim (Sarov Wonderworker)

What it is?

Venerable Seraphim of Sarov left It was intended for the sisters Diveevsky Monastery. This was explained by the fact that novices and nuns have the opportunity to visit the temple much more often than ordinary lay people.

The nuns of the monastery have a lot to do all the time. And there is not enough time even more than that of worldly people. Nevertheless, Seraphim’s rule for the laity somehow imperceptibly found itself outside the monastery. And now those people who do not have enough time for long prayer resort to him.

No time or lazy?

TO short rule Seraphim of Sarov for the laity is worth resorting to in case of emergency, and not because you are too lazy to read the morning and

The Holy Fathers said that you need to force yourself to pray. Spiritual life consists of compulsion. Otherwise, if you allow yourself to be lazy, there will be no spirituality. Work is valuable before the Lord.

There is another side to prayer. There is a special joy in a state of prayer, for which sometimes you want to give up everything. This joy is internal, and that is why people go to monasteries to pray there. Without the spiritual joy of prayer, it would hardly have been possible to withstand the harsh monastic regulations.

About attention

It is the soul of prayer. And what the prayer will be depends on attention. If a person is attentive in life, then during prayer he will not “distract his mind.” What kind of attentive person is he? Someone who treats his life with attention. First of all - to the internal. Such a person will not neglect prayer rule because of laziness. If he really cannot subtract it due to time or illness, then he will carefully read the short Seraphim rule for the laity.

What is this rule?

The Monk Seraphim left, as mentioned above, a prayer rule for the nuns of the Diveyevo Monastery.

What is this Seraphim rule for the laity? What does it represent? Nowadays it is generally accepted that you need to read the prayer “Our Father” three times, “Hail the Virgin Mary” three times and “Creed” three times.

And here is what the elder himself bequeathed. After awakening, a person must stand in front of the icons. First, the “Our Father” is read three times, in honor of the Trinity. Then “Rejoice, Virgin Mary,” also three times. And once the “Symbol of Faith”.

After reverently completing the short rule, the layman begins his business.

If a person is busy with household chores or working physically, he needs to read the Jesus Prayer “silently” to himself. About yourself - that means in your mind.

It's time for lunch. Before him, a person said the Jesus Prayer. Now, before sitting down at the table, he will again perform the morning prayer rule. He will read “Our Father” and “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary” three times. Once - "Creed".

After lunch, you should say a prayer to the Mother of God: “Most Holy Theotokos, save me, a sinner (sinner).” And so on until the evening.

Before going to bed, a Christian reads the morning rule again. He goes to bed, protecting himself with the sign of the cross.

Faith and family are inseparable: Seraphim’s rule for the laity can be read by agreement. Like this? Each family member reads one or two prayers from the rule.

Are you completely unable to fulfill it? Seraphim of Sarov recommended reading the rule everywhere: whether you are walking down the street, doing business, or lying in bed due to illness. As the monk said, this rule is the foundation of Christianity. And by reading it, you can achieve absolute Christian perfection.

How to pray correctly at home? A few short pieces of advice for those just starting out on their Christian journey.

Are you awake? Have you washed your face? We stand in front of the icons. Having made the sign of the cross, we thank the Lord for awakening in our own words. And we begin to read the morning prayer rule. Or Seraphim’s rule for the laity, the text of which is on the video.

A woman prays with her head covered not only in church. There should be a scarf for prayer at home.
Men do not cover their heads.
If there are children in the family, then girls should wear a headscarf. Boys, like dad, don't need a hat.
After completing the rule, we ask God for blessings for the coming day and go to work (study).
In the evening we thank the Lord for the day we have lived and read evening rule or Serafimovo, let's go to bed.
It is advisable, while reading the evening rule, to read the prayer “May God rise again” and sign all four corners of the room with a cross.

Conclusion

The purpose of the article is to help those people who have just begun their path to God. Everything starts small. And prayer is no exception.

Every person on Earth understands that in addition to the gross material world - with its laws and obligations, there is also a world of subtle matter, the spiritual, which also has its own rules.

And one of these unspoken spiritual laws for any person is prayer. In the morning, when you wake up, say a prayer of gratitude. During the day, when you work, it’s joyful work. In the evening, when you fall asleep, thanks for the day and good night.

There is also a prayer before meals, for children, parents, for friends, and so on.

But one of the most important, after the “Our Father,” is the prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos. And it must be pronounced in a special way and a certain number of times for the effect to become truly miraculous. This is what the holy elder, Seraphim of Sarov, commanded. And before him, the Queen of Heaven gave these rules to people.

The complete Theotokos rule of Seraphim of Sarov, daily prayers and the saint’s asceticism – everything is covered in this article.

About the life of St. Seraphim

Many Orthodox Christians know or have heard about such an ascetic, a holy elder who dedicated his entire life to the service of God - Seraphim of Sarov.

He was originally from Kursk, and all his life he served at the Sarov monastery. He also provided assistance to the monasteries that were nearby.

His parents were honest and God-fearing people, especially his mother, who, having become a widow, alone raised Prokhor, who was barely 3 years old (Seraphim's name at birth), and his brother.

WITH early age was marked spiritually developed people, including the boy’s mother, that he is “Under the Veil of Heaven.” When the boy fell from the church bell tower, he remained safe and sound; during his illness, he was healed by the holy icon of the Mother of God.

Throughout his life, from time to time he received visions in which the Mother of God spoke to him and announced something important.

At the age of seventeen, Seraphim made a serious decision to serve God entirely and, having received a blessing from his mother, went first to the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, and then to the Sarov monastery.

Serving God through work and prayer

He crossed the threshold of the temple in which Seraphim of Sarov spent his entire conscious earthly life, on the feast of the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple.

At first, he was only appointed as a novice under Father Pachomius, who knew Seraphim’s parents and heard about his pure life, full of spiritual piety and devotion to God.

In addition to the prayers that are performed daily by all the servants of the temple - novices, monks, and the abbot, the duties of the young man included:

vigils during services (morning, afternoon, evening, all-night vigils);
cell obedience;
obedience in the bakery;
obedience in prosphora;
obedience in carpentry;
sexton duties and so on.

Of course, he also had temptations: despondency, boredom, sadness. But Seraphim was distinguished by cheerfulness, fortitude and perseverance, but at the same time humility before the Lord.

Therefore, over time, everything fell into place, and he continued to follow his path in monastic life.

Help of the Virgin Mary

Seraphim of Sarov throughout his earthly journey was protected and protected by the Heavenly Protection in the person of the Lady of Heaven and Earth - the Holy Mother of God.

Through dreams and visions, in the most difficult moments of life, She appeared together with the apostles and helped Seraphim experience illness and sorrow, the temptations of darkness, and pointed out how best to act.

And indeed, many of the eyewitnesses of Seraphim of Sarov and followers testified that at certain moments of his life he was seriously ill, but by some miracle he was healed, he was weak, but soon became unusually strong and strong. These are all real spiritual miracles.

And each of the people of the present time who believes in the Divine power of prayer is repeatedly convinced of its effective help.

Prayer to the Mother of God is also very healing and truly helps in difficult moments of life. It also fills the soul with heavenly light and joy.

Prayers and the Theotokos Rule

In the 8th century, people were given a prayer rule, which is also called the Theotokos. By fulfilling all the instructions, it greatly helped people and supported them in different periods of life: sorrow, disasters, illnesses.

But after a while this set of rules was forgotten. And only Seraphim of Sarov reminded humanity of them. And he fulfilled them himself - adamantly and zealously.

He also recorded all the miracles that happened to people who followed the Theotokos rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Such a notebook was found in his cell.

How to read correctly?

The Mother of God rule of Seraphim of Sarov must be read, as stated in the Prayer Book to the Queen of Heaven, 150 times a day. These are the words of the prayer “Rejoice, Virgin Mary!”, but supplemented with images of events and special prayers.

And when the Monk Seraphim was in the Diveyevo monastery (not far from the Sarov monastery), he blessed people to go around the temple and say the prayer (“Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”) 150 times every day.

After all, Christ showed people by the example of his feat how powerful the prayer of His Mother is, and therefore for others it is a helper in various everyday circumstances.

Many other elders began to follow, like Seraphim of Sarov, the rule of the Mother of God (Zosima and others). They also began to pass this knowledge on to their students.

Parts of the Theotokos Rule

The Queen of Heaven passed through 15 steps in her earthly life:

Nativity of the Virgin Mary;
Introduction to the Temple;
Annunciation;
Mary's meeting with Elizabeth;
Nativity;
Presentation of the Lord;
flight with baby Jesus into Egypt;
search for 12-year-old son in Jerusalem;
miracle in Cana of Galilee;
the state of the Virgin Mary at the Cross on which Jesus was crucified;
Resurrection of Christ;
Ascension;
the descent of the Holy Spirit;
Dormition of the Virgin Mary;
Glory to the Mother of God.

And each of these stages has its own purpose for the prayer “Rejoice, Virgin Mary!”

How to read prayers correctly?

The Mother of God rule of Seraphim of Sarov is divided into fifteen tens. That is, it is necessary to consistently imagine (remember) each of the 15 moments and pray about it 10 times.

The first ten is prayer for children.

The second is a prayer for those who have left the church and become lost.

The third is a prayer of consolation for those who mourn.

The fourth is about connecting those who are separated or missing.

The fifth is about the revival of the soul to a new life.

The sixth is about the meeting of the soul with the Mother of God after earthly life.

The seventh is about protection from temptations and misfortunes.

The eighth is about the search for Christ in our lives and the absence of attachment to earthly goods.

The ninth is about help in business, getting rid of need.

The tenth is about help in grief.

The eleventh is about the gift of prayer and the resurrection of the soul.

The twelfth is about the ascension of the soul and the desire for the spiritual.

The thirteenth is about purity of heart and renewal of spirit.

The fourteenth is about the peaceful end of the earth.

The fifteenth is about the protection of all earthly creatures by the Queen of Heaven.

Before starting to read the Rules of the Mother of God (Seraphim of Sarov), you need to cleanse yourself in your heart and thoughts and ask for blessings from your spiritual mentor.

The Monk Seraphim - known in the world as Prokhor, the son of the Kursk merchant Isidor Moshnin - became famous for his Orthodox deeds at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries. While still a novice in Sarov, young Prokhor experienced a severe illness (dropsy), from which the young man was healed, according to him, by the Mother of God herself, who appeared before him at night.

Even then, Prokhor was firm in his decision to serve the Lord, and his miraculous recovery only strengthened his faith.

At the age of 27, the young man became a monk and acquired his famous name Seraphim (Hebrew - “warmer”). Such a selfless monk was worth looking for in Rus'. Seraphim spent all his waking hours in prayer.

Why do you need a prayer rule?

Prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov

“Having awakened from sleep and standing in a chosen place, everyone must protect himself with the sign of the cross and, standing in a chosen place, read that saving prayer that the Lord Himself conveyed to people, that is, “Our Father” (three times), then “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice.” "(three times) and finally once a symbol of faith. Having completed this morning rule, let every Christian go to his work and, while working at home or on the road, should read quietly to himself: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” If people are around you, then, while doing business, say only with your mind: “Lord, have mercy,” and continue like this until lunch. Before lunch, do the morning rule. After dinner, while doing his work, everyone should read quietly: “Most Holy Theotokos, save me a sinner,” which continues until nightfall. Whenever you happen to spend time in solitude, you need to read: “Lord Jesus Christ, through the Mother of God have mercy on me a sinner,” and When going to bed at night, every Christian must repeat the morning rule, and after it, with the sign of the cross, fall asleep. At the same time, St. the elder spoke, pointing to the experience of the saint. father, that if a Christian adheres to this small rule, as a saving anchor among the waves of worldly vanity, fulfilling it with humility, then he can achieve a high measure of spirituality, for these prayers are the foundation of Christianity: the first is like the word of the Lord Himself and set by Him as a model all prayers, the second one was brought from heaven by the Archangel as a greeting Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord. The latter contains all the dogmas of faith. Let him who has time read the Gospel, the Apostle, other prayers, akathists, and canons. If it is impossible for someone to follow this rule - a servant, a forced person - then the wise old man advised to follow this rule while lying down, and while walking, and in action, remembering the words of Scripture: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

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Don’t forget about the sign of the cross: before reading the morning and evening rules.

By constantly adhering to the prescriptions of the Rules (standard or Theotokos), a person is able to experience the mystery of faith and come to a righteous life that meets Christian canons. Saint Seraphim understood that only constant prayers and concentration on the correct reading of texts can help an ordinary person get rid of sinful thoughts, cleanse himself and find spiritual unity with the Lord. Even prayers said automatically, without giving due meaning to the words, are capable of returning the human soul to holiness and humility.

Evidence of the Value of Prayer

There are thousands of cases known all over the world when a prayer included in the Rule, read at the right time, saved from imminent death or healed from a serious illness.

Divine power saved us from troubles, gave us hope, and helped our cherished desires come true. History contains a lot of evidence of such events that cannot be called anything other than a miracle.

During the Second World War, soldiers were protected from a stray bullet by the phrase “Lord, have mercy” uttered before battle (although that time was famous for the persecution of the church).

Contemporaries also share many interesting stories via the Internet: someone stopped drinking and became an athlete after coming to church and studying the prayer rule; for some, higher powers granted the joy of motherhood; others heard the voices of the Saints with instructions on how to change their lives. But all the evidence convinces us that only faith is capable of bestowing grace and working miracles!

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