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A Prayer to the Almighty God
O Merciful God, give Thy help to us, Thy defenseless creations, and instill in us a boundless fidelity, a total submission to Thy will. No matter how cruel our suffering, grant us, o Lord, the strength and the ability to find comfort and hope in Thy defense and aid, grant us certainty in Thy nearness.
All is possible for Thee, o Lord! There is no misfortune, no sorrow from which Thou cannot deliver us. There is no evil which Thou cannot overcome for the salvation of our souls.
Teach us, o Lord, to patiently endure all trials, all sorrows with which Thou finds it needful to visit us. Preserve our souls from dejection and despair. Grant us to always keep in mind and never to forget that Thou art close to us, that we are precious to Thee, that Thou art ever ready to have mercy upon us and save us. Amen.
O Good One, Lover of mankind, Who with one word established Creation and from it created man, visit with Thy ineffable love for mankind Thy fallen servant, that the work of Thy hands may not perish utterly!
O Lord, Thy name is Love – reject me not who am led astray.
O Lord, Thy name is Might – strengthen me who am weak and fallen.
O Lord, Thy name is Light – enlighten my soul darkened by the passions of daily life.
O Lord, Thy name is Peace – grant peace to my troubled soul.
O Lord, Thy name is Mercy – cease not to have compassion upon me.
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Prayer of the Optina Elders to Not Accept the Seal of the Antichrist
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, protect us from the seduction of the imminent coming of the hateful Antichrist, and deliver us from all his intrigues. Protect us and all Orthodox Christians from his insidious traps in this our hermitage of Thy salvation, and grant, O Lord, that our fear of the devil be not greater than our fear of God, that we may not fall away from Thee and from Thy Holy Church. Rather, grant that we may suffer and die for Thy Holy Name and for the Orthodox Faith, and not renounce Thee and accept the seal of the cursed Antichrist and worship him. O Lord, grant us to weep and shed tears day and night for our sins, and have mercy on us at Thy Dread Tribunal. Amen.
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 A Prayer to the Mother of God
from one wishing to embark upon a journey
(to be read with deep emotion and earnestness)
O Most-holy Mistress, Virgin Theotokos, guide, protectress and the hope of my salvation! Now I wish to depart for the journey unfolding before me, and for the while I entrust to Thee, my ever-merciful Mother, my soul and my body, all my physical and mental powers, my entire being I give into the care of Thy watch and Thy all-powerful aid. O kind companion and defender! Earnestly I pray unto Thee that my path not vacillate, guide me upon it and direct it, Most-holy Theotokos, in whatever way Thou knows best, for the glory of Thy Son, my Lord Jesus Christ. Be my helpmate in all things, and especially in this distant and difficult travel preserve me under Thy sovereign protection against all sorrows and misfortunes, against enemies visible and invisible, and pray for me, my Lady, to Thy Son, Christ our God, to send to my aid His angel of peace, a true guide and guardian, as in ancient times He granted to His servant Tobias the archangel Raphael, who at all times and in all places preserved him from evil along the way: thus may he successfully guide my path and, preserving me by his heavenly power, may he return me in good health and in peace to my abode, to the glory of God’s holy name, glorifying and thanking Him throughout all the days of my life, and magnifying Thee, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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Prayer of Thanksgiving |
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O Lord Jesus Christ our God, O God of every merciful kindness and compassion, Whose mercy is without measure, and Whose love for mankind is an unfathomable deep! Falling down before Thy greatness, with fear and trembling as unworthy servants, and humbly rendering thanksgiving unto Thy loving-kindness for Thy benefits bestowed upon us, we glorify, praise, hymn and magnify Thee as Lord, Master and Benefactor, and falling down again we thank Thee! We humbly pray to Thy ineffable merciful kindness: as Thou hast now accepted and fulfilled our supplications, so also grant that henceforth we may increase in true love of Thee and in all virtues, and that we may ever offer thanksgiving unto Thee and glorify Thee, together with Thine unoriginate Father, and Thy most holy and good and consubstantial Spirit. Amen.
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| Prayer to the Life-Giving Cross |
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Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Him flee from before His face. As smoke vanisheth so let them vanish; as wax melteth before the fire, so let the demons perish from the presence of them that love God and who sign themselves with the sign of the Cross and say in gladness: Rejoice, most precious and life-giving Cross of the Lord, for Thou drivest away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Who was crucified on Thee, Who went down to hades and trampled on the power of the devil, and gave us thee, His precious Cross, for the driving away of every adversary. O most precious and life-giving Cross of the Lord, help me together with the holy Lady Virgin Theotokos, and with all the saints, unto the ages. Amen.
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Prayer to the Lord (by St. John of Kronstadt)
Benevolent Lover of mankind! Thou Who hast made all creation with a single word and hast fashioned man out of it, do visit Thy loving kindness upon Thy fallen servant, lest the creation of Thy hands be utterly destroyed.
O Lord, Thy name is love – do not reject me, an errant man.
Thy name is strength – fortify me, for I am exhausted and failing.
Thy name is light – enlighten my soul that is obscured by earthly passions.
Thy name is peace – calm my troubled soul.
Thy name is mercy – do not cease to show mercy upon me. |
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A Parents’ Prayer for their Children
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O God, our Father, Creator and Guardian of all living beings!
Imbue my humble children with the grace of Thy Holy Spirit, that It may kindle in them a true fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom and prudence, and whoever acts upon them will earn eternal glory.
Bless them with a true knowledge of Thyself, guard them from all idolatry and false teaching, that they may grow up in true faith and piety, and remain in them constantly until the end.
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Grant them a faithful, obedient, humble heart and mind, that they may increase in years and grace before God and men.
Nurture in their hearts a love for Thy Divine Word, that they may be pious in prayer and services, respectful towards the servants of God, sincere in their actions, modest in their movements, chaste in their natures, truthful in their words, true in their deeds, diligent in their studies, happy in the fulfillment of their responsibilities, reasonable and just towards all people.
Guard them from all the temptations of the evil world, that they may not be corrupted by bad company.
Allow them not to fall into impurity and immodesty, that they may not curtail their own lives and give offense to others.
Defend them from all danger, that they may not fall prey to sudden peril.
Allow us not to be dishonored and shamed by them, but to find in them joy and honor, that through them may Thy Kingdom grow and the number of Thy faithful increase, and may they surround Thy table like heavenly olive branches and, together with Thy chosen ones, may they honor and glorify Thee through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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(This prayer was composed by the New Martyr Archbishop Luke
of Voino-Yasenetsk)
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| Prayer for the Granting of Prayer |
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O All-merciful Lord! Grant me the divine gift of holy prayer, flowing from the depth of my heart. Gather together the dispersed thoughts of my mind, that it may always strive towards its Creator and Saviour. Destroy the burning arrows of the evil one, which tear me away from Thee.
Quench the flame of the passionate thoughts that devour me during prayer. Cover me with the grace of Thy Most-holy Spirit, that to the very end of my sinful life I may love Thee alone with all my heart, all my soul and mind, and all my strength, and in the hour when my soul takes leave of my mortal body, O Sweetest Jesus, take into Thy hands my spirit when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom. Amen.
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A Prayer to Archangel Michael, the Mighty Warrior
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O Lord God, Great and Eternal King!
Send, O Lord, Thy Archangel Michael to help Thy servant (name), and to deliver me from all my enemies, visible and invisible.
O Archangel Michael, angel of the Lord and vanquisher of demons! Suppress all my combatants, make them meek as sheep, and disperse them like dust before the wind.
O great Michael, Archangel of the Lord, six-winged high prince, leader of the heavenly host, the Cherubim and the Seraphim! O kind Archangel Michael, be my helper in all offenses, sorrows and woes, in the desert, at the crossroads, be a safe haven on rivers and seas. Deliver me, O great Archangel Michael, from all the temptations of the demons, when they hear me, thy sinful servant (name), praying to thee, and calling upon thee, and entreating thy holy name: hasten to assist me and heed my prayer.
O great Archangel Michael! Vanquish all my opponents by the power of the Holy and Life-giving Heavenly Cross of the Lord, by the prayers of the Most-holy Theotokos and the holy apostles, the holy prophet of God Elias, saint Nicholas the wonderworker, saint Andrew the fool-for-Christ, the holy great martyrs Nikitas and Eustace, the venerable fathers and holy hierarchs, martyrs, and all the heavenly host. Amen.
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Whosoever reads this ancient prayer – on that day will he be touched neither by the devil, nor by any evil man, nor will any temptation seduce his heart. If he should pass from this life – hell will not take in his soul.
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Altar mural in the church of Sts.Peter and Paul
in Luxemburg. |
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| Prayer before the icon of the Kazan Mother of God |
Icon of the Kazan Mother of God |
O Most-holy Mistress and Lady Theotokos! Venerating Thy honorable icon with awe, faith, and love, we pray to Thee: turn not Thy face away from those who come to Thee and entreat, O merciful Mother, Thy Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, to preserve peace in our land, to maintain it firmly in righteousness, to keep His holy Church invincible, and to deliver it from disbelief, heresy, and schism. We have no other aid, we have no other hope safe Thou, O Most-pure Virgin: Thou art the Christians’ all-powerful helper and intercessor. Deliver all who faithfully pray to Thee from all temptation, sorrow, illness, misfortune, and sudden death. Grant us a spirit of remorse, humility of heart, purity of thought, rectification of our sinful life, and absolution from sin, that all may thankfully exalt Thy majesty and the kindness which Thou showest us here on earth, and that we may merit the Heavenly Kingdom and together with all the saints therein glorify the most-honorable and magnificent name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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A Prayer to the Holy Archangel Raphael
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Synaxis of Archangels |
O holy and great Archangel Raphael, standing before the throne of God! By the grace given to thee by the Almighty Healer of our souls and bodies thou hast cured the righteous Tobit of physical blindness, and while accompanying his son Tobias in his travels, thou hast guarded him from the evil spirit. Earnestly I pray unto thee – be thou my guide in my earthly life, protect me from all visible and invisible enemies, heal the illnesses of my spirit and my body, and steer my life towards repentance of sins and the doing of good deeds.
O holy and great Archangel Raphael! Hear thou myself – a great sinner – praying to thee, and help me in this and the future life to thank and glorify our mutual Creator unto eternal ages of ages. Amen.
From an ancient manuscript
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Holy great-martyr Panteleimon |
Prayer to the holy great-martyr Panteleimon
O, thou great saint of Christ, passion-bearer and most-merciful physician Panteleimon! Have mercy upon me, a sinful servant; heed my distress and lament; intercede for me with the heavenly supreme Healer of our souls and bodies, Christ our God, that He heal me of the illness which oppresses me. Ask thou Christ our Lord, that by thy intercession He grant health to my body and salvation to my soul. Amen.
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