Table of Contents

The Orthodox Rule of Prayer 1

What is Prayer? 7

Praying The Daily Hours 10

The First Hour 11

The Third Hour 14

The Sixth Hour 17

The Ninth Hour 21

Vespers 26

The Midnight Office 27

Praying the Hours of Today 28

The Trisagion Prayer 29

Prayers Before and After Meals 31

Before Meals 31

After Meals 32

Prayer Before and After Reading God's Word 33

Prayer Before Reading the Bible 35

Thanksgiving Following Bible Reading 35

The Jesus Prayer 36

Morning Prayers 38

A Morning Prayer from the Daily Hours 40

Prayers from the Psalms 41

Daily Bible Reading 43

A Morning Prayer by the Elders of Optino 43

Morning Prayer from the Third Century 45

The Breastplate Prayer 45

A Child's Morning Prayer 46

Personal Prayer Requests 47

A Prayer from the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts 47

The Office of Holy Matins (Abbreviated) 51

The Creed 54

Evening Prayers 55

Prayers of Forgiveness 56

In All Seasons and in Every Hour: A Prayer to Jesus 57

A Prayer of Intercession 58

Personal Prayer Requests 58

A Child's Evening Prayer 59

From the Prayer of the Hours (Vespers) 59

Evening Prayer 61

Prayer to the Theotokos 61

Prayer to the Lord 63

To the Theotokos 63

To The Holy Trinity 63

O Gladsome Light 64

Prayer of St. Simeon 64

Vouchsafe, O Lord: An Evening Prayer 64

The Little Compline 66

Psalm 70 66

Psalm 143 66

Prayers for Healing 69

Thanksgiving for Recovery After Illness 72

Prayer for Travel 73

Prayers to the Holy Spirit 74

The Angelic Salutation 76

A Prayer Request to Your Patron Saint 76

A Prayer Request to Your Guardian Angel 77

The Hymn to the Theotokos 78

Prayer on Entering Church 78

Prayer Upon Leaving Church 79

Prayer Before the Icon of Christ 79

Prayer to Christ the True Light 80

Prayer Before the Icon of the Theotokos 80

A Prayer Before Undertaking Any Task 81

Prayer Upon Completion of a Task 81

Prayer for One Who is Suffering 82

Prayers from the Bible 83

A Prayer of Trust 83

Psalm of Thanksgiving 84

Paul's Prayer for the Corinthians 84

Prayer for the Coming of Jesus 85

Praise for Creation 85

The Publicans Prayer 86

The Dying Thief's Prayer 86

Stephen's Dying Prayer 86

Paul's Conversion Prayer 86

Paul's Prayer for the Church at Ephesus 87

Mary's Song of Praise 87

Jesus' Prayer for Deliverance 88

Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians 88

The High Priestly Prayer of Jesus 89

Jesus Prays at Gethsemane 90

A Prayer from the Cross 90

A Prayer for Refuge 91

A Prayer of Praise 91

The Prayer of Jesus at the Raising of Lazarus 92

Thanks for Comfort 92

Prayers Before Communion 92

Prayer of St. Symeon the Translator 94

First Prayer of St. John Damascene 95

Second Prayer of St. Basil the Great 95

Fourth Prayer of St. John Chrysostom 96

Prayers of St. Symeon the Translator 96

Prayers After Communion 98

Prayer of St. Basil the Great 98

Prayer of St. Symeon the Translator 98

Prayers of Thanksgiving 99

Intercessory Prayer to the Mother of God 101

The Song of Simeon 101

Holy Week Prayers 102

Saint Tikhon Zadonsky on the Crucifixion 102

Good Friday Prayer 104

Paschal Prayers 105

Having Beheld the Resurrection 105

The Pascha of the Lord 105

Your Death, O Lord, Became the Cause of Immortality 106

Today Hell Groans: A Paschal Prayer 107

Hades Was Overcome: A Paschal Prayer 108

Led Away as a Lamb 108

Yesterday I Was Crucified With Him 109

Preparing for Holy Confession 111

St. John Chrysostom on Repentance 118

Two Church Fathers on Repentance 119

St. John Climacus 119

Prayers of Confession 120

Forgive Me, O God 126

For The Dying and the Departed 128

For One Who Is Dying 130

Prayer after the Departing of the Soul 130

Commemoration of the Departed 131

Entering the Bridal Chamber 133

Christ is Risen: Personalized 133

Asleep in the Hope of the Resurrection 134

The Death of a Loved One 134

Prayers of Praise and Doxology 135

The Grace 135

A Doxology from Paul 135

Songs of Praise from Revelation 135

Te Deum 139

For Joy and Gladness 140

The Magnificat 141

Doxology 142

Psalm 148 144

Lenten Prayers 147

A Lenten Prayer by St. Effrem the Syrian 147

Lenten Prayer from the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts 148

Short "Breath" Prayers 149

The Jesus Prayer 150

Prayer for Protection 150

Lord of Hosts: A Prayer to Jesus 151

Prayer to the Trinity 151

Personalizing John 3:16 151

Created- Redeem Ed-Indwelt 151

Prayers from the Akathist Hymn to Our Sweetest Lord Jesus 153

Prayers to Jesus 157

Prayers for Married Persons 160

For My Husband 161

Praying with a Prayer Rope 162

Prayers of Exorcism Against the Devil 165

Prayer in the Time of Trouble 167

Prayer for a Sick Person 169

Intercessory Prayers 170

For All Kings and Rulers 172

From the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 174

From the Liturgy of St. Mark 175

A Cry for God's Help 176

O Lord, Help Me 178

For Disappointment 180

A Vacation Prayer 180

Prayer of an Expectant Mother 181

For a Busy Day with Children 181

When Children Quarrel 182

A Child's First Day at School 182

For a New Mother 183

For Those Who Are Anxious 184

Prayer of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow 184

Come, My Light 185

For Greater Closeness to God 185

Closer to You! 185

Eternal God, Help Us to Know You 186

Prayer for the Beginning of the Church Year 186

When We Don't Know What to Pray For 187

A Prayer for Completing Life's Journey in Faith and Love 188

Love of Life: A Prayer by Fyodor Dostoevsky 189

A Prayer for Hope 190

A Prayer for Light and Guidance 191

Prayers of Forgiveness 191

A Prayer for the Faithful Stewardship of Life 193