Prayer for the beginning of the day of the Optina elders. Predictions of the Optina elders

Prayer of the last Optina elders 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,

Prayer of the Venerable Elders and Fathers of Optina Hermitage (prayer for every day) Lord, let me meet with peace of mind everything that this day will give me. Lord, let me completely surrender to Your will. Lord, at every hour of this day, instruct and support me in everything. Whatever

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 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 day 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. It is best to use the full version of the prayer, but you can also read a 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:

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, a dashing man living in the 14th century. He carried out robberies and was famous for his cruelty and callousness. Somehow 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 highest degree spiritual perfection, they remember now, 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 morning time When people are running important errands, 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. Most 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 it your 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; Perplexed 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 on 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 thoughts of 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 didn’t remember what other evil things I did, 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, the only 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, O 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 make me sleep without condemnation now, 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 am continually sinning and angering 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; just as wax melts in the face of fire, so let demons perish in the face of those who love God and sign the sign of the cross, and say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honorable One and Life-giving Cross Lord, drive away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power of the devil, and 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:
Regretting these things, I present my guilt to You to my God, and I have the will to repent: then, O 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 power. 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 reading evening prayers The Optina elders soon notice how their worldview, and subsequently their whole life, is radically changing. 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 arrange 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 the gift of a worthy 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 a separate room or turn on the audio recording and listen with 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.

Evening prayers sounding within the walls of Optina Pustyn are an example of insight and wisdom!

Optina Pustyn can be called anything you like: a symbol of Orthodoxy, a place of prayer, a holy land - everything will correspond to reality. Its very location: proximity to Kozelsk, a city of Russian glory, which held a 7-week defense against the troops of the Golden Horde until the last inhabitant - suggests the presence of a special spirit on this land.

The emergence of the desert

Fencing the edge of the forest made this corner an ideal place for the followers of John the Baptist, who was also famous for being the first desert dweller, that is, a hermit. Neither the date nor the history of the appearance of Optina Pustyn are known. But its names (the second is Makarinskaya) testify in favor of the version about the dashing man Opta, who traded in robbery in the 14th century. Hiding from his pursuers, he just wanted to sit in a quiet place, but the grace that descended on him turned his whole life of a robber upside down. He became the first hermit Macarius. It can be assumed that the prayer of the Optina elders for every day has its roots precisely at this time.

For a long time, Optina Pustyn was subjected to raids, seizures, and devastation by the forces of external and internal enemies of Russia. And only in 1796, through the efforts of Metropolitan Platon, Father Abraham became the rector of the monastery, under whom the revival of the monastery began and the appearance of the first elders, people who reached certain heights of spiritual perfection.

The heyday of Optina Pustyn

All-Russian glory, as well as the real flourishing of the monastery, began in the 20s of the 19th century, when the post of rector was taken by Archimandrite Moses, a holy man and a remarkable business executive. Under him, Father Lev officially founded the eldership in 1829. The venerable elders settled in a small monastery, which was built in 1821. The associates of the founder of Optina Hermitage were the holy fathers Cleopas and Theodore. The prayer book had not yet been compiled, and the prayer of the Optina elders for every day was a help to them in their labors. The significance of Optina Hermitage in the spiritual life of Russia is very great. Dostoevsky and Solovyov lived in it for a long time, gaining spiritual strength, and Lev and Alexei Tolstoy visited it. “Father Sergius” was written under the impression of Optina Hermitage.

The cathedral is a unique phenomenon, a special form of holiness that has flourished for 100 years in Optina Pustyn. Something similar only happens on Mount Athos.

Cathedral of the Venerable Optina Elders

There were only 6 of the first elders. Hieroschemamonk Leo, who appeared here in 1829, brought the monastery all-Russian fame, which did not fade until 1917. There were 14 venerable elders in total, each of them added to the greatness of the Optina Hermitage. All of them, possessing a special spirit, had the gift of clairvoyance, prophecy and miracles. Much of what they predicted came true.

The legacy of the elders includes books, advice, letters, and prayer services. The daily prayer of the Optina elders is also part of this heritage. Isaac II (there were no more elders after him) and a number of his associates, inhabitants of the Optina Hermitage, were shot in 1937. The abbot of the monastery, Nektary, died in 1928 in his cell, having prevented his arrest by one day.

The most difficult years of Orthodoxy in Rus'

The fate of hundreds of members of the clergy in the 30s of the 20th century was tragic. Therefore, the prayer of the last Optina elders contains only a prayer to the Lord for humility, for a calm and dignified acceptance of the challenges of reality, interpreting them as a manifestation of his will, a prayer for sending down spiritual strength, the absence of doubts and the ability to overcome fatigue at the end of the day. Without such prayer (it is included in everything now) Orthodox prayer books) it was probably difficult to keep faith. One specialist described the prayer as non-denominational and psychotherapeutic. Of course, repeating it all the time, like a spell, it was possible to somehow wake up and fall asleep in the conditions of repression in 1937. ( It's about about those people who were doomed to this fate, specifically about the clergy).

Unique prayers of the elders

The Optina elders advised, when turning to the Lord, to avoid verbosity, to be laconic and specific, so their prayers are understandable and loved by many Orthodox. Thus, an example is the prayer of the Optina elder Leo. It is known as the private prayer for suicides. Short and laconic, it is addressed to the Lord with a single request - to accept and, if possible, forgive the soul of a suicide, and not to punish the person asking for it. After all, church canons prohibited commemorating in the church and burying on the territory of the cemetery suicides who died in a duel or robbery, or drowned people. Wise Elders They understood that unbearable life circumstances can drive a person to suicide. They allowed it privately, bypassing official church, pray for the reassurance of the soul of a person who committed suicide.

like a spell about happiness

Two more prayers deserve special attention, one of them is the morning prayer of the Optina elders. Having become acquainted with them for the first time, it is impossible not to note their dissimilarity with prayers in general. They, both morning and evening, contain so much expression and passion that, indeed, they can play the role of an affirmation (a short phrase, with repeated repetition of which a necessary image or attitude can be strengthened in a person’s subconscious). An attitude toward happiness, joy, and life in harmony with everyone. This prayer is more like a hymn and a spell at the same time. Repeated declaration of love to the Lord sounds like an unshakable faith in reciprocity. The person making this prayer sincerely believes that it is difficult not to respond to such a sincere request for help in matters only bright and good, for a declaration of love for everything and everyone. And a flow of warm gratitude, repeated “Amen” can lead to a state of joy and a benevolent attitude towards the whole world.

The originality of the prayers of the Optina elders

The Optina Elders is also capable of causing a feeling of surprise and a desire to read it again and again. The effect is enhanced by repeated, repeated appeals and enthusiasm, emphasized exclamation marks. There is a feeling that these two prayers imply the Lord’s friendly disposition towards the one praying. Of course, they are appropriate in the mouth of a cheerful, joyful and successful person, convinced that tomorrow will be as wonderful as today. In the evening he reports to God about a happily spent day. Joyfully thanks him for his help, forgives everything and everyone (including himself) for the mistakes he has made, and has no doubt that the Lord will do the same.

Good prayers, understandable, close - this is probably the great wisdom of the reverend elders.

Actually, the prayer of the Optina elders for every day is any prayer taken from the prayer book and suitable for a specific occasion. The role of the daily can be performed by both morning and evening, as well as akathist and service to the icon. Mother of God, called “The Spreader of the Loaves.”