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What are the evening prayers? Evening prayers in Russian Evening rule for beginners.

A repeated prayer ritual consisting of one or more prayers is called a prayer rule. Christians end their day every day with evening prayer, the duration and composition of which depends on the degree of spiritual maturity of the Orthodox. It is allowed to read evening prayers for beginners in Russian. The prayer can also be short, because the meaning is not in the text itself, but in daily work on your soul. For a beginner Orthodox Christian this is paramount.

When and how to read evening prayers?

Evening prayers are read daily and cannot be postponed. They help to cope with the passions of the past day, humbly and repentantly accept the events and actions of others, and cleanse your soul of sinful thoughts and destructive feelings.

Beginning Christians only need to follow three steps in evening prayer:

retire;
cleanse your soul of anger, irritation and resentment of the past day, tune in to a conversation with God;
cross yourself and read your prayer rule.

An evening prayer ritual is a way to get back on track. In no case should you treat it as a heavy, holy burden and an opportunity to proudly elevate yourself above those around you. And, of course, this is not a reason to condemn loved ones who have not yet been churched.

It is important for beginning Christians to remember that man was not created for prayer, but prayer was created for man. Saint and theologian Theophan the Recluse shares advice with beginning Orthodox Christians.

Avoid rushing. The prayers are read clearly and in a chant.
Delve into every word spoken, comprehend it.
Set aside time for evening prayer in advance (15 minutes, half an hour, an hour) - this will avoid hasty reading.
The allocated time should be within your capabilities and not a burden.
In your free time, re-read the prayers included in the prayer rule in order to understand and - most importantly - feel what is said in them.
Prayers are not read continuously and monotonously - at the call of the heart, they can be alternated with bows and personal prayers.

For beginners, evening prayer for the coming sleep should be commensurate with spiritual growth and state of mind. This is not a formal action, but a daily frank conversation with Our Lord. It can change as the person praying progresses spiritually.

Texts of evening prayers for beginners

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Beginning prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee!

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, Who exists everywhere and fills the whole world, Source of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.

Trisagion

(Bow)

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.(Bow)

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.(Bow)

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity

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.(Thrice)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer (“Our Father”)

Our Father who art in Heaven! Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done both in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, 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! Finding no justification for ourselves, we, sinners, offer this prayer to You as to the Lord: “Have mercy on us!”

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. God! Have mercy on us, we trust in You. Do not be very angry with us and do not remember our iniquities: but turn Your gaze on us even now, since You are merciful. And deliver us from our enemies: after all, You are our God and we are Your people, we are all the creations of Your hands and we call on Your name.

And now and always and forever and ever. Amen. Open to us, blessed Mother of God, the door to God’s mercy, so that we, who trust in You, do not perish, but through You we get rid of troubles: after all, 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 all creation, who has made me worthy to live until this hour, forgive me the sins that I committed on this day in deed, word and thought; and cleanse, Lord, my humble soul from all carnal and spiritual impurity. And grant me, Lord, to spend this night in peace, so that, rising from sleep, all the days of my life I will do what is pleasing to Your most holy name and defeat the enemies who attack me - carnal and incorporeal. And deliver me, Lord, from the vain thoughts and vicious desires that defile me. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, now and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 2, Saint Antiochus to Our Lord Jesus Christ

Almighty, Word of the Father, Jesus Christ! Being yourself perfect, according to Your great mercy, never leave me, Your servant, but always remain in me. Jesus, good Shepherd of Your sheep, do not give me over to the work of the serpent and do not leave me to the will of Satan, for there is in me the seed of destruction. You, Lord God, whom everyone worships, the Holy King, Jesus Christ, protect me during sleep with unfading Light, Your Holy Spirit, with which You sanctified Your disciples. Grant, O Lord, to me, Thy unworthy servant, Thy salvation on my bed: enlighten my mind with the light of understanding of Thy Holy Gospel, my soul with love for Thy Cross, my heart with the purity of Thy word, my body with Thy suffering, alien to passion, my thought Maintain your humility. And raise me up at the proper time to glorify You. For You are supremely glorified together with Your Beginning Father and the Most Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

Prayer 3, Rev. Ephraim the Syrian to the Holy Spirit

Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, have mercy and have mercy on me, Your sinful servant, and forgive me, unworthy, and forgive all the sins that I have sinned before You today as a man and, moreover, not as a man, but even worse livestock Forgive my sins, voluntary and involuntary, known and unknown: those committed out of immaturity and evil skill, out of temper and carelessness. If I have sworn by Your name, or blasphemed Him in my thoughts; or whom he reproached; or slandered someone in my anger, or saddened someone, or about what I was angry; either he lied, or slept untimely, or a beggar came to me, and I rejected him; or saddened my brother, or stirred up quarrels, or condemned someone; or became arrogant, or became proud, or became angry; or when standing in prayer, his mind strove for evil worldly thoughts, or had insidious thoughts; either he overate himself, or got drunk, or laughed madly; or thought evil; or, seeing imaginary beauty, bowed your heart to what is outside of You; or said something obscene; or laughed at my brother’s sin, while my sins are countless; or did not care about prayer, or did something else evil that I did not remember: I did all this and even more than that. Have mercy on me, my Creator and Lord, Thy careless and unworthy servant, and leave me, and forgive my sins, and forgive me, for You are Good and Humane-loving. So that I may lie down in peace, sleep and calm down, prodigal, sinful and unhappy, and so that I may bow and sing and glorify Your venerable name, with the Father and His Only Begotten Son, now, and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 4

Lord our God, everything in which I have sinned this day in word, deed and thought, You, as the Merciful and Humane One, forgive me. Give me a peaceful and restful sleep. Send me Your Guardian Angel, who would cover and protect me from all evil. For You are the guardian of our souls and bodies, and we send up glory to You, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now, and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 5, St. John Chrysostom (24 prayers, according to the number of hours of the day and night)

Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings.

Lord, deliver me from eternal torment.

Lord, whether I have sinned in mind or thought, in word or deed, forgive me.

Lord, deliver me from all ignorance, oblivion, cowardice, and petrified insensibility.

Lord, deliver me from every temptation.

Lord, enlighten my heart, which is darkened by the evil onesdesires.

Lord, I, as a man, have sinned, but You, as a generous God, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul.

Lord, send Your grace to help me, that I may glorify Your holy name.

Lord Jesus Christ, write me, Your servant, in the Book of Life and grant me a good end.

Lord, my God, although I have not done anything good before You, grant me, by Your grace, to begin good deeds.

Lord, sprinkle the dew of Your grace on my heart.

Lord of Heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, foul and unclean, in Thy Kingdom. Amen.

Lord, accept me in repentance.

Lord, don't leave me.

Lord, protect me from every misfortune.

Lord, give me a good thought.

Lord, give me tears, and the memory of death, and heartfelt contrition for sins.

Lord, give me the thought to confess my sins.

Lord, give me humility, chastity and obedience.

Lord, give me patience, generosity and meekness.

Lord, plant in me the root of goodness - the fear of You in my heart.

Lord, deign me to love You with all my soul and thoughts and to fulfill Your will in everything.

Lord, protect me from evil people, and demons, and passions, and from every inappropriate thing.

Lord, You know what you are doing and what you desire - Thy will be done even on me, a sinner, for blessed are You forever. Amen.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Merciful King, merciful Mother, most pure and blessed Mother of God Mary! Pour the mercy of Your Son and our God onto my passionate soul, and guide me with Your prayers to good deeds, so that I can live the rest of my life without sin and with Your help, the Virgin Mary, the only pure and blessed one, enter heaven.

Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel

Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and patron of my soul and body! Forgive me everything that I have sinned today, and deliver me from every insidious plan of the enemy coming against me, so that I do not anger my God with any sin. But pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, to present me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the Most Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.

Kontakion to the Mother of God

Having been delivered from troubles, we, Your unworthy servants, Mother of God, sing a victorious and grateful song to You, the Supreme Military Leader. You, as having invincible power, free us from all troubles, so that we cry to You: Rejoice, Bride, not involved in marriage!

Glorious Eternal Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Thy Son and our God, may He save our souls through Thy prayers.

I place all my hope in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your protection.

Enlighten my eyes, O Christ God, so that I do not fall asleep in the sleep of death, so that my enemy does not say: I have defeated him.

Be the Protector of my soul, O God, for I walk among many snares. Deliver me from them and save me, O God, for You are a Lover of Mankind.

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!

End of prayers

It is truly worthy to glorify You as the Mother of God, always Blessed and Immaculate, and the Mother of our God. We magnify You as the true Mother of God, who painlessly gave birth to God the Word, worthy of greater honor than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.

Lord have mercy.(Thrice)

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. Amen.

Prayers said in private, separate from the evening rule

Prayer 1

Relax, let go, forgive, O God, our sins, voluntary and involuntary, committed in word and deed, consciously and unconsciously, day and night, in mind and in thought - forgive us all, as the Merciful and Humane One. Forgive those who hate and offend us, O Lord, Lover of Mankind! To those who do good, do good. To our brothers and relatives, graciously fulfill their requests in what leads to salvation, and grant eternal life. Visit the weak and give them healing. Help those at sea. Companion to travelers. Help Orthodox Christians in their struggle. Grant remission of sins to those who serve us and those who take pity on us. Have mercy on those who have entrusted us, the unworthy, to pray for them, according to Your great mercy. Remember, Lord, our fathers and brothers who have fallen before and rest them where the light of Your Face shines. Remember, Lord, our brothers who are in captivity, and deliver them from all misfortune.

Remember, Lord, those who bear the fruits of their labors and adorn Your holy churches. Give them, at their request, that which leads to salvation and eternal life. Remember, Lord, us, Your humble, sinful and unworthy servants, and enlighten our minds so that we know You, and guide us on the path of following Your commandments, through the prayers of our most pure Lady, the Eternal Virgin Mary, and all Your saints, for You are blessed forever and ever. Amen.

Confession of sins is everyday, pronounced in private.

I confess to You, my Lord God and Creator, in the One Holy Trinity, glorified and worshiped, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, all my sins that I have committed in all the days of my life, and at every hour, and at the present time, by deed, in word, thought, sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and all my feelings, mental and physical, with which I have angered You, my God and Creator, and offended my neighbor. Sinned:(hereinafter a list of individual sins) . Regretting them, I stand before You guilty and want to repent. Only, Lord my God, help me, I humbly pray to You with tears. By Your mercy, forgive the sins I have committed and free me from them, for You are Good and Lover of Mankind.

Prayer to the Honest Cross

When you go to bed, mark yourself with a cross and say the prayer to the Honest Cross:

May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may all who hate Him flee from His Face. As the smoke disappears, so let them disappear. Just as wax melts from the fire, so let the demons perish at the sight of those who love God, and sign themselves with the sign of the cross and joyfully say: “Rejoice, much-honored and life-giving Cross of the Lord, driving away demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified on you, who descended into hell and who destroyed the power of the devil and gave us you, His venerable Cross, to drive away every enemy.” O venerable and life-giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Lady, the Virgin Mary, and with all the saints forever. Amen.

An Orthodox believer differs from worldly people in that in everyday life he keeps the commandments of God and remains in prayer. The prayer rule for beginners is to read certain appeals to the Almighty and the saints to acquire a closer knowledge of the Creator.

Why are rules needed?

Experienced Christians know them by heart, but every Orthodox person should have a “Prayer Book” filled with texts of proclamations not only for morning and evening, but for all occasions.

A prayer rule is a list of prayers. There is a general order of sacred reading for morning and evening. In each individual case, the spiritual mentor adjusts the prayer law, taking into account the degree of employment of the person, his place of residence and spiritual age.

Prayer Rule

Often, new believers rebel against reading texts written by saints in a language that is difficult to read. The prayer book was written on the basis of appeals to the Lord of people who accomplished the feat of faith, lived in purity and worship of Jesus Christ and were led by the Holy Spirit.

The first example, which became an integral part of the prayer rule for morning and evening prayers, was given to His followers by the Savior Himself. “Our Father” is the main proclamation with which Orthodox believers begin and end the day. Daily reading of the prayer book becomes a habit that fills the soul with God's wisdom.

About important church prayers:

The Church offers a prayer rule for beginners, so that the infant soul in Christianity grows in actions pleasing to the Creator.

A daily conversation with the Creator is a living communication, not an empty phrase. The boldness of communication with the almighty God involves speaking in the right words, in which there is no emptiness.

Important! By turning to the Almighty, the Orthodox are then filled with God's knowledge and His protection, when they leave vanity and are completely immersed in prayer.

How to behave correctly during prayer communication

Prayerful communication of all Orthodox Christians is performed standing; only elderly and sick people can sit. While reading the prayer book, in recognition of their sinfulness and imperfection, showing humility, people bow, some to the waist, while others bow to the ground.

Prayerful communication with God

Some Orthodox believers perform prayer communion while kneeling. The holy apostles opposed such worship, explaining that only slaves kneel; children do not need to do this. (Gal. 4:7) However, having committed some sin, it is not forbidden to stand on your knees in submission, begging for forgiveness.

About prayer rules:

Schema nun Antonia's prayer rule about murdered babies

Beginning believers sometimes do not know how to correctly make the sign of the cross. The fingers of the right hand should be folded as follows:

press the little finger and ring finger to the palm, they mean that Jesus was God and man at the same time;
put the thumb, index and middle fingers together, three-fingered, as a symbol of the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

How to be baptized correctly

Drawing a cross in the air, touch the middle of the forehead with folded fingers, then lower the hand just below the navel, move to the right and then the left shoulder, only after this they bow.

A careless attitude to the sign of the cross, according to John Chrysostom, causes joy only among demons. The sign of the cross, performed with faith and reverence, is filled with God's grace and is a terrifying force for demonic attacks.

Before reading spiritual texts, you should try to free yourself from vain thoughts; this is sometimes difficult, so try to imagine the great sacrifice of Christ and your presence before Him in this world.

Never perform your prayers “for show”; in the spiritual world they will be an empty phrase. Delve into every word of the appeal to the Savior, filling yourself with His grace and love.

Prayer Rule - Law or Grace

Many novice Orthodox Christians are interested in the question: if prayer is a free appeal to the Creator, then why make it conform to the law.

In response to such an appeal, the Saratov abbot Pachomius clarifies that freedom and permissiveness should not be confused. The freedom of believers consists in the boldness of being before the throne of the Most High, which sinners and the unbaptized cannot afford. Permissiveness returns the believer to his former life, and it is then much more difficult to return to the grace of appeals to the Savior.

In the spiritual world there is no consensus regarding the duration and order of prayer before the Almighty. Some people remain in reverent worship for hours, while others cannot stand even half an hour.

Regular, constant spending time reading prayers will help you develop the habit of daily communication with the Creator, even if it’s 15 minutes in the evening.

Prayer Rule

First, you should purchase a “Prayer Book” and read it. Sometimes an Orthodox person understands that reading out of obligation turns into an empty habit; if this happens, then one can move on, as St. Theophan the Recluse did, to reading psalms and scriptures from the Bible.

The main thing is to be filled with worship of the Creator every day, to enter His presence, to feel His protection throughout the day. Evangelist Matthew wrote that to conquer the Kingdom of God you need to use force. (Matt. 11:12)

To help the beginning prayer book

There are three prayer lists for Orthodox believers.

The complete prayer rule is designed for spiritually persistent believers, which include monks and clergy.
The prayer rule for all laity consists of a list of prayers read in the morning and evening; a list of them can be found in the “Prayer Book”:

in the morning: “Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “Rising from sleep”, “Have mercy on me, O God”, “I Believe”, “God, cleanse”, “To You, Master”, “ Holy Angel”, “Most Holy Lady”, invocation of saints, prayer for the living and the dead;
in the evening: “Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Have mercy on us, Lord”, “Eternal God”, “Good King”, “Angel of Christ”, from “The Chosen Governor” to “It is worthy to eat”.

Seraphim of Sarov proposed another short prayer rule for those laity who, for some reason, are limited in time or are in unpredictable circumstances.

Icon of Seraphim of Sarov

It consists of reading each prayer three times:

"Our Father";
“Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”;
"I believe."

Particular attention should be paid to reading spiritual appeals to the Almighty Creator and Savior during the period of fasting, before receiving the Sacrament of Communion and in the hour of difficult life trials.

Advice! God's mercy accompanies those who began communicating with God in the morning, before breakfast, and ended by reading spiritual texts before dinner.

Moral preparation for worship

For a beginning Orthodox believer, it is advisable to purchase a “Prayer Book” in modern Russian, so that while reading what is written, delve into every word, filling it with strength and grace, and receive instruction and support.

This is the advice of Nicodemus the Holy Mountain, which points out the importance of understanding every word of the text being read. Over time, many texts are stored in memory and read by heart.

Before reading the Prayer Book, you should ask the Holy Spirit to show whether there are any remnants of resentment, bitterness or irritation in your heart. Mentally forgive all offenders and ask for forgiveness from those who were treated unfairly, this is how the Orthodox pray.

According to Tikhon of Zadonsk, all negativism should be abandoned, for, as Gregory of Nyssa wrote, the Creator is Kind, Righteous, Patient, Lover of Humanity, Kind-hearted, Merciful, the goal of the prayer rule is to be transformed into the image of the Creator, to acquire all the qualities for philanthropy.

Reading prayers at home

Jesus Christ taught to communicate with Him to go into your prayer room, closing the doors from the outside world. Every Orthodox family has a corner with icons, although it is increasingly rare to see an icon lamp there.

Red corner in the house

Before starting to worship God, you should light a candle; it is advisable to purchase it in the temple. In a family, and this is a prototype of the church, there are rules for who prays in solitude, and some prefer to do it together, because the intense prayer of a righteous person can do a lot. (James 5:16)

Theophan the Recluse, who spent a lot of time worshiping God, writes that there is no need to rush when starting to pray. Having made the sign of the cross and bowed, you should be silent for a moment, entering a state of worship and reverence before God. Every word of prayer must come from the heart; it must not only be understood, but also felt.

Reading "Our Father";

give praise to the Creator who is in Heaven;
submit your life to His will;
truly forgive the debts and misdeeds of other people, for these are prerequisites for God to forgive each of the Orthodox;
ask Him for mercy in solving all material problems with the words “give us this day our daily bread”;
Declare the power of God in your life and His covering over you and your family.

If, while reading the “Prayer Book,” a desire appears in your heart to ask God for some need, do not put it off until later, but immediately bring it before the prayer throne of the Almighty.

The Lord teaches His children to be constant and persistent in prayer through the example of a poor widow (Luke 18:2-6); no petition will remain unanswered by Him. It is very important when communicating with the Savior to put aside all haste; only through a meaningful appeal can one reach God.

According to the advice of Bishop Anthony, in order not to be distracted by time limits, you should wind the clock so that the bell rings at the right moment. It doesn’t matter how long the prayer rule lasts or how many prayers are read, the main thing is that they are completely dedicated to God.

Saint Ignatius calls regular prayers hard work for sinners, while the righteous experience pleasure from communion with the saints and the Trinity.

If thoughts “run away”, there is no need to rush, you should return to where you began the absent-minded reading of the spiritual proclamation and start all over again. It will help to concentrate on the text being read by saying all the appeals out loud. It is not without reason that they say that prayers read silently are heard by God, but prayers spoken out loud are heard by demons.

Silouan of Athos noted that God does not hear words spoken in empty thoughts and worldly affairs.

Silouan of Athos

The spirit of prayer is strengthened by regularity, just as the body of an athlete is strengthened by training. Having finished your prayer, do not immediately “pounce” on worldly vain affairs, give yourself a few more minutes of being in God’s grace.

Is it necessary to read a prayer book during the day?

Once having dedicated their lives to the Lord, Orthodox people are under His protection all their lives.

Throughout your busy day, you should not forget to invoke the Father’s mercy with the words “Bless, God!” Having passed through a test, receiving a reward or blessing, having done a successful job, do not forget to give all the glory to the Creator with the words “Glory to you, my God!” When you get into trouble, when you are sick or in danger, cry out: “Save me, God!” and He will hear. We must not forget about thanking the Lord for everything that has been sent down from above.

Before eating, one should not forget to thank the Creator for the given food and ask for His blessing to accept it.

By constantly being in prayer, having acquired the habit of crying out at any second, thanking, asking, repenting before God with all your heart, and not with empty words, an Orthodox person becomes God-thinking. God-thinking helps to understand the goodness of the Creator, the existence of the Heavenly Kingdom and brings Orthodox Christians closer to God.

Video about fulfilling the prayer rule

In Christianity, prayer—communication with God—is called “food for the soul.” Therefore, for a full spiritual life, it must be daily, just like nutrition for our body. For most people, morning and evening are convenient times to turn to God. This is reflected in Orthodox prayer books. And if there is often not enough time to read the entire morning rule, then read evening prayers By pushing back bedtime, almost anyone can do it.

The meaning of prayers is not in reading as such, but in living communication with God. Without humility, attention, contrition of heart, all that remains of it is its external form. This is sometimes observed both among “experienced” Orthodox Christians and among newcomers. The former sometimes proofread evening prayers in the usual patter, without much attention. And the latter are ignored due to the not very clear language and meaning of some texts. In addition, they are tired of unusually long periods of standing.

If experienced believers can easily catch themselves being absent-minded and correct themselves, then they need experienced leadership. Both in studies and sports, and in prayer, gradual and proportionate loads are important for success. A special blessing from the priest is not required to read the prayer rule in the morning and evening. This is a matter of course. But after some communication, he will be able to give practical advice on what exactly to read.

During their lifetime, holy people were made wise by the Holy Spirit. Their prayers are like good patterns, and are collected in Orthodox prayer books, reminiscent of large collections. From the section “Prayers for those who are coming to bed”, a priest or a person who has been in the church for quite a long time can choose evening prayers to create a rule. Likewise, believing parents can judiciously recommend to their children a very small but understandable rule.

There are days when evening prayer for beginners due to extreme fatigue or lack of time should be reduced. It is better to pray earnestly and briefly, shortening the daily rule, than not to pray at all before going to bed. Saint Theophan the Recluse advised, when absent-minded, to return to the place where attention was lost and repeat the reading again, no matter how many times it was necessary. If hasty reading begins, he recommended setting as a rule not the number of prayers, but the time required for their leisurely reading. And, thus, having set a time frame, do not worry about the quantity of what you read, but only about the correctness: with attention and feeling.

What do we pray for at the end of the day? The main thing in our conversion is repentance. We ask forgiveness for all sins, for the undue things that, due to weakness, we committed during the day. We thank God for everything sent to us. We pray to preserve us in the coming night and help us reach the Kingdom of Heaven. It's very good if evening prayer for beginners will also contain a confession of sins, by which it is easier to check your forgetful conscience. Evening time is the best time to mentally analyze all your actions for the day, your feelings, and once again bring repentance to God.

It is important that each evening prayers was clear. It is best to start by using an explanatory prayer book, which usually additionally contains texts in Russian. Good prayer books also explain in detail every phrase that causes confusion.

It is very useful to supplement the rule with at least a short reading that is beneficial for the soul. This could be doctrinal literature or instructions from holy fathers (canonized saints) about spiritual life. It is better to find time in the morning, after morning prayers, to read a chapter from the Gospel daily. This will provide an opportunity to ponder the words of Scripture throughout the day.

In detail: evening prayers for beginners - from all open sources and different parts of the world on the website for our dear readers.

For Orthodox Christians, the logical end of the day is the evening prayer rule.

In the evening, a person can calmly, without rushing, be alone with the Lord, talk it out before going to bed at night.

It is also called the Seraphim Rule - the holy elder Seraphim of Sarov commanded every Christian to pray this way morning and evening.

Lord's Prayer. Our Father (read three times, in honor of the Holy Trinity)

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.

Hymn to the Theotokos “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” (also read three times)

Virgin Mary, Rejoice, full of grace 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.

Creed (read once)

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, by whom all things were; For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven, and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human; 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 one who is to come will judge with glory 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 with the Father and the Son, we are worshiped and glorified, 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.

At the end, just before going to bed, you need to make the sign of the cross and say:

Evening prayers for beginners

For people who have just come to God, Orthodox beginners, there are evening prayers for beginners.

Evening and morning prayers are included in every Orthodox prayer book, which can be purchased in the candle shop of any temple.

Evening prayers for new Christians, before bed

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Beginning prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee!

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, Who exists everywhere and fills the whole world, Source of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.

Trisagion

(Bow)

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Bow)

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity

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. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.

Lord's Prayer

Our Father who art in Heaven! Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done both in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, 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! Finding no justification for ourselves, we, sinners, offer this prayer to You as to the Lord: “Have mercy on us!”

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. God! Have mercy on us, we trust in You. Do not be very angry with us and do not remember our iniquities: but turn Your gaze on us even now, since You are merciful. And deliver us from our enemies: after all, You are our God and we are Your people, we are all the creations of Your hands and we call on Your name.

And now and always and forever and ever. Amen. Open to us, blessed Mother of God, the door to God’s mercy, so that we, who trust in You, do not perish, but through You we get rid of troubles: after all, 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 all creation, who has made me worthy to live until this hour, forgive me the sins that I committed on this day in deed, word and thought; and cleanse, Lord, my humble soul from all carnal and spiritual impurity. And grant me, Lord, to spend this night in peace, so that, rising from sleep, all the days of my life I will do what is pleasing to Your most holy name and defeat the enemies who attack me - carnal and incorporeal. And deliver me, Lord, from the vain thoughts and vicious desires that defile me. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, now and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 2, Saint Antiochus to Our Lord Jesus Christ

Almighty, Word of the Father, Jesus Christ! Being yourself perfect, according to Your great mercy, never leave me, Your servant, but always remain in me. Jesus, good Shepherd of Your sheep, do not give me over to the work of the serpent and do not leave me to the will of Satan, for there is in me the seed of destruction.

You, Lord God, whom everyone worships, the Holy King, Jesus Christ, protect me during sleep with unfading Light, Your Holy Spirit, with which You sanctified Your disciples. Grant, O Lord, to me, Thy unworthy servant, Thy salvation on my bed: enlighten my mind with the light of understanding of Thy Holy Gospel, my soul with love for Thy Cross, my heart with the purity of Thy word, my body with Thy suffering, alien to passion, my thought Maintain your humility.

And raise me up at the proper time to glorify You. For You are supremely glorified together with Your Beginning Father and the Most Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

Prayer 3, Rev. Ephraim the Syrian to the Holy Spirit

Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, have mercy and have mercy on me, Your sinful servant, and forgive me, unworthy, and forgive all the sins that I have sinned before You today as a man and, moreover, not as a man, but even worse livestock Forgive my sins, voluntary and involuntary, known and unknown: those committed out of immaturity and evil skill, out of temper and carelessness.

If I have sworn by Your name, or blasphemed Him in my thoughts; or whom he reproached; or slandered someone in my anger, or saddened someone, or about what I was angry; either he lied, or slept untimely, or a beggar came to me, and I rejected him; or saddened my brother, or stirred up quarrels, or condemned someone; or became arrogant, or became proud, or became angry; or when standing in prayer, his mind strove for evil worldly thoughts, or had insidious thoughts; either he overate himself, or got drunk, or laughed madly; or thought evil; or, seeing imaginary beauty, bowed your heart to what is outside of You; or said something obscene; or laughed at my brother’s sin, while my sins are countless; or did not care about prayer, or did something else evil that I did not remember: I did all this and even more than that.

Have mercy on me, my Creator and Lord, Thy careless and unworthy servant, and leave me, and forgive my sins, and forgive me, for You are Good and Humane-loving. So that I may lie down in peace, sleep and calm down, prodigal, sinful and unhappy, and so that I may bow and sing and glorify Your venerable name, with the Father and His Only Begotten Son, now, and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 4

Lord our God, everything in which I have sinned this day in word, deed and thought, You, as the Merciful and Humane One, forgive me. Give me a peaceful and restful sleep. Send me Your Guardian Angel, who would cover and protect me from all evil. For You are the guardian of our souls and bodies, and we send up glory to You, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now, and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 5, St. John Chrysostom (24 prayers, according to the number of hours of the day and night)

Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings. 2. Lord, deliver me from eternal torment. 3. Lord, whether I have sinned in mind or thought, in word or deed, forgive me. 4. Lord, deliver me from all ignorance, oblivion, cowardice, and petrified insensibility. 5. Lord, deliver me from every temptation. 6. Lord, enlighten my heart, which is darkened by evil desires. 7. Lord, as a man I have sinned, but You, as a generous God, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul. 8. Lord, send Your grace to help me, that I may glorify Your holy name. 9. Lord Jesus Christ, write me, Your servant, in the Book of Life and grant me a good end. 10. Lord, my God, although I have not done anything good before You, grant me, by Your grace, to begin good deeds. 11. Lord, sprinkle the dew of Your grace on my heart. 12. Lord of Heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, foul and unclean, in Thy Kingdom. Amen.
Lord, accept me in repentance. 2. Lord, don't leave me. 3. Lord, protect me from every misfortune. 4. Lord, give me a good thought. 5. Lord, give me tears, and the memory of death, and heartfelt contrition for sins. 6. Lord, give me the thought to confess my sins. 7. Lord, give me humility, chastity and obedience. 8. Lord, give me patience, generosity and meekness. 9. Lord, plant in me the root of goodness - the fear of You in my heart. 10. Lord, deign me to love You with all my soul and thoughts and to fulfill Your will in everything. 11. Lord, protect me from evil people, and demons, and passions, and from every inappropriate deed. 12. Lord, You know what you are doing and what You desire - Your will be done even on me, a sinner, for You are blessed forever. Amen.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Merciful King, merciful Mother, most pure and blessed Mother of God Mary! Pour the mercy of Your Son and our God onto my passionate soul, and guide me with Your prayers to good deeds, so that I can live the rest of my life without sin and with Your help, the Virgin Mary, the only pure and blessed one, enter heaven.

Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel

Kontakion to the Mother of God

Having been delivered from troubles, we, Your unworthy servants, Mother of God, sing a victorious and grateful song to You, the Supreme Military Leader. You, as having invincible power, free us from all troubles, so that we cry to You: Rejoice, Bride, not involved in marriage!

Glorious Eternal Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Thy Son and our God, may He save our souls through Thy prayers.

I place all my hope in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your protection.

Enlighten my eyes, O Christ God, so that I do not fall asleep in the sleep of death, so that my enemy does not say: I have defeated him.

Be the Protector of my soul, O God, for I walk among many snares. Deliver me from them and save me, O God, for You are a Lover of Mankind.

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!

End of prayers

It is truly worthy to glorify You as the Mother of God, always Blessed and Immaculate, and the Mother of our God. We magnify You as the true Mother of God, who painlessly gave birth to God the Word, worthy of greater honor than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.

Lord have mercy. (Thrice)

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. Amen.

Prayers said in private, separate from the evening rule

Prayer 1

Relax, let go, forgive, O God, our sins, voluntary and involuntary, committed in word and deed, consciously and unconsciously, day and night, in mind and in thought - forgive us all, as the Merciful and Humane One. Forgive those who hate and offend us, O Lord, Lover of Mankind! To those who do good, do good. To our brothers and relatives, graciously fulfill their requests in what leads to salvation, and grant eternal life.

Visit the weak and give them healing. Help those at sea. Companion to travelers. Help Orthodox Christians in their struggle. Grant remission of sins to those who serve us and those who take pity on us. Have mercy on those who have entrusted us, the unworthy, to pray for them, according to Your great mercy. Remember, Lord, our fathers and brothers who have fallen before and rest them where the light of Your Face shines. Remember, Lord, our brothers who are in captivity, and deliver them from all misfortune.

Remember, Lord, those who bear the fruits of their labors and adorn Your holy churches. Give them, at their request, that which leads to salvation and eternal life. Remember, Lord, us, Your humble, sinful and unworthy servants, and enlighten our minds so that we know You, and guide us on the path of following Your commandments, through the prayers of our most pure Lady, the Eternal Virgin Mary, and all Your saints, for You are blessed forever and ever. Amen.

Everyday confession of sins, pronounced in private

I confess to You, my Lord God and Creator, in the One Holy Trinity, glorified and worshiped, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, all my sins that I have committed in all the days of my life, and at every hour, and at the present time, by deed, in word, thought, sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and all my feelings, mental and physical, with which I have angered You, my God and Creator, and offended my neighbor.

Sinned: ( further listing of individual sins). Regretting them, I stand before You guilty and want to repent. Only, Lord my God, help me, I humbly pray to You with tears. By Your mercy, forgive the sins I have committed and free me from them, for You are Good and Lover of Mankind.

When you go to bed, mark yourself with a cross and say the prayer to the Honest Cross:

May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may all who hate Him flee from His Face. As the smoke disappears, so let them disappear. Just as wax melts from the fire, so let the demons perish at the sight of those who love God, and sign themselves with the sign of the cross and joyfully say: “Rejoice, much-honored and life-giving Cross of the Lord, driving away demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified on you, who descended into hell and who destroyed the power of the devil and gave us you, His venerable Cross, to drive away every enemy.” O venerable and life-giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Lady, the Virgin Mary, and with all the saints forever. Amen.

Or briefly:

Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your venerable and life-giving Cross, and save me from all evil.

When you go to bed and fall asleep, say:

Into Your hands, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit. Bless me, have mercy on me and grant me eternal life. Amen.

Prayer before going to bed to the Guardian Angel

The Guardian Angel, introduced to a Christian after Holy Baptism, hourly protects his ward. Whenever there is a need, Orthodox Christians turn to their Guardian Angel, asking him for help and protection.

Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and patron of my soul and body! Forgive me everything that I have sinned today, and deliver me from every insidious plan of the enemy coming against me, so that I do not anger my God with any sin. But pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, to present me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the Most Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.

Bedtime prayer for a child

Very often, faith comes to people after the birth of a child. Any mother is ready to do anything to protect her child. Before going to bed, for a good sleep, as at any time of the day, you can turn to the Lord, the Most Holy Theotokos, the Guardian Angel and the saint whose name the child bears.

Prayer for children, to the Lord Jesus Christ

Sweetest Jesus, God of my heart! You gave me children according to the flesh, they are Yours after your soul; You redeemed both my soul and theirs with Your priceless blood. For the sake of Your Divine blood, I beg You, my sweetest Savior: with Your grace, touch the hearts of my children (names) and my godchildren (names), protect them with Your Divine fear, keep them from bad inclinations and habits, guide them on the bright path of truth and goodness, decorate them their life to all good and saving, arrange their fate as you yourself want, and save their souls, even according to destinies.

Prayer for children to the Most Holy Theotokos

O Most Holy Lady Virgin Theotokos, save and preserve under Your roof my children (names), all youths, young women and infants, baptized and nameless and carried in their mother’s womb. Cover them with the robe of Your motherhood, keep them in the fear of God and in obedience to their parents, beseech my Lord and Your Son to grant them what is useful for their salvation. I entrust them to Your maternal supervision, for You are the Divine Cover of Your servants.

Prayer for children to the Guardian Angel

Holy Guardian Angel of my child (name), cover him with your cover from the arrows of the demon, from the eyes of the seducer, and keep his heart in angelic purity. Amen.

Interpretation of evening prayers

For the laity, there are various evening prayers and interpretations of texts, the meaning of which can be explained by a priest or independent study of the topic. Beginners on the path of prayer can listen to the chants of the elders of Optina Pustyn before going to bed.

The Optina elders healed the suffering, served people, predicted the future and prayed for all sinners. It is useful for everyone to plunge into the life of the Optina monks to study their holy deeds and night vigils.

You can listen to the evening prayer rule of the Optina monks here:

Conclusion

For true Christians, the question of whether to pray or not is not worth it. For people who just want to come to God and a righteous life, the roads to the temple are open, and it doesn’t matter when a person made this decision, it’s never too late.

Having come to church, a person must grow in faith and knowledge, study the Holy Scriptures, the works of the holy fathers, regularly attend divine services, then prayer will become an integral part of the life of a Christian.

Religious reading: evening prayer for beginners to help our readers.

Evening prayer for the coming sleep

Every Orthodox Christian must adhere to a certain prayer rule, performed daily: morning prayers are read in the morning, and in the evening it is necessary to read prayers for the coming sleep.

Why do you need to read prayers before going to bed?

There is a certain rhythm of prayer intended for monastics and spiritually experienced lay people.

But for those who have recently come to the Church and are just beginning their prayer journey, it is quite difficult to read it in its entirety. And it happens that unforeseen situations arise for the laity when there is too little opportunity and time for prayer.

In this case, it is better to read the short rule than to mindlessly and without reverence jabber the full text.

Often, confessors bless beginners to read several prayers, and then, after 10 days, add one prayer to the rule every day. Thus, the skill of prayer reading is formed gradually and naturally.

Important! Any prayer request will be supported by Heaven when a person directs his activities to serving God and people.

Evening prayers

In the evening, the laity reads a short rule - a prayer for the night before going to bed:

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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. (Thrice)

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.

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)

Eternal God and King of every creature, who has vouchsafed me even at this hour to come, 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 Yours 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.

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 Thee I will find paradise, O Virgin Mother of God, the only Pure One and Blessed One.

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 in no sin I will anger my God; 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.

To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil ones, 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.

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.

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.

Interpretation of individual prayers

Heavenly King.

In prayer, the Holy Spirit is called the King, because He, like God the Father and God the Son, rules the world and reigns in it. He is a comforter and still provides comfort to those who need it. He guides believers on the righteous path, which is why he is called the Spirit of Truth.

The petition is addressed to the three hypostases of the Holy Trinity. The heavenly angels sing a great song before the throne of God. God the Father is the Holy God, God the Son is the Holy Almighty. This conversion is due to the victory of the Son over the devil and the destruction of hell. Throughout the prayer, a person asks for permission from sins, healing of spiritual infirmities for the sake of glorifying the Most Holy Trinity.

This is an appeal directly to the Almighty as the Father; we stand before Him as children before their mother and father. We affirm the omnipotence of God and His power, we beg to control human spiritual forces and direct them to the true path, so that after death they will be awarded the honor of being in the Kingdom of Heaven.

He is the Good Spirit for every believer, determined by God Himself. Therefore, praying to Him in the evenings is simply necessary. It is he who will warn against committing sins, help to live holy and will protect the soul and body.

The prayer especially highlights the danger of attacks from bodily enemies (people pushing to commit sin) and incorporeal (spiritual passions).

Nuances of the evening rule

Most people have a question: is it possible to listen to Orthodox chants on audio recordings?

The Epistle of the Apostle Paul says that it does not matter what a person does, the main thing is that any of his work is done for the glory of God.

Prayer should begin before going to bed. Before starting to read the rule, it is recommended to thank God for everything that He has given throughout the day. You need to turn to Him with your mind and heart, realizing the meaning of every word spoken.

Advice! If the text is read in Church Slavonic, then you need to study its Russian translation.

In modern practice, the rule is supplemented by reading prayers for:

close and dear people
living and deceased;
about enemies;
virtues and about the whole world.

In a dream, a person is especially vulnerable to the devil’s army; he is visited by sinful thoughts and bad desires. Night in the Christian understanding is considered a time of rampant demons. A person can receive information that can seduce his body and lead his soul into sin. Demons are very insidious; they can send nightmares in a dream.

This is why believers pray every day before going to bed.

Advice! Even when all life circumstances are going well, we must not forget about faith and the Heavenly Father, because human destinies are initially predetermined in Heaven. Therefore, it is necessary to turn to God before going to bed, and the next day will definitely turn out better than the previous one.

It is useful to listen to the singing of the elders of Optina Hermitage. This men's monastic monastery is famous for its miracle workers who could and can foresee human destinies. The need to serve the Almighty is conveyed through their prayer songs and sets them on the righteous path.
The Church has a positive attitude towards viewing Orthodox videos, but this material must be treated very carefully, and in the process of listening or watching it is recommended to put aside worldly activities.
Church officials advise including the prayers of the Optina Elders as part of the evening rule. Their texts have been developed over centuries and each of their phrases carries the greatest wisdom, capable of clarifying the foundations of the Orthodox faith and understanding their full depth.

Prayer is the breath of the soul of an Orthodox person. He practically cannot control his sleep, and other life processes are difficult to control. Therefore, prayer before going to bed is aimed at ensuring that the Creator participates in human life, otherwise He will not have the opportunity to help us.

Important! Offering prayer before going to bed means that an Orthodox Christian gains protection and support. In addition to their own protection, mothers beg God to protect their children and send them mercy.

Evening prayer - great spiritual support for beginners

When a person begins to believe in God and comes to church, he discovers here many rules that are well known and familiar to believers and completely incomprehensible to unchurched people. At first, such a mass of rules seems like unnecessary rituals, and only later does a person understand that in this way the church puts some kind of spiritual barrier between sin and man.

A person never stands still. Either he is going up or he is steadily going down in his spiritual condition. It is in order to support a person every day that the church has established some prayer rules. These are, for example, morning prayers, prayers before meals or evening prayers. For beginners, this all seems far-fetched and unnecessary. But in fact, only a regular reminder of God sometimes allows one to refrain from condemnation, anger, lies and petty theft, that is, from those numerous sins that every day is filled with.

Morning prayer is gratitude to God for life and for awakening. Starting the day with prayer, a person immediately tunes into a gracious mood and good deeds. He asks God for blessings on his upcoming activities.

The day ends with evening prayer. For beginners, any prayer rule can be shortened. For example, the usual evening rule begins with the prayer “To the Heavenly King.” Then comes a short invocation to God, known as the Trisagion, then the Most Holy Trinity and Our Father. This is the usual beginning of prayers; almost every prayer begins this way. The evening prayers themselves were compiled by famous church fathers and contain appeals of repentance, petition and gratitude.

How long does evening prayer take? For beginners, the prayer rule is usually shortened. It all depends on the age and health status of the person. For example, children sometimes read only one prayer at night, and older people also shorten their prayers. But in reality, evening prayer does not take that much time. The text, when pronounced slowly, takes about fifteen minutes; you also need to add bows and reading the commemoration. In general, an ordinary conscientious, leisurely parishioner prays in the evening for about half an hour.

This is quite a bit, so it is quite obvious that evening prayer is quite a feasible burden for beginners.

Orthodox Christians visit the temple twice a week and on holidays. Some people find this too burdensome. You shouldn’t force yourself and immediately try to stand through the entire service from the beginning to the very end. Of course, while everything is unclear and unusual, it is extremely difficult to do this. Church Slavonic is an additional complexity. It is similar to Russian, but many words are unclear or translated differently. Some read evening prayers in Russian and try to find a translation of the service. This is correct: prayer is a conversation with God, it should be understandable to the person praying. But then, when everything gradually becomes clearer, it is worth switching to ordinary church language.

Evening prayer is a small step for beginners, the first step on the path to becoming a church member and finding true joy in God. A step that is not that difficult to complete.

Brief evening prayer rule in Church Slavonic

This section presents evening prayers in Church Slavonic written in modern font.

Brief prayer rule
- Beginning of prayers
- Tropari
- Kontakion to the Mother of God
- Prayer of Saint Ioannikios

Brief prayer rule:

Beginning of prayers

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 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 filthiness, and save, O Good One, ours ours.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times)

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. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

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.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us;

Bewildered by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sins: have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You;

Do not be angry with us, remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if we are well-behaved, 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 and ever and unto ages of ages.

Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, may we not perish, but may we 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 on this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, Lord, my humble soul I swear from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.

And grant me, Lord, in the night of this dream to pass away in peace, so that, rising from my humble bed, I will please Your most holy name, all the days of my life, and will stop the enemies who fight me, carnal and without dense.

And deliver me, Lord, from vain thoughts that defile me, and from evil lusts.

For Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

Prayer 10, to the Most Holy Theotokos

Good Mother of the King, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Your Son and our God on my passionate soul and with Your prayers guide me to deeds of good. I will pass the rest of my life without blemish and through You I will find heaven, O Virgin Mary, the only Pure One and Blessed One.

Prayer 11, to the Holy Guardian Angel

To the Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and patron of my soul and body, forgive me in every way that I have sinned this day, and deliver me from all the wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, so that I may not commit any sin. I praise my God;

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.

Kontakion to the Mother of God

To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil ones, let us write thanksgiving to Thy servants, O Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Ti;

Rejoice, Unbridled 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.

Little 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 the truly blessed Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the 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.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Lord have mercy. (Thrice)

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.

Evening prayers: are they so hard?

In Christianity, prayer - communication with God - is called “food for the soul.” Therefore, for a full spiritual life, it must be daily, just like nutrition for our body. For most people, morning and evening are convenient times to turn to God. This is reflected in Orthodox prayer books. And if there is often not enough time to read the entire morning rule, then read evening prayers By pushing back bedtime, almost anyone can do it.

What do we pray for at the end of the day? The main thing in our conversion is repentance. We ask forgiveness for all sins, for the undue things that, due to weakness, we committed during the day. We thank God for everything sent to us. We pray to preserve us in the coming night and help us reach the Kingdom of Heaven. It's very good if evening prayer for beginners will also contain a confession of sins, by which it is easier to check your forgetful conscience. Evening time is the best time to mentally analyze all your actions for the day, your feelings, and once again bring repentance to God.

Evening, Orthodox prayer for beginners

People just starting to follow the prayer rule should understand that the most important thing in its implementation is consistency. If you have already decided to do it, then you need to read it every day, and not at will: if I want, I do it, if I don’t want, I don’t do it. Another question is what should this prayer rule for beginners consist of? Each prayer book has a corresponding section; it is with the reading of these prayers that one should begin to fulfill the prayer rule. Beginners should spend about half an hour on evening prayer, but everything, of course, depends on the personal characteristics of each person. It would be good to supplement the implementation of the rule by reading chapters from the Apostle and the Gospel - this takes little time, but the benefits are obvious.

Do beginners need a priest's blessing to read the evening prayer?

Churchgoers sometimes have a question: is it necessary to take a special blessing for beginners from a priest to read the evening prayer? This question can be answered in different ways. On the one hand, to read the prayer rule, the blessing of the priest is not required because prayer is a natural necessity for every believer. But, based on the fact that the beginner has little experience, it is better to ask the priest for advice and blessing on such an important matter. By asking for blessings, we thereby show humility, which attracts Divine grace. In addition, the priest will help you correctly calculate your strength for prayer.

Difficulty of Evening Prayer for Beginners

For overworked and busy modern people, it is temporarily possible to follow the prayer rule in such a way that the evening prayers for beginners are not read all in a row, but selectively. If it is impossible to read all the prayers, then it is good to read at least some of them. It is advisable to coordinate the choice of these prayers with the priest. Performing the evening prayer is the most difficult for beginners - fatigue after a hard day takes its toll.

Text of evening prayer for beginners

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. (3 times)

Hello, dear readers! Orthodox people adhere to certain prayer rules and read morning and evening prayers every day.

For a long time, humanity has associated going to sleep with higher powers; many people asked themselves, when going to bed, whether the next day would come for them. Therefore it was very important read evening prayers, before going to bed.

Traditions of Orthodox Christians

From time immemorial, at the end of the day, people return to their home in the evening after a hard day of work, talk with their family and friends, wish them a good and restful sleep.

At the same time, in Ancient Rus' they never forgot about the Lord, because it was he who gave people confidence in the future, instilled hope and peace in their souls.

It was very important to find a state of peace for bedtime, it was in this state that a person felt completely relaxed and rested, ready to begin new achievements in the morning.

Prayers for the coming sleep were created by holy people in the first centuries after the adoption of the Christian faith; they are also called rules, since they must be read regularly.

Today, evening prayers for beginners are available in any form. An Orthodox Christian can not only memorize the sacred text, but also listen to it in the form of an audio recording, watch a video of it, or simply read it online.

In this case, the chosen method of reading the rules will not be important to the Lord, the main thing is that there is deep faith and a desire to serve him sincerely.

These texts were compiled by clergy in the Church Slavonic language; unfortunately, this language is forgotten by many today and is difficult to perceive visually; previously it was included in the compulsory curriculum studied in schools. Today it is studied only by philologists and those who are planning to become a clergyman.

Today, the texts of most evening prayers have been adapted for modern people, that is, they can be read in Russian, so their meaning becomes more understandable.

How to read sacred texts for the coming sleep

Many beginning Christians are interested in the questions of what evening rules to read, at what time, and how to read. It is worth noting that reading the prayer words will take approximately 15 minutes; such texts should be read slowly, pondering each word; some changes should occur in the person’s soul, awareness of what you are reading.

The Holy Fathers recommend reading prayers for the coming sleep every day, spending an extra half hour on this, which could be spent at the computer or watching TV. It is very important to read the rules before communion and during Lent.

Also, some people are interested in the question of whether it is possible to read evening prayers while sitting. There are several opinions on this issue.

Most believers believe that you only need to turn to the Lord while standing in front of icons. But, at home, many people read sacred texts in a sitting position. Communicating with God while sitting is also allowed for those people who, for some reason, cannot stand at all, or can, but not for long.

What is included in evening prayers

First of all, a Christian should read the appeal to the Holy Trinity;
Next, the well-known prayer “Our Father” is read by heart (you can read the prayer not only for the coming sleep, but also when there is a strong need to communicate with God);
Then the person must turn in turn to God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. This address was compiled by the monk Macarius the Great, the author of many sacred texts.

Appeal to the Holy Trinity

Prayer of Macarius the Great

Also, in evening prayers, people often turn to God with a request for forgiveness of sins. This is due to the fact that night is a time of rest, but in this state a person is weak, since demons can take possession of his soul, exposing it to various temptations and temptations that are very difficult to fight.

To prevent demons from visiting and to make it easier to cope with their temptations, it is necessary to cleanse the soul through repentance.

In addition, in the rules read in the evening, it is important for a Christian to turn to his Guardian Angel. Each person who has undergone the rite of baptism has his own Guardian Angel, who protects his soul and body, tells his ward what to do in this or that case.

It is known that the symbol of the Christian faith is the Cross, therefore there is a prayer to it. Everyone knows that the Cross symbolizes the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ for the sins committed by humanity. The sign of the cross means protection from the forces of darkness, so it is important not to forget to cross yourself when reading the evening rules.

Each person has his own regime, but it is worth considering that time on the church day is calculated differently. You can start reading the evening rules after three o'clock in the afternoon. People are also interested in what time in the evening they can do this, whether it is possible at night. The clergy recommend reading prayers for the coming sleep before 12 o'clock at night.

If a person attends evening services in a church, then the rules must be read out after its completion. You can read the sacred texts at home, take a prayer book with large print and slowly pronounce the phrases.

It is believed that one prayer, pronounced with feeling and understanding, can replace a dozen of those that were read hastily, and their deep meaning was not understood by a person.

It is very important for beginning Christians, when reading evening prayers, not to be distracted by extraneous thoughts, to be collected, to try to understand their essence, only if these conditions are met will spiritual benefit be obtained.

When you go to bed, say:
In Your hands, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit: You bless me, You have mercy on me and grant me eternal life. Amen.

Offering prayer words before going to bed is necessary for an Orthodox Christian to gain protection and support at night. From time immemorial, mothers asked the Lord for protection for their children, turning to him with prayers for the coming sleep.

Saints always hear sincere words addressed to them and strive to protect their charges and send them mercy.

Goodbye, dear guests and blog readers, share interesting and useful information using social networks! Subscribe to blog updates!

Best regards, Irina Yarovikova

Prayers “For the coming sleep” help get rid of unpleasant memories, as well as enlist the support of saints the next day. With their help, you can protect yourself from problems, troubles and ill-wishers.

True faith in a Higher Power can save a person from any adversity, illness and trouble along the path of life. During the day we experience a lot of stress and difficult moments, and we can get rid of a heavy burden on our hearts with the help of prayer requests. To make each new day successful, do not forget to turn to the Saints with evening prayers before going to bed. After this, do not forget to thank your heavenly helpers, and then they will always support you at any moment.

Evening prayer to the Holy Trinity

Turning to the Holy Trinity will help you get rid of unpleasant memories, as well as protect yourself from evil people, the evil eye and damage. The prayer should be said after the last meal, and it sounds like this:

“Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on me and deliver me from the temptations I have encountered during the day. Yes, protect me from the evil that my enemies want to inflict on me tomorrow or another day. Glory to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen".

You should say this simple prayer every day, and then failures and troubles will always pass you by.

Prayer for forgiveness of sins before bed

Misdeeds we commit during the day can lead to dire consequences. None of us is immune from mistakes, but if you want to avoid the wrath of God, we suggest you say a prayer for the forgiveness of sins every evening.

“I turn to the Lord God, His Son Jesus Christ and the Most Holy Mother of God, I pray for forgiveness of the sins I have committed. I ask you to cleanse my soul from evil, from bad thoughts and direct me, servant of God (name), to the true path. Amen".

You should only say this prayer if you truly repent of your sins. Otherwise, your appeal will be meaningless.

Evening prayer to the Guardian Angel

Guardian Angel is your main heavenly assistant and protector. In order for the heavenly messenger to protect you daily, you must say this prayer every evening.

“Guardian Angel, I ask you, protect me from enemies and the evil that they can cause me. I ask that every day begins and ends under your protection, that you protect me from failures and sins. Amen".

Throughout the day, a person needs additional help, and Higher powers can provide it. To enlist the support of the Saints at the beginning of the day, we suggest you use morning prayers. We wish you happiness, and don't forget to press the buttons and

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