The Lord is the destruction of my despondency and the revival of my boldness. Everything is Lord for me. Oh, truly this Lord, glory to You! Glory to Thee, the Father Life, the Son Life, the Holy Soul Life - the Simple Being - God, who always delivers us from spiritual death, caused by passions to our souls. Glory to Thee, Trinitarian Master, for from one invocation of Thy name you enlighten the dark face of our soul and body and bestow Your peace, which surpasses all earthly and sensual good and all understanding.
Psalm 36
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Do not be jealous of those who are evil; be not jealous of those who commit lawlessness. Like the grass they will soon dry up, and like the potion of grain they will soon disappear. Trust in the Lord, and do goodness, and populate the earth, and enjoy its riches. Delight the Lord, and He will grant you the petitions of your heart. Open your way to the Lord, and trust in Him, and He will create: and He will bring forth your righteousness like light and your destiny like noonday. Obey the Lord and beg Him. Do not be jealous of a man who is late on his journey and commits a crime. Stop being angry and leave rage: do not be jealous or be deceitful. Those who are wicked will be consumed, but those who endure the Lord will inherit the earth. And yet a little while, and there will be no sinner: and you will seek his place, and will not find it. The meek ones will inherit the earth and enjoy the abundance of the world. The sinner looks down on the righteous and gnashes his teeth. The Lord will laugh at him and despise him, when his day comes. The sinner has drawn the sword, strained her bow, cast down the wretched and the poor, and slain the upright in heart. Let their sword enter into their hearts, and let their bows be broken. A little is better for the righteous than the much wealth of sinners. For the sinners' arms will be broken, but the Lord will strengthen the righteous. The Lord knows the way of the blameless, and their inheritance will endure forever. They will not be ashamed in times of cruelty, and in days of famine they will be satisfied, as sinners will perish. Defeat the Lord, become greatly glorified by them and ascend, vanishing like smoke. The sinner borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives. For those who bless Him will inherit the earth, but those who curse Him will be consumed. From the Lord a man’s feet are straightened, and his ways are greatly delighted. Whenever he falls, he will not be broken, for the Lord strengthens his hand. The youngest was, for he grew old, and did not see the righteous man left, below his seed asking for bread. All day long the righteous one has mercy and gives back, and his seed will be a blessing. Turn away from evil, and do good, and dwell in the age of the century. For the Lord loves judgment and will not forsake His venerables, they will be preserved forever. But the wicked will marry, and the seed of the wicked will be consumed. The righteous women will inherit the earth and dwell in it forever. The mouth of the righteous shall learn wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgment. The law of his God is in his heart, and his feet will not falter. The sinner looks at the righteous and seeks to kill him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand; he will judge him even when he judges him. Be patient with the Lord, and preserve His way, and He will exalt you, even though you will inherit the earth, and be consumed by a sinner, you will see. I saw the wicked being exalted and towering like the cedars of Lebanon. And he passed by, and behold he was not, and sought him, and his place was not found. Maintain kindness and see righteousness, for there is a remnant for a man in peace. The wicked will be consumed together: the remnants of the wicked will be consumed. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, and their Protector is in time of tribulation. And the Lord will help them, and deliver them, and remove them from sinners, and save them, because they trusted in Him.
Do not be jealous of evildoers, do not envy those who do iniquity, for they, like grass, will soon be cut down and, like green grass, they will wither. Trust in the Lord and do good; live on earth and keep the truth. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord and trust in Him, and He will perfect and bring out your righteousness like the light and your justice like the noonday. Submit to the Lord and trust in Him. Do not be jealous of the one who succeeds in his way, the wicked man. Stop being angry and leave rage; Do not be so jealous as to do evil, for those who do evil will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will inherit the earth. A little more, and the wicked will no longer be; you look at his place, and he is not there. But the meek will inherit the earth and enjoy much peace. The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him: but the Lord laughs at him, for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked draw their sword and draw their bow to overthrow the poor and needy, to pierce those who walk the straight path: their sword will enter their own heart, and their bows will be broken. A little of the righteous is better than the riches of many of the wicked, for the arms of the wicked are broken, but the Lord strengthens the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their wealth will endure forever: they will not be put to shame in times of cruelty, and in days of famine they will be satisfied; but the wicked will perish, and the enemies of the Lord will disappear like the fat of lambs, vanishing in smoke. The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous has mercy and gives, for those blessed by Him will inherit the earth, and those cursed by Him will be destroyed. The Lord establishes the feet of such a person, and He favors his path: when he falls, he will not fall, for the Lord holds him by the hand. I was young and old, and I have not seen the righteous forsaken and his descendants asking for bread: he has mercy and lends every day, and his descendants will be a blessing. Turn away from evil and do good, and you will live forever: for the Lord loves righteousness and does not forsake His saints; they will remain forever; [and the wicked will be cast out] and the descendants of the wicked will be destroyed. The righteous will inherit the earth and will live on it forever. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue speaks righteousness. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet shall not be shaken. The wicked spies on the righteous and seeks to kill him; but the Lord will not deliver him into his hands and will not allow him to be accused when he is judged. Trust in the Lord and keep His way: and He will exalt you to inherit the earth; and when the wicked are destroyed, you will see. I saw a terrible wicked man, expanding like a rooted many-branched tree; but he passed, and now he is gone; I'm looking for it and can't find it. Observe the blameless and behold the righteous, for the future of such a person is peace; and the wicked will all be destroyed; the future of the wicked will perish. Salvation comes from the Lord for the righteous; He is their protection in times of trouble; and the Lord will help them and deliver them; He will deliver them from the wicked and save them, for they trust in Him.
Psalm 39
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I have endured and endured the Lord, and he has heeded me and heard my prayer. And bring me up from the pit of passions, and from the clay of the mire, and set my feet on the stone, and straighten my steps, and put in my mouth a new song, singing to our God. Many will see and fear, and trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man for whom the name of the Lord is his hope, and will not despise lying vanity and turmoil. Thou hast done many things, O Lord my God, Thy wonders, and by Thy thought there is no one who can be like Thee: I have proclaimed them in words, multiplying more than in number. You did not desire sacrifices and offerings, but you fulfilled the body for me, burnt offerings, and you did not require sin. Then he said, “Behold, I have come; in the book of the book it is written about me: I have pleased to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is in the midst of my belly.” The gospel of righteousness is great in the church; behold, I will not hinder my lips: Lord, you have understood. I have not hidden Your righteousness in my heart, I have not hidden Your truth and Your salvation, I have not hidden Your mercy and Your truth from the multitude. But You, Lord, do not remove Your compassions from me: I will take Your mercy and Your truth away, intercede for me. Because the evil one has taken possession of me, which has no number, my iniquities have befallen me, and I am not able to see the hair of my head multiply, and my heart forsake me. Deign, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, come to my aid. Let those who seek to take away my soul be ashamed and put to shame, and let those who wish to harm me turn back and be ashamed. May those who say: good, good, receive their coldness. Let all who seek You, O Lord, rejoice and rejoice in You, and let them say: May the Lord be exalted, they who love Your salvation. But I am poor and wretched, the Lord will take care of me. Thou art my Helper and my Protector, O my God, do not become stubborn.
I firmly trusted in the Lord, and He bowed down to me and heard my cry; He brought me out of the terrible pit, out of the muddy swamp, and set my feet on a rock and established my steps; and he put a new song in my mouth - praise to our God. Many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who places his hope in the Lord and does not turn to the proud or to those who turn to lies. You have done much, O Lord my God: about Your miracles and Your thoughts about us - whoever will be like You! – I would like to preach and speak, but they exceed the number. You did not want sacrifices and offerings; You have opened my ears* (*According to the translation of the 70: You have prepared a body for me.); You did not require burnt offerings or sin sacrifices. Then I said: here I come; in the scroll of the book it is written about me: I desire to do Thy will, O my God, and Thy law is in my heart. I have proclaimed Your righteousness in the great assembly; I did not forbid my mouth: You, Lord, know. I did not hide Your righteousness in my heart, I proclaimed Your faithfulness and Your salvation, I did not hide Your mercy and Your truth before the great assembly. Do not withhold, O Lord, Thy compassions from me; May Thy mercy and Thy truth protect me unceasingly, for innumerable troubles have surrounded me; My iniquities have come upon me, so that I cannot see them: they are more numerous than the hairs of my head; my heart has left me. Deign, O Lord, to deliver me; God! hurry to help me. May all who seek the destruction of my soul be ashamed and disgraced! May those who wish me harm be turned back and consigned to ridicule! Let those who say to me, “Good! Fine!" Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You, and let those who love Your salvation continually say: “Great is the Lord!” I am poor and needy, but the Lord cares for me. You are my help and my deliverer, my God! don't slow down.
Psalm 53
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God, in Your name save me and in Your power judge me. God, hear my prayer, inspire the words of my mouth. As strangers rose up against me, and sought my soul with strength, and did not offer God before them. Behold, God helps me, and the Lord is the Protector of my soul. Evil will turn away my enemy; consume them with Thy truth. I will devour You, I will confess to Your name, O Lord, that it is good that You have delivered me from all sorrow, and that my eye has looked upon my enemies.
God! Save me in Your name, and judge me in Your power. God! Hear my prayer, listen to the words of my mouth, for strangers have risen up against me, and the mighty are seeking my soul; they do not have God before them. Behold, God is my helper; The Lord strengthens my soul. He will repay the evil of my enemies; By Your truth I will destroy them. I will diligently offer a sacrifice to You, I will glorify Your name, Lord, for it is good, for You delivered me from all troubles, and my eye looked on my enemies.
Psalm 101
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Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to You. Do not turn Your face away from me: even if I mourn for a day, incline Your ear to me: even if I call on You for a day, hear me soon. As if my days had disappeared like smoke, and my bones had dried up like dry land. I was wounded like grass, and my heart wasted away, as if I had forgotten to bear my bread. Because of the voice of my groaning my bone clings to my flesh. I became like the tawny owl of the desert, like a nighttime corvid on its dive. I walked and walked like a special bird here. All day long I have reproached you, and those who praise me swear by me. It became ashes like I ate bread, and I dissolved my drink with tears. From the presence of Thy anger and Thy wrath: for as Thou hast exalted Thou hast cast me down. My days have turned away like the shade, and I have dried up like hay. But You, Lord, remain forever, and Your memory endures forever. You have risen to show mercy to Zion, for the time has come to show mercy to it. For Thy servants have favored his stone, and his dust they will buffet. And the nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kingdoms of the earth will fear Your glory. For the Lord will build Zion and appear in His glory. Consider the prayer of the humble, and do not despise their prayers. Let this be written for generations, and the people of the world praise the Lord. As from His holy heights, the Lord looked down from Heaven to earth, to hear the groaning of the chained, to release the sons of the slain, to proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem. Sometimes the people and the king will gather together to work for the Lord. Answer Him on the way of His strength: make known to me the decline of my days. Do not bring me to the end of my days: in the generation of your generations. In the beginning, O Lord, You founded the earth, and Your hand made the heavens. They will perish, but You remain, and all like a robe they will promise, and like a garment I will wear, and they will be changed. You are the same, and Your years will not fail. Thy servants shall dwell, and their seed shall be perfected forever.
God! Hear my prayer, and let my cry come to You. Hide not Your face from me; in the day of my tribulation, incline Your ear to me; on the day [when] I cry [to You], hear me quickly; For my days are gone like smoke, and my bones are burned like a brand; my heart is smitten and withered like grass, so that I forget to eat my bread; because of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my flesh. I am like a pelican in the desert; I became like an owl on the ruins; I don’t sleep and sit like a lonely bird on the roof. Every day my enemies revile me, and those who are angry with me curse me. I eat ashes like bread, and I dissolve my drink with tears, because of Thy anger and Thy indignation, for Thou hast exalted me and cast me down. My days are like a retreating shadow, and I am withered like grass. But You, Lord, remain forever, and Your memory endures forever. You will arise, you will have mercy on Zion, for the time has come to have mercy on it, for the time has come; for Thy servants have loved its stones, and have pity for its dust. And the nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory. For the Lord will build Zion and appear in His glory; He will listen to the prayers of the helpless and will not despise their prayers. This will be written about for the generation that follows, and the generation to come will praise the Lord, for He came down from His holy height, the Lord looked down from heaven to the earth, to hear the groan of the prisoners, to loose the sons of death, so that they might proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem, when nations and kingdoms are gathered together to serve the Lord. He exhausted my strength along the way, He shortened my days. I said: My God! do not take me away in half my days. Your summers in childbirth. In the beginning You, O Lord, founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands; they will perish, but You will remain; and they will all wear out like a robe, and like a garment You will change them, and they will be changed; but You are the same, and Your years will not end. The sons of Your servants will live, and their seed will be established before You.
Oh, all-praised saint and saint of Christ, our Father Tikhon! Having lived like an angel on earth, you, like a good angel, appeared in your wondrous glorification: we believe with all our souls and thoughts, like you, our compassionate helper and man of prayer, in your unfailing actions The secrets and grace abundantly bestowed upon you from the Lord always contribute to our salvation. Accept, blessed servant of Christ, even at this hour our unworthy prayer: free us through your intercession from the vanity and superstition that surrounds us, the unbelief and evil of man; Try, O quick representative for us, with your favorable intercession to beseech the Lord, that He may add His great and rich mercy to us, sinners and unworthy His servants (names) May His grace heal the unhealed sores and scabs of our corrupted souls and bodies, may our petrified hearts dissolve with tears of tenderness and contrition for our many sins, and may We are saved from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna; May He grant to all His faithful people in this present world peace and silence, health and salvation and good haste in everything, so that they may live a quiet and silent life in all piety and purity, in the Lord Let us fight with the Angels and with all the saints to glorify and sing the all-holy name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.
Hope to all the ends of the earth, Most Pure Virgin, Lady Theotokos, our consolation! Do not disdain us sinners, for we trust in Your mercy: extinguish the sinful flame burning in us and water our parched hearts with repentance; Cleanse our minds from sinful thoughts, accept the prayers offered to You from the soul and heart with sighs. Be an intercessor for us to Your Son and God and turn away His anger with Your motherly prayers. Heal mental and physical ulcers, Lady Lady, quench the illnesses of souls and bodies, calm the storm of evil attacks of the enemy, take away the burden of our sins, and do not leave us to perish and sorrow until the end Comfort our contrite hearts, may we glorify Thee until our last breath.
Oh, Most Holy Virgin, the All-Blessed Son of the All-Blessed Mother of this city and holy temple, the Patroness of all who are in sins, sorrows, troubles and illnesses, faithful to the Representative and Intercessor! Accept this prayer song from us, Thy unworthy servants, offered to You, and like the sinner of old, every day many times before Thy honorable icon who prayed, You did not despise, but granted it This gave him the unexpected joy of repentance and you bowed your Son to the many and zealous towards Him intercession for the forgiveness of this sinner and the lost, so even now do not despise the prayers of us, Thy unworthy servants, and beg Thy Son and our God, and all of us, with faith and tenderness, worshiping the goal in Your bountiful image, bestows unexpected joy for every need: a sinner mired in the depths of evil and passions - all-effective admonition, repentance and salvation; to those in sorrow and sorrow - consolation; to those who find themselves in troubles and embitterment - complete abundance of these; for the cowardly and unreliable - hope and patience; To those who live in joy and abundance - unceasing thanksgiving to God the Benefactor; to the needy - mercy; for those who are sick and long-term and abandoned by doctors - unexpected healing and strengthening; those who were waiting for the mind from illness - return and renewal of the mind; departing into eternal and endless life - memory of death, tenderness and contrition for sins, a cheerful spirit and firm hope in the mercy of the Judge.
Oh, Most Holy Lady! Have mercy on all who honor Your all-honorable name and show to everyone Your all-powerful protection and intercession: observe them in piety, purity and honest living until the end in goodness; create evil blessings; guide those who have gone astray to the right path; Make progress in every good work and that which is pleasing to Your Son; Destroy every evil and ungodly deed; in bewilderment and difficult and dangerous circumstances, to those who find invisible help and admonition sent down from Heaven, from temptations, temptations and death, save from all evil people and from enemies visible and invisible protect and preserve; float to those who swim, travel to those who travel; Be the Nourisher for those who are in need and hunger; for those who do not have shelter and shelter, provide cover and refuge; Give clothing to the naked, intercession to the offended and unjustly persecuted; invisibly justify those who suffer slander, slander and blasphemy; expose the slanderers and blasphemers before everyone; Grant unforeseen reconciliation to those who are bitterly at enmity, and to all of us - love, peace, and piety, and health with long life. Keep your marriage in love and like-mindedness; spouses, in the enmity and division of existence, die, unite me to each other and establish an indestructible union of love for them; Give quick permission to mothers giving birth, raise babies, be chaste to young ones, open their minds to the perception of every useful teaching, teach the fear of God, abstinence and hard work; protect from domestic strife and enmity of the same blood with peace and love; Be the Mother of motherless orphans, turn them away from all vice and filthiness, and teach them all that is good and pleasing to God, but those who have been seduced into sin and impurity have fallen, having revealed the filthiness of sin, from the abyss death is coming; Be the Comforter and Helper of widows, be a rod of old age; Deliver us all from sudden death without repentance and grant us all a Christian death of our lives, painless, shameless, peaceful and a kind answer at the Last Judgment of Christ: having passed away in the world repentance and repentance from this life created with the Angels and all the saints; those who died of sudden death, beseech the mercy of Thy Son, and for all those who have died who have no relatives, begging for the repose of Thy Son, Be the unceasing and warm Prayer Book and Ho data: may everyone in Heaven and on earth lead You as a firm and shameless Representative of the race Christian, and, knowingly, glorify Thee and Thy Son, with His Beginningless Father and His Consubstantial Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, blessed Mother of Christ God, our Savior, joy to all who mourn, visiting the sick, the weak, protection and intercessor, widows and orphans, patroness, mother the all-reliable comforter of the sorrowful, the weak infants in the fortress, and always ready help and a true refuge for all the helpless! To you, O All-Merciful One, was given grace from the Almighty to intercede for everyone and deliver them from sorrows and illnesses, for you yourself endured fierce sorrows and illnesses, looking at free suffering. the wife of Your beloved and the One crucified on the cross, seeing, always the weapon that Simeon foretold, the heart Yours has passed: also Ubo, O mother of children, listen to the voice of our prayer, console us in the sorrow of those who exist, as a faithful intercessor for joy. Standing before the throne of the Most Holy Trinity, at the right hand of Your Son, Christ our God, you may, if you desire, ask for everything useful to us: for our sake, with heartfelt faith and love, we fall to You, Like the Queen and Lady: hear, daughter, and see, and incline Your ear, hear Our prayer and deliver us from current troubles and sorrows: You are the Joy of all the faithful, as you give peace and consolation. See our misfortune and sorrow: show us Thy mercy, send consolation to our heart wounded by sorrow, show and surprise us sinners with the riches of Thy mercy, grant wait for us tears of repentance to cleanse our sins and quench the wrath of God, and with a pure heart, good conscience and With undoubted hope we resort to Your intercession and intercession. Accept, our All-merciful Lady Theotokos, our earnest prayer offered to You, and do not reject us unworthy from Your mercy, but grant us deliverance from sorrow and illness, protection From every slander of the enemy and human slander, be our constant helper all the days of our life , so that under Your maternal protection we will always achieve goals and preservation through Your intercession and prayers to Your Son and God our Savior, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship , with His beginningless Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer before the icon of the Mother of God
Oh, Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord of the Highest Powers, Heaven and Earth Queen, our city and country, omnipotent Intercessor! Accept this singing of praise and gratitude from us, Thy unworthy servants, and lift up our prayers to the Throne of God Thy Son, that He may be merciful to our unrighteousness and add His grace those who honor Your all-honorable name and worship Your miraculous image with faith and love. For we are not worthy of mercy from Him, unless You propitiate Him for us, Lady, for all that is possible for You from Him is possible. For this reason we resort to You, as to our undoubted and speedy Intercessor: hear us praying to You, cover us with Your all-powerful protection and ask God for Your Son to shepherd We strive for our zeal and vigilance for souls, for wisdom and strength as a ruler, as a judge of truth and impartiality, as a mentor reason and humility, love and harmony for a spouse, obedience for a child, patience for those offended, fear of God for those offended, complacency for those who mourn, self-control for those who rejoice: to us all the spirit of understanding and goodness stia, the spirit of mercy and meekness, the spirit of purity and truth. Hey, Most Holy Lady, have mercy on Your weak people; Gather the scattered, guide those who have gone astray on the right path, support old age, bring up the youth with integrity, educate the young, and look upon us all with the care of Your merciful intercession; raise us up from the depths of sin and enlighten the eyes of our hearts to the vision of salvation; be merciful to us here and there, in the land of earthly advent and at the Last Judgment of Your Son; Having ceased in faith and repentance from this life, our fathers and brothers created eternal life with the Angels and with all the saints. For you are, Lady, the Glory of heaven and the Hope of earth, You, according to God, are our Hope and Intercessor of all who flow to You with faith. We therefore pray to You and to You, as the Almighty Helper, to ourselves and to each other and our whole lives we commit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Religious reading: prayer when there is great despair to help our readers.
Venerable Athanasius of Athos
(Among the many miracles performed by Athanasius during his lifetime, the first aid to the desperate was especially remarkable.)
Reverend Father Athanasius, a great servant of Christ and a great Athonite miracle worker, during the days of your earthly life you taught many on the right path and guided you wisely into the kingdom of Heaven, comforting the sorrowful, giving a helping hand to those who give you a helping hand, and a kind, merciful and compassionate former father! Even now, dwelling in heavenly lordship, you most especially multiply your love for us who are weak, in the midst of life, we are in need, tempted by the spirit of malice and passions that war against the spirit. For this reason, we humbly pray to you, holy father: according to the grace given to you from God, help us to do the will of the Lord in simplicity of heart and humility: to overcome the temptations of the enemy and the fierce sea of passions, so that we will calmly pass through the abyss of life and through your intercession to the Lord we will be worthy of achieving the Kingdom promised to us Heavenly, glorifying the Beginningless Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Saint John Chrysostom
(The most favorite subject of St. Chrysostom in the service of the Word of God was the speech about the hope of God’s mercy.)
O great saint John Chrysostom! You received many and varied gifts from the Lord and, like a good and faithful servant, you multiplied all the talents given to you for good: for this reason, you were truly a universal teacher, as every age and every rank learns from you. You are the image of obedience to the youth, the luminary of chastity to the young, the mentor of hard work to the husband, the teacher of kindness to the old, the rule of abstinence to the monk, the inspired leader of God to those who pray, the enlightener of the mind to those who seek wisdom, the inexhaustible source of living words to those who are kind-hearted, and to those who do good - a star of mercy, a wise image of rulership, a zealot of truth - an inspirer of boldness, a mentor of righteousness for the persecuted - patience: you were all, and you saved everyone. Over all of these you have acquired love, which is the bond of perfection, and with that, as if by the power of the Divine, you have united all the gifts in one person in one, and there you have preached the love, shared and reconciling, in the interpretation of the words of the apostles to all the faithful. We are sinners, we each have our own talent, we are not imams of unity of spirit in the union of peace, we are vainglorious, irritating each other, envious of each other: for this reason, our divided not into peace and salvation, but into enmity and condemnation appear to us. Moreover, we fall to you, the saint of God, overwhelmed by discord, and in contrition of heart we ask: with your prayers, drive away from our hearts all pride and envy that divides us, so that in many ways there will be one church body, so that according to your prayerful words we will love each other and with one mind we confess the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, Consubstantial and Indivisible, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O great saint John Chrysostom! You received many and varied gifts from the Lord and, like a good and faithful servant, you multiplied all the talents given to you for good, for this reason you were truly a universal teacher, as every age and every rank learns from you. We, sinners (names), each having our own talent, the unity of spirit in the union of peace, are not imams, but we are vain, irritating each other, envious of each other; For the sake of this gift, we are divided not into peace and salvation, but into enmity and condemnation. Moreover, we fall to you, the saint of God, overwhelmed by discord, and in contrition of heart we ask: with your prayers drive away from our hearts all anger, ill will, pride and envy that divides us, so that in many places we may remain one church body without restraint, so that according to your word Let us love each other in prayer and with one mind confess the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, Consubstantial and Indivisible, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Holy Angel of Christ, falling to you I pray, my holy guardian, dedicated to me for the preservation of my sinful soul and body from holy baptism, but with my laziness and my evil custom I angered your most pure lordship and drove you away from me with all the cold deeds: lies, slander , envy, condemnation, contempt, disobedience, brotherly hatred and resentment, love of money, adultery, rage, stinginess, gluttony without satiety and drunkenness, verbosity, evil thoughts and crafty ones, proud custom and lustful infuriation, self-lust for every carnal lust, oh my evil arbitrariness, even beasts without words do not do it! How can you look at me, or approach me like a stinking dog? Whose eyes, Angel of Christ, look upon me, entangled in evil in vile deeds? How can I ask for forgiveness for my bitter, evil and crafty deeds, I fall into misery all day and night and at every hour? But I pray to you, falling down, my holy guardian, have mercy on me, a sinful and unworthy servant of yours (name), be my helper and intercessor against the evil of my opponent, with your holy prayers, and make me a partaker of the Kingdom of God with all the saints, always, and now, and ever and ever. Amen.
Holy Angel, standing before my accursed soul and my passionate life, do not leave me, a sinner, nor depart from me for my intemperance. Do not give room to the evil demon to possess me through the violence of this mortal body: strengthen my poor and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation. To her, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my accursed soul and body, forgive me everything, I have offended you so greatly all the days of my life, and if I sinned this past night, cover me on this day, and save me from every opposite temptation, Let me not anger God in any sin, and pray for me to the Lord, that He may strengthen me in His passion, and show me worthy as a servant of His goodness. Amen.
Angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me from God from heaven for my protection! I diligently pray to you: enlighten me today, save me from all evil, guide me to good deeds, and direct me on the path of salvation. Amen.
O holy Angel, my good guardian and patron! With a contrite heart and painful soul I stand before you, praying: hear me, your sinful servant (name), with a strong cry and a bitter cry; do not remember my iniquities and untruths, in whose image I, the accursed one, anger you all the days and hours, and create abominations for myself before our Creator, the Lord; Show yourself merciful to me and do not leave me, the vile one, even until my death; awaken me from the sleep of sin and with your prayers help me to pass through the rest of my life without blemish and create fruits worthy of repentance; moreover, protect me from the mortal falls of sin, so that I will not perish in despair and may the enemy not rejoice over my destruction. I truly confess with my lips that no one is such a friend and intercessor, protector and champion, like you, holy Angel: for standing before the Throne of the Lord, pray for me, indecent, and more sinful than all, so that the Most Good One will not take away my soul on the day of my despair and on the day of creation of evil. Do not cease to propitiate the most merciful Lord and my God, may he forgive me the sins that I have committed throughout my life, in deed, in word and with all my feelings, and, like the news of destinies, may he save me; may He punish me here according to His ineffable mercy, but may He not convict and punish me here according to His impartial justice; may he make me worthy to bring repentance, and with repentance may I be worthy of receiving Divine Communion, for this I pray more and I earnestly desire such a gift. In the terrible hour of death, be persistent with me, my good guardian, driving away the dark demons that have the power to frighten my trembling soul: protect me from those traps, when the imam passes through the airy ordeals, may we protect you, I will safely reach paradise, which I desire, where the faces of the saints and The Heavenly Powers continually praise the all-honorable and magnificent name in the Trinity of the glorified God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to whom honor and worship are due forever and ever. Amen.
Powerful prayer for depression and despair
Depression, despair, despondency are conditions that are not just a bad mood that will pass in a few hours, but a much worse health disorder. Sometimes prolonged depression is put on a par with complex diseases, which are treated by professional doctors.
It is worth noting that in Orthodoxy such mental states were equated with mortal sins. However, during their lifetime, some saints also suffered from such complex mental disorders. Therefore, prayers for despondency and depression have come down to our time, which help a believer overcome this difficulty in his life.
Who should you pray to in case of depression and despair?
Today, there are a sufficient number of different prayers that can help a believer get rid of such an unpleasant moral state. The first step is to choose a sacred text that will have a beneficial effect on the person asking for help from the saints.
It is worth noting that every Orthodox Christian can independently distinguish which prayer is from depression and despair, and which is from melancholy and despondency. To do this, you just need to read the prayer service; from its text it becomes clear, and the believer himself must feel that this sacred text is intended specifically for his condition.
Moreover, you should choose a saint who will hear your request, understand it and, by necessity, be able to fulfill it. This is not so easy to do; you need to think about your situation and find the miracle worker whose story fits the specific situation.
It is also worth considering what type of people this or that is suitable for. strong prayer from depression. That is, a person can be in a state of oppression for various reasons; there are prayers of this kind for people:
- who are sad and depressed because they are in prison and lack spiritual strength;
- sometimes despondency occurs due to a person’s separation from people close to him;
- in some cases, a believer cannot cope with depression due to constant failures in various endeavors.
Saints helping Christians from laziness, despondency, despair, depression
Depending on the specific conditions, every believer must choose a miracle worker who can hear his requests and help in difficult times. Every Orthodox Christian can ask for help from the following saints:
- Mother of God.
- Matrona of Moscow.
- John of Kronstadt.
- Nikolai Ugodnik.
- Saint Tikhon.
- Martyr Tryphon.
- Reverend Ephraim.
It is worth noting that prayers in churches in front of the icons of all these saints worked incredible miracles. It has been repeatedly noted that people who asked them for help actually received it. Sometimes situations were seemingly hopeless, but suddenly a way out appeared precisely after reading a prayer for depression. To decide on the choice of a miracle worker, you should briefly know the history of each of them.
mother of God
The Mother of God has a special meaning among Orthodox Christians. An incredible number of different icons were painted with her image, some of which are miraculous. It is believed that a person who asks the Mother of God for help will definitely receive it, she hears everyone and never refuses help, but only when it is really needed.
As for this situation, it would be correct for a Christian to read the sacred text in front of the “Unexpected Joy” icon. In case of reading sincere prayer In front of this icon, a person returns to his normal existence, he acquires inner spiritual strength and mental balance. The Orthodox gets rid of the depressive state and continues a normal life.
Matrona of Moscow
She is also considered one of the strongest saints who helps everyone in need. Matrona was born completely blind, and she has never seen this world. But almost from childhood she had the gift of foresight and healing. All my earthly life Matrona devoted herself to helping other people, she did not refuse anyone and did everything in her power.You can pray in front of the icon of the Matrona of Moscow directly at home or in church. If possible, it is highly recommended to come to the relics of Matrona. Hundreds of Orthodox Christians come to this place every day and ask her for help to this day. But, if this is not possible, then you can read a prayer for despondency, depression, melancholy and despair at home in front of the icon.
John of Kronstadt
John was born in the Far North of Russia into the family of a poor rural worker. From an early age, the future saint was able to experience all the harsh conditions of life. Living in a poor family, the young man fully learned what a life full of poverty, tears and despair is. Such living conditions made John a rather withdrawn person, but at the same time he had a compassionate love for the poor.
Due to the lack of material wealth, he did not play toys and other children's games that were available to his peers. However, he never lost heart and carried God in his heart. John loved nature; it gave him spiritual strength and inner balance.
Poverty did not break him, and he began to learn to read and write. After some time, John enters the academy and a little later becomes a priest. Throughout the rest of his life, he helped all the people who asked him for help, he did everything in his power.
That is why a powerful prayer for depression to this saint helps people who have lost vital energy due to financial failures.
Nikolai Ugodnik
Even from infancy, Nikolai was a very religious person; he observed fasting from childhood. At the age of 10, he began to study the Divine Scripture, he could spend whole days in the temple without leaving it, there he prayed all the time.At a very young age he became a priest, and for some time the fame of the young but very wise priest spread throughout the country. A large number of Orthodox Christians came to the temple where Nicholas served and asked for his blessing. He spoke rather long and competent speeches, which were more suitable not for a young man, but for a wise old man. He read a very large number of books, both religious and scientific, and therefore differed from a large number of people in his incredible education.
Then throughout his life he helped various people. He gave instructions in difficult moments, and when necessary, he helped them financially. There is a well-known story when one man was ready to send his daughters to a brothel because of terrible financial problems. When Nikolai found out about this, he threw money at them, thereby saving the girls from a bitter fate. The saint also helped people who were illegally convicted and performed many different good deeds.
Therefore, every Orthodox Christian, when reading a prayer for melancholy and depression, can do this in front of the icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant. It is worth noting that the sacred text is best read in the temple, in peace and quiet.
Saint Tikhon
A very powerful prayer for despair and depression is read to Saint Tikhon, who delivers those in need from such mental illness. A distinctive feature of such prayer is its privacy. It is necessary to read the sacred text at home in front of the icon, and it is advisable to ask for help in complete silence.
How to pray correctly?
After you have chosen which saint to read a prayer for depression, you need to know how to pronounce it correctly so that your requests are heard. Ideally, it is necessary to visit the relics of a saint and ask for help directly at the burial site. But, unfortunately, not every person has such an opportunity.
However, almost anyone can visit the temple; to do this, they need to pray directly in front of the icon of the saint and ask him to give spiritual strength that will help overcome this moral illness. Before reading a prayer for depression, you should light a candle and only then begin to communicate with the saints.
At home, prayer will also be heard; the main thing is to light a candle in front of the icon, put a glass of holy water and read the prayer. You need to read with understanding and with pure intentions, and upon completion you need to drink a sip of holy water and cross yourself.
Another important factor is sincerity. When a Christian demands help and tells him indicatively what he needs, then in this case there is no need to expect a miracle. It is extremely important to read the sacred test sincerely, with a pure soul and heart. Also, you should not hope that after the first reading a miracle will happen immediately. The Lord knows better than us when and at what time a person really needs help.
What to do if prayer doesn't help?
Do not despair when you have been reading a prayer for depression for a long time, and your moral state does not improve. First of all, you need to think about how you read the prayer, whether it really flows from your lips sincerely or whether there are notes of demand in the text.
It is also worth remembering what your lifestyle was like before you started asking the Saints. Moreover, if a person has never read daily prayers or visited temples, one should not hope that a miracle will happen the first time. You need to thank the Lord every day for everything he gives, and then a person, even without knowing it, will receive more vital energy.
Conclusion
When a person is in prolonged depression and professional psychologists cannot help in this situation, a significant part of the population resorts to prayer. It is worth noting that such a remedy is quite effective, because there are quite a large number of examples of physical and moral healing only from the fact that a Christian has become a truly religious person who has begun to carry God in his heart.
Lead a healthy lifestyle, thank the Lord for everything you have, and periodically, when you really need it, ask for help.
Orthodox icons and prayers
Information site about icons, prayers, Orthodox traditions.
Prayer for despondency, depression, melancholy and despair
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Melancholy, despondency, and even more so, a depressive state is not just a bad mood, which becomes better only from one insignificant joyful event, this condition can rather be attributed to an illness, even a protracted one.
In the Orthodox religion, despondency and depression, among other things, were correlated with mortal sin. It is worth noting that during their lifetime, some saints also had a hard time fighting the spirit of despondency. And it was from them that texts came to us that help in overcoming this spirit, one of these is the prayer for longing for the deceased.
For depression and despair, who should you pray to?
There are many prayers to miracle workers that can help in getting rid of such a difficult condition. First of all, you need to select one or more sacred texts that can have beneficial influence specifically on the one asking.
It is quite simple to determine what kind of prayer for longing and despondency for a person will help quite simply, that is, when reading any of the prayer services, an Orthodox believer should feel that this particular prayer can help him.
Anyone who is in need and sincerely asks will be given a powerful prayer in desperation. The choice itself is simply necessary, because the reasons and types of appearance of this state can be varied, and therefore you need to find exactly the miracle worker who will hear, understand and fulfill the request of the believer as soon as possible.
And accordingly, prayer texts, as well as reasons, can be different, providing help in a given situation, for example:
- Prayer for despondency will help those who are in emotional imprisonment;
- If a person is separated from his family and people close to him, then prayer for melancholy will help him cope with this;
- But a prayer service for sorrows can save a believer from failures in various matters.
Saints who help heal from laziness, despondency and despair:
- Righteous John of Kronstadt;
- Holy Great Martyr Barbara;
- Nikolai Ugodnik;
- Saint Tikhon;
- Rev. Ephraim;
- Martyr Tryphon;
- Mother of God - such a prayer will become especially effective if it is proclaimed in front of the icon of “Unexpected Joy”.
You can address this icon of the Virgin Mary with these words:
From laziness and despondency
Prayer to Alexander of Rome against laziness will help those who constantly delight themselves with “doing nothing,” spend all their time in idle activities, and cannot pull themselves together and gather their thoughts. It is worth noting that this appeal is one of the most powerful and effective.
“Lord Jesus Christ, hearken to Thy servant, who suffers for Thy name, and grant Thy grace; let the sick, where my memory is honored, be miraculously healed for the glory of Thy name.
In the earthly vale, we are tormented by many sorrows, cramped by troubles, confused by a storm of temptations and temptations, depressed by various illnesses, we weaken in spirit and fall into despondency and spend the short days of our life in inaction. without having any acquisition behind us, since we have no good deeds with the help of which we could be justified in a future life and receive eternal bliss.
Therefore, we beg you, holy martyr Alexander, help us throw off the burden of negligence and laziness, so that we can cheerfully begin the deeds of hard work and remain firm in striving and doing spiritual things in order to gain salvation for you.
And for the sick, hear our prayer, Saint Alexander, and heal us, suffering from physical and mental ailments, by appearing to help us, because before your death you prayed for those who would honor your memory, so that they would be delivered from all diseases.
So, show concern for us who honor your memory and save us from illness and heal the weak who call on you, so that the name of God may be glorified by all at all times. Amen".
Prayer for depression to Saint Tikhon
Prayer for depression, melancholy and despair is a sincere appeal to God, a cry for help when severe emotional depression appears.
“O all-praised saint and saint of Christ, our Father Tikhon! Having lived like an angel on earth, you, like a good angel, appeared in your wondrous glorification.
We believe with all our souls and thoughts that you, our merciful helper and prayer book, with your honest intercessions and grace, abundantly bestowed on you from the Lord, are constantly contributing to our salvation.
Accept therefore, blessed servant of Christ, even at this hour our unworthy prayer: free us through your intercession from the vanity and superstition that surrounds us, the unbelief and evil of man.
Strive, quick intercessor for us, to beg the Lord with your favorable intercession, may He add His great and rich mercy to us sinners and unworthy His servants, may He heal with His grace the incurable ulcers and scabs of our corrupted souls and bodies, may He dissolve our petrified hearts with tears of tenderness and contrition for our many sins, and may He deliver us from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna: and may He grant to all His faithful people in this present world peace and silence, health and salvation, and good haste in everything, and such a quiet and silent life lived in every piety and purity, vouchsafe me with the angels and with all the saints to glorify and sing the All-Holy Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen".
Prayer service for longing for a loved one
A prayer text for severe conditions helps:
- The general condition of the applicant improves;
- Changes in mood appear, the person has a more positive attitude towards everything;
- Allay longing for a loved one;
- Coping with inseparable attachment.
- Release the deceased;
- Concentrate on work;
- Find something you like and take your mind off sad thoughts.
“Living in the help of the highest, in the shelter of the heavenly God, the Lord will say: You are my intercessor and my refuge, my God and I trust in Him. For He will deliver you from the snare of the trap and from the words of the Rebellious, His blanket will overshadow you, And under His wing you trust, His Truth will bypass you as an instrument. Do not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow flying during the day, from the thing that comes in the darkness, from the cloak and the midday demon. Thousands and thousands will fall from your country at your right hand, but they will not come close to you. Behold Your eyes and see the reward of sinners. For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge. No evil will come to you, and no wound will come near your body. As His Angel commanded you, keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, and once they dash your foot on a stone, you will step on and cross an asp and a basilisk, a lion and a serpent. Because he trusted in Me, I will deliver him, and I will cover him, and because he knows My name, he will bring him to Me, and I will hear him, I am with him in sorrow, I will destroy him and glorify him, I will fill him with long days, and I will show him My salvation.”
God bless you!
See also the prayer to St. Thomas for depression.
Retire to a secluded place so that no one will disturb you. Light a candle or lamp.
Stand in front of the icons (icons preferably of Jesus the Pantocrator, the Mother of God and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and, if you have one, then St. John Chrysostom - a wonderful and very powerful icon!)
First, read the Our Father prayer, at this moment thinking only about the Lord and His help to you, do not be distracted by other thoughts.
Now thank the Lord for all the good that He does, for your life, even if it is not going well, ask the Lord for forgiveness for all your sins, voluntary and involuntary.
And start reading the prayer. Read slowly, legibly, thinking about every word and being aware of what you are reading.
Oh, great saint John Chrysostom! You have received many and varied gifts from the Lord, and as a good and faithful servant, you have multiplied all the talents given to you for good: for this reason, you were truly a universal teacher, as every age and every rank comes from you. Behold, you appeared as an image of obedience to the youth, a luminary of chastity to the young, a mentor of hard work to the husband, a teacher of kindness to the old, a teacher of kindness to the monk, a rule of abstinence to those who pray, an inspired leader from God to those who pray, an enlightener of the mind to those who seek wisdom, to those who are kind-hearted, words are an inexhaustible source of living, to those who do good. - the star of mercy, the ruler - the image of the wise, the zealot of truth - the inspirer of boldness, the righteousness for the sake of the persecuted - the mentor of patience: you were everything to everyone, and you saved everyone. Over all of these you have acquired love, which is the basis of perfection, and with that, as if by the power of the Divine, you have united all the gifts in your soul into one, and the reconciling love shared here, in the interpretation of the words of the apostles, you preached to all the faithful. We are sinners, each one having his own gift, the unity of the spirit in the union of peace are not imams, but we are vainglorious, irritating each other, envious of each other: for this sake of the gift, our divided not into peace and salvation, but into enmity and condemnation, turned over to us. Moreover, we fall to you, the saint of God, overwhelmed by discord, and in contrition of heart we ask: with your prayers drive away from our hearts all pride and envy that divides us, so that in many places we may remain one church body without restraint, so that we may love you according to your prayerful words. each other and with one mind we confess the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, Consubstantial and Indivisible, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
If anyone doesn’t have the “Three Joys” icon, then be sure to buy it - pray to it and see how one joy after another will come THREE JOYS!!!
Prayer before the icon of the “Three Joys”:
Oh, Most Holy Virgin, the All-Blessed Son of the All-Blessed Mother, the protection of the reigning city and the holy temple of this temple, faithful representative and intercessor of all! Do not despise the prayers of us, your unworthy servants, but beg your son and our God, so that all of us, with faith and tenderness before your miraculous image, worship, according to every need, grant joy: to the sinner all-effective admonition, repentance and salvation; consolation for those who are in sorrow and sorrow; in the troubles and bitterness of those who remain there is a complete abundance of these; hope and patience for the faint-hearted and unreliable; those who live in joy and abundance give unceasing thanksgiving to God; those who exist in illness are healing and strengthening. O Madam Most Pure! Have mercy on all who honor Your honorable name, and show everyone Your all-powerful protection and intercession: protect and preserve your people from visible and invisible enemies. Establish marriages in love and like-mindedness; educate infants, young ones to be wise, open their minds to the perception of every useful teaching; Protect half-blooded people from domestic quarrels with peace and love, and give us all love for each other, peace and piety and health with long life, so that everyone in heaven and on earth will lead You, as a strong and shameless representative of the Christian race, and these leading , glorify Thee and Thy Son with Thee, with His beginningless Father and His consubstantial Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
And one more icon should be in every home; it greatly helps unhappy and grieving people - the “Joy of All Who Sorrow” icon!
Prayer for despair and depression (very powerful force!)
Prayer before the icon “Joy of All Who Sorrow”:
O God-loving Queen, inexperienced Virgin, Mother of God Mary, pray for us to Thy Son, Who loved and was born of You, Christ our God: grant us forgiveness of sins, peace, peace, abundance of fruits for the earth, holiness for the shepherd, and salvation for the whole human race. Save our cities and the Russian country from the presence of foreign invaders, and from internecine warfare. O Mother, God-loving Virgin! About the all-singing Queen! Cover us with Your robe from all evil, protect us from visible and invisible enemies and save our souls. Amen.
Good luck and prosperity to everyone!
May the Lord help you!!! If you are in a state of grief or depression, you may well find that you find it difficult to pray or unable to pray at all. During depression, this state of “prayer dryness” occurs very often. Of the dozens of religious people with depression with whom I have dealt, there was not a single one who did not complain about prayer difficulties. It seems that the inability to pray can be considered one of the symptoms of a state of depression.
The bitter irony of life: just when the support of the Lord and the feeling of His presence are especially important for a person, turning to Him fails. You try to pray, but you feel that your prayer is formal, mechanical, the words of the prayer seem meaningless to you, and this makes you feel even worse. You begin to feel guilty for being such a bad Christian (or a bad Christian), and the feeling of guilt, as usual, aggravates your already difficult condition.
If this has happened or is happening to you, do not worry: you are in a normal situation, which is the rule, not the exception.
If in grief or depression you cannot pray as before, do not torment yourself with reproaches for your lack of faith and how unspiritual you have become. Do not think that something irreversible has happened to you and that you have fallen into the arms of Satan forever. When your depression ends (and it will end, trust me!), you will regain the desire and ability to pray.
Remember: our God is not an accountant, a jailer and a judge rolled into one, who, with a ledger in one hand and a stopwatch in the other, watches you with passion, notes the number and duration of your prayers, and then passes judgment on you. He is a loving and forgiving God, whose love is so great and strong that it cannot be measured by the human mind. He sees you, understands how you feel now and wants to help you.
Some tips for those who have difficulty praying when they are depressed:
No matter what, try to pray every day, even though you don’t feel like it.
Don't demand too much from yourself. Don't make comparisons to what it was like when you weren't depressed. Do not stand for prayer with a predetermined time (say, 10 or 15 minutes). You may not be able to pray for that long, which will give you another reason to beat yourself up (which you already do too much).
Depression makes it difficult to concentrate on anything, including prayer. Let your prayer be short but heartfelt.
If you are tormented by remorse that you cannot pray for a long time, “like before,” break your prayer “into pieces” and pray for one minute several times a day. Remember: a short prayer is better than none at all!
In a state of depression, it is better to pray in your own words (when you read a prayer, due to absent-minded attention, there is a great danger of slipping into a mechanical “babble”). Share your pain with God. For example, you might say, “God, I feel so bad right now. I don't know how to live further. Lord, forgive me and help me!” Or: “Lord, my soul is so heavy that I can’t even pray. Forgive me, Lord, and help me get out of this state.”
If even such very short prayers are difficult for you, pray the “Jesus Prayer”: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
If you want to pray a known prayer rather than in your own words, take a short, simple, well-known one, such as the Lord's Prayer. Try, despite your mood, to read it with feeling, and not automatically. However, do not blame yourself if you feel that you are not praying “from the heart.” God hears you.
If all of the above is difficult for you, write a short (one phrase or a couple of phrases) prayer on a card or small piece of paper. Carry it with you and read it several times a day.
Remember: by praying, you fight depression!
Remember: your condition will not last forever. Take heart and be patient. God's love is always with you.
Retire to a secluded place so that no one will disturb you. Light a candle or lamp. Stand in front of the icons (icons preferably of Jesus the Pantocrator, the Mother of God and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and, if you have one, then St. John Chrysostom - a wonderful and very powerful icon!)
First, read the Our Father prayer, at this moment thinking only about the Lord and His help to you, do not be distracted by other thoughts.
Now thank the Lord for all the good that He does, for your life, even if it is not going well, ask the Lord for forgiveness for all your sins, voluntary and involuntary.
And start reading the prayer. Read slowly, legibly, thinking about every word and being aware of what you are reading.
“OH, THE GREAT HOLY JOHN CHRYSOSTOM! YOU HAVE RECEIVED MANY AND DIFFERENT TALENTS FROM THE LORD, AND AS A GOOD AND FAITHFUL Servant, YOU HAVE MULTIPLIED ALL THE TALENTS GIVEN TO YOU WELL: FOR THIS SAKE, THE TRULY UNIVERSAL TEACHER WAS HES, AS EVERY AGE AND EVERY CALL IS RECEIVED FROM YOU. BECAUSE THE IMAGE APPEARED TO THE BOY OF OBEDIENCE, TO THE YOUNG - THE LIGHT OF CHASTITY, TO THE HUSBAND - THE TUTOR OF HARDWORK, TO THE OLD - THE TEACHER OF GENTLENESS, TO THE FNOK - THE RULE OF ABSTINENCE, TO THE PRAYERS - THE LEADER INSPIRED FROM GOD, TO THE SEEKING WISDOM - THE INSIGHTENER, IN TO THE GOOD SPEAKS - THE WORDS OF THE LIVING ARE AN INEXHAUSTABLE SOURCE, TO THE BENEFITING - THE STAR OF MERCY, TO THE RULES - THE RULE OF THE WISDOM, THE zealot of truth - the inspiration of boldness, the inspiration of truth for the sake of the persecuted - PATIENCE THE INSTRUCTOR: THERE WAS ALL ALL, YES SOMEONE SAVED EVERYONE. OVER ALL THESE, YOU HAVE LOVE, WHICH IS THE SOUND OF PERFECTION, AND WITH THAT, AS BY THE POWER OF THE DIVINE, ALL THE GIFTS IN YOUR SOUL HAVE BEEN COMBINED INTO ONE, AND THERE IS THE LOVE DIVIDED, RECONCILIATING, IN THE INTERPRETATION OF THE WORDS OF THE APOSTOLICS TO ALL HIS PREACHED TO THE FAITHFUL. WE ARE SINNERS, IN ONE ONE EACH HAVE OUR OWN GIFTS, THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT IN THE UNION OF THE WORLD, WE ARE NOT IMAMS, BUT WE ARE VANITY, ANNOYING EACH OTHER, ENVYING EACH OTHER: FOR THIS SAKE OUR GIFTS ARE DIVIDED NOT IN PEACE AND SALVATION, BUT IN THE WORLD I WAIT AND CONDEMNATION IS PRESENTED TO US. NOW TO YOU, THE HOLY HOLY OF GOD, WE FALL, OVERWHELMED BY DISTRESS, AND IN A CONTRIFIED HEART WE ASK: BY YOUR PRAYERS, DRAW FROM OUR HEARTS ALL PRIDE AND ENVY THAT SEPARATE US, SO THAT IN MANY DAYS THE ONE BODY OF THE CHURCH WILL BE CONTROLLED WE WILL BE BRIGHTLY, AND WE WILL LOVE ACCORDING TO YOUR PRAYER WORD WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH UNITY OF MIND CONFESSION OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE TRINITY ONE-ESSENTIAL AND INDIVIDUAL, NOW AND FOREVER AND TO THE AGES. AMEN."
If anyone doesn't have icons of the “Three Joys”, then be sure to buy it - pray to her and see how one joy after another will come THREE JOYS!!!
And one more icon should be in every home, it really helps unhappy and grieving people - Icon "Joy of All Who Sorrow"!
“THE GOD-LOVING QUEEN, UNSKILLED VIRGIN, VIRGIN MARY, PRAY FOR US, WHO WHO LOVED YOU AND THY SON, CHRIST OUR GOD, who was born of YOU: GIVE US RESTRICTION OF SINS, BRING PEACE, FOR THE EARTH OF FRUIT ABUNDANCE , TO THE SHEPHERD THE SACRED AND TO THE ENTIRE HUMAN KIND SALVATION. KEEP OUR CITIES AND THE RUSSIAN COUNTRY FROM THE FINDING OF FOREIGN TRESPASSES, AND FROM INTERNAL BATTLES. OH MOTHER, GOD-LOVING VIRGIN! O QUEEN ALL SINGING! WITH YOUR ROOM COVER US FROM ALL Evil, PROTECT US FROM VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE ENEMIES AND SAVE OUR SOULS. AMEN."
If you are in a state of grief or depression, you may well find that you find it difficult to pray or unable to pray at all. During depression, this state of “prayer dryness” occurs very often. Of the dozens of religious people with depression with whom I have dealt, there was not a single one who did not complain about prayer difficulties. It seems that the inability to pray can be considered one of the symptoms of a state of depression.
The bitter irony of life: just when the support of the Lord and the feeling of His presence are especially important for a person, turning to Him fails. You try to pray, but you feel that your prayer is formal, mechanical, the words of the prayer seem meaningless to you, and this makes you feel even worse. You begin to feel guilty for being such a bad Christian (or a bad Christian), and the feeling of guilt, as usual, aggravates your already difficult condition.
If this has happened or is happening to you, do not worry: you are in a normal situation, which is the rule, not the exception.
Depression and despair, according to doctors, are among the most common mental disorders. They usually arise as a consequence of negative events that have occurred in a person’s life, but it happens that they develop without any reason. A depressive state is characterized by depressed mood, excessive fatigue, anxiety, fear, irritability, inability to concentrate, loss of appetite, and disturbed sleep. Sometimes people are visited by thoughts about their uselessness, the meaninglessness of life, they want to end their earthly path suicide.
Who to pray to
In the Orthodox religion, depression, despair, and melancholy are designated by the term “despondency.”
Prayer for depression and despair will help cope with a negative state.
There are many such prayers, but after reading one of them “a burden will roll off your soul” and a person will understand that this is exactly “his” prayer.
Great Martyr Barbara
Each of the prayers is addressed to a specific saint, and it is this saint who will intercede with the Almighty on behalf of the prayer book.
Great Martyr Barbara
Holy glorious and all-praised Great Martyr Varvaro! Gathered today in your Divine temple, people who worship the race of your relics and kiss with love, your suffering as a martyr, and in them the Martyr Christ himself, who gave you not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, with pleasing praises, we pray to you, the well-known desire of our intercessor: pray with us and for us, beseeching God from His compassion, that He may mercifully hear us asking for His goodness, and not leave us with all the necessary petitions for salvation and life, and grant a Christian death to our belly - painless, shameless , in peace, I will partake of the Divine Mysteries, and to all, in every place, in every sorrow and situation who require His love for mankind and help, He will give His great mercy, so that by the grace of God and your warm intercession, always remain in good health in soul and body, we glorify the wondrous one in our saints The God of Israel, who does not remove His help from us always, now and ever, and forever and ever, Amen.
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker
O our good shepherd and God-wise mentor, Saint Nicholas of Christ! Hear us sinners, praying to you and calling for your speedy intercession for help; see us weak, caught from everywhere, deprived of every good and darkened in mind from cowardice; Try, O servant of God, not to leave us in the captivity of sin, so that we may not joyfully become our enemies and not die in our evil deeds. Pray for us, unworthy, to our Creator and Master, to whom you stand with disembodied faces: make our God merciful to us in this life and in the future, so that He will not reward us according to our deeds and the impurity of our hearts, but according to His goodness He will reward us . We trust in your intercession, we boast of your intercession, we call on your intercession for help, and falling to your most holy image, we ask for help: deliver us, servant of Christ, from the evils that come upon us, and tame the waves of passions and troubles that rise up against us, and for the sake of Your holy prayers will not overwhelm us and we will not wallow in the abyss of sin and in the mud of our passions. Pray to Saint Nicholas of Christ, Christ our God, that he may grant us a peaceful life and remission of sins, salvation and great mercy for our souls, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Saint Tikhon of Voronezh, Zadonsk Wonderworker
O all-praised saint and saint of Christ, our Father Tikhon! Having lived like an angel on earth, you, like a good angel, appeared in your wondrous glorification. We believe with all our souls and thoughts that you, our merciful helper and prayer book, with your honest intercessions and grace, abundantly bestowed on you from the Lord, are constantly contributing to our salvation. Accept therefore, blessed servant of Christ, even at this hour our unworthy prayer: free us through your intercession from the vanity and superstition that surrounds us, the unbelief and evil of man. Strive, quick intercessor for us, to beg the Lord with your favorable intercession, may He add His great and rich mercy to us sinners and unworthy His servants, may He heal with His grace the incurable ulcers and scabs of our corrupted souls and bodies, may He dissolve our petrified hearts with tears of tenderness and contrition for our many sins, and may He deliver us from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna: and may He grant to all His faithful people in this present world peace and silence, health and salvation, and good haste in everything, and such a quiet and silent life lived in every piety and purity, vouchsafe me with the angels and with all the saints to glorify and sing the All-Holy Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
Martyr Tryphon
O holy martyr of Christ Tryphon, quick helper and quick to obey the intercessor to all who come running to you and pray before your holy image! Hear now and at every hour the prayer of us, your unworthy servants, who honor your holy memory in this all-honorable temple, and intercede for us before the Lord in every place. You, the saint of Christ, shining in great miracles, exuding healing to those who flow to you with faith and intercede for those in sorrow, you yourself promised before your departure from this corruptible life to pray for us to the Lord and you asked Him for this gift: if anyone in any need, sadness and illness of soul or body, if he begins to call on your holy name, may he be delivered from every excuse of evil. And just like you sometimes the daughter of the princess, in the city of Rome, tormented by the devil, you healed her, her and us from his fierce machinations, save us all the days of our lives, and especially on the day of our last breath, intercede for us. Then be our helper and quick drive away of evil spirits, and our leader to the Kingdom of Heaven. And where you now stand in the presence of the saints at the Throne of God, pray to the Lord, that we may also be worthy to be partakers of everlasting joy and joy, and that with you we may collectively glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Comforter of the Spirit forever. Amen.
Saint John of Kronstadt
The Lord is the destruction of my despondency and the revival of my boldness. Everything is Lord for me. Oh, truly this Lord, glory to You! Glory to You, Father Life, Son Life, Holy Soul Life - Simple Being - God, who always delivers us from spiritual death, caused by passions to our soul. Glory to Thee, Trinitarian Master, for from one invocation of Thy name you enlighten the dark face of our soul and body and bestow Your peace, which surpasses all earthly and sensual good and all understanding.
Venerable Athanasius of Athos
Reverend Father Athanasius, a great servant of Christ and a great Athonite miracle worker, during the days of your earthly life you taught many on the right path and guided you wisely into the kingdom of Heaven, comforting the sorrowful, giving a helping hand to those who give you a helping hand, and a kind, merciful and compassionate former father! Even now, dwelling in heavenly lordship, you most especially multiply your love for us who are weak, in the midst of life, we are in need, tempted by the spirit of malice and passions that war against the spirit. For this reason, we humbly pray to you, holy father: according to the grace given to you from God, help us to do the will of the Lord in simplicity of heart and humility: to overcome the temptations of the enemy and the fierce sea of passions, so that we will calmly pass through the abyss of life and through your intercession to the Lord we will be worthy of achieving the Kingdom promised to us Heavenly, glorifying the Beginningless Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Before the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”
Hope of the unreliable, strength of the helpless, refuge of the overwhelmed, protection of the attacked, intercession of the offended, bread-loving, delight of the hungry, nectar of heavenly rest for those thirsty, Mother of the Most Blessed God, Most Blessed and Immaculate Virgin! I alone resort to You, to Your protection I wholeheartedly bow my knees, Lady. Do not despise crying and tears, the joy of those who cry! Even if my unworthiness and the damnation of my sins terrify me, but this whole-bearing image assures me, on it Your grace and power, like an inexhaustible sea, I see: the blind who have received their sight, the galloping lame, wandering as if under the canopy of Your charity, those who have been laid to rest, and those who have abounded at all times. ; Looking at these images of pardon, he came running, blind with his spiritual eyes and lame with his spiritual feelings. Oh, Unstoppable Light! Enlighten and correct me, weigh all my sorrow, weigh all misfortune, do not despise my prayer, O Helpful One! Do not disdain me, a sinner, do not despise me, a foul one; We know that you can do everything, the greatest will, oh my good hope, my hope comes from my mother’s breast. I am committed to You from the womb of my Mother, I am left to You, do not leave me, do not depart from me, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Elder Matrona of Moscow
O blessed mother Matrono, hear and accept us now, sinners, praying to you, who in all your life has learned to receive and listen to all those who suffer and mourn, with faith and hope who resort to your intercession and help, giving quick help and miraculous healing to everyone; May your mercy not fail now for us, unworthy, restless in this busy world and nowhere finding consolation and compassion in spiritual sorrows and help in bodily illnesses: heal our illnesses, deliver us from the temptations and torment of the devil, who passionately fights, help us convey our everyday Cross, to bear all the hardships of life and not lose the image of God in it, to preserve the Orthodox faith until the end of our days, to have strong trust and hope in God and unfeigned love for others; help us, after departing from this life, to achieve the Kingdom of Heaven with all those who please God, glorifying the mercy and goodness of the Heavenly Father, glorified in the Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer service for longing for a loved one
In relationships between a man and a woman, unforeseen circumstances happen, as a result of which love only brings suffering, unbearable torment from lovesickness. As a result, some couples still have hope for restoring their relationship with the help of Heavenly Forces, while for others the outcome of the relationship is hopeless and all that remains is to beg the Almighty to help cool down the irrepressible ardor of love and help them forget their loved one.
Matrona of Moscow
Hopeless love is a dangerous feeling that deprives one of self-confidence, instills despondency, and can lead to madness and suicidal thoughts.
More about prayers in anguish:
In such a state, rarely does anyone think about God and often sinks to the very “bottom” of life, where his soul is taken over by demonic forces that can direct a “broken” and wounded soul to commit a mortal sin.
How can you help?
The Orthodox Church equates such lovers with the mentally ill and advises relatives to monitor their condition and adequately evaluate their actions.
It is wonderful if the “patient” correctly assesses his condition, longs to get rid of it and himself prays to the Heavenly Father for the salvation of his soul.
Elder Pansophius of Athos
Over a sick person, one should constantly read prayers for spiritual anguish, begging Christ to heal his body and soul. And if the sufferer can pray on his own, then it is advisable to do this on his knees before the Face of the saint and pray to him for the granting of peace of mind.
Other prayers for love:
- A lover is recommended to visit the temple of God, but if there is no desire to pray, then you need to overcome yourself and at least just sit within its walls and think, rethink your life. Soon the desire to pray will appear.
- Buy a church candle, light it and place it in a candlestick. Turn to Christ, His Mother or any saint, read a prayer or ask for help in your own words and help from Heaven will definitely arrive.
- For someone who is sick, you can order a magpie for health - this is a special church service. For 40 days, the church clergy will pray for the health of the sufferer.
- It is recommended to order a prayer service for health. To do this, you need to write the name of the ailing person (in the genitive case) on a special form in the candle shop.
In case of depression and despair, confession is especially important - repentance for sins. You need to cry for them not on your friend’s chest, but in front of the priest, who is a kind of “conductor” between the Heavenly Father and the confessor. After confession, the soul is cleansed, after which it is necessary to ask the priest for blessings to receive Communion - the Blood and Flesh of Christ.
Entire volumes of Orthodox literature have been written about despondency. Therefore, read it, study the facts, strengthen yourself with the spiritual wisdom of the holy fathers.
Advice! Orthodox pilgrimage services have been established at almost every major cathedral. Trips to the shrines of Orthodoxy are designed for any budget.
So don’t waste time, buy a ticket and travel, strengthen your faith, plunge into holy springs, venerate the relics of great saints, pray, confess and receive communion. And if necessary, do not refuse the help of traditional medicine, because healers are also from God.
Video about prayers for depression.