How to pray in front of an icon in church and at home. Orthodox prayers before icons How to pray correctly in church

Some Orthodox believers do not always know how to behave in church, what traditions and customs to observe in church, how to pray correctly in church and be baptized. For the correct behavior of an Orthodox Christian in church, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the following rules that will help you.

All over the world, from the Holy Fathers, Orthodox Christians, before entering the temple, make the sign of the cross with three small bows and say at the same time:

“He who created me, O Lord, have mercy.”

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

“I have sinned beyond number, Lord, forgive me.”

In the Church you need to bow to the right and left, stand still and listen to prayers, psalms that are read in the church, but at this time you do not read your own prayers to yourself, do not read from books of other prayers that are currently read in the Church.

Bows must be done not at will, but as established: when “Holy God” (Trisagion), “Come, let us worship,” as well as the threefold “Alleluia” are read, it is necessary to make the sign of the cross three times, while making small bows. The same actions must be performed at the beginning of the doxology “Glory to God in the highest,” as well as after the priest says “Glory to Thee, Christ God, our hope.” It is necessary to make the sign of the cross with a small bow after each exclamation of the priest and when reading “The Most Honest Cherub.”

During the liturgy on weekdays it is necessary to bow to the ground:

- at the very beginning of singing “Worthy and Righteous”;

— at the beginning of reading the prayer “Our Father”;

- at the end of the prayers “We sing to you” and “It is worthy to eat”

- when pronouncing the words “Always, now and ever”;

- At the all-night vigil or morning service, when it is said “Let us exalt the Virgin Mary and Mother of Light in song.”

On Sundays, as well as during the periods from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany, from Easter to Trinity, on the days of the Transfiguration and Exaltation, the holy apostles are prohibited from kneeling and bowing to the ground.

In Orthodoxy, Christians do not kneel during prayers; this is not allowed by the Orthodox Church and the Church Charter. Only when the priest says “Pack and pack, kneel” can they throw themselves to the ground and get up again.

You need to be baptized in church at the moment when people are overshadowed by the cross, the Chalice, the Gospel or an image, and you need to bow your head. At the moment when they bless with their hands, light candles, burn incense, Orthodox Christians should not cross themselves at this moment, they just need to bow their heads. After all, there should be different worship between shrines and people, even if it is a priest. The only time when a priest with a Cross in his hand censes on the Bright Week of Easter, at that moment you need to cross yourself and say “Truly He is Risen.”

When you accept the blessing of a priest, you only need to kiss the right hand, but do not cross yourself before that. And clergy don’t kiss their left hand, only their right hand, through which he conveys a blessing to you.

The sign of the cross is carried out as follows: fold three fingers of the right hand, place it first on the forehead, then on the belly, on the right and then on the left shoulder. After you have applied the cross to yourself, you need to bend over. Do not bend down until you have completed the signs, and do not wave your hand during the sign in the air. Precisely, correctly, with faith and reverence, the perfect sign of the cross will frighten demons, console sinful passions, and also attract Divine grace.

And believers. In their prayers, people share their joys and problems with the Almighty. And many people have a question: “How to offer prayers to God so that he hears and helps?” This question is especially often asked by disappointed people who have not found the support of a Higher Power. Perhaps they should reconsider their views and think more about the fact that maybe they themselves did something wrong.

In the modern pace of life, it can be difficult for a person to find time to visit a temple to participate in services, but if he needs God’s support, he can do it in any other place. How to pray correctly at home?

How to offer prayers in front of an icon?

God and faith in him are in us, our souls. That is why you need to read prayers not only in a certain place - a temple, but always and everywhere. You can organize the reading of prayers with the help of special religious literature (Prayer Book, Psalter) or in your own words - often this does not matter. The main condition for good prayer is sincerity and a sense of connection with God.

• It is advisable to purchase a collection of prayers - Prayer Book. It comes in several types - full and short, in Church Slavonic and the familiar Russian language. Therefore, choose a collection of prayers that is convenient for you to use.
• Before prayer you should tune in. This means that it is necessary to drive away all bad thoughts and forget about worldly problems. You should also pay attention to appearance, wear a cross, and women tie a headscarf.
• You need to pray in front of the image of the saint to whom it will be directed. Approach the icon, take a comfortable position, concentrate, bow and cross yourself.
• Say the text of the prayer slowly, out loud or silently, thoughtfully, with reverence.
• must read daily. Be sure to read morning prayers and prayers before going to bed. This will help you be closer to God.

How to read prayers in church?

But still, a real Christian must attend church and at least occasionally participate in common prayer. This type of prayer is considered the most powerful, because... when everyone is praying for the same thing, even if one person is distracted, the prayer will not become weaker.

• It is not recommended to eat before going to church. The only exceptions are the sick and infirm. Appearance is very important: dress modestly, women should cover their heads and wear a skirt below the knees.
• When you head to, start reading a special prayer- going to church, or Our Father.
• When entering the temple, make the sign of the cross with three small bows.
• Respect the feelings of other believers. Do not disturb them from performing their prayers.
• It is forbidden to kneel in church during prayer.
• Just as during private prayer, during participation in public you need to concentrate on what you are doing, forget about worldly affairs. All your thoughts should be about God.
• All services are performed by the priest. The parishioners’ task is to listen carefully to what he says and follow the progress of the prayer.. To make it easier to do this, hold their text in your hands. Parishioners say the words of prayer together with the priest during the Divine Liturgy, Sunday all-night vigil and Easter service.
• If you want to pray in front of the icon, then you need to come to the temple before the start of the service, approach the icon, say a prayer to this saint, while making the sign of the cross and bowing from the waist twice, press your lips to the icon. If it is an icon of Christ, then you should venerate his hand, foot or clothing. If this is an icon, then to the hand or clothing, and for the Savior Not Made by Hands or the head of John the Baptist - to the hair.

How to be heard by God, how to read “Our Father”?

To be heard by God, you need to believe in what you are asking him for. You need to pronounce the words of prayers meaningfully, directing your thoughts only to God. It is unacceptable at this moment to be distracted by extraneous things for even a second.

The prayer “Our Father...” must be said several times a day, and at moments when you have any problems in your life, you need to say it especially often. History knows many cases when repeated repetition of this prayer stopped conflicts, healed illnesses, and cast out demons from people’s souls.

“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. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord have mercy. (Thrice) Bless."

Prayers

Prayer service "Detentions"

This Elder Pansofia's prayer is read exclusively with the blessing of the priest. It helps to get rid of all evil, protect yourself and your family from hatred, envy, anger, and resentment. Prayer can protect against violent actions, both physical and energetic.

Saint Matrona

Blessed Moscow helps in almost all difficult life situations:

• When needed healing from diseases.
• For reconciliation and resolving family problems.
• When help needed at work or study.
• For conception child.
• To find family happiness.
• IN various everyday affairs and etc.

Before turning to Matronushka for help, it would be nice to make a donation: take the food to the temple or distribute it to the poor on the street.

Prayers to Matrona:

“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 physical illnesses:

heal our illnesses, deliver us from the temptations and torment of the devil, who passionately fights,

help me to carry my everyday Cross, to bear all the hardships of life and not to lose the image of God in it,

preserve the Orthodox faith until the end of our days, have strong trust and hope in God and unfeigned love for our neighbors;

help us, after leaving 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, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen."

A short prayer to Matrona:

“Holy righteous old woman Matrono, pray to God for us!”

Guardian Angel

Everyone has something that protects them throughout their lives. The Guardian Angel has the authority to forgive our sins, to pray to the Lord God for us, and to prevent us from making a mistake. You need to ask him about this by reading:

“Holy Angel of Christ, falling to you I pray, my holy guardian, given to me for the protection 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 indignation, self-lust for all carnal lust. 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 already ask for forgiveness with my bitter and evil and crafty deed, 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, your sinful and unworthy servant (name), be me a 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."

Sometimes the Angel's help looks like a series of some signs, or as if an inner voice is telling a person. If you happen to experience a miracle created by your Guardian Angel, then do not forget to thank him for this with prayer or in your own words.

Spyridon of Trimifuntsky

Prayers to the defender of Orthodoxy, Spyridon of Trimifuntsky, helped those in need countless times. Coming from a simple peasant family, during his lifetime he was a shepherd. After the death of his wife, he was invited to become a priest in one of the Cypriot churches, because... everyone knew about his righteous life, his love for God and godly actions.

It was the first type of activity that became the reason that his image on icons is not the same as that of other saints - he is depicted in a shepherd’s hat.

Spyridon Trimifuntsky - saint, who performed a large number of miracles during his life: resurrected people, cast out demons.

He fulfills any requests of believers. Most often they pray to the Saint:

• ABOUT health.
• About family well-being.
• About successes in business.
• To get a job.
• Get housing.
• To the cattle were not sick, reap a good harvest, etc.

There are many prayers to Trimifuntsky. If it is difficult for you to learn them by heart, then refer to the saint in your own words, for example:

“Saint Spyridon! Pray to God to forgive my sins, give me health, protect me from trouble, enemies and envious people. Beg, blessed Spyridon, from our Lord for a comfortable life for me. Amen."

Mother of God

The Most Holy Theotokos is the earthly mother of Christ. She patronizes expectant mothers and is the protector of children.. Prayers dedicated to her help in family matters, to conceive and give birth to a healthy child, to receive healing, to protect yourself and your family from troubles, and more.

You can turn to the Mother of God with prayer:

“Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with Thee: blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, for Thou hast given birth to the Savior of our souls.”

Before and after meals

Before eating, one of the family members, usually the head of the family, says the prayer “Our Father...”, the rest repeat it to themselves or in a low voice.

For the blessing of food and drink for the laity:

“Lord Jesus Christ, our God, bless us with food and drink through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints, as Blessed be unto the ages of ages. Amen." (And cross food and drink)

After the meal:

“We thank Thee, Christ our God, for Thou hast filled us with Thy earthly blessings; Do not deprive us of Your Heavenly Kingdom, but because You have come among Your disciples, O Savior, give them peace, come to us and save us.”

Nicholas the Wonderworker

Nicholas the Wonderworker showed interest in church affairs from infancy. On the recommendation of a priest-relative, the parents, who, by the way, were wealthy people, sent little Nicholas to worship. Nicholas the Wonderworker devoted his entire life to this cause. He had to endure a lot for the sake of faith, because... At that time there were persecutions of Christians.

Nicholas the Wonderworker helps in many difficult life circumstances, students during exam periods, the poor, and those who go on a long journey.

The saint occupies a special place among the saints. He is considered the closest to God. Therefore, prayers to him are the most powerful and fastest-acting.

“Oh, all-holy Nicholas, exceedingly saintly servant of the Lord, our warm intercessor, and everywhere in sorrow a quick helper. Help me, a sinner and a sad person, in this present life, beg the Lord God to grant me forgiveness of all my sins, which I have sinned greatly from my youth, in all my life, in deed, word, thought and all my feelings; and at the end of my soul, help me, the accursed one, beg the Lord God, the Creator of all creation, to deliver me from airy ordeals and eternal torment, so that I always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and your merciful intercession, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

On the days of remembrance

The third, ninth and fortieth days from the day of death of a person are considered especially significant in Christianity. This is due to the special state of the soul of the deceased before the Last Judgment.

Therefore, for all 40 days from the date of death of a person, they read the Psalter and Prayers for the departed (“cell rule”). These special prayers are added to the obligatory prayers, which are referred to in the prayer book as a memorial for the departed.

“God of spirits and all flesh, having trampled down death and abolished the devil, and given life to Thy world; Himself, Lord, rest the soul of Your departed servant (Your departed servant or Your departed servant), [name], in a brighter place, in a greener place, in a calm place, from where sickness, sorrow and sighing have escaped. Every sin committed by him (her or them), in word, or deed, or thought, as God is good and a lover of mankind, forgive him. For there is no man who will live and not sin. For You are the only one without sin, Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and Your word is truth.”

How do Muslims pray to Allah?

Before prayer, it is necessary to perform the ablution ritual.. Then dress appropriately - in Islam, exposure of the body is unacceptable, especially for women.

ABOUT special attention should be paid to the place where prayer is held - it must be clean. Another special condition is that a Muslim’s face must be turned in a certain direction, towards Mecca.

Before performing namaz, you need to tune in, discard all extraneous thoughts. The whole consciousness should be occupied with what you say to the Almighty.

Namaz is preceded by a call - adhan. Next, surahs from the Koran and special dua prayers are read, accompanied by bows.

Orthodox Christians have accepted from the Holy Fathers and practice the following customs all over the world:

1. Entering the temple and making the sign of the cross, they make three small bows, saying:

"Thou who created me, O Lord, have mercy."

"God, be merciful to me, a sinner."

“I have sinned beyond number, Lord, forgive me.”

2. Then, bowing to the right and left, they stand still and listen to the psalms and prayers read in the church, but do not say other prayers to themselves, their own, and do not read them from books separately from church singing, for such are condemned by St. the Apostle Paul, as those withdrawing from the church meeting (Heb. 10:25).

3. Small and great bows should be done not according to one’s own will, but according to the institution of the saint. apostles and saints father. Namely: when reading the Trisagion (“Holy God”), “Come, let us worship” and the threefold “Alleluia”, make the sign of the cross three times, making small bows; the same is true when reading “Vouchsafe, O Lord,” as well as at the beginning of the great doxology (“Glory to God in the highest”) and after the words of the priest: “Glory to Thee, Christ God, our hope.” After each exclamation of the priest, as well as when the reader reads “The Most Honest Cherub,” make the sign of the cross and make a small bow.

On weekdays, bow to the ground during the liturgy:
a) at the beginning of singing “Worthy and Righteous”;
b) when the prayer “We sing to You” ends;
c) at the end of the prayer “It is worthy to eat” or the Zadostoynik;
d) at the beginning of the Lord's Prayer;
e) when wearing St. Gifts for Communion
f) and with the words “Always, now and ever.”
At Matins or the All-Night Vigil, when it is proclaimed: “Let us exalt the Theotokos and Mother of Light in song.”

On Sundays e, as well as from St. Easter until the evening of St. Trinity, as well as from the day of the Nativity of Christ to the day of Epiphany, also on the day of the Transfiguration and Exaltation of the holy apostles forbade and even kneel down and create earthlye bows, as evidenced by St. Basil the Great in his letter to Blessed Amphilochius. The same was approved by the Ecumenical Councils I and VI; for Sunday and other Lord's holidays contain the remembrance of our reconciliation with God, according to the word of the Apostle: “Already bear the servant, but the son " (Gal. 4, 7); It is not appropriate for sons to perform slavish worship.

4. It is not common for Orthodox Christians to kneel with their heads raised, but at the words of the priest: “Pack and pack, bend the knee,” and so on. to prostrate oneself on the ground; The custom of kneeling at one’s own will, folding one’s hands and beating one’s chest was adopted from Western heretics, but is not allowed in the Orthodox Church. Orthodox Christians, according to the Church Charter, in as expected At this time they bow to the ground, prostrate themselves and stand on their feet again.

5. When in church they signify the people with a cross or the Gospel, an image or a Chalice, then everyone is baptized, bowing their heads, and when they signify with candles or bless with their hands, or burn incense to those present, then Orthodox Christians should not be baptized, but only bow their heads; Only on Bright Week of Easter, when the priest censes with the Cross in his hand, does everyone cross themselves and say: “Truly he is risen.” Thus, there should be a distinction between worship before a shrine and before people, although in a holy order.

6. When accepting the blessing of a priest or bishop, Christians kiss his right hand, but do not cross themselves before doing so. One should not kiss the left hand of clergy, for this is characteristic only of Jews, but law yu, through which blessing is transmitted.

7. The sign of the cross, according to the teachings of the holy fathers, should be done like this: folding your right hand into three fingers, place it on your forehead, on your belly, on your right shoulder and on your left, and then, placing the cross on yourself, bend over; about those who signify themselves with all five hands, or bow before finishing the cross, or wave their hand in the air or across their chest, it is said in Chrysostom: “The demons rejoice at that frantic waving.” On the contrary, the sign of the cross, performed earnestly with faith and reverence, frightens demons, calms sinful passions and attracts Divine grace.

Any self-respecting believer should know how to pray correctly at home or in church in front of an icon. Prayer is the most important component of the spiritual life of an Orthodox Christian. Like a mental tuning fork, it tunes the believer’s consciousness to the correct, pure sound, corresponding to Christ’s commandments.

Prayer plays several important roles in a person’s life:

• helps the believer to conduct a dialogue with the Higher Powers, glorify God, and ask him for help;
• allows you to overcome the worldly barriers that stand between the Redeemer and man;
• gives a feeling of the presence of God, but also receives answers from Above.
• brings consolation in moments of grief, peace in times of mental turmoil, a feeling of sincere gratitude in joyful days, and reminds of the greatness of the Savior.

The best place for prayer is church. An ideal atmosphere has been created here for communicating with the Almighty: silence, a large number of images, the opportunity to buy candles. The believer is surrounded by like-minded people who will not show either annoying interest or disrespect. Priests or church officials will be happy to tell you how to properly pray in church in front of an icon and help you find the image of the desired saint. Temples are perfect for both collective prayers during services and for individual conversations with God.

However, the church imposes certain requirements on believers. Men must remove their headdress when entering the temple; women enter the temple with their heads covered, showing their humility and modesty. Women should not come into church wearing short skirts and very bright clothes; they are inappropriate in God's house and distract the believers.

You can pray in a church anywhere, but usually Christians communicate with the Saints and God by standing near icons and placing candles next to them.

However, the false stereotype that you need to pray only in church alienates a Christian from the Savior. The hectic and busy life rhythm of a modern person sometimes does not allow him to attend church often. Soul-saving prayer leaves his life. He remembers Christ and his covenants less often and becomes more vulnerable to sin and temptation.

You need to pray daily. But how to find time in a busy schedule of tasks and responsibilities? You can try to turn to the Almighty in transport, at a bus stop or in a queue, but in such conditions it is very difficult to concentrate, to immerse yourself in a process that requires constant awareness and sincerity from the believer.

Therefore, home prayer seems to be the best option for a busy person. People associate their home, like a temple, with a feeling of peace and security. At home it is easier to find the necessary time and create the necessary conditions.

General principles

You don’t need any special skills on how to pray at home. There are no strict rules either. The main thing is to have Faith, the desire to pray and time. For the rest, it is enough to follow the advice of wise priests: “just talk to the Almighty.” The prayer can be long or very short. As the Holy Fathers say: the Savior needs a person’s heart, not his words. Words are secondary, what is primary is the open, strong connection that arises between the believer and God.

Preparation of spirit and body

For prayer to become a heartfelt dialogue with the Savior, the believer needs to prepare his spirit for it. You need to be able to renounce the vanity of the world and immerse yourself in prayer. Therefore, it is extremely unwise to start praying when the mind is irritated, offended or angry.

This is a sacrament and a holiday for a Christian, because during it comes a feeling of the presence of God, an understanding of his love and greatness. Therefore, reverence and peace should reign in the soul. It is from the silence and peace of the heart that the necessary words addressed to the Higher Powers grow.

Equally important is the preparation and participation of the body. Before prayer, it is advisable to wash and put on clean clothes. Of course, this is not an unconditional rule, but this way the believer will be able to more deeply feel the solemnity and importance of the moment, because it concerns the salvation of his soul.

It is best to pray standing or kneeling, although prayer while sitting or even lying down is allowed, this is especially true for sick and elderly people. As with words, God wants the believer's heart, not his feet.

Prayer should be accompanied by special gestures: signs of the cross, kneeling, bowing. They create the right emotional mood and help you focus on the spoken words.

Correct Concentration

Requires high concentration. We must not allow extraneous, vain thoughts that distract from sacred communion with God. However, the consciousness of a modern person is constantly in an intense information flow; many people hardly know how to concentrate, control the train of thoughts in their own minds. Their brains seem to operate in autonomous mode, tirelessly and almost uncontrollably generating thoughts unrelated to prayer.

It is very difficult to fight such autonomy, but it is necessary. To do this, it is better to start with short prayers that allow you to tune in and not lose focus. When the ability to cut off extraneous thoughts develops, you can move on to more complex and lengthy prayers.

Another danger lies in becoming accustomed to spoken words. For example, reading the same prayers every day, a believer tends to lose concentration and awareness, understanding the meaning of words, he begins to automatically repeat them, sometimes trying to do it as quickly as possible. The true meaning of prayer, its goal: the unity of a person’s soul with the Savior, is lost. The Holy Fathers have repeatedly called upon us to constantly guard our minds and thoughts, that is, to be able to include our own mind in every word of prayer.

Icons and candles

If there are no icons in your home, then you can choose any convenient place for prayer, for example, a quiet room or a window facing east. Communication with the Almighty and the Saints can take place without images. Moreover, clergy warn believers about the dangers of idolatry.

No matter how ancient and prayerful an icon may be, it is only a means to help the believer during prayer. It is correct to pray to the Saints, as the clergy teach, and not to the icons on which the Saints are depicted. Images should not replace or obscure the object of prayer from the believer.

But with a reasonable attitude, the icon provides invaluable assistance to the person praying: it awakens the desire to pray, tunes the spirit in a suitable mood, helps to discard unnecessary thoughts and find hidden words. The image is essentially an embodied prayer, a window into another, higher world.

Lamps and candles also help with prayers. A candle is a symbol of a Christian’s spiritual aspiration to the Savior. Melting wax symbolizes the desire to repent of one’s own sins and readiness to obey God’s Providence. The flame signifies the prayerful feeling of the believer. The presence of a candle is not a prerequisite, but it is better to light it, this will make communication with God deeper and more pious.

Choosing a Prayer

As already mentioned, for God, the true faith and hearts of those praying come first, rather than the words addressed to Him or the language in which these words are spoken. In Orthodoxy it is believed that a believer must know by heart at least five basic prayers:

• "Our Father";
• "King of Heaven";
• "Symbol of faith";
• “It is worthy to eat”;
• "Virgin Mother of God, rejoice."

An appeal to God can be very short and consist of simple words coming from the depths of the soul, it can be limited to a few readings of “Our Father” and “Lord, have mercy,” or it can be many hours of reading prayers. Every Christian is free to pray as his heart tells him.

A prayer book is very helpful, which contains all the main prayers: thanksgiving, holiday, evening, morning, as well as akathists, canons and other useful prayer information.

Objects of Prayer

Before starting prayer, it is advisable for the believer to imagine for whom he will ask God for mercy. This will help avoid confusion in thoughts and bring order to the prayer rule. Usually, In Orthodoxy it is customary to pray:

Daily Habit

Sometimes, citing business or lack of proper mood, a believer refuses the usual prayer. The Holy Fathers and priests warn against such behavior, which can become a habit. You cannot give in to laziness and worldly vanity; you must remember that prayer is necessary for the soul. In moments of weakness, you need to force yourself to pray by willpower, because the matter concerns the salvation of the eternal soul.

The best option for a believer is to strictly follow the prayer rule, that is, regularly read certain prayers day after day. The rule is selected according to the circumstances and capabilities of the person. It can consist only of short prayers, which will take no more than five minutes, or it can last an hour and include long texts from the prayer book. But in any case, it is important to follow the rule constantly, over time turning it into a mandatory and desirable habit.

Orthodox Christians have accepted from the Holy Fathers and practice the following customs all over the world:
1. Entering the temple and making the sign of the cross, they make three small bows, saying:
"Thou who created me, O Lord, have mercy."
"God, be merciful to me, a sinner."
“I have sinned beyond number, Lord, forgive me.”
2. Then, bowing to the right and left, they stand still and listen to the psalms and prayers read in the church, but do not say other prayers to themselves, their own, and do not read them from books separately from church singing, for such are condemned by St. the Apostle Paul, as those withdrawing from the church meeting (Heb. 10:25).

3. Small and great bows should be done not according to one’s own will, but according to the institution of the saint. apostles and saints father. Namely: when reading the Trisagion (“Holy God”), “Come, let us worship” and the threefold “Alleluia”, make the sign of the cross three times, making small bows; the same is true when reading “Vouchsafe, O Lord,” as well as at the beginning of the great doxology (“Glory to God in the highest”) and after the words of the priest: “Glory to Thee, Christ God, our hope.” After each exclamation of the priest, as well as when the reader reads “The Most Honest Cherub,” make the sign of the cross and make a small bow.
On weekdays, bow to the ground during the liturgy:
a) at the beginning of singing “Worthy and Righteous”;
b) when the prayer “We sing to You” ends;
c) at the end of the prayer “It is worthy to eat” or the Zadostoynik;
d) at the beginning of the Lord's Prayer;
e) when wearing St. Gifts for Communion
f) and with the words “Always, now and ever.”
At Matins or the All-Night Vigil, when it is proclaimed: “Let us exalt the Theotokos and Mother of Light in song.”
On Sundays, as well as from St. Easter until the evening of St. Trinity, as well as from the day of the Nativity of Christ to the day of Baptism, also on the day of the Transfiguration and Exaltation, the holy apostles completely forbade kneeling and bowing to the ground, as evidenced by St. Basil the Great in his letter to Blessed Amphilochius. The same was approved by the Ecumenical Councils I and VI; for Sundays and other feasts of the Lord contain the remembrance of our reconciliation with God, according to the word of the Apostle: “Be a servant, but a son” (Gal. 4:7); It is not appropriate for sons to perform slavish worship.
4. It is not common for Orthodox Christians to kneel with their heads raised, but at the words of the priest: “Pack and pack, bend the knee,” and so on. to prostrate oneself on the ground; The custom of kneeling at one’s own will, folding one’s hands and beating one’s chest was adopted from Western heretics, but is not allowed in the Orthodox Church. Orthodox Christians, according to the Church Charter, bow to the ground at the appointed time, prostrate themselves and stand on their feet again.
5. When in church they signify the people with a cross or the Gospel, an image or a Chalice, then everyone is baptized, bowing their heads, and when they signify with candles or bless with their hands, or burn incense to those present, then Orthodox Christians should not be baptized, but only bow their heads; Only on Bright Week of Easter, when the priest censes with the Cross in his hand, does everyone cross themselves and say: “Truly he is risen.” Thus, there should be a distinction between worship before a shrine and before people, although in a holy order.
6. When accepting the blessing of a priest or bishop, Christians kiss his right hand, but do not cross themselves before doing so. One should not kiss the left hand of clergy, for this is characteristic only of Jews, but the right hand, through which the blessing is transmitted.
7. The sign of the cross, according to the teachings of the holy fathers, should be done like this: folding your right hand into three fingers, place it on your forehead, on your belly, on your right shoulder and on your left, and then, placing the cross on yourself, bend over; about those who signify themselves with all five hands, or bow before finishing the cross, or wave their hand in the air or across their chest, it is said in Chrysostom: “The demons rejoice at that frantic waving.” On the contrary, the sign of the cross, performed earnestly with faith and reverence, frightens demons, calms sinful passions and attracts Divine grace.

To be baptized without bowing:
1. In the middle of the six psalms, “Alleluia” three times.
2. At the beginning “I believe.”
3. On vacation “Christ our true God.”
4. At the beginning of reading the Holy Scriptures: the Gospel, the Apostle and proverbs.

Cross yourself with a bow:
1. When entering the temple and when leaving it - three times.
2. At each petition, the litany after singing “Lord, have mercy,” “Give, Lord,” “To you, Lord.”
3. With the exclamation of the clergyman, giving glory to the Holy Trinity.
4. When shouting “Take, eat”, “Drink from it all”, “Yours from Yours”.
5. At the words “Most honorable Cherub.”
6. With each word “let us bow down,” “worship,” “let us fall down.”
7. During the words “Alleluia”, “Holy God” and “Come, let us worship” and during the exclamation “Glory to Thee, Christ God”, before dismissal - three times.
8. On the canon on the 1st and 9th cantos at the first invocation to the Lord, the Mother of God or the saints.
9. After each stichera (moreover, the choir that finishes singing is baptized).
10. At the litia, after each of the first three petitions of the litany - 3 bows, after the other two - one each.

Be baptized with a bow to the ground:
1. During fasting, when entering the temple and when leaving it - 3 times.
2. During Lent, after each chorus to the song of the Mother of God “We magnify Thee.”
3. At the beginning of singing “It is worthy and righteous to eat.”
4. After “We’ll sing for you.”
5. After “It is worthy to eat” or Zadostoynik.
6. When shouting: “And grant us, Master.”
7. When carrying out the Holy Gifts, with the words “Approach with the fear of God and faith,” and a second time - with the words “Always, now and ever.”
8. In Great Lent, at Great Compline, while singing “The Most Holy Lady” - on every verse; while singing “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” and so on. At Lenten Vespers three bows are made.
9. During fasting, during the prayer “Lord and Master of my life.”
10. During the fast, during the final singing: “Remember me, Lord, when you come in Your Kingdom.” Just 3 prostrations.

Half bow without the sign of the cross
1. At the words of the priest “Peace to all”
2. “The blessing of the Lord be upon you,”
3. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”,
4. “And may the mercies of the Great God be” and
5. With the words of the deacon “And forever and ever” (after the priest’s exclamation “How holy art thou, our God” before the singing of the Trisagion).

It is not necessary to be baptized:
1. During the psalms.
2. In general, while singing.
3. During the litanies, to the choir who sings the litany choruses
4. You need to be baptized and bow at the end of the singing, and not about the last words.

Prostrations to the ground are not allowed: On Sundays, on the days from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany, from Easter to Pentecost, on the Feast of the Transfiguration and Exaltation (on this day there are three prostrations to the Cross). Bowing stops from the evening entrance on the occasion of the holiday until “Grant, O Lord,” at Vespers on the very day of the holiday.