St.
Psalter(from the Greek ψαλτήριον (psaltirion) - a stringed musical instrument) - a book consisting of 150 psalms, which is part of (the connection between the title of the book, as a collection of psalms (song), and the name of the musical instrument is explained by the fact that in the days of the Old Testament, singing psalms were accompanied by playing musical instruments).
The name of the Psalter is taken from a musical stringed instrument, with the playing of which the singing of psalms was combined during the Old Testament worship. The writers of the psalms, judging by the inscriptions, were Moses, David, Solomon, and many others; but since 73 psalms are inscribed with the name of David, and many of the unwritten psalms are probably written by him, the whole book is called King David's Psalter.
The content of the psalms is very diverse with the same prayer (in the sense of a person turning to God) form of most of them: there are penitential psalms (for example:), thanksgiving (), laudatory (), pleading; there are also psalms that are instructive in the proper sense, for example. Along with this teaching and prayer content of the psalms, many of them also contain prophecies about future events, especially about Jesus Christ and His Church - there are more than twenty such psalms ().
AT Orthodox Church, following the example of the Old Testament, the Psalter is used more than all other sacred books at, and for each divine service, special psalms are used, which are sung or read either as a whole (for example, on and), or in parts in the so-called prokiemny. In addition, during the divine services of the Orthodox Church, an ordinary reading of the Psalter is constantly performed.
According to the Church Charter, the entire Psalter must be read in order during the week, and during Great Lent - twice a week.
In church use, the Psalter is divided into 20 parts - or sedals, i.e. such separations, after which it was allowed to sit in the ancient church (during the explanations that were supposed to follow the reading of the psalms).
Why is the Psalter, being a work of the Old Testament era, so often used in Orthodox worship?
The Psalter, like all Books in general that are included in the Holy Canon (into the Holy Scriptures), was written by inspiration.
The main Subject of the content of the Book of Psalms is God Himself in Himself and in His relation to the world.
Despite the fact that the psalms were composed in the pre-Christian era, they say a lot about Christ (prophetically or through types) ().
A significant part of the content of the Psalter is an exemplary form of heartfelt, sublime, reverent.
Some of the psalm verses are prayers of praise. In these verses, God is praised and glorified as the All-Perfect Creator, the One Heavenly Lord of Lords ().
Others reflect the grateful attitude of the believer to God for His good deeds poured into the world, for His mercy ().
Many verses, if summarized, express the cry of a suffering, perishing in sins man asking for help ().
Despite the fact that the psalms were composed in the pre-Christian era, they cannot be called obsolete. The depth of the content of these majestic works has not yet been exhausted.
All of them together and each individually serve for the edification of believers and can be used as teaching aids ().
For these reasons, the reading and singing of psalms was assimilated into liturgical practice.
As private reasons for the assimilation of the Old Testament psalms by the New Testament worship, one can also name the fact that at first the time of Christ multiplied at the expense of the Jews, who were brought up on the psalms and to whom they were especially close.
The form of developed Orthodox worship known today did not suddenly appear in the Church. Purely Christian hymns, hymns, prayers, even the Scriptures were formed slowly, gradually. In this regard, a sober borrowing of the best that was part of the Old Testament liturgical tradition was also appropriate.
About psalmody
During the period of active asceticism, the hesychast, as one Greek manuscript of the XIV century, stored on Athos in the Iberian monastery, says, has three main affairs: the first (for beginners)- weaken passions; second (for the successful)- engage in psalmody; third (for successful)- endure in prayer.
Weakening the passions means, first of all, not feeding them with sinful deeds and thoughts, resisting them, following the Church's ordinances and partaking of the holy sacraments, displacing the passions by acquiring Christian virtues.
In the matter of purification from passions and education of the soul for the Kingdom of God special meaning has a psalm. I want to dwell on this in more detail.
The book of Psalms contains a collection of spiritual songs and is included in the canon of the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament. This book got its name from the musical instrument, which the prophet David played while singing the psalms.
No one has ever doubted the inspiration and canonicity of this book. Psalms are nothing but the words of the Holy Spirit, addressed to all times and peoples, - so says the saint. Therefore, all the psalms are imbued with holiness. The Psalter reveals to people the Divine economy of our salvation, teaches the rules of faith. She, as the saint wrote, “is a book, firstly, showing the teaching of Revelation in life, and secondly, helping to realize this ... The Book of Psalms embraces everything that all other sacred books represent. She prophesies about the future, and brings to mind the past, and gives the law for life and the rules for action.
The spirit of the Psalter itself has an undoubted influence on the soul of a person, which, like the spirit of all Holy Scripture, has a great cleansing power. The Book of Psalms, containing in abbreviation all the books of Holy Scripture, is a complete set of truths of knowledge of God and worship of God. It is no coincidence that it is sometimes called the "small Bible".
“In all Holy Scripture, the grace of God breathes, but in the sweet book of psalms it breathes predominantly,” the saint believes. The action and power of this Divine grace extends to all those who read, sing and listen to psalms and purifies their souls. “You need to know,” an ancient Christian thinker points out, “that the word of God has every power and such strength that it can cleanse vices and return the former color to the polluted. For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword (). The Lord Jesus Christ also pointed to the cleansing power of His word when He said to His disciples: You are already cleansed through the word that I have spoken to you.»(). “Even though you do not understand the power of Divine words, at least teach your lips to pronounce them,” the saint instructs, “the tongue is sanctified by these words if they are pronounced with zeal.”
How and when does this consecration take place? Following the patristic teaching, this question can be answered as follows.
Words or thoughts perceived by a person or arising in him contain a certain image. This image carries mental strength and has a certain effect on a person. What kind of influence a person undergoes, positive or negative, depends on where these images come from. God, in His condescension and favor, gives knowledge of Himself in images, accessible to man. And if a person perceives these divine images they kindle the passions in him and sanctify him. Then they oppose the images created by the man himself and inspired by the demons. The latter, if accepted by the soul, will pervert spiritual image man, created in the image and likeness of God.
Therefore, if the human soul is cleansed of perversions and vices while reading the Divine Scriptures, then it is very important to feed the mind with words and thoughts drawn from the Holy Scriptures during a certain period of spiritual life. That is why the ancient monastic statutes prescribe, especially beginners, to learn the Psalms by heart and always have the psalms on their lips. “All Scripture is inspired by God and useful (), for this it was written by the Holy Spirit,” the saint explained the meaning of the Psalms, “so that in it, as in a general doctor of the spirit, all of us, humans, would find healing - each from his own ailment.”
“As some saving medicine and a means for cleansing sins, the fathers commanded,” says the saint, “to read the psalms every evening (in particular,“ Lord, cry out ”), so that everything, no matter what we defiled during the day ... we cleansed when evening came through these spiritual songs. They are medicine,” which destroys everything that is unlike. The singing of psalms curbs the power of voluptuousness, inspires the mind and elevates the soul. The saint also calls during prosperity, enjoying the gifts of God, “to offer thanksgiving songs to God, so that if something unclean enters our soul from rapture and satiety, we can drive away all unclean and vicious desires with psalmody.”
The Psalter became the main textbook in Ancient Russia. From the preface to the “Slavonic Grammar” by Melety Smotrytsky, published in Moscow in 1721, we see that “since ancient times, it was customary for Russian schoolchildren to teach small children at the beginning of the alphabet, then the Book of Hours and the Psalter.” The Psalter, as a sacred book and constantly used during divine services, was perceived not only as a textbook of reading. It was considered necessary to know it as the most necessary, most vital book.
Having learned to read from the Psalter and, moreover, having learned it by heart, the Russian person never parted with it. She was the reference book of our ancestors, a companion in all travels, sometimes she was called the "travel book".
Russian man on the basis of his deep religious feeling turned to the Psalter to resolve all perplexities, finding in it answers to difficult life questions and even using it to heal the sick and those possessed by an unclean spirit.
The Psalter remains in frequent use today, both during divine services and in Everyday life. This is due to the fact that the words of the Psalter not only “purify the soul,” as the saint testifies, “but even one verse can inspire great wisdom, induce to a decision and bring great benefits in life.”
Compared with other books of Holy Scripture, “the book of psalms is for everyone a model of the life of the soul,” says the saint. Whoever reads other books pronounces what is written in them not as his own own words but as the words of holy men, or those of whom they speak. But, an amazing thing, whoever reads the psalms, he pronounces everything written in them, with the exception of the prophecy about the Savior and the pagans, as if from his own own name, sings them as if they were written about him or even by himself. According to his spiritual disposition, anyone who wishes finds healing and correction for each of his movements in the psalms. “I think,” the saint reflects further, “that in the words of this book all human life, all states of the soul, all movements of thought are measured and embraced, so that nothing more can be found in a person.”
Surveying the patristic teaching, we see what an enormous significance the Psalter has in our life. Therefore, in the study of Orthodox culture and in the educational process based on Orthodox culture need to use experience Orthodox Russia and in the first place to use the Psalter, as, indeed, and all Holy Bible, as a basis for dispensation right life, because the " Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God» ().
hegumen
“What a pleasant companion for people at all points in their lives the prophet David. How well he adapts himself to every spiritual age and shares every kind of occupation! He rejoices with the infants of God, labors with men, instructs the youth, strengthens the elders - everything happens to everyone: for warriors with weapons, for ascetics with instruction, for those who learn to fight palestroy, for winners with a crown, at feasts with fun, at funerals with consolation. There is not a moment in our life that would be devoid of all kinds of pleasant blessings from him. Is there any prayer that David did not back up? Is there any feast that this prophet would not make bright?
St.
“The book of Psalms explains everything useful from all the books. She prophesies about the future, recalls events, gives laws for life, suggests rules for activity. In short, it is the common treasury of good teachings and carefully seeks out what is beneficial to everyone. What can't you learn from the psalms? Do not you learn from here the greatness of courage, the severity of justice, the honesty of chastity, the perfection of prudence, the image of repentance, the measure of patience, and every good thing you name. Here there is perfect theology, the prediction of the Coming of Christ in the flesh, the hope of the Resurrection, the promises of glory, the revelation of the Sacraments. Everything, as if in a great and common treasury, is collected in the book of psalms.
St.
“In my opinion, in the book of Psalms, all human life and spiritual dispositions and movements of thoughts are measured and described in words, and nothing more can be found in a person beyond what is depicted in it. Whether repentance and confession are necessary, whether sorrow and temptation have befallen anyone, whether we are persecuted or delivered from evil-mindedness, whether they become saddened and embarrassed and endure anything similar to what was said above, or sees themselves prosperous, and the enemy is reduced to inaction, or intends to praise, give thanks and bless the Lord - for all this he has instruction in the Divine psalms ... Therefore, even now, every one, pronouncing the psalms, let him be sure that God will hear those who ask with the psalm word.
St.
The Psalter rightfully occupies its own special niche, at least in Orthodoxy. After all, this book is fully represented in the liturgical charter. This article reveals the issue of home reading of the Psalter, as well as a number of other important issues on this topic.
Sample Prayer
The special significance of the Psalter lies in the diversity of human feelings, spiritual aspirations, and praises of the Creator. One of the theologians once said that there is no such feeling in a person that would not be reflected in the psalms. Reading this holy book is a blessed occupation for a Christian, as it gives him many examples of true spirituality. In the texts of the psalms, one can find a huge number of examples of penitential prayer.
The Psalter in Orthodox Liturgy and Traditions
This book is a collection of several hundred psalms - a kind of spiritual hymns, a significant number of which were written by the Old Testament King David.
These texts were used in church services even before the birth of Christ. The rules for reading psalms during Orthodox worship, namely the calendar plan for their singing, are specified in a special book called the Typicon.
In addition to church reading, there is also a long-standing Orthodox tradition to read the Psalter outside the church walls, in the circle of family or close friends. Such reading is called secret reading. How to read the Psalter at home? This issue has been discussed many times Orthodox theologians, also the reading of the sacred book was repeatedly mentioned by the saints in their written works. There is a strong opinion that before you engage in such reading, you need to get the blessing of a confessor or just a priest who has already for a long time confesses those who wish to begin reading.
Psalter in Russian
In worship, only the Church Slavonic version of this sacred text is used. Despite this, there are translations into modern Russian. To the question: "Is it possible to read the Psalter in Russian?" - priests usually answer something like this: “During a church service, such reading is unacceptable, since, according to Orthodox tradition, church services should be conducted only in Church Slavonic. However, when private reading the use of the Russian-language text is not forbidden.
There is no specific charter that would regulate how to read the psalter correctly at home. Nevertheless, over the long history of the existence of this tradition, certain stable rules have developed that are purely advisory in nature. That is, it is desirable to observe them, but some of them may not be fulfilled due to certain life circumstances.
unwritten rules
So, for example, it is recommended to read the Psalter with a lighted lamp. But what if a person is on a journey and does not have this at hand? lighting device? Then this rule can be safely neglected. Because the only rule in this charitable work that must always be followed, or at least try to adhere to it, is thoughtful, attentive reading, similar to reading prayers.
Another rule says that it is necessary to try not to make mistakes in stress when reading Church Slavonic words. It can also be interpreted in two ways. Of course, a clergyman, being a professional, must read the Psalter with minimal distortion of pronunciation norms. But for common man here the main thing, again, is not how you read, but whether you read at all. This means that living sincere prayer is the main goal of reading.
In liturgical publications, the Psalter consists of special parts called kathisma. Each of which, in turn, is divided by Glories: parts during which there is a prayer for the dead, and a prayer for the health of living people.
Before the beginning of the reading of the Psalter and after its completion, special prayers are said, which, like the troparia, are also required to be said after the completion of each kathisma.
Another important question on this topic is as follows: “How to read the Psalter at home: out loud or to yourself?” Priest Vladimir Shlykov answers this question in the following way. He says that the reading of this sacred text can also take place silently. However, many holy fathers recommended that, if possible, try to do this out loud. For example, Saint Ignatius speaks of the benefits of reciting psalms.
He writes that reading aloud accustoms a person to attentive prayer, increases understanding of the text.
Church reading of the holy book
Read for the dead and the living, the Psalter is often heard in monastic and other churches. Such a church reading can be ordered, thereby helping the soul loved one. This care can be given to both living and dead people, oh future fate which are baked by the person ordering this reading. In addition, such prayers can be useful not only to the one for whom they are praying, but also to the one who performed this benefactor - ordered the reading. It is only necessary to firmly remember the words of Christ “May your left hand doesn't know what the right one is doing."
Reading the Psalter for the deceased relatives and friends
First of all, you need to remember that reading can not always be done: during the Easter week, reading stops. However, this prohibition is not rigid either, since the "Handbook of the Clergyman" says that if a person died these days, then reading from him can be done.
When reading the Psalter for the deceased, it is most convenient to use the liturgical version of the holy book, where kathismas are indicated. During the Glories, with such a reading, one should say a prayer for the repose.
Priests say they are often asked similar questions:
- How to read the Psalter about the repose of the house?
- Is it possible to read Glory in turn: for the dead and for the living?
These questions are most often answered in the affirmative by the priest.
How to read the Psalter about health?
Accordingly, if the psalms are read for living people, then in the Glory it is necessary to say a salutary prayer.
Another rule regarding Slavs. If a person wants to learn how to correctly read the Psalter of the living at home, then he must accustom himself to get up during the reading of the Glories. While reading the rest of the text of this holy book, the reader is allowed to sit. Not to get up during Glories can only seriously ill people just like in church worship. This rising during the reading of the Glories is necessary, because during it the worshipers demonstrate their love and reverence, which they show to the Lord God.
Quite often the following question arises: how to read the psalter for children? There are no special rules here. For children, the Psalter is read in the same way as for adults.
If we are talking about teaching children to read the Psalter, then it is important to teach children to understand this sacred book with early childhood explaining to them the meaning of individual incomprehensible fragments. It is necessary to prevent the senseless reading of sacred texts by children. This also applies to adults. Therefore, many priests and theologians recommend taking on the reading of the parts of the Psalter that are within their reach. You should not continue reading when attention has already scattered. Such reading can only "anger" God. That is, reading in such a manner leads to the fact that a person begins to treat this tradition in a pagan way, attaching importance not to prayer, but only to the fact of performing the ritual.
As for the various practices of reading the Psalter at home, there are a huge number of them. You can read alone or with other people. In Orthodox literature, there are also reading techniques in which the kathismas of the Psalter are divided between a group of people into an equal or unequal number of texts.
Finally
Despite the fact that many holy fathers recommend reading the Psalter thoughtfully, some of them also say that one should not be embarrassed if the meaning of what is being read is still not always available to the reader. There is also an opinion that even if the reader does not understand the meaning, then his very intention to glorify the Lord in reading the psalms is good. Therefore, one should not become discouraged if it is not always possible to read the sacred text flawlessly and with deep understanding.
In the Orthodox Church there is a good custom of reading the Psalter in memory of the deceased. The reading of the Psalter for the dead has its origin in the most remote antiquity. Serving as a prayer to the Lord for the dead, it brings them great comfort both in itself, as a reading of the word of God, and as testifying to the love of their living brethren for them. It also brings them great benefit, for it is accepted by the Lord as a pleasant propitiatory sacrifice for the cleansing of the sins of those who are commemorated - just as any prayer, any good deed is accepted by Him.
Psalms should be read with tenderness and contrition of the heart, without haste, delving into what is being read with attention. The reading of the Psalter by the commemorators themselves brings the greatest benefit: it testifies to the great degree of love and zeal for the commemorated of their living brethren, who themselves personally want to work in their memory, and not replace themselves in labor with others. The feat of reading will be accepted by the Lord not only as a sacrifice for those who are commemorated, but as a sacrifice for those who bring it themselves, those who labor in reading. Any pious believer who has the skills of error-free reading can read the Psalter.
In the Apostolic decrees, it is commanded to perform psalmody, readings and prayers for the dead on the third, ninth and fortieth days. But for the most part, the custom was established to read psalms for the dead for three days or all forty days. A three-day reading of the Psalter with prayers that make up a special burial rite, for the most part coincides with the time during which the body of the deceased remains in the house.
Order reading of the Undead Psalter in Jerusalem
Psalter consists of 20 sections -kathisma , each of which is divisible by three "Glory ". Before reading the first kathisma, the preparatory prayers are said, laid down before the beginning of the reading of the Psalter. At the end of the reading of the Psalter, prayers are said, laid down after reading several kathismas or the entire Psalter. The reading of each kathisma begins with a prayer:
Come, let us worship our King God.
Come, let us bow down and bow down to Christ, our King God.
Come, let us worship and bow down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.
(When reading a kathisma for each “Glory” (which reads as “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, And now and forever and forever and ever Amen”), it is pronounced:
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, And now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God! (thrice.),
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
(Then a prayer petition is read for the deceased “Remember, Lord our God ...”, located at the end of the “Following the Exodus of the Soul”, and the name of the deceased is commemorated on it with the addition (until the fortieth day from the date of death) of the word “newly reposed):
Remember, Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the belly of your eternally reposed servant, our brother [name] and as Good and Humanitarian, forgive sins, and consumed injustice, weaken, leave and forgive all his voluntary sins and involuntary, deliver him eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal good, prepared for those who love You: if you sin, but do not depart from You, and unquestionably in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Your God in the Trinity glorified, faith, and Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to him the same, and faith, even in Thee instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as if Generous rest: there is no man who lives and does not sin. But Thou art One, apart from all sin, and Thy truth, truth forever, and Thou art the One God of mercies and generosity, and love of mankind, and to Thee we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Then the reading of the kathisma psalms continues). At the end of the kathisma it reads:
Trisagion
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Read three times, with sign of the cross and a bow.)
Prayer to the Holy Trinity
Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Lord, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Your name's sake.
Lord have mercy. (thrice);
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen
Lord's Prayer
Our Father, Who art in heaven! Yes, shine your name, may your kingdom come, may your will be done, as in heaven and on earth. Give us our daily bread today; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
Tropari
(located at the beginning of “Follow-up on the outcome of the soul”)
From the spirits of the righteous who have died, the soul of Your servant, Savior, give rest, keeping me in a blessed life, even with You, Humane
In Thy rest, Lord: where all Thy saints rest, rest also the soul of Thy servant, for Thou alone art the Lover of mankind
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit:
You are the God who descended into hell and loosed the bonds of the fettered, Thyself and the soul of Thy servant rest
And now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, pray that his soul be saved.
Lord have mercy (40 times)
(Then the prayer laid down at the end of the kathisma is read.)
Indestructible Psalter
The indestructible Psalter is read not only about health, but also about repose. From ancient times, the ordering of a commemoration on the Unsleeping Psalter is considered a great almsgiving for the departed soul.
It is also good to order the Indestructible Psalter for yourself, support will be vividly felt. And one more crucial moment, but by no means the least important
There is an eternal commemoration on the Indestructible Psalter. It seems expensive, but the result is more than a million times more than the money spent. If this is still not possible, then you can order for a shorter period. It's also good to read for yourself.
Why read the psalms
Most often among Christians, the Psalter is read when a person has died. To make it clearer, consider an example of how to read the Psalter for the dead.
This custom of reading psalms about the dead goes, like the entire religious rite of human burial, from ancient times. Sometimes there are even special people who read these psalms, they are invited to the house where the person died and continuously, for 40 days, read the psalms at the request of the relatives of the deceased.
When reading the Psalter about the dead, in addition to all prayers and reading kathisma, a special prayer is also used - "Glory", which mentions the names of all the dead associated with the person who died.
The reading of the Psalter for the departed gives remembrance and consolation to relatives. These special psalms testify to the love, respect of relatives for the deceased and for God, because only by reading these songs, you get closer to our creator.
And how to read the Psalter about health? We will answer that this reading is similar to psalms for the dead, that is, psalms about health are also read. Most often, these psalms go together. That is, we have already mentioned that when a kathisma is read, a prayer for “Glory” is going on, then the names of the deceased and the names of living people are listed, basically it goes in turn: one name is the deceased person, the second is the living one.
I would also like to highlight some rules or tips for those who want to read the psalms.
- In order to know how to read the Psalter correctly, you must always have a candle or lamp with you (this is for prayer at home).
- Psalms read only aloud or in a low voice.
- Do not forget about the correct stress in words, because not pronouncing a sacred sentence correctly is equated with sin, be careful.
- Psalms can be read both sitting and standing. Basically, they are read while sitting, and while standing, the names of the dead and the living are pronounced, after prayers and on "Glory".
- Please note that the psalms are read not only aloud, but also monotonously, without any expression of their emotions there - this is not literary work, but a serious religious text.
It occupies a special place. Written long before the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is the only one of the books old testament fully included in the liturgical charter Christian Church and occupies a prominent place in it.
The special value of the Psalter is that it depicts the movements of the human soul striving for God, it gives a high example of prayerful opposition to sorrows and temptations and glorification of God. “In the words of this book, all human life, all states of the soul, all movements of thought are measured and embraced, so that nothing more can be found in a person than what is depicted in it,” says St. Athanasius the Great. The grace of the Holy Spirit, penetrating every word of the Psalter, sanctifies, purifies, supports those who pray with these sacred words, drives away demons and attracts Angels.
The first Christians deeply revered and loved the Psalter. They memorized all the psalms by heart. Already in apostolic times, the Psalter received wide application in Christian worship. In the modern liturgical charter of the Orthodox Church, the Psalter is divided into 20 sections - kathisma. The Psalms are read in the temple daily at every morning and evening service. During the week, the book of Psalms is read in full, and great post- Twice in a week. Psalms are also included in the prayer rule prescribed for the laity.
For a simple reading of the psalms, if a Christian does not take some kind of vow or a permanent addition to the generally accepted rule, there is no need to take a blessing from the confessor. But it is absolutely necessary to take a blessing from the priest if a layman imposes on himself some special constant prayer rule or some kind of vow.
Priest Vladimir Shlykov explains why this is necessary:
"Before taking on any prayer rules, you need to consult with your confessor or with a priest with whom you regularly confess. Having assessed your life situation and the measure of spiritual progress, the priest will bless (or not bless) to read. It often happens that a person takes on an unbearable burden, and in connection with this, he has spiritual problems. If you pray in obedience and with blessing, then such problems can be avoided.” “The priest is the conductor of the grace of God. Therefore, when they take a blessing, they are applied not to the hand of the priest, but to the Hand of the Lord. Let's say we want to receive God's blessing, but how do we know if He has blessed or not? For this, the Lord left a priest on earth, gave him special authority, and the grace of God descends on the believers through the priest. In addition, during personal communication, you will be able to ask the priest all your questions about what you are taking the blessing for. And the priest will advise what will be useful for you. You can only give via the Internet general advice, but you can receive grace, as well as hear something concrete from the priest only in the temple.
St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) writes: “Say the words a little aloud when you pray in private, and this helps to maintain attention.”
Rev. Seraphim of Sarov advised that it was necessary to read prayers in an undertone or quieter, so that not only the mind, but also the ear would listen to the words of the prayer (“Give joy and joy to my hearing”).
The titles of the psalms are not to be read. You can read the psalms both standing and sitting (the word “kathisma” translated into Russian is “what is read while sitting”, in contrast to the word “akathist” - “not sitting”). It is imperative to get up when reading the opening and closing prayers, as well as at the Glory.
There is no need to lose heart and be embarrassed if at first the meaning of the psalms is sometimes incomprehensible. You can always look at incomprehensible expressions in . As we read and our spiritual maturation, the deep meaning of the psalms will open deeper and brighter.
Priest Anthony Ignatiev advises those who wish to read the Psalter: “To read the Psalter at home, it is advisable to take a blessing from the priest. When reading a strict rule at home, how to read no, it is much more important to tune in to prayer. There are different practices for reading the Psalms. It seems to me that reading is most acceptable when you do not depend on the volume of what you read, i.e. are not required to read kathisma or two a day. If there is time and a spiritual need for prayer, you start reading from the place where you left off last time, having made a bookmark.
If the laity add to the cell prayer rule one or more selected psalms, then only their text is read, as, for example, the fiftieth psalm in morning rule. If a kathisma, or several kathismas, is read, then special prayers are added before and after them.
Before reading a kathisma or several kathismas
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of Truth, Who is everywhere and fills everything, Treasury of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed, our souls.
Trisagion
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.(Three times)
Prayer to the Holy Trinity
Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Lord, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Your name's sake.
Lord have mercy. (Thrice).
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Lord's Prayer
Lord have mercy (12 times)
Come, let us worship our King God. (Bow)
Come, let us bow down and bow down to Christ, our King God. (Bow)
Come, let us bow down and bow down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.(Bow)
On "Glory"
Where the kathisma is interrupted by the mark "Glory", the following prayers are read:
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, glory to Thee, O God! (3 times)
Lord have mercy. (3 times)
Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Prayers for health and repose in Glory:
Save, O Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father name), my parents ( names), relatives ( names), bosses, mentors, benefactors ( names) and all Orthodox Christians.
Give rest, O Lord, to the souls of the departed Thy servants ( names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all their sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.]
And now, and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.
After reading the kathisma, they read the prayers and troparia indicated in the kathisma.
Prayer « Lord have mercy» read 40 times.
Sometimes, at will, between the second and third ten (between 20 and 21 prayers “Lord, have mercy!”), A believer’s personal prayer is said for the closest people, for the most urgent.
Pray for one another (James 5:16).
The Psalter is a sacred book of psalms, or Divine hymns, written down by King David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Reading the Psalter attracts the help of Angels, blots out sins, nourishes the soul with the breath of the Holy Spirit.
The way to pray according to the Psalter is much older than the Jesus Prayer or the reading of akathists. Before the advent of the Jesus Prayer, it was customary in ancient monasticism to read the Psalter by heart (to oneself), and some monasteries accepted only those who knew the entire Psalter by heart. In tsarist Russia, the Psalter was the most widespread book among the population.
In Orthodox ascetic practice, there is still a pious custom of reading the Psalter by agreement, when a group of believers separately from each other reads the entire Psalter in one day. At the same time, everyone reads one kathisma assigned to him at home, in private, and commemorates the names of those who pray with him by agreement. The next day, the Psalter is read again in its entirety, with everyone reading the next kathisma. If someone on one of the days failed to read the kathisma assigned to him, it is read the next day plus the one following it in order.
Thus, during Great Lent, the entire Psalter is read at least 40 times. One person cannot do such a feat.
1. To read the Psalter, you must have a burning lamp (or candle) at home. It is customary to pray “without a spark” only on the way, outside the home.
2. Psalter, on the advice of St. Seraphim of Sarov, it is necessary to read aloud - in an undertone or quieter, so that not only the mind, but also the ear listens to the words of the prayer (“Give joy and joy to my hearing”).
3. Particular attention should be paid to the correct placement of stress in words, because a mistake can change the meaning of words and even whole phrases, and this is a sin.
4. You can read the psalms while sitting (the word “kathisma” translated into Russian is “what is read while sitting”, in contrast to the word “akathist” - “not sitting”). You need to get up when reading the opening and closing prayers, as well as at the Glories.
5. Psalms are read monotonously, without expression, a little in a singsong voice - dispassionately, because God dislikes our sinful feelings. Reading psalms and prayers with theatrical expression leads a person to a demonic state of delusion.
6. One should not lose heart and be embarrassed if the meaning of the psalms is not clear. The machine gunner does not always understand how the machine gun fires, but his task is to hit the enemies. Regarding the Psalms, there is a statement: "You do not understand - the demons understand." As we grow spiritually, the meaning of the psalms will also be revealed.
Prayers before reading kathisma
In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee! King of Heaven.
Trisagion according to our Father.
Come, let us worship our King God. Come, let us bow down and bow down to Christ, our King God. Come, let us bow down and bow down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.
Then the next kathisma is read with the remembrance of the names on each "Glory".
On "Glory"
Where the kathisma is interrupted by the mark "Glory", the following prayers are read:
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, glory to Thee, O God! (3 times).
Lord have mercy (3 times).
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Save, Lord, and have mercy - the name of the spiritual father and the names of the parents of the relatives of the deceased are remembered, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and with their holy prayers, forgive me, unworthy, and have mercy!(After this prayer, prostrations can be made depending on the diligence of the believer).
On the first and second « Glory ”remembers the names of health, on the third Glory - the names of repose:“ Rest, Lord, the souls of the departed Thy servants (according to the list) and forgive them all sins, free and involuntary, and grant them Your Kingdom of Heaven!(and earthly bows).
And now, and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.
And then - the following psalms.
After the third “Glory”, troparia and prayers written in the next kathisma are read. The prayer "Lord, have mercy" is read 40 times - on the fingers or the rosary.
Sometimes, at will, between the second and third ten (between 20 and 21 prayers “Lord, have mercy!”), A believer’s personal prayer is said for the closest people, for the most urgent.
After reading the kathisma
Worthy there are closing prayers.
Testament of St. Peter Mohyla (how to commemorate deceased parents)
When St. Peter Mohyla died and came to the other world, he saw what was happening there, how the souls of the departed were suffering - he asked the Lord to return him to earth so that he, Peter, would write a lesson - living on earth. And so that we, who live here, hurry up and know how to save our parents and relatives.
The priests had a dream that they dug up the coffin with the body of St. Peter. They got together and, having prayed, decided to do so. St. Peter, having risen from the tomb, wrote this instruction-instruction and, returning to the tomb, again went to the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.
And whoever reads twenty (20) psalms, twenty (20) canons about the repose during the year, and every Saturday, at mass, serves in the Church a prosphora for the repose of the souls of his parents, then no matter what the sinful soul is, he will be delivered from darkness and torment, and will be taken to the Land of God's light.
A person who does not forget his parents, by the grace of God, by his mercy and the prayers of our Holy Orthodox Church, who delivered their suffering souls from the fury of hell, is already here, during this life, will never have any need and at the end of his earthly journey will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.
Commemoration of the dead.
In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Blessing of the Lord from the holy martyrs Anthony, John and Euthophy. Grace and peace be with you, dear spiritual children and benefactors.
I am writing to you about the departed souls, I ask you to keep this value.
- For three (3) Liturgies, when they are served for the souls of the departed, the Angels of God pray before the Throne of God. They ask for the mercy of God; they ask the Lord to command the Angel to enter hell and sprinkle the sinful soul with holy water.
- Three more (3) Liturgies - Angels pray and implore the Lord, and the Lord blesses His Angel to take communion and lead the sinful soul to freedom. The angel takes the particles, flies and plunges into the depths of hell, scorching his wings, brings Holy Communion to the unfortunate soul.
- Another ten (10) services - Angels ask the Lord for command to bring the sinful soul to the gates of hell.
- At the twentieth (20) service, the Lord blesses to bring the soul to freedom.
- At the twenty-fifth (25) service - Angels brought out the souls of black, burnt firebrands.
- At the thirtieth (30) service - again the Angel sprinkled the charred souls with holy water, breathed and said to them: "Cover your bones with human flesh and skin, and enter into yourself."
- At the thirty-fifth (35) service - the Angel of God brought clean linen, robes and clothed them in bright clothes.
- At the thirty-sixth (36) service - the Angel of God led them to the doors of Paradise.
- At the thirty-eighth (38) service - the Angel led them to the Throne of God. The Angel of God, with all their souls pure, prostrated themselves before the Throne of the Almighty and gave thanks to the Lord for His mercy, as they had been taught by the Holy Spirit. For two days the souls stood before the Throne of our Lord - they rejoiced, wept, prayed, thanked their relatives that they had not forgotten them on earth, they promised the Lord to pray for them. The Lord thanked His Angels, blessed the souls of the departed.
- At the fortieth (40) service, the Lord said: “By their mercy and the prayers of Our Holy Church, the souls of their dead relatives who are now living on earth are saved from the fire of hell. Four tribes and three tribes of the earth will be saved for your mercy to your dead relatives, and they will be brought into the abode of Paradise. And the Lord also said to His Angel: “Instill these souls in the cloisters of paradise, and hand over the keys to the cloisters prepared for their merciful descendants who are still on earth to the souls of their relatives, freed from eternal torment, to keep until the time when they also come my command." And when the Angels of God, handing over the keys to the saved souls, led them into the abodes of Paradise, then all the Heavenly Ones exclaimed with great joy: “Rejoice, people, and be merry!” Amen.
Dear children, help your relatives,
deliver them from eternal fire and torment
hellish. Who applies for
forty masses, there is no one in the abyss
no. It is said by the Lord: "Whoever saves, they
themselves will be saved."
God! Bless, enlighten the person.
Holy Mother of God save us!
THE LIFE AND TORTURE OF UNREPENTITED SINNERS
Question: “Is it possible to save the soul from eternal torment with one mass (liturgy)?”
Answer: "Sometimes one, and sometimes many - according to the quality and burden of sins"
Q: "Will the righteous mourn the sinners in the age to come?"
A: "No, even if they were the closest wombs"
Q: How big hellish torment?»
A: "The smallest torments of hell are greater than a thousand times the greatest torments on earth"
Q: "Do the condemned know each other?"
A: “They know, although they have not seen each other in this world”
Q: “Do they pity one another in the next world?”
O: “No, but they curse each other terribly”
Q: Will sinners get used to suffering?
According to the church charter, from Maundy Thursday Holy Week before the Ascension of the Lord, there are souls in the Holy Place, and from that day, again, the souls return to their places. And they must be remembered on all days except the day of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. And also, as the soul is very sinful, and when it is remembered and will be led from a dark place to a bright place, then the Lord sends abundance to the person who remembers his parents and will live in prosperity for many years, and will be delivered from many troubles and misfortunes, and in the age to come he will inherit the kingdom of heaven.
When the dead are commemorated, their joy is indescribable, and they exclaim: “O inestimable children, our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters! Oh, if we could return to earth and tell everything, or write a letter to you and describe the torment and torment of our test in hell! But we can't. Between us and you lies an insurmountable abyss; no one comes to you from us. Woe to us, accursed ones, that we did not live according to the Holy Scriptures and according to the Divine teaching. We did not do good deeds, did not devote time to obedience, prayer and God. And they did not try for our souls. Oh, our friends! We cannot return to earth and repent of our sins. Oh, if only it were possible, then we would pray day and night in our cells, even if they were filled with stinking worms, if only we would not be in eternal torment! But we have no remission of sins here ... O our children! And relatives! Who would get out of our kind and correct the annual for all seven tribes and for their parents! Waiting for you! What gives us light and joy? When you serve prosphora in church, then we have light and joy from Friday evening to Monday, all day and night a shining light to our souls. You are our beloved relatives! We ask you for prayers, not for various decorations, but for heartfelt commemoration. Whoever from our family would be found, but would know the Holy Scripture and would try for us. O our friends and relatives! If there is no learned person in our family, then look in another family or country who would explain this to you. The Lord says: “I will write your entire trace in gold and forgive your sins if you seek the Holy Scripture and try for the souls of your parents.”
So, for this mercy, you will receive the remission of sins in this age and you will be delivered from troubles and misfortunes, and in the next age you will be heirs of the Kingdom of God in Heaven. Who does not care about their deceased parents, know that they are unfortunate, they lie face down, underground in dungeons, the left hand is below, and the right hand is on top and sheds bloody tears. They cry and ask their relatives: “You are our sisters and brothers, our dear children! Try for our souls and for all sinners, until the future Doomsday Lord, do not leave us, while it is still possible to receive God's forgiveness and joy to our souls, while there is still an opportunity to beg forgiveness and liberation from the Lord from eternal torment, do not leave us!
If someone does not remember their parents, then they, being in severe torment, ask the Lord: “Lord! God! Send you punishment on our kind, if they have a field with bread, then beat them with a thunderstorm, if they have cattle, then freeze them with frost or burn them with fire, if they have wealth, then take them away - send a dashing person "
All Orthodox Christians living in the faith - understand that the dead do not stand at our gates, but will take their own. If a Christian commemorates his relatives, then his parents pray to the Lord there and exclaim: “Lord! God! Give them joy and prolong their age, and grant them all prosperity in the sevenfold, send them a hundred times with your mercy and bless them, Lord!
A Christian who celebrates the annual, on Saturdays commemorates his deceased parents and relatives and twenty (20) psalms, and reads twenty (20) canons of the dead a year, then that Christian's parents and all seven of his tribes will stand before the King of Heaven, and praying with zeal , and they will say with tears about those who taught their relatives on the earth living, who showed them mercy: “Lord! God! How they remembered us! Who taught them, who read the Holy Scripture to them! And you, Lord, give them zeal for salvation, and the truth of faith for the deliverance of our souls.
Relatives who live in prosperity and do not care about helping their dead, they are sometimes possessed by demonic stinginess. Such shall mourn and mourn, and shall be punished. And their deceased relatives will turn to your alms, and when your hour comes, they will gladly return everything to you. If they do not have this, then they will lament: “Woe to us accursed! Wasted their lives. Those who spent it on drunkenness, on pleasures, on decorations and amusements with friends. Where can we find intercessors for the Heavenly King now? Who can beg the Lord to save us now from terrible and endless torment? Who would perform this annual? Whoever was found from our family and celebrated this annual, then all seven tribes would pray to God for him. It would be a great joy for us to be commemorated, dearer than any present.
Whoever commemorates his parents in this way, the Lord gives deliverance from sorrows, troubles and misfortunes, and in the next century delivers him from eternal torment.
O our children, remember the eternal torments! How fierce and unbearable they are! We expect alms from you, and if someone teaches you to pray, we will exclaim: “Lord! Who taught our relatives to try so hard for our souls? Lord, reward that person, prolong his age and send him health and prosperity on earth!”
And whoever does not commemorate their deceased relatives, then they, if they are in torment, pray like this: “Lord! Take from them their most beloved child, so that, remembering their dear child, they would also remember us.”
A person who does not know the Holy Scripture himself, does not want to hear about it and turns away with hatred from those who remind him of it - woe to that person, trouble. It would have been better for him not to have been born. Amen. Pray for your dead, this will help them, yourself, your children, grandchildren. All kind.
Folk spiritual healer VICTORIA.
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