A R ULE OF P RAYER

Commentary: This is a standard rule of

prayer. (By “rule” is meant a standard order Opening Blessing
or arrangement that is done on a regular
basis, usually, at minimum, once a day.) In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
This rule contains elements found in most
every rule of prayer we would find in a
Glorification of God
traditionally arranged Orthodox Christian Glory to You, O God, Glory to You.
prayerbook. These elements have an
essential quality. In other words, they Invocation of the Holy Spirit
reflect the core of the tradition as regards O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere and
personal prayer in the Orthodox Church.
In beginning the rule of prayer, we
fillest all things, Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life: Come and abide in us,
first set the context with the Opening and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.
Blessing. The rule of prayer is done, as all Trisagion (Thrice Holy) Prayers
things should be, in God’s name.
Having said the opening blessing, Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3 times)
perhaps accompanied by a prostration (a
profound bow to the ground), we should
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and
stand quietly for a moment, collecting our unto ages of ages. Amen.
thoughts, or maybe, letting those thoughts O most Holy Trinity have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins. O
go, so that we will be ready for prayer.
Once settled, we continue with the
Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for
words that give God glory, “Glory to You, O Your Name's sake.
God, Glory to You!” Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Then, we invoke, that is, call down,
the Holy Spirit. St. Paul the Apostle tells us Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and
that without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit unto ages of ages. Amen.
we cannot call God, “Father.” So the prayer
“O Heavenly King…”, the only ancient The Lord’s Prayer
prayer in the Orthodox tradition that directly Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come,
addresses the Holy Spirit, asks that we
might pray with the Holy Spirit abiding,
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,
dwelling, within us. and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;
Then, we go on with the Trisagion and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
(Thrice Holy) Prayers, which begin almost
all Orthodox worship services. Saying
Lord Have Mercy
these prayers unites us clearly to the Lord have mercy. (12 times)
Orthodox Church, since they so epitomize
the Church’s life of prayer. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and
Then, we say the central prayer of unto ages of ages. Amen.
the rule, the Lord’s Prayer, which He
Himself gave us.
Call to Worship
Then having completed, as it were, O come, let us worship God, our King. O come, let us worship and fall down
the completely essential elements, we before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down
move on with the remainder of the rule. We
say “Lord have mercy,” that phrase which
before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
permeates Orthodox Christian worship and Psalmody
which, even in the absence of any other
prayer, can bring us to salvation. (Psalm 50/51, Revised Standard Version) Have mercy on me, O God, according
Then having glorified God again with to Your steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy blot out my
the standard invocation of “Glory to transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my
…Father…Son…Holy Spirit…Amen,” we sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You,
call ourselves to continue our worship, and
enter into Psalmody, drawing from the
You only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Your sight, so that You
Psalter, the “prayerbook” of the Bible. are justified in Your sentence and blameless in Your judgment. Behold, I was
Presented here is the quintessential brought forth in iniquity, and in sins did my mother conceive me. Behold, You
psalm, the psalm King David prayed in desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
repentance for arranging the death of … Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than
…Bathsheba’s husband, but we might with snow. Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which You have broken
good effect read any of the Psalms here. rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me
Then, having prayed God’s own a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not
word, we reconfirm our Faith, reciting the
Creed. Often we call the Creed the
away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me
Confession of Faith, for in saying it we the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach
“confess,” that is, witness to and transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You. Deliver me from
acknowledge what and in whom we bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud
believe. of Your deliverance. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your
Then, at this point in the rule, we add
praise. For You have no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, You
any other prayers we may desire to recite.
It is here in the rule of prayer that the so- would not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a
called “morning” and “evening” prayers are broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Do good to Zion in Your
added. In this rule of prayer, however, good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, then You will delight in a sacrifice
which has the goal of being brief and of righteousness, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be
simple, there is in this place the “Jesus offered on Your altar.
Prayer,” which in its simplicity and
directness encapsulates every prayer. The The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed
tradition is rich in commentary about this
prayer and there is no room here to add to I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, and of
those explanations. Let it be said, though, all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the
that every Christian should have this only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of
prayer on his or her lips and in his or heart true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all
many times a day. things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from
Finally, we come to the point where,
having given God glory, having expressed heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became
penitence for our sins, having confessed man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was
the faith, we make our intercessions. We buried. And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and
begin by asking the prayers of our patron ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall
saint and any other of the holy ones whom come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall
we may hope will intercede on our behalf
before God. Then we bring to God the
have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds
names of those—both departed this life from the Father; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and
and still with us in this world—to whom we glorified; who spoke by the prophets. In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic
especially desire Him to show His mercy Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the
and love. resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Also, we do not forget the Theotokos,
the Virgin Mary, and the Mother of God. The Jesus Prayer
She stands before us, not as the great
exception, but rather as the great example
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.
of faith. It was her “Yes,” given to the Angel Intercessions
Gabriel that in part made possible the birth
of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, O Holy Saint NAME, my heavenly patron, pray to God for me.
made incarnate in her womb. So, we bless Remember, O Lord, all those in need of Your mercy and help, especially
her.
In the traditional dismissal we
NAMES.
remember that we do not save ourselves, Remember O Lord, all those who have fallen asleep in the Lord in the hope of
but that salvation is a free gift of God, often resurrection and eternal life, especially NAMES.
made more available to us through the
prayers of others, whom we here identify Hymn to the Theotokos
as “our Holy Fathers.” Our prayers,
together with ascetic discipline (fasting)
It is truly meet to bless you O Theotokos, ever blessed and most pure and the
and charity (alms-giving), serve to turn us Mother of our God, more honorable than the Cherubim and more glorious
to God in repentance, and make us open beyond compare than the Seraphim, without defilement you gave birth to God
to the possibility of salvation and eternal the Word, true Theotokos we magnify you.
life, with God in His Heavenly Kingdom.
We finish these comments, as we Dismissal
conclude the rule of prayer, saying “Amen,” Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have
“Yes,” to God, thanking him for everything.
mercy on us and save us. Amen.