Dating and Love

What prayers to read during Lent. How to eat while fasting: tips and recipes for every day

During Lent, the laity must cleanse not only their bodies through abstinence, but also cleanse their minds. These days, believers refuse to eat heavy food, bad habits and unrighteous thoughts. Daily prayers will help you resist temptation and not commit sins during fasting.

True believers try to rise spiritually on the eve of the brightest Sunday. To do this, they read the Holy Scriptures and turn to the Lord. Prayers can be read at home in the morning and evening hours. You can read prayers before meals or before bed. During Lent, it is very important to maintain purity of thoughts, not to get angry or swear. Special prayers help prepare for Easter Day and greet it with light and joy.

Morning prayers

The morning of the first day of Lent should begin with an appeal to Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity. They are addressed with special words; such prayers are called initial prayers. With these prayers, the believer wants to show his readiness to test himself by fasting, to understand its meaning, and to be imbued with the words and deeds of Jesus. This is a test of your spiritual strength.

The morning begins with a prayer to Christ, a psalm of David, the third prayer of St. Macarius the Great, praises and songs to the Mother of God. This is a list of basic prayers on how to pray on the first day of Lent and before Easter.

Evening prayers

During the day you need to turn to God, with prayers and gratitude for the given daily bread. Prayers are read before eating and after finishing the meal.

Before going to bed, the believer should turn his heartfelt words to the Guardian Angel, thanking him for his help and intercession. This is the most wonderful time to open your heart and turn to God the Father in prayer. Lenten prayer to Jesus Christ should be permeated with a feeling of gratitude and enlightenment. The Son of God ascended to Calvary for the sins of men. It is important to remember and understand this.

Example of evening prayer:

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

Then you can read church prayers, or you can talk to God as your heart dictates. It is important to understand that the Lord will hear any words spoken sincerely and with soul. You cannot be distracted during prayer. Thinking about problems, worldly vanities, or indulging in unrighteous thoughts. If you pray, then the prayer must come from the heart. Otherwise, you simply shouldn't do it.

Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian

There are a lot of prayers that a layman can read on the 1st day of Lent, but special attention should be paid to the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian. This amazing prayer is read daily (except Saturday and Sunday); it is believed that it was first said by the great righteous man, Saint Ephraim the Syrian. The prayer is considered one of the most famous prayers and Fasting.

The text of the prayer must be read verbatim. At first, you can read by looking at the text, but it is best to immediately memorize this prayer. This prayer is very powerful and must be approached sincerely and with respect.

This prayer is read twice after the Lenten service from Monday to Friday. It is not read on the last two days of the week, since on these days the services are not held as usual.

In the first reading of the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, it is necessary to bow to the ground after each individual request. After this, they mentally read the prayer “God, cleanse me, a sinner,” twelve times and bow at the waist. Then they read the entire prayer again and make one prostration.

Many lay people wonder why this prayer is given such great importance during Lenten services. The thing is that it lists all the negative and positive elements of repentance in a special, amazing way. This, so to speak, will determine the list of deeds of each believer.

During the first week of Lent, special prayers are offered and strict abstinence is observed. Almost all temples and churches read the Canon of Penitence of St. Andrew of Crete from Monday to Thursday. More details here:

Prayers for Lent

The second week of Lent is marked by relaxation for the food consumed, but does not in any way affect the spiritual state of the believer. All his thoughts should be aimed at internal purification and the pursuit of perfection of his thoughts.

Initially, prayers were created so that every believer could talk with God. They included a special rhythm and a special syllable. Old Church Slavonic words immerse one in a certain state when the one praying renounces everything earthly and ascends in thoughts, triumphing spiritually.

Lent is a special time for all true believers. On these days, it is necessary to observe the prescribed rules of abstinence, strive for good deeds and lead a pious lifestyle. It is prohibited to spend time in noisy companies, have excessive fun, drink alcohol, or engage in carnal pleasures. Restrictions placed on the body free the soul from the influence of its desires.

Every day a person experiences many different emotions:

anger;
envy;
anger;
joy;
offense;
disappointment;
pride;
hatred.

All this is layered gradually, adding fatigue and irritation. During Lent, you are given a wonderful chance to cleanse your soul from the burden of earthly sins, routine, everyday and petty interests. Prayer is a precious assistant that helps remove all accumulated negative burden from a person.

Prayers for those who are fasting for the first time

During fasting, a person completely changes the way of his life and this significantly affects his well-being, work, and daily affairs. However, habits do not want to let go and fighting them becomes more and more difficult every day. It is especially difficult to subordinate your desires to those people who have decided to fast for the first time.

During fasting, relaxation is allowed for those who are sick, for children, pregnant women and travelers. It is important to understand that following a strict fasting diet is not an indicator of spiritual purity and righteousness. Refusal of protein and fatty foods should cleanse not so much the body as thoughts and feelings. Some people confuse fasting with dieting. The purpose of fasting is to free yourself from envy, hatred, and sinful thoughts, and not to cleanse the body of extra pounds and toxins.

What should those who understand the true value of Lent, but find it difficult to withstand the restrictions, do? In this case, you need to rely on the Holy Word. It is prayer that helps overcome the feeling of discomfort that a person begins to experience when he restricts himself in food and his usual lifestyle. During prayer, an understanding comes of how small, fleeting and insignificant the fussy desires of a person thirsting for wealth, fame or honors are. Life is very fleeting, what will those people who did not do good and did not leave behind a bright memory take with them to heaven? Understanding the highest truths of existence comes during prayer and turning to God.

It's never too late to take the righteous path

Those who fast for the first time do not know what prayers to read and how to talk to God. If you want to follow the path of improving your spirituality, all obstacles will be overcome.

Those who are not familiar with church prayers may have difficulties. This includes a large amount of unfamiliar text, complex language, and sometimes a lack of understanding of the meaning. Sometimes such prayer can turn into an attempt to pronounce the words correctly and not become a sincere appeal to God. In this case, you can turn to church ministers for help. There are many prayers translated into understandable and modern language, but the meaning is completely preserved.

During Lent, it is advisable to go to church services. Prayer in a holy place acquires incredible power. A person feels sublimity and real faith, which permeates the space around him. The church has a special atmosphere that cleanses the heart, making it overflow with kindness, joy and happiness.

It is believed that prayers performed at this time have enormous power. Of course, if they are read sincerely, with faith in the soul. François Mauriac precisely noted how this should happen in his famous statement: “You don’t need to have faith to pray; you need to pray to gain faith.”

Tell your fortune for today using the “Card of the Day” Tarot layout!
For correct fortune telling: focus on the subconscious and don’t think about anything for at least 1-2 minutes.
When you are ready, draw a card:

Number of entries: 275

Thank you very much for your answer! If possible, please advise me where I should start. Maybe go to confession, or try to fast?..

Hello Julia. We must start, of course, from the beginning. There is no need to set impossible tasks. But do what you can. Don't let yourself eat too much. Refrain from words that you can do without. Instead of a press or fiction book, read a chapter from Abba Dorotheus, or Ignatius Brianchaninov. Instead of watching TV, read a little from the Gospel or the Acts of the Apostles to the children. Always strive to compare yourself with the commandments of Christ. Refrain from condemnation, despondency, idleness. Repent immediately as soon as your conscience indicates the sin that has manifested itself in you. Now the Great Lent begins. Take advantage of this time. No need to try. You just need to determine the boundaries of fasting for yourself. Decide what you can give up without harming your health. You can stay away from meat, and that’s good; you can limit yourself to sweets and delicacies, and that’s good. Take on as much as you can bear. If it seems easy, increase the load, but not vice versa. Don’t immediately grab hold of those statutes that are printed in calendars. Accustom yourself to prayer. Also gradually, but persistently. Prayer is a work that does not happen on its own. And you need to know its basic laws. The already mentioned Saint Ignatius explains them best for us. At the end of the first week of Lent, there is usually confession in all churches. Prepare for it, it is powerful therapy for the soul. God help you.

Priest Alexander Beloslyudov

Mom died on February 16, the burning took place on February 19, at the same time I ordered the sorokoust, when can I order the next one if the previous one ends during Lent?

Elena

Elena, of course, we do not welcome cremation. According to Orthodox tradition, we should bury the dead, not burn them. “You were taken from the earth and you will return to the earth.” It is necessary to always pray for the departed throughout their lives, since they cannot pray for themselves, but rely on the prayer of the church, if they are baptized, and our home prayer. Usually, after the fortieth day, we do not order a repeated fortieth day for the deceased. Sorokoust is needed only in the first forty days after death. After the fortieth birthday, we order a commemoration for a year, for two, or there is an eternal commemoration in the church, but it is better after the fortieth birthday to order for a year, and after the year expires again for a year, and so on ad infinitum, for the rest of your life. In some churches and monasteries, special notes about health and repose are written only during Lent - this is such a good tradition when the deceased are intensively remembered and they pray intensely for the living.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Good evening, father! Maybe I’ll ask a funny question, but I’m somehow confused. We are going to consecrate the house, but somehow it doesn’t work out. It's really strange. You go to Sunday service, return home in a warm mood, and there it is somehow harsh and uncomfortable. Now we seem to have gathered, but then we remembered that next week is Lent. I remember that they don’t do weddings at this time, but is it possible to consecrate a home at this time?

Galina

Galina, we must always, before moving into a new apartment or house, be sure to consecrate it. You can consecrate your home at any time, even during Lent, and you should not delay this.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello, father! If you can, tell me the answer to this question: how to fast among unchurched neighbors? The family is quite large, unfortunately, no one deeply believes yet, there are atheists, no one goes to church and, accordingly, does not fast. How to observe fasts, and most importantly, Great Lent, in such circumstances? Reading about ascetics, I more than once came across that during the days of fasting, when they found themselves at the table or at a party with those who were not fasting, they allowed themselves to eat modest foods, just so as not to embarrass others. What to do based on this? There is no common feast in the family, but one person will know exactly how I eat, and others may notice. To fast or not to fast? After all, you can cause condemnation and grumbling, all sorts of thoughts among loved ones. God bless you!

Alexei

Alexey, we must be afraid that God will not judge us for being ashamed of our faith, our views. People are designed in such a way that they get used to everything. Prepare for yourself separately and do not be embarrassed, and do not particularly hide your beliefs. If they find out that you are fasting, don’t hide it, say: yes, I am fasting, I am a believer, I am Orthodox. Yes, there will be indignation and condemnation, but this will pass, and they will get used to you that you are so Orthodox, and then they will not pay much attention to you. As for the saints who ate fast food, their situation was different, and they could eat fast food without harming their soul. It is necessary for you to start fasting now. Consider this a test sent to you from God - can you resist the temptations of this world?

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Love

Love, you yourself observe the fast, but you are not responsible for others. If your family asks you to cook fast food for them, then cook it, for you it will not be considered a sin, they do not fast. It will be worse if you don’t cook for them, and this will cause discord and scandal in the family.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Good afternoon, Holy Father! I have a question, Lent is coming soon, I am a military officer, I serve in the mountains of Dagestan, March 20th is my birthday. I’m in Kislovodsk now and talked to the priest, he said that you can celebrate his birthday, but I didn’t understand what could be done? Eat, drink or just invite friends? And also, my wife and I have problems conceiving a child, we try every month, but it doesn’t work. I am married for the second time, I have a daughter from my first marriage, and now my wife is very upset about this. I wanted to know if we can try to conceive a child during Lent? Thank you in advance!

Sergey

Sergey, you can celebrate the way you usually celebrated - by inviting friends and having a meal. Since you talked with the priest, I think that you are a Christian, and you will not forget that while celebrating Great Lent, we remember about moderation (in the sense of eating and drinking). Marital fasting depends on how you and your wife agree to fast. If you usually do not enter into this communication during fasting, then there is no need to make an exception to conceive a child; and if you do not observe marital fasting so strictly, then surrender to the will of God, asking to be given a child. God help your family.

Priest Sergius Osipov

Good afternoon, we want to register a marriage, but out of ignorance we chose the date for April! During Great Lent. Can this be done without fun and celebration? We live at a great distance from each other, it’s just very difficult, she still has 4 months to study. Tell me what to do? I ask you to!

Denis

Hello, Denis! If you can’t wait until the end of your studies, you can sign without celebrations. And time the celebration to coincide with the wedding day.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Hello, father! What to do with fasting if relatives are far from church, they usually prepare. As a beginner, I can’t cook on my own all the time; there’s a shared kitchen at work, and there’s also no question of fasting. I work 24 hours a day.

Oleg

Oleg, if the circumstances are such, then fast to the best of your ability, and you can also simply limit yourself in the amount of food or refuse breakfast or dinner (as your heart dictates). This will also be a post.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Good afternoon. This is my first time going to fast. But I heard that you can’t fast if you don’t follow the rules. My husband is an atheist. I most likely will not be able to provide myself with abstinence from sexual life. Please tell me what to do in this case?

In order to maintain peace in the family, you will have to sacrifice your peace of mind. Your body belongs not only to you, but also to your husband. Since you have agreed to live with an unbelieving husband, you must accept the fact that you will not be able to fully benefit from fasting. Although you may well agree on a number of reasonable restrictions for this time. The main thing for you is to abstain from everything unnecessary, both in food and in all external impressions. Try not to judge anyone, not to discuss, not to chat in vain, not to sit idle, but to use every free minute to read the Gospel, the Holy Fathers and prayer. Try to confess and take communion at least a couple of times during your fast. God help you.

Priest Alexander Beloslyudov

Hello, father! In the first two days of Lent, as far as I know, you should absolutely not eat food. I'm afraid I won't be able to make it through these days. Tell me what should I do? God bless you!

Pauline

Polina, what you say is true, but such a strict charter is intended more for monks who live in a monastery. You don't have to follow such a strict statute. It will be enough for you if you eat less than usual these days: say, once or twice a day, and, of course, everything lean and without vegetable oil (that means, don’t fry anything). Usually these days they eat boiled food. But there is a charter that says that you cannot eat food cooked on fire. But, in any case, you can eat. I think if you follow this, it will be very good for you.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Good evening. Father, please tell me: our aunt died on 02/13/13. 40 days fall on March 24th. Is it possible to do them?

Larisa

Larisa, March 24th is Lent. You can always pray for the dead. Celebrating 40 days means, first of all, praying for the soul of the deceased. It is necessary to submit a registered note of repose at the Liturgy on this day and pray at the Liturgy on this day; it is also necessary to serve a memorial service in the church after the service. You can do anything on this day, but the meal must be strictly fast. You cannot eat meat, dairy and fish products, eggs. You can make pancakes, but also lean ones.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello, father! Grandmother died on March 4th. And 40 days fall on April 12th. Maybe we need to reschedule for some other day? Please tell me. Thank you in advance.

Oksana

Hello, Oksana! April 12 falls on a Friday, and the peculiarities of the Lenten service do not allow us to remember the deceased at it. Therefore, you will be able to remember your grandmother the next day, Saturday, when the church just established the commemoration of the dead at the liturgy. I think it will also be more convenient for you to gather for the funeral on Saturday.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Good afternoon I have this question. We've been planning a baby for several months now, and it still doesn't work out. Great Lent is coming, and my husband and I decided to keep it this year, but it turns out that my days favorable for conception fall on the first days of Lent. I hoped that this cycle would begin earlier, and we would have time to devote time to the issue of conception before fasting, but there was a delay, and the cycle got lost, and now it falls right in the first days of fasting. What should I do? To abstain, or is it still possible not to abstain from marital intimacy for the sake of conception? I just take special strong pills to increase the chance of conception, prescribed by the doctor. I would ask the priest personally, but at the moment I am on a long business trip, and when I get home and go to my church, I don’t know... Thank you in advance.

Natalia

Natalia, it’s better to put it off until the end of the post. And use this time to teach prayer and humility. Do not beg for a child at any cost, pray something like this: “Lord, it is revealed to You how we want to have a child, and You alone know what is good for us, Thy will be done.” After Easter everything will work out by the grace of God.

Priest Alexander Beloslyudov

Good day. Please tell me. I want to start fasting. How to receive a blessing, on what day it should be done, how to prepare, I don’t know anything about it. Thank you in advance.

Alevtina

Alevtina, we have all already received a blessing for fasting from the Holy Apostles. We need to observe all the fasts that exist in the church throughout the year. This fast is strict or Great; during this fast you cannot eat meat, dairy and fish products. Orthodox Christians receive communion in the first week of Lent, and before that they need to confess and, of course, fast. On March 17, Forgiveness Sunday, come to church, and after the service the priest will bless everyone for Lent. In the church store, find a small brochure “To help the penitent”; it tells you how to prepare for confession and Communion and how to fast.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello, fathers. On the eve of Great Lent, everyone - TV, the Internet - will say that the Orthodox are beginning to fast. Questions will begin from non-church people: are you fasting? How do you fast? Wouldn't you like some meat? The question is this: won’t it be considered deception if I answer: no, I’m not fasting, I don’t have enough strength to fast. I simply don’t want to answer such idle questions.

Andrey

Andrey, why should you be ashamed, actually? Why do you want to hide the fact that you are fasting? There is no need to hide it, but there is no need to tell everyone about it. If you are asked, you answer as it is - yes, I am fasting. If they ask how, answer how. Looking at you, maybe others will want to follow your example. To deceive intentionally is bad and sinful. Now is not the time or the occasion for us to hide our faith. You answer these questions, they can benefit others, but if you know that they will make fun of you, then you don’t have to answer.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello! On March 23, my husband will be 40 days old, he is not baptized, I am reading a prayer at home, I received a blessing from the priest, but tell me, please, I can go to the cemetery on the 40th day, because it will be fasting? Since it will be Saturday and my children are not in kindergarten or school, when can they hand out candy (after or before the 40th day)? Thank you very much, sorry if I composed my letter a little incorrectly.

Veronica

Veronica, as you already know, the church does not pray for unbaptized people. Those who are not baptized are not members of the church. No one forbids you to pray for them at home, and of course, you can go to the cemetery whenever you want. It is not customary to go to the cemetery on Sundays, major church holidays and Easter. The most suitable day is Saturday. All parental memorials take place on Saturday. You can always give alms for the deceased, but most of all this must be done before 40 days.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello! I fasted during Lent 2 years ago, but I did not follow all the rules for preparing for Lent; as a result, at confession before Easter, the priest reprimanded me, saying that it was pointless for me to fast if I did not follow all the rules for preparing for Lent ... Please tell me how to properly prepare yourself for Great Lent, when exactly do you need to confess and take communion before fasting (and is it necessary to do this), when to ask for a blessing from the priest, and what other procedures need to be followed? I really want to do everything correctly, as it should be, so that fasting does not turn into a formal diet. Thank you!

Lent is a time of spiritual cleansing. But it is unthinkable without cleansing the body. How to eat while fasting? What recipes should you include on the menu? And how can we help the body overcome this test without harmful consequences?

Food taboos

Dietary rules during Lent require one to abstain from fast food, that is, products of animal origin. We are talking about any meat, eggs, milk, as well as products based on it: butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, and various cheeses. Church canons allow eating fish on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (April 7) and on Palm Sunday (April 9). And on Lazarus Saturday (April 8) you can indulge in some caviar.

Meals by day

How to eat during Lent 2017 by day? The first and final weeks are considered the most strict. These days they eat only vegetables, fruits and bread. On Good Friday you should refuse any food - this is a kind of cleansing of the body by fasting. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, cold food without oil is allowed, on Tuesdays and Thursdays - hot food, also without oil. And on Saturdays and Sundays you can add it to your dishes.

Food for good

To follow the nutritional rules of Lent and not harm your health, try to include as much vegetable protein in your menu as possible. First of all, these are legumes: beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans. A lot of protein is found in rice, oats, barley and buckwheat - prepare porridges and soups from them. Mushrooms, broccoli and garlic can boast protein reserves. Don't forget about nuts in all their variety, as well as sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Vitamins to help

What foods can you eat during fasting to get vitamins? All available vegetables, fruits and berries. For example, white cabbage can be put in salads and soups, stewed with other vegetables and expressly pickled. Seasonal apples, citrus fruits, grapes, bananas and frozen berries can also be included in the diet, like any dried fruit. And so that the benefits of fasting for the body do not turn into harm, take a suitable vitamin and mineral complex.

Life-giving drinks

Along with food, drinks play an important role during fasting. Give preference to black and green tea, fruit and berry juices, and homemade lemonades. On dry eating days, it is recommended not to drink coffee, compotes and juices. According to the method of preparation, they are considered decoctions, which contradicts the principles of dry eating. But on weekends, drinking Cahors church wine is allowed, of course, in moderation.

Let's hit the salads

Now let's talk in more detail about what they eat on dry eating days. Mainly dry food, cooked without heat or oil. This is where fresh ones come to the rescue. Shred 400 g of white cabbage, add salt, knead with your hands and press with a plate for 15 minutes. When the cabbage gives juice, add a handful of crushed nuts, green onions and parsley to taste. Beat half of the avocado into a liquid puree and pour over the salad. This clever dressing will make it richer and tastier. A delicious salad can also be prepared from broccoli and cauliflower inflorescences: boil 150 g of each type of inflorescence in boiling water for 3 minutes, separate, and place in a salad bowl. Add your favorite spices, chunks of avocado, and the familiar avocado dressing. Pumpkin seeds will also work well in a salad. Bon appetit!

Mushrooms in gold

Delicious and simple food during Lent can be baked in the oven. Cut 4 potatoes and 200 g of champignons (or any other mushrooms of your choice) into slices, add salt and sprinkle with olive oil. Place them on foil in two layers, sprinkle with green onions, cover with foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes at 200°C. For lovers of dressings, we suggest preparing an interesting sauce. Beat 2 peeled tomatoes with 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the baked goodies - a hearty lean snack is ready.

Pea joy

How to eat properly during? Prepare different soups from vegetables, grains and beans. Soak ½ cup of peas in water overnight, then drain and boil until tender. Separately, sauté the onion with carrots and 300 g of fresh cabbage in vegetable oil. Place the roast with 2-3 diced potatoes into a pan with peas. At the very end, add salt, spices and a bunch of herbs. Rye toast toasted in a dry frying pan is the perfect complement to this soup.

Potato find

Recipes for hot food without oil are irreplaceable during Lent. Like, for example, lean cutlets. We pass 4 potatoes, 2 cups of walnuts through a meat grinder and mix with 180 g of oatmeal. Add a bunch of parsley and salt with spices to the minced meat. We make cutlets and, after rolling them in flour, bake for 15 minutes at 180°C. You can prepare a sauce for these cutlets. Simmer the onion with 3 cloves of garlic in 50 ml of water, pour in a glass of tomato juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Add sauce to the cutlets as desired and enjoy an unusual lunch.

Vegetable messages

Vegetable cabbage rolls will fit organically into the Lenten menu. Take 10-12 cabbage leaves, boil them in salted water and beat off the roots. Sauté 2 carrots into strips and an onion into cubes in oil. Mix them with 200 g of boiled rice, 4 chopped cloves of garlic and fill the cabbage leaves with the filling. We fold them into envelopes, pour a glass of boiling water with 1 tbsp. l. tomato paste and simmer until done. You can cook cabbage rolls in vegetable broth and add tomato sauce only at the end. Add your favorite ones to the filling, and the cabbage rolls will become even tastier.

Lent precedes the Easter holiday - in 2019, Christians celebrate the Holy Resurrection of Christ on April 28.

The meaning of fasting is not just a refusal of meat and dairy foods, it is self-restraint, that is, a voluntary refusal of everything that makes up a noticeable part of our earthly life. But first of all, in deep self-knowledge, repentance and the fight against passions.

Fasting gives you the opportunity to think about a lot and rethink a lot spiritually. This is the time when we can force ourselves to stop, interrupt the endless daily run, look into our own hearts and understand how far we are from God, from the ideal to which He calls us.

But fasting without prayer is not fasting, but simply a diet. During Lent, first of all, you need to take care of cleansing your soul and thoughts, and for this you need to pray daily at home and, if possible, attend church services throughout the seven weeks of Lent.

Prayer for Lent

You should devote more time to prayer during Lent than usual. You can read the usual morning and evening prayers or something else, for example, the Psalter, but during fasting you need to add one more to these prayers - the short and succinct prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian.

The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is one of the most often said during Lent.

“Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the Spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk. Grant me the Spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love, Thy servant. Yes, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins and not to condemn my brother, for blessed art thou forever and ever.”

The short lines of St. Ephraim's prayer capture the message of the path of spiritual improvement of man, in which people ask God for help in the fight against their vices - despondency, laziness, idle talk, condemnation of others. And they ask to crown them with the crown of all virtues - humility, patience and love.

Morning prayers

The publican's prayer: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." (Bow). According to the Gospel of Luke, this is the prayer of repentance that the publican said in the parable of the publican and the Pharisee. In this parable, Christ cited the publican’s prayer as an example of repentance and asking for God’s mercy.

Initial prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all the Saints, have mercy on us. Amen. Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.”

Trisagion: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Read three times, with the sign of the cross and bow at the waist). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.”

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity: “Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake. Lord, have mercy. (Three times) Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit , now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

The Lord's Prayer: “Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.” This prayer can be read at any time, including before meals and in the evening.

Evening prayers

Prayer to God the Father: “Eternal God and King of every creature, who has made me worthy even at this hour to shine, forgive me the sins I have committed this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, O Lord, my humble soul from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit And grant me, Lord, to pass through this sleep in peace, so that, rising from my humble bed, I may please Your most holy name all the days of my life, and trample down the enemies of the flesh and the incorporeal that fight me, and deliver me, Lord, from thoughts. vain things that defile me, and the lusts of the evil one. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages Amen.”

Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel: “O Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all that I have sinned this day, and deliver me from every wickedness of the enemy against me, so that I may not anger my God in any sin; but pray for me, a sinner and unworthy servant, that you may show me the goodness of the mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints, Amen.”

And right before going to bed you should say: “In Your hands, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit: Bless me, You have mercy on me and grant me eternal life. Amen.”

About repentance

One of the greatest Saints, the Venerable Macarius of Egypt, said, if you look deeper into yourself, then everyone with all your heart will have to say the words of prayer: “God, cleanse me, a sinner, for I have never (that is, never) done anything good before you.”

You can say prayers not only during services or at home - in the morning and in the evening. Lay people can pray at any time - when negative and sinful thoughts arise. A short prayer will allow you to spiritually cleanse yourself and tune into a positive mood.

God, my God! Give my heart ignorance of passions and lift my eye above the madness of the world, from now on make my life not to please them and grant me pity for those who persecute me. For Your joy in sorrows is known, my God, and a straight soul will receive it, but its fate comes from Your face and there is no diminishment of its bliss. Lord Jesus Christ, my God, make my ways straight on earth.

Priests advise reading all four Gospels on your own during Lent, since it is difficult to be a Christian without knowing the Holy Scriptures. It is recommended that you read Scripture every day, in a quiet environment where you can concentrate, and after reading reflect on what you read and consider how to relate the Scripture to your life.
The time of Lent is given specifically by the Church so that we can gather, concentrate and prepare for the Easter holidays.

The material was prepared based on open sources

Lent is a period of repentance and cleansing of the soul. In 2019, Lent will last from March 11 to April 27.

On these days, believers read the usual morning and evening prayers. The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is added to home prayers during Lent. These short lines capture the message of the path of spiritual improvement of man.

We ask God for help in the fight against our vices: despondency, laziness, idle talk, condemnation of our neighbors. And we ask you to crown us with the crown of all virtues: humility, patience and love.

Lord and Master of my life,
Do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk. (Bow to the ground).
Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. (Bow to the ground).
To her, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother,
for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages, amen. (Bow to the ground).
God, cleanse me, a sinner!

(Read 12 times with bows from the waist. And once again the entire prayer with one bow to the ground at the end).

How to pray at home during Lent?

These days, believers also read the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete - an allegorical work that includes 250 troparia.

All home prayers during Lent should be read, observing the following rule: “If it is Lent (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays), then all bows to the ground; after the prayer, the “King of Heaven” is due a great bow to the earth.”

What prayers are read at home during Lent? Constantly read Scripture these days, for example, one chapter of the Gospel every day, and then reflect on what you read.

How to correctly read the Psalter and Gospel during Lent at home?

If you haven't read the entirety of the Old and New Testaments yet, catch up over the next seven weeks.

The Psalter is the sacred book of psalms or Divine hymns. Reading the Psalter attracts the help of Angels and saturates the soul with the breath of the Holy Spirit.

To read the Psalter, you must have a burning lamp (or candle) at home. The Psalter, on the advice of St. Seraphim of Sarov, should be read aloud - in an undertone or more quietly, paying attention to the correct placement of accents.