Three main prayers. Fundamentals of the Orthodox Faith

Orthodoxy(from the Greek "correct service", "correct teaching") - one of the main world religions, represents the direction in Christianity. Orthodoxy took shape in the first millennium from R. X. under the leadership of the bishop's chair Constantinople capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. Orthodoxy is currently professed 225-300 million person all over the world. In addition to Russia, the Orthodox faith has become widespread in Balkans and Eastern Europe. Interestingly, along with the traditionally Orthodox countries, adherents of this direction of Christianity are found in Japan, Thailand, South Korea and other Asian countries (and not only people with Slavic roots, but also the local population).

Orthodox believe in God the Trinity, into the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is believed that all three divine hypostases are in inseparable unity. God is the creator of the world that he created from the beginning sinless. Evil and sin while being understood as distortion world ordained by God. The original sin of Adam and Eve's disobedience to God was redeemed through incarnation, earthly life and suffering on the cross God the Son Jesus Christ.

In the understanding of the Orthodox Church- it is one divine-human organism led by the Lord Jesus Christ, uniting the society of people Holy Spirit, Orthodox Faith, Law of God, hierarchy and Sacraments.

The highest level of the hierarchy priests in Orthodoxy is the rank bishop. He leads church community on its territory (eparchy), performs the sacrament ordination of clergy(consecrations), including other bishops. succession of ordinations continuously ascends to the apostles. More elder bishops are called archbishops and metropolitans, and the supreme one is patriarch. Lower rank of the church hierarchy, after the bishops, - presbyters(priests) who can perform all Orthodox sacraments except for ordination. Next come deacons who themselves do not commit sacraments, but help in this to the presbyter or bishop.

Clergy subdivided into White and black. Priests and deacons related to white clergy, have families. Black the clergy is monks who make a vow celibacy. The rank of a deacon in monasticism is called a hierodeacon, and that of a priest is called a hieromonk. Bishop can be only representative black clergy.

Hierarchical structure Orthodox Church accepts certain democratic procedures management, in particular encouraged criticism any clergyman, if he retreats from the Orthodox faith.

Freedom of the individual refers to essential principles Orthodoxy. It is believed that meaning of spiritual life man in finding the original true freedom from the sins and passions by which he is enslaved. The rescue possible only under grace of God, given that free will believer their efforts on the spiritual path.

For gaining there are two ways to save. First - monastic, consisting in solitude and renunciation of the world. This is the way special ministry God, the Church and neighbors, associated with the intense struggle of man with his sins. The second way of salvation- This service to the world, first of all family. The family in Orthodoxy plays a huge role and is called small church or house church.

Source of domestic law Orthodox Church - the main document - is sacred tradition, which contains the Holy Scriptures, the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures compiled by the Holy Fathers, theological writings of the Holy Fathers (their dogmatic works), dogmatic definitions and acts of the Holy Ecumenical and Local Councils of the Orthodox Church, liturgical texts, iconography, spiritual succession expressed in the works of ascetic writers , their instructions about the spiritual life.

Attitude Orthodoxy to statehood builds on the assertion that all power is from God. Even during the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, the Apostle Paul commands Christians to pray for power and honor the king not only for the sake of fear, but also for the sake of conscience, knowing that power is the establishment of God.

To the Orthodox sacraments include: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Repentance, Priesthood, Honorable Marriage and Unction. Sacrament eucharist or communion, is the most important, it contributes bringing man closer to God. Sacrament baptism- This man's entry into the Church, deliverance from sin and the opportunity to start a new life. Confirmation (usually follows immediately after baptism) consists in giving the believer blessings and gifts of the Holy Spirit which strengthen a person in spiritual life. During Unction the human body anointed those sanctified with oil, which makes it possible to get rid of bodily ailments, gives remission of sins. Unction- associated with forgiveness of all sins committed by a person, a petition for liberation from diseases. Repentance- forgiveness of sin sincere remorse. Confession- gives fertile opportunity, strength and support to cleansing from sin.

Prayers in Orthodoxy can be like home and general- church. In the first case, a person before God opens his heart, and in the second - the power of prayer increases many times, since the saints and angels who are also members of the Church.

The Orthodox Church believes that the history of Christianity before the great split(separation of Orthodoxy and Catholicism) is the history of Orthodoxy. In general, relations between the two main branches of Christianity have always developed It's hard enough, sometimes reaching open confrontation. Moreover, even in the 21st century early speak about complete reconciliation. Orthodoxy believes that salvation can only be found in Christianity: at the same time non-Orthodox Christian communities considered partially(but not completely) deprived of God's grace. IN difference from Catholics Orthodox do not recognize the dogma of papal infallibility and his supremacy over all Christians, the dogma of Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, the doctrine of purgatory, dogma about bodily ascension of the Mother of God. An important difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, which had a serious impact on political history, is the thesis about symphonies of spiritual and secular authorities. Roman Church stands for full ecclesiastical immunity and, in the person of his High Priest, possesses sovereign temporal power.

The Orthodox Church is organizationally community of local churches, each of which uses full autonomy and independence on its territory. There are currently 14 Autocephalous Churches, for example, Constantinople, Russian, Greek, Bulgarian, etc.

Churches of the Russian tradition adhering to old rites, generally accepted up to Nikonian reform, are called Old Believers. Old Believers were subjected to persecution and oppression, which was one of the reasons that forced them to lead secluded lifestyle. Old Believer settlements existed in Siberia, on North European part Russia, by now the Old Believers have settled Worldwide. Along with performance features Orthodox rituals, other than requirements Russian Orthodox Church (for example, the number of fingers with which they are baptized), Old Believers have special way of life, For example, do not drink alcohol, do not smoke.

In recent years, due to globalization of spiritual life(the spread of religions around the world, regardless of the territories of their initial origin and development), it was believed that orthodoxy like a religion loses the competition Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Catholicism, insufficiently adapted for the modern world. But probably, preservation of true deep religiosity, inextricably linked with Russian culture, and there is the main mission of orthodoxy, which will allow in the future to acquire salvation for the Russian people.

A person without faith is like a blind man. Faith gives a person spiritual vision, which helps a person to see and understand the essence of what is happening around: how and why everything was created, what is the purpose of life, what is right and what is not, what one should strive for, and so on.

Historical reference

Since ancient times, since apostolic times, Christians have used the so-called "creeds" in order to remind themselves of the basic truths of the Christian faith. Several brief creeds existed in the ancient church. In the 4th century, when false teachings about God the Son and the Holy Spirit appeared, it became necessary to supplement and clarify the old symbols.

The Creed, which we will explain here, was compiled by the Fathers of the First and Second Ecumenical Councils. At the First Ecumenical Council, the first seven members of the Symbol were written, at the Second, the remaining five. The First Ecumenical Council was held in the city of Nicaea in 325 after the Nativity of Christ to affirm the apostolic teaching about the Son of God against the incorrect teaching of Arius, who believed that the Son of God was created by God the Father and therefore is not the true God. The Second Ecumenical Council was held in Constantinople in 381 to affirm the apostolic teaching about the Holy Spirit against the false teaching of Macedonia, which rejected the divine dignity of the Holy Spirit. According to the two cities in which these Ecumenical Councils were held, the Creed bears the name of Niceo-Tsaregradsky.

The Creed consists of 12 members. The 1st member speaks of God the Father, the 2nd to 7th members speak of God the Son, the 8th - of God the Holy Spirit, the 9th - of the Church, the 10th - of baptism, the 11th and 12 th - about the resurrection of the dead and about eternal life.

Text of the Creed

According to Church Slavonic

1. I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.

2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, Who was born from the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, consubstantial with the Father, Whom all was.

3. For us, man, and for our salvation, descended from Heaven and incarnated from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became human.

4. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried.

5. And he rose again on the third day, according to the scripture.

6. And ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.

7 And the packs of the one to come with glory to be judged by the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.

9. Into one holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

10. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

11. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead,

12. And the life of the future age. Amen

In Russian

1. I believe in one God, Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, everything visible and invisible.

2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, one being with the Father, by Him all things were created.

3. For the sake of us people and for the sake of our salvation, he descended from Heaven, and took flesh from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became a man.

4. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried,

5. And resurrected on the third day, according to the Scriptures.

6. And ascended into Heaven, and sitting on the right side of the Father.

7. And coming again with glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who is worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets.

9. Into one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

10. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

11. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead,

12. and the life of the next century. Amen (that's right).

What do we believe according to the Symbol?

We start the Symbol with the word “I believe“because the content of our religious convictions is based not on external experience, but on our acceptance of God-revealed truth. After all, the objects and phenomena of the spiritual world cannot be checked by laboratory means and logically proved - they are included in the sphere of a person's personal religious experience. However, the more a person succeeds in spiritual life, for example: the more he prays, thinks about God, does good, the more his personal inner spiritual experience develops and the clearer and more obvious religious truths become for him. In this way, faith becomes for the believer the subject of his personal experience.

We believe that God is the fullness of perfection: He is the Spirit, all-perfect, beginningless, eternal, almighty and all-wise. God is everywhere, sees and knows everything before anything happens. He is infinitely kind, just and all-holy. He does not need anything and is the root cause of everything that exists.

We believe that God is one in essence and trinity in Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit are a Trinity consubstantial and indivisible. The Father is not born and does not proceed from another Person, the Son is eternally born from the Father, the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father.

We believe that everything Persons or hypostases of God are equal among themselves according to Divine perfections, majesty, power and glory, namely, we believe that the Father is the true all-perfect God, and the Son is the true all-perfect God, and the Holy Spirit is the true all-perfect God. Therefore, in prayers, we simultaneously glorify the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as one God.

We believe that all the visible and invisible world was created by God. First, God created the invisible, great angelic world, or the so-called “heaven” in the Bible, then our material or physical world (in the Bible, “earth”). God created the physical world out of nothing, but not all at once, but gradually over periods called “days” in the Bible. God created the world not out of necessity or need for it, but out of His all-good desire, so that other creatures He created would enjoy life. Being infinitely good, God created everything good. Evil in the world comes from the abuse of free will, which God endowed angels and people. So, for example, the devil and demons were once good angels, but rebelled against God and voluntarily became evil. These rebellious angels, who became demons, were expelled from paradise and formed their own dark kingdom, called hell. Since then, they have been inciting people to sin and are the enemies of our salvation.

We believe that God contains everything in His power that is, He governs everything and leads everything to a good end. God loves us and takes care of us like a mother takes care of her child. Therefore, nothing bad can happen to a person who trusts in God.

We believe that God's Son Our Lord Jesus Christ, for our salvation, descended from Heaven to earth and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. He, being God from eternity, in the days of King Herod assumed our human nature - soul and body, and therefore He is at the same time the true God And true man, or the God-man. He unites two natures, Divine and human, in one Divine Person. These two natures will forever remain in Him without change, without merging and without turning one into the other.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, while living on earth, through His teaching, example and miracles, enlightened the world, that is, taught people what they should believe in and how they should live in order to inherit eternal life. By his prayers to the Father, by the perfect fulfillment of His will, by His sufferings and death on the Cross, He defeated the devil, redeemed the world from sin and death. By His resurrection from the dead, He initiated our resurrection. Having ascended with the flesh to Heaven, which happened on the 40th day after the resurrection from the dead, the Lord Jesus Christ sat “at the right hand (on the right side) of God the Father,” that is, he accepted as God-man one power with His Father and since then together with Him governs the destinies of the world.

We believe that Holy Spirit, proceeding from God the Father, from the beginning of the world, together with the Father and the Son, gives creatures existence, life, and governs everything. He is source of spiritual life both for angels and for people, and the Holy Spirit deserves glory and worship along with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament spoke through the prophets, then, at the beginning of the New Testament, spoke through the apostles, and now acts in the Church of Christ, instructing her pastors and Orthodox Christians in the truth.

We believe that Jesus Christ, for the salvation of all who believe in Him, created on earth Church sending down on the apostles the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Since then, the Holy Spirit has been in the Church, in this grace-filled society or union of believing Christians, and keeps it in the purity of Christ's teaching. In addition, the grace of the Holy Spirit, which dwells in the Church, cleanses the penitent from sins, helps believers to prosper in good deeds, and sanctifies them.

We believe that the Church is single, holy, catholic and apostolic. It is one because all Orthodox Christians, although they belong to different national local churches, are one family together with the angels and the righteous in Heaven. The unity of the Church is based on the unity of faith and grace. The Church is holy because her faithful children are sanctified by the word of God, prayer and sacred sacraments. The Church is called catholic because it is intended for people of all times and all nationalities; The Church is called apostolic because it preserves the apostolic teaching and the apostolic priestly succession, which, from apostolic times to our time, has been continuously transmitted from bishop to bishop in the sacrament of ordination. The Church, according to the promise of the Lord Savior, will remain invincible from her enemies until the end of the world.

We believe that in sacrament of baptism I forgive the believer all sins and that through this sacrament the believer becomes a member of the Church. A member of the Church has access to other sacraments that save her. Thus, in the sacrament of chrismation, the believer is given the grace of the Holy Spirit; in the sacrament of repentance or confession, sins made in adulthood after baptism are forgiven; in the sacrament of communion performed during the Liturgy, believers partake of the true body and blood of Christ; in the sacrament of marriage, an indissoluble union is established between husband and wife; in the sacrament of the priesthood ministers of the Church are ordained: deacons, priests and bishops; and in the sacrament of unction, healing from spiritual and physical illnesses is given.

We believe that before the end of the world, Jesus Christ, accompanied by angels, will come again earth in glory. Then everything, according to His word, I will rise again t from the dead, that is, a miracle will occur in which the souls of dead people will return to their bodies, which they had before death, and all the dead will come to life. At the general resurrection, the bodies of the righteous, both the resurrected and the living, will be renewed and become spiritualized in the image of the resurrected body of Christ. After the resurrection, all people will appear on judgment of God so that everyone may receive according to what he did when he lived in his body, whether good or bad. After the judgment, unrepentant sinners will go to eternal torment, and the righteous - to eternal life. Thus begins the kingdom of Christ, which will have no end.

Closing word " Amen We testify that we wholeheartedly accept and recognize as true this confession of the Orthodox faith.

The Creed is read by the person who is being baptized (“catechumenized”) during the sacrament of baptism. At the baptism of an infant, the Symbol is read by the receivers. In addition, the Creed is sung in the church at the liturgy and should be read daily during morning prayers. Careful reading of the Symbol has a great influence on our faith. This is because the Creed is not just a religious formula, but is prayer. Speaking with a prayerful mood the word “I believe” and other words of the Symbol, we revive and strengthen our faith in God and in all those truths that are contained in the Symbol. That is why it is so important for Orthodox Christians to read the Creed every day, or at least regularly.

Prayers that every Orthodox Christian should know: Our Father, Heavenly King, Prayer of Thanksgiving, Calling for the help of the Holy Spirit for every good deed, Most Holy Theotokos, May God rise, the Life-giving Cross, the Holy Great Martyr and healer Panteleimon, the Most Holy Theotokos, To appease the warring, O sick, Living in help, Reverend Moses Murin, Creed, other daily prayers.

If you have anxiety in your soul and it seems to you that everything in life is not working out as you wish, or you lack the strength and confidence to continue the work you have begun, read these prayers. They will fill you with the energy of faith and well-being, surround you with the power of heaven and protect you from all adversity. They will give you strength and confidence.

Prayers that every Orthodox Christian should know.

Our Father

"Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done both on earth and in heaven; give us our daily bread this day; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive debtors ours, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

King of Heaven

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of Truth, Who is everywhere and fulfilling 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.

thanksgiving prayer(Thanksgiving for every good deed of God)

From time immemorial, believers have read this prayer not only when their deeds, through prayers to the Lord, ended successfully, but also glorifying the Almighty, and thanking Him for the very gift of life and constant care for the needs of each of us.

Troparion, tone 4:
Give thanks to Thy unworthy servants, O Lord, about Thy great blessings on us who have been, glorifying Thee, we praise, bless, thank, sing and magnify Thy goodness, and slavishly with love we cry out to Thee: Our benefactor Savior, glory to Thee.

Kontakion, tone 3:
Your good deeds and gifts to the tuna, like a slave to indecent, having become worthy, Master, diligently flowing to You, we bring thanksgiving according to strength, and glorifying You as a Benefactor and Creator, we cry out: glory to You, God the All-Merciful.

Glory now: Bogorodichen
Theotokos, Christian Helper, Thy intercession has been acquired by Thy servants, we cry out thankfully to Thee: Rejoice, Most Pure Theotokos Virgin, and always deliver us from all troubles with Thy prayers, One who soon intercedes.

Invoking the help of the Holy Spirit for every good deed

Troparion, Tone 4:
Creator and Creator of all kinds, God, the works of our hands, to Your glory begin, hastily correct Your blessing, and deliver us from all evil, as the only omnipotent and philanthropist.

Kontakion, Tone 3:
Quick to intercede and strong to help, present yourself to the grace of Thy strength now, and having blessed, strengthen, and to accomplish the intention of the good deed of Thy servants: all the more, if you wish, you can do like a mighty God.

Holy Mother of God

"O Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Heavenly Queen, save and have mercy on us, Thy sinful servants; from vain slander and all misfortune, misfortune and sudden death, have mercy on us in the daytime, morning and evening, and at all times save us - standing, sitting, on every path of those walking, sleeping at night, provide, intercede and cover, protect.The Lady Theotokos, from all enemies visible and invisible, from every evil situation, at any place and at any time, be to us, Mother of Grace, an invincible wall and a strong intercession always now and forever and forever and ever. Amen."

Let God rise

“Let God arise, and His enemies be scattered, and flee from His face. As smoke disappears, let them disappear; as wax melts from the face of fire, so let the demons perish from the face of those who love God and are marked by the sign of the Cross, and in joy say: Rejoice , Most Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, drive away demons by the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ crucified on You, who descended into hell and corrected the power of the devil, and gave Himself to us, His Honorable Cross to drive away any adversary. Lady Virgin Mother of God and with all the saints forever. Amen."

life-giving cross

"Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honorable and Life-Giving Cross, save me from all evil. Weaken, leave, forgive, God, our sins, voluntary and involuntary, both in word and in deed, both in knowledge and in the days and nights, as in the mind and in thought, forgive us everything, as you are Good and Humane. Visit those who are and grant healing. Govern the sea. Travel the traveller. Grant remission of sins to those who serve and have mercy on us. Those who have commanded us, the unworthy, to pray for them, have mercy on Thy great mercy. Remember, Lord, before our departed fathers and brothers and give them rest, where the light of Thy face abides. Remember, Lord, our captive brothers, deliver them from all circumstances. Remember, Lord, those who bear fruit and do good in Your holy churches, give them the way to the salvation of petition and eternal life. Remember, Lord, and us, humble and sinful and unworthy servants of Thy, and enlighten our minds with the light of Thy mind, and make us follow the path of Thy commandments, with the prayers of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and all Thy saints, as blessed be Thou forever and ever. Amen".

Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon

"O Great Saint of Christ and glorious healer, the Great Martyr Panteleimon. With your soul in heaven, the Throne of God, enjoy His tripartite glories, and rest in the body and face of the saints on earth in divine temples and give you various miracles with the grace given to you from above. Look with your merciful eye on the coming people and more honest than your icon praying and asking you for healing help and intercession, extend your warm prayers to the Lord our God and ask our souls for forgiveness of sins. and we call on a prayer book for us sinners. As if you received grace from Him to drive away ailments and heal passions. We ask you, do not look down on us unworthy praying to you and demanding your help; be a comforter to us in sorrows, a suffering doctor in severe ailments, a giver of enlightenment, with beings and babies in sorrows, the most prepared intercessor and healer, intercede to everyone, all useful for salvation, as if by your prayers to the Lord God, having received grace and mercy, we will glorify all the good source and Giver of God, the One in the Trinity, the Holy Glorious Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen".

Holy Mother of God

"My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, with Thy holy and all-powerful supplications, take away from me, Thy humble and cursed servant, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, carelessness and all filthy, crafty and blasphemous thoughts."

To appease the warring

"Lord Lover of mankind, the King of the ages and the Giver of good things, who destroyed the enmity of the mediastinum and gave peace to the human race, grant peace to Your servants now, soon Your fear in them, affirm love for each other, quench all strife, take away all disagreements, temptations. Like You is our peace, we give glory to Thee, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen."

About the sick

Lord, Almighty, Holy King, punish and do not kill, affirm those who fall and raise up the overthrown, bodily people of sorrow correct, we pray to You, our God, Your servant ... visit the infirm with Your mercy, forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary. To him, Lord, send down Your healing power from heaven, touch the body, quench the flame, steal passion and all the infirmity that is hidden, be the doctor of Your servant, raise him up from the painful bed and from the bed of embitterment of the whole and all-perfect, grant him to Your Church, pleasing and doing the will Yours, Yours is, to have mercy and save us, our God, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen".

Live in help

“Alive in the help of the Most High, in the shelter of the God of Heaven, he will settle down. He says to the Lord: My Intercessor, if my Refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. As if he will deliver you from the network of hunters and from the words of rebellious ones; His splash will overshadow you, under His wings you hope His truth will be your weapon. Not a slaughter from the fear of the night, from an arrow flying in the days, from a thing that comes in darkness, from a scum and a demon at noon. A thousand will fall from your country, and the darkness at your right hand, but it will not come near you, either look at your eyes and see the retribution of sinners. For you, O Lord, are my hope; Thou hast made thy refuge in the Highest. Evil will not come to you, and the wound will not come near your body, as if commanding your angels about you, keep you in all your ways. they will take you in their hands, but not when you stumble your foot on a stone, step on the asp and the basilisk, and cross the lion and the snake. I am in affliction with him, I will crush him and glorify him, I will fulfill him with length of days, I will show him My salvation.

Reverend Moses Murin

Oh, the great power of repentance! O immeasurable depth of God's mercy! You, Reverend Moses, were formerly a robber. You were horrified by your sins, grieved over them, and in repentance came to the monastery, and there, in great lamentation for your iniquities and in difficult deeds, you spent your days until your death and were rewarded with Christ's grace of forgiveness and the gift of miracles. Oh, reverend, from grave sins he has achieved wonderful virtues, help the slaves (name) praying to you, who are drawn to death from the fact that they indulge in immeasurable, harmful to the soul and body, the use of wine. Incline your merciful eyes on them, do not reject or despise them, but listen to them who come running to you. Moth, holy Moses, Lord of Christ, lest He, the Merciful, reject them, and may the devil not rejoice in their death, but may the Lord spare these powerless and unfortunate (name), who were possessed by the destructive passion of drunkenness, because we are all God's creations and redeemed by the Most Pure By the blood of his Son. Hear, Reverend Moses, their prayer, drive away the devil from them, grant them the power to overcome their passion, help them, stretch out your hand, lead them out of the slavery of passions and deliver them from drinking wine, so that they are renewed, in sobriety and a bright mind, love abstinence and piety and eternally glorified the All-good God, who always saves his creatures. Amen".

Symbol of faith

"I believe in the One God the Father, the Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, Visible to all and invisible, in the One Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, Who, from the Father, born before all ages; Light from Light, God is true and from God is true , was born, not created, consubstantial with the Father, by Him all things were. He descended from heaven for the sake of man and ours for the sake of salvation and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate and suffered and was buried. And resurrected on the third day according to Scripture. And ascended into heaven, sitting at the right hand of the Father. And he will wake up with the future one alive and dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father. and glorify the one who spoke the prophets. Into the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I tea the Resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Amen."

Prayer of spouses without children

"Hear us, Merciful and Almighty God, may Your grace be sent down by our prayers. Be merciful, Lord, to our prayer, remember Your law on the multiplication of the human race and be a merciful Patron, so that by Your help the established by You will be preserved. He created everything from nothing and laid the foundation for everything in the world that exists - He also created man in His image and with a high secret sanctified the union of matrimony as a foreshadowing of the mystery of Christ's unity with the Church. may Thy mercy be upon us, may we be fruitful and may we see our sons even to the third and fourth generation, and to the desired old age, live and enter the Kingdom of Heaven by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all glory, honor and worship is due with Holy Spirit forever, Amen."

daily prayers

Waking up in the morning, mentally say the following words:
"In the hearts - the Lord God, in front - the Holy Spirit; help me with you to start the day, live and finish."

Going on a long journey or just for some business, it’s good to mentally say:
"My angel, come with me: you are in front, I am behind you." And the Guardian Angel will help you in any endeavor.

To improve your life, it is good to read the following prayer daily:
"Gracious Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ and by the Power of the Holy Spirit, save me, save and have mercy on me, the servant of God (name). Remove damage from me, the evil eye and bodily pain forever. Lord, merciful, cast out the demon from me, the servant of God. Lord, merciful, heal me, a servant of God (name). Amen."

If you have anxiety for loved ones, say the following prayer until peace comes:
"Lord, save, save, have mercy on (names of relatives). Everything will be fine with them!"

In 1054, it became widespread mainly in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Features of Orthodoxy

The formation of religious organizations is closely connected with the social and political life of society. Christianity is no exception, which was especially evident in the differences between its main directions - and Orthodoxy. At the beginning of the 5th century The Roman Empire split into East and West. The eastern one was a single state, while the western one was a fragmented conglomerate of principalities. In the conditions of strong centralization of power in Byzantium, the church immediately turned out to be an appendage of the state, and the emperor actually became its head. The stagnation of the social life of Byzantium and the control of the church by the despotic state led to the conservatism of the Orthodox Church in dogma and ritualism, as well as tendencies towards mysticism and irrationalism in its ideology. In the West, the church gradually took center stage and became an organization striving for dominance in all areas of society, including politics.

Difference between east and west was due to developmental features. Greek Christianity concentrated its attention on ontological and philosophical problems, while Western Christianity focused on political and legal ones.

Since the Orthodox Church was under the auspices of the state, its history is connected not so much with external events as with the formation of dogma. The Orthodox doctrine is based on Holy Scripture (the Bible - the Old and New Testaments) and Holy Tradition (decrees of the first seven Ecumenical and Local Councils, the works of the Church Fathers and canonical theologians). At the first two Ecumenical Councils - Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381) the so-called Symbol of faith, briefly outlining the essence of the Christian doctrine. It recognizes the trinity of God - the creator and ruler of the universe, the existence of the afterlife, posthumous retribution, the redemptive mission of Jesus Christ, who opened the possibility for the salvation of mankind, on which lies the seal of original sin.

Fundamentals of the doctrine of Orthodoxy

The Orthodox Church declares the main provisions of the faith to be absolutely true, eternal and unchanging, communicated to man by God himself and incomprehensible to reason. Keeping them intact is the first duty of the church. It is impossible to add anything or remove any provisions, therefore the later dogmas established by the Catholic Church are about the descent of the Holy Spirit not only from the Father, but also from the Son (filioque), about the immaculate conception not only of Christ, but also of the Virgin Mary, o the infallibility of the Roman pope, about purgatory - Orthodoxy considers it a heresy.

Personal salvation of believers is made dependent on the zealous fulfillment of the rites and prescriptions of the church, due to which there is communion with Divine grace, transmitted to man through the sacraments: baptism in infancy, chrismation, communion, repentance (confession), marriage, priesthood, anointing (unction). The sacraments are accompanied by rituals, which, together with divine services, prayers and religious holidays, form the religious cult of Christianity. Great importance in Orthodoxy is given to holidays and fasts.

Orthodoxy teaches observance of moral precepts given to man by God through the prophet Moses, as well as the fulfillment of the covenants and sermons of Jesus Christ set forth in the Gospels. Their main content is the observance of universal norms of life and love for one's neighbor, manifestations of mercy and compassion, as well as the rejection of resistance to evil by violence. Orthodoxy emphasizes the uncomplaining enduring of sufferings sent by God to test the strength of faith and cleansing from sin, on the special veneration of the sufferers - the blessed, the poor, the holy fools, hermits and hermits. In Orthodoxy, a vow of celibacy is given only by monks and higher ranks of clergy.

Organization of the Orthodox Church

Georgian Orthodox Church. Christianity began to spread on the territory of Georgia in the first centuries AD. She received autocephaly in the 8th century. In 1811, Georgia became part of the Russian Empire, and the church became part of the Russian Orthodox Church as an exarchate. In 1917, at the meeting of Georgian priests, a decision was made to restore autocephaly, which was preserved under Soviet rule. The Russian Orthodox Church recognized autocephaly only in 1943.

The head of the Georgian Church bears the title of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi with residence in Tbilisi.

Serbian Orthodox Church. Autocephaly was recognized in 1219. The head of the church bears the title of Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovapia, Patriarch of Serbia with residence in Belgrade.

Romanian Orthodox Church. Christianity entered the territory of Romania in the II-III centuries. AD In 1865, the autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church was proclaimed, but without the consent of the Church of Constantinople; in 1885 such consent was obtained. The head of the church bears the title of Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church with residence in Bucharest.

Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Christianity appeared on the territory of Bulgaria in the first centuries of our era. In 870 the Bulgarian Church received autonomy. The status of the church has changed over the centuries depending on the political situation. The autocephaly of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was recognized by Constantinople only in 1953, and the patriarchy only in 1961.

The head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church bears the title of Metropolitan of Sofia, Patriarch of All Bulgaria with residence in Sofia.

Cypriot Orthodox Church. The first Christian communities on the island were founded at the beginning of our era by St. Apostles Paul and Barnabas. Widespread Christianization of the population began in the 5th century. Autocephaly was recognized at the III Ecumenical Council in Ephesus.

The head of the Cypriot Church bears the title of Archbishop of New Justiniana and all of Cyprus, his residence is in Nicosia.

E.yadskaya (Greek) Orthodox Church. According to legend, the Christian faith was brought by the Apostle Paul, who founded and established Christian communities in a number of cities, and St. John the Evangelist wrote "Revelation" on the island of Patmos. The autocephaly of the Greek Church was recognized in 1850. In 1924, it switched to the Gregorian calendar, which caused a split. The head of the church bears the title of Archbishop of Athens and all Hellas with residence in Athens.

Athens Orthodox Church. Autocephaly was recognized in 1937. However, due to political reasons, contradictions arose, and the final position of the church was determined only in 1998. The head of the church bears the title of Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania with residence in Tirana. The peculiarities of this church include the election of the clergy with the participation of the laity. Divine services are performed in Albanian and Greek.

Polish Orthodox Church. Orthodox dioceses have existed on the territory of Poland since the 13th century. However, for a long time they were under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. After Poland gained independence, they left the subordination of the Russian Orthodox Church and formed the Polish Orthodox Church, which in 1925 was recognized as autocephalous. Russia accepted the autocephaly of the Polish Church only in 1948.

Divine services are conducted in Church Slavonic. Recently, however, the Polish language has been used more and more. The head of the Polish Orthodox Church bears the title of Metropolitan of Warsaw and all of Polynia with residence in Warsaw.

Czechoslovak Orthodox Church. The mass baptism of the people on the territory of modern Czech Republic and Slovakia began in the second half of the 9th century, when the Slavic enlighteners Cyril and Methodius arrived in Moravia. For a long time these lands were under the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church. Orthodoxy was preserved only in Eastern Slovakia. After the formation of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918, an Orthodox community was organized. Further development of events led to division within the Orthodoxy of the country. In 1951, the Czechoslovak Orthodox Church asked the Russian Orthodox Church to accept it into its jurisdiction. In November 1951, the Russian Orthodox Church granted her autocephaly, which the Church of Constantinople approved only in 1998. After the division of Czechoslovakia into two independent states, the church formed two metropolitan provinces. The head of the Czechoslovak Orthodox Church bears the title of Metropolitan of Prague and Archbishop of the Czech and Slovak Republics with residence in Prague.

American Orthodox Church. Orthodoxy came to America from Alaska, where from the end of the 18th century. the Orthodox community began to operate. In 1924 a diocese was formed. After the sale of Alaska to the United States, Orthodox churches and land were left in the ownership of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1905, the center of the diocese was transferred to New York, and its head Tikhon Belavin elevated to the rank of archbishop. In 1906, he raised the question of the possibility of autocephaly for the American Church, but in 1907 Tikhon was withdrawn, and the issue remained unresolved.

In 1970, the Moscow Patriarchate gave autocephalous status to the metropolis, which was called the Orthodox Church in America. The head of the church has the title of Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, with residence in Syosset, near New York.