"Save me, God!".
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Today, there are many different debates about whether it is possible to pray for the health of an unbaptized person. Some argue in this regard that it is absolutely impossible to ask the Lord for such people. This is justified by the fact that a person who has not been baptized puts his person against church canons, rejecting the shrine of God’s Temple.
Others say that you can ask God even for lost sheep, so he will definitely hear your prayer for unbaptized people.
Judging by the numerous discussions of clergy on this topic, we can safely draw a conclusion. To the question, is it possible to read a prayer for unbaptized children or adults? You can answer this way: of course it is possible, why not?
Church sources even contain real prayers for unbaptized people. In such prayers, people turn to God for the forgiveness of sinners and the opportunity to return them to the bosom of the divine temple.
The best article for you, go to: Orthodox strong prayer to quit smoking
Prayer for the unbaptized dead
You can and should pray at home for loved ones of the unbaptized deceased.
In this way, you will help your relatives become closer to the Lord in the heavenly villages and improve their lot in eternal life. The Lord will send you relief in sorrow and peace of mind. Requiem service, magpie, litia are church prayers, but they cannot be offered for the unbaptized. This is not a conspiracy to change your life. This is the prayer of the Church, through which the Lord gives you gracious help and shows you the true path. Pray for yourself and silently for the unbaptized. It is better to attend morning Liturgies more often, when they will remember you or your loved one, and receive communion.
Prayer for the departed and services in church about him will not “cleanse the energy.” Prayer is turning to God here and now. The Church will pray for God’s help for you, for God’s will to act in your life. After all, the devil acts without our consent, simply coming to people who are not protected by prayer and the Church Sacraments. Ordering a memorial service does not have to be kept secret. On the contrary, you can tell your loved ones about this and come to the temple to pray together.
How to pray for the unbaptized and is it possible to do this?
If we talk about tradition, the Church conveys to people that there is evidence of the effectiveness of prayers that were read for unbaptized people, as well as for those who had nothing to do with the Church.
Is it possible to pray with Catholics? These testimonies are recorded in documents found in Churches throughout the world. There are several examples of effective prayers on how to pray for the unbaptized.
For example, one day, the Monk Macarius was heading from the desert to his hometown and noticed a man’s skull in the sand.
Macarius decided to approach him and touch him with a small cane, to move him a little, surprisingly, strange sounds were heard, and the skull spoke.
Then the monk asked him who he was, to which the skull made it clear that many years ago he was a pagan priest for the idolaters living on this land.
In addition, the skull said that when the Monk Macarius uses his mercy, if someone suffers from an illness and prays for them, then great consolation and relief appears for such people.
The skull uttered a phrase that greatly affected the monk, he said that no matter how much distance there is from heaven to earth, there is the same amount of flame under our feet and heads.
It turned out that all the people were standing in the fire, and besides, none of the people were standing so that they could see their neighbors. When a believer prays for an unbaptized person, then everyone can have the opportunity to see the face of their neighbor; this is the most important joy of a believer.
After the sage communicated with the skull, he buried it and moved on on his way.
This confirms that every believer, baptized person cannot pray for a person with a different faith, or from another denomination, but this applies only to those who spend time in prayer at Liturgies or perform funeral services for the baptized, that is, no one prohibits spending time in prayer for them at home, this is even encouraged.
There are special rules for the Liturgy
Everyone must understand that when the Liturgy takes place, during it you cannot pray for representatives of another religion, the unbaptized, and so on, and this cannot be done out loud, or even silently.
The fact is that during the Liturgy they offer the bloodless Eucharistic Sacrifice, and we must not forget that such a Sacrifice can only be offered for members of the Church.
It is important to know that such commemoration can only be allowed during a funeral service, and you can pray silently, but at the Liturgy it is prohibited
There is another example that speaks to this. Many centuries ago, Elder Lev of Optina, when he consoled his son Paul, who was a spiritual offspring for him, but this man’s own father died and he was not baptized, said that one should not be overly sad.
The Creator does not compare anyone, but loves everyone even more than a person can imagine, including his father.
Therefore, Paul will need to submit to the mercy and grace of God of his father, and if the Creator wants to have mercy on him, then none of the people living on earth will ever be able to resist God.
After which the sage relayed his prayer to the spiritual offspring, which he changed a little, and now it can be read for people who have not been baptized. The prayer reads as follows: Lord, have mercy on a person who has passed into another world without Baptism. Do not make this my prayer a sin, but your Holy will will always be!
Such a prayer can be used when reading the Psalter, saying it on “Glory”.
More examples from around the world
Another example is when the clergyman of Optina, Elder Joseph, said that he has examples that speak of the fruits of such prayers for the unbaptized. This prayer can be said at any time, and can be read many times throughout the day. If you read to yourself, then it is not prohibited in the Church.
In addition, alms, which are given for the deceased, can come to the rescue to everyone who needs it. A prayer directed to the Holy Virgin Mary can also help, which can be recited using a rosary and repeating “Hail Mary.” The number of phrases spoken is unlimited; you can increase it to 140 in one day.
Just remember that at the very beginning of the phrase and at its end, you must ask the Virgin Mary to help the soul of the deceased.
If we turn to the Orthodox Church, there is evidence that Christian saints have special grace when they pray for people who are not baptized. For example, there was such a person in the third century, when the martyr Uar suffered.
Many centuries later, a canon appeared dedicated to this man, where there is a main request to Uar, that he pray for people who were not members of the Church.
This canon and prayer speech is pronounced in honor of the martyr Huar, replacing the funeral prayers that are said for the baptized.
Prayer for the unbaptized departed to the Lord God Jesus Christ
The truth is that often people who have firmly decided to be baptized, or who have been baptized but decide to begin a spiritual life, are attacked by demons. This is expressed in a bad mood and irritability, sudden irritability in loved ones, and transport breakdowns. These are real actions of dark spirits. Do not be afraid in any case: you are on the right path, and they are only trying to prevent you from coming under the protection of the Lord.
“O Lord and our God, do not forget Your servant (name) who died in faith and hope for eternal life. You are the Good and Loving Lord of all people, you forgive sins and destroy lies, forgive and forget all his sins and mistakes, accidental and intentional, deliver him from eternal torment and hellish flames, give him the sacrament and joy of Your eternal joys prepared for everyone, those who love you. Even if he sinned, he did not depart from You, he believed without doubt in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity, You, the Lord in the Holy Trinity, the One and Glorified, and until his last breath he confessed the Holy Trinity Orthodoxy. Be merciful to him, reward him at least for faith instead of works, rest with all Your saints, as a Generous God: after all, there is no person who has lived life and not sinned. You, Lord, he is Sinless, Your righteousness is the Truth in all ages, only You are the God of mercy and generosity, May we all, living and dead, give eternal glory to You, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".
Is it possible to pray for the sins of the deceased in home prayer?
A definite answer for the unbaptized is unknown to priests and holy fathers. There is a legend about a woman who prayed for the sin of her son who committed suicide, which testifies to God’s mercy.
If a person was an ardent atheist during his lifetime and rejected Orthodoxy, there is no need to pray fervently for him. Sometimes such deceased people appear in dreams with requests to stop reading sacred texts about the repose of their souls.
Home commemoration of relatives who died unbaptized makes the posthumous existence easier for souls and helps to relieve grief for the deceased. Such deceased are honored privately; they were not part of the Church of Christ. Sincere prayer for the unbaptized can work miracles, the Lord is merciful, man cannot understand the depth of His wisdom, one can only believe. Remembering relatives, children, and parents with good deeds, Christians take care of the souls of the dead and trust in the mercy of God.
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Prayer for the unbaptized deceased to Uaru Martyr
The death of parents and relatives, friends and loved ones is a tragedy that everyone has to go through sooner or later. It is important to go through the period of grief, allowing sadness into your heart, but not allowing despair to consume you. Faith in God and eternal life after death helps a person with this. You can even pray for the unbaptized. It is known that the holy martyr Uar helps in intercession for the unbaptized dead. The Lord will make your sadness for your unforgettable loved ones bright when you turn to Him in prayer at home or by ordering a prayer service in the temple of the martyr Uar. You cannot order a prayer service for the unbaptized, but you can simply order a prayer service for the martyr Uar in the church. You can pray for forgiveness of the sins of an unbaptized deceased, for help for him beyond the grave.
Every Orthodox Christian should understand the importance of prayer for the deceased. After all, our relatives and friends who have left us can no longer change their fate after death, and only we, the living, can help them with prayer! Traditionally, even for the unbaptized, they give alms to the poor and alms in the church circle “for the temple,” mentally praying: “Rest, O Lord, the soul of your departed servant (servant) ...”
Oh, holy martyr Uar! Through the efforts of preaching about the Lord Christ, we kindle you, you confessed the Heavenly King before the tormentor, and suffered zealously for Christ, and now the Church honors you as glorified by the Savior Himself in Heavenly glory and praying for those who are not baptized. He gave you, holy martyr Uar, the grace of great boldness towards Him, and now you stand at the throne of God with the Angels, and rejoice, and see clearly the Holy Trinity, and enjoy the light of the Beginning Radiance. We ask, holy martyr Uar, understand the yearning of our relatives who died without baptism, accept our petition, and just as Cleopatrine freed the unbaptized family from eternal torment with your prayers, so remember those buried who died unbaptized, ask for deliverance from darkness for them, so that all in one word and with one heart we praised the Most Merciful Creator forever and ever. Amen.
Why doesn’t the Church pray for the unbaptized, and how can you do this yourself?
Last week our family celebrated the anniversary of my great-aunt, who turned 90 years old. When the home feast ended and the toasts ended, we, as usual, started talking about life. There were many memories, and among them, I suddenly, to my great surprise, heard that our grandmother Vera, it turns out, was unbaptized.
In her infancy there was no one to baptize her, because her parents were young communists and, accordingly, by definition they could not attend church. Then she herself became a party member.
And in my old age, when life around me changed, I was somehow embarrassed to be baptized. He says: “What kind of Christian am I? I didn’t go to church all my life, I didn’t know God.
When I die soon, I will ask for forgiveness for everything. Maybe they won’t drive you away.”
I will not describe our further general dispute on this topic (in the spirit of “who is to blame?” and “what to do?”). The main thing in all this for me was the fact that for Grandma Vera I not only prayed to God all my life in church, but also submitted her name in notes for healthy prayer. But this, it turns out, was impossible to do. But what if it’s still possible?
How to pray for unbaptized relatives
In general, the next day I went to the temple to the priest for clarification on this matter. The rector of our nearby church, although young, is very smart and attentive.
Talking to him and listening to his sermons is a pleasure. So his opinion about how much I had sinned and whether I could now pray for my grandmother was very important to me.
We talked for more than an hour, and I returned home from the temple with a light heart.
Firstly, Father Mikhail forgave me my sin of ignorance of the truth . Secondly, he gave me hope for the salvation of my grandmother’s soul and once again strengthened my own faith. His reasoning was so important to me that at home I outlined it point by point, and then decided to publish these theses on the blog. Maybe it will be useful to someone.
At first, Father Mikhail spoke about the sacrament of baptism
Without joining it, a person cannot be considered a Christian. Jesus himself instituted this ordinance shortly before his ascension into heaven.
It symbolically imitates the resurrection of the soul through the sacred, with prayer, immersion of the body in water. This is how a person is cleansed of sins and reborn to a new – spiritual and grace-filled – life in Christ.
He becomes in close unity with the Savior and enters the bosom of His Church.
In Orthodoxy, it is customary to baptize infants on the 40th day after their birth . This is also an Old Testament tradition, since it was on the 40th day that parents made sacrifices on the altar in gratitude to God for the birth of a child.
The New Testament tells how Mary and Joseph, on the fortieth day after the Nativity of Christ, brought the baby to the temple, where Elder Simeon met him and recognized him as the Son of God. Now this holiday is called the Presentation of the Lord - the meeting and union of the Old (Simeon) and New (Jesus) Testaments.
In honor of this event, it was considered correct to baptize infants exactly 40 days after their birth.
In fact, the Church does not require this, and baptisms can be held before or after, depending on the circumstances.
The main thing is that the ceremony takes place. If a child is not baptized for a long time, then this is considered a sin of the parents. However, unbaptized children grow up and become adults.
If they refused baptism at a conscious age, then the responsibility for this lies entirely with them. And here it is useless to refer to the era, life circumstances or the influence of other people. It's only your choice, your fault.
While there are a number of exceptions for unbaptized infants, the Church does not pray unambiguously for adults.
Why? Because they are not part of her, cut off from her body. Many religious leaders compare them with apostates and heretics, and their reluctance to be baptized with non-recognition of the faith and with opposition to it. Tough, isn't it? There is even a figurative comparison of the Church with the body of God, and all believers with its living cells.
Non-believers are comparable to dead, rotting parts that can no longer be healed, even with prayers. Therefore, church workers, accepting notes with names for the liturgy “On Health” and “On Repose,” always ask whether these people have been baptized. The unbaptized cannot be commemorated at Proskomedia, since they are not devoted to the Lord.
But there are exceptions
That is, not all representatives of the Church speak and behave so categorically. The most striking example of a compromise is the prayer services to the holy martyr Huar, which are held every Saturday in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Pyatnitskaya Street in Moscow. They go immediately after the liturgy from half past 9 to 9 am.
During the prayer service, parishioners ask the Lord for unbaptized relatives and friends. The life of Saint Huarus tells how the martyr, endowed with special grace, after his death, atoned for the sins of the relatives of a certain pious widow Cleopatra, many of whom were pagans during their lifetime.
The canon and prayer to the martyr Uar contain fervent requests to ask the Lord to forgive and give peace to unbaptized souls.
But still, the majority of clergy have a negative attitude towards excessive zeal in this regard. The undesirability of praying (even silently!) for the unbaptized during the Liturgy is especially emphasized, since the Eucharistic Sacrifice is offered there. But during a memorial service, silent appeals to the Lord are possible.
Personal prayer for forgiveness
those who are outside the body of Christ consider literally everything to be gracious and effective. There are even various church traditions on this topic.
The most famous story tells how the Monk Macarius of Egypt once spoke in the desert with the skull of a pagan priest of idolaters, who asked him to pray for the consolation of these sinners.
The holy elders also speak about the power of individual prayer.
- For example, the Venerable Leo of Optina recommended praying like this: “Have mercy, O Lord, on the soul of Thy servant (name), who passed away into eternal life without Holy Baptism. Your destinies are unsearchable. Do not make this my prayer a sin for me. But Thy holy will be done." He advised saying this at every “Glory” when reading Plaltir for the departed. The Monk Joseph of Optina also noted the great power of this prayer, which can be done at any time of the day, both silently and in church.
- Another powerful prayer is the appeal to the Mother of God “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...”. You need to read it as much as you have the strength to do it: 30, 50, 150 times in a row.
- Father Mikhail believes that you can pray in your own words. The main thing is that they be sincere and go to God from the soul, from the heart. The most important thing in any prayer is faith and fervor. It is your true unshakable faith that can give peace and tranquility to the unbaptized - living or dead .
Mother's prayer has special power
Even the Church allows its creation not only in front of the home, but even the temple altar. A mother's love is so strong that her words ascend to the very heavens, and God always hears them . There are different maternal prayers. For example:
- for unbaptized babies who died in the womb;
- for unbaptized infants (from the Psalter or Athanasius of Athos);
- prayer to the Mother of God for children.
The first 2 are raised for children who died unborn, the 3rd - for all children who have already been born (“baptized and nameless”) and “carried in the womb of their mother.”
I repeat once again that during our long conversation with Father Mikhail, my conscience gradually calmed down. This priest always brings me into a state of amazing inner harmony. When I talk to him, I especially begin to feel that God is love and mercy. Even a very sinful soul can receive His forgiveness after sincere repentance.
Fervent prayer for a person is also the road to the salvation of his soul . After all, the Church teaches that even after death, direct descendants can help the deceased and have a beneficial influence on his afterlife. To do this, they must live according to Christ’s commandments and pray for their ancestor, believing in the mercy of the Lord. So I will ask God for Baba Vera.
Source: //ritualblog.ru/2016/12/27/pochemu-tserkov-ne-molitsya-o-nekreshhenyih-i-kak-eto-mozhno-delat-samostoyatelno/
What is baptism?
Now there is a fashion for baptism. No matter how scary it may sound, it is true. Why fashion? Because children are baptized, and that’s all. People forget about the fact that they need to go to church and bring their child to communion. And it’s good if the cross is not removed from the newly made servant of God as soon as they leave the church.
The question arises: what is the point of baptism then? To baptize a child according to the principle “so that it may be”? Why baptize if parents are far from the faith and most often godparents too? What does this baptism give?
For some reason, parents don’t ask this question. That's all there is to it. Who needs it, why it needs it and for what purpose is completely unclear. And this is completely wild, Lord have mercy. Do not think about the purpose of the action being performed, but be sure to do it.
However, we digress. What is baptism? This is one of the seven church sacraments. Why sacrament? Because at baptism, the grace of God descends on a person in an invisible way to us. Baptism is spiritual birth for eternal life.
The importance of the Sacrament of Baptism for a person
Baptism is one of the seven Sacraments of the church, and without exaggeration it can be called fundamental. The spiritual life of an Orthodox Christian is impossible unless he sooner or later receives church baptism. Why is it so important for a person and what does it give?
First of all, baptism makes a person a full member of the Church of Christ. By accepting the Sacrament, a person confesses faith in the crucified Jesus Christ and shows his intention to follow Him in life. In addition, in this Sacrament, the seal of original sin, which is inherent in each of us, is washed away from a person.
Baptism in the Jordan River
The rite of baptism with water itself dates back to Gospel times. Thus, the Forerunner of the Lord John baptized the people in the Jordan River. It was there that Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself received the Sacrament during His earthly life.
About other Orthodox sacraments:
- Sacrament of wedding
- Sacrament of Confession
Thus, we can say that by accepting this Sacrament, a person becomes open to God’s grace and can boldly follow Christ in the fullness of church life.
Features of prayer for unbaptized living people
If a person for some reason does not accept the Sacrament of Baptism, he cannot be a full member of the church. This is expressed, first of all, in the opportunity to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
Interesting! Some time ago, unbaptized people could not enter the temple beyond the vestibule, and also had to leave the Divine service in a certain part of it.
Today, such a strict restriction has been lifted, but still an unbaptized person cannot participate in worship as an equal.
Liturgy
The main feature of prayer for unbaptized people is that they cannot be remembered at the Divine Liturgy.
The priest at the altar offers a bloodless sacrifice, symbolically representing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. At this time, pieces are taken from the prosphoras for each name submitted for commemoration. These particles are then sent to the Chalice and become a great shrine - the Body of Christ.
Read about church rules:
If a person deliberately avoids baptism, then Christ’s sacrifice for him becomes meaningless. That is why, in order to participate in the Sacrament of Communion, and indeed in the fullness of the Liturgy, it is necessary to be baptized in church.
But what should we do if a person close to us, whose fate we care about, turns out to be unbaptized? He cannot be commemorated in church, but there are no obstacles to purely personal prayer. At home, in front of the home iconostasis, we can pray for all the people close to us, even if they have not been baptized.
Prayer for unbaptized babies
Prayer for children who have just recently been born and have not yet had time to be baptized also has its own characteristics. There is a tradition of baptizing children after the 40th day of birth, but in fact, the baby can be baptized as soon as it is born.
So, if the mother had a difficult birth and the child is in danger, it is very advisable to baptize the baby as soon as possible.
In many maternity hospitals and children's hospitals you can freely invite a priest, and in some places there are even functioning churches on the territory of the medical institution.
Child Baptism
If the family decides to baptize the baby later, then all the time before the Sacrament is performed, they pray for the child in close connection with the mother. It is believed that at this time the mother and baby share one Guardian Angel, and only after Baptism does the child have his own.
You can pray for such children in church, but only the note indicates not the individual name of the baby, but the name of the mother with the note “with the child.” For example, if the mother’s name is Maria, then the note should be submitted as follows: “On the health of God’s servant Mary and her child.” After Baptism, you can write in a note the name of the child himself with the postscript “baby”.
First prayer to the Mother of God for children
O Most Holy Lady Virgin Theotokos, save and preserve under Your shelter my children (names), all youths, young women and infants, baptized and nameless and carried in their mother’s womb.
Cover them with the robe of Your motherhood, keep them in the fear of God and in obedience to their parents, pray to my Lord and Your Son to grant them what is useful for their salvation.
I entrust them to Your maternal supervision, for You are the Divine Protection of Your servants.
Mother of God, introduce me to the image of Your heavenly motherhood. Heal the mental and physical wounds of my children (names) caused by my sins. I entrust my child entirely to my Lord Jesus Christ and Your, Most Pure, heavenly protection. Amen.
Prayer for the unbaptized dead
It is difficult for any Orthodox Christian to realize that someone close to him has died without becoming a full member of the Church of Christ. There is no point in becoming despondent; God’s Providence exists for such people as well. But sincere heartfelt prayer will help the soul of a deceased person, even if he did not have time to deeply know God.
Other articles about prayer for the repose:
Have mercy, O Lord, on the soul of Your servant (name), who passed into eternal life without Holy Baptism. Your destinies are unsearchable. Do not make this my prayer a sin for me. But Thy holy will be done.
Important! As is the case with people still living, notes with the names of unbaptized people cannot be submitted in church for commemoration.
The reason is the same - a person during his life, for one reason or another, did not have time to enter the Church of God. It is all the more important for such a soul that there is a person who remembers the deceased in his personal prayer at home. After all, the whole Church prays for baptized people at every liturgy, but only those who take on this burden in personal work pray for the unbaptized.
What kind of prayers to read for the unbaptized dead
In Orthodox worship there is a special service - a requiem - during which all Orthodox Christians who have died from time to time are remembered. You can only submit notes about those who have managed to come to God and His Holy Church in their lives. However, this does not mean that everyone else should be left without prayerful remembrance.
Icon of the Holy Martyr Huar
Most often, they pray to the martyr Uar for the repose of the souls of unbaptized people. There is a specially compiled canon for this saint, who lived in the 3rd century and spent his entire life begging for those unfortunates who remained outside the protection of the Church of Christ. To this day, a sincere appeal to this ascetic brings great relief to souls after death.
Answers on questions
How to pray for relatives
Prayer for others
Remembering family and friends in prayer
Is it possible to pray for the unbaptized?
Is it possible to pray for a person of a different faith and how to do it correctly
Photobank Lori
Prayer for others
A believer must pray for his neighbors and those who suffer, especially if there is no way to help with other actions.
Neighbors are all the people with whom we deal:
- relatives
- Friends
- colleagues
- neighbours
- all those who need our help
Any of them can be remembered in prayer.
For the unbaptized, you can light candles in front of icons and pray at home in your own words.
If you don't know the person but clearly needs prayers, find out his name and whether he has been baptized. If you are baptized, you can submit a note about him in the temple.
Prayers for others will be heard and accepted by the Lord only if they are made with love and sincere benevolence . Such prayers are equivalent to heroic deeds, and the Lord forgives the sins of those who pray for them.
How to Pray for Others in Need
It is customary for Christians to ask each other for prayer in case of illness, sorrow, or everyday difficulties. You can pray in church and you can do home prayer (it is also called cell prayer). But it is important that the one for whom they are praying wants to accept help and be saved.
Church prayer for one's neighbor
In the temple you can light candles and submit notes about the health or repose of loved ones. Notes are written at the candle box, which, as a rule, is located in the temple near the entrance. You can also buy candles there.
You can light candles for the health of both Orthodox Christians and unbaptized Christians or representatives of other faiths. The purchased candle must be placed in one of the candlesticks near the icons. When lighting a candle, ask God in your own words for health, strength, and peace of mind for the one for whom you are praying.
Notes are written only about Orthodox Christians: the names mentioned in the note are read out by the priest during the Liturgy, this is equivalent to the personal participation of the listed people in general liturgical prayer, which is possible only for believers.
The note is formatted as follows: an eight-pointed Orthodox cross is depicted at the top, and under it the heading “On health” (or “On repose”) is written. Below, one per line, names are listed in the genitive case in the form in which the name appears in the Orthodox calendar (for example, Svetlana - Fotinia, Yuri - George). The note must be given to the attendant at the candle box.
Home prayer for your neighbor
Home prayers for neighbors are read at the end of the morning prayer rule . The text of the prayer rule, which is given in the prayer book, includes short and long prayers for the living and for the dead.
There are special prayers for those who are sick, traveling, or suffering special sorrows and needs. They are also read at the end of the morning or evening prayer rule. These prayers can also be found in the prayer book.
In order to list everyone for whom you pray and not miss a single name, they are entered in a special notebook or notebook - a memorial, which is used during prayer.
Remembering family and friends in prayer
Although all people are neighbors for a Christian, there are those for whom we bear the most responsibility before God - our relatives and household members: spouses, children, parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, mother-in-law. You need to pray for them constantly, every day.
How to pray for relatives
The names of relatives must be included in the memorial and a prayer for them must be read at the end of the morning prayer rule.
Every time you come to church for the Liturgy, order notes about them. If particularly fervent prayers are required, you can order Sorokoust - a church commemoration during the next 40 Liturgies.
How to pray for a godson?
Being a godfather or godmother is a big responsibility. Godparents are directly involved in the baptism of the baby, and subsequently help the parents in his Christian upbringing.
In the event of the death of parents, godparents take care of the godchildren as if they were their own children.
In addition to the above, godparents are obliged to pray for the godson and teach him to pray himself.
A godfather can be a churchgoer who knows the basics of the Orthodox faith. In the last few years, preliminary - so-called clarification conversations - have been held in churches for parents and future godparents before baptism.
Prayer of the godmother and godfather during the baptism of a child - what prayers should you know?
During baptism, the godfather, instead of the baby, answers the questions of the priest, asked three times:
- “Have you denied Satan?” (“Do you renounce Satan?”) – “I deny”, “I renounce” (“I renounce”, “I renounce”);
- “Have you joined Christ?” (“Do you combine with Christ?”): “I combine”, “I combine” (“I combine”, “I combined”).
After this, the godfather (or godmother) reads the Creed for the child.
Is it possible to pray for the unbaptized?
According to the ancient rule, one cannot publicly pray (that is, at a church service) for unbaptized people.
How to pray for unbaptized loved ones
Many believers have unbaptized friends or relatives. It is impossible to commemorate them at the Liturgy, so notes cannot be submitted about them. However, you can light candles and commemorate them in home prayer .
You can pray for the health of living unbaptized relatives at home in the same way as for the health of baptized ones by adding the word “unbaptized” to the name. You can also add the phrase “and grant, O Lord, him (her) to receive holy baptism,” especially if you are praying for an unbaptized baby.
When praying for the unbaptized dead, you need to understand that they may not desire eternal life with God. Therefore, it is strongly recommended not to pray for suicides: they have made their choice, and praying for their repose in the Kingdom of Heaven will be violence.
There are prayers for the conversion of non-believers or those who have apostatized from the Orthodox faith: the person praying asks God and the Most Holy Theotokos to soften the heart of the lost and lead him to the true faith.
How to Pray for Unbaptized Babies
You can and should pray for babies before their baptism - in your own words in home prayer, not only to the Lord Jesus Christ, but also to the Mother of God and the saints.
In the temple, you can submit a note about health, where the mother’s name is written (in the genitive case) and the words “with the child” are added.
