Evening prayers at Optina Pustyn - text, reading rules, audio recording

The reason why the Orthodox loved the Optina prayer texts so much is that many of them are simple, written in a modern language that everyone can understand. It is no secret that for the laity, the Old Russian language of the texts of the prayer book is little understandable, so they have to be read exclusively from sight, which significantly reduces the energy of the message.

The evening prayers of the famous Optina Monastery, read before bedtime, can be easily learned by heart and pronounced in one breath. Their meaning is close to any modern person: they are gratitude for the past day and a request not to refuse help tomorrow.

Should the Lord be disturbed by worldly affairs?

Believers often ask their confessors the question: how often should they pray, and is it worth bothering God over trifles. After all, the prayer rule “not to remember the Lord in vain” is perceived by many to be exactly this way - not to ask for trifles, insignificant things, or worldly things.

The answer lies in desire!

If a person feels the need to pray, that is, a request or gratitude comes from the heart, then this is enough to say to turn to the Almighty. And, accordingly, if words are read without desire, they do not have sufficient power. That is, you need to pray as often as you want.

At the same time, words of gratitude are no less, if not more, important than requests for help.

The evening prayers of the Optina elders are one of these. It is worth reading or listening to them at night, even if the day did not go as well as one would like: after all, help is given to people from above and without their requests, and, perhaps, significant troubles were averted from the person praying, which he does not even know about.

Orthodox prayer of the Optina elders for children

The famous elder Ambrose of Optina composed an Orthodox maternal prayer for children. It has enormous protective power and can be used every day.

The prayer text goes like this:

“Lord Almighty and All-Merciful! You are the Creator of everything in our world. You gave me grace and allowed me to experience maternal happiness, but I boldly declare, servant of God (proper name): they are Your children too. For You, the Creator, gave them existence, revived their souls with immortality, granted them Your baptism and accepted them into Your Holy Church. God! I ask You to grant grace to my children until the end of their days, to partake of the Sacraments of Your Testament, to sanctify their minds with Your Holy thought. I ask You to send down Your holy help for me, so that I can raise my children for Your glory and the help of my neighbor. Grant me spiritual strength, worldly wisdom and patience for this. Help me raise my children in the fear of God. Illuminate, Lord, the souls of my children with a gracious light, so that they love You with all their hearts. Help me convince my children that the truth lies in following Your commandments, that only honest work can bring real pleasure in life and open the doors of eternity to unspeakable bliss. Reveal for my children the power of Your Law, instill in their hearts the fear of punishment for iniquity and do not let them succumb to sinful temptations. Show my children the true path and may their lives be immaculate and may they become true zealots of Your righteousness. help them, Lord, on the paths of their lives and keep them in chastity and reverence for Your name, so that they do not discredit Your name with their behavior. Fill their souls with the desire to learn and do good, may their deeds be beneficial to everyone. God! Give me wisdom to teach children to live in society and find a common language with other people, so as not to become the cause of conflicts and quarrels. Help me teach my children to move away from lawlessness and not to participate in rotten conversations and not to listen to frivolous people. Grant strength to my children to resist bad examples and lawlessness. Heavenly Father! Help me become an example for my children so that I can give them wise advice and correct their mistakes. Help me promptly curb their stubbornness and obstinacy, smooth out their fussiness and frivolity. May the iniquity of their faith not destroy them, may their soul not be filled with sins. Do not allow, Lord, my children to pay for my sins, for I repent of my sins, voluntary or involuntary. Merciful Father! Hear my prayer and grant an abundance of life’s blessings to my children, bless them for righteous work and do not deprive them of their daily bread. Send down to my children, O Lord, everything that is necessary to receive a blissful eternity. If they sin, then be merciful to them. Guide them on a path pleasing to God and forgive them the sins of their youth, for they did not know what they were doing due to their youth and inexperience. Do not reject them, Lord, from yourself, so that they do not do what they do, but bring them to their senses and direct them to the true path. Accept their prayers and maintain sincere faith in their souls. May the Guardian Angel, appointed by You at birth, always be next to my children and protect them from all misfortunes on their life path. All-merciful God! May my children become my joy and support in my old age. I exalt Your name, Lord Almighty, in my prayers and thank You for Your deeds. Amen".

Trials of the Optina Monastery

There were many dark moments in the history of Optina Pustyn. Since its construction, the monastery was destroyed several times; by the will of those in power, a military unit, a rest home, and even a concentration camp were located in it. But always, after each of these terrible trials, the monastery was reborn, becoming larger and more beautiful. Her fate is a clear demonstration to believers that any trials are surmountable, that people are not sent more of them than they are able to withstand - with heavenly help.

The legendary elders, who left behind a rich spiritual heritage, are famous not for their hermitage, but for their active help to ordinary people. Books have been written about them, testifying to miracles of healing, extraordinary insight, and wisdom of these holy people. It is amazing to read these testimonies and understand that all these miracles did not happen in biblical times, but quite recently - and continue today.

What you need to do before you start reading the Optina prayers

All evening prayers at Optina Pustyn are very strong and require concentration from the worshiper when reading. It is important not only what to say, but also how to do it.

You definitely need to visit the temple and confess.
You need to read or listen to texts carefully, thinking about the words, driving away other thoughts.
It is necessary to pray in silence, without extraneous noise (TV, music, etc.)
You should not miss a single evening, even if your soul is heavy at the beginning of prayer - the heaviness will go away during the reading process.
The evening prayer for the coming sleep is read when the person praying remains at home after this and is about to go to bed.

Texts from different times

The history of the Optina Monastery began at the end of the fourteenth century, and continues until today. In the same way, the relay race of the Optina elders continues inextricably. Wisdom is passed on from mentor to student.

Accordingly, among the texts there are both completely new, modern ones, and old ones, sounding in Old Russian. Below are just such.

People with little church life do not necessarily need to read them all every night: it is enough to choose the one that is most in tune with their state of mind.

Prayer of Saint John of Damascus:

Kontakion to the Mother of God:

Prayer of Peter of Studios to the Most Holy Theotokos:

Prayer of Saint Ioannikios:

To Jesus Christ:

Prayer of Macarius the Great:

Prayer of St. John Chrysostom, according to the number of hours of the day and night:

To the Holy Spirit:

Prayer of Saint Antiochus

Esoterics

Surrounded by picturesque nature, Optina Pustyn is located, which has known periods of darkness and lush flowering. Unfortunately, information about the real date and history of the emergence of the desert has been lost. But its name allows us to assume that the founder was Opta, a dashing man living in the 14th century. He carried out robberies and was famous for his cruelty and callousness. Somehow he was pursued by people who wanted him dead. He decided to hide in a quiet, secluded place and then continue his fishing. But something happened that contributed to the creation of the well-known monastery. God's grace descended on the robber. After which he began to be called Macarius and was known as a hermit. For a long time, Optina Pustyn was subjected to predatory seizures, attacks, defeats and devastation. But with the arrival of Father Abraham, the situation changed. The monastery blossomed, accepting the elders into its arms. Centuries have passed, but the elders who have reached the highest degree of spiritual perfection are remembered today, following their advice, instructions and predictions. Their lives were spent turning to the Lord and healing wounded human souls. The highly respected elders advised observing the rule consisting of morning and evening prayers. In the morning, when people are running about important matters, it is extremely difficult to find time to read prayers. But in the evening, every person is obliged to thank the Lord for the blessings given, ask for forgiveness for sinful thoughts and actions, and also repent. The evening prayers of the wise elders of Optina Pustyn, sounding like a life-giving song in the monastery, should be read daily; if this is problematic, you can turn on the audio recording and listen to each word, delving into its meaning.

Prayer for the coming sleep

“In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all saints, have mercy on us. Amen. Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee. Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.” (Three times). “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. 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. Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Tropari

“Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sin: have mercy on us. Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You; Do not be angry with us, do not remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if you are gracious, and deliver us from our enemies; For Thou art our God, and we are Thy people; all works are done by Thy hand, and we call upon Thy name. And now: Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, so that we may not perish, but may be delivered from troubles by You: for You are the salvation of the Christian race. Lord, have mercy (12 times).”

Prayer 1, St. Macarius the Great, to God the Father

“Eternal God and King of every creature, who has made me worthy even at this hour, 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 dream in peace at night, so that, rising from my humble bed, I will please Your most holy name all the days of my life, and will trample the fleshly and incorporeal enemies that fight me. And deliver me, Lord, from vain thoughts that defile me, and from evil lusts. 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 2, Saint Antiochus, to our Lord Jesus Christ

“To the Almighty, the Word of the Father, who is perfect himself, Jesus Christ, for the sake of Thy mercy, never leave me, Thy servant, but always rest in me. Jesus, good Shepherd of Your sheep, do not betray me to the sedition of the serpent, and do not leave me to the desires of Satan, for the seed of aphids is in me. Thou, O Lord God worshiped, the Holy King, Jesus Christ, preserve me as I sleep with an unflickering light, by Thy Holy Spirit, with whom Thou hast sanctified Thy disciples. Grant, O Lord, to me, Thy unworthy servant, Thy salvation on my bed: enlighten my mind with the light of reason of Thy Holy Gospel, my soul with the love of Thy Cross, my heart with the purity of Thy word, my body with Thy passionless passion, preserve my thought with Thy humility, and uplift I am in time like Your praise. For Thou art glorified with Thy Beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit forever. Amen"

Prayer 3, to the Holy Spirit

“Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, have mercy and have mercy on me, Thy sinful servant, and forgive me the unworthy, and forgive all that You have sinned today as a man, and moreover, not as a man, but also worse than cattle, my free sins and involuntary, known and unknown: those who are evil from youth and science, and those who are evil from insolence and despondency. If I swear by Your name, or blaspheme in my thoughts; or whom I will reproach; or slandered someone with my anger, or saddened someone, or became angry about something; either he lied, or he slept in vain, or he came to me as a beggar and despised him; or made my brother sad, or married, or whom I condemned; or became proud, or became proud, or became angry; or standing in prayer, my mind is moved by the wickedness of this world, or I think about corruption; either overeated, or drunk, or laughing madly; either I thought evil, or saw someone else’s kindness, and my heart was wounded by it; or dissimilar verbs, or laughed at my brother’s sin, but mine are countless sins; Either I didn’t pray for the sake of it, or I didn’t remember what other evil things I did, because I did more and more of these things. Have mercy on me, my Creator Master, Thy sad and unworthy servant, and leave me, and let me go, and forgive me, for I am Good and Lover of Mankind, so that I may lie down in peace, sleep and rest, the prodigal, sinful and damned one, and I will bow and sing , and I will glorify Your most honorable name, with the Father and His Only Begotten Son, now and ever and forever. Amen".

Prayer 4, Saint Macarius the Great

“What will I bring to Thee, or what will I reward Thee, O most gifted Immortal King, generous and humane-loving Lord, since Thou hast brought me to the end of this past day, the conversion and salvation of my soul, by being lazy to please You, and having done nothing good? Be merciful to me, a sinner and naked of every good deed, raise up my fallen soul, defiled in immeasurable sins, and take away from me all the evil thoughts of this visible life. Forgive my sins, O One Sinless One, even those who have sinned this day, in knowledge and ignorance, in word, and deed, and thought, and with all my feelings. You Yourself, covering me, save me from every opposing situation with Your Divine power, and ineffable love for mankind, and strength. Cleanse, O God, cleanse the multitude of my sins. Deign, O Lord, to deliver me from the snare of the evil one, and save my passionate soul, and overshadow me with the light of Your face, when You come in glory, and make me sleep without condemnation now, and keep the thoughts of Your servant without dreaming, and untroubled, and all the work of Satan take me away from me, and enlighten the intelligent eyes of my heart, so that I may not sleep into death. And send me an Angel of peace, guardian and mentor of my soul and body, that he may deliver me from my enemies; Yes, rising from my bed, I will bring you prayers of gratitude. Yes, Lord, hear me, your sinful and wretched servant, with your will and conscience; Grant that I have risen to learn from Thy words, and the despondency of demons is driven away from me, to be made by Thy Angels; may I bless Your holy name, and glorify, and glorify the Most Pure Mother of God Mary, Who hast given us sinners intercession, and accept this one praying for us; We see that He imitates Your love for mankind, and does not stop praying. By that intercession, and the sign of the Honest Cross, and for the sake of all Thy saints, keep my poor soul, Jesus Christ our God, for Thou art holy and glorified forever. Amen"

Prayer 5

“Lord our God, who have sinned in these days in word, deed and thought, as He is Good and Lover of Mankind, forgive me. Grant me a peaceful and serene sleep. Send Your guardian angel, covering and keeping me from all evil, for You are the guardian of our souls and bodies, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen".

Prayer 6

“Lord our God, in the worthlessness of faith, and we call on His name above every name, grant us, who are going to sleep, a weakening of soul and body, and keep us from all dreams and dark pleasures except; restrain the desire of passions, extinguish the kindling of bodily rebellion. Grant us to live chastely in deeds and words; Yes, a virtuous life is receptive, Your promised good things will not fall away, for Blessed are You forever. Amen".

Prayer 7, St. John Chrysostom. 24 prayers, according to the hours of the day and night

Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings. Lord, save me from eternal torment. Lord, whether I have sinned in mind or in thought, in word or in deed, forgive me. Lord, deliver me from all ignorance and oblivion, and cowardice, and petrified insensibility. Lord, deliver me from every temptation. Lord, enlighten my heart, darken my evil lust. Lord, as a man who has sinned, You, as a generous God, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul. Lord, send Your grace to help me, that I may glorify Your holy name. Lord Jesus Christ, write me Your servant in the book of animals and grant me a good end. Lord, my God, even if I have done nothing good before You, grant me, by Your grace, to make a good beginning. Lord, sprinkle the dew of Your grace in my heart. Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, cold and unclean, in Thy Kingdom. Amen. Lord, accept me in repentance. Lord, don't leave me. Lord, do not lead me into misfortune. Lord, give me a good thought. Lord, give me tears and mortal memory, and tenderness. Lord, give me the thought of confessing my sins. Lord, give me humility, chastity and obedience. Lord, give me patience, generosity and meekness. Lord, plant in me the root of good things, Thy fear in my heart. Lord, grant me to love You with all my soul and thoughts and to do Your will in everything. Lord, protect me from certain people, and demons, and passions, and from all other inappropriate things. Lord, consider that you do as you will, that your will be done in me, a sinner, for blessed are you forever. Amen.

Prayer 8, to our Lord Jesus Christ

“Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for the sake of Thy most honorable Mother, and Thy disembodied Angels, Thy Prophet and Forerunner and Baptist, the God-speaking Apostle, the bright and virtuous martyrs, the reverend and God-bearing fathers, and all the saints through the prayers, deliver me from the present situation of the demonic . To her, my Lord and Creator, do not want the death of a sinner, but as if he were converted and live, grant me conversion, the accursed and unworthy; take me away from the mouth of the destructive serpent, who yawns to devour me and bring me to hell alive. To her, my Lord, is my consolation, Who for the sake of the accursed one has clothed himself in corruptible flesh, pluck me from accursedness, and grant consolation to my more accursed soul. Plant in my heart to do Your commandments, and leave evil deeds, and receive

Prayer 9, to the Most Holy Theotokos, Peter of Studium

“To Thee, O Most Pure Mother of God, I am a cursed one, falling down and praying: Consider, O Queen, how I am continually sinning and angering Thy Son and my God, and many times, even if I repent, I find myself lying before God, and I repent in trembling: will the Lord strike me down, and again every hour I create; I pray to this leader, my Lady, Lady Theotokos, to have mercy, strengthen me, and grant me good works. Believe me, my Lady Theotokos, for the Imam is by no means in hatred of my evil deeds, and with all my thoughts I love the law of my God; But we do not know, Most Pure Lady, from where I hate, I love, but I transgress what is good. Do not allow, O Most Pure One, my will to be fulfilled, for it is not pleasing, but may the will of Thy Son and my God be done: may He save me, and enlighten me, and give me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that I may cease from here from filthiness, and so on may I live as commanded Your Son, to Him belongs all glory, honor and power, with His Originless Father, and His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen"

Prayer 10, to the Most Holy Theotokos

“O good Mother of the King, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Thy Son and our God on my passionate soul and with Thy prayers instruct me in good deeds, so that I may pass through the rest of my life without blemish and through You I will find paradise, the Virgin Mary Pure and Blessed"

Prayer 11, to the Holy Guardian Angel

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

Kontakion to the Mother of God

“To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil, let us write thanks to Thy servants, the Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Ti; Rejoice, Unbrided Bride. Glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Your Son and our God, may You save our souls. I place all my trust in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your roof. Virgin Mary, do not despise me, a sinner, who requires Your help and Your intercession, for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.”

Prayer of Saint Ioannikios

“My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: Holy Trinity, glory to Thee. It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord have mercy. (Three times). Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all saints, have mercy on us. Amen"

Prayer of Saint John of Damascus

“Vladyka, Lover of Mankind, will this coffin really be my bed, or will you still enlighten my damned soul during the day? For seven the grave lies ahead, for seven the death awaits. I fear Your judgment, O Lord, and endless torment, but I do not stop doing evil: I always anger You, the Lord my God, and Your Most Pure Mother, and all the Heavenly powers, and my holy Guardian Angel. We know, Lord, that I am unworthy of Your love for mankind, but I am worthy of all condemnation and torment. But, Lord, whether I want it or not, save me. Even if you save a righteous man, nothing great; and even if you have mercy on a pure person, nothing is marvelous: you are worthy of the essence of Your mercy. But surprise me, a sinner, with Thy mercy: for this show Thy love for mankind, so that my malice may not overcome Thy unspeakable goodness and mercy: and as you wish, arrange a thing for me. Enlighten my eyes, O Christ God, so that not when I fall asleep into death, and not when my enemy says: “Let us be strong against him.” Glory: Be the protector of my soul, O God, as I walk in the midst of many snares; deliver me from them and save me, O Blessed One, as a Lover of Mankind. And now: Let us incessantly sing with our hearts and lips the Glorious Mother of God and the Most Holy Angel of Saints, confessing this Mother of God as having truly given birth to God incarnate for us, and praying unceasingly for our souls.”

Mark yourself with a cross and say a prayer to the Honest Cross:

“May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke disappears, let them disappear; as wax melts in the presence of fire, so let demons perish from the face of those who love God and signify themselves with the sign of the cross, and who say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons by force on you of our Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power the devil, and who gave us His Honest Cross to drive away every adversary. O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen"

Or briefly: “Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honest and Life-giving Cross, and save me from all evil.”

Everyday confession of sins

“I confess to You, Lord my God and Creator, in the One Holy Trinity, glorified and worshiped, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, all my sins, which I have committed all the days of my life, and for every hour, both now and in the past days and nights, by deed, by word, by thought, by gluttony, drunkenness, secret eating, idle talk, despondency, laziness, bickering, disobedience, slander, condemnation, neglect, pride, avarice, theft, unspeaking, filthiness, molestation, jealousy, envy, anger, memory of malice, hatred, covetousness and all my feelings: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and my other sins, both mental and physical, in the image of my God and Creator I have angered You, and my neighbor for being untruthful: regretting these, I blame myself for You God I represent it to you, and I have the will to repent: then, Lord my God, help me, with tears I humbly pray to You: but I have passed over my sins with Your mercy, forgive me, and absolve me from all these things that I have said before You, for You are Good and Lover of Mankind.”

Recommendations for reading evening prayers

Optina's evening prayers have miraculous powers. Listening to them, the soul trembles in reverent anticipation of something beautiful. The heart is filled with love for the Lord and faith in his power. And healing and cleansing tears sparkle in the eyes. People who read the evening prayers of the Optina elders soon notice how their worldview, and subsequently their whole life, radically changes. Finding the meaning of existence, a person grows wings, with the confident flap of which he worthily overcomes difficulties on the path of life. Before pronouncing centuries-old words, you need to visit the temple, ask the clergyman for absolution and blessing. You should buy candles, icons, and collect holy water. When you get home, you don’t need to turn on music, TV or arrange entertainment. The rest of the day should be spent quietly and calmly. When you go to bed after a tiring day, you can start reading your evening prayers. The evening pronunciation of the sacred words of the Optina elders can surprise and evoke a desire to read without stopping.

Forbidden:

Expect thrills and euphoria;
Show wild imagination and violent emotions;
Be verbose; Be in a bad mood;
Watch TV, listen to music, read books and magazines after saying the evening prayer;
Say prayers when preparing to leave for the night;
Get distracted.

Allowed:

Pray tirelessly sincerely, heartily and spiritually;
Pronounce words with meaning and understanding;
Thank the Lord and ask for the gift of a worthy life every evening, without missing a single day.

Prayer is a sacrament, so it is advisable to read it alone. If this is not possible, you need to retire to a separate room or turn on the audio recording and listen with headphones. During the prayer period, you should either wait until the household members go to bed, or ask for half an hour of silence. Evening prayers are like a treasury filled with priceless spiritual gifts of the Optina elders.

What do evening prayers give a person?

Evening prayers at Optina Pustyn:
Gives self-confidence;
They guide you on the right path;
Heal mental and physical illnesses;
They provide an opportunity to resist sinful temptations;
Charge with positive energy;
They are instructed to perform Godly deeds;
Repel evil spirits, evil eyes and damage;
They reward with the benefits that people ask for.

By reading the morning and evening prayers of the Optina elders, a person resists the devil’s intrigues and demonic tricks. No matter how the evil one laughs, trying to exploit the human soul, laying out intricately woven nets, a diligently read prayer protects and protects. Evening prayers sounding within the walls of Optina Pustyn are an example of insight and wisdom!

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Words of repentance

In addition to requests and thanks, there is also a prayer of repentance. Alas, even sincere believers cannot always avoid bad deeds. Genuine repentance coming from the heart will help cope with the pangs of conscience. If the offense is serious, repentance in church is necessary, but in addition to it, the following text should be said every night:

These repentant prayers read at night at Optina Pustyn will gradually relieve the sinner from the feeling of guilt and wash away the dark stain from the soul. The main thing, however, is not the reading itself, but what is put into it - repentance, a request for forgiveness, and, of course, love for the Almighty.

Reverend Fathers and their spiritual heritage

Optina Pustyn became a legend even before the revolutionary events: here is the place of service of the most famous confessors of Russia, called the elders by the people. And after the monastery was closed, the memory of the saints was not extinguished for many decades. They prayed to them, their teachings were carefully preserved and rewritten. The prayers created by the elders of Optina also preserved the memory of the believing people. But are all of them really like that?

Optina Pustyn

Nowhere is the heritage of the saints treated so carefully, and at the same time, so thoroughly, as in Optina itself, which is still a functioning monastery.

Interesting fact

Since 1988, Ambrose of Optina was glorified as a venerable saint, and on July 26-27, 1996, thirteen more elders. Since then, the monastery has been collecting data bit by bit about their lives, miracles, and teachings.

The monastery’s website contains brief and detailed lives of the Optina elders, their lifetime portraits, photographs, and almost all of their writings.

There is a special section on the website called “Optina Prayer Book”. Here you can find:

canons, akathists to the monks;
rule prp. Ambrose, read during temptations and everyday sorrows;
finally - 10 short prayers created by ascetics; among them the most extensive is at the beginning of the day; there are also petitions for the beginning of a business, during sorrows, for the family, for those at war, during carnal warfare, and also several with the inscription “From the Antichrist”; but “evening prayer” is not among them.