Oh, Sweetest Jesus, Lord, immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful. Thou, Lord, sanctify with Thy shrine our spiritual father ( Name) and justify him with Your righteousness, and cover him with Your mercy.
Lord, You have united us on earth and do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom, and with His holy prayers forgive me, a great sinner ( or a great sinner), forgive all his spiritual children. Amen.
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father ( Name), grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect the angels with the prayers of the saints, drive away anyone who expects harm to him.
Lord, do not judge, do not exhaust his spiritual gifts, reveal to him, Lord, all my sins, fill him with wisdom, prayer and love. For the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, success in virtues; bestow upon him Thy rich mercies.
this night) to be preserved without sin, overcome his carnal and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies, rescue him from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath, so that in repentance we can come to a quiet and serene life.
Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many years.
Prayer to the Lord for a spiritual father
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father ( Name), grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect him with the prayers of the holy Angels, drive away everyone who expects harm to him.
Lord, do not judge him, do not exhaust him for the sake of my sinful life, increase his spiritual gifts, reveal to him, Lord, all my sins, fill him with wisdom, prayer and love. For the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, success in virtues, bestow upon him Thy rich mercies.
Grant him, O Lord, this day ( this night) to remain without sin, overcome his carnal and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies, rescue him from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath, so that in repentance we may come to a quiet and serene life. Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many, many years.
O Sweetest Jesus! You are immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful, sanctify my spiritual father with Your shrine, justify him with Your righteousness, cover him with Your mercy, heal him from illnesses.
Lord, You have united us on earth, do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom and with His holy prayers, forgive all my sins, forgive all His spiritual children, for He is Good and Lover of Mankind. Amen.
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos for a spiritual father
Oh, my Most Holy Lady, Virgin Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, listen to my crying soul and my sinful prayer, Most Pure Mother of God for my spiritual father, Your grieving servant ( river name).
Always be his companion and accompany him at all times and protect him with holy angels. Strengthen him when he is awake, protect him when he sleeps, comfort him when he is crying, encourage him when he is despondent, deliver him from sorrows, free him from slander, lift up the weak, defeat the demons fighting against him, and help him in mortal danger. Show him daily as a terror to visible and invisible enemies, so that they know that he is Your servant, Mother of God, who gave birth to God and the King, to whom honor and worship are due forever and ever.
Mother of God, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against him. You see the labors and sorrows of my father, his sorrows are known to You alone. You know all the secrets of his soul, look mercifully at him from heaven, ease his suffering, cover him with Your cover, visit him with Your heavenly mercy, send a blessing to his deeds and give him invisible help. And with his holy prayers give me humility, self-reproach, patience, meekness, chastity, silence and cover me from all misfortunes and enemies, visible and invisible.
Religious reading: a spiritual father’s prayer for his child to help our readers.
Prayer to the Savior for a spiritual father
Oh, Sweetest Jesus, Lord, immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful. Thou, Lord, sanctify with Thy shrine our spiritual father [ Name] and justify him with Your righteousness, and cover him with Your mercy.
Lord, You have united us on earth and do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom, and with his holy prayers forgive me, a great sinner (or great sinner), forgive all his spiritual children. Amen.
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father [ Name], grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect the angels with the prayers of the saints, drive away anyone who expects harm to him.
Lord, do not judge, do not exhaust his spiritual gifts, reveal to him, Lord, all my sins, fill him with wisdom, prayer and love. For the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, success in virtues; bestow upon him Thy rich mercies.
(this night) to be preserved without sin, overcome his fleshly and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies, rescue him from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath, so that in repentance we may come to a quiet and serene life.
Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many years.
Prayer to the Lord for a spiritual father
Save, O Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father [ Name], grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect him with the prayers of the holy Angels, drive away everyone who expects harm to him.
Lord, do not judge him, do not exhaust him for the sake of my sinful life, increase his spiritual gifts, reveal to him, Lord, all my sins, fill him with wisdom, prayer and love. For the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, success in virtues, bestow upon him Thy rich mercies.
Grant him, O Lord, this day (this night) to be preserved without sin, overcome his fleshly and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies, rescue him from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath, so that in repentance we may come to a quiet and serene life. Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many, many years.
O Sweetest Jesus! You are immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful, sanctify my spiritual father with Your shrine, justify him with Your righteousness, cover him with Your mercy, heal him from illnesses.
Lord, You have united us on earth, do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom and with His holy prayers, forgive all my sins, forgive all His spiritual children, for He is Good and Lover of Mankind. Amen.
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos for a spiritual father
Oh, my Most Holy Lady, Virgin Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, attend to my crying soul and accept my sinful prayer, Most Pure Mother of God, for my spiritual father, Your grieving servant [ Name].
Always be his companion and accompany him at all times and protect him with holy Angels. Strengthen him when he is awake, protect him when he sleeps, comfort him when he is crying, encourage him when he is despondent, deliver him from sorrows, free him from slander, lift up the weak, defeat the demons fighting against him, and help him in mortal danger. Show him every day as a terror to visible and invisible enemies, so that they know that he is Your servant, Mother of God, who gave birth to God and the King, to whom honor and worship are due forever and ever.
Mother of God, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against him. You see the labors and sorrows of my father, his sorrows are known to You alone. You know all the secrets of his soul, look mercifully at him from heaven, ease his suffering, cover him with Your cover, visit him with Your heavenly mercy, send a blessing to his deeds and give him invisible help. And with his holy prayers give me humility, self-reproach, patience, meekness, chastity, silence and cover me from all misfortunes and enemies, visible and invisible. Amen.
Prayers for spiritual father
These prayers are addressed to the saints for the spiritual father.
Prayer of Simeon the New for the gift of a spiritual father
Lord, you did not want the sinner to die, but to turn and live for him, who came down to earth for this, so that you could raise up those who were lying and killed by sin and be seen by You,
the true light, as it is possible for a person to see, grant them worthy, eat with me the person who leads You, and, like You, having worked for him and with all my strength, submitting to him, and do Your will in him,
I will please You, the only God, and I, a sinner, will be worthy of Your kingdom.
Prayer for the health of the spiritual father to the Lord God
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father [name], grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect him with the prayers of the holy Angels, drive away everyone who expects him harm.
Lord, do not judge him, do not exhaust him for the sake of my sinful life, increase his spiritual gifts, reveal to him, Lord, all my sins, fill him with wisdom, prayer and love.
For the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, success in virtues, bestow upon him Thy rich mercies.
Grant him, O Lord, to be preserved without sin on this day (this night), overcome his fleshly and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies,
take him away from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath, so that in repentance we may come to a quiet and serene life.
Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many, many years.
O Sweetest Jesus!
You are immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful, sanctify my spiritual father with Your shrine, justify him with Your righteousness, cover him with Your mercy, heal him from illnesses.
Lord, You have united us on earth, do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom and with His holy prayers, forgive all my sins, forgive all His spiritual children, for He is Good and Lover of Mankind.
Prayer for our spiritual father and for the salvation of us sinners to the Lord
Remember, Lord, in Your Kingdom our spiritual elder father, schema-abbot Savva, with his departed spiritual children and relatives;
and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary;
grant them the Kingdom and the communion of Thy eternal good things and Thy endless and blessed life of pleasure.
And through his holy prayers, save and have mercy on all of us, our spiritual children and relatives.
Send down to all of us the grace of the All-Holy Spirit and through the prayers of the Mother of God, help us, O God, to correct our lives.
Lord, give us faith!
Prayer to the Mother of God for spiritual father
Oh, my Most Holy Lady, Virgin Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, listen to my crying soul and accept my sinful prayer, Most Pure Mother of God, for my spiritual father, Your grieving servant [name].
Always be his companion and accompany him at all times and protect him with holy Angels.
Strengthen him when he is awake, protect him when he sleeps, comfort him when he is crying, encourage him when he is despondent, deliver him from sorrows, free him from slander, lift up the weak, defeat the demons fighting against him, and help him in mortal danger.
Show him every day as a terror to visible and invisible enemies, so that they know that he is Your servant, Mother of God, who gave birth to God and the King, to whom honor and worship are due forever and ever.
Mother of God, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against him.
You see the labors and sorrows of my father, his sorrows are known to You alone.
You know all the secrets of his soul, look mercifully at him from heaven, ease his suffering, cover him with Your cover, visit him with Your heavenly mercy, send a blessing to his deeds and give him invisible help.
And with his holy prayers give me humility, self-reproach, patience, meekness, chastity, silence and cover me from all misfortunes and enemies, visible and invisible.
Prayer of a spiritual father for his child
PRAYER OF THE SPIRITUAL FATHER
...And truly good miracles happen to us if our confessor.
Now in circles around the church, among people who attend church because it is accepted, it is, as it were, a rule of good manners, it has become fashionable to have a spiritual father. It’s so casual to say in a conversation: “My confessor advised me...” But, alas, even those who sincerely believe, who, without fear of difficulties, follow the path of Orthodoxy, often do not very well understand what role it plays in their Christian and human life. played by a priest called to be their spiritual father.
Who is a confessor? If we approach the issue formally, a confessor is a priest chosen by you, to whom you come for confession, who absolves you of your sins and, to the extent possible, tries to guide your spiritual life. You can always turn to a “good” confessor for advice in a difficult life situation; he will scold (or even punish) you if you are wrong in something, he will regret and support you when it is difficult for you, he will tell you what books you should read at that time. or another period of your comprehension of Christianity, but... But what a real spiritual father is, today very, very few parishioners understand and feel. I think at one time the parishioners of Father Alexander Men were able to fully feel the presence of a spiritual father in their lives - that is why for each of them his death became a huge personal tragedy.
The choice of a spiritual father is perhaps the most important and responsible decision of a believer after baptism. “You should look for a spiritual father,” it is written in Domostroy, “kind, God-loving and prudent, prudent and firm in the faith, who himself can set a good example, and not a money-lover, not a drunkard, not angry, but not too lenient.” ..." The advice is practical, but it is very difficult to follow it in life. Dozens of temples surround us, and hundreds of priests serve in them every day. Which of the priests is yours, the only one, the one with whom, having entrusted your whole soul to him, you will go through your whole life? How can you guess? After all, your entire Christian life depends on the right choice of your spiritual father. Because, as the same “Domostroy” says, having chosen him, we henceforth “should honor and obey our spiritual father in everything, and repent before him with tears, confessing our sins without shame and without fear, and fulfill his instructions and penances ( punishment - Author) observe according to your sins... And treat him with fear and gratitude... listen to his teachings and obey him in everything: he is our teacher and mentor... We should neither scold them, nor reproach them, nor condemn them, for the spiritual fathers care about our souls and the answer will give for us on the Day of Judgment..."
The choice is not easy... But do you know what, from my point of view, can confirm the correctness of the choice and forever connect you with your confessor? Love. “God is Love,” and everything in this world is created and created by love. If the confessor is chosen correctly by your soul, you will love him as much as you love your parents and children, for you he will become a dear and irreplaceable person in life. And this means that you will accept his advice, his teachings, as well as his punishments with respect and readiness and carry them out unquestioningly. “Obedience is better than fasting and prayer,” but this obedience becomes easy if you obey your priest with love and sincere faith that all his actions are for your good.
I have one friend with whom we had the same confessor for many years. A couple of years ago she went to live in another city, but she could not find another spiritual father there. Therefore, he and our priest began to write letters to each other. Knowing that I was a journalist, with her permission, the priest allowed me to read these letters, or rather, some parts of them (at that time I was just writing material about spiritual mentoring for an Orthodox publication). I asked her permission to use excerpts from the letters in my article and received consent. And today, as then, it seems to me that it is difficult to say better than she about the influence of a spiritual father on the life of a Christian, about the role of his prayers for us, for us, his children.
All these years I didn’t have enough sense to understand: I live by your courage, your mind, your prayers, yours - not my own. Not once did I think about the fact that you are giving me all this in advance, an advance payment so that I will go forward and work. And one day I will stand next to you, because now you no longer have the right to simply feel sorry for us, you are forced to look for comrades-in-arms for this increasingly rapidly unfolding war between good and evil... Perhaps that is why, even when I acted completely badly, you always gave I have a chance to get back on my feet. True, one day I finally realized: this time was perhaps the last chance. And I was scared, I suddenly, unexpectedly for myself, prayed: “Father, don’t leave me, I can’t live without you.” “I’m not leaving anyone. They leave me with what they do, how they live.” Read: “betrayed.”
...And when, having scolded me, you again blessed and extended your hand, I fell to her - for the first time I fell truly humbly, sobbing like a punished and forgiven child. I realized: the jokes and games are over. Then everything will be very serious. And in this seriousness, I will either leave you, or I will change a lot myself...
...My dear Father!. I will never leave you - that's what gives me strength to live today. No matter how much it hurts me, I cannot betray you. You know, in the moments when you pray at the altar, raising your hands up, for some reason I am always afraid for you - as if you were standing on the edge. I physically strain: to support, if you stumble, to hold. Are you in pain at these moments? I think yes. Most of those who know you believe that you, like no one else, know how to look at us sternly. I used to think so myself. She said: “When Father Superior looks from under his raised eyebrow in bewilderment, I want to stand at attention!” and run at a trot to correct myself...” Only now I understand: your look is not stern, but bitter. It is not the severity in it that is the pain. You see and know too much - about this world, about everyone, about us. A priest I know once complained to me: “People will tell you this during the day - you don’t sleep at night, you suffer, you root for them, there are tears in your eyes...” He has tears, you have this look.
This is a strange feeling - pain for a priest, especially one like you, Your Reverence. It would seem: who are you and who am I - should I worry about you? But I know every note of your voice, when you serve, I so often find myself thinking that, praying after you, I am always on the alert. Your voice trembled, you almost couldn’t breathe, today it’s more difficult than usual for you to get up from your knees... And then I rush to you - with my soul, tenderness, anxiety - to help...
...You lead us through life, every day, in every priestly request for our souls, giving a piece of your soul. This is probably why it is so scary during this prayer at the altar. Somehow I know: in these moments you are open and answerable to the Lord, asking the Creator for all of us - your spiritual children. And not only for us, probably for everyone who is standing behind you in the church at this moment. Having taken away our pain and our human dirt, you ask Him to forgive us, as if vouching for your soul, your name..."
What to add to these words? Is it my firm belief that the prayers of your spiritual father, with whom you are connected in soul, can change almost everything in your life for the better: he will help you in your troubles and illnesses, he will support you with prayer for you in the most difficult moments, he will not allow you to become worse in this life than you can be. And this connection is inextricable.
Do not neglect such a proven remedy as a prayer service in church. Submit a “Health” note. Remember that among the seven sacraments of the Church there is one dedicated to healing a person from illness. This unction, or Blessing of oil. The tradition of blessing of oil dates back to the very times when the disciples of Jesus Christ healed the sick by anointing them with blessed oil and praying over them. Nowadays, seven priests (their number may be smaller) pray over the sick person specifically so that he will be raised from illness. As a rule, the patient recovers quickly.
But sometimes it happens that soon after this sacrament a person dies. Alexander Men writes that this happens in cases where healing lies precisely in leaving this life, when the exhausted body no longer has the strength and ability to lift itself...
Rev. Anatoly (Zertsalov; 1824–1894)
On January 25 / February 7 we celebrate the memory of the Venerable Optina Elder Anatoly (Zertsalov). He asceticised in the Optina Hermitage at the time of its heyday, was a disciple of the Monk Macarius and the great Optina elder, the Monk Ambrose, a contemporary of the Monks Moses, Anthony and Hilarion. But even among these great ascetics, the name of St. Anatoly (Zertsalov) does not fade, is not lost. It was about him that the Monk Ambrose said: “He was given such prayer and grace as is given to one out of a thousand.”
The obvious action of God's Providence
Having entered the monastery in 1853, Alexei was a novice for a long time. His spirit-bearing mentors shrewdly saw in the young novice a future elder, but did not rush his spiritual maturation and led him along a narrow path of trials and hardships in order to temper him and create in him a good monastic dispensation. Only ten years later, Alexei was tonsured into the mantle, and he was ordained to the rank of hieromonk only in 1870.
Alexey was very neat and loved cleanliness, and so as not to become attached to vain and material things, he was constantly transferred from cell to cell, fostering a wandering dispensation. Elder Ambrose used to say: “We must live on earth as a wheel turns: just one point touches the ground, and the rest tends upward; and even if we lie down, we can’t get up.”
They will put Alexei in a cell, he will clean it up, bring cleanliness and order, and arrange his favorite spiritual books. And he will be immediately transferred to a new cell, and he will have to start all over again.
Then he had to live in a tower. From not getting enough sleep, from uncomfortable rooms and unusual work, Alexei began to have a headache. Sometimes he lay for days with a sore head, and there was no one to give him water; often remained without food when he could not go to meals. And below in the tower they were chopping wood, and this knocking even more aggravated the patient’s position.
When he began to sing in the choir, he, as he was tall, so as not to obscure the notes, was kicked out of the choir by the regent. Then the simple regent became angry with the new singer, since he, being an expert in singing, sometimes gave him business instructions, and complained about him to the rector.
They sent Alexey to the forge. It was hard for him during this obedience as well. One bench, small, narrow and short, was intended for rest and sleep. He lies down and covers his head - his feet are cold; Covers your feet - your head is cold. Through these seemingly small, but very serious griefs, humility and patience, meekness and firmness of spirit were developed in the young novice.
Having become the head of the monastery in 1874, the humble ascetic did not change and still knelt before St. Ambrose in confession. One day, Father Ambrose, having talked with Father Anatoly, who stood in front of him, as always, on his knees out of respect, called one person to him and, pointing to the Monk Anatoly, said: “I recommend: my boss,” thereby teaching a lesson in humility and obedience.
Elder Ambrose entrusted the Monk Anatoly with the care of the newly created Shamordino women's monastery, often noting that Father Anatoly was given a special gift to console the young.
Mother Sophia, the unforgettable founder of the Shamordino monastery, said more than once that a good monk is no different in methods of conversion from the most well-bred aristocrat. But there is a difference between them, and a big one: an aristocrat behaves with tact out of decency, and an exemplary monk out of conviction and love for his neighbors. And in this case she pointed to Father Anatoly as a role model.
Nature elevates man to God
When Elder Anatoly came to Shamordino, walks with him were an unforgettable consolation for all the sisters, which brightened up the difficult life of the first nuns of the monastery. Among the sisters there is a memory of one of these walks and the conversation they had. Mother Sophia asked: “What would Mother Sarah, who for 30 years did not leave the cave to look at nature, tell us?”
To this Father Anatoly answered: “Everyone is saved in his own way. I sympathize more with those saints who loved nature, such as: St. Sergius of Radonezh, Savva of Zvenigorod, St. Anthony and Theodosius; they chose the most beautiful places for their abodes because nature elevates man to God.”
The Monk Anatoly was very trusting and, treating everyone simply, never suspected anyone of lying or deception. He was never afraid that they would say bad things about him, and only said: “If only God could see the truth.”
He hated hypocrisy and flattery, he loved directness and frankness and was very direct himself. In his simplicity, he was very reminiscent of Elder Leo, whom he, rightly, imitated. The Monk Ambrose spoke of him in the words of the Gospel: “This is an Israeli, there is no flattery in him.”
In 1892, during his trip to St. Petersburg and Kronstadt, the Monk Anatoly met there with the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, whom he greatly revered. On October 10, they served the Liturgy together in memory of St. Ambrose of Optina.
As Elder Barsanuphius recalled, when the Liturgy began, Father John saw that two Angels would serve with Father Anatoly; it is unknown whether Father Anatoly himself saw them, but Father John clearly saw them.
Guide for Spiritual Life
Elder Anatoly possessed all the fullness of the gifts of the Holy Spirit: the gift of insight and spiritual reasoning, healing of mental and physical ailments. He foresaw the death of those close to his spiritual children, their illnesses and adversities, and carefully warned those who were approaching the test.
The advice of St. Anatoly has not lost its significance in our time and can serve as a guide for us in spiritual life.
And only one doctor will save you
Having learned through experience the lessons of patience and humility, having become an old man, he could teach this to others. He warned his spiritual children that if the Lord allows trials to humble a person, then not only strangers, but also his own, even, according to the word of Isaac the Syrian, all creation will rise up against such a person. One spiritual daughter complained about her temporary boss, Pelageya, that she did not like her. The priest answered: “I think, not Pelageya, but Akulina or Arina, but they will call you out. And neither mothers nor fathers will save you. And only one doctor, recommended to you a hundred times, will save you: patience.”
And when one of the sisters began to ask Father Anatoly to teach her patience, he replied: “You, mother, are asking to teach you patience... How wonderful you are! God teaches her! It is taught by people - sisters! She is taught by the circumstances of her entire life! And they all teach you patience, teach you through deeds, the most prophetic, the very nature of the ability to endure - you ask me for a lesson in theoretical patience... Be patient with everything that comes your way - and you will be saved!”
The best way to acquire humility
The elder spoke about acquiring humility like this: “I tell you the best way to acquire humility. This is this: endure every pain that pricks a proud heart... Start like this and you will see... The main thing is that you don’t understand that this pain, this sharpest sting that pricks the sensitivity of the heart, is the real source of God’s mercies and humility. The mercy of God is hidden in them.”
The power of a spiritual father's prayer
The Monk Anatoly advised to constantly bring heartfelt repentance to the Lord, and not to hide anything from your spiritual father. The elder said: “I love those who speak openly about themselves. The enemy cannot sow anything where everything is revealed to the spiritual father.”
Elder Anatoly gave his spiritual daughter an example from the Patericon about the power of a spiritual father’s prayer for his child:
“One brother, mired in sins, began to die. The abbot and the brethren began to pray for him. And he sees a vision: a huge serpent is sucking in this brother, but he cannot suck in because his father is praying for him.
But this brother is so languid from this mental and physical languor that he himself begs his father not to pray: let, he says, it would be better for the serpent to swallow me up, just don’t torment me. Isn’t this madness: as if being in the womb of a serpent is better than being half-drawn into its mouth! But the elder did not heed his plea, but continued to pray and freed his brother from the jaws of the serpent.”
Read the Jesus Prayer and you will be saved
When one nun said that she had poor eyesight and it was difficult to read, he replied: “Read the Jesus Prayer and you will be saved.” He especially advised those engaged in difficult obediences to read the Jesus Prayer instead of the rules.
Another nun testified: “Upon entering the monastery, I fell ill. I was fifteen years old, the doctors found a heart defect and throat consumption and said that I would soon die, but I did not want to die. Father told me: “Read the Jesus Prayer as best you can, both sitting and lying down, and everything will pass.” So I did and through his holy prayers I recovered. And since then 23 years have passed, and I live and obey as best I can and do everything for myself in my cell, although I don’t have great health, but before I couldn’t even walk around my cell.”
Father Anatoly also spoke about prayer this way: “We must pray to God so that there is nothing and no one between the soul of the person praying and God. Only God and soul. So that the person praying does not feel either heaven or earth and nothing but God, otherwise the prayer will be imperfect. When you pray under the impression of good singing or reading, this prayer is not yet true prayer. This is the true prayer: the prophet Elijah put his head on his knees, praying, and in a few minutes he begged the Lord to change His anger to mercy.”
Father Anatoly strictly demanded reverent attention from his spiritual children in the church. “Stand in church like an Angel,” he said, “don’t talk and don’t look around, because the church is earthly Heaven. When leaving the church, read “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...” - and don’t speak to anyone, otherwise you will be like a vessel that was full, but spilled on the way. When you fast, then read the Jesus Prayer especially diligently. When you go to receive communion, take special care of yourself during this mass, don’t talk to anyone and don’t direct your thoughts anywhere. Go to the Chalice with a calm soul, calling on the prayers of your spiritual father. Be afraid of disturbing someone's soul in the temple; you go to ask God for mercy and in His temple you insult your neighbor.”
Submit to the will of God - this is your feat
As much as Father Anatoly cared about the spiritual advancement of his children, he just as wisely protected them from any reason for vanity and conceit as a result of the feats they had undertaken.
One nun was so sick that she could not obey. And when Father Anatoly visited her, she said: “I don’t have any obedience: bless me to take upon myself the feat of living alone, to fast, pray and sleep on bare boards.”
The elder replied: “You know, the evil one does not eat, drink or sleep, but everything lives in the abyss, because he has no humility. It is the enemy who tempts. What are your feats? You've had enough of illness. Be patient with what the Lord has given you. And you submit to the will of God - that’s your feat. Read the Jesus Prayer. Labors are leaves, but the Jesus Prayer is the root and fruit of everything. Humble yourself, reproach yourself for everything, bear illnesses and sorrows with gratitude - this is higher than fasting and deeds and all obediences.”
The snake sits quietly in the hole, but if you touch it, it will hiss
Reverend Anatoly looked at the hostel as an excellent school for developing humility and patience. He used to say that living in a hostel kills passions. “The snake sits quietly in the hole, and if you touch it, it will hiss. It’s the same in the community. Take different stones, put them in a bag and shake them for a long time, they will become round - the same in the community. The nails in the ceiling are dark. The floors are light because people walk on them and they become shiny. So a monk, purified by sorrows, becomes bright.”
The advice of St. Anatoly is spiritual beads for those thirsty for elder care.
“Learn to be meek and silent, and you will be loved by everyone. And open feelings are the same as open gates: both the dog and the cat run there... and they shit.”
“We are obliged to love everyone, but we do not dare demand that they love us.”
“Without winter there would be no spring, without spring there would be no summer. So it is in spiritual life: a little consolation, and then a little sorrow, and so little by little the path of salvation is formed.”
“We will accept everything from the hand of God. If it consoles us, we will thank you. And if it doesn’t console us, we’ll thank you.”
Reverend Father Anatoly, pray to God for us!
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Elder Ambrose taught: “We must live on earth as a wheel turns: only one point touches the ground, and the rest constantly strives upward.”
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Brief biography of the Optina elders Brief biography of the venerable elders of Optina HermitageLives of Saints Leo (+1841), Macarius (+1860), Moses (+1862), Anthony (+1865), Hilarion (+1873), Ambrose (+1891), Anatoly (+1894), Isaac (+1894), Joseph (+1911), Barsanuphius (+1913), Anatoly (+1922), Nektarios (+1928), Nikon the Confessor (+1931), Isaac the Hieromartyr (+1938).
Oh, Sweetest Jesus, Lord, immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful. Thou, Lord, sanctify with Thy shrine our spiritual father [ Name] and justify him with Your righteousness, and cover him with Your mercy.
Lord, You have united us on earth and do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom, and with his holy prayers forgive me, a great sinner (or great sinner), forgive all his spiritual children. Amen.
Prayer for a spiritual father
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father [ Name], grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect the angels with the prayers of the saints, drive away anyone who expects harm to him.
Lord, do not judge, do not exhaust his spiritual gifts, reveal to him, Lord, all my sins, fill him with wisdom, prayer and love. For the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, success in virtues; bestow upon him Thy rich mercies.
(this night) to be preserved without sin, overcome his fleshly and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies, rescue him from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath, so that in repentance we may come to a quiet and serene life.
Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many years.
Prayer to the Lord for a spiritual father
Save, O Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father [ Name], grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect him with the prayers of the holy Angels, drive away everyone who expects harm to him.
Lord, do not judge him, do not exhaust him for the sake of my sinful life, increase his spiritual gifts, reveal to him, Lord, all my sins, fill him with wisdom, prayer and love. For the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, success in virtues, bestow upon him Thy rich mercies.
Grant him, O Lord, this day (this night) to be preserved without sin, overcome his fleshly and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies, rescue him from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath, so that in repentance we may come to a quiet and serene life. Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many, many years.
O Sweetest Jesus! You are immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful, sanctify my spiritual father with Your shrine, justify him with Your righteousness, cover him with Your mercy, heal him from illnesses.
Lord, You have united us on earth, do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom and with His holy prayers, forgive all my sins, forgive all His spiritual children, for He is Good and Lover of Mankind. Amen.
Prayer for a spiritual father
Oh, my Most Holy Lady, Virgin Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, attend to my crying soul and accept my sinful prayer, Most Pure Mother of God, for my spiritual father, Your grieving servant [ Name].
Always be his companion and accompany him at all times and protect him with holy Angels. Strengthen him when he is awake, protect him when he sleeps, comfort him when he is crying, encourage him when he is despondent, deliver him from sorrows, free him from slander, lift up the weak, defeat the demons fighting against him, and help him in mortal danger. Show him every day as a terror to visible and invisible enemies, so that they know that he is Your servant, Mother of God, who gave birth to God and the King, to whom honor and worship are due forever and ever.
Mother of God, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against him. You see the labors and sorrows of my father, his sorrows are known to You alone. You know all the secrets of his soul, look mercifully at him from heaven, ease his suffering, cover him with Your cover, visit him with Your heavenly mercy, send a blessing to his deeds and give him invisible help. And with his holy prayers give me humility, self-reproach, patience, meekness, chastity, silence and cover me from all misfortunes and enemies, visible and invisible. Amen.
Everything about religion and faith - “a prayer for the gift of a spiritual father” with a detailed description and photographs.
Prayer to the Savior for a spiritual father
Oh, Sweetest Jesus, Lord, immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful. Thou, Lord, sanctify with Thy shrine our spiritual father [ Name] and justify him with Your righteousness, and cover him with Your mercy.
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father [ Name], grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect the angels with the prayers of the saints, drive away anyone who expects harm to him.
Lord, do not judge, do not exhaust his spiritual gifts, reveal to him, Lord, all my sins, fill him with wisdom, prayer and love. For the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, success in virtues; bestow upon him Thy rich mercies.
(this night) to be preserved without sin, overcome his fleshly and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies, rescue him from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath, so that in repentance we may come to a quiet and serene life.
Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many years.
Prayer to the Lord for a spiritual father
Save, O Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father [ Name], grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect him with the prayers of the holy Angels, drive away everyone who expects harm to him.
Grant him, O Lord, this day (this night) to be preserved without sin, overcome his fleshly and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies, rescue him from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath, so that in repentance we may come to a quiet and serene life. Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many, many years.
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos for a spiritual father
Oh, my Most Holy Lady, Virgin Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, attend to my crying soul and accept my sinful prayer, Most Pure Mother of God, for my spiritual father, Your grieving servant [ Name].
Always be his companion and accompany him at all times and protect him with holy Angels. Strengthen him when he is awake, protect him when he sleeps, comfort him when he is crying, encourage him when he is despondent, deliver him from sorrows, free him from slander, lift up the weak, defeat the demons fighting against him, and help him in mortal danger. Show him every day as a terror to visible and invisible enemies, so that they know that he is Your servant, Mother of God, who gave birth to God and the King, to whom honor and worship are due forever and ever.
Mother of God, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against him. You see the labors and sorrows of my father, his sorrows are known to You alone. You know all the secrets of his soul, look mercifully at him from heaven, ease his suffering, cover him with Your cover, visit him with Your heavenly mercy, send a blessing to his deeds and give him invisible help. And with his holy prayers give me humility, self-reproach, patience, meekness, chastity, silence and cover me from all misfortunes and enemies, visible and invisible. Amen.
What to do if there is no confessor: do you need to look for one, is it possible to pray for the gift of a spiritual father
How not to get spiritually confused
– Father, in our time it is almost impossible to find a real confessor, is that so? The holy fathers also spoke about this.
– Every priest is called to be a confessor. If he does not strive for this, then he turns into a demand fulfiller who comes to the temple like a salesman to a store to work. His lifestyle is quite typical. Usually he drives up to the temple in a car, enters through the back door into the sexton’s room, puts on a cassock, cassock, vestments like some kind of special clothing, serves, baptizes, performs a funeral service, performs a wedding ceremony, without saying a single word of edification. Then he quickly takes off his vestments and cassock, as if he is afraid that people in the city will recognize him as a Christian and a priest, gets into the car and leaves to go about his personal affairs.
The priest-spiritual seeks to devote as much time as possible to prayer and his flock. He, as a rule, tries to wear a cassock or cassock everywhere, imitating the Saint-Confessor Luke of Crimea (Voino-Yasenetsky), who, even in the terrible godless years of persecution, never took off his cassock. Also, such a priest, following the iconographic image of the Savior and the ancient Nazarenes, usually does not cut his hair or shorten his beard. In church, he does everything to not only perform sacred rites correctly, but also actively preach. Guided by the Holy Scriptures and patristic tradition, such a priest is ready at any time of the day, according to the commandment of the Apostle, with meekness and reverence to give an answer about his hope (hope). Before and after the service, parishioners are always waiting for him to receive a blessing and ask questions regarding spiritual life and more.
I drew the image of an ideal priest-confessor. Believe me, there are many such good shepherds in our Orthodox Church, and therefore I will not say that there is now a sharp decline in their depletion.
The Holy Fathers, when they spoke about impoverishment, did not mean clergy, but eldership. These are different categories. An elder is a person, most often a monk, not necessarily in the priesthood, who, thanks to long-term asceticism (prayer and fasting), has cleansed his soul from passions so much that he has received from the Lord the gift of prudence and the will of God is revealed to him about other people who turn to him for advice. There have been few such visionaries at all times. And now there are only a few of them.
– Is it possible to pray for the gift of a confessor? How do you feel that you have met your spiritual father?
– The priest who serves in your church is your confessor. You don't have to look for it for long. True, in a big city, where there are many temples and priests, there is always a choice. Every Christian should try to make such a choice for himself as quickly as possible (prayer will not hurt here), so as not to run around to different churches and confessors, since such a “selection” usually does not lead to anything good. The person becomes spiritually confused.
– Because each priest has his own approach to solving certain spiritual issues. For example, more temperamental people categorically insist that a person quickly give up this or that bad habit, while calmer ones show more patience and, possibly, prudence in this matter.
People who are prone to relaxation need to choose a strict confessor who would constantly wake them up and urge them on. And vice versa, for pedantic and precise people, excessive strictness on the part of a confessor can harm them; they can overstrain themselves in their spiritual life and abandon it completely. They need to look for a spiritual father who is gentle and forgiving.
Usually a person who has found a spiritual father feels a spiritual connection between him and himself. He really feels that his spiritual father is diligently praying for him, and this has a beneficial effect on all his affairs.
– Perhaps someone cannot decide on a confessor because they are not ready to show real humility: listen and follow his advice?
– Yes, it can be very difficult for a person who began going to church in middle or older age, or for people with a higher education who are accustomed to evaluating everything not with their soul and heart, but rationally, to fully become a church member. Due to their previous, often very stormy and difficult worldly life, they are accustomed to treating everything with distrust, and therefore they begin to look for some ideal elder confessor, but their inveterate passions do not allow them to completely trust anyone.
– But there are priests who refuse to be confessors. For them, this is an additional burden of responsibility for their child before God. It is known that among the Greeks only monks practice religion. Maybe that’s why not all priests take spiritual children for themselves?
– Only a monk in a monastery who has some kind of special obedience that does not allow him to regularly confess to people can afford such “humility” and refusal to be a confessor, and every parish priest, I repeat, is obliged to be a confessor, and not just a performer of demands. An exception to this rule is for very young, recently ordained priests without clerical education. Due to their age and little experience in spiritual life, they should not be too zealous in imposing themselves on anyone as confessors and giving their instructions. You need to show tact, patience and caution.
As for the Greek tradition, they have a lot that we don’t have, but not everything needs to be imitated by other peoples.
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Prayers for spiritual father
These prayers are addressed to the saints for the spiritual father.
Prayer of Simeon the New for the gift of a spiritual father
Lord, you did not want the sinner to die, but to turn and live for him, who came down to earth for this, so that you could raise up those who were lying and killed by sin and be seen by You,
the true light, as it is possible for a person to see, grant them worthy, eat with me the person who leads You, and, like You, having worked for him and with all my strength, submitting to him, and do Your will in him,
I will please You, the only God, and I, a sinner, will be worthy of Your kingdom.
Prayer for the health of the spiritual father to the Lord God
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father [name], grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect him with the prayers of the holy Angels, drive away everyone who expects him harm.
Lord, do not judge him, do not exhaust him for the sake of my sinful life, increase his spiritual gifts, reveal to him, Lord, all my sins, fill him with wisdom, prayer and love.
For the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, success in virtues, bestow upon him Thy rich mercies.
Grant him, O Lord, to be preserved without sin on this day (this night), overcome his fleshly and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies,
take him away from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath, so that in repentance we may come to a quiet and serene life.
Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many, many years.
O Sweetest Jesus!
You are immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful, sanctify my spiritual father with Your shrine, justify him with Your righteousness, cover him with Your mercy, heal him from illnesses.
Lord, You have united us on earth, do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom and with His holy prayers, forgive all my sins, forgive all His spiritual children, for He is Good and Lover of Mankind.
Prayer for our spiritual father and for the salvation of us sinners to the Lord
Remember, Lord, in Your Kingdom our spiritual elder father, schema-abbot Savva, with his departed spiritual children and relatives;
and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary;
grant them the Kingdom and the communion of Thy eternal good things and Thy endless and blessed life of pleasure.
And through his holy prayers, save and have mercy on all of us, our spiritual children and relatives.
Send down to all of us the grace of the All-Holy Spirit and through the prayers of the Mother of God, help us, O God, to correct our lives.
Lord, give us faith!
Prayer to the Mother of God for spiritual father
Oh, my Most Holy Lady, Virgin Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, listen to my crying soul and accept my sinful prayer, Most Pure Mother of God, for my spiritual father, Your grieving servant [name].
Always be his companion and accompany him at all times and protect him with holy Angels.
Strengthen him when he is awake, protect him when he sleeps, comfort him when he is crying, encourage him when he is despondent, deliver him from sorrows, free him from slander, lift up the weak, defeat the demons fighting against him, and help him in mortal danger.
Show him every day as a terror to visible and invisible enemies, so that they know that he is Your servant, Mother of God, who gave birth to God and the King, to whom honor and worship are due forever and ever.
Mother of God, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against him.
You see the labors and sorrows of my father, his sorrows are known to You alone.
You know all the secrets of his soul, look mercifully at him from heaven, ease his suffering, cover him with Your cover, visit him with Your heavenly mercy, send a blessing to his deeds and give him invisible help.
And with his holy prayers give me humility, self-reproach, patience, meekness, chastity, silence and cover me from all misfortunes and enemies, visible and invisible.
Is there a prayer for the gift of a spiritual father? Write please?!
Monks need a spiritual father, and ordinary laymen need a spiritual father, this is a person to whom you are accustomed to confessing, and who knows you and your life more or less.
And if you have any questions at all, you can contact any priest...
It's all about your determination and desire.
There is a good joke on this topic.
One Jew prays to God - God, let me win money in the lottery to buy a washing machine.
And so he prays for a month, another, a third, a year...
And then one day after prayer he heard a loud speech from above -
Yes, I hear you, but at least buy the lottery.
find spiritual father
Can you imagine what kind of book this should be with prayers for all occasions?
I want to help you so that in difficult times you know how to pray to God. It’s simple and we didn’t know what to say!! !
Simple Prayer Steps
* Express gratitude to Him for everything you are grateful for (“We thank You for...”).. “)..
* Ask Him for what you need (“We ask You...”)...”)..
* Jesus is the Advocate (1 John 2:1) for us with Heavenly Father, so end your prayer with “In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Prayer for the gift of a spiritual father
SPIRITUAL FATHER
- Oct. 7th, 2014 at 1:09 PM
Is there a difference between the concepts of “spiritual father” and “spiritual father”? Some believe that these are synonyms, while others say that a confessor is any priest who conducts the sacrament of Confession, and a spiritual father is the one who guides the spiritual life of a Christian. Where does this discrepancy come from?
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE A CONFESSIONAL
PRAYER FOR THE SPIRITUAL FATHER
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father (rank and name), grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect him with Your saints Angels. Increase his spiritual gifts, fill him with wisdom and love, send down a warm prayer to him. And for the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, and success in virtues. Send down upon him Your rich mercies. Remember, visit, strengthen it and preserve it for many years for the sake of us, sinners. Lord, You are immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful! Sanctify my spiritual father (rank and name) with Your shrine, justify him with Your righteousness and cover him with Your mercy. Lord, You have united us on earth, do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom. Amen.
Elitsa
Brothers and sisters! December 25 – The glorification of the lamp of Orthodoxy, St. Spyridon Trimifuntsky. The prayerful help of the saint was felt by millions of believers around the world. Submit a note for a prayer service for the holiday of Spyridon of Trimifuntsky for yourself, your family, relatives and friends.
Prayer for spiritual father.
Prayer to the Savior for a spiritual father.
Oh, Sweetest Jesus, Lord, immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful. You, Lord, sanctify our spiritual father (name) with Your shrine and justify him with Your righteousness, and cover him with Your mercy.
Lord, You have united us on earth and do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom, and with his holy prayers forgive me, a great sinner (or great sinner), forgive all his spiritual children. Amen.
Prayer to the Lord for a spiritual father.
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father (name), grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect him with the prayers of the holy Angels, drive away everyone who expects him harm.
Lord, do not judge him, do not exhaust him for the sake of my sinful life, increase his spiritual gifts, reveal to him, Lord, all my sins, fill him with wisdom, prayer and love. For the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, success in virtues, bestow upon him Thy rich mercies.
Grant him, O Lord, on this day (this night) to be preserved without sin, overcome his fleshly and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies, take him away from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath. so that in repentance we can come to a quiet and serene life. Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many, many years.
O Sweetest Jesus! You are immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful, sanctify my spiritual father with Your shrine, justify him with Your righteousness, cover him with Your mercy, heal him from illnesses.
Lord, You have united us on earth, do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom and with His holy prayers, forgive all my sins, forgive all His spiritual children, for He is Good and Lover of Mankind. Amen.
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos for a spiritual father.
Oh, my Most Holy Lady, Virgin Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, listen to my crying soul and my sinful prayer, Most Pure Mother of God for my spiritual father, Your grieving servant (name of the rivers).
Always be his companion and accompany him at all times and protect him with holy Angels. Strengthen him when he is awake, protect him when he sleeps, comfort him when he is crying, encourage him when he is despondent, deliver him from sorrows, free him from slander, lift up the weak, defeat the demons fighting against him, and help him in mortal danger. Show him daily as a terror to visible and invisible enemies, so that they know that he is Your servant, Mother of God, who gave birth to God and the King, to whom honor and worship are due forever and ever.
Mother of God, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against him. You see the labors and sorrows of my father, his sorrows are known to You alone. You know all the secrets of his soul, look mercifully at him from heaven, ease his suffering, cover him with Your cover, visit him with Your heavenly mercy, send a blessing to his deeds and give him invisible help. And with his holy prayers give me humility, self-reproach, patience, meekness, chastity, silence and cover me from all misfortunes and enemies, visible and invisible.
Prayer by agreement
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Thou hast declared with Thy most pure lips: “Amen, I say to you, that if two of you take counsel on earth about every thing, and if you ask for it, you will have it from My Father who is in Heaven: where are the two? or three gathered in My name, I am I in the midst of them.” Thy words are immutable, O Lord, Thy mercy is unconditional and Thy love for mankind has no end. For this reason, we pray to Thee: grant to us, Thy servants (names), who have agreed to ask Thee (request), the fulfillment of our request. But not as we want, but as You want. Thy will be done forever. Amen.
Prayer for the sanctification of every thing.
To the Creator and Creator of the human race, the Giver of spiritual grace, the Giver of eternal salvation, Lord Himself, send Your Holy Spirit with the highest blessing on this thing, as if armed with the power of heavenly intercession, it will help those who want to use it for bodily salvation and intercession, and help, about Christ Jesus our Lord.
(At the end of the prayer, we sprinkle holy water on things and food three times.)
Prayer for receiving prosphora and holy water.
Lord my God, may Your holy gift (prosphora, artos, etc.) and Your holy water be for the enlightenment of my mind, for the strengthening of my mental and physical strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities by infinite mercy Yours, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints. Amen
(after which we eat the prosphora and drink it with holy water)
Prayer to the Savior for a spiritual father.
Oh, Sweetest Jesus, Lord, immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful. You, Lord, sanctify our spiritual father (name) with Your shrine and justify him with Your righteousness, and cover him with Your mercy.
Lord, You have united us on earth and do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom, and with his holy prayers forgive me, a great sinner (or great sinner), forgive all his spiritual children. Amen.
Prayer to the Lord for a spiritual father.
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father (name), grant him spiritual salvation and physical health, protect him with the prayers of the holy Angels, drive away everyone who expects him harm.
Lord, do not judge him, do not exhaust him for the sake of my sinful life, increase his spiritual gifts, reveal to him, Lord, all my sins, fill him with wisdom, prayer and love. For the sake of his holy prayers, grant forgiveness of my sins, correction of life, success in virtues, bestow upon him Thy rich mercies.
Grant him, O Lord, on this day (this night) to be preserved without sin, overcome his fleshly and incorporeal enemies, and deliver him from visible and invisible enemies, take him away from the flattering man and from the unrighteous man, keep his flock until the end of his breath. so that in repentance we can come to a quiet and serene life. Lord, remember, visit, strengthen and preserve him for many, many years.
O Sweetest Jesus! You are immeasurably holy, immeasurably righteous, immeasurably merciful, sanctify my spiritual father with Your shrine, justify him with Your righteousness, cover him with Your mercy, heal him from illnesses.
Lord, You have united us on earth, do not separate us in Your Heavenly Kingdom and with His holy prayers, forgive all my sins, forgive all His spiritual children, for He is Good and Lover of Mankind. Amen.
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos for a spiritual father.
Oh, my Most Holy Lady, Virgin Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, listen to my crying soul and my sinful prayer, Most Pure Mother of God for my spiritual father, Your grieving servant (name of the rivers).
Always be his companion and accompany him at all times and protect him with holy Angels. Strengthen him when he is awake, protect him when he sleeps, comfort him when he is crying, encourage him when he is despondent, deliver him from sorrows, free him from slander, lift up the weak, defeat the demons fighting against him, and help him in mortal danger. Show him daily as a terror to visible and invisible enemies, so that they know that he is Your servant, Mother of God, who gave birth to God and the King, to whom honor and worship are due forever and ever.
Mother of God, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against him. You see the labors and sorrows of my father, his sorrows are known to You alone. You know all the secrets of his soul, look mercifully at him from heaven, ease his suffering, cover him with Your cover, visit him with Your heavenly mercy, send a blessing to his deeds and give him invisible help. And with his holy prayers give me humility, self-reproach, patience, meekness, chastity, silence and cover me from all misfortunes and enemies, visible and invisible.
Prayer by agreement
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Thou hast declared with Thy most pure lips: “Amen, I say to you, that if two of you take counsel on earth about every thing, and if you ask for it, you will have it from My Father who is in Heaven: where are the two?” or three gathered in My name, I am I in the midst of them." Thy words are immutable, O Lord, Thy mercy is unconditional and Thy love for mankind has no end. For this reason, we pray to Thee: grant to us, Thy servants (names), who have agreed to ask Thee (request), the fulfillment of our request. But not as we want, but as You want. Thy will be done forever. Amen.
Prayer for the sanctification of every thing.
To the Creator and Creator of the human race, the Giver of spiritual grace, the Giver of eternal salvation, Lord Himself, send Your Holy Spirit with the highest blessing on this thing, as if armed with the power of heavenly intercession, it will help those who want to use it for bodily salvation and intercession, and help, about Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.
(At the end of the prayer, we sprinkle holy water on things and food three times.)
Prayer for receiving prosphora and holy water.
Lord my God, may Your holy gift (prosphora, artos, etc.) and Your holy water be for the enlightenment of my mind, for the strengthening of my mental and physical strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities by infinite mercy Yours, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints. Amen
(after which we eat the prosphora and drink it with holy water)
You can download a complete beautiful collection with all these prayers in Word using the link: Prayers for a spiritual father
