Lent - a period of abstinence from the usual pleasures, which used the Orthodox Christian.Among the pleasures of the Orthodox Church refers not only food, but also entertainment - spiritual and physical.
What is the meaning of fasting?
If the meaning of the Christian tradition is only in the food restrictions, the position would be little different from the usual diet.It is believed that only able deter bodily needs one becomes particularly susceptible to the spiritual work on themselves, so the post - a period of abstinence and penance.And repentance is impossible without reading prayers.What prayers read in the post?The most famous Lenten prayer and prayer books - "just an application of the soul", Canon of St. Andrew of Crete.The most famous and revered Prayer of Saint Ephrem in Lent, it is read in all the churches and homes of Christian believers throughout the post.
Molitvochtenie during Lent
Famous St. Theophan the Recluse said that man is not complete without a body as well as the prayer is not complete without a prayer rule.Prayer Rule, in turn, is that there should be:
- Praying, doing soul, delving into every sentence.
- Pray slowly, slowly, as if in a singsong voice.
- pray during the time allotted exclusively for this case to anything at this time to distract the worshiper.
- think of prayer throughout the day, noting advance himself, where we can observe it, and where - no.
- read prayers with a break, sharing their prostrations.
- observe prayer time - they should be carried out in the morning and evening, before and after meals, on the eve of each new case before taking communion bread and holy water.
All these rules must be strictly observed during the fast, and, in addition, the amount of molitvochteny in this period should be increased and give them peace of special attention.
significance of Prayer of Saint Ephrem
Penitential Prayer of Saint Ephrem consists of only three dozen words, and contains in itself all the most important elements of penance, it points out what should make major efforts praying.Through this prayer, the believer defines a path of getting rid of the ills that hinder its rapprochement with God.
In addition, this prayer is available and clearly expresses the significance and meaning of Lent.Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian reflects the main commandments given by the Lord, and helps in simple terms to understand their attitude towards him.She read the Orthodox in their homes and in churches at the end of each service in the Lenten period.
Who is Ephrem the Syrian
But not only Lenten Prayer of Saint Ephrem made him a revered saint, the man known as the church speaker, philosopher and theologian.He was born in the IV century in Mesopotamia, the son of poor peasants.For a long time Ephraim did not believe in God, but by chance become one of the best preachers of the time.According to legend, Ephraim was accused of stealing a sheep and put in jail.During his stay in prison, he heard the voice of God, calling on him to repent and believe in the Lord, after which he was acquitted and released.This event changed the life of a young man, forcing him to repent and retire to live away from people.
a long time, he was reclusive, and later became a student of the famous ascetic - St. James, who lived in the surrounding mountains.Under his leadership, Ephrem preached, taught and helped the children to work.After the death of St. James, a young man lived in a monastery near the town of Edessa.Ephraim aggressively studied the Word of God, the works of great thinkers, saints, elders and scholars.With the gift of teaching, he could available and convincingly communicate that information to people.Soon he began to receive people in need of his guidance.It is known that the Gentiles, there are sermons Ephraim, converted to Christianity quickly and confidently.
veneration of saints today
Today Ephrem called the father of the Church, teacher of repentance.All his works are imbued with the idea that repentance - this is the meaning and the engine life of every Christian.Sincere repentance combined with the tears of repentance, according to the saint, completely destroys and washes away every sin of man.Spiritual Heritage of St. thousands of jobs, however, translated into Russian, only a small part of them.The most famous Prayer of Saint Ephrem in Lent, as well as his tearful supplications, prayers for different occasions and talk about the free will of man.
History of prayer
How Ephrem the Syrian made this prayer, significantly, no one will tell.According to legend, one desert hermit dreamed angels holding a large scroll, freaked inscriptions on both sides.Angels do not know who to pass it, hesitated, and then came down from heaven the voice of God "Only Ephraim, my chosen one."Hermit led to the angels Ephrem, they gave him a scroll and told to swallow it.Then a miracle happened: the words of the scroll circulated Ephraim, like a marvelous vine.So Prayer of Saint Ephrem in Lent became known to every Orthodox Christian.Prayer is stands out among all the other Lenten hymns, his other most read in the temple and often it was during this prayer the whole church kneels before God.
text
prayer Prayer of Saint Ephrem, the text of which is presented in this paper, it is easy to remember and read, despite the presence of the Old Slavonic words.
Lord and Master of my life!
The spirit of idleness, despondency, lyubonachaliya
idle and not grant me.
spirit of chastity, humility,
patience and love, grant me thy servant.
Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions
not osuzhdati my brother, for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages.
Amen.
This is the Prayer of Saint Ephrem.The text of the prayer may not be understandable to all Christians because of the presence in it of Church Slavonic words and for the humble petitions in this prayer hidden meaning so deep that not every Christian manages to grasp it at first reading.To fully understand the below shows the interpretation of the Prayer of Saint Ephrem.
Interpretation prayer
As can be seen from the text of the prayer, it is divided into two types of requests: in some pleading asks the Lord "did not give" - that is, free from faults and sins, and the other near petitions pleading, on the contrary, asks the Lord to "give"his spiritual gifts.Interpretation of the Prayer of Saint Ephrem has a deep spiritual meaning, consider the value of each of them.
petitions for deliverance are as follows: "The spirit of idleness, despondency, and idle lyubonachaliya not grant me."Only through prayer, man is able to perform the feat, and to get rid of these sins.
Idleness
It would seem that sloth - is not so great sin than envy, murder and theft.However, it is the negative state of sinful man.Translation of the word with the Church Slavonic language means emptiness and passivity of the soul.It is the cause of idleness dismal human impotence before the spiritual work on themselves.In addition, it invariably creates despondency - the second worst sin of the human soul.
Depression
said that idleness symbolizes the absence of light in the soul, and the gloom - the presence in it of darkness.Gloom - a sustenance of the soul lie against God, the world and people.Devil in the Gospel is called the father of lies, and because the gloom - it's scary diabolical obsession.In a state of despondency one discerns only the bad and the evil around him, he is unable to see the goodness in people and light.That is why the state of despondency equivalent top spiritual death and degradation of the human soul.
Lyubonachalie
Penitential Prayer of Saint Ephrem mentions of such a state of mind as lyubonachalie, which means man's desire for power and domination over others.The desire is born out of despondency and idleness because staying in them, people tearing their relationship with other people.Thus it becomes internally lonely, and turn around for him only a means to achieve its goals.The thirst for power is dictated by the desire to humiliate another person, make him dependent on ourselves, denied his freedom.It is said that there is nothing worse than a government - the emptiness of souls and disfigured her loneliness and despondency.
idle
Mentions Lenten Prayer of Saint Ephrem and the sin of the human soul such as idle talk, that is - empty words.Speech was given to man by God, and therefore you can use it only with good intentions.The word used for the commission of evil, deceit, hate speech, sewage carries a great sin.This is the Gospel says that the Great Judgment for every careless word spoken during the life, the soul will be held accountable.Idle brings people lie, temptation, hatred and degradation.
Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian help realize these sins, repent of them, it is only realized their mistake, the person is able to go to the other petitions - positive.Such petitions are heard in prayer: "The spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love ... grant me to see my own sins and not osuzhdati my brother."
Chastity
broad sense of the word, and it means two basic concepts - the "integrity" and "wisdom".When pleading with the Lord asks of chastity for yourself, then it means that he asks of knowledge, experience to see the good, wisdom to lead a righteous life.The integrity of these petitions is a wisdom of men, allows a person to resist evil, the disintegration of the wisdom and care.Asking about chastity, the man wants to return to live in peace and harmony for the mind, body and soul.
Humility Humility and simrennomudrie - the notion of unequal.And if humility can be treated as an impersonal humility, the humility - a humility that has nothing to do with self-humiliation and contempt.Lowliness man rejoices comprehension, open them by God, that depth of life that opens in humility.The humble as the fallen man needs constant self-exaltation and self-affirmation.Pride with humility do not need a man, because he has nothing to hide from other people, because he is humble, not eager to prove himself to others and their significance.
Patience
«We can only tolerate" - is not Christian patience.The true Christian patience is a God who believes each of us, trust us and loves us.It is based on the belief that good always triumphs over evil, life conquers death in the Christian faith.That is the virtue of pleading with the Lord asks himself when he speaks of patience.
Love
In fact, the whole prayer is reduced to a request for love.Laziness, depression, lyubonachalie and idle are a hindrance to love, they will not let her into the heart of man.But chastity, humility and patience - a kind of root for the germination of love.
How to read a prayer
When the prayer Ephrem should follow some rules:
- Reading made all the days of Lent except Saturdays and Sundays.
- If prayer is read for the first time, after each petition should render prostration.
- Subsequently, the charter requires the church to render prostration three times during the reading of the prayer before the petitions for deliverance from illnesses, to petitions for the granting and before the third part of the prayer.
- If required by the soul, prayer can be done and is Lenten days.
What prayers are recited in the post
addition to prayers Ephraim the Syrian, the Church recommends that the faithful, and other prayers.In the first days of Lent Christians are advised to pay attention to the Great Canon of Andrew of Crete.Holy canon read the night before Lent and the first four days.
In addition, the faithful read those prayers that are pronounced in ordinary days.When you read the Prayer of Saint Ephrem, usually made reading and prayers from the Book of Hours, and triode, and the prayer book "On every request the soul."
Conclusion
Prayer of Saint Ephrem in Lent is a spiritual essence requests beseeching God.It teaches him to love, enjoy life and helps to respect the post.
