How many days is the prayer of Ephraim the Sirin read. The penitential prayer of Ephraim the Syrian. Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian from condemnation

The Great Lenten Prayer, the authorship of which the church tradition assimilates to St. Ephraim the Syrian, is one of the most famous Orthodox liturgical texts. It is no coincidence that it was he who inspired A.S. Pushkin, shortly before his death, to write a poetic paraphrase in which the poet admits:

Desert fathers and blameless wives,
To fly with your heart in the region of correspondence ...
Laid down many divine prayers;
But none of them make me happy
Like the one that the priest repeats
During the sad days of Great Lent...

Indeed, the prayer of a Syrian ascetic far removed from us in epoch and geography, the leitmotif of the entire Great Lent, has some special effect on the soul. We feel it, but we are not always able to explain why it happens and what kind of action it is.

Interestingly, in the “rebellious” 17th century, it was precisely the changes in the practice of reading the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian at the divine service, along with a change in the method of sign formation, that provoked the beginning of unrest in the Russian Church, which led to its split. The prayer of St. Ephraim turned out to be a kind of sensitive "nerve", which was hit by the reform of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and Patriarch Nikon. This means that for a Russian person this moment of worship had a special meaning.

And so, trying to find the "key" to the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, to unravel the secret of its spiritual attraction, interpreters often consider it as a "ladder" - the path of spiritual ascent or, conversely, fall. On the one hand, sins and passions, and on the other hand, the virtues enumerated by Saint Ephraim turn out to be interconnected and are consistently derived one from the other.

But, as a rule, such a theological analysis takes into account only one version of the prayer of St. Ephraim - the edition of its Church Slavonic translation that we use now:

Lord and Master of my life,
the spirit of idleness, despondency,
do not give me arrogance and idle talk.
The spirit of chastity, humility,
grant me patience and love, Thy servant.
Hey, Lord, King,
grant me to see my sins
and do not judge my brother,
so blessed are you forever and ever. Amen.

This version of prayer, which has become familiar and familiar to us, is taken as an axiom, as something unchanging, and conclusions of an ascetic and vital nature are drawn from it.

For example, St. Luke (Voyno-Yasenetsky), in his interpretation of the first lines of the prayer, says: “Thus St. Ephraim the Syrian begins his great prayer. Why does he begin with a request to be delivered from idleness, as if there were no more grievous vices than idleness? St. Ephraim speaks of idleness, and he knows better than us what is more important, what is more disastrous, what vice is stronger, more dangerous ... ”But Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann considers each vice named in prayer the fruit of the previous one - the same is true with virtues; Father Alexander even emphasizes that there are four of them and that in this way “they are listed ... all negative and positive elements of repentance and is determined, so to speak, the list of our individual exploits.

There is nothing to argue about. Indeed, there is an inner logic in the prayer of St. Ephraim. Not only the holy fathers, but also popular wisdom asserts that laziness (idleness) is “the mother of all vices”, and it is clear to every Christian that love is the pinnacle of virtues and the greatest gift of God to man.

However, if we delve a little into history, we will see that the Church Slavonic text of the Lenten prayer was not always exactly the same as we know it now. In Russia, there were other, more ancient versions of the translation of the Mar-Afrem prayer.

And these old Russian editions do not begin with "idleness", but with "despondency"!

spirit of despondency and neglect,
covetousness and idle talk
get away from me.
The spirit of chastity and humility, patience and love
grant me, Thy servant.
Oh Lord, King,

for blessed are you forever. Amen.

This version of the prayer of St. Ephraim, presented, for example, in the Book of Hours of 1652, is now used by the Old Believers. As you can see, there are several differences from the "modern" edition. In addition to a slightly different beginning, instead of “management” it is indicated “love of money”, instead of “give me no” - “get rid of me”, instead of “humility of wisdom” - “humility”. How serious are these differences?

First, about despondency and idleness (“neglect”). Which of these vices is still primary?

Probably both of them - both despondency and idleness, - as St. John of the Ladder would say, "both mother and daughter" to each other.

It seems that we are talking here about the realities of monastic, silent work, far from most of us, but you must admit: to some extent, this is familiar to us. Recently, the topic of professional "burnout" of priests, social workers, people of the so-called helping professions has been actively discussed. And what ordinary believer does not experience from time to time a feeling of disappointment because, as it seems to him, there is no progress in his spiritual life: for 20 years I have repented of the same sins, but everything is the same or even worse ...

Despondency (and today this passion is increasingly associated in the minds of people with "depression" as a disorder of a medical nature) gives rise to "neglect". A person gives up, he stops hoping and fighting, sometimes he becomes incapable of even the simplest household chores. Despondency + idleness is the state of a person with clipped wings. That is why the Monk Seraphim of Sarov says that despondency "brings everything with it." And the fathers learned from their own experience that such a state is not of a human nature - behind it stands the "spirit", the spiritual influence of dark forces. In its ultimate manifestation, according to the words of St. Silouan of Athos, "this spirit is so heavy and weary that it is scary to even remember it." This is already despair when it seems that "God is implacable".

However, despondency can also manifest itself in another way, not so brightly, as if covertly - and therefore less noticeable to others and the person himself. The word “despondency” itself has a slightly different meaning in Church Slavonic than in modern Russian: it indicates a state of boredom, inner emptiness, when the soul is deprived of the grace of God and a person, not finding food inside (through prayer and spiritual achievement), naturally begins to look for it outside: in some kind of activity, entertainment or passion.

St. John of the Ladder defines such despondency as “relaxation of the soul, exhaustion of the mind (which means that the mind can no longer pray. – D.S.), neglect of monastic deeds”; “in psalmody it is weak, in prayer it is weak, in bodily ministry it is strong as iron, in needlework it is lazy” (a characteristic sign: a person does not lose the ability to do things). According to the Reverend, it encourages the monks, instead of learning inner work from their cell, engaging in hospitality, giving alms, visiting the sick - doing this not out of an excess of love, but in order to forget, to get away from inner anxiety (which signals that the soul and the mind came out of its inner "home" - from the heart, where God dwells and where He calls a person to meet Himself).

In The Ladder we are talking about monks, but the same thing, under somewhat different conditions, happens to us, the laity: a departure from the search for inner silence, “hesychia”, into external noise. I remember my grandmother turned on the radio in the kitchen for the whole day, not even listening to what was being broadcast there; she said: “I can’t be in silence - like in a coffin.” This happens to many older people: constantly on TV, series, radio distract them from the inevitable thoughts of death ... And the young people walking down the street, riding the subway with headphones in their ears? And in general, in a modern metropolis, you can hardly find such a corner where the noise of cars, music (from some restaurant or store) or annoying advertising would not be heard. All this suggests that "modern" man is increasingly running away from himself, less and less able to endure silence. Over our cities, over our villages, and especially over our Russia, there hangs a huge, dark cloud of despondency. So why be surprised that our streets and sidewalks are littered with cigarette butts, bottles and other rubbish? These are just symptoms of that very “neglect” that is born from despondency as a ripe fruit.

We go further along the pre-Nikon text of the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. "The spirit of love of money" instead of "arrogance." According to some fathers, the love of money is the root of all evil. But generally speaking, these vices are two boots of steam: after all, it is for power and money that wars are fought, murders are committed, there is a political struggle, various types of rivalry ... We will return to this later.

The petition “don’t give me”, which appeared in the course of the book right of the 17th century, is certainly less successful than the ancient “otzheni”, but, in our opinion, it is not as fatal as the Old Believers polemicists and even modern zealots of pre-schism texts tried to present in Russian Orthodox Church (“God is the dispenser of sins?!”). Saying “don’t give,” we, of course, put the same meaning into this petition: “Lord, deliver, cleanse me from the slightest manifestation (“spirit”) of these sins. If such expressions are understood literally, then one should also question, for example, the request of the Lord's Prayer "lead us not into temptation." God, "introducing" into the devil's temptation?.. It is clear that this is not the point. However, the word "otzheni" seems to be more powerful and emotionally charged than "don't give." It means: throw away from me, expel from me the very spirit of these sins, their slightest manifestation.

The concept of "humility" is perhaps more comprehensive than "humility of mind." Humility is a gift from God, an inexpressible state of mind. And humility, that is, the ability to humbly think about oneself and act on the basis of such a way of thinking, is rather a “practice” of humility, a path to it, human efforts aimed at acquiring this virtue. However, it is difficult to draw a clear line here. Probably, humility, as it were, flows into humility, when it becomes a permanent state of the human soul and is overshadowed by Divine grace. But only those who have "tasted" this gift can judge this, so it's time to shut up.

The expression “do not judge my brother yet” in modern Old Believer thought is interpreted in the meaning of the goal: “Lord, let me see my sins, to I did not condemn my brother." Such a reading is even more clearly expressed in the edition of the Book of Hours of the 2nd half of the 16th century: “Yes, Lord, King, let me see my sins, if not condemn my brother ...” .

It must be admitted that here the Old Russian (or medieval Greek?) translator looked to the very root: after all, one can stop judging others only by clearly seeing one's own sins.

And, finally, another version of the Lenten prayer - the most complete of those known to us - has been preserved for us by the "Eye of the Church" (Typicon) of 1633.

Lord and Master of my life,
spirit of despondency and neglect,
idle talk and vanity,
covetousness and arrogance
get away from me.
The spirit of chastity, humility,
patience and love
grant me, Thy servant.
Oh Lord, King,
let me see my sins
and do not judge my brother,
for blessed are you forever. Amen.

It is not entirely clear whether this option was ever used in practice - if so, then only in the 16th century. By the 17th century it had fallen into disuse; The Eye of the Church recorded the handwritten tradition, but since it was already a “dead” text, the next Eye of 1641 returned to the previous abridged edition.

It's a pity! Nowhere else can the inner logic of Saint Ephraim's prayer be seen with such clarity. Here everything seems to fall into place. Sinful passions are listed in pairs, and these pairs are closely related: despondency and idleness, idle talk and vanity, love of money and love of power. Every time one passion gives birth to another. Despondency leads to idleness (and vice versa), vanity is manifested in idle talk, desire show yourself, to show off in front of the interlocutor (recall “Woe from Wit”; with ingenious brevity, this connection is revealed by Ladder: “Polyverb is a seat on which vanity loves to appear and solemnly expose itself”); we have already spoken about the connection between the love of money and the love of power.

The development of these passions can be defined as a consistent flight from oneself and from God. A person has not learned to feed on grace (“despondency”), and therefore feeds on something else: at first, simply the recognition of others (“vanity”), which he actively seeks (“idle talk”), and then money (“love of money”), power and glory. “Love of command” denotes the limit of such an escape from the true self - from our god-like personality (after all, we become a true personality only in true communion with God and with each other - and such communion is necessarily marked with the seal of humility). Then a person gets pleasure by dominating, suppressing others and controlling other people's destinies. This is the case of all tyrants on earth; this is the pyramid of hell. After all, Satan himself, a being who is “farthest” from God and continues to constantly and irreversibly move away from Him, fell because of a thirst for power (“to be like God”) and now enjoys his dark power over the world (cf.: Luke 4:6; Eph. 6:12).

And all these - not only sinful, but also, in essence, gray, stupid and vulgar passions - are opposed to a certain whole, whole a state, the various facets of which (and perhaps the various stages of growth) are listed below.

Chastity : holistic mind. Usually I am in a state of internal discord, like a swan, cancer and pike from a fairy tale. “There is a market in the head,” said St. Theophan the Recluse; in the words of Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh, "we have spread all over the world with desires, aspirations, affections, grievances." But a holistic mind is a mind collected in itself and listening to the heart. This is precisely what the practice of “sobriety” is aimed at, when a person, struggling with the slightest sinful thoughts (“attachments”), with attentive prayer seeks to reunite the split forces of his being (mind, feelings, will) and direct them to God. It is no coincidence that in the pre-reform text of the prayer of the Hours it is said: “Also for every time and for every hour, in heaven and on earth, the worshiped and glorified God is good ... Himself and now hear our prayers at this hour ... sanctify our soul, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, clear thoughts, mind chaste and sober ...»

Chastity is holistic wisdom. The ability to judge everything impartially, to look at people, circumstances, life - with a pure look, free from passions. At the end of the prayer we will see that about this ability is opposed.

Humility : world thoughts that comes when the heart and mind of a person began to reunite in holistic wisdom, in sobriety, in the struggle with passions for the integrity of soul and body. Archimandrite Sofroniy (Sakharov), relying on the spiritual experience and writings of St. Silouan of Athos, calls this state "ascetic humility" - that is, a relatively peaceful state of mind, which ascetics achieve through many years of effort and ascetic practice. To describe this state, the word “humility” (used in the “modern” edition of the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian) is just very suitable. Humility is an ingrained skill to think modestly about oneself, born from repeated experience of struggling with one’s old self: falls, uprisings, God’s help – and one’s own impotence when this help does not come in a tangible way. In contrast to this, humility in its fullness (in the terminology of Father Sophronius - “Divine humility”) is entirely a gift of Grace, and it is impossible to describe it.

Patience : the property of not only a courageous (“endure, clenching his teeth”), but also a humble person. “The soul of the humble is like the sea: throw a stone into the sea, it will slightly disturb the surface for a minute and then drown in its depths - so sorrows drown in the heart of the humble, because the power of the Lord is with him.”

To endure means to accept all the circumstances of your life as they are, as if they had come from the hand of God. After all, that's the way it is. Real patience must be dissolved by gratitude to God. Literally for everything: for joy and sorrow, for loved ones, for creativity, for nature - but also for difficulties, trials and illnesses ... A person feels God's hand on his life, on all creation, and this brings grace to his heart. “From patience [is born] experience, from experience hope, and hope does not shame, because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom. 5:4-5).

How do all these qualities - chastity, humility, patience - eventually lead to love? Until now, it seemed that it was only about inner work on oneself, about the struggle for one's own integrity. But a person who has become truly whole, discovers in himself such a depth of the heart, where other people are placed. All other! A person freed from the tyranny of passions is open to others. Of course, it is impossible to judge this from our own experience, but we all probably met at least one of these people on our way: an inconspicuous, unknown righteous man (remember A.I. revered elder - all such people have the same property: to tangibly take you into their hearts.

The whole path of a person to God can be imagined as a gradual ascent along the steps listed in the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. From chastity - liberation from passions, as far as it is possible for each of us - to humility (the inexpressible action of Grace in a cleansed or cleansed heart), from it - to patience (because God, a humble person, a righteous man will definitely meet with difficult circumstances, attacks surrounding or strong demonic temptations). And then all these virtues that a person has acquired, his spiritual beauty - will become fertile soil that will grow a beautiful flower of love. This love will warm and delight those around you, in it, as under the branches of a large tree, the birds of the air will hide (see: Mt. 13:32). Love will make a person a living miracle.

But, as we have seen, there is a way back. It leads from “merely” idleness and despondency to pride, the growth of appetites of which can be endless. “Two ways I have set before you: a blessing and a curse…” (Deut. 11:26). If you follow the first path, you will become like God; if you follow the second path, you will become like an enemy. Fork, like in fairy tales ...

We ask God to deliver us from the very "spirit" of passions that make us look like an enemy, after that we make the sign of the cross on ourselves and bow to the ground. By this, whether we like it or not, we confess our determination - no more, no less than to "crucify" our old man - what is called in Scripture "flesh with passions and lusts" (Gal. 5: 24). Crucified on the Cross of Christ, to which we join to the best of our ability, struggling with sin and bearing the sorrows of our personal lives.

It is time to ask: do I have such determination? With this approach, the words of any prayer turn out to be terribly responsible (for example: “Come and dwell in us” - but am I ready for the fact that now the Lord will come and begin to live in me, so to speak, in fullness, tangibly? Is my spirit really burning? from the desire to be with Him? After all, if there is the slightest passion in the soul, that is, attachment to sin, and not to God, then the answer is negative. So think about how you can honestly and sincerely say the prayer "King of Heaven", which we often we do not pronounce, but “run through” before starting some business).

We ask God to grant us the very "spirit" of virtues. I don’t even want to call them that, because these are not qualities that we develop in ourselves, but the properties of God Himself. Only they will make us like Christ. And in order to have them alive and active in oneself, one must unite with the Cross of Christ. The Lord has already carried out this strange exchange: He took our sins to Himself, and gave His love and with it all the virtues to us. We only need to join the Calvary act with our free will: to give Christ our sinful wounds again and again, so that He transforms them into the energy of grace, and from Him we take His qualities.

Therefore, after asking for Christ's chastity, humility, patience and love, we are baptized again and bow to the ground. We physically and really impose the Cross of Christ on ourselves! Only His Grace could come up with such a thing...

Therefore, the center of Great Lent is the Week of the Cross. Therefore, its consummation, or rather its goal, is Holy Week, the “Easter of Suffering,” for which we pray that it will pass for us into a triumphant Easter of glory. During the entire Lent, we ourselves, perhaps without realizing it, meet with the Cross, partake of it, in order to boldly exclaim at the end: “Show us also Your glorious Resurrection!” . The path of Great Lent is a model for all Christian life.

A bow to the ground expresses our desire to really humble ourselves, because only in a humble soul can the Lord constantly live. With this bow, we call Him into ourselves. Yes, a simple, physical action, but the saints say that, starting from the body, such a desire for humility can also transform the soul. Bows are especially useful for young, "innovative" (and who can say about himself that he is not like that?). But even the elderly, the infirm or the sick, those who cannot bow, do not lose anything: there are “bows” of the heart. And, thinking, and maybe already lamenting about our sins, we must not forget that we do not just bow, but “worship by Thy Passion, Christ.” We worship the Cross, on which our sins - together with the Flesh of the Son of God - are already crucified.

And the ending of the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian seems to be unexpected. After listing the passions and virtues, after asking for the bestowal of love, as a result - all of a sudden: “Let me see my sins so that I can not condemn my brother ...” Why does this seemingly private moment turn out to be the final chord?

Generally speaking, condemnation is closely related to another root feature of our mind - the tendency to endure judgments. This in itself is not bad, moreover, Christ tells His disciples that at the end of world history they will judge peace (see: Mt. 19:28). The court and its special case - judgment - is the ability to correctly see and assess the situation, the ability to correctly judge about the nature of any spiritual phenomenon (it is no coincidence that the gift reasoning considered the highest in asceticism). God has this capacity to an absolute degree; in a relative degree - Adam before the fall; in a degree approaching the latter, saints who have attained the highest possible perfection on earth. After all, it was Adam and Eve who were entrusted with “dominion” over all living things (see: Gen. 1:26), that is, to rule, reign in the world created by God, and this requires the ability judge about things and phenomena (the leaders of Israel before the establishment of the monarchy were called so - judges). And we see how wonderfully a person uses the ability given to him: Adam gives names to animals, as if penetrating into the essence of each of them (see: Gen. 2: 19-20).

But after the fall, the ability to judge, like all other forces in man, was distorted. Now Adam does not look at reality with a clear, unclouded look: a veil of sin has been placed over his eyes. Spiritual cataract. So judgment turns into condemnation: a person sees everything in a negative light, because his soul is not good. He is tormented by passions, he has lost his peace. Because of pride, which prompted him to try to steal his deification from the back door (cf.: Gen. 3:5), a person opposed himself to God, God's commandment - and immediately turned out to be radically opposed to his neighbor (it is no coincidence that the first fruit of sin in interhuman relations - the shame of Adam and Eve in front of each other, and the second - murder).

And so the man begins misjudge. Now in our judgments about something or about someone there is almost always, in the words of St. Theophan the Recluse, "self-centeredness" - egocentrism, pride of the mind, cut off from communion with God. And pride, selfishness is always a narrowing of consciousness and impoverishment of the inner world of a person. As Confucius wittily remarked: “When someone’s horizons are narrowed to a point, this is called a point of view.”

condemnation neighbor - the ultimate manifestation of such an incorrect, perverse judgments: after all, you cannot see the soul and motives of another person the way God sees them. There is always pride in judging others, an underlying feeling that you are somehow better. And finally, condemnation reveals the inner emptiness and poverty of the soul, which, being separated from God and not receiving food (grace) from Him, feeds on pride, asserting itself at the expense of others. Hence, condemnation is the direct opposite of love.

I have always been struck by one striking difference between truly believing people and "non-believers" (more precisely, those who do not live the fullness of church life). Non-church people who do not feed on the Sacraments, who do not seek to enter into communion with God through prayer, to know Him, can be very good, honest, moral, even altruistic. However - or maybe just because of these qualities - they are often completely confident in their rightness, integrity, "goodness" - and in the correctness of their judgments. Such people do not doubt their right judge, and therefore easily allow themselves and condemn. And people who lead the church life sometimes have obvious shortcomings, but they are aware of these shortcomings and repent of them. And although they don’t always get better in an obvious way, the skill itself, the habit of critically evaluating one’s actions (and in the light of the gospel commandments, the Personality of Christ, it’s impossible to evaluate them in any other way) forms an understanding of one’s own limitations, and, consequently, the limitations of one’s judgments. Christians at least know that it is wrong to judge and condemn; and even while doing this, they, of course, see that evangelical level, which they have not jumped yet again.

The modern world is permeated with the spirit of condemnation. Everything and everyone is judged: in science, in art, in everyday life - and politics and business are generally built on condemnation and the desire to crush a competitor. Against this background, the commandment of Christ “do not judge” is one of the most difficult not only to fulfill, but also to understand. She seems like some kind of naive beauty. Why should I give up critical thinking? Are Christians called to be naive and indiscriminately gullible, not to distinguish good from evil? And although we know that judging means assuming the prerogative of God, this somehow does not particularly convince us, perhaps because modern man is not averse to repeating the path of Adam and competing with God. Yes, and God Himself, Strong and Alive, is not a tangible reality for most of us.

But if a person tries to establish contact with this Living God - in prayer, the Sacraments, in everyday life - he suddenly discovers an amazing thing: God is much more delicate than we, people. He treats a person with care, tenderness. God does not judge! He, the Almighty, renounces judgment or cedes His full and sovereign right to judge to Another. Is not it so? “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22); The Son declares that he will not judge anyone, but His very word, penetrating into the heart of man, will judge (cf. John 8:15; 12:48). “He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me does not come to judgment, but (because already) has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). “He who believes in Him is not judged, but the unbeliever is already condemned” (John 3:18) – by the very fact of his rejection of God. The so-called Last Judgment - a source of horror for the believers of the Middle Ages, and for many of us (but not for the first Christians!) - will be the moment when everyone will finally decide for himself: whether he wants and can be with such a God, whom he he did not pardon or from whom he turned away (cf. the parable of the Last Judgment - Matt. 25: 31-46).

learning such There is more and more God, man begins to experience more and more inconveniences. Each time, judging near and far, even uttering the slightest harsh word against someone, he feels pain in his heart, he feels that the Holy Spirit is not pleased! The holy righteous John of Kronstadt, each time allowing anger and irritation towards someone, felt the grace of God being removed from himself. It's true, it's reality; only we, unlike the saint, are not sensitive to it.

Occasionally, but one has to meet people who are afraid and by all means avoid condemnation. Their inner world, some kind of quiet chastity in judgments and the constant desire to avoid condemnation - in a situation where, it would seem, it is impossible to avoid it - always make an indelible impression - it is so unusual - and always testifies to the spiritual height of a person: it is clear that he experiences a state of trembling, fear of God, which prompts him to be extremely careful in words, and this mood of the soul is felt during communication.

For example, Hieromartyr Seraphim (Zvezdinsky) recalled Metropolitan Macarius (Nevsky), whom he personally knew: . The Lord moved into him abundantly and never left him, he was afraid to anger the Lord. He sits at the table, talking with the guests, but if he touches someone a little, he becomes alert: “But we don’t condemn? Not condemnation? It's better to change the conversation." Very similar things are told about Archimandrite Seraphim (Tyapochkin) (he, in general, when conversations began in his presence during the meal, in which even a shadow of condemnation sounded, he went to another room, and if they followed him and continued the conversation, he fell asleep; in the same way Hieromonk Vasily (Roslyakov) acted - and one can safely say - about all the righteous.

The author of these lines was lucky to know several people approaching this state. One of them, a woman with a wonderful spiritual life, could suddenly say in the middle of a conversation: “I wanted to tell you about this now, but the Lord stopped me…” It means that the Holy Spirit informed her about which of her words were pleasing to Him and which were not, - this is the limit of refusal to judge, or, more precisely, the fulfillment of the words of the Apostle Paul: "We take captive every thought in obedience to Christ" (2 Cor. 10: 5).

Against this background, it becomes more than understandable the story from the Paterik about a negligent monk who did not carry out any special feats, and did not fast strictly, and did not know how to pray (at least, he himself thought so) - but was saved by only one thing: from the moment he came to monastery, he did not condemn anyone. In general, the ancient Patericons are full of stories about how some authoritative elder is asked to condemn or pass judgment on a monk who has fallen into sin - and he refuses to do this (one abba went to such a "public trial" over a sinning brother with a holey bag, from when sand was poured down; when asked about the reason for this behavior, the elder replied: "My sins follow me on the heels, and I go to sort out other people's sins." The court was canceled).

Do not condemn anyone - only a person can chaste, cautious in his judgments, sensitive to the voice of the Spirit within himself, a person in whose soul lives a quivering feeling called the fear of God. Do not condemn anyone - only a person can humble. After all, only he knows that he has neither the right, nor even any kind of exhaustive completeness of information in order to penetrate into the motives of the behavior of another and condemn him. He knows the value of his "judgments", he knows how often pride of mind stands behind them, and he knows what a terrible punishment follows condemnation: deprivation of God's grace. Do not condemn - can only patient to the shortcomings of others. Can't just judge loving, because love covers all sins and shortcomings - it can only weep for them, and this weeping, alien to any despair, we see in the Mother of God.

So condemnation is fundamentally opposed to chastity, humility, and love. We ask God to give us the opportunity to see our sins, knowing that this gift will automatically and to a large extent protect us from judgments and convictions. After all, as St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) emphasized, the sight of one’s sins leads to weeping, and “would he who weeps over his dead go to weep for others”? Maybe someday it will go - but these will already be tears of compassion: “I am the same as him. Lord, have mercy on both of us!" . In some people who have managed to contain the fullness of love, this compassion becomes all-encompassing: "Have mercy on us and Thy peace."

But you need to know that the gift to see your sins is a terrible gift. In its fullness, it can be bestowed only on strong ascetics, whom God sees that they will not break at this spectacle, will not give up, will not try to go back and forget themselves (in worldly entertainment, in work or in something else), but vice versa. - horror from yourself, such as you are, will become firewood for their repentance. And the fire of repentance will make them rockets, swiftly rushing into the sky - in this life and in the next.

This is the story of rare singles, chosen ones. But we, “little” Christians, can soberly, slowly, guided by the advice of spiritual fathers, begin to follow this path, like boats tied to the big ship of the ascetic, ascetic Tradition of our Church. And even if we do not move very far, this, in a sense, does not matter. It's important to take small steps.

Thus, non-judgment crowns Lenten prayer. It testifies to the Divine Love that lives in a person, and therefore immediately follows the petition for the spirit of love. However, all other positive properties listed in this prayer are also manifestations of love, and the path to it.

About this path - about finally today step on it - we pray the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian throughout way Great post. And in fact, we beg for one thing: “ Lord, You see how sinful death strikes all of me. You, You Yourself, Lord, dwell in me and do Your commandments in me.» .

After all, the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love is nothing but the Holy Spirit. Only He, having settled in us, can “drive away” the passions that constantly rush and torment us, “not give” us to be eaten by them, and thereby take us away from the influence of the evil spirits. Only He can give birth and grow in us those qualities listed in prayer that will make us like Christ.

Therefore, it is not so important with what words and in what edition we turn to God with this, in fact, the only request. The one that, like the main theme of the symphony, shimmers in endless variations, sounding in different ways in the prayers composed by the saints to someday turn our heart into “hope, a small orchestra under the control of love.” To God and neighbor.

Lord, King of Heaven, come and dwell in me. Cast away from me every opposing spirit, cleanse me from all filthiness. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me!

Lord and Master of my life, the spirit of despondency and neglect, idle talk and vanity, love of money and arrogance from me. Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, Thy servant. Yes, Lord, King, grant me to see my sins, and do not condemn my brother, for you are blessed forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian "Lord and Master of my life"

The Great Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian occupies a special place not only in the service of Holy Forty Days, but also in the heart of every Orthodox Christian. In the minds of many believers, she not only personifies this saving time, but also helps to correctly build the image of one's life, thoughts and spiritual priorities associated with this period.

Saint Ephraim the Syrian lived in the 4th century. In his youth, he led a far from the most pious way of life, which greatly upset his parents - poor farmers. The quick-tempered and irritable nature of Ephraim could not help but bring him to trouble. So it soon happened - he was put in prison, accused of stealing sheep. It was there, in a place devoid of any hope for a better future, that he heard a voice in a dream that called him to repentance and a change in lifestyle. This amazing event struck the young man so much that, after he was acquitted and released, he retired to the surrounding mountains, where he began to ascetic as a hermit. The spiritual leader of the monk was the Bishop of the Nisibis Church, St. James, together with whom St. Ephraim took part in the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (325). When Nisibia was taken by the Persians, St. Ephraim settled in a monastery near the city of Edessa. Here he was able to see with his own eyes many great ascetics, who were living and vivid examples of living faith, dispassionate prayer and genuine Christian humility. Ephraim the Syrian was also able to acquire all these virtues with his tireless work, who also found time to interpret the Holy Scriptures, compose various hymns and prayers, and also for the spiritual nourishment of his many disciples.

The creative legacy left by St. Ephraim the Syrian continues in our time to teach us true repentance, faith and piety. His repentant Lenten prayer has long been an integral part of Orthodox worship, thanks to the amazing combination of the simplicity of its few words and the deep wisdom contained in each of them. Here is everything that a believing person who has entered the field of Great Lent needs: hope for the mercy and help of God in our struggle with our passions and sinful inclinations, as well as a list of those goals that we must achieve, including the ability to see our own sins.

The Great Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian includes three groups of petitions that are closely related to each other. This is a kind of spiritual ladder, climbing to the top of which is impossible by stepping over the steps. Only consistent observance of the order of actions indicated in the prayer can help a person gain spiritual benefit, and not harm.

1. Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk.

Great Lent is a period of special labor associated with spiritual work on oneself and the struggle with one's passions. This work is extremely difficult, as it requires us to abandon the habitual way of life, associated not only with restrictions on food, but also in the renunciation of idle pleasures. The discomfort associated with such voluntary hardships affects each person in a different way, depending on the degree of his faith and churchness. But even with the strongest faith and firmness of spirit, we still need God's support. The Lord, speaking to His disciples, said: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch I have that does not bear fruit, He cuts off; and every one that bears fruit he cleanses, that it may bear more fruit. You are already cleansed through the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in Me and I in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit of its own accord unless it is in the vine, so neither can you unless you are in Me. I am the vine and you are the branches; whoever dwells in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing” (John 15:1-5).

Saying the words of the prayer “Lord and Master of my life”, we not only show humility and surrender ourselves to the will of God, but also receive protection from the destructive influence of the fallen angelic forces. The first epistle of the Apostle Peter says that we must constantly be on the watch, since "the devil goes about like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Pet. 5, 8). And the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians writes that: “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spirits of wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). It is impossible to overcome the fallen angels on your own, since any such "victory" over them without God's help is a Pyrrhic victory, entailing the most sad consequences for a person. All that is required of us is to make an effort, and God will give us strength.

The spirit of idleness

Saint Ephraim the Syrian puts idleness in the first place according to the degree of its danger to our salvation. Spiritual laziness and carelessness in relation to one's own soul is a very common phenomenon that does not allow the human soul to aspire to God. For its justification, idleness always finds a lot of good reasons leading to absolute relaxation. In this state, a person can no longer think about anything but vain entertainments that intoxicate the mind with their imaginary pleasures.

A person, no matter how much he wants to be inactive, will never be able to achieve this. We are called by God to create, because we are His image and likeness. “My Father is working until now, and I am working,” says the Lord, addressing the Jews. We are also called to this unceasing work. But here, as in many other cases, everything that we do (or do not do) can be turned by us for good or for harm. Idleness also cannot but have consequences, and the most sad ones: “Just as the land that is not sown and not planted produces weedy and unusable grass, so the soul, not exercised in good deeds, but by its nature constantly striving for activity, necessarily indulges in evil deeds. "(St. John Chrysostom). St. Simeon the New Theologian speaks of the same thing, calling us:

"Never remain completely idle ... lest idleness teach you every evil"

Spirit of Dejection

The Holy Fathers of the Church call idleness the root of all sins, one of which is despondency. According to St. John Chrysostom, “despondency is a severe torment of souls, some inexpressible torment and punishment, worse than any punishment and torment.” Despondency is not capable of producing anything positive, as it plunges the soul into a state of despair and hopelessness. This passion is called the suicide of the soul, which has lost the opportunity to see God and strive for Him. Despondency manifests itself either in the form of melancholy and boredom, or in the form of laziness and indifference to spiritual pursuits. How to overcome this dangerous state can be learned from the teachings of the holy fathers. Here are just a few of them:

“Prayer and unceasing meditation on God serve to exterminate despondency; reflection is supported by abstinence, and abstinence is protected by bodily labor ”(St. Ephraim the Syrian).

“In every business, define a measure for yourself, and do not leave it before you finish; also pray wisely and fervently, and the spirit of despondency will flee from you” (St. Nilus of Sinai).

“Diligent prayer is the death of despondency; and the memory of the last Judgment gives birth to zeal"(St. John of the Ladder).

The spirit of ambition

The desire to dominate and control others is the inevitable result of idleness and despondency. The soul that has fallen under the influence of these two passions ceases to see its limitations and sinful inferiority. Instead of taking care of herself, she begins to pay attention to the shortcomings of others. Instead of taking the log out of her own eye, she, seeing nothing inside herself, begins to try to take the speck out of her neighbor's eye. Where this can lead, says the Lord: “Leave them: they are the blind, the leaders of the blind; but if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the pit” (Matthew 15:14). These words of Jesus Christ were addressed to the Pharisees and scribes, who loved to preside in synagogues and feasts, to be in the public eye.

Idleness, despondency, arrogance - all these are different forms of manifestation of egoism, when the main measure of our attitude towards people and the world is not the Word of God, but our own Self, with all its egocentric manifestations. When the apostles, on the way to Capernaum, began to argue about which of them was greater, the Lord “called the twelve and said to them: Whoever wants to be the first, be the last of all and the servant of all” (Mk. 9, 35). Managing others is hard work, requiring not only knowledge and experience, but also inner purity:

“When I do not know how to control myself, when I do not have the spirit of self-control, the spirit of meekness, holiness, love and truth, then I am a bad steward. When all kinds of passions play with me, it’s better for me not to undertake to manage others, so as not to cause more harm to myself and them ”(Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt).

Spirit of idle talk

Idle talk in our time is perceived rather as something positive, because no one is so highly valued, especially at the table, as a person who is able to speak witty and ornate. He is the soul of the company, its central figure. And it does not matter that behind all this stream of words there is a condemnation, disregard for the life of the people or phenomena being discussed. The main thing is not to remain silent, but to shine in front of everyone with your eloquence. Idle talk is closely connected with arbitrariness, since the desire to rule over others is impossible without edifying conversations. Behind all these turns of speech lies vanity, which receives unspeakable joy from the opportunity to teach and instruct, especially when it comes not to some everyday problems, but to questions of a person’s internal dispensation. The apostle James encourages a few to become teachers, as they will be subjected to greater condemnation: “For we all sin much. He who does not sin in word is a perfect man, able to bridle even the whole body” (James 3:2). The same message contains other, no less important words that allow us to correctly determine the degree of our spiritual state. “With it (tongue) we bless God and the Father, and with it we curse people who are created in the likeness of God. From the same mouth comes a blessing and a curse: it must not, my brethren, be like this. Does sweet and bitter water flow from the same fountain? (James 3:10-11). St. John Chrysostom urges us to save more money words:

“The tongue, if you curb it and learn to walk smoothly, it will be like the royal horse on which the king sits, and if you leave it unbridled, it will be the chariot of the devil and demons”

1. Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, Thy servant.

If the first part of the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian concerns the passions with which we have to fight, then the second part lists those virtues that should take their place. This point is very important, since sin, so that it does not make itself felt in the future, it is necessary not only to eradicate, but also to fill the place freed from it with new content. In the Gospel of Matthew there is a parable of an evil spirit, which, leaving a person, sets off to wander through waterless places in search of peace. Not finding it, he returns to his former home. “And when he comes, he finds him unoccupied and put away; then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits worse than himself, and having entered, dwell there; and the last thing for that person is worse than the first “Matt. 12:43-45).

Chastity

Chastity is a virtue that implies moral and bodily purity, prudence, virginity and chastity. A chaste life today seems like an impossible task, especially in the light of the propaganda of permissiveness and licentiousness, which is shown on TV screens, in the media, and on the Internet. Integrity is perceived rather as a flaw that can cause ridicule from others. The words of Christ that anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her are perceived by the modern generation with hostility: “How can I connect my fate with one person if I don’t know if he is right for me? I must first try to build my relationship with him, and if it doesn’t work out, then with the second or third ... ”You can answer such reasoning with the words of John Chrysostom, who said that“ love is born from chastity, and countless blessings are born from love.

Moral and bodily purity was, is and will be that moral guideline that will not allow us to turn into reckless animals thinking only about carnal pleasures. St. John Chrysostom considers chastity a heavenly acquisition, the lot of angels and a gift from God. And St. Ephraim the Syrian teaches us that chastity consists not only in abstaining from fornication and carnal pleasures, but also in being free from other passions.

humility

Humility is the realization of one's imperfection and unworthiness before God and people. It will be possible to achieve such an attitude towards others if you listen to the words of St. Anthony the Great: “Consider the one who is weaker than you in virtues equal to yourself; regard him who is equal to you in virtues as far superior to you in perfection.

Humility is one of the aspects of such a virtue as humility. What is the difference between humility and humility of mind, St. Ignatius Brianchaninov explains well:

“Humility is a way of thinking borrowed from the Gospel, from Christ. Humility is a pledge of the heart, corresponding to humility of mind. First one must become accustomed to humility of mind; as you exercise in humility of mind, the soul acquires humility, because the state of the heart always depends on the thoughts that have become assimilated to the mind.

A person who has acquired humility of wisdom does not condemn others, does not slander, does not exalt himself, does not idle talk and avoid empty talk, does not seek his own benefit, endures insults with joy, does not upset anyone and does not deceive.

Patience

Patience is a decisive factor not only in spiritual but also in worldly life. Without it, it is impossible to achieve results either in sports, or in studies, or in any other sphere of human activity. A Christian who has managed to acquire this virtue is like an indestructible rock in the midst of a raging sea of ​​passions and temptations. To survive in this sea of ​​temptations is possible only by learning to endure all those trials through which it will be soul-saving for us to go through. The main thing here is to learn with your love to cover the weaknesses of others, and not your own. A patient attitude towards the misdeeds of others serves us well, but a patient attitude towards our own sins leads to destruction and death. Nothing shames those who do evil, says St. John Chrysostom, like our patience. When we do not retaliate in word or deed in response to insults and insults, we become wiser, thus bringing a reward not only to ourselves, but also to the benefit of our ill-wishers.

“Be patient with sorrows, because in them, like roses in thorns, virtues are born and ripen”(St. Nil of Sinai).

Love

Saint Basil the Great says that he who has love has God in himself. God is Love, and we, being illumined by this love, are called not only to abide in it, but also to constantly grow. This growth is not possible, however much we would like it, without trials. It is through numerous difficulties, problems, bodily and mental infirmities that we purify our love from the admixture of selfishness, making it free and pure. “Love has two remarkable properties: to grieve and suffer because a loved one suffers harm, and also to rejoice and work for his benefit” (St. Basil the Great). Carnal passionate love, which has managed to grow into spiritual love, is able to kindle a blessed fire in the soul, which will destroy everything dry and insensitive in it, making the soul “some kind of wide and fat arable land, capable of receiving divine seeds” (St. John Chrysostom). If we still feel a lack of love in ourselves or its complete absence, then this is not a reason for despondency and doing nothing. In this case, the Church calls us to do deeds of love that, sooner or later, will melt the petrified heart and give rise to true love in it.

1. Yes, Lord, King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother, for you are blessed forever and ever. Amen.

The third part of the repentant prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian concerns our inner dispensation. We ask God here to give us the opportunity to see our own sins. It is extremely difficult to achieve this goal without God's help, since our mind, darkened by sin, is directed primarily to the shortcomings of our neighbors. This position is quite understandable and convenient, as it allows you to present yourself in a more favorable light, compared to other people. The Pharisee, praying in the temple next to the publican, said to God these words: “God! I thank You that I am not like other people, robbers, offenders, adulterers, or like this publican: I fast twice a week, I give a tenth of everything that I get” (Luke 18:11). Saint Anthony the Great taught his disciples:

"It's a small miracle to see angels, a great miracle to see your own sins"

Seeing your sins is the best cure for condemnation. When a woman taken in adultery was brought to Christ, He said to the scribes, Pharisees, and ordinary people who had come with her: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again, bending low, he wrote on the ground. But they, having heard this, and being convicted by their conscience, began to leave one by one, beginning from the elders and down to the last; and only Jesus remained, and the woman standing in the midst” (John 8:2-11). Another, no less effective way to deal with condemnation is compassion: “Have pity - and you will not condemn.” It was this principle that many ascetics adhered to in their lives, including St. Silouan of Athos. He never condemned anyone, always trying to find an excuse for every sinner who came to him for help. Another point, which also should not be forgotten, is connected with the saying: “Whatever you condemn, you yourself will be.” The validity of this saying has already been verified by many of us more than once.

Rules for reading the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian

The reading of the Great Lenten Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian begins on Tuesday evening of Cheese Week. The prayer consists of three parts, after reading each of them it is necessary to make one prostration to the earth. After the third bow to the ground, having risen to their feet, the believers make 12 bows from the waist, accompanying them with the words "God, cleanse me, a sinner." Following the last bow from the waist, the prayer is read in full, and then another earthly bow follows. Bows and bows to the ground accompany prayer, so that all of our human nature takes part in prayer work, just as it usually manifests itself in everyday life.

According to the Charter, the prayer “Lord and Master of my life” is read throughout Great Lent, with the exception of Saturdays and Sundays. The last time the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is pronounced on Holy Wednesday.

In contact with

St. Ephraim Sirin

Prayer to you Ephraim the Syrian is a prayer of repentance, compiled in the 4th century. Venerable Ephraim the Syrian (Syrian), which is read at the services of Great Lent:

"Lord and Master of my life,

At the first reading of this prayer, after each of the three petitions, a prostration is made. Then 12 times a prayer is read to oneself: “God, cleanse me, a sinner,” with bows from the waist. Then the whole prayer is read again, after which one prostration is made.

This prayer is read in the temple at the clock on Wednesday and Friday of Cheese Week and throughout Holy Forty Days, except Saturdays and Sundays; also on the first three days of Holy Week. On the same days, it is included in the home prayer rule.
AT…

Great Lent every day - from Sunday evening to Friday, an amazing prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is read

The prayer attributed by tradition to one of the great teachers of the spiritual life, St. Ephraim the Syrian can indeed be called a Lenten prayer, because it stands out among all the hymns and prayers of Lent.

Here is the text of this prayer:

Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, Thy servant.

Hey, Lord, King!

Grant me to see my sins,

And don't judge my brother

For blessed are you forever and ever.

Prayer of Ephrem the Syrian

This prayer is read twice at the end of each Lenten service from Monday to Friday (it is not read on Saturdays and Sundays, because the services of these two days, as we will see later, differ from the general Lenten order). At…

Prayer of Ephrem the Syrian

Text, translations + wallpapers

The prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is read at divine services of the daily circle during Great Lent until Great Wednesday of Passion Week except Saturday and Sunday, as well as in private prayer at home. They create it this way:

Lord and Master of my life! Do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk. (earth bow)

Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, Thy servant. (earth bow)

Yes, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother, for you are blessed forever and ever. Amen. (earth bow)

God, cleanse me, a sinner/sinner. (12 times with waist bows)

And once again the whole prayer in full with one prostration at the end.

About the prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian, it can be said that it best, most simply and most briefly expresses the meaning and spirit of what Christians have been calling Great Lent for centuries. This prayer is repeated at the end of each Lenten service: the faithful read it at home, in their private prayer. (Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann.)

About Ephrem the Syrian.

Saint Ephraim the Syrian is a Christian poet, theologian, a great teacher of repentance, a prayer book, and a preacher. Ephraim the Syrian was born at the beginning of the 4th century in Mesopotamia. In a poor Christian family.
Efrem Sirin is a widely educated person of his time. He spoke Hebrew, had a wide knowledge of the geography and ethnography of Palestine, attaches particular value to his interpretations of Holy Scripture. The number of works of Ephraim the Syrian reached 1000, not counting the prayers he composed, poems that expounded church teaching. Many poems were set to folk tunes.
Saint Ephraim the Syrian taught that forgiveness…

Lord and Master of my life!

Do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk.

Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, Thy servant.

Yes, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother,

for blessed are you forever and ever

God, cleanse me, a sinner (12 times)

Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian: Lord and Master of my life

Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian: Lord and Master of my life

The Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is a prayer of repentance, written by St. Ephraim the Syrian, read according to the Orthodox church charter at the services of the daily circle during Great Lent until Great Wednesday of Passion Week, except for Saturday and Sunday, as well as in cell prayer at home.

About the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian

This prayer, which according to legend belongs to the Monk Ephraim the Syrian, is especially distinguished among all ...

Prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian

Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk.

But grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, your servant.

Yes, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother, for you are blessed forever and ever. Amen.

God, cleanse me a sinner.

Translation of the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian:

1) Lord and Master of my life! Do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk.

(Lord and Lord of my life! do not give me a tendency to idleness - laziness, despondency - hopelessness, lust for power and idle talk.

Idle talk - the pronunciation of empty words (idle talk), as well as the pronunciation of bad and swear words).

2) The spirit of chastity, humility, patience and ...

Great Lent is a period of abstinence from the usual pleasures to which the Orthodox Christian is accustomed. Among the pleasures of the Orthodox Church is not only food, but also entertainment - spiritual and bodily.

What is the meaning of the post?

If the meaning of this Christian tradition consisted only in food restrictions, then fasting would not be much different from a regular diet. It is believed that only in a state of restraint of bodily needs does a person become especially susceptible to spiritual work on himself, therefore fasting is a period of abstinence and repentance. And repentance is unthinkable without reading a prayer. What prayers to read in fasting? The most famous Lenten prayers and prayer books are “For every petition of the soul”, the penitential canon of St. Andrew of Crete. The most famous and revered prayer of Ephraim the Syrian in Great Lent is read in all churches and in the homes of believing Christians throughout the Lent.

Prayer during fasting

The famous Saint Theophan...

During Great Lent, during each prayer rule or prayer, the penitential prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian "Lord and Master of my life" is read.

St. Ephraim the Syrian, the son of a farmer from the city of Nisibis in Mesopotamia, lived in the 4th century, being reckless and irritable in his youth, but, having accidentally ended up in prison on charges of stealing sheep, he received his sight, was honored to hear the Voice of God and humbled himself. After that, he went to James of Nisibis, studied the Holy Scriptures and led an ascetic life in the mountains until the capture of Nisibis in 363 by the Persians. Since that time, he settled on a mountain near the city of Edessa, taught the people, preached Christianity to the pagans, refusing the rank of bishop, offered to him by St. Basil the Great in Caesarea. St. Ephraim died in 373 in the rank of deacon.

Lord and Master of my life,
do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk.
The spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love, grant me to Your servant.
Hey, Lord the King,
grant me...

It is read both in temples and in homes throughout the Lent. And this prayer is explained, it would seem, deeply and in detail. But the essence of holy things, the essence of words born by the Holy Spirit, is such that from the multiplied efforts to study and interpret new shades and facets of meaning are revealed. This work does not bring fatigue, on the contrary, it strengthens the worker, pleases and points the way forward.

Let us pay attention to the fact that in this prayer we are talking about a spiritual struggle, that is, a struggle where one spirit opposes another. Give me the spirit of “chastity, humility, patience, love” (the man asks in the words of St. Ephraim), but do not give me the “spirit of idleness, despondency, lust and idle talk.” In the language of the Bible, "don't give" can mean "don't let it." So in the Lord's Prayer "lead not into temptation" means "do not allow to fall into temptation"

This may seem like an annoying reminder, but let's say again that fasting is a spiritual struggle, not a gastronomic phenomenon. One spirit...

The Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is a prayer, accompanied by bows to the ground, which is read during the weekly (that is, everyday) services of Great Lent.

Traditionally considered the work of St. Ephraim the Syrian (c. 306-373, theologian, poet, the most famous of the Syrian Church Fathers).

The worship performed by the Egyptian monks of the 4th-5th centuries consisted of reading or singing psalms, interspersed with the silent prayer of the monks with upraised hands, and ended with bows.

The way of reading the Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian also goes back to this tradition. In the practice of the Russian Orthodox Church, this prayer is read aloud by the priest in the presence of those praying, which is explained by the insufficient knowledge of its parishioners; the raising of hands is performed only by the priest (or in a number of dioceses it is not performed at all).

In the Greek Churches...

Today, at the evening service in churches, they begin to read the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian "Lord and Master of my life." Does this mean that Great Lent has already arrived? No. Priest Theodore LUDOGOVSKY and poet Olga SEDAKOVA tell about the liturgical place, meaning and poetics of Lenten prayer.

Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian:
Lord and Master of my life,
do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk.
Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, Thy servant.
Hey, Lord, King,
grant me to see my sins and do not judge my brother,
so blessed are you forever and ever.
Amen.

Greek text:
…

GREAT MEDITATION
ON THE PRAYER OF EPHRAIM THE SIRINE.

The full text of the “Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian” is given, Church Slavonic words are explained, explanations and reflections are given on this prayer. At the end is the Bibliography.

Great Lent is a joyful period of our life, since at this time we cleanse ourselves from sin. At this time, in the church and at home, during each prayer rule or prayer, the repentant prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is read. According to the church charter, it is read on the clock and on the whole of Holy Forty Days, except Saturday and Sunday.

In the Theological Encyclopedic Dictionary about St. Ephraim the Syrian, there is the following note: “St. Ephraim the Syrian, the son of a farmer from the city of Nisibia in Mesopotamia, he lived in the 4th century, being reckless and irritable in his youth, but, having accidentally ended up in prison on charges of stealing sheep, he received his sight here, was honored to hear the Voice of God and humbled himself. Then he went to Jacob...

During Great Lent they read the most famous penitential prayer of the Church - the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian. What are we asking for?

Prayer of Ephrem the Syrian

Photo from pravmir.ru

Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, Thy servant.

Yes, Lord, King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother, for you are blessed forever and ever. Amen".

Lord and Master of my life! Do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, the desire to rule and empty talk.

On the contrary, give me, Thy servant, the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love.

Oh Lord and King! Let me see my fall and not condemn my brother; for You are glorified to the end of time.

What are we asking for?

The prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is a prayer of repentance. It lists the most important sins that prevent us from repenting, and the most important ...

Love the most beautiful post - a worthy and charitable deed. Fasting is a chariot that takes you to heaven. Fasting produces prophets; makes legislators wise. Fasting is a good protection for the soul, a reliable partner for the body. Fasting is a weapon for the valiant, a school for ascetics. Fasting reflects temptations, anoints the feat of piety; he is a cohabitant of sobriety, a culprit of chastity. Fasting is valor in battle. Fasting quenched the fiery power. Fasting stopped the mouths of lions. Fasting raises prayer to heaven. Fasting is the mother of health. Fasting is a mentor of youth, an adornment of elders, a good companion to travelers. Those who fast have an honest body and a precious soul...

Venerable Ephraim the Syrian

Great Lenten Prayer of Ephrem the Syrian

Great Lent every day - from Sunday evening to Friday is read

amazing prayer of Ephraim the Syrian

A small prayer of the 4th century Christian saint Ephraim the Syrian is a symbol of Great Lent.

It stands out especially among all the hymns and prayers...

Orthodox literature in WORD format (.doc) and sacred music - Great Lent / Prayer of Ephrem the Syrian

About the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian

This prayer, which according to tradition belongs to St. Ephraim the Syrian, stands out among all the chants and prayers of Great Lent. It is most often read in the temple, and the whole Church kneels before the Master and the Lord in fervent prayer.

Before moving towards the goal, we must understand it for ourselves, we must also understand what prevents us from embarking on the path of turning to God.

Our main ailment is idleness. This is our laziness, negligence, negligence. We are accustomed to believing that this, although a sin, is not very terrible. It seems that it is worth wanting - and everything will be as it should. The whole trouble is that the farther, the less desire and strength to turn things around in a different way. Strange laziness pulls down, all desire to force oneself, to force oneself to move from the dead point, in spite of everything, disappears. It seems that this is no longer possible, and if so, then why try?

Idleness is…

The Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is a Lenten prayer of repentance, accompanied by bows to the ground and read, according to the church charter, at divine services of the daily circle, starting from Wednesday and Friday of Cheese Week, daily with the onset of Great Lent on weekdays (except Saturday and Sunday) until Great Wednesday of Passion Week .

The prayer was composed by St. Ephraim the Syrian (c. 306-373, theologian, poet, the most famous of the Syrian Fathers of the Church).

The worship performed by the Egyptian monks of the 4th-5th centuries consisted of reading or singing psalms, interspersed with the silent prayer of the monks with upraised hands, and ended with bows.

The way of reading the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian also goes back to this tradition. In the practice of the Russian Orthodox Church, this prayer is read aloud by the priest in the presence of those praying, ...

During Great Lent, in church and at home, the penitential Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is read:

Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk. ( bow to the ground).

The spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love, grant me to Your servant. ( bow to the ground).

Yes, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins, and do not condemn my brother, for you are blessed forever and ever, amen. ( bow to the ground).

God, cleanse me a sinner,
(12 times and the same number of bows).

(Then repeat the whole prayer):
Lord and Master of life……. forever and ever, amen.
(and one earthly bow).

GREAT MEDITATION
TO THE PRAYER OF EPHRAIM THE SIRINE

The full text of the “Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian” is given, Church Slavonic words are explained, explanations and reflections are given on this prayer.

Great Lent is a joyful period of our life, since at this time we cleanse ourselves from sin. At this time, in the church and at home, during each prayer rule or prayer, the repentant prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is read. According to the church charter, it is read on the clock on Wednesday and Friday of Cheese Week and throughout Holy Forty Days, except for Saturdays and Sundays; also on the first three days of Holy Week. On the same days, it is included in the home prayer rule.

In the Theological Encyclopedic Dictionary about St. Ephraim the Syrian, there is the following note: “ St. Ephraim the Syrian, the son of a farmer from the city of Nisibia in Mesopotamia, he lived in the 4th century, being reckless and irritable in his youth, but, having accidentally ended up in prison on charges of stealing sheep, he received his sight here, was honored to hear the Voice of God and humbled himself. After that, he went to James of Nisibis, studied the Holy Scriptures and led an ascetic life in the mountains until the capture of Nisibis in 363 by the Persians. Since that time, he settled on a mountain near the city of Edessa, taught the people, preached Christianity to the pagans, refusing the rank of bishop, offered to him by St. Basil the Great in Caesarea. St. Ephraim died in 373 in the rank of deacon. He left many interpretations of the Holy Scriptures and other writings translated into Greek and read in churches, as well as touching prayers and hymns and the prayer of repentance "Lord and Master of my life" and many ascetic works.».

• Lord and Master of my life,
• do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk.
  (Earth bow).
• The spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love, grant me to Your servant.
  (Earth bow).
• Hey, Lord the King,grant me to see my sins,and do not judge my brother,
• for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages, amen.
  (Earth bow).
• God, cleanse me a sinner,
  (12 times and the same number of waist bows).

(Then repeat the whole prayer):
Lord and Master of life……. forever and ever, amen.
(and one prostration).

A short explanation of this prayer is in the textbook of Father Archpriest Seraphim Slobodsky in his well-known book “The Law of God for the Family and School” on page 668, which we cite here.

« my belly — my life; the spirit of idleness — propensity for idleness or laziness;despondency- hopelessness; curiosity — lust for power, i.e. love to rule and rule over others; idle talk — pronunciation of empty words (idle talk), as well as the pronunciation of bad and swear words words: don't give me — don't let me.

Chastity —sanity, prudence, as well as purity and integrity of the soul; humility — consciousness of our imperfection and unworthiness before God, and when we do not think of ourselves that we are better than others (humility); patience — patience is needed when enduring any inconvenience, deprivation and impiety; and it is also necessary in order to bring the good work begun to the end; love — love (to God and neighbor).

Oh Lord — Oh my God! give me sight — let me see, be aware.
Under brother of course every other person.
Like bless you because you are worthy of praise»
God, cleanse me a sinner.

Here we will write our thoughts that this prayer leads us to:

reflection

one. " Lord and Master of my life».
Appeal to the Lord God: "Lord and Master of my life."
You are my mentor, my wisdom, my inspiration and my comforter. You discover the secrets of the world and nature.
Your Commandments were, are and will be true always and at all times - "forever and ever." This is the evidence that You exist and that they are from You.
I want to live the way you teach. Your commandments are true. In the fulfillment of Your commandments, my life path and my salvation. They are salvation for my family, relatives, friends, my people and the whole world.
Lord, strengthen me in faith in You and in Your saving teaching.

2. " The spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk do not give me».
"Deliver me from the spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk."

"Spirit of idleness". Lord, do not let me be idle, empty and spend time carelessly. Each person has talents and knowledge given by You that need to be used for the benefit of people and Your glory.
So many people are searching and not knowing that they are looking for You Lord God. So they need help to find You. There are so many people with whom we - by Your Providence - come into contact and they need help - in deed or word. It is so important to help with deed, but it is even more important to help with a word: to teach, inspire, lead to You, the Source of all blessings, knowledge and wisdom.
So much needs to be done for me - spiritually improve myself - in order to be closer to the Lord God and better help people. Many do not think about others, do not see their grief and do not want to help. They find a thousand reasons why not to do it.
Lord, do not let me be idle, empty and spend time carelessly.

"Spirit of Despondency" Lord, don't let me be discouraged. The one who gives in to despondency does not believe in Your Providence, in Your care for us, that each of us has a task and that everything has its own reason. Therefore, we must always believe, pray, hope and expect help from You.
Lord, don't let me be discouraged.

"The spirit of curiosity". God forbid that I love to rule over others, to command and manage everyone, to always be in the first place, to insist on my own, to be proud. Don't let me put my desire above others. Let me do only Your will. Help me to be humble and not succumb to the opposite current of our world.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3) our Lord Jesus Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount. This is the absence of arrogance, this is humility. The beginning of spiritual growth begins with “poverty of the spirit,” that is, with humility. From here comes our spiritual improvement and deification - which is our path and ultimate goal.
God forbid that I love to be in charge.

"Spirit of idle talk". God forbid me to idle talk - to speak idle words, to talk about idle objects that no one needs. Do not let me sin with verbosity, idle talk - which give rise to condemnation and insult.
Give me the wisdom of dealing with people and remember the power of the word good and bad. Through the word a person changes for the better or for the worse. Give me, Lord, wisdom and knowledge to sow Your good and healing words - to sow love, peace, silence, tranquility, forgiveness, understanding and reconciliation.
About the power of the word, the Lord God Jesus Christ Himself teaches us: “I say to you that every idle word that people say, they will give an answer in the day of judgment: for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36- 37). St. Ephraim the Syrian said that: "Silence is the sacrament of the future age, and words are the weapons of this age."
Lord, don't let me be idle.

3. " The spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love, grant me to Your servant».

"Spirit of Chastity". Help me Lord God to be chaste. (Dal's Dictionary: Chaste - having kept himself in virgin purity or marriage purity, immaculate). Help me, Lord, to be morally pure: in deeds, in words and thoughts.
The doctrine of chastity comes from the Seventh Commandment of the Old Testament (“Do not commit adultery”, in Russian: do not commit adultery) and the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ about its deeper understanding. He said that not only adultery is a sin, but even an unclean look at a woman: “everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). When the ancient Jews began to accuse Him of teaching something new, the Lord Jesus Christ answered, “Do not think that I have come to violate the law or the prophets; I came not to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).
Following the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, Orthodox Christians interpret the Ten Commandments broadly. They are, as it were, the title or shorthand record of a whole way of thinking. Therefore, it is not only a sin to break them, but also a sin and any act that leads to a violation of the commandment. Thus the seventh commandment is explained as follows: “Forbidden is adultery and all unlawful and impure love. It is necessary to observe the purity of thoughts, desires, words and deeds. Everything that can arouse impure feelings (in oneself and in others) should be avoided: shameless allusions, ambiguities, anecdotes, paintings, films, books, songs, dances, clothes. In order to live with your spouse purely and righteously before God, it is imperative that there be a blessing from the Church in the Sacrament of Holy Marriage.

Father Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy in his well-known book “The Law of God for the Family and School” on page 581 writes as follows:
« By the seventh commandment, the Lord God forbids adultery, that is, the violation of marital fidelity and all unlawful and impure love.
God forbids husband and wife to violate mutual fidelity and love. God commands the unmarried to observe the purity of thoughts and desires - to be chaste in deeds and in words, in thoughts and desires.
To do this, you need to avoid everything that can arouse impure feelings in your heart: foul language, shameless songs and dances, seductive spectacles and pictures, reading immoral books, drunkenness, etc.
The Word of God commands us to keep our bodies clean, because our bodies are "members of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit." "Fornicators sin against their own body", weaken the health of their body, expose it to diseases and damage even mental faculties, especially imagination and memory».
(See also the spiritual leaflet: The Seventh Commandment.
Help me, Lord God, to be chaste in the broadest interpretation of this word.

"The spirit of humility and patience." Help me, Lord, to be humble, calm, not to be indignant in vain - help me to be patient. All these sins close our spiritual eyes and we do not see everything as it is. Humility and patience solves many difficulties.
Help me Lord to be humble and patient.

"Spirit of Love" “God is love” (I John 4:8). You, Lord God, are love, and Your teaching is the personification of love. You taught us what love is. All Your teaching is love and an expression of love and kindness towards a person.
Help me, Lord, to love everyone in word, deed and thought. Help me remember that love is philanthropy, goodwill, friendliness, caring for one's neighbor, it is helping a person, and at the very least it is a smile and a greeting. Love is the opposite of selfishness and selfishness. Love is the key to a fruitful and correct life.
Grant me, Lord God, the ability to love.

4. " Yes, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins, and do not condemn my brother».
"Lord the King, help me see my sins and not judge others."
Judgment of people is a great sin and comes from our selfishness, hostility and envy towards people. Usually we do not notice our sins, we justify them, they seem insignificant to us. We see the sins of others clearly, even the smallest ones. The Lord Jesus Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but you do not feel the beam in your own eye” (Matthew 7:3). In order not to sin with condemnation, we need to learn to see our sins, then it will be easier for us to endure the weaknesses of others and we will be less inclined to condemn them.
Lord, help me see my sins and not judge others.

5. " For blessed art thou forever and ever, amen". Conclusion of the prayer: Lord, may You be blessed for all time, amen.
Lord, may You and Your Holy will be always, everywhere and everywhere. Amen.

When Great Lent begins, believers who come to church hear a large number of different prayers. But the prayer of Efremov the Sirin sounds much more often than all the others. It is necessary to read this prayer twice in one day, this is a prerequisite. But the prayer does not sound every day; on Saturdays and Sundays it is not necessary to read it.

During the first reading of this prayer, a person bows to the ground after each petition. Then he needs to repeat 12 times: “God, cleanse me a sinner,” while doing small bows. Next, you should read the entire prayer again and make one prostration.

What are they praying for

Prayer to St. Ephraim the Syrian is necessary for repentance. It indicates all the sins that people commit most often and all those that are very terrible, they prevent a person from repenting. What is asked in prayer:

• very often people spend their time carelessly or are simply too lazy to do something, this is considered a sin, people in this prayer ask for forgiveness. After all, each person is endowed by the Lord with some unique talent, which he must use for the good of mankind;
• the prayer to Ephraim the Syrian is aimed at ensuring that a person gets rid of anger, becomes more patient and his sins are forgiven;
• also people ask to get rid of the evil and empty talk that they periodically do;
• reading the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian in fasting, people want to acquire patience, for sin makes people impatient.

Why is this prayer necessary?

Sometimes people do not understand why this, at first glance, a simple and small prayer occupies such a high place in the worship service in Lent. The answer is quite simple, in the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, all positive as well as negative elements of repentance were collected. Also, reading this prayer, a person determines for himself a list of feats.

The main goal of exploits is to free a person from any illness that interferes with a normal life, prevents him from embarking on the path of turning to God. The most common ailment is: laziness, idleness, negligence.

These negative qualities have a bad effect on a person, they pull him down, thereby not only moving away from God, but laziness, negligence constantly prevent a person from changing something in his life in a positive way. When they read the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, the parishioners ask the Lord for forgiveness for all the sins that they have done.

Another strong ailment is despondency. Many spiritual teachers consider this problem the main danger to the human soul. When a person is in this unfavorable state, he loses the opportunity to adequately assess the situation and see something good, everything comes down to negativity.

Most believers are of the general opinion that in this case the devil begins to control the person, because he is a liar who presents the person with incorrect information about God and about the whole world as a whole, filling his whole world with darkness. Reading the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, people ask that such a state never come to them, and that they could fully feel all the colors of life.

The last disease is arrogance - this is an excessive love of power. Ambiguity arises in a person due to the presence of the two ailments described above, which pervert the understanding of a person. Through power, he desires retribution in relation to other people, trying to subjugate them to himself.

Why is this prayer said only during fasting?

Every day a person should pay attention to what he does, how he lives his life. But it is during the fasting period that you need to focus, identify your sins and do everything possible to correct your shortcomings.

During the period of fasting, a person must make even more efforts than usual to transform his life for the better. But, to achieve this goal, God's assistance is necessary for this, people read this prayer.

Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian "Lord Lord"

Lord and Master of my life!
The spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance
and idle talk do not give me.
(earth bow)
The spirit of chastity, humility,
grant me patience and love, Thy servant.
(earth bow)
Hey, Lord the King, grant me my sight
transgressions and do not judge my brother,
for blessed are you forever and ever
Amen.
(earth bow)
God, cleanse me, a sinner (sinner).
12 times with waist bows

Prayer of those who offend Ephraim the Syrian

Have mercy, Lord, on those who hate me and envy me!
Have mercy, Lord, on those who slander me and offend me!
Do nothing evil to them for your unworthy servant; but according to His inexpressible mercy and according to His immeasurable goodness, neither in this life, nor in the next century, may they not suffer evil for me, a sinner!
Sanctify them with Your mercy and fall with Your grace, the All-good One, because before all, blessed are You forever and ever. Amen.

Reading the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, people ask to save them from despondency, excessive love for power and laziness, as these are considered serious sins. It is during the period of Lent that a person should pay maximum attention to all the deeds that he does.

Listen to the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian

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