Prayer read at the time. What basic prayers should an Orthodox Christian know and read? What prayers are read in fasting

27.09.201927.05.2017

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The observance of Great Lent is a voluntary act and is deeply individual. In order for the laity to fast according to the church charter, it is necessary to receive the blessing of the spiritual father, because Christians must spiritually prepare before entering the fast, go through the sacrament of confession.

great post- the strictest and longest of all four multi-day fasts established by the Orthodox Church, will begin on February 19, after Forgiveness Sunday. Great Lent is the first of many days of fasting in a year, the purpose of which is to achieve internal qualitative changes, this is not just a rejection of fast food, but also from harmful passions and sinful thoughts.

The first day of Great Lent 2018 prayers: a time of detachment from worldly affairs and communion with God

In Great Lent, like any other, the strictest food ban is imposed on meat, since it is believed that the violent death of an animal whose meat we subsequently eat leaves its mark.

The Bible says that food for people in paradise was only vegetable, and that all the animals created by God were needed by people. Based on this, the attitude towards them should have been appropriate, therefore, during the flood, everyone was saved - "each creature in pairs."

Liturgically Clean Monday begins on the evening of Sunday, February 18. After Vespers, a special rite of forgiveness is performed: the rector of the temple says a parting word before Great Lent, the first one bows to the parishioners and asks for their forgiveness. Further, all the clergy and laity ask each other for forgiveness. This is done in order to enter Great Lent with a pure soul, reconciled with all neighbors.

First Day of Lent 2018 Prayer: Lenten Prayer

Orthodox go towards Christ, preparing themselves for Easter, cleansing the body and soul of that earthly thing that can prevent us from approaching Heaven. Fasting is not a strict diet, but a time for prayer. By itself, dietary restriction will not prepare us for the Great Feast. But, if in Great Lent we free ourselves from past offenses, forgive our enemies, as the Lord forgives us, clear our minds of bad thoughts, we will come closer to the state in which God would like to see us. It is a stay in love and divine grace.

Prayer in Lent should be given more time than usual. You can read the usual morning and evening prayers or something else, for example, the Psalter, but during fasting you need to add one more prayer to these prayers - a short and capacious prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian.

The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is one of the most frequently recited during Great Lent.

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:

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 don't judge my brother

For blessed are you forever and ever.

Holy Week

Orthodox Christians will remember the events of Holy Week (Passion Week) throughout Great Lent. Indeed, on the first four Sunday services, Vespers is served with an akathist to the Passion of Christ (Passia). In Holy Week, we remember the suffering and death of Christ on the cross. The first three days of Holy Week are the days when the last Sacraments of the Eucharist are celebrated in the current church year. On vacation, they say the words “The Coming Lord on a free Passion.” This is a reminder that the Lord voluntarily accepted our sins and accepted suffering and death for our salvation.

The strictest fast is observed on Good Friday, on the eve of Great Saturday. Good Friday is spent in the strictest abstinence. At the Great Saturday service, the canon of Great Saturday is read before the Shroud. This is the time before Easter matins… Great Lent is ending, Easter is coming!

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Lent is the longest and strictest of all. This period is aimed not only at bodily, but also at spiritual cleansing. So that a religious tradition does not turn into a regular diet, daily pray to the Lord and the saints.

Great Lent is the preparation for Easter. During this period, believers can achieve unity with God and purify the soul from sins. Many people mistakenly think that while fasting, you just need to give up prohibited foods. However, without prayer appeals and the performance of charitable deeds, fasting is an ordinary diet. Don't forget to attend church and try to spend more time praying than usual.

Meaning of Lent

The main meaning of Great Lent is not the rejection of meat and dairy products, but the purification of the soul. That is why the church recommends to refrain not only from certain products, but also from the usual entertainment.

During fasting, it is recommended to spend less time in front of the TV or on the Internet. Entertaining programs and meaningless information only litter our lives. Free hours are best spent in the church, where you can pray and repent of your sins.

During this period, you can rethink your life, think about your destiny. During fasting, you will be able to look into your heart and understand what you really want from life.

Take care not only about cleansing your body, but also your soul. Get rid of negative thoughts and try to let go of old grudges. Imagine that every day you have the opportunity to start life with clean slate, but for this it is necessary to say goodbye to the past.

Morning Prayer During Lent

Orthodox believers know that it is necessary to start every morning with a prayer, especially during fasting. With its help, you can create a positive attitude and protect yourself from any troubles.

“Lord God, be merciful to me a sinner. Cleanse my soul from sins, deliver me from evil thoughts. Protect me from enemies and from their atrocities. I believe in Your generosity and kindness that You give us. Glory to Thee, God. Amen!"

Evening Prayer During Lent

“Lord God, the creator of all life on earth and the King of Heaven, forgive me for the sins I committed during the day in word or deed. Even in a dream, I, a servant of God, do not lose faith in You. I believe that You will deliver me from sins and cleanse my soul. Every day I hope for Your protection. Hear my prayer, answer my requests. Amen".

Before going to bed, do not forget to pray to your Guardian Angel:

“Guardian Angel, protector of my soul and my body. If I have sinned on this day, deliver me from my sins. Don't let the Lord God be angry with me. Pray for me, the servant (s) of God (s) (name), before the Lord God, ask him for the remission of my sins and protect me from committing evil. Amen".

Prayer for forgiveness of sins

During Great Lent, every believer must repent for his sins - this is an important part of spiritual cleansing. Remember to say a prayer every day.

“I turn, servant (a) of God (s) (name), to You, Lord, and with all my heart I ask You to forgive my sins. Have mercy on me, Heavenly King, deliver me from mental anguish and self-torture. I will turn to You, Son of God. You died for our sins and You rose again to live forever. I hope for your help and ask you to bless me. You are forever my Savior. Amen!"

The main prayer in Great Lent

Short prayer of Ephraim the Syrian - main prayer for the period of Lent. It is said on weekdays, at the end of each Lenten service. With its help, you can repent, save your soul from sins, and protect yourself and your loved ones from illnesses and evil.

“The Lord God, Lord of my days. Do not let the spirit of inaction, sadness, self-love come to me. Give the spirit of sanity and humility, love and patience to me, your servant (e) (name). Lord God, punish me for my sins, but do not punish my neighbor for them. Amen!"

Miraculous words: prayer during fasting on days in full description from all the sources we found.

It is customary to read various prayers during Great Lent, but the most important is the penitential prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. This holiday is dedicated to a chapter in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. It describes in detail how to behave during fasting and other nuances. On these days, you can perform various rituals, read conspiracies and prayers. People believe that all appeals to God during this period will certainly be heard.

Prayers for Great Lent

As already mentioned, the most important prayer during the days of Great Lent is considered to be an appeal from the holy Sirin. It lists the most important aspects of repentance, and also indicates what exactly needs to be done and what to work on. The main idea of prayer is that a person must be freed from an illness that is an obstacle to communication with God. The prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian sounds like this:

"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.

grant me to see my sins,

and do not judge my brother,

for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages, amen.

God, cleanse me a sinner!”

To make the prayer more understandable, you need to dwell on the most important points that are described in it. First, a request is made to get rid of important sins:

The spirit of idleness. The saint asks God to save him from wasting time. Everyone has certain talents and skills that need to be properly applied for the benefit of all mankind. Idleness is considered the root of all sins.
Spirit of Dejection. If a person is driven by despondency, then he does not have the opportunity to see goodness and happiness in life. He just plunges into darkness and becomes a real pessimist. That is why in order to move in the right direction and be closer to God, you need to get rid of this sin.
The spirit of ambition. Practically in the life of every person there is a desire to control people, for example, power in the family, at work, etc. The love of management can become a serious problem that prevents you from developing and communicating with God.
Spirit of Prophecy. Man is the only creation of God who has received the ability to speak. Often words are used for insults, curses, etc. In prayer, the saint asks God to protect him from vain and evil words.

Fasting without prayers cannot pass. You can read morning, evening prayers or the Psalter. It is important to always add the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian.

Prayer during fasting by day

Prayer of Ephrem 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.

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

so blessed are you forever and ever. Amen.

Take some additional texts into your prayer rule: canons, akathists (akathists are read in private during fasting days), psalms, etc. (Moreover, think for yourself what you can really raise, and do not ask your father who is always busy and in a hurry. He may approve or disapprove of your choice, but he cannot decide for you.)

required element of the post. Make it a rule to read daily the lives of the saints of this day.

Or all the texts of the divine service set for that day.

You can discipline yourself by reading each morning, one chapter at a time, of the Gospel (the next year - the Apostle) and meditate on what you have read all day long.

Forbid yourself to wander thoughts during the post: read advertisements in the subway car, listen to the radio in the car, spend time watching TV at home. Let it be spiritual reading or listening to spiritual broadcasts.

Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann writes beautifully about this:

“We must understand that it is impossible to divide our life between Lenten light sadness and the experience of a fashionable film or performance. These two experiences are incompatible, and one of them finally destroys the other. However, it is very likely that the latest fashionable film rather overcomes light sadness; the opposite can happen only with the application of special efforts. Therefore, the first Lenten custom that can be proposed is a decisive cessation of listening to radio and television during Lent. In this case, we do not dare to suggest a perfect fast, but at least an ascetic one, which, as we have already said, primarily means a change in “diet” and abstinence. For example, there is nothing wrong with continuing to follow the transmission of information or a serious program that enriches us spiritually and intellectually. But what must be ended by fasting is the chainedness to the TV, the vegetative existence of a person chained to the screen, passively absorbing everything that is shown to him.

Soul Watching

In general, a person should watch the soul all the time. However, this is especially true of fasting, and for this reason. Experiencing discomfort from fasting abstinence, a person becomes more irritable, picky, it is more difficult for him to keep himself within limits. It can be attributed to temptations from demons. Not without temptations, of course, but the point is, first of all, that all those unhealed moods crawl out of the soul, which do not manifest themselves until we are full, not tired, satisfied ...

Therefore, pastors from ancient times to this day strongly advise a fasting person to pay attention to their behavior, attitude towards their neighbors, and so on. “The one who thinks that fasting is only abstaining from food is mistaken. True fasting is the removal from evil, the curbing of the tongue, the putting off of anger, the taming of lusts, the cessation of slander, lies and perjury ”(St. John Chrysostom).

The same saint says what a real fast should be like:

“Together with bodily fasting, there must also be spiritual fasting ... During bodily fasting, the womb fasts from food and drink, while spiritual fasting refrains from evil thoughts, deeds and words. A real faster refrains from anger, rage, malice, revenge. A real faster abstains his tongue from idle talk, swearing, idle talk, slander, condemnation, flattery, lies and all kinds of slander... Do you see, Christian, what a spiritual fast?

The Holy Fathers absolutely definitely taught that abstinence from food must necessarily be combined with the abstinence of the soul from evil. “The trouble of the flesh, combined with the contrition of the spirit, will make a pleasing sacrifice to God and a worthy abode of holiness in the secrecy of a pure, well-decorated spirit” (St. John Cassian).

Here is another quote from the same holy father (his memory is celebrated every 4 years, on February 29), a great ascetic and ascetic:

“What is the use of abstaining from food and being defiled by fornication? You do not eat meat, but you torment the flesh of your brother with slander. What profit is there in not making merry with wine, but reveling in riches? What is the use of not eating bread and being drunk with anger? What profit is it to exhaust oneself with fasting and at the same time to slander one's neighbor? What is the use of abstaining from food and stealing someone else's? What is the need to dry up the body and not feed the hungry? What is the use of wearying the members and showing no mercy to the widows and orphans.

Are you fasting? In this case, avoid slander, avoid lies, slander, enmity, blasphemy and all fuss.

Are you fasting? Then avoid anger, jealousy, perjury and all injustice.

Are you fasting? Avoid gluttony, which breeds all wickedness...

If you fast for the sake of God, then avoid every deed that God hates, and He will accept your repentance with favor.

One of our bad habits, subject to eradication, the holy fathers considered the sin of idle talk. Russian word to chat very accurately, although rudely, conveys the meaning of this sin - swinging, dangling the tongue from side to side. When, if not in the days of Great Lent, should we declare war on idle talk?

St. Gregory the Theologian wrote about this a wonderful treatise “A word on silence during fasting”:

“When, bringing a mysterious sacrifice to the human sufferings of God, so that I myself would die for life, I bound the flesh for forty days, according to the laws of Christ the King, since healing is given to cleansed bodies, then, firstly, I brought the mind into steadfastness, living alone, far from everyone, surrounded by a cloud of lamentation, gathered all in himself and undistracted by thoughts, and then, following the rules of holy men, he put the door to his lips. The reason for this is that, refraining from every word, learn to observe the measure in words ... "

And is it not for deliverance from the sin of idle talk that we pray with the words of the Lenten prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian: “Lord and Master of my life. Spirit ... give me no idle talk.

doing good

Many Christians ask how they can specifically serve their neighbors. It is clear that we do not leave elderly parents and relatives without care, we try to create peace and love in our own family. But not only their… Love to their, care, about parents - this, in general, is not an achievement, it is a duty! But the Christian must go further. He should take care of other people as well.

When the Savior (in the 25th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew) speaks of the judgment of the righteous and sinners, the only criterion for justification or condemnation here is concrete help to one's neighbor:

“And all nations will be gathered before him; and separate one from the other, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and he will put the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand: Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you accepted Me; was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.

Then the righteous will answer Him: Lord! when we saw you hungry and fed you? or thirsty, and drink? when we saw you as a stranger and received you? or naked and clothed? when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you? And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, because you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.”

Then he will also say to those on the left side: Depart from me, cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and you gave me no food; I was thirsty, and you did not give Me drink; I was a stranger, and they did not receive me; was naked, and they did not clothe me; sick and in prison, and did not visit Me.

Then they too will say to Him in answer: Lord! when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not serve you? Then he will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, because you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

In this regard, I would like to say a few words about concrete assistance to our neighbors.

The author believes that every Christian should help those in need. Whether with money, with our strength, with spiritual participation ... But we must help. An exception can be made for teachers and doctors. Their professional ministry, if done honestly and with dedication, is their Christian ministry. But all the rest should take and carry out the service of helping their neighbor. How might it look?

I have dozens of examples of how my parishioners do it.

Help with money a poor family that has a sick child (cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, etc.).

Take an elderly or sick person from a nursing home, from a shelter in the summer to the dacha.

Participate in the life of an orphanage or shelter.

Just to help with money a large or needy family (priests always have such familiar families);

Take a group of children for a walk (circus, park) from the orphanage at least once a month ...

There are a lot of options, opportunities, you can talk with the priest of your temple, he can suggest something.

The only thing but: This must be done not only in fasting, but throughout the year, throughout our entire Christian life.

To limit our labors to the time of fasting is cruel in relation to those whom we undertook to look after and feed. Remember: once we take up the cause of helping, we must carry it always.

What prayers are read at home during Lent 2018

Everyone knows that Easter fast - from February 19 to April 7, 2018 - is the most strict and longest, and there are many food restrictions throughout this seven-week period.

However, many of us forget that, in addition to refusing certain foods, a person must also cleanse himself spiritually during fasting, thereby, as it were, trying to “get closer” to God.

There are special prayers for every day in Great Lent, which should be read by all people belonging to the number of Orthodox Christians.

What prayers are read in Great Lent is indicated in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, where a whole section is devoted to how to behave throughout the entire seven-week period.

The main one is the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, which contributes to the liberation from the so-called "ailment", which prevents a person from communicating with God. This prayer sounds like this:

Lord and Master of my life,

the spirit of idleness, despondency, arrogance and idle talk

The spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love,

grant me, Thy servant.

Yes, 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.

God, cleanse me a sinner!

Morning prayers for Great Lent remain traditional, but their reading is certainly complemented by the above prayer of Ephraim the Syrian. It can be read not only in the temple, but also at home, and has a purpose - to prepare a person for confession, to repent and be cleansed.

It is important to understand that food restrictions, as well as morning, afternoon and evening prayers during Great Lent, have one common goal - a person must learn to control himself, control his own feelings and emotions.

The seven-week period of the Paschal fast is a time of peace and repentance. Every believing Christian must consciously enter the fast, observe it and correctly exit this state.

As a rule, it is quite difficult for an ignorant person to do this, therefore, having decided for the first time to take such a serious step as observing Great Lent, it is better to enlist the support of church ministers who will certainly help in everything and tell you how to do it right.

The Seven Commandments of Great Lent

How to spend Great Lent for the benefit of yourself and others?

Great Lent has begun - a time of renewal, repentance and joy. Joy is not Easter, jubilant, but quiet and imperceptible at first glance, but at the same time somehow deep. Maybe this is because you once again want to move away from all the unnecessary, superficial fuss that envelops you every weekday and find your true self.

Great Lent prepares us for the celebration of celebrations - Easter. This is a real journey. This is the spring of the spirit. And this spring path should lead us to become at least a little better by its end than we were at the beginning.

What can you do to truly experience fasting?

1. Eat simply. Before we say anything about the spiritual component of fasting, we need to pay attention to how we will eat. After all, it is food differences that are most noticeable during fasting. The meaning of fasting is not to avoid eating animal food (food in itself does not make us closer to God, nor further from Him). Yet we are creatures of flesh and blood, and the question of our nutrition is extremely important. General rule: you need to eat so that you feel light. You can burden yourself with lean food. And don't get hung up on food. It is hardly worth looking all over the Internet for gourmet recipes for meatless dishes. Less time and attention to devote to the preparation of the meal. Less money to spend during fasting on food. In this regard, let's think about the question of how appropriate it is to purchase, for example, delicacy seafood, which is not prohibited by the charter. By the way, for some categories of people, definitions of relaxation in food are acceptable: for patients engaged in hard work, pregnant and lactating women, etc. But for this it is better to consult with a confessor. If this is not possible for any reason, then take responsibility for yourself. It is also known that “it is better to under-fast than to over-fast”. Moderation is the golden rule.

2. Give up any addiction or attachment. Lent is the time of our liberation. Liberation from what enslaves us. At this time, we can accomplish a small feat: to give up destructive attachment. Everyone will have their own. At this time, someone completely abstains from alcohol, someone from smoking, and someone from television series. Such feats should not be demanded from others, but it is good to try yourself.

3. Pray regularly. Fasting without prayer is not fasting at all. It is convenient for us to attribute our usual “non-prayerness” to the rhythm of city life, family worries, problems, etc. But try to free up at least 10 minutes in the morning and evening for prayer during fasting. You can read the usual morning and evening prayers or something else, for example, the Psalter, but during fasting you need to add one more prayer to these prayers - a short and capacious prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, which sets the "tone" for these weeks.

4. Read Scripture. During Lent, the Church reads three Old Testament books during daily services: Genesis, the prophet Isaiah, and Proverbs. There is also a pious custom during fasting to read all four Gospels on your own. It's hard to be a Christian without knowing the Scriptures. If you have not read the entire Old and New Testament- make up for lost time in the coming forty days. And if you have already mastered the entire Bible, do not think that this is enough: the property of our memory is such that, unfortunately, we forget a lot. Try to read Scripture regularly, preferably every day, in a quiet environment where you can concentrate. It will be great if, after reading, you take the time to reflect a little on what you read and think about how to relate the Scriptures to your life.

5. Attend worship services. Lent is a special time in the rhythm of church services. But you can feel it if you only come to the temple in the middle of the week. Indeed, on Saturdays and Sundays, almost the same divine services are performed as always. The special mood of Great Lent, what Father Alexander Schmemann called "bright sadness", can only be felt in the quiet beauty of everyday services. Try to come to the temple at least once or twice to read the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. This canon, the longest in existence in the Orthodox Church, born from the depths of repentance and imbued with the hope of God's fatherly love, is read in parts from Monday to Thursday in the first week of Great Lent, and then is repeated in full on Wednesday evening in the fifth week. It is simply necessary to come to the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at least once during the entire Lent (wonderful if you find a church where it is served in the evening) and take communion, having experienced this day as a time of tremulous expectation of a meeting with Christ. And it is extremely important to be in the temple on Passion Days, starting from the evening of Maundy Thursday. But this time is still far away, and it is better to talk about it another time.

6. Clear your mind of fuss. Is it worth turning off the TV completely, introducing a moratorium on visiting blogs, forums and social networks- everyone decides for himself. But what will really be useful is to read at least one good book spiritual content. It can be a book on the history of the Church, on the fundamentals of the doctrine, an interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, or something else. Since the market of Orthodox literature today is replete with publications that are not always “spiritually of high quality”, it is worthwhile to approach the choice of literature very carefully. You can also read something from the world classics - this will also be useful for keeping your mind from the hustle and bustle.

7. Do what you have been planning for a long time. Determine for yourself a thing that you have been thinking about for a long time, but have not done it. The time of fasting is the time of positivity. All restrictive measures (in food, entertainment, etc.) are important not in themselves, but as a means to free our time and energy for the main thing: growth in Christ. And to grow in Christ is to do good. Love God, neighbor and yourself. It is worth choosing at least one such deed, from which it will be good not only for you, but also for your neighbors. Before fasting, we heard the words of Christ: “What you did to one of these little ones, you did to me.” With a little thought, you will surely discover how much can be done in these 40 days. Collect things in Orphanage, cook dinner for your parents, do something useful for the house, make a birdhouse, delve into what your children live in, finally, you will surely find a lot of ideas.

Meaning of Lent

During this period, you can rethink your life, think about your destiny. During fasting, you will be able to look into your heart and understand what you really want from life.

Take care not only about cleansing your body, but also your soul. Get rid of negative thoughts and try to let go of old grudges. Imagine that every day you have the opportunity to start life from scratch, but for this you need to say goodbye to the past.

Morning Prayer During Lent

Orthodox believers know that it is necessary to start every morning with prayer, especially during fasting. With its help, you can create a positive attitude and protect yourself from any troubles.

Evening Prayer During Lent

During the period of Great Lent, it is recommended not only to begin, but also to end the day with a prayer appeal. It is advisable to say this prayer every night before going to bed:

Before going to bed, do not forget to pray to your Guardian Angel:

Prayer for forgiveness of sins

During Lent, every believer must repent for his sins - this is an important part of spiritual cleansing. Remember to say a prayer every day.

The main prayer in Great Lent

The short prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is the main prayer for the period of Great Lent. It is said on weekdays, at the end of each Lenten service. With its help, you can repent, save your soul from sins, and protect yourself and your loved ones from illnesses and evil.

Holy Week is an important period of Lent. At this time, you need to eat right, excluding prohibited foods, and the nutrition calendar will help you with this. We wish you happiness and health, and don't forget to press the buttons and

Our Easter is Christ, and approaching Him, it makes sense to read pre-Christian books, Sergey Komarov advises.

Great Lent is approaching - the school of the spiritual life of a Christian. The time of Holy Forty Days differs from other days of the church year primarily in the service. One of characteristic features Lenten liturgical charter is an intensive reading of the Old Testament books. Thus, the Psalter of David is read twice in a week. Completely during Lent, Genesis, Proverbs, the Book of the Prophet Isaiah should be read. Why were these books chosen? Primarily Special attention to them is connected with the ancient practice of preparing catechumens for baptism on Holy Saturday. The book of Genesis is important for those preparing for the Sacrament, because it describes the creation of Adam and his fall - that is, the beginning of the spiritual history of mankind. Parables brought up morally, the book of Isaiah introduced to messianic prophecies.

Today we do not have the institution of catechumens, we are all baptized, and someone might think that this side of the charter is a kind of church rudiment and its place in historical reference books. But no. The study of the Old Testament books during Great Lent has a much wider significance than the teaching of the catechumens.

The fact is that both the catechumen, preparing to be baptized, and the baptized, awaiting Pascha, have a similar inner mood. In both cases, the soul makes a difficult journey to a new birth in the Spirit. For the catechumen, this will be the Sacrament of Baptism, and for the already baptized, the Paschal night, which renews the soul. Every soul on the way to a new life needs strengthening and instruction. This is what the Church provides in the rich meal of the word of God, which consists in the statutory readings of the Fortecost.
Opening ancient books, we plunge into pre-Christian history, which helps us understand the Old Testament longing of the Jews for the Messiah. By not serving the Liturgy during the weekdays of Great Lent, we seem to be depriving ourselves of Christ for a while - in order to feel what it means to wait for the Redeemer, but not yet have Him. Like the people of Israel walking through the wilderness to the Promised Land, we make our journey towards the Passover. Our Easter is Christ (see 1 Cor. 5:7), and approaching Him, it makes sense to read pre-Christian books.

The statutory readings of Great Lent testify against the very widespread opinion about the uselessness of the Old Testament books. The Church commands to read them before Easter, wanting to tell us: without knowing the Old Testament, we will understand little about Christ.

I once heard an interesting thought from one of the modern preachers. The New Testament texts open with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, a long list of Old Testament names. In fact, the New Testament begins with the Old, doesn't it? Recall that the Gospel of Matthew was written for the Jews and has many references to the Old Testament texts. There are more than 130 quotes from the Hebrew Bible by the Apostle Matthew (1).

Later in the New Testament text, quotations from the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Scriptures (components of the Jewish canon) increase with greater or lesser intensity and culminate in the Epistles of the Council. Then there is a slight decline (in those letters of Paul, which are addressed mainly to linguistic Christians), then again an increase in attention to the Hebrew Bible, culminating in the Epistle to the Hebrews. The Apocalypse is an almost continuous allusion to Genesis, Exodus, the Psalter, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and other books of Moses and the prophets.

What can be the conclusion? As relevant as the Old Testament texts were for the first Christians who were investigating the truth of Christ as the Messiah and Savior precisely according to Scripture, these books will be just as important for Christians who will see with their own eyes the final fulfillment of everything written. The closer the world comes to the Second Coming, the more interesting pre-Christian biblical books should be for Christians. They describe in prophetic language the events in which we can all become participants.

If a person does not love the Old Testament, then he does not know the New. First, because these texts are interconnected. Secondly: if he had known, then the exhaustive apostolic testimonies about the old books of the Bible would not have passed by his attention.

For example, Paul writes to his beloved disciple Timothy: “From childhood you have known the sacred scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). How interesting it is said: the Old Testament Scriptures “make wise unto salvation,” moreover, “by faith in Christ Jesus.” We are saved by faith in Christ Jesus, and we are wise from the Scriptures (Old Testament, of course, because neither Matthew, nor Luke, nor Mark, nor John, nor Paul wrote anything in Timothy's childhood). Great idea.

To the same Timothy the apostle says: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). Before us is a testimony of the inspiration and general usefulness of the Old Testament books. They are just as important to us as the Four Gospels, and Acts, and the Catholic Epistles, and the letters of Paul, and the Apocalypse. Each Book has its place, role, purpose.

“We have the surest prophetic word; and you do well that you turn to him as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day begins to dawn and the morning star rises in your hearts,” wrote the Apostle Peter to the churches of Asia Minor (2 Pet. 1:19). So, the prophetic word is “the surest,” and to refer to it means “to do well.” To open prophetic books is to light a lamp in a dark place.

So, here is a soul-beneficial occupation, which should become one of the main ones in the approaching days of Great Lent: to look for the image of Christ in the Old Testament books; to miss the Savior and call on Him to come to us and renew our souls on the holy Paschal night. The realization of this simple thought will help us climb one more rung on the ladder of our churching.

Sergey Komarov

Notes:

1. Archpriest Alexander Sorokin. Christ and the Church in the New Testament. Gospel of Matthew // El. resource: http://predanie.ru/lib/book/67523/