Gleanings from Orthodox Christian Authors and the Holy Fathers

services

2 Entries

All the faithful, men and women, on rising from sleep in the morning should wash their hands and pray to God before they undertake any sort of work; then they may proceed to their work .... If you are at home, pray and give praises to God at the third hour. If you are somewhere else at that time pray to God in your heart , for that is the hour at which Christ was seen to be fastened to the tree .... Similarly pray at the sixth hour, too. For when Christ had been fastened to the wood of the Cross, the day was cut off and there came a great darkness .... One should also offer extended prayer and blessing at the ninth hour, in imitation of the way the souls of the just bless God Who does not lie but Who remembered His saints and sent His Word to enlighten them. For at that hour Christ was pierced in the side, poured forth water and blood, and made light shine on the remainder of the day as He brought it to its evening. Thus, at the moment when He was about to fall asleep He created the start of a new day and thus supplied an image of His Resurrection. St. Hippolytus of Rome 170-235

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When praying heedfully, guard yourself with great caution, so as to pray in Psalms and to chant prayers with fear, joy, firm zeal, and a low bow to the divine icon. For you will find in the Psalms both instruction and prayer. Let us not pronounce the words only with the tip of the tongue, but pray with our whole heart. Join into one the body, the soul, and the mind. St. Paisius Velichkovksy, Little Russian Philokalia, Vol. IV

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