Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Prayer Rule of the Theotokos II: St. Seraphim Zvezdinsky's Rule

Following is the Rule of the Theotokos according to St. Seraphim Zvezdinsky.


The Rule of the Mother of God


The usual Trisagion Prayers and the Symbol of the Faith are followed by the prayers of the Rule of the Mother of God, in which an opening prayer indicates the meditation for the following decade of Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God... prayers, which themselves are followed by closing personal prayers. Then follow an Our Father... and Open unto us... prayer prior to beginning of the next opening prayer for the next decade. The rule concludes with It is truly meet... and the usual closing for daily prayers.


In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
God be merciful to me, a sinner.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, O Treasury of every good and Bestower of life: come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times.)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy Name's sake.
Lord, have mercy. (Three times.)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Lord, have mercy. (Three times.)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O come let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ our King and God. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and God.
I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not created, of one essence with the Father, through Whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And He rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father; And He will come again with glory to judge the living and dead. His kingdom shall have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets.
In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come.
Amen.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim Your praise.
First decade: Let us remember the birth of the Mother of God. Let us pray for mothers, fathers, and children.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy
womb, for thou hast borne the Savior of our souls. (Ten times)
After:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, save and preserve your servants (names of parents, relatives, friends), increase their
faith and repentance, and when they die give them rest with the saints in your eternal glory.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Open unto us the door of thy loving-kindness, O most blessed Mother of God. As we set our hope in thee, let us not be confounded, but through thee may we be delivered from all adversities. For thou art the salvation of the Christian race.
Second decade: Let us remember the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin and Mother of God. Let us pray for those who have lost their way and fallen away from the church.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, save and preserve and unite or re-unite to the Holy Orthodox Church your servants
who have lost their path and fallen away (names).
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Third decade: Let us remember the Annunciation of the Blessed Mother of God. Let us pray for the soothing of sorrows and the consolation of those who grieve.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, soothe our sorrows and send consolation to your servants who are grieving and ill
(names).
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Fourth decade: Let us remember the meeting of the Blessed Virgin with the righteous Elizabeth. Let us pray for the reunion of the separated, for those whose dear ones or children are living away from them or missing.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, unite your servants who are separated.
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Fifth decade: Let us remember the Birth of Christ. Let us pray for the rebirth of souls, for new life in Christ. Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After: Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, grant unto me, who has been baptized in Christ, to be clothed in Christ. Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Sixth decade: Let us remember the Feast of the Purification of the Lord, and the words uttered by St. Simeon: Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also. Let us pray that the Mother of God will meet our souls at the hour of our death, and will contrive that we receive the Holy Sacrament with our last breath, and will lead our souls through the terrible torments.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After: Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, let me receive the Holy Sacrament with my last breath, and lead my soul yourself through the terrible torments.
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Seventh decade: Let us remember the flight of the Mother of God with the God-Child into Egypt. Let us pray that the Mother of God will help us avoid temptation in this life and deliver us from misfortunes.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, help me avoid temptation in this life and deliver me from misfortunes.
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Eighth decade: Let us remember the disappearance of the twelve-year old boy Jesus in Jerusalem and the sorrow of the Mother of God on this account. Let us pray, begging the Mother of God for the constant repetition of the Jesus Prayer.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, grant to me the unceasing Jesus Prayer.
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Ninth decade: Let us remember-the miracle performed in Cana of Galilee, when the Lord turned water into wine at the words of the Mother of God: They have no wine. Let us ask the Mother of God for help in our affairs and deliverance from need.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, help me in all my affairs and deliver me from every need and sorrow.
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Tenth decade: Let us remember the Mother of God standing at the Cross of the Lord, when grief pierced through her heart like a sword. Let us pray to the Mother of God for the strengthening of our souls and the banishment of despondency.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, strengthen my soul and banish my despair.
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Eleventh decade: Let us remember the Resurrection of Christ and ask the Mother of God in prayer to resurrect our souls and give us new courage for spiritual feats.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, resurrect my soul and give me constant readiness for spiritual feats.
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Twelfth decade: Let us remember the Ascension of Christ, at which the Mother of God was present. Let us pray and ask the Queen of Heaven to raise up our souls from earthly and worldly amusements and direct them to striving for higher things.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After: Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, deliver me from worldly thoughts and give me a mind and heart striving towards the salvation of my soul.
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Thirteenth decade: Let us remember the Upper Room and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the Mother of God. Let us pray: Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me (Psalm 51).
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, make me a clean temple in whichGod's Holy Spirit will ever dwell.
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Fourteenth decade: Let us remember the Dormition of the Blessed Mother of God, and ask for a peaceful and serene end. Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After: Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, grant me a peaceful and serene end. Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
Fifteenth decade: Let us remember the glory of the Mother of God, with which the Lord crowned her after her removal from earth to heaven. Let us pray to the Queen of Heaven not to abandon the faithful who are on earth but to defend them from every evil, covering them with her honorable and protecting veil.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God . . . . (Ten times)
After:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, preserve me from every evil and cover me with your honorable protecting veil.
Our Father . . . . Open unto us . . . .
It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, ever blessed and most pure, and the Mother of God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. (Three times.)
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the prayers of Thy most pure Mother, our holy and God-bearing fathers, and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen. 

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for providing this. God bless you, father, son and holy spirit.

    ReplyDelete