Elder Sergius considered the Jesus Prayer to be the highest form of prayer. He himself acquired the grace to create it in his heart without stopping. At the same time, he did not reject other forms of prayer, every morning and every evening he read the prayer rule prescribed by the Church, and performed divine services in the monastery parish and in the skete, where he was abbot, without abbreviations and in strict accordance with the Typikon. Consequently, he did not give preference to the Jesus Prayer to the detriment of other forms of prayer.

Since this prayer is a repetition of a short formula, it, better than any other, makes it possible to fulfill the covenant given by the apostles, holy fathers, and after them by Elder Sergius himself: the covenant to “pray unceasingly,” and, in particular, to pray when there is little time or when we are busy, or are near other people, since it can be pronounced internally in a very short period of time and even accompany most of our activities.

The Jesus Prayer is a priori publicly accessible. But, on the one hand, this doing must be the result of a free choice, stemming from a personal need or desire. On the other hand, its special nature requires a preliminary blessing, as well as the constant guidance of a confessor, since if implemented incorrectly, it can pose considerable danger: spiritual, mental and physical. Finally, its implementation requires certain spiritual conditions.

The practice of the Jesus Prayer is an integral part of the tradition of the Orthodox Church and its spiritual teaching. Therefore, Elder Sergius insistently spoke about the need to perform the Jesus Prayer only in the bosom of the Church, in parallel with participation in divine services and with participation in the Sacraments, as well as in close connection with other aspects and manifestations of spiritual life.

This prayer must be accompanied by an active struggle with passions and no less active cultivation of virtues; both of these actions can lead to results only in the bosom of the Church, by the power of grace given to us through the Sacraments.

According to the elder, outside the Church and without a struggle with passions, this prayer has neither meaning nor value.

This activity is incompatible, in particular, with pride, impurity and any manifestation of malice directed at one’s neighbor. On the contrary, you can say the Jesus Prayer only in a state of repentance, humility, chastity and love for God and neighbor.

This is why this type of prayer cannot be identified with any technique. “Christ,” said the elder, “came not to bring us technology, but to teach us repentance.” Another reason is that grace-filled help is never the result of some techniques that a person uses, but always remains a selfless gift of God. Prayer is always a certain space of personal communication with God, and in this communication request and contemplation coexist.

These spiritual states precede prayer, accompany it and give it its value. Prayer said with impure thoughts or in pride is not only useless, but even harms the one who prays. Elder Sergius spoke about this in very succinct phrases: “Prodigal sin makes prayer impossible,” “Jesus’ prayer without humility is a disaster.” He also said that if we begin to pray without first reconciling with God through repentance, then because of this “our prayer will be rotten,” recalling the story of a horse thief who often prayed to St. Nicholas and, one day, fell into the pit where rotting corpses of horses, saw the saint appear to him with the words: “Your prayer is like this rotting place.”

The Jesus Prayer can be said out loud or internally. It is preferable for this prayer to be silent, as in this case it is more profound. The expression "mental prayer" means "internal" and not "mental." The Jesus Prayer should not be done with the mind alone; in this activity the mind must unite with the heart and act in unity with it. This means that reason must unite with feelings and will.

Elder Sergius, like everyone else holy fathers, whose teachings are contained in the Philokalia, spoke about the need to “root” the mind in the heart and argued that it should become the subject of constant attention. However, this does not mean that such a state is easy to achieve; on the contrary, it requires time and patience.

Connecting the mind with the heart is the means that allows a person to participate in prayer most holistically and deeply, and also helps us protect ourselves from temptations and demonic influence, for “having entrenched ourselves in the depths of our hearts, we are safe.” Thanks to this connection, we can understand everything “with our hearts.”

The mind enters the heart and unites with it through humility and repentance.

Connecting the mind with the heart during prayer does not come to us right away, but requires time and great patience.

A person can also have prayer within himself unceasingly, so that it becomes both spontaneous and constant, only as a result of long and regular asceticism. Through discipline and regularity, prayer will eventually penetrate us, just as water, drop by drop, finally begins to penetrate the stone on which it drips.

In the teaching of Elder Sergius about the Jesus Prayer, the key words are two words from the tradition of the Philokalia: sobriety and attention. The person praying should strive to constantly listen to the content of the prayer (however, this effort should never turn into a convulsive state and tension). And therefore he should be vigilant in cutting off the temptations that constantly present themselves to him in the form of thoughts (i.e. thoughts or images). We should not only avoid bad thoughts, but also simple thoughts that can distract our attention.

These various thoughts can amaze us with their number and their strength (the elder compares them with a swarm of flies scurrying around, or with a pack of dogs barking near us), as well as with their nature. However, there is nothing abnormal in their occurrence. It is not prayer that gives rise to thoughts: inside us, in the depths, they exist unnoticed by us, and prayer only reveals them.

Elder Sergius explained that prayer for our soul is like a stick that muddies the water in a swamp and forces all the impurities that lie at the bottom, in the depths, to rise to the surface. Thinking that our soul is pure is the same delusion as thinking that the water in a swamp is clear.

Among the thoughts that confuse our soul during prayer, some come to us from ourselves, while others are of a demonic nature, and their purpose is to prevent us from praying.

When we pray, temptations in the form of bad thoughts come in much greater quantities than when we do not pray. This does not mean that we are in a better state when we do not pray. This is a demonic trick: to make us believe in this and ultimately inspire us: “I will still be bad at praying, but if I don’t pray, then these bad thoughts won’t come, and everything will be fine.”

There is nothing strange in the fact that we are tormented by thoughts or that we have difficulty concentrating; the desert fathers were also constantly exposed to such temptations.

First of all, you should not despair and give up prayer - you need to be patient, constancy and persevere. By showing perseverance, we emerge victorious in any temptation, we manage to gradually cleanse ourselves, and after this, prayer becomes easier.

Resistance to thoughts consists in cutting them off whenever they arise, and cutting them off immediately. You need to try to ignore them, because the more you pay attention to them, the stronger they become, and then it becomes difficult to get rid of them. On the contrary, the less attention you pay to them, the weaker they become. The elder explained that when demons begin to tempt us in prayer, they try to attract our attention and enter into an interview with us in order to penetrate our heart. We must never allow them to penetrate into us, and therefore we must reject any interview with them, resist them with a categorical refusal and continue to pray without taking into account what they offer us.

Some thoughts are simple thoughts, that is, ordinary ideas that are innocent. They are harmful because they distract attention and interfere with concentration, and therefore they disturb prayer and prevent it from being pure, that is, one whose only subject is God. They should simply be rejected. Other thoughts are passionate thoughts (that is, associated with passions), and cause temptations, which, if given in, can lead to sin and develop or intensify the corresponding passions. We should not only reject them in order to prevent them from penetrating deep into us, but also repent of them. Repentance consists in recognizing that part of the responsibility for the fact that bad thoughts arise in us lies with us, since we are fertile soil for them or provoke their occurrence with our sins and passions. In addition, if we do not give in to the thoughts that arise before us, then neither guilt nor responsibility lies with us: they remain temptations, but not sins. This is all the more true if the thoughts come from the evil one and have no connection with our internal state in the past or present (for the evil one often presents us with temptations to which we have nothing to do). And repentance helps to admit one’s own powerlessness before God and allow the mind to descend into the heart, so that it can be safe there.

If we get used to doing this, then the temptations that always exist (for the devil and demons do not cease to act against us and even sometimes begin to act even stronger), which previously found food for themselves in us, will no longer find it: thanks to undistracted prayer and By repentance our heart will be cleansed and we will deprive them of this food, so that they will retreat outside and their power over us will decrease, as it is said in the Psalter: I see my enemies around me, but they are powerless. The elder compared the demons that inspire thoughts in us during prayer with a pack of dogs barking around us. “We cannot help but hear them,” he said, “but we may not listen.”

At some moments it is easy to pray, at others it is difficult. We are in a fallen state, and therefore we have to overcome ourselves, especially in order to achieve regularity or duration in prayer. The effort in prayer should not be purely mental; it may even be dangerous. At the same time, it should not be only strong-willed. All abilities and forces must act together, and the effort must be of both mental and spiritual nature. We should not regret that we have to make an effort: when prayer comes easily because we are in a state of euphoria, then there is no merit in this; Moreover, such ease can inspire us with proud thoughts. On the contrary, when prayer is difficult, the quality of our attachment to God is measured precisely in accordance with our effort.

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• See also other prayers in our section "Orthodox prayer book"- different prayers for all occasions, prayers to the saints, prayers for travelers, psalms, prayers for warriors, prayers for the sick, prayers for various occasions family life: blessing for marriage, prayers for God’s protection for those entering into marriage, prayers for a happy marriage, prayers for pregnant women for a successful resolution and the birth of healthy children, prayers for parents for children, prayers for infertility, prayers for schoolchildren and many others.
• Orthodox akathists and canons. A constantly updated collection of canonical Orthodox akathists and canons with ancient and miraculous icons: the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, saints...

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Like all modern spiritual mentors, Elder Sergius had a distrust of prayer “techniques” - on the one hand, because there may be a misconception that the grace received in prayer is a mechanical result of the technique itself, and on the other hand, for the reason that the use of technology can come at the expense of what is of paramount importance, that is, the spiritual attitude. The elder tried to dissuade all beginners from using them, believing that it is not technology that helps to acquire prayer, that it can only be useful in order to preserve prayer. In any case, it is never necessary. The true source of pure and constant prayer is a feeling of need for God, a feeling that without Him we are nothing (this is facilitated by repentance and humility), and love for God, which makes us constantly desire union with Him.

But he considered it inappropriate to practice the Jesus Prayer together, together. On the one hand, everyone has their own rhythm, which must be respected. On the other hand, prayer is something very personal, and there should be a certain personal freedom in it. “Everyone,” he said, “should have the freedom to pray to God the way he wants.” In particular, everyone should be able to stop when they reach the state to which prayer strives (but which is not its end in itself). In this regard, Elder Sergius recalled the words of St. Seraphim of Sarov: “Why call upon God if He is already in me?”

The elder believed that a special time should be set aside for the Jesus Prayer in the morning and evening, during which it would be performed with particular concentration and intensity. These moments can be determined by some fixed period of time (not paying attention to the number of prayers said) or by the number of prayers (not paying attention to time). One thing is important: have a constant rule and stick to it. However, these periods should be only a “strong beat in the beat” and contribute to the general practice of prayer. It is important not to stop praying after the most intense moments, but to continue it more simply and freely, so as not to leave the house empty (see: Matt. 23:38; Luke 13:35) and not allow demons to rush into it.

The Jesus Prayer must always be intimate. Anyone who does it in the presence of other people should not make it clear in any way. Moreover, noisy and visible manifestations, such as those we may observe among “charismatics,” should be excluded and are never characteristic of healthy prayer practice.

Since the request that we formulate in prayer must be filled with faith and hope, then we should not look for some “higher” state. We should not seek the state of "satisfaction" and joy that accompanies prayer. If, when we pray, they are not there, then we should not feel sad about this; You shouldn’t worry about this at all, but you need to persist in prayer, even if this joy never comes at all.

Techniques that lead to a state of admiration and ecstasy, as taught by some Western and Eastern spiritual figures, are unacceptable; Meditation, in the form in which it is promoted, is an unhealthy phenomenon. Obtaining quick results in prayer is most often evidence of delusion.

As a rule, God hesitates to give us this joy in order to warn us against pride, so that we do not think that the grace we receive is the fruit of our prayer, our will and our efforts.

We just need to pray and wait with patience and humility, even if our soul is callous and praying is a burden to us.

We must always tell ourselves that we are not worthy to receive an answer to our prayer, that we have done nothing to deserve reward or pleasure from God.

We must seek only God and not our own pleasure.

If we do experience a state of contentment once or twice (as evidence of the tangible presence of grace), we should consider it as a gift from God, and not as the result of our own efforts. Speaking about this, the elder repeated the words that he uttered in other circumstances: “We need to grow rich in God, and not in ourselves.”

The practice of the Jesus Prayer requires the guidance of an experienced spiritual father - not because he will help “master its technique,” ​​but because he is capable of spiritual discernment. Much has already been said about the dangers that this practice can pose for the mental and physiological health of those who practice it on their own initiative and blindly. Elder Sergius spoke especially persistently about spiritual dangers: the practice of the Jesus Prayer gives rise, if assessed from the point of view of results, to a considerable danger of falling into delusion.

This risk lies more in wait not for beginners, but for those who have already begun to succeed in prayer. “For someone who prays a lot, there is a great risk of falling into delusion,” said Elder Sergius. The spiritual father to whom one should turn should not be a fellow practitioner (and certainly not an adherent of the prayer “technique”), but one who has gone through all the riffs and has been honored to receive the gift of discernment from God and, thanks to this, can certainly determine which prayers states are emotional, and some are spiritual, some are from God, and some are from the evil one.

The one who prays will be able to avoid most dangers if he has deep humility and does not look for out-of-the-ordinary “results” and “fruits”. The slightest pride in combination with prayer gives rise to deviations and even mental disorders. In connection with this, Elder Sergius repeated that the practice of prayer is incompatible with passions, and that one who performs prayer, being, for example, in a state of pride or impurity, runs towards his own catastrophe and can even quickly reach madness. For the one who does it, the Jesus Prayer becomes a light that allows one to clearly see one’s soul from the inside. Penetrating into the heart, it allows you to live more deeply, to live not for yourself, but for God. In addition, it helps to penetrate with your mind into the depths of people and things and live, perceiving them not superficially, but heartily understanding and loving them.

“WE ENTERED ANOTHER WORLD”

- Father Sergius, what instructions did Father Seraphim give, and in general, what was communication with him like for those who received it?

Basically, of course, those who came to Rakitnoye were edified by the spirit, the mood that reigned in the priest’s house, in the church. Father, due to physical weakness, could not talk for a long time, so it was believed that 2-3 minutes of conversation was already good. However, none of us complained, everyone understood that the priest loves everyone and tries to help everyone, but there are many of us, and he is alone.

One of the very first instructions he gave me was: “Let the Jesus Prayer be your crown.” Unfortunately, I did not fulfill it.

Once I witnessed such an interesting scene. We were sitting at the priest's place for a meal: the priest himself, one man with his son, whom he had brought for a blessing so that he could enter the seminary, and me. The priest is talking about something, and suddenly stops and says: “The priesthood is like Aaron’s anointing: whoever has this anointing, sooner or later, whether he wants it or not, will definitely become a priest.” That is, what is predetermined by God will happen.

And my father blessed me on the path of the priesthood ten years before I took holy orders. He said, “Your path is the priesthood. Get ready." And he said it even without my asking. I was very surprised, embarrassed, because I had never thought of becoming a priest, did not expect such a turn, and said: “Father, there are canonical sins that prohibit one from taking holy orders. And if suddenly I can’t stand it: I’m a young man, and suddenly I fall into some kind of fornication, what should I do then?” He looked at me and said: “Then this sin will need to be confessed.” That is, the priest had a very condescending view of this.

Very surprised, I went home, and then I began to remember the words of the priest, I began to think about it, especially about what he said: “Get ready.” How to prepare? I need to ask my father.

I arrived in Rakitnoye a month later. Father was, as always, ill. I lived in the firewood in the yard: it was summer. We talked with one hieromonk who also lived there, waiting to meet with the priest. And he talked about one amazing old man who used to be his confessor, and after his death he handed him over to Father Seraphim. That late priest had this custom - to answer questions from his spiritual children during the sermon. People came to see him from different places, but he was sick and old. On Sundays he served, and when he went out to give a sermon, he would turn to someone, look at him and answer his inner question, then turn to someone else and also answer the question, and all this in the context of a sermon. Naturally, before this he had not spoken to these people, they had not written him notes. This is the gift this old man had. The service ended, everyone got on the train and left, and testified that the priest answered all their questions during the sermon.

I was surprised by this story and thought: “Wow, what elders there are.” The day after this conversation, the memory of St. John Chrysostom was celebrated, Father Seraphim served the Liturgy. And so he came out to preach a sermon. Briefly told the life of St. John, and at the end he added: “St. John Chrysostom wrote many wonderful books, and among them there is a book called “On the Priesthood.” I immediately had a thought: why did Father mention this book, because St. Did John write twelve thick volumes? And in the church there were only grandmothers, that hieromonk and me. Then I remembered our conversation yesterday and realized: “Here is the answer for you: find a book, read it, and it will tell you everything.” After the service, I approached the priest and said: “Father, bless me, I’m going, I have to go.” He looked at me and replied: “God bless, go.”

I found this book very quickly, read it - and, indeed, received the most wonderful answer, because the whole spirit of this book speaks of what a priest should be. Anyone who has the desire and blessing to become a priest, read this book and you will see everything.

By the grace of God, through the holy prayers of Fr. Seraphim, time has passed, and the Lord has honored me with holy rank.

One day a demon-possessed priest came to visit the priest. And the priest reassured him: “This happened to you because of your lack of faith. It’s okay, go to church, pray, take communion, and gradually, by the grace of God, the Lord will deliver you from this disease.”

Once during a meal, when many priests were sitting at the table, the priest said that recently someone had brought from the Holy Land a thorn from which the Savior’s crown of thorns was woven. He says: “You understand, this thorn is like barbed wire. And how did our Savior wear it?” And he cried right at the table. Everyone fell silent. Father raised his eyes, looked around at everyone, then quietly continued the conversation, finding other topics. Thus, the priest constantly remembered the Savior, His suffering on the cross; for him, the crucified Savior was the meaning of life. That is why he spoke so freely, easily and a lot about Him.

I also remember that once during a meal at which the priests were present, the priest said: “Previously in seminaries they asked the following question: a priest must go to give communion to a dying person, he needs to cross the river, but the bridge is dilapidated, and no one walks on it for that reason that it is in disrepair. What should a priest do? Everyone was silent. In general, when the priest asked, the brethren preferred to silently wait for the priest to say. Father paused and said: “The correct answer will be this: the bridge will not fail.” And he repeated again: “The bridge will not fail.” This is the kind of faith he demanded from the pastors of the Church.

The significance of the spirit itself that reigned in the house of Father Seraphim and the influence that Father had on the entire subsequent lives of those who knew him is evidenced by the story of the servant of God V.: “During the years of my studies, I lived in Rylsk and went to Fr. Seraphim quite often - two or three times a month. When they sent me to cultivate the fields, without bending over, I hurried to fulfill my quota, just to earn my legal days of freedom and fly away to my father. We had to travel at night. First, you had to wait a long time for the train, then wait at transfers, sometimes even walk from the nearest station to Rakitny without waiting for the local bus, which, of course, did not run at night.

In the summer we walked 10 km with fellow travelers and sang prayers. They went to the priest, immediately finding themselves in another world. He was real, ours, but already transformed by the presence of God's servant, his prayer, his love for everyone, sincere, compassionate and inspiring. For what? To prayer, to life by faith, to the complete recognition of one’s sinfulness, one’s unworthiness, to complete agreement with the fact that everything around is better, that the Lord loves and pities everyone, if this is how the priest can love everyone who comes. The temple was full of those who came to him, and not everyone was able to receive his blessing or ask something immediately upon arrival. You could write about your difficulties and worries, ask for prayer, you could even leave without hearing an answer, however, with faith that the Lord, through the prayers of the priest, would arrange everything. And indeed, it was so.

The years of study and the next few years were warmed and protected by the hope of the priest’s prayers. Any interest in the temptations of the world, in the hobbies characteristic of youth, simply melted away, like early snow falling on the warm earth. I wanted to pray, remember the Lord, read spiritual books that I could get my hands on, and live differently from what my classmates lived. And how could their pleasures be compared with what the soul received in the church where Fr. Seraphim!

Years of study have passed. I had to work and live far from Rylsk and from home. Father was getting sicker and weaker. Circumstances developed in such a way that the priest to whom I began to contact treated the priest not only warily, but sharply negatively, believing the opinion of his confessor that he was in delusion. Go to Fr. He did not allow Seraphim; he himself began to demand revelation of thoughts, frequent and detailed, from those who turned to him.

It used to be that you stood there in confession for an hour or more, and it seemed like there was nothing left to say, but he was still waiting for the revelation of something that I don’t even know about myself. Because of such tension, I left confession more depressed than relieved. Next time I tell him about my condition, then I walk around and think about what else I need to say. All this is more depressing than encouraging. The priest responds to this: “You have a demon, you are possessed, you are delusional.” One can imagine how such a sentence works. I remember Fr. Seraphim, the soul is torn to see him, but the current confessor won’t let him in.”

Memories of spiritual children

Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky

Schema-abbot Mikhail

(Laptev)

Cleric of the Belgorod diocese

And Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky wrote his work “On the Jesus Prayer” at the request of Father Mikhail (Laptev) in his apartment in Drohobych, Western Ukraine.

In 2002, schema-abbot Michael published this work in his book “The Life and Instructions of Archbishop Anthony.” This book also published the works of Bishop Anthony “The Forgotten Path of Experienced Knowledge of God or the Mystery of Salvation” about doing smart and “Advice from a Spiritual Father.” Here Father Mikhail placed his memories of Vladyka Anthony. These memoirs, corrected and supplemented, were published with his consent in the books of priest Vladimir Pankovets.

Hegumen Sergius

(Akintikov)

Rector of the Holy Protection Church

villages of Novoivanovskaya Tikhoretsk diocese

IN remembrance of the 1st abbot Sergius (Akintikov). Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, Ekaterinodar diocese. Novoivanovskaya. 2011

Father Sergius is the spiritual child of Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky, who tonsured him into monasticism and ordained him to the priesthood of hierodeacon and hieromonk. These ordinations were recognized as legitimate by the Venerable Elder of Glinsk, Schema-Metropolitan Seraphim (Mazhuga), who, after the repose of Bishop Anthony, accepted Father Sergius under his omophorion. Read the memories of Father Sergius about Bishop Anthony in the book of priest Vladimir Pankovets “The Forgotten Saint,” Part 2. p. 273-276.

IN remembrance of the 2nd abbot Sergius (Akintikov). Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, Ekaterinodar diocese. Novoivanovskaya. 2011

IN remembrance of the 3rd abbot Sergius (Akintikov). Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, Ekaterinodar diocese. Novoivanovskaya. 2011

IN remembrance of the 4th abbot Sergius (Akintikov). Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, Ekaterinodar diocese. Novoivanovskaya. 2011

IN remembrance of the 5th abbot Sergius (Akintikov). Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, Ekaterinodar diocese. Novoivanovskaya. 2011

Schema-Abbesses Antonia

(Dry)

IN commemoration of the 1st schema-abbess Anthony (Sukhikh) Women's monastery in the name of Alexy the man of God, Kursk diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

Since 1958, as Higumenia, Anthony has labored together with Bishop Anthony. She was his closest spiritual daughter. She led the home church choir, baked prosphora and accompanied the bishop on all his travels. He elevated her to the rank of abbess. The bishop rested in her arms. His will was addressed to her as a co-worker of penance. In remembrance of Schema-Abbess Anthony about Bishop Anthony, read in the book of priest Vladimir Pankovets “The Forgotten Saint,” Part 2. p. 213-234.

IN commemoration of the 2nd schema-abbess Anthony (Sukhikh) Women's monastery in the name of Alexis the man of God, Kursk diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

IN commemoration of the 3rd schema-abbess Anthony (Sukhikh) Women's monastery in the name of Alexy the man of God, Kursk diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

IN commemoration of the 4th schema-abbess Anthony (Sukhikh) Convent in the name of Alexis the man of God, Kursk diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

IN commemoration of the 5th Schema Abbess Anthony (Sukhikh) Convent in the name of Alexy the Man of God, Kursk Diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

IN commemoration of the 6th Schema Abbess Anthony (Sukhikh) Convent in the name of Alexy the Man of God, Kursk Diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

IN commemoration of the 7th Schema Abbess Anthony (Sukhikh) Convent in the name of Alexy the Man of God, Kursk Diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

IN commemoration of the 8th Schema Abbess Anthony (Sukhikh) Women's Monastery in the name of Alexy the Man of God, Kursk Diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

IN commemoration of the 9th schema-abbess Anthony (Sukhikh) Women's monastery in the name of Alexy the man of God, Kursk diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

Priest Vladimir Pankovets

IN a remembrance of Priest Vladimir Pankovets, the author of a truthful biography of Bishop Anthony, about the spiritual children of the saint. Women's monastery in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, Rostov Diocese of Rostov-on-Don. 2011

Schema-nun Melitina

(Nezhinskaya)

IN remembrance of the 1st schema-nun Melitina (Mezhinskaya). Women's monastery in the name of Alexy the man of God, Kursk diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

IN remembrance of the 2nd schema-nun Melitina (Mezhinskaya). Women's monastery in the name of Alexy the man of God, Kursk diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

IN remembrance of the 3rd schema-nun Melitina (Mezhinskaya). Women's monastery in the name of Alexy the man of God, Kursk diocese. Zolotukhino. 2011

Day of the Angel of Schema-Abbess Anthony - cell attendant of St. Anthony of Mikhailovsky
January 30, 2012
Zolotukhinsky Convent of the Kursk Diocese

SCHEMA-NUN URIEL

(REMIZOVA)

Mother, who bailed out Bishop Anthony from prison

Happy Trinity Day - Happy Pentecost!

On June 4, 2016, Schema-nun Uriel (Remizova), one of the first spiritual children of Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky, reposed at the age of 90.

Vladyka Anthony, while in a special camp, wrote a letter to her family, in which he secretly blessed one of them to come to him and take him on bail as a “grandfather.”

The family of Mother Uriel, at that time a thirty-year-old girl, decided to send her to the bishop. Documents were drawn up with a petition for his early release, after which mother went to Vladyka Anthony.

We present to your enlightened attention a video and audio recording of Mother Uriel, where she talks about her trip, about the miraculous early release of Bishop Anthony, when the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene appeared to her in the uniform of a camp employee and handed her the necessary documents for release.

On Vladyka Anthony’s personal file in prison there was the stamp “Keep in camps indefinitely - until death.” The Holy Scripture says: “What is impossible for man is possible for God.” And the bishop was freed by the wise Providence of God in order to write guidance for all of us in salvation - guidance in doing the Jesus Prayer - “the only path of salvation open to us, all other paths are closed,” writes Bishop Anthony in his God-wise scripture “The Forgotten Path Experienced Knowledge of God or the Mystery of Salvation."

The Lord, being free, was persecuted until the last hour of his earthly life, because... his release from a special camp was carried out without the permission of the atheistic authorities.

The same power, through the high priests of the Moscow Patriarchate devoted to it, slanders him to this day, prohibits the publication of his works, persecutes the priest who restored the good name of Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky.

The Moscow Patriarchate has taken the path of denying the practice of the Jesus Prayer - the path of the “Westerners” - the disguised heresy of Arianism, condemned by the First Orthodox Ecumenical Council; unworthy of glorifying Bishop Anthony among the saints.

This greatest honor of glorifying Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky as a saint will be granted to that Church that follows the path of the Jesus Prayer - the only path of salvation for modern Christianity. And this time is near, such is the will of God!

THE MIRACLE OF MARY MAGDALENE

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Christ is Risen!

Beloved brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, I cordially congratulate you all on the Feast of Feasts and the Solemnity of Solemnities - Easter - the Bright Resurrection of Christ - a prototype of our future resurrection!..

The legendary “Father Arseny” - Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky writes to his spiritual children: “The First Word of the Risen Lord: Rejoice!..” And the first one to hear this Word was Mary Magdalene. In the Gospel of Mark we read: Having risen early on the first day of the week, Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom he cast out seven demons. She went and told those who were with him, weeping and sobbing; but they, having heard that He was alive and she had seen Him, did not believe (16, 9-11).

Bishop Schema-Abbesses' cell attendant Anthony recalled that he greatly revered the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina and Mary Magdalene. Saint Nina saved him in Turkey from the hands of fanatics who killed Russian missionaries - he himself told her this story. And somehow, mother notes, the bishop was connected with Mary Magdalene. He treasured the icons of these saints very much. Always, returning home, he asked her: “Where is Nina, where is Maria?” “Yes, here they are, Vladyka, in place,” she answered.

As an Easter gift to all of you, allow me to present my new research concerning the miraculous release of Vladyka from a special regime camp on June 20, 1956. This story was told to me this year during the Week of the Cross in Diveevo by his spiritual daughter, who accompanied him from this camp.

In 1950, Archbishop Anthony was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his faith in God. Served his sentence in a special regime camp, Potma, Mordovia. Remember his book “FATHER ARSENY. Camp. Path. Children” or read in it about this camp, which was worse than execution.

In 1956, after Easter, this mother came to his camp. Vladyka was supposed to be released, but he was not on the list for release. She went to the head of the camp. He could not do anything and advised him to turn to someone higher than him. After his words, the wall in his office moved aside and there was a room in which there was a woman. She began to tearfully beg this woman for the release of “her own grandfather,” as she called Bishop Anthony. She listened to her carefully, said that she would do everything that depended on her, and invited her to come tomorrow.

The next day, the first word this woman uttered when we met was: Rejoice!.. And then she handed her release papers. This woman, without any doubt, was Mary Magdalene! Bishop Anthony did not tell anyone about this and no one knew about it to this day. If you don’t believe this miracle, then ask yourself honestly: is it possible in real time, in one night, to prepare and agree on all the documents for the release of someone whose personal file is stamped: “Keep in camps indefinitely - until death.” What is impossible for man is possible for God! By God's providence he is still needed by God's economy!

Saint Anthony rested on April 13 and this year it is Monday of Bright Week - the first day after Easter. He is glorified by God in heaven as the universal First Hierarch, who in the last century leads Orthodox Christians along a narrow and narrow path to the Kingdom of God, and there is no other way there. This path - the crucifixion of the mind on the words of the Jesus Prayer - this is the cross, without taking it and following Christ, we are unworthy of Him and we cannot be His disciples (Luke 14:27).

The Lord writes: “We celebrate mortification of death, hellish destruction, another beginning of eternal life. The victory of Jesus Christ over the devil, hell and death is also our victory. And therefore, rejoice and be glad!.. in the Lord!.. Holy Apostle Paul: Rejoice in the Lord!.. I also say - rejoice!.. Forget what is behind - stretch forward!..”

I ask for your holy prayers!.. Be healthy, happy and protected by God!..

Your priest Vladimir Pankovets

2015

SPIRITUAL FATHER OF ARCHIMANDRITE KIRILL (PAVLOVA; 1919-2017)

On February 20, 2017, in the evening, at the 98th year of his life, the righteous man of the Russian land, the spirit-bearing Elder of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov, rested in peace. He is that Hero - “Sergeant Pavlov”, who glorified the valor of Russian weapons in the Battle of Stalingrad and who at that time himself found faith in Jesus Christ.

After the Victory, he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary, and then the Academy. After their completion, he asceticised in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and sought among the elders of his day an experienced mentor in doing the Jesus Prayer - the only way of true salvation.

The providence of God led him, and near Kiev, in Lesnaya Bucha, he met Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky (1889-1976) - the legendary “Father Arseny”, who himself walked the path of the Jesus Prayer and was elevated by God to the highest virtue - the visual prayer to write guidance in its implementation to all who thirst for true salvation. Saint Anthony became the Spiritual Father of Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov.

To this day, few people knew what was the secret of the spiritual success of Father Kirill, who became the fraternal confessor of the Lavra, and later the confessor of three Russian Patriarchs. His good name is widely known to all modern Orthodox world. And the whole secret is that Archimandrite Kirill followed the forgotten path of experimental knowledge of God - doing the Jesus Prayer under the guidance of his Spiritual Father - Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky. Father Kirill taught the Jesus Prayer to his spiritual children.

His meetings with his Spiritual Father, Saint Anthony, were secret due to the persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church. They also met in Sergiev Posad. Through Father Kirill, Vladyka Anthony sent his spiritual children to the Moscow Seminary and Academy.

We have the honor of being the spiritual children of Schema-Abbess Anthony (Sukhikh; 1929-2012), a cell attendant of St. Anthony, who also followed this only path of salvation, practicing the Jesus Prayer according to his God-wise guidance.

Here is her letter to Father Kirill: “Dear, dear Father! Father Kirill! Mother Antonia is writing to you. I'm writing in the car. The bright things that passed about you are always in my heart. I believe in your big loving heart, ready to accept and caress everyone. Leave a small piece of your heart for my unworthiness. I need a small corner to warm up, calm down and not deviate from the indicated path, without fear to walk the path appointed by the Lord with my sisters. Help, do not leave in your holy prayers. There are many temptations, a lot of temptations. There is grief, a cry from the heart, even despair. Oh Lord, help! With my deepest respects to Schema-Abbess Anthony. 10/14/1998"

Father replies: “Dear Mother Antonia! I remember the warm, joyful past, and God grant that we now live this difficult, troubled time somehow wisely, and not forsake the Lord. I am saved and consoled only by the Holy Gospel, the Word of God. There are even greater challenges ahead of us. Help you, dear mother, steer the monastery ship so that you can swim across the abyss and land on a quiet shore. With love A. Kirill.”

All faithful Orthodox Christians should know the Mystery of salvation of all saints, by which they were saved - this is doing the Jesus Prayer, and we need to follow this path, but only according to the God-wise leadership of St. Anthony of Mikhailovsky - the Spiritual Father in God of the late Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov - the great modern Elder.

The spiritual children of Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky: Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov and Schema-Abbess Anthony Sukhikh.

Priest Vladimir Pankovets

February 22, 2017

Rostov-on-Don

ARCHIMANDRITE KIRILL PAVLOV – PROMOTE OF “FATHER PLATO SKORINO”

BOOK OF ARCHBISHOP ANTONY MIKHAILOVSKY “FATHER ARSENIY”

By the grace of God, it became known that the Spiritual Father in God of the late Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov (1919-2017) was St. Anthony of Mikhailovsky, Archbishop of Bryansk (1889-1976).

In his book “Father Arseny”, part three “Children”, there is a story “Father Platon Skorino”. It is written in the form of Father Plato's memoirs about how he came to God. From the story we learn that Father Plato became a believing Christian during the Great Patriotic War. He started the war as a soldier and ended as a senior lieutenant. Frontline scout. Full holder of the Order of Glory, which was equivalent to a Hero Soviet Union. After the war, according to a vow made to God, he entered the Theological Seminary and became a priest. The spiritual son of Father Arseny, a priest, the main character of the book. After meeting Father Arseny, he says: “I thank God for this. I gave my whole life into his hands, and I’m leaving truly renewed.”

An autobiographical artistic narrative is not a literal description of the life of a specific person, but a presentation in artistic form of the main events that have a moral, edifying character for the reader.

Therefore, we will trace the life of Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov in this regard. Became a believer in the Great Patriotic War, in Stalingrad, while defending the legendary house of “Sergeant Pavlov”, named after him. For this feat he was awarded the gold star of the Hero of the Soviet Union. For refusing to join the Communist Party, he was thrown into front-line intelligence. He finished the war as a senior lieutenant and entered the Moscow Theological Seminary. He became a hieromonk, and subsequently the spiritual son of St. Anthony of Mikhailovsky, the author and protagonist of the book “Father Arseny.”

The similarity between the image and the prototype is undeniable!

How spiritually beautiful the story “Father Platon Skorino” begins: “In the ancient Patericon I once read what the holy fathers said that the Lord gives every person the opportunity to look back on what they have passed life path, comprehend it and determine your attitude towards God and take a step towards knowing the Lord or push away from Him. Events constantly occur in life that give everyone the opportunity to feel and realize God and come to Him. The right to choose belongs to man. The Lord, creating a chain of certain events around a person, wants to help the rushing human soul come to Him, and it is our fault if we push away the path to salvation.

There have been several such turning points in my life when I had the opportunity to decide - where to go? Twice (so it seems to me) I pushed away the thread of Truth stretched out to me, but the Lord was merciful and again and again led me onto the path of faith. Thanks to this grace, I became a believer, a Christian, and then a priest.

On the path to faith, I met wonderful people, true helpers of God, who helped me a lot, taught me a lot and showed by example in their lives what a Christian is. “That’s what Father Plato told me, at times falling silent, thinking, and then continuing the story again.”

We stand on the threshold of future terrible events. Among the believers of Russia, a prophecy is associated with Archimandrite Kirill that with his repose peaceful life will be interrupted and there will be war. She will come from the east. Saint Anthony writes:

“This is the horror of war, screaming and hunger all around,

The boastful lies of the wide streets,

Envy, anger, resentment ripened in silence,

The groan of those tortured in distant prisons.

And like a light in the distance - the word of eternal love,

Word of life, hope, forgiveness,

Like a mighty call to the kingdom of the Creator's glory,

Without borders and end - into the kingdom of bright day."

Schema-abbess Antonia Sukhikh, the cell-attendant of the Saint, recalls: “The Bishop said that the martyrdom and blood of those who suffered during the revolution and during communist persecution freed us for a while from external suffering, they seemed to take it upon themselves. Christians are now given only internal suffering and sorrow. This will last until the time of the Antichrist, and then you will have to suffer in your body.”

Mother Antonia adds: “Vladyka said: “The suffering of our generation has set back the suffering of other people for decades.”

Father Kirill, in a letter to Mother Antonia, writes: “Lord, grant that now this difficult, troubled time we have to somehow live wisely, and not forsake the Lord. I am saved and consoled only by the Holy Gospel, the Word of God. There are even greater challenges ahead of us.”

“Live wisely, do not forsake the Lord” - this is a smart life by which all the saints were saved, by which Father Kirill also followed; at the heart of this life is the unceasing repentant prayer of Jesus: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

Having heard a prophecy about war, there is no need to panic, there is no need to dry crackers and bury yourself in the ground, but you need to intensify your mental work - doing the Jesus Prayer, firmly believing that even in wartime events occur that make it possible for everyone to feel and realize God and come to To him.

Read the story “Father Platon Skorino” more than once and become believing Christians who truly follow the only path of salvation - by doing the Jesus Prayer.

Priest Vladimir Pankovets

February 28, 2017

Rostov-on-Don

Lent

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Easter Kulich of the Holy Dormition Pachaya Lavra,

presented by the will of God to our site.

THE ONLY WAY OF RESCUE

DOING THE JESUS ​​PRAYER

He came to his own, and his own did not receive Him. And to those who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the power to become children of God, who were born neither of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God. In. 1, 11-13.

Christ is Risen!

Beloved in our Lord Jesus Christ, brothers and sisters, these lines are written by the one who, by the grace of God, restored the good name of St. Anthony of Mikhailovsky, Archbishop of Bryansk, slandered by Satan as no saint in all centuries has been slandered. This slander is still being spread by the atheistic authorities and the Moscow Patriarchate. This slander also spread to me.

At the diocesan and general church courts they demanded that I not speak or write about Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky, since, in their opinion, there is no such person. I was even accused of being my literary pseudonym, and the bishop’s works are mine, and, therefore, they are theologically untenable and harmful. They demanded that I renounce the truth about Bishop Anthony, to which I did not agree, and for this I was deprived of my holy orders.

This year, April 13, marked the 40th anniversary of the repose of St. Anthony of Mikhailovsky, who, by the wise Providence of God, rested in Ukraine near Kiev in Lesnaya Bucha.

Under His Beatitude Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, with his blessing, the material necessary to canonize St. Anthony was collected, but with the repose of His Beatitude Vladimir, his successor, Metropolitan Onuphry (Berezovsky), refused to continue this holy work and work on the materials was stopped .

Saint Anthony of Mikhailovsky, by the Holy Spirit, wrote a guide to salvation - a guide to doing the Jesus Prayer, which for us, Christians of the last century, is, according to his word, the only way of salvation.

The Holy Fathers write that one cannot be saved by doing the Jesus Prayer without the guidance of an experienced mentor. Therefore, it is very disastrous for any person to follow this path without the guidance of Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky.

The Monk Lavrentiy of Chernigov, who reposed in 1950, said to his spiritual children: “The last time is coming when the clergy will be carried away by worldly vain wealth. They will have their own cars, dachas, and visit resorts. But the Jesus Prayer is taken away. They will forget about her. Therefore, they themselves will not follow the path they need to go, and they will lead cowardly people along with them. But be wise and reasonable. Listen to their beautiful words, but do not follow their deeds.”

During Bright Week, by the grace of God, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, under the omophorion of Archbishop Vladimir of San Francisco and Western America, found the opportunity to accept me into its fold in the present rank of priest.

In Easter joy, on May 9, I met with schema-hegumen Mikhail Laptev. Our common spiritual father, Bishop Anthony Mikhailovsky, at his urgent request, wrote a guide to doing the Jesus Prayer. Father Mikhail told me: “Vladyka wrote on one hundred sheets of paper in a common notebook. He hands it to me and says: “This notebook will be a book. She will be in America, England, France..."

You must believe in the name of God of Jesus Christ, rightly call upon it incessantly, as you breathe earthly air, and take for your guidance the God-wise writings of St. Anthony of Mikhailovsky and you will be saved!

By God's permission, Satan took my form and appeared to one old schema-woman who knew Vladyka Anthony personally and was well-disposed towards me. He tortured her, but she remained alive. Saint Anthony did not allow Satan to abuse his spiritual daughter.

We are now working on new works by Bishop Anthony. They were preserved by his cell attendant, Schema-Abbesses Antonia (Sukhikh), and handed over to a co-worker of his repentance for safekeeping. Mother told her: “Keep them, the time will come - they will come in handy.” This is a wonderful story about life in a nunnery before the revolution in Russia. A new theological work in defense of Orthodoxy, sermons and poems.

You see how the Lord comforts, and we stand on the threshold of new joy in the Lord. This is the joy we must live - the joy of walking the path of the wise men under the guiding star to Christ, the star is the Jesus Prayer.

I ask for your holy prayers.

Your pilgrim and humble priest Vladimir Pankovets.

PS: May 17 – Father Mikhail Laptev turns 90. Many and blessed years to him. Save, Lord, all those who love him and keep him in his old age.

Memory of St. Theodosius, abbot of Kiev-Pechersk (1074)

May 16, 2016

Azov

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.

HOLY ANTHONY MIKHAILOVSKY

Come, true Light!.. Come, eternal life!.. Come, hidden Mystery!.. Come, nameless treasure!.. Come, unspeakable thing. Come, face fleeing from human comprehension. Come, unceasing cheerfulness!.. Come, true hope for all those who are being saved. Come, resurrection of the dead! Come, mighty: You always do everything, transform and change with just one wave!.. Come, completely invisible, intangible, inviolable. Come, ever abiding, immovable, although You move around every hour, and come to us who lie in the underworld, although You Yourself live above all the heavens. Come, the most desirable and most frequently encountered name; but to say about You that You are or to know what You are and what kind You are is resolutely denied to us.

Come, eternal joy!..

Come, unfading wreath.

Come, O great God and our Lord, Bogryanisa. Come, a belt as transparent as crystal and illuminated by precious stones. Come, unapproachable refuge. Come, royal bogryanitsa and sacred majesty’s right hand!.. Come. My pitiful soul needed and needs You!.. Come, lonely one, to the lonely one: see, I am lonely, as you see. Come, You have separated me and made me alone on earth.

Come, You made me need You, to Whom no one has access.

Come, my breath and my life! Come, ineffable one - the consolation of my soul!.. Come, my joy and glory and unceasing joy. I give thanks to You because here, in the midst of confusion, change, circulation, You became one spirit with me, and although You are God above all, yet You became all in all to me. Come, inexplicable drink! You cannot be taken away in any way and constantly pour into the mouth of my soul and flow abundantly in the source of my heart. Shining clothes that burn demons!

Purification sacrifice!

You wash me with incessant and holy tears, abundantly exuding from Your presence with those to whom you come - You!.. I give thanks to You, because in the eveningless day You have become for me and the sun on this side of the sunset: You have nowhere to hide Yourself, and glory You fill the universe with Yours. You have never hidden Yourself from anyone, but we ourselves always hide from You until we want to come to You. After all, where would You hide Yourself when there is no place of rest for You anywhere? Or why would You hide Yourself - You, who despise none of all, fear no one? Now create a tabernacle for yourself in me, meek Lord, and dwell in me, and until my death do not tear yourself away, do not separate from me, your servant, so that at my death and after my death I may be in you and reign with you!.. - God reigning over all. Stay, Lord, and do not leave me alone, so that when my enemies come, who are constantly looking to devour my soul, and they find You abiding in me, and completely run away and do not gain the upper hand over me, because they notice You, the strongest of all, settled inside, in my humiliated soul!..

In truth, just as You remembered me, O Lord, when I was in the world, and how, without my knowledge, You Yourself chose me and removed me from the world and placed me in the presence of my glory: so now, too, protect me through Your presence in me, perfectly placed, always motionless, so that, contemplating You every day, I, a mortal, would live, so that, possessing You, I, a beggar, would always be rich. So I will be more powerful than any kings: and eating and drinking You and often dressing in You, I will enjoy the indescribable joy of blessings. Since You are every good thing and every adornment and every delight, and glory is due to You, the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity, which is glorified in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and is known, and is honored, and is honored by the whole assembly of the faithful, now and always and according to infinity of centuries. Amen.

PS: The publication is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the birth of schema abbot Mikhail Laptev

To help those purchasing

Godly writings of Archbishop Anthony of Bryansk

(Mikhailovsky; 1889-1976)

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ our Lord Jesus Christ!

When purchasing books by Bishop Anthony, do not put them on the shelf, but begin to carefully study them. And do not put off this holy work, but be zealous, like good and faithful soldiers of Christ, so that you may be fully armed.

His books contain all the wisdom of the patristic heritage. The most important thing that anyone who thirsts for true salvation encounters is briefly and clearly presented.

We bring to your attention an exclusively brief summary of the instructions of Archbishop Anthony - the legendary “Father Arseny” - the author and protagonist of the eponymous and world-famous book, previously published many times, but without indicating the author - for such was the Providence of God.

When starting to study the Divinely wise writings of Bishop Anthony, everyone experiences timidity, which is natural at the beginning of any new undertaking. And this is a matter of exceptional importance, because it concerns personal salvation - personal participation in true eternal life.

Having sincere respect for you and knowing from personal experience about the importance of the first steps, with love in Christ we offer you our personal experience of many years of studying the works of the Bishop and outline it for your speedy success in this good deed.

Just as a warrior should not give his personal weapon to another, so the books of a ruler should not be given to others, for they must always be at hand, studied daily and very carefully. There is a crafty turn - to take books from you and leave you without them, and the other will not use them with dignity, because they do not rightfully belong to him. Instruct those who wish to read them to take a serious approach to them and recommend that they purchase them and have them in constant use. Thankfully these books exist!

May God bless you on all your paths and may the works of Bishop Anthony be a true guide to you on the path to God, and may our fraternal advice be evidence of a sincere and respectful attitude towards you.

The Holy Apostolic Catholic Church of Christ, your poor priest Vladimir Pankovets.

July 14, 2016

On the path of salvation

instructions from “Father Arseny” -

Archbishop Anthony Mikhailovsky (1889-1976)

For everyone who wants salvation, there is only one way left: internal. We can be saved in the midst of the world smart living - take care of your mind, i.e. keep him busy with unceasing prayer. This is the only way for us, accessible and open, and in time. All other paths are closed to us (The Forgotten Path of Experienced Knowledge of God or the Mystery of Salvation).

DAILY:- practice the Jesus Prayer - in the morning and evening rule, you can add five hundred to what is read in the prayer book, carefully doing this: before the rule, generally put 33 bows to the ground, and when you read the Jesus Prayer, then after each hundred put 3 bows to the ground, and after every ten - 1 waist bow, at the end of the entire rule - again 33 bows to the ground (ABOUT THE PRAYER OF JESUS. Guidance in doing);

- from the rule read from the prayer book, you can leave the morning and evening prayers as usual, and leave everything else for a while, so that you can improve your skill in the Jesus Prayer (Ibid.);

- by the inspiration of God, a prayer for the exodus of the soul to the Lord and His Mother and the canon of asking for tears of repentance (the canon for the exodus of the soul - O. IN.) is charged to all reverends as a daily duty, as obedience to their elder (clause 8 of the Testament before death and after death);

- every morning read his book “DAY BY DAY” according to the old style for the date. Diary of an Orthodox Priest" (The Experience of the Holy Queen Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova);

- before going to bed, read his prayers before reading the Gospel and one chapter of the Gospel and the Apostle (Tradition of his home monastery);

- when going to bed, look in the mirror of Christ’s commandments in order to clearly see your shortcomings, your imperfections - read his “Manual for confessing sins to the Lord Jesus” - this order of home confession is obligatory for everyone (clause 7 of the Testament before and after death).

azbyka.ru/otechnik/Ignatij_Brjanchaninov/o-molitve.
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov). "About prayer."
Student. Some argue that practicing the Jesus Prayer will always, or almost always, result in delusion, and they strongly forbid practicing this prayer.
Elder. In the assimilation of such a thought and in such a prohibition lies terrible blasphemy, lies a deplorable charm. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is the only source of our salvation, the only means of our salvation; His human name borrowed from His Divinity the unlimited, all-holy power to save us; how can this power that acts for salvation, this only power that bestows salvation, be perverted and act in destruction? This makes no sense! This is a sad, blasphemous, soul-destroying absurdity! Those who have adopted such a way of thinking are definitely in demonic delusion, deceived by a false mind that came from Satan. Satan has insidiously rebelled against the all-holy and magnificent name of our Lord Jesus Christ, uses human blindness and ignorance as his weapon, and slandered the name, “more than any name. In the name of Jesus every knee will bow, those in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Phil. 2:9-10). Those who prohibit praying the Jesus Prayer can respond with the words of the apostles Peter and John to a similar prohibition made by the Jewish Sanhedrin: “Whether it is righteous before God, listen to you rather than judge God.” The Lord Jesus commanded to pray in His all-holy name, He gave us a priceless gift; What significance can a human teaching have that contradicts the teaching of God, a human prohibition that tends to eliminate and destroy the command of God, to take away a priceless gift? It is dangerous, very dangerous, to preach a doctrine contrary to the doctrine preached in the Gospel. Such an undertaking is an arbitrary separation of oneself from the grace of God, according to the testimony of the Apostle (Gal. 1:8)...
Student. However, the Holy Fathers greatly warn those who practice the Jesus Prayer against delusion.
Elder. Yes, they warn. They warn against delusion both those who are in obedience, and those who are silent, and those who fast - in a word, anyone who practices any kind of virtue. The source of delusion, like all evil, is the devil, and not any virtue. “We must observe with all caution,” says St. Macarius the Great, “the intrigues, deceptions and evil actions arranged by the enemy (the devil) from all sides. Just as the Holy Spirit, through Paul, serves all things to all men (1 Cor. 9:22), so the evil spirit evilly tries to be all things to all men, in order to bring everyone down to destruction. With those who pray, he pretends to be praying, so as to make him arrogant about prayer; He fasts with those who are fasting in order to seduce them with self-conceit and drive them into a frenzy; with those knowledgeable in the Holy Scriptures, and he rushes into the study of Scripture, apparently seeking knowledge, but in essence trying to lead them to a false understanding of Scripture; with those who have been rewarded with the illumination of light, he also appears to have this gift, as Paul says: “Satan is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14), so that he can be deceived by the apparition of a kind of light, and attracted to himself. It’s simple to say: he takes upon himself all sorts of forms for everyone, so that by an action similar to the action of good, he can enslave the ascetic for himself, and, covering himself with appearances, overthrow him into destruction. 43. I happened to see elders who were engaged exclusively in intense physical feats, and who came from him into the greatest conceit, the greatest self-delusion. Their spiritual passions - anger, pride, deceit, disobedience - received extraordinary development. Selfishness and selfishness completely prevailed in them. They decisively and bitterly rejected all the most soul-saving advice and warnings of confessors, abbots, even saints: they, trampling on the rules of not only humility, but also modesty, decency itself, did not stop expressing disdain for these persons in the most arrogant way.
A certain Egyptian monk at the beginning of the 4th century became a victim of the most terrible demonic delusion. Initially, he fell into arrogance, then, due to arrogance, he came under the special influence of an evil spirit. The devil, based on the arbitrary arrogance of the monk, took care to develop this ailment in him, so that, through his matured and strengthened arrogance, he could finally subjugate the monk to himself and involve him in the destruction of his soul. Helped by the demon, the monk achieved such disastrous success that he stood with his bare feet on hot coals, and, standing on them, read the entire Lord’s Prayer “Our Father.”
Of course, people who did not have spiritual reasoning saw in this action a miracle of God, the extraordinary holiness of the monk, the power of the Lord’s Prayer, and glorified the monk with praise, developing pride in him and helping him to destroy himself. There was neither a miracle of God nor the holiness of the monk here; the power of the Lord’s Prayer did not work here, Satan acted here, based on man’s self-delusion, on his falsely directed will, here demonic delusion was at work... Azbyka.ru/otechnik/Ignatij_Brjanchaninov/o-molitve.
St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov). & About prayer " ;.
The pupil. Some argue that the exercise of Jesus" prayer is always, or almost always, followed by charm, and is very forbidden to engage in this prayer.
The elder. In mastering this thought and in such a prohibition is a terrible blasphemy, there is a regrettable charm. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is the only source of our salvation, the only means of our salvation; His human name has been borrowed from the Godhead of His unlimited, all-holy power to save us, how can this power acting in salvation, this only power that gives salvation, pervert and act in perdition? This is meaningless! It is an absurdity, woeful, blasphemous, soul-destructive! Those who have assimilated this way of thinking are exactly in demons" delights, they are deceived by the false intellect, which came from Satan. Satan rebelled insidiously against the all-holy and magnificent name of our Lord Jesus Christ, uses blindness and human ignorance in his instrument, slandered the name, "even more so than any name. On the name of Jesus, every knee will bow to the heavenly and earthly and to the underworld" (Philippians 2:9-10). Those who forbid praying by the prayer of Jesus can be answered by the words of the apostles Peter and John to such a prohibition made by the Jewish Sanhedrin: "Is it righteousness before God, to hear you more, more than God, judge?" The Lord Jesus commanded us to pray with His holy name, He gave us a priceless gift; What meaning can the human teaching, which contradicts the teaching of God, have, the prohibition of the human, increasing to eliminate and destroy the command of God, to give up the priceless gift? It is dangerous, very dangerous to preach a doctrine contrary to the doctrine preached by the Gospel. Such an undertaking is an arbitrary excommunication from the grace of God, according to the testimony of the Apostle (Gal. 1: 8) ...
The pupil. However, the holy Fathers very much caution the person who is engaged in the prayer of Jesus from the delights.
The elder. Yes, caution. They warn against the charm and obedience, and the silent, and the fast, in short, anyone who exercises any virtue. The source of charm, like all evil, is the devil, and not some kind of virtue. "With all circumspection, it should be observed," says Saint Macarius the Great, "arranged by the enemy (devil) from all sides of the plot, deceptions and malicious acts. As the Holy Spirit through Paul serves all (1 Corinthians 9: 22), so the evil spirit tries to be evil for everyone, so that everyone can be reduced to death. He also pretends to be praying to those praying, that in connection with the prayer he should be brought into high regard; With fasting fasts , to deceive them by conceit and bring them to a mental process; With those who are versed in Scripture, and he rushes into the study of the Scriptures, seeking, apparently, knowledge, while in fact trying to bring them to the perverted understanding of Scripture; With the light that has received the light, he also appears to have this gift, as Paul says: "Satan is transformed into an angel of the light" (2 Corinthians 11: 14), so that she can be attracted to her with the ghost of light. Simply to say: he takes on all kinds for all, in order to enslave an ascetic to himself by an action similar to the action of good, and, covering himself with a species, to cast him into perdition 43 I happened to see the elders engaged exclusively in the intensified bodily feat, and those who came from him In the greatest conceit, the greatest self-delusion. Their spiritual passions - anger, pride, wickedness, insubordination - received extraordinary development. Self and self-domination prevailed in them definitively. They resolutely and bitterly rejected all the most heartfelt advice and warnings of the confessors, the abbots, even the saints: they, violating the rules of not only humility, but modesty and decency, did not stop expressing contempt for these persons in the most insolent manner.
Some Egyptian monk at the beginning of the IV century became a victim of the most terrible devilish charm. Initially, he fell into high mind, then, due to his high-mindedness, he acted under the special influence of the wicked spirit. The devil, based on the arbitrary lofty nature of the monk, concerned himself with developing this ailment in him, so that by means of a ripe and strengthened highness finally subjugate a monk, and involve him in a soul-killer. Possessed by a demon, the monk reached such a poor prosperity that he became barefoot on the burning coals, and, standing on them, read all the Lord's Prayer "Our Father".
Of course, people who did not have spiritual reasoning saw in this action the miracle of God, the extraordinary holiness of the monk, the power of the Lord's prayer, and glorified the monk with praise, developing pride in him and helping him to ruin himself. Neither the miracle of God nor the holiness of the monk was here; The power of the Lord's prayer here did not work, here Satan acted, based on the self-delusion of man, on the falsely directed outrage of him then the demonic charm

azbyka.ru/otechnik/Ignatij_Brjanchaninov/o-molitve.
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov). \"About prayer\".
Student. Some argue that practicing the Jesus Prayer will always, or almost always, result in delusion, and they strongly forbid practicing this prayer.
Elder. In the assimilation of such a thought and in such a prohibition lies terrible blasphemy, lies a deplorable charm. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is the only source of our salvation, the only means of our salvation; His human name borrowed from His Divinity the unlimited, all-holy power to save us; how can this power that acts for salvation, this only power that bestows salvation, be perverted and act in destruction? This makes no sense! This is a sad, blasphemous, soul-destroying absurdity! Those who have adopted such a way of thinking are definitely in demonic delusion, deceived by a false mind that came from Satan. Satan has insidiously rebelled against the all-holy and magnificent name of our Lord Jesus Christ, uses human blindness and ignorance as his weapon, and slandered the name, “more than any name. In the name of Jesus every knee will bow, those in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Phil. 2:9-10). Those who prohibit praying the Jesus Prayer can respond with the words of the apostles Peter and John to a similar prohibition made by the Jewish Sanhedrin: “Whether it is righteous before God, listen to you rather than judge God.” The Lord Jesus commanded to pray in His all-holy name, He gave us a priceless gift; What significance can a human teaching have that contradicts the teaching of God, a human prohibition that tends to eliminate and destroy the command of God, to take away a priceless gift? It is dangerous, very dangerous, to preach a doctrine contrary to the doctrine preached in the Gospel. Such an undertaking is an arbitrary separation of oneself from the grace of God, according to the testimony of the Apostle (Gal. 1:8)...
Student. However, the Holy Fathers greatly warn those who practice the Jesus Prayer against delusion.
Elder. Yes, they warn. They warn against delusion both those who are in obedience, and those who are silent, and those who fast - in a word, anyone who practices any kind of virtue. The source of delusion, like all evil, is the devil, and not any virtue. “We must observe with all caution,” says St. Macarius the Great, “the intrigues, deceptions and evil actions arranged by the enemy (the devil) from all sides. Just as the Holy Spirit, through Paul, serves all things to all men (1 Cor. 9:22), so the evil spirit evilly tries to be all things to all men, in order to bring everyone down to destruction. With those who pray, he pretends to be praying, so as to make him arrogant about prayer; He fasts with those who are fasting in order to seduce them with self-conceit and drive them into a frenzy; with those knowledgeable in the Holy Scriptures, and he rushes into the study of Scripture, apparently seeking knowledge, but in essence trying to lead them to a false understanding of Scripture; with those who have been rewarded with the illumination of light, he also appears to have this gift, as Paul says: “Satan is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14), so that he can be deceived by the apparition of a kind of light, and attracted to himself. It’s simple to say: he takes upon himself all sorts of forms for everyone, so that by an action similar to the action of good, he can enslave the ascetic for himself, and, covering himself with appearances, overthrow him into destruction. 43. I happened to see elders who were engaged exclusively in intense physical feats, and who came from him into the greatest conceit, the greatest self-delusion. Their spiritual passions - anger, pride, deceit, disobedience - received extraordinary development. Selfishness and selfishness completely prevailed in them. They decisively and bitterly rejected all the most soul-saving advice and warnings of confessors, abbots, even saints: they, trampling on the rules of not only humility, but also modesty, decency itself, did not stop expressing disdain for these persons in the most arrogant way.
A certain Egyptian monk at the beginning of the 4th century became a victim of the most terrible demonic delusion. Initially, he fell into arrogance, then, due to arrogance, he came under the special influence of an evil spirit. The devil, based on the arbitrary arrogance of the monk, took care to develop this ailment in him, so that, through his matured and strengthened arrogance, he could finally subjugate the monk to himself and involve him in the destruction of his soul. Helped by the demon, the monk achieved such disastrous success that he stood with his bare feet on hot coals, and, standing on them, read the entire Lord’s Prayer “Our Father.”
Of course, people who did not have spiritual reasoning saw in this action a miracle of God, the extraordinary holiness of the monk, the power of the Lord’s Prayer, and glorified the monk with praise, developing pride in him and helping him to destroy himself. There was neither a miracle of God nor the holiness of the monk here; the power of the Lord’s Prayer did not work here, Satan acted here, based on man’s self-delusion, on his falsely directed will, here demonic delusion was at work...