Foreword
Mankind was created to commune with God. Our first parents walked and talked with God in the Garden, but we lost that privilege as we turned from God, and followed our own paths, turning away from life and health. Prayer restores us and makes us fully human. Prayer is an act of communion and conversation between God and His children. In our prayers we acknowledge our total dependance upon God, even as we praise Him for His love and mercy as revealed through Jesus Christ.
Prayer should be a frequent part of our lives; indeed St. Paul urges us to “pray without ceasing” (I Thess. 5:17). We pray in thanksgiving, and for forgiveness, guidance, healing, strength, wisdom, and all good things needed to live as God calls us to live. At times we will pray “from the heart,” using our own words. At other times we may pray using the prayers of the Church, prayers hallowed by centuries of use, prayers which furnish a structure and framework for our spiritual lives.
It is always helpful to have a Rule of Prayer to guide us as we pray. Such a Rule should be consistent and manageable, and developed in consultation with one’s Parish Priest and Confessor.
This collection provides prayers from the Western Rite Orthodox tradition. Most of these prayers are drawn from The English Office, The Orthodox Missal, and The Orthodox Ritual; some are taken from The Book of Common Prayer (1928), A Little Book of Prayers from Old English Sources (1900), and The Anglican Service Book (1991). Morning and Evening Prayers, along with the Self-examination before Confession, from A Pocket Prayer Book for Orthodox Christians (1956), have also been included, as they are commonly used throughout our Archdiocese.
It is hoped that this little collection will aid God’s people as they offer prayers and praises to the honor and glory of His Name.
St. Gregory Orthodox Church
Silver Spring, Maryland
The Feast of St. Tikhon 2016
Purchase The St. Gregory Prayer Book here.
