The Prayer of the Optina Elders: origin, meaning and tradition of reading

The prayer of the Optina elders is one of the most famous spiritual legacies of the Orthodox tradition, which has passed through the centuries and has retained its relevance for modern man. It is called the "prayer for the beginning of the day" and is read to meet all that it will bring with peace of mind and trust in God. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.

The prayer history of the Optina Elders

The prayer, known in the church community as the "prayer of the Optina elders," is associated with the unique phenomenon of Russian monastic eldership, which was formed in the Optina Desert in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Optina is one of the most important centers of spiritual guidance in Orthodox Russia. A special school of asceticism and confessional ministry arose here, which became famous for its elders, the spiritual fathers, to whom both laymen and priests sought advice. The history of this monastery and the tradition of eldership are recorded in detail in the monastery archives and publications of the monastery itself.

The exact history of the prayer itself remains the subject of discussion and several versions in church journalism. According to one of the most common versions, the central lines of the prayer are attributed to St. Ambrose of Optina. According to others, the text was formed gradually, gathering among the spiritual children of various Optina elders and was already recorded by their students at the beginning of the 20th century.

There is evidence in pre-revolutionary and Soviet sources that individual lines or petitions came from the personal teachings and instructions of the elders and were later consolidated in a prayer address at the beginning of the day.

An important stage in the formation of prayer was its preservation and dissemination through the writings of the spiritual children of the Optina elders, publications of the patericans and memoirs of pilgrims.

During the Soviet period, Optina, as a monastic center, experienced persecution and closure, but the tradition of eldership and related prayer texts were preserved in manuscripts and through oral transmission, and the mass distribution of modern editions of prayer occurred in the 20th century, especially in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, when interest in the Optina heritage increased dramatically.

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The meaning and spiritual content of prayer

The meaningful prayer line of the Optina elders is built around several key Christian themes: humility before the will of God, willingness to accept the trials of life with inner peace, a request for the gift of spiritual strength for righteous behavior in worldly vanity and a request for guidance in daily affairs.

The text is aimed not so much at accurately describing external circumstances, but rather at forming the inner attitude of a believer — acceptance, trust and gratitude. This makes prayer a universal spiritual tool for both monks and laypeople.

In a practical sense, prayer serves as a reminder for the mood of the day. Many contemporaries and researchers note that the short and succinct text contains precisely the concentrated instructive wisdom that made it popular among a wide range of believers.

In addition to the purely moral and psychological effect, the prayer of the Optina elders plays the role of a spiritual reminder of church priorities: not to allow irritation and fear to control actions, not to seek salvation in worldly means, to accept limitations and losses as part of the path to spiritual growth.

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How to read prayer correctly

The practice of reading the prayer of the Optina elders does not require complex ritual conditions, but is associated with a number of recommendations developed by the church tradition and the advice of the Optina elders' contemporaries.

First, prayer is usually recited in the morning, "waking up from sleep," as part of the start of the day and the spiritual mood before external affairs. Someone uses it as an evening preparation for bedtime, someone uses it as a short rule during the day under stressful circumstances.

Secondly, mindfulness and attention are important when pronouncing words: it is recommended to read slowly, with an attempt to experience the meaning internally, rather than mechanically pronouncing it. Many pastoral recommendations emphasize that prayer becomes effective not because of beautiful phraseology, but because of mindfulness, contrition, and willingness to fulfill its prescribed guidelines in everyday life. This is a general rule for all short prayer texts that have developed in the senile tradition.

Prayer is not a substitute for regular confession and Eucharistic participation in church life. It acts as an auxiliary means of moral and spiritual orientation, strengthening those gifts of grace that are available to a person through the sacraments of the Church and constant spiritual work.

Reading the text without striving for internal changes will reduce the practice to a formality; on the contrary, the combination of a prayerful attitude with repentance, reading the holy scriptures and spiritual advice gives maximum effect.

Prayer of the Optina Elders:

"Lord, may I face with peace of mind all that the coming day will bring me.
Lord, grant me to fully surrender to Your holy will.
Lord, guide and support me in everything at every hour of this day.
Lord, whatever news I receive during this day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul and with the firm conviction that everything has Your holy will.
Lord, reveal to me Your holy will for me and those around me.
Lord, guide my thoughts and feelings in all my words and thoughts.
Lord, in all unforeseen cases, do not let me forget that everything was sent by You.
Lord, teach me to treat everyone at home and around me, elders, equals, and juniors, correctly, simply, and intelligently, so that I don't upset anyone, but help everyone for the good.
Lord, give me the strength to endure the fatigues of the coming day and all the events of the day.
Lord, guide Me by Your Own will and teach me to pray, hope, believe, love, endure, and forgive.
Lord, do not leave me at the mercy of my enemies, but for the sake of Your holy name, guide and guide me Yourself.
O Lord, enlighten my mind and my heart to understand Your eternal and unchangeable laws governing the world, so that I, Your sinful servant, may serve You and my neighbors correctly.
Lord, I thank You for everything that will happen to me, for I firmly believe that everything works for the good of those who love You.
Lord, bless all my exits and entrances, deeds, words and thoughts, and make me worthy to always joyfully glorify, sing praises and bless You, for You are blessed forever and ever."