“Do your Prayer Rule with great care. When you Pray, comprehend what is being said.”
Saint Pachomios of Chios
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“Which Psalms to learn? Memorise those that drop into your heart when you read them. Different people are moved by different Psalms. Begin with Psalm 50…”
Saint Theophan the Recluse
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“We Pray with words until the words are cut off and we are left in a state of wonder.”
Saint Isaac the Syrian
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“No Prayer, my children, gets lost.”
Saint Iakovos Tsalikis of Evia
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“In making the Sign of the Cross, believe and constantly remember that your sins are nailed to the Cross.”
Saint John of Kronstadt
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“Prayer is a refuge for those who are shaken, an anchor for those tossed by waves, a walking stick for the infirm, a treasure house for the poor, a stronghold for the rich, a destroyer of sicknesses, a preserver of health. Prayer keeps our virtues intact and quickly removes all evil.”
Saint John Chrysostom
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“Though the Christian may Pray alone, he has the Choir of the Saints standing with him.”
Saint Clement of Alexandria
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“Prayer is called a virtue, but in reality it is the mother of the virtues: for it gives birth to them through union with Christ.”
Saint Mark the Ascetic
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“It’s not an abundance of words that supplicate God, but a pure Soul which manifests good deeds.”
Saint John Chrysostom
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“You must gather yourself together within your heart and stand there before the Lord. This will show up any speck of dust. Pray, and may God grant your Prayer.”
Saint Theophan the Recluse
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“Virtues are formed by Prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the Soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.”
Saint Ephrem the Syrian
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“Before all else, let us list sincere thanksgiving first on the scroll of our Prayer. On the second line, we should put confession and heartfelt contrition of Soul. Then let us present our petition to the King of All. This is the best way of Prayer, as it was shown to one of the brethren by an Angel of the Lord.”
Saint John Climacus
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“If God is slow in answering your request, or if you ask but do not promptly receive anything, do not be upset, for you are not wiser than God.”
Saint Isaac the Syrian
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“The more the mind concentrates on praying, and is being humbled, the more it is enlightened by the Grace of God.”
Saint Paisios the Athonite
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“Our requests are necessary expressly to strengthen our faith, through which alone we can be saved. ‘By grace are we saved through faith’ (Eph 2:8). ‘O woman, great is your faith’ (Mt. 15:28). For this reason the Lord made the woman Pray earnestly, in order to awaken her faith and to strengthen it.”
Saint John of Kronstadt
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“Pray persistently about everything, and then you will never do anything without God’s help.”
Saint Mark the Ascetic
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“Through your Prayer, you can Sanctify your self as well as your work.”
Saint Paisios the Athonite
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“We have to try to be free from unclean thoughts, especially when we Pray to God. Because it’s not possible for there to be a stench mixed in with a fragrance.”
Saint Seraphim of Sarov
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“There is nothing more powerful than a person Praying well.”
Saint John Chrysostom
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“If I read a hundred Prayers in the silence of Athos a day, and you, in the noise of the City, with work and family responsibilities, read three Prayers, then we are in the same position.”
Saint Ephraim of Katounakia
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“The bodily eye cannot tolerate even the smallest speck of dust on its surface, so too the conscience, when soiled by something, cannot attain Prayer.”
Saint Moses of Optina
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“A religious hymn is a great blessing for everyone. It brings about a complete Spiritual uplifting and absolute peace and joy in redeemed hearts. It drives away hardness of heart… it dissolves and dissipates despondency.”
Saint Ambrose of Milan
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“Do not grieve if you do not at once receive from God that which you ask. He wishes to benefit you still more by making you persist longer in your patient Prayer before Him. For what can be higher than to address one’s converse to God and be in communion with Him?”
Saint Nilus of Sinai
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“Vigil at night brings purity to the Soul by day.”
Saint John Cassian
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“Blessed is the mind which, Praying without distraction, acquires even greater longing for God.”
Saint Neilos of Sinai
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“Of course, every good deed done for Christ’s sake gives us the Grace of the Holy Spirit, but Prayer gives us this Grace most of all, for it is always at hand, as an instrument for acquiring the Grace of the Spirit. For instance, you would like to go to Church, but there is no Church or the Service is over; you would like to give alms to a beggar, but there isn’t one, or you have nothing to give; you would like to preserve your virginity, but you have not the strength to do so because of your temperament, or because of the violence of the wiles of the enemy which because of your human weakness you cannot withstand; you would like to do some other good deed for Christ’s sake, but either you have not the strength or the opportunity is lacking. This certainly does not apply to Prayer. Prayer is always possible for everyone, rich and poor, noble and humble, strong and weak, healthy and sick, righteous and sinful.”
Saint Seraphim of Sarov
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“Prayer is truly a Heavenly armour, and is alone can keep safe those who have dedicated themselves to God. Prayer is the common medicine for purifying ourselves from the passions, for hindering sin and curing our faults. Prayer is an inexhaustible treasure, an unruffled harbour, the foundation of serenity, the root and mother of myriads of blessings.”
Saint Nektarios of Aegina
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“As often as I have Prayed with faith, God has always heard me and fulfilled my Prayers.”
Saint John of Kronstadt
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“To acquire Prayer is to acquire Eternity.”
Saint Sophrony of Essex
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“We should not seek pleasure in Prayer, not even spiritual pleasure. Otherwise, we become like the kind of children that love their father only because he gives them caramels and chocolates. The peace of our Souls is what should be sought in Prayer.”
Saint Paisios the Athonite
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“There is nothing more beautiful or sweeter than to love the Lord Jesus.”
Saint Joseph the Hesychast