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What to say when sprinkling your house with Epiphany water. Performing ritual sprinkling

The consecration of one’s own home is a whole ritual that must be done if a person is a believer. This is the most best protection from bad and unfavorable energy, devilish forces, real involvement in the church, true faith in the Lord God. It is popularly accepted that it is necessary to consecrate an apartment or house after moving to this place or if renovations have been completed. In any case, this is a blessed ritual that does not make anything bad, but only internally comforts each person. For those who do not know how to properly bless an apartment with water, you should call Father or, having learned about all the rules, try to walk through the entire house yourself.

How to properly sanctify a house with Epiphany water

This tradition is quite ancient, as it dates back to the moment Christianity was born. Even then, all Orthodox Christians knew that holy water was one of the main protections for the people. Today this ritual is performed by a priest, since he is the one who knows exactly how to bless an apartment with water. You just have to go to any church or chapel to talk with knowledgeable people about what time you can consecrate your home.

They say that only a servant of the Lord can perform the ceremony correctly. Why Father? The fact is that all clergy have undergone the sacrament of the Priesthood, therefore each of them is endowed with divine rights that allow them to conduct this church rite. But the main rules for a believer who wants to sanctify his home still exist. Here's what you need to do before inviting Father into your home:

create perfect order, remove all those things that are in bad shape;
try to throw out everything unnecessary and useless;
the apartment should have an icon and several candles from the church;
the priest will come with his personal items, for which you need to free up some space.

The time spent consecrating a house with holy water, as a rule, takes Father a little more than an hour. You don’t have to watch his every move, you can just watch from the side. And the most important thing is not to be distracted.

How can you consecrate your apartment with holy water?

If it is not possible to contact a priest, then you can consecrate the apartment with holy water yourself. True, in this case, it is important to visit the church and receive a blessing, because without it the ritual will not work. It is necessary to stock up not only with icons and the necessary candles, but also with a prayer book, which contains all the most important sacred texts that are usually read during the ceremony. Such literature is purchased only in the temple; it is not available in any other store. Detailed preparatory instructions before consecrating each room with holy water:

When reading a prayer, the believer always turns to God, to the Mother of God, who constantly protects man, to all the Guardian Angels and other Saints. You cannot think about anything extraneous during the consecration of the apartment. You need to tune in and clearly say your prayers (you can also silently) and see the true meaning in them.
It is also important that the lifestyle be close to the spiritual. For example, you can't let in negative energy into your house, and also swear in the apartment every day. It is worth attending church at least on weekends every week, and even better, attending Saturday and Sunday morning and evening services.
A person needs to sincerely believe in the Lord God and never wish harm on anyone, even the most sworn enemy and ill-wisher. You should always rejoice for the happiness of those around you, even for those who have done something painful and bad.
Do not defile your thoughts with bad thoughts, do not say bad words out loud, avoid all bad habits, do not violate the Bible commandments.

If all these four points are present in life and observed, then blessing an apartment with water will be a great blessing. Holy water can be brought from the church on absolutely any day when it is convenient for the believer to perform the ceremony. To do this, on the porch of the temple or in the hall, holy water in bottles is usually prepared for everyone to take away, the price for which is symbolic.

You can also use other water - the one that Father sanctifies during church holiday: you just need to bring a container and wait for the priest to go around, substituting your water. In order to perform the ritual yourself, you need fresh water, just blessed.

You cannot use a stagnant one, as it takes on all the negativity in the apartment. So:

The believer should hold a bowl of holy water in his left hand, and with his right hand, sprinkle the drops in front of him on all the walls of the room.
It is customary to start the ritual from the eastern corner, the movement should be clockwise.
It is important to read the “Our Father” prayer, which everyone knows from an early age. If there are prayers such as “May God rise again” or Psalm 90, then they will also need to be read.
It is not necessary to carry out church ritual consecration of the apartment on Thursday or Sunday. You can choose any other day convenient for this. But, of course, Friday is best avoided.

Blessing an apartment with holy water - what is it for?

If a believer has consecrated an apartment, this does not mean that now there will be no sins in his life. We are all partly sinful people, and sometimes we don’t even notice that we are not doing the purest and best things. Having consecrated each room, a person becomes a little closer to the Lord, entrusts his home and the roof over his head to the Almighty, and promises to maintain peace and tranquility in his family. Yes, in a place whose walls are sprinkled with water, fewer illnesses occur and swearing is much less common. But everything depends only on the person, since the consecration of an apartment is only a small step towards ensuring that everything will be fine in the future.

There is one remarkable example that happened relatively recently in real life. The family lived in an ordinary apartment, previously unconsecrated. There were constantly scandals, squabbles and even assault between the spouses. It seemed that these two people loved each other and respected each other, but for some reason in this particular room everything did not go as usual. In any other place, a real idyll could be traced between the spouses.

Having consecrated the apartment, the husband and wife began to swear less, listen to each other more and respect the opinion of their loved one. The consecration of each room helped the family find peace, harmony and take all that accumulated devilish negative energy beyond the threshold of the family world. This is the most striking example and fact why it is still worth consecrating an apartment with holy water.

Which house or apartment is considered unclean?

Firstly, this is a place where they often drank, used illegal substances, swore a lot, hurled dirty words, fought, and engaged in debauchery. Secondly, this is a room where people who do not believe in the Lord God live. It is precisely such dwellings that are usually considered unclean, and they should be illuminated with holy water at the most convenient opportunity.

It is believed that such houses are not only shrouded in negative energy, but also full of demons. It’s true, everyone who is present in an apartment where there is constant scandal becomes the center of the conflict. Anyone who lives in such conditions will never feel true happiness, will always face problems and troubles, and there will be no peace in their souls.

Many people moving to a new place do not even know that astrologers, psychics, fortune tellers or sorcerers once lived here. All these groups of people are not from God, there is nothing Holy about them. And the apartments in which people associated with magic once lived and spent their lives must be consecrated immediately. Under no circumstances should children be allowed into a house where Father has not yet been with holy water. Especially if a witch or any other person associated with magic and extrasensory perception once lived in this place long ago.

Even if everything depends on the person - after consecrating the house with holy water, living in a clean room becomes much simpler, easier and more enjoyable. You won’t want to make trouble anymore, you won’t want to resort to bad habits, constant harmony will reign between people. Many believers can confirm that after the ritual of consecration with water, even breathing indoors becomes much easier than before. Let every home have only peace, pleasant thoughts and constant children’s laughter, and let there be as little negative energy as possible. Consecrate your apartment - this is the best decision for everyone, if faith in God is strong and unshakable enough!

Is it possible and how to properly sanctify an apartment with water?

How to consecrate an apartment yourself? Of course, this issue becomes relevant after moving from one place of residence to another and in the case when a family has purchased housing in a new building. For what reasons does the above need arise? There are a lot of them: for example, the previous owners of the living space were quarrelsome people and constantly quarreled; it is possible that they had a lot of sinful vices. That is why, after moving to the purchased apartment, the new owners may experience a deterioration in their health, a loss of strength, or a depressive state. What could this mean? Only that the apartment is charged with negative energy due to regular scandals, abuse, swearing, and assault that previously took place here. What to do in this case? There is only one thing left: with the help of holy prayer, cleanse the room of “filth.” However, this ritual must be performed by a priest, but there are times when it is not possible to invite a representative of the church to perform the ritual. Then you should be dedicated yourself. But how can you consecrate an apartment yourself when you have no experience of conducting such rituals? Let's consider this issue in more detail.

Sanctification - what is it?

For those who do not know how to consecrate an apartment on their own, it will be useful to learn about what this church ritual is.

From point of view Orthodox religion Through sanctification, God's grace descends upon man. Church rituals help to increase the significance of the moral principles of human existence.

In other words, it is assumed that after completing the ritual, moving into new mansions, their owners will begin a righteous life, in accordance with Christian commandments.

Is it necessary to perform a ritual at all?

Before learning how to consecrate an apartment on your own, everyone should understand for themselves that the procedure of performing the ritual will not get rid of family and everyday troubles: it is aimed at ensuring that a person does not make sinful mistakes. To be with God or to live according to one’s own wishes - everyone decides for himself. If a family adheres to Christian principles of existence, then its internal and external structure should prove this, therefore, the ritual of consecration should not be ignored.

What is needed to perform the ritual

You cannot perform a ritual in an uncleaned home, especially when repairs have not been completed. At home, set aside a special place to lay out items for consecration: holy water and a container for it, a lamp with vegetable oil(oil), icon, Bible (prayer book), candles.

Naturally, make sure in advance that the above church attributes were in stock.

Method No. 1

So, many are interested in the question of how to consecrate an apartment yourself with candles?

This ritual is recommended to be performed next Thursday. Buy several candles in advance from the church shop: 3 for the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and 2-3 candles for the house. When placing candles in front of the image, you need to cross yourself and say a prayer: “Wonderworker Nicholas, bless me to cleanse the apartment and drive out demonic power from it. Let it be so. Amen".

Upon returning home, you need to light one candle and take it in your right hand and walk with it to all the corners of the rooms, while saying the following words: “I clean the corner, I clean the floor, I clean the ceiling and walls. I drive away demons, I drive away envy. I burn a candle to illness, illness and misfortune. Amen". At the same time, do not forget to place the sign of the cross on the corners and walls of the room.

Perform the ritual for three Thursdays in a row, with the obligatory trip to church, to obtain the blessing of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to perform the ritual yourself.

After a month, you will be able to feel how comfortable you feel in your new apartment.

Method No. 2

Don’t know how to bless your apartment with a candle yourself? Some recommend doing the following: you need to take a candle in your right hand and go to the right doorframe of the entrance to the room - this place will be the starting point. Then you should light a candle, clench your free hand into a fist and, saying prayers out loud from memory, move along the walls of the room. In the corners you need to make stops and make the sign of the cross with a burning candle, clearing the corner of negative energy. It is very important to follow the signs that the candle gives you. If it begins to burn intensely with a crash, then this is the place that first of all needs to be cleansed: read the entire set of prayers known to you until the flame calms down. At the end of the “sacred rite,” you should again approach the starting point and leave the candle there to burn out. As soon as it has smoldered, you need to say: “My place must be clean, not smelly, and not leave the enemies.

I illuminate it with a candle, empower it and keep it that way. Amen!". Only after this can the ritual be considered completed. Now you know how to consecrate an apartment yourself with a candle. However, there are other ways to perform the above ritual.

Method No. 3

A huge number of people are interested in the question of how to sanctify an apartment themselves with holy water?

This ritual should be performed on Sunday. At the same time, do not forget to clean all the rooms on Saturday so that there is no dirt. Stock up on holy water in advance. On the day of the sacred ceremony, pour it into a bowl, dip three fingers (thumb, index and middle) in the “healing composition”, having previously folded them into a pinch. Then start spraying the room with them, starting from the red corner with the images, moving clockwise. At the same time, say the following prayer out loud: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, by sprinkling the sacred water, let every evil demonic action be turned to flight.” Amen!".

Of course, before performing the consecration ritual, it is advisable to receive a blessing from your spiritual mentor.

What to do after the ceremony

Naturally, every believer must live according to the “laws of God” and after the consecration of a house or apartment, within its walls one cannot swear, quarrel, raise one’s voice at family members and commit other sinful acts. This is the meaning of the ritual. Please note that the ritual cannot be performed again, with some exceptions. Remember also that the ritual of illumination must be performed in humility and peace.

Special for all Christians. And the reason for this is the magnitude of the gift that the Lord gives on this day through the Church.

Many people do not know that this holiday is also called the Day of Epiphany, and do not know well the essence of the events remembered by the Church. But everyone knows that on this day in church, and many even know that on the Epiphany of the Lord all the waters of the world are sanctified. By the gift of the Holy Spirit, “water nature” is sanctified on this day, and this blessed water in a sense, washes the entire planet and sanctifies it.

The most important sign of holy water is its incorruptibility, while remaining unchanged chemical composition. Incorruptibility is a property of the Kingdom of Heaven, and when we sprinkle something with holy water, we want to impart to this thing the grace of God, which is present in the holy water. And the first place that every person would like to see consecrated is our home.

Actually, the time from Epiphany to the celebration of the holiday (January 19-27 of the new century) has always been used precisely for this purpose. And the first thing that indicates this is the petition of the litany on the day of Epiphany “for those who draw and receive this (holy water. - O. S.B.) for the consecration of houses."

It should be noted that the consecration of a house can be complete or small. The full ceremony is carried out only once (like the consecration of the temple). Repeated full consecration can be carried out in special cases (for example, after some kind of desecration or fire, etc.). In the same way, in special cases, the temple is completely re-consecrated (for example, in 1923, St. Hilarion (Trinity) re-consecrated the Cathedral of the Sretensky Monastery after the Renovationists desecrated it with their service). Small consecration of houses can be performed often.

The minor consecration of a house does not have a fixed rite and is carried out differently by different priests. However, the singing of the festive troparion and sprinkling of the home with holy water is present in any case. Many believers often ask why it is necessary to carry out small consecrations of a house if the house has already been consecrated once in full order, and whether it is possible to consecrate it independently.

In answer to the first question, we can draw an analogy with the temple, which we have already noticed above. Moreover, during early Christianity, private houses were used as churches for performing the sacraments. And even in our time, confessions, communions, unctions of the weak, and sometimes baptisms are often held in houses, so comparing a house with a temple is quite appropriate.

So, normally a temple is consecrated in full only once. However, every time, according to the charter, a small consecration of water is required, the inside of the temple is sprinkled (for example, this is the day of the icon Mother of God « Life-Giving Source" - Friday Holy Week; Feast of the Origin of the Honest Trees of the Holy Cross - August 14 (New Art.); some other days). On the day of the temple festival, it is necessary to sprinkle the temple outside during procession. And on August 14 (new century) the Typikon commands to sprinkle not only the temple, but also all parish and monastery buildings: “After the dismissal, the priest goes around and sprinkles everything inside the monastery, namely: the abbot’s cell, the refectory, the cellar, the bakery, the wine the cellar, the kitchen, the barn, the cellars, and all the fraternal cells, sprinkling and sanctifying everyone” (Typikon, August 1, 1st “see”).

Why do this if both the temple and the monastery have already been consecrated once and are consecrated all the time by our prayers and the celebration of the Liturgy?

Let us remember that the grace of a holy man is imparted to his clothing and objects with which he comes into contact. For example, the Apostle Paul’s handkerchiefs and aprons healed the sick (see: Acts 19:12). Therefore, we venerate not only the relics of saints, but also their vestments, household items (for example, a bowler hat St. Seraphim Sarovsky, in which the well-known crackers are blessed), dwellings. The same thing happens partly the other way around. As Saint John of Kronstadt writes: “All nature, all the elements are constantly desecrated and corrupted by human sins and dark and crafty spirits living in the air and giving rise to all sorts of pernicious trends and diseases in it.” Thus, for the sin of Adam, the whole earth was cursed (see: Gen. 3: 17), and the Apostle Jude in his letter calls to abhor even clothing that is defiled by the flesh (see: Jude 1: 23). And of course, this desecration concerns both human habitation and the temple of God. Therefore, as he continues his thought righteous John Kronstadt, and “there is an urgent need for church sanctification and healing of these elements.”

Now let’s answer the question: is it possible to consecrate your home yourself? Of course, the Church does not prohibit doing this. If it is impossible to invite a priest, you can walk through the apartment yourself while singing the festive troparion and sprinkle the walls. But if you can consecrate a house with a priest, it is better to do so. After all, it is obvious that the prayer of a layman is not identical to the prayer of a priest, on whom apostolic grace rests. Together with the priest, as the troparion says in the rite for the consecration of the house, holy angels enter the dwelling: “...to the face and now of the entrance of Thy sacred servants, and with them Thy holy Angels, grant Thy peace to this house...”

The minor consecration of the house is carried out not only afterward - it can be performed whenever there is a need for it. For example, if there is some kind of lingering illness in the house.

Not everyone can have their house blessed. After all, the first condition for imparting the gift of God is faith in Christ. It is impossible to consecrate a house whose owners live in unrepentant mortal sin. That is, it is impossible to consecrate a house to a sorcerer, moonshiner, sectarian, etc. Often such people do not intend to change their lives, and the consecration of a house for them is only a blessing for further sin. However, it happens that in such a family there is a believer who suffers from the behavior of the rest of the family members. And for his sake one has to perform consecration. So, once I consecrated an apartment at the request of an Orthodox man, whose wife was fond of magic.

Of course, a churchgoer’s house must be consecrated in full. But in many villages they had never heard of this and “from time immemorial,” as they say, they consecrated houses only with baptismal sprinkling. God sees the simplicity of these people and gives them grace through faith. So, in one of the villages that I care for, there was such a case. I was always invited to one of the houses to sprinkle the house and pray. A couple of years ago in that village there was heavy thunderstorm, and to the house of believing owners through open window ball lightning flew in. It flew through the entire house, including through the bedroom where they were relaxing on the bed, and flew out the window. God preserved them, and the fire did not happen. Only some electrical appliances failed. This is such a small consecration of the house!

However, everyone should remember that although the Church sanctifies everything around a person: a house, a car, and fields, you can desecrate everything again with your behavior in one day. And then the gift of grace will be neglected, and this will become another reason for condemning a person. Therefore, first of all, let us try to sanctify our hearts with prayer and good thoughts, and then the sanctification of our outer home will bring us benefit and peace of mind.

Sprinkling with holy water for protection.

How to properly sprinkle with holy water.

Wash your hands, pour some holy water into a clean bowl. Never take a bowl that has been touched by animals! Better yet, buy a new bowl and use it only for holy water. Before sprinkling the house, you need to read a prayer to bless the deed.

Prayer for blessing the case.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls. God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. O God, Creator and Creator of all things, the works of our hands, which we begin for Thy glory, hasten to correct with Thy blessing, and deliver us from all evil, for one is all-powerful and Lover of mankind. Quick to intercede and strong to help, present yourself to the grace of Thy power now, and bless and strengthen, and bring about the good work of Thy servants to fulfill the intention of the good work: for all that thou desirest, for Strong God, you can create. Amen.

You need to start sprinkling from the red corner. The red corner is the corner in the central room, located diagonally from the entrance. There should be an iconostasis, or at least one icon. Stand in front of this corner, scoop up some holy water with your right hand and sprinkle the corner in a cross shape with the words:

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

Go around the room clockwise and sprinkle all the corners, walls, floor and ceiling in the same way. Try not to step on drops of water that have fallen on the floor: the shrine should not be trampled. It would be best if you take off your shoes and remain barefoot. After sprinkling the room, read a prayer to the Life-Giving Cross.

Prayer to the Life-Giving Cross.

May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may all those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke disappears, let them disappear; just as wax melts in the face of fire, so let demons perish in the face of those who love God and sign the sign of the cross, and say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honorable One and Life-giving Cross Lord, drive away the demons with the power of our drunken Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power of the devil, and who gave us His Honest Cross to drive away every adversary. O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen.

Sprinkle all the other rooms, the kitchen and the hallway in the same way. In the bathroom, spray only the corners. You cannot sprinkle holy water on the toilet. After you have sprinkled the entire apartment, read a prayer to the Holy Martyr Blasius, Bishop of Sebaste.

Prayer to the Holy Martyr Blasius, Bishop of Sebastia.

You have been adorned with the anointing of sanctification and the torment of blood, O glorious Blasie, you shine everywhere, rejoicing in the Highest and gazing upon us, who have come to your temple and in it continually call to you: keep us all. Most blessed and ever-memorable Hieromartyr Blasius, wondrous sufferer and warm representative of ours, after your departure into eternal life those who call upon you holy name help and promise to be heard in all requests! Behold, now to you, the saint of God, as to the true intercessor of salvation, we come and humbly pray: come to our aid, bound by the bonds of sins, move to your all-powerful prayers to God and pray for us sinners: for you, unworthy, call for intercession We dare and wish to receive liberation from all our sins through you. O holy saint of God Blasie! In the contrition and humility of our hearts, we fall before you and pray: shine upon us, darkened by the slander of the enemy, with the light of grace from above, so that walking in it, we will not stumble our feet on a stone. You, as a vessel chosen in honor and filled with the grace of God, we pray: grant us, sinners, the desired acceptance from your fulfillment, and heal our mental and physical ulcers, and ask the Lord for forgiveness of our sin and for our mental and physical health, salvation beneficial We always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your merciful intercession for our souls and bodies, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Sprinkling of a new home.

If you have moved to another house, you must sprinkle it with holy water and cleanse it with prayer. If possible, call a priest to bless the house according to church rite. If this is not possible, you need to sprinkle the house and read the prayers yourself. In the red corner, hang an icon of the Savior or the Mother of God. Light a candle in front of her. Read a prayer for the blessing of the matter.

Then read the following prayers.

Psalm 90 (Living help).

Living in the help of the Most High, he will settle in the shelter of the Heavenly God.
Says the Lord: Thou art my Protector and my Refuge, my God, and I trust in Him.
For Toy will deliver you from the snare of the trap, and from the word of rebellion.
His cloak will cover you, and under His wing you will hope: His truth will surround you with weapons.
Do not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow flying in the days,
From things that pass away in darkness, from clots, and the midday demon.
Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will fall at your right hand, but it will not come near you,
Look before your eyes, and you will see the reward of sinners.
For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge.
No evil will come to you, and no wound will come near your body,
As His Angel commanded you, keep you in all your ways.
They will lift you up in their arms, but not when you dash your foot against a stone,
Tread on the asp and the basilisk, and cross the lion and the serpent.
For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver, and I will cover, and because I have known My name.
He will call to Me, and I will hear him: I am with him in sorrow, I will destroy him, and I will glorify him,
I will fill him with long days, and show him My salvation.

Prayer for entering a new home.

Just as salvation was the entrance to Thy house of Zaccheus, O Christ, now is it the entrance of Thy sacred servants, and with them Thy saints, Thy angels, grant Thy peace to this house and graciously bless it, saving and enlightening all who want to live in it.

God our Savior, who deigned to bring salvation into the shadow of Zacchaeus, and bring salvation to that and to every house of that house: You yourself, even now, have desired to live here, and by us, and by those unworthy of your prayers and supplications, keep them unharmed from all harm, blessing those who live here, and are not hated save your belly. For all glory, honor and worship is due to You, with Your beginningless Father, and with Your Most Holy and good, life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Psalm 100.

I will sing to You of mercy and judgment, O Lord;
I sing and understand on the way blamelessly; when will you come to me?
I walked in the gentleness of my heart in the midst of my house.
Do not offer before my eyes a thing that is unlawful; those who commit crimes come to hate.
Do not cling to my obstinate heart; I have not known the evil one who turns away from me.
The one who slanderes his sincere secret, I expel him; with a proud eye and an insatiable heart, I don’t eat with this.
My eyes are on the faithful lands, plant them with me; Walk on the path blameless, serving these people.
Do not live in the midst of my house and create pride; Say, the unrighteous does not make amends before my eyes.
In the morning they slaughtered all the sinners of the earth, who consumed all the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord.

* * *

In order for there to be well-being and prosperity in the house, they read a prayer to the righteous Joseph the Beautiful (as you know, with Joseph’s arrival in Potiphar’s house, he had prosperity in everything in his house). Prayer to the three saints. And also a prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Prayer to righteous Joseph the Beautiful.

O holy servant of God, righteous Joseph! Having fought a good fight on earth, you have received in Heaven the crown of righteousness, which the Lord has prepared for all who love Him. In the same way, looking at your holy image, we rejoice at the glorious end of your life and honor your holy memory. You, standing before the Throne of God, accept our prayers and bring them to the All-Merciful God, to forgive us every sin and help us against the wiles of the devil, so that, having been delivered from sorrows, illnesses, troubles and misfortunes and all evil, we will live piously and righteously in the present We will be worthy through your intercession, even if we are unworthy, to see good on the land of the living, glorifying the One in His saints, glorified God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer to three saints - Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom.

O blessed luminaries of the Church of Christ, Basil, Gregory and John, who illuminated the ends of the earth with the light of Orthodox dogmas and extinguished the blasphemous confusion and vacillation of heresies with the sword of the word of God! Falling to your mercy, with faith and love from the depths of the soul, we cry: standing before the Throne of the Most Holy, Consubstantial, Life-Giving and Indivisible Trinity, for Her word, writing and life, you strive well and place your souls, always pray to Her, that she may strengthen us in Orthodoxy and like-mindedness, and unshakable even to death in the confession of the faith of Christ, and in all-soulful obedience to His Church of the Saints; may our invisible and visible enemies gird us with strength from on high; may she keep her Church unshakable from unbelief, superstition, heresy and schism; May He grant our people long life and good haste in everything; May our shepherds give spiritual sobriety and zeal for the salvation of the flock, justice and truth to the authorities, patience, courage and victory over enemies to the warrior, intercession to the orphans and widows, healing to the sick, good growth in the faith to the young, consolation to the elders, intercession to the offended, and all that temporal and eternal life is necessary, for in peace and repentance, with a burning desire for salvation, working for the Lord, fighting the good fight, we will end our course and be honored in the Kingdom of Heaven together with you to always sing and glorify the most holy and magnificent Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy. Bless.

Then sprinkle the house, as described above, on each wall of the house and above. front door draw a cross - with chalk or pencil.

Sprinkling the house if someone lived in it before you.

If you moved into a house where someone lived before you, then in addition to the basic prayers, you need to read prayers for driving away evil spirits and for preservation from the devil.

The first prayer is to drive away evil spirits and save you from the Devil.

To You, my God and Creator, in the Holy Trinity, the glorified Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, I worship and entrust my soul and body, and I pray: You bless me, You have mercy on me, and deliver me from all worldly, devilish and bodily evil. And grant that this day may pass in peace without sin, to Thy glory and to the salvation of my soul. Amen.

The second prayer is to drive away evil spirits and save you from the Devil.

In the hand of Your great mercy, O my God, I entrust my soul and body, my feelings and words, my advice and thoughts, my deeds and all my movements of body and soul. My entry and exit, my faith and life, the course and end of my life, the day and hour of my breathing, my repose, the repose of my soul and body. But You, O Most Merciful God, invincible through the sins of the whole world through Goodness and Gentleness, Lord, accept me, more than all sinners, in the hand of Your protection and deliver me from all evil, cleanse my many iniquities, grant correction to my evil and wretched life and from Always delight me in the coming cruel falls of sin, and in no way will I anger Your love for mankind, with which you cover my weakness from demons, passions and evil people. Forbid the enemy, visible and invisible, guiding me along the saved path, bring me to You, my refuge and the land of my desires. Grant me a Christian end, unashamed, peaceful, keep me from the airy spirits of malice, at Your Last Judgment be merciful to Your servant and number me at the right hand of Your blessed sheep, and with them I will glorify You, my Creator, forever. Amen.

The third prayer is to drive away evil spirits and preservation from the Devil.

Glory to Thee, O King, God Almighty, Who through Thy Divine and humane providence hast thou vouchsafed me, a sinner and unworthy, to rise from sleep and receive the entrance of Thy holy house: accept, O Lord, the voice of my prayer, as Thy holy and intelligent powers, and deign with a pure heart and a humble spirit to offer You praise from my vile lips, for I will also be a companion to the wise virgins, with the bright light of my soul, and I glorify You in the Father and the Spirit of the glorified God of the Word. Amen.

Prayer of St. Nektarios of Optina.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, who comes to judge the living and the dead, have mercy on us sinners, forgive the fall of our entire lives, and through our fate hide us from the face of the Antichrist in the hidden desert of Your salvation.

Prayer to Archangel Michael.

Lord God the Great King, Beginningless! Send, O Lord, Thy Archangel Michael to the aid of Thy servant (name) and take me away from my enemies, visible and invisible. O Lord Michael the Archangel! destroyer of demons: forbid all enemies who fight with me, make them like sheep, and crush them like dust before the wind. O Lord the Great Archangel Michael! Six-winged first prince, commander of the heavenly powers Cherubim and Seraphim. O beloved Archangel Michael, be my assistant in all matters in sorrows and sorrows; in deserts, at crossroads, on rivers and seas - a quiet refuge. Deliver me, Great Archangel Michael, from all the charms of the devil, when you hear me, your sinful servant (name), praying to you and calling on your holy name: hasten to help me and hear my prayer. O great Archangel Michael! The whole of the honest and life -giving heavenly cross of the Lord, the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Holy Apostles, the holy prophet of the God of Elijah, the Holy of Nicholas the Miracle Worker, the Holy of the Great Martyr Nikita and Eustathius, the Monk Father and the Holy of Saints and all the Holy Heavenly Heavenly Heads, . Amen.

Sprinkling the car.

If you want your car to drive properly and nothing bad happens to you on the road, sprinkle it with holy water from time to time. It is recommended to do this after every wash. You definitely need to spray your car before a long journey. Before sprinkling the car, a prayer is read to bless the deed and Psalm 91.

Open all the car doors, as well as the hood and trunk. Start sprinkling from the driver's seat. Walking around the car clockwise, spray all sides of the car and interior in a cross pattern, saying:

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

Before a long journey, after sprinkling, read the driver’s prayer, as well as prayers for those traveling.

Driver's prayer.

God, the All-Good and All-Merciful, protecting everyone with His mercy and love for mankind, I humbly pray to Thee, through the intercession of the Mother of God and all the saints, save me, a sinner, and the people entrusted to me from sudden death and all misfortunes, and help me to deliver unharmed to each according to his needs. Dear God! Deliver me from the evil spirit of recklessness, evil spirits drunkenness causing misfortune and sudden death without repentance. Save me, Lord, with a clear conscience, to live to a ripe old age without the burden of people killed and maimed due to my negligence, and may I be glorified your name Holy, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer for travelers.

The path and truth, O Christ, of Thy companion, Thy angel, Thy servant now, as Tobiah sometimes did, after preserving and unharmed to Thy glory, from all evil in all well-being, through the prayers of the Mother of God, the One Lover of Mankind. Kontakion, voice 2 Luca and Cleopas on their journey to Emmaus, O Savior, descend now upon Thy servant who wants to travel, delivering them from every evil situation: for Thou, as a Lover of Mankind, can do all that He may. Lord Jesus Christ our God, the true and living way, you willed to travel with your imaginary father Joseph and the Most Pure Virgin Mother to Egypt, and Luca and Cleopas to Emmaus! Now we humbly pray to You, Most Holy Master, and let Your grace travel with Your servant. And like Thy servant Tobiah, send a guardian angel and mentor, preserving and delivering them from every evil situation of visible and invisible enemies, and instructing them in the fulfillment of Thy commandments, peacefully and safely and healthily, and returning them safely and serenely; and grant them all their good intentions to please You safely and fulfill them for Your glory. It is Yours to have mercy and save us, and we send up glory to You with Your Beginning Father and with Your Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer for those traveling to the Most Holy Theotokos “Quick to Hear.”

Most blessed Lady, Ever-Virgin Mother of God, who gave birth to God the Word more than any word for our salvation, and who received His grace more abundantly than all others, who appeared as a sea of Divine gifts and miracles, an ever-flowing river, pouring out goodness to all who come running to You with faith! In honor of Your miraculous image, we pray to You, the all-generous Mother of the Humane-loving Lord: surprise us with Your rich mercies and our petitions brought to You, Quick to Hear, speed up the fulfillment of everything for the benefit of consolation and salvation for everyone. Visit, O Blessing Thy servants, with Thy grace, grant to those who are ailing, healing and perfect health, to those overwhelmed by silence, to those captivated by freedom and various images of the suffering consolation. Deliver, O All-Merciful Lady, every city and country from famine, plague, cowardice, flood, fire, sword and other temporary and eternal punishments, by Your maternal boldness turning away the wrath of God: and freedom from mental relaxation, overwhelm of passions and falls into sin, as if without stumbling Having lived in all piety in this world, and in the future, eternal blessings, we will be made worthy of the grace and love for mankind of Your Son and God, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, together with His Beginning Father and the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Sprinkling things.

You can sprinkle any non-foul thing (things that are used to sweep, wash, objects from a latrine, etc.) are considered bad things.

They sprinkle clothes (so that demons do not inhabit them), computers and household appliances(so that they work well), tools, sports equipment - in a word, everything that serves to benefit a person. The item must be clean. Clothes should be washed or thoroughly cleaned, dust should be wiped off equipment and other things.

Consecration of a thing.

Initial prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen. Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere the son and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.

Trisagion.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity.

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.
Lord have mercy. (Three times). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord's Prayer.

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Amen.

Prayer for the sanctification of things.

To the creator and co-creator of the human race, the giver of spiritual grace, the giver of eternal salvation: Lord Himself, send Your Holy Spirit with the highest blessing on this thing (at the same time we call the thing, for example: “these candles” or “this oil”), as if armed with power heavenly intercession, for those who want to use it, it will be helpful for bodily salvation and intercession and help in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

After reading all these prayers, you need to sprinkle the item three times with holy water with the words:

This thing is blessed and sanctified (we call it the thing) by sprinkling this sacred water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

And in conclusion.

Risen from the dead, Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother, the holy Apostle of Love John the Theologian and other saints and all-praised Apostles, the holy (name of the saint of this day), the holy and righteous Godfather Joachim and Anna and all the saints, have mercy and save us, as he is good and a lover of humanity. Amen.

How to consecrate an apartment yourself?

The rite of blessing a home is performed only by an Orthodox priest who is not prohibited from serving.

Housing complete only a true Orthodox priest can consecrate. If one is not available or is absent due to the circumstances of the retreat, then any faithful (active, church-going Orthodox Christian) can consecrate his home and things, incl. , sprinkling with holy Epiphany (Epiphany water). At the same time, to consecrate the house, you can read the prayer “May God rise again...”, Psalm 90 and “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, by sprinkling sowing holy water, let every evil demonic action be put to flight, amen.” If you want a priest to consecrate your apartment with complete consecration, then for this you need to contact the Orthodox church closest to your home (in our case, the Russian Orthodox Church). Very often there is no fixed donation required. People donate to the priest whenever possible, as much as they can, sometimes priests even refuse to take donations from the elderly and poor.

How to properly sprinkle an apartment with holy water?

Many people are now afraid of the evil eye, damage, and witchcraft. Many people stick needles into all the door frames, hang themselves like Christmas trees with amulets, smoke all the corners with candles and forget that church prayer alone can save a person from the violence of the devil. After all, he trembles at the power of God and is unable to harm anyone who abides in God’s love. (read: and).

To protect yourself from dark forces, one must not commit mortal sins, and especially one must not turn for “help” to the servants of Satan: sorcerers, psychics, hypnotists (encoded), various healers, fortune-tellers. It is impossible to simultaneously pray to God for help and at the same time run to fortune tellers and psychics. Often problems appear or worsen after some time just after visiting such “helpers,” since this is a sin and God forbids doing this. If you have already turned to “healers” or sorcerers, then you need to tell the priest about this - he will know how to help in this case.

“You shall not have anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, a soothsayer, a soothsayer, a sorcerer, a sorcerer, ...” (Deut. 18:10).

This interesting letter came to a monk at the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery about the consecration of the house:

Hello. My apartment is not completely consecrated, because my parents did not allow their room to be consecrated. 2 weeks passed, and during the next third week, my nephew constantly began to see a person in the room at night and got scared. I myself, upon waking up, heard a sort of mocking, satisfied singing, and non-believing parents say that the “bump” lives under their bed. Mom saw a dog in the room one night. What can I do? The consecration of the apartment was already difficult. Parents are against any priestly visits. The presence of a “bump” in the house does not bother them at all. Maybe you can recommend some special prayers or something else?

08/13/2004 Elena Ukraine, Sevastopol

Dear Elena!

Your entire apartment was consecrated by the prayer of the Church through the priest, and the room can be sprinkled with holy water. So, the apartment is consecrated and, thus, cleansed of all “bumps” and other evil spirits. But if the evil spirits still continue to annoy, then, one must assume, the “big shots” have made a nest for themselves not in the apartment, but in the souls of its residents. Therefore, you need to cleanse your soul from uninvited and annoying “guests”. How to do it? The Holy Gospel says through the mouth of the Savior that “this same generation is driven out only by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21). So we must fast (especially since the entire Church has now entered the Dormition Fast until August 28), repent at confession, receive unction and receive communion, and go to church services. And continue to try to live according to the Gospel commandments. Then, for sure, all these “bumps” “like smoke disappears, let them disappear.” And pray more diligently for your relatives.

Lord strengthen you!

Whether you swim in the Epiphany waters or not is not the point. It is important to understand that if you do not live within the fence of the Church, then there is no point in swimming. Bathing in Epiphany water does not instantly heal everyone from any illness and does not wash away sins. Returning to sins...does not wash them away Epiphany water, and repentance in . No other way. Even if you swim two kilometers back and forth in an ice hole and don’t come to confession, your sins will not decrease.

Thus, the problem may not only be a “bad” apartment. Often the cause of a “bad apartment” is not a bad apartment, but a person’s unrepentant sins, life without God and the Church. If you come to the temple a couple of times a year - in the spring, to bless Easter cakes with eggs, and in the winter, for Epiphany water, then the collected water will be of practically no use to you. This is ordinary paganism, a belief in magic, in the fact that “water is charged.” We must become Orthodox Christian, then the water will be beneficial. And Easter cakes with eggs. And for this you need to start going to worship services (at least to start with Sunday Liturgy) and resort to the Sacraments, the main of which is Communion. We must begin to rebuild our lives in the Gospel way, learn not just to believe in God, but also to believe in God. Well, and finally drive out from yourself the most terrible demon of our days - “God in the soul”! Help us all in this, Lord!

Each of us, to the best of our ability and ability, tries in everyday life to maintain cleanliness in our homes and neatness in our clothing. And there are some especially clean people who zealously maintain cleanliness and order. And how concerned is such a person if, for some reason, this order and cleanliness is violated.

Likewise, a person who is accustomed to monitoring the purity of his heart and the neatness of his soul cannot live without repentance. Such a person waits and longs for another confession, just as parched earth awaits life-giving moisture. Imagine for a moment a person who has not washed off bodily dirt all his life! So the soul requires washing, and what would happen if it weren’t? When taking care of your home, don’t forget to take care of your soul! The Lord said to His disciples: Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. That is, the unforgiven, unresolved, will appear in another world unforgiven, unresolved, bound in his sin. )

You just need to understand that in Orthodoxy there is no magic and no sacred act without one’s own repentance (that attitude described by the prophet David “a sacrifice to God, a broken spirit, a broken and humble heart, God will not despise”) will not have the benefit for which it is intended. (Editor’s note) .) After church, we must try again not to succumb to passions and vices, to abstain, abandon sin and, with God’s help, overcome. For example, read the Gospel or the lives of saints, pray for the departed, refrain from entertainment and distraction, from empty conversations, TV series or talk shows, and there will be no place for the evil one in your soul or in your home.

Attention: do not confuse the independent sprinkling of a home with holy water with the consecration by a clergyman, when special prayers are read and the walls are anointed with holy oil, and an image of a cross is attached to the walls.

If you are going to sprinkle your home, then before doing this you need to clean the house, wash all the floors, wipe off the dust, and remove all unnecessary items. The rooms should not be cluttered. Do not cover the windows with curtains - the more light there is in the house, the better. It is preferable to sprinkle the home on Sunday. Just don't do cleaning on Sunday. It would be nice to go to church on this day for a service and take a blessing from the priest and perhaps agree on one day when he can come to you to carry out the full consecration of the home. So, how to properly sprinkle with holy water? Wash your hands, pour some holy water into a clean bowl. Never take a bowl that has been touched by animals! Better yet, buy a new bowl and use it only for holy water. Before sprinkling the house, you need to read a prayer to bless the deed.

Prayer for blessing the case:

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3 times with bows)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread;And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors;And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen

O God, Creator and Creator of all things, the works of our hands, which we begin for Thy glory, hasten to correct with Thy blessing, and deliver us from all evil, for one is all-powerful and Lover of mankind. Quick to intercede and strong to help, present yourself to the grace of Your power now, and bless and strengthen, and bring about the good work of Your servants to complete the good intentions: for whatever you want, for the Mighty God, you can do. Amen.

You need to start sprinkling from the red corner. The red corner is the corner in the central room, located diagonally from the entrance. There should be an iconostasis, or at least one icon. Stand in front of this corner, scoop up some holy water with your right hand (sprinkle, brush) and sprinkle the corner in a cross shape with the words: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Go around the room clockwise and sprinkle all the corners, walls, floor and ceiling in the same way. Try not to step on drops of water.

After sprinkling the room, read a prayer to the Life-Giving Cross.

Prayer to the Life-Giving Cross:

May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may all those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke disappears, let them disappear; as wax melts in the face of fire, so let demons perish from the face of those who love God and signify themselves with the sign of the cross, and who say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons by force on you of our drunken Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power the devil, and who gave us His Honest Cross to drive away every adversary. O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen.

Sprinkle all the other rooms, the kitchen and the hallway in the same way. In the bathroom, spray only the corners. You cannot sprinkle holy water on the toilet.

Prayers of Thanksgiving

Troparion, tone 4

Give thanks to Thy unworthy servants, O Lord, for Thy great blessings upon us; we glorify Thee, bless, thank Thee, sing and magnify Thy compassion, and slavishly cry out to Thee in love: O our Benefactor, glory to Thee.

Kontakion, tone 3

As a servant of indecency, having been honored with Your blessings and gifts, Master, we earnestly flow to You, giving thanks according to our strength, and glorifying You as the Benefactor and Creator, we cry out: Glory to You, All-Bountiful God. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokos

Theotokos, Christian Helper, Your servants, having acquired Your intercession, cry out to You in gratitude: Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin Mother of God, and always deliver us from all our troubles with Your prayers, One who will soon intercede.

If the water remains, you can sprinkle it the next day.

“If you don’t want sorrows, don’t sin, sincerely repent of your sins and untruths, don’t do evil to your neighbors either in deed, or in word, or even in thought, visit church more often, pray, treat your loved ones and neighbors with mercy, then the Lord will have mercy on you too , and if it is useful, then it will free you from sorrow.”

Abbot Nikon Vorobyov

Confession is usually performed in the church before the start of the service, or at the end of the service in the evening. If this is your first confession, then it’s better to tell the priest about it, most likely he will advise you and give you more time.

Letters and answers to questions:

Saint Nicholas of Serbia in response to a letter from one woman who complained that she was being bothered scary dreams wrote: “I’ll say this: the three youths who appear to you are three of your children, killed by you in the womb, before the sun touched their faces with its gentle rays. Start by understanding and realizing this. Do everything in your power ", for your murdered children, do deeds of mercy. And the Lord will forgive you - everyone is alive with Him - and give you peace. Go to church and ask what you should do: the priests know.(Read completely)"

And here’s what he wrote to a man who went to psychics, fortune-tellers, healers, healers, etc.:

And I'll ask you something. Why are you making God suffer? Why are you torturing the martyred Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross for you? He endured great suffering to save people from false gods, from false saviors, from all the dark forces working through these false saviors. And yet you passed by Him, the only true one, and went to seek help from His enemies - fortune-tellers and healers.This is what the Apostle of Christ advises: Is any of you sick, let him call the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will forgive him (James 5:14–15)(sacrament of unction)

My mother-in-law, in parallel with the Bible, is looking for the truth of life in Feng Shui, believes in reincarnation and past civilizations. And in Lately She became interested in conspiracies and omens, feeds the brownie mushrooms, tells fortunes and accustoms her daughter to this heresy. Her life is awry, her children are always sick, she has no money, but she doesn’t give in to any persuasion to stop doing nonsense and turn to a priest: one does not interfere with the other. How to protect yourself and future children? I'm scared... Natalya

Hello, Natalia!

I fully understand and share your fears. The mother-in-law’s behavior can indeed negatively affect not only the spiritual, but also the physical state of those around her. But let's take things in order.

At first, your mother-in-law became interested in Eastern philosophies. In fact, it is a product of pagan cults. It is clear that such beliefs have nothing in common with faith in the Living God. But things went further. Now she is already involved in outright occultism. Conspiracies are not an appeal to God at all, but a calling on evil spirits, although for cover they can be “furnished” with Christian terminology.

Fortune telling is completely prohibited by the Church and is considered a grave sin. And feeding the brownie is a return to ancient Slavic paganism. It is quite logical to assume that soon your mother-in-law will get into black magic and Satanism. And of course, there is nothing surprising in the fact that family troubles reign in the house, the children are getting sick one after another, and she herself is not in at its best. All these are the consequences of the confusion that reigns in her head. For it is impossible to mix faith in Christ with faith in Buddha or Krishna, Orthodox prayer mix with the conspiracy, and consider yourself an Orthodox Christian, while practicing fortune telling and magic.

Now let's move on to how to protect yourself from the negative consequences of your mother-in-law's activities. First of all, you need to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ as often as possible and encourage your spouse and, if possible, those loved ones who have not yet come under the influence of your mother-in-law to do so. If you live separately from her, then be sure to consecrate your home. Try to pray more not only at home, but also visit the temple of God more often to pray. Keep the fasts. In a word, try to do everything that it calls for Orthodox Church your faithful children. Then you will be under the gracious protection of the saving ones. church sacraments. And, of course, try to explain to your mother-in-law about the sinfulness of her delusions and about possible consequences her activities. If it doesn’t work out, then all that remains is to pray for her and hope for God’s great mercy. God help you.

Letter No. 1

We have been fighting witchcraft for 8 years now. All to no avail. General lectures in Zagorsk from Father Herman and unction did not help. As one clairvoyant said, nothing will help. The plot period is too long. The essence of man has changed. Her life is running out. Besides the fact that she has no path in life, she suddenly began to dislike Russian guys. Makes contact only with the Kyrgyz. Question. Is it possible to organize a personal lecture with Father Germ in Zagorsk? Valentina

Hello, Valentina!

And where did you get such knowledge of occult terminology? Probably from those clairvoyants and psychics whom you listen to with such pleasure. I can tell you only one thing - all this is complete nonsense! And your troubles come precisely from the visits of these “kind” clairvoyants, who dare to say that nothing can help a person. Since when, may I ask, did Orthodox Christians begin to trust so much in people who have nothing in common with God? And moreover, consciously serving the devil. Yes Yes exactly! And nothing else!

“You shall not have anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, a soothsayer, a soothsayer, a sorcerer, a sorcerer, ...” (Deut. 18:10).

Fortune tellers, psychics, healers, clairvoyants - all these are ministers of black cults. And no lectures from Fr. will help you. Herman and unction, it will only get worse from them. And all because it is impossible to simultaneously pray to God for help and at the same time run through psychics.

Turning to a clairvoyant is turning to the devil! This is a direct violation of the first commandment: “I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:2-3). And for violating this commandment in Old Testament the death penalty was imposed. So draw a conclusion why your daughter is melting before your eyes. And if you don’t stop, then everything can end even more sadly, for “I am the Lord your God, a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, and showing mercy to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.” "(Exodus 20:5-6).

If you have drawn the appropriate conclusions for yourself, then I will continue further. You need to understand that a person who lives in harmony with God and fulfills His commandments is not afraid of any witchcraft. On this moment you and your daughter urgently need

Perhaps the priest will assign you penance. With humility, accept all the admonitions of your confessor and follow all his instructions. And get out of your head the idea that Fr. Germana is a panacea for all diseases. Your daughter does not suffer from demonic possession, and the rite of reprimand is direct expulsion evil spirit from the human body. She needs to confess, receive communion, and, if necessary, receive unction as often as possible. But remember that all this is incompatible with visits to occultists. You can receive all other instructions from the priest in the temple. God help you!

It is worth emphasizing that if a person comes to confession, or to communion, or to baptism not for the sake of union with the Lord Jesus Christ, but for the sake of some completely different goals, especially occult goals, then this is grave sin. It happens that they say: “Well, we went to the grandmothers, and they said: “You are unbaptized, go get baptized” - or: “Go take communion to church, and then we will tell your fortune, then we will do for you what you want.” " From this, some conclude that they are Orthodox. But the demons do this, because for demons it is more interesting to abuse a baptized Christian than to abuse an unbaptized person. Therefore, I would venture to suggest that in your case this did not bring what you expected, because it was not done for the purpose for which these sacraments were established.

And if your problems are not of a medical nature, but of a spiritual nature, then they must be solved not by a one-time visit to church, but by a full-fledged church life. Make it a rule for yourself to visit church at least once a week, go to confession often, take communion monthly, pray at home in the morning and evening, read spiritual literature and the Gospel daily and your spiritual problems will be resolved.

However, such a lifestyle is necessary for any believer. Perhaps the misfortune that befell you simply reminds you of the need to live as a Christian should.

Even if problems are not resolved instantly by church means, it may be necessary to show patience and constancy in doing good: in fasting and prayer, attending services and participating in the sacraments of the Church? Maybe you need to seriously reconsider your life, work on your soul, remembering that the goal Christian life not health, well-being and prosperity, but sanctification, transformation of the soul?It takes time to enlighten, to purify the heart, to become closer to Christ. “...Here the devil and God are fighting, but the battlefield is the hearts of people”...

Besides God, there are forces that in Christianity are called fallen angels, demons, demons.

These forces, which themselves have long ago made their choice in favor of fighting against God, strive to persuade people to do the same. Those who keep the laws of God, expressed, first of all, in His commandments, are protected by God, but the one who rejects these commandments, first of all, by the way of his life, by the values that form its basis, deprives himself of this protection and becomes an easy prey demons These people reject God's protection, and God, respecting their free will, leaves them alone with their choice. St. John of Damascus writes about demons: “... every vice was invented by them and unclean passions. And they are allowed to attack a person, but they are not able to force anyone, because it depends on us whether to withstand the attack or not.” A person deprived of God's protection, having become the prey of demons who are indifferent to our free will, becomes possessed by demonic forces. The will of such people becomes controlled by demons, and they themselves turn into their puppets. Therefore, one should not be surprised when a certain grandmother “heals” or “predicts”, but understand who the source is and what the consequences may be.

Demons are very cunning and insidious. If they see that you are not listening to them and are shying away from their evil deeds, they will try to influence you through another person who is next to you at that moment (for example, one who does not know anything about demons). They inspire him to suggest, advise you to do such an act (for example, go to your grandmother, bewitch, bewitch, “treat”, have an abortion, kill, etc.), i.e. sin, an act that violates the commandments of God, incline you to sin and further aggravate the sin, thus tearing you away from Christ, depriving you of God’s protection and destroying you. But they cannot force you to do something bad without your decision.

Important: If your problems are not of a medical nature, but of a spiritual nature, then they should be solved not by a one-time visit to church, but by a full-fledged church life, going to services, participating in the sacraments of the church.

– I can’t understand: what is the danger of doing yoga? For example, they help me in life.

– These two questions are like two siblings, the younger and the older: the second was exactly the same as the first just a couple of years ago!...

The saddest thing, however, is something else: some of us, having received “help” from some occult, anti-Christian source, until the end of our lives will not feel either movement downhill, or the onset of darkness, or a sense of retribution. Therefore, the author of the second question has every reason to rejoice - if, of course, he draws the proper conclusions from his current state.

Here is how the remarkable modern thinker, American, Russian Orthodox priest Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) speaks about this:

“Of course, in addition to Christianity, there are other expressions of universal meaning and order... For example, to a follower of traditional Indian or Chinese philosophy, the truth is to some extent revealed and inner world, originating from it... He who deviates from this relative truth and partial world loses much, but not everything, as apostate Christian. That is why unprecedented confusion reigns in our hearts, because we have retreated from the law and truth, which were fully revealed to us in Christ Himself” (“Man Inside Out. Philosophy of the Absurd”).

In conclusion, the answer to this serious question is an illustration that will help you understand the meaning of what was said. In some book for children, the action takes place in the summer of 1941. The boys shout: “Tanks are coming, tanks! Let’s run to look!...” The hero is perplexed: the tanks are German... But best friend drags him by the hand: “Hurry! Just think, what a difference!”

But there is a difference, and a considerable one. For German children it would not be so significant, but many of us, who in childhood ran after other people’s tanks, unnoticed for ourselves crossed the line beyond which lies a slope, darkness and retribution.

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