Prayer Rope

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John_of_Patmos

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I ordered an excellent cyan 100 knot prayer rope from Athineon.com in Athens. Is there anything I need to have done with it (ie blessing)? Since the nearest EC parish is in a bad neighborhood and sort of a drive a way, I lack an Eastern Spiritual Father. Is there a basic rule I should follow?

Here it is

Also, what is the common length among monks? Athineon has ones of up to 500 knots but are about $100.:eek:
 
John_of_Patmos said:
I ordered an excellent cyan 100 knot prayer rope from Athineon.com in Athens. Is there anything I need to have done with it (ie blessing)? Since the nearest EC parish is in a bad neighborhood and sort of a drive a way, I lack an Eastern Spiritual Father. Is there a basic rule I should follow?

Here it is

Also, what is the common length among monks? Athineon has ones of up to 500 knots but are about $100.:eek:
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If you want your prayer rope blessed, you could take it to your local Roman parish and simply have the priest bless it. Or, since the EC parish is in a bad neighborhood, you could take it to the closest Orthodox parish and have him place it on the altar during the Divine Liturgy.

Really the Eastern mentality is that an item is blessed through use. So just start praying with it.

Too bad you didn’t order a prayer rope from me. 😛
 
I do love my local EO parish (its Greek)! How would I ask? I have bought Icons there and I think they are under the impression that I am Orthodox! I am probably worrying too much.
My RC parish has an assistant Priest who knows just about everything about other religions, so he would probably bless it, but would rather use the EO option.
 
John_of_Patmos said:
I do love my local EO parish (its Greek)! How would I ask? I have bought Icons there and I think they are under the impression that I am Orthodox! I am probably worrying too much.
My RC parish has an assistant Priest who knows just about everything about other religions, so he would probably bless it, but would rather use the EO option.
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You could simply just ask if the priest will place the prayer rope on the altar during Liturgy. It’s as easy as that! 👍 I don’t think it will matter to him that you’re Catholic and not Orthodox. If it does, then just thank him and go to the Roman parish. The Roman priest could give it a simple Roman blessing, or you could ask him to place it on the altar during Mass, in Eastern fashion. 👍
 
Phillip_Rolfes said:
You could simply just ask if the priest will place the prayer rope on the altar during Liturgy. It’s as easy as that! 👍 I don’t think it will matter to him that you’re Catholic and not Orthodox. If it does, then just thank him and go to the Roman parish. The Roman priest could give it a simple Roman blessing, or you could ask him to place it on the altar during Mass, in Eastern fashion. 👍
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Would I attend the EO DL? If so thats fine, I (90%) just go to Roman Mass on Saturday 5 pm.
Should I call the EO parish?
As with most RCs, I am still a little scared just to go to a DL (not because of the liturgy, but the people).
I have a Romanian friend who said that this EO parish does EVERYTHING in greek. I would feel like hiding in the fartherest corner of the church…
Knowing me, I’ll probably end up being too scared and just go to my RC priest… Thats cool though.
 
John_of_Patmos said:
Would I attend the EO DL? If so thats fine, I (90%) just go to Roman Mass on Saturday 5 pm.
Should I call the EO parish?
As with most RCs, I am still a little scared just to go to a DL (not because of the liturgy, but the people).
I have a Romanian friend who said that this EO parish does EVERYTHING in greek. I would feel like hiding in the fartherest corner of the church…
Knowing me, I’ll probably end up being too scared and just go to my RC priest… Thats cool though.
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If you’re having your prayer rope blessed at a DL, it is advisable that you remain for the DL as well. 😃 Most Orthodox don’t mind if Catholics attend, so long as they don’t receive Communion. The Greeks I’ve been around are also very welcoming and happy to answer questions. They will typically encourage you to come back as often as possible too.

You’re certainly permitted to hide in a corner. Whenever I go to the local GO parish, I always sit nicely tucked away in the back, even though I know people there. I just don’t want to be in anyone’s way. They may have books in English and Greek so that you can follow along with the Greek in English, but this sort of requires the ability to read the Greek alphabet.

If I were in your situation, I would call the priest first out of courtesy. Also, let him know you’re Catholic, also as a courtesy. That may actually make your experience at the parish better because they may assign someone to guide you through the DL, explain things, and answer any questions you may have. The pastor may also single you out afterwards to discuss things.

But these are all just my opinions. There’s obviously no hard and fast rule.
 
Do I start with a creed on the rope? What do I pray on the beads (I read it is like a Byzantine Hail Mary)? Gereral Rules?
 
John_of_Patmos said:
Do I start with a creed on the rope? What do I pray on the beads (I read it is like a Byzantine Hail Mary)? Gereral Rules?
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The beads? Depends on the Prayer Rule you are following. Or simply pray, “O Most Holy Theotokos, save us”
 
John_of_Patmos said:
I do love my local EO parish (its Greek)! How would I ask? I have bought Icons there and I think they are under the impression that I am Orthodox! I am probably worrying too much.
My RC parish has an assistant Priest who knows just about everything about other religions, so he would probably bless it, but would rather use the EO option.
Click to expand...
Get there early (not on greek time lol) and just ask the priest. If he is already in the altar ask an usher to hand the rope to the priest and he will place it on the altar.
 
The prayer associated with the prayer rope is: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me a sinner”.

That’s it, no creed or nothing else.
 
andrewstx said:
The prayer associated with the prayer rope is: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me a sinner”.

That’s it, no creed or nothing else.
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If you follow the prayer rule I just posted above, then there is a recitation of the Creed
 
As mentioned above, the prayer rope is most commonly associated with the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me (a sinner).” The Byzantine “Hail Mary” to which you referred is from the “Prayer Rule of the Theotokos” that has been around at least since the 8th Century, but was re-popularized by St. Seraphim of Sarov in the 18th Century. That would require a prayer rope of 150 knots divided into decades like a Latin rosary.

One’s spiritual father does normally indeed assign your prayer rule. In the event that one does not have a spiritual father, it is recommended that you follow an already well-established rule, such as that of St. Pachomius linked above.

There is also the general rule which follows the canonical hours of Orthros/Matins, 3rd, 6th, and 9th Hours, Vespers, and Compline (roughly Morning, mid-Morning, Afternoon, mid-Afternoon, Evening Prayer, and Office of Readings from the Roman LotH/Christian Prayer). I’m not 100% positive on this, but I believe in this rule Orthros/Matins and Vespers are replaced by 300 repetitions of the Jesus Prayer. The Lesser Hours (3rd, 6th, and 9th Hours) are replaced by 100 repetitions of the Jesus Prayer. Not sure about Compline. I am open to correction on this point.
 
andrewstx said:
The prayer associated with the prayer rope is: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me a sinner”.

That’s it, no creed or nothing else.
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There are numerous “Prayer Rules” for the prayer rope and Jesus Prayer that involve a number of introductory and closing prayers. The introductory prayers are almost always what are known as the “Trisagion Prayers.” The Trisagion Prayers begin all the major Liturgical services of the Byzantine tradition.

It is, however, not absolutely necessary to begin one’s recitation of the Jesus Prayer with the Trisagion Prayers. Once could simply start repeating the Jesus Prayer. This is what I typically do because I normally pray the Jesus Prayer while I’m on the go. When I sit down to really focus on the prayer, I begin with the Trisagion Prayers.
 
John_of_Patmos said:
Do I start with a creed on the rope? What do I pray on the beads (I read it is like a Byzantine Hail Mary)? Gereral Rules?
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Check out the Rule of St. Pachomius that Constantine posted a link to. That is the best possible set of guidelines you will find anywhere. Generally, as has been pointed out, the most common prayer for the prayer rope is the Jesus Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me (a sinner)

I put “a sinner” in parentheses because it was a later addition originating in Russia, I’m guessing some time in the 18th Century. The Fathers of the Philokalia always us the “shorter” form, and St. Theophan the Recluse (Russian saint from the 18th Century) switches back and forth between the longer and shorter forms.

Anyhow, my recommendation to you, for what it’s worth, is simply to pray the Rule of St. Pachomius once a day, no more than twice. Since you don’t have a spiritual father praying it any more than once or twice a day could lead to spiritual delusion and pride. Besides, praying it once a day with attention would be more beneficial than praying it multiple times a day while distracted. 😛

The Byzantine “Hail Mary” to which you refer is associated with the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos. See my above post for more information on that. Here is a link to a PDF of that Rule:

bombaxo.com/blog/files/rule.pdf
 
How long does the Rule of St. Pachomius take (I assume, that if the Rosary takes me 25 min, that this would take me maybe 10)?

ALSO: Leason learned. Shipping from greece takes FOREVER.😃

Checking the mail everyday…:onpatrol:
 
John_of_Patmos said:
Thank you so much! Can it be said without a prayer rope, as I may be to impatient to wait?
Cool Icon of St Pachomius, Coptic Style

Hey, wait a second! Why is the Filioque in this!?:eek:
Constantine (or Philip or any EC), Check out the Nicene Creed in the Rule (above) posted!
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The link which ConstantineTG provided is for a PDF version which does contains the filioque. I’m Roman Catholic and made the document for my own personal use with one of my “Rolfes Ropes”. No offense is meant. I pray the western dominican style rosary regularly but sometimes pray the Rule of St. Pachomius when certain temptations seem to be stronger or more prolonged than usual.

If you prefer, an editable MS Word version is here which you can edit to better suit your own needs.

PAX

-Tim-
 
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