Question - chotki

[Merrick]

I have a chotki I purchased online from an Orthodox Christian. It is not a rope, just a string of beads. The original string broke so I used some wire to re-string them to keep it from breaking again as they broke on a bus but I didn’t lose any beads.

I have prayed the Jesus prayer on it but did not feel this prayer was right for me, at least not without further instruction with a spiritual father. So instead I talk to Jesus and focus on his presence while praying, “Thou art God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father.”

I asked about this on an Orthodox forums and no one thought this was inappropriate. I also discussed it with a Catholic priest and he said this is an orthodox way to pray and blessed my chotki. I would like to get some (name removed by moderator)ut here from Eastern Catholics because I know the chotki is of Eastern origin and I do not desire to Westernize or misappropriate Eastern devotions. My thinking on this is that the chotki is a tool, a set of beads, and the prayer is what counts and I’m fairly certain I am not misuing them especially since I have a priest’s blessing. Also, since there are Eastern Catholics, it isn’t unnatural for a certain amount of interchange to occur between West and East, such as my use of these beads, so long as Eastern and Western devotions are respected in their own context and not distorted or misrepresented.

I want to make sure that I am respecting the chotki and its history and that I am not misusing it. What say you?

 

[Seraphim73]

I have a chotki I purchased online from an Orthodox Christian. It is not a rope, just a string of beads. The original string broke so I used some wire to re-string them to keep it from breaking again as they broke on a bus but I didn’t lose any beads.

I have prayed the Jesus prayer on it but did not feel this prayer was right for me, at least not without further instruction with a spiritual father. So instead I talk to Jesus and focus on his presence while praying, “Thou art God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father.”

I asked about this on an Orthodox forums and no one thought this was inappropriate. I also discussed it with a Catholic priest and he said this is an orthodox way to pray and blessed my chotki. I would like to get some (name removed by moderator)ut here from Eastern Catholics because I know the chotki is of Eastern origin and I do not desire to Westernize or misappropriate Eastern devotions. My thinking on this is that the chotki is a tool, a set of beads, and the prayer is what counts and I’m fairly certain I am not misuing them especially since I have a priest’s blessing. Also, since there are Eastern Catholics, it isn’t unnatural for a certain amount of interchange to occur between West and East, such as my use of these beads, so long as Eastern and Western devotions are respected in their own context and not distorted or misrepresented.

I want to make sure that I am respecting the chotki and its history and that I am not misusing it. What say you?

It’s beads and not a rope? That’s much less common than rope. As to how you use it I don’t think anything you do would be disrespectful. It is used in the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic traditions for things other than the Jesus Prayer. Sometimes it is replaced with prayers to the Theotokos. Nothing to worry about.

 

[Merrick]

It’s beads and not a rope? That’s much less common than rope. As to how you use it I don’t think anything you do would be disrespectful. It is used in the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic traditions for things other than the Jesus Prayer. Sometimes it is replaced with prayers to the Theotokos. Nothing to worry about.

Thank you - this is my thinking too.

They are beads with dividers every ten beads with 100 beads on the whole piece, made of wood. It came with instructions about the Jesus prayer and it was labeled a chotki.

As for prayers to the Theotokos I have prayed a variation of the Jesus Prayer that mentions her though not as a regular practice. I would want more guidance. But my favorite is:

Through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos, Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

It is not inappropriate to pray prayers other than the Jesus Prayer on the prayer rope/beads. Many of the Eastern Fathers mention/recommend other short ejaculatory prayers. The Jesus Prayer is primarily recommended because of the centrality of the Holy Name within the Prayers. As mentioned, however, the “Angelic Salutation” (aka. the “Hail Mary”) is often prayed as well. In times of confusion and difficulty, I find it helpful to pray “Incline my heart according to Your will, O God.” The Desert Fathers also mention any number of short prayers to be said in times of temptation: “O God come to my assistance; O Lord hasten to help me.”

As to ropes vs. beads, there is a tradition of both in the East, and I’ve seen/made my fair share of prayer ropes as well as prayer beads. There is a tradition of using “Job’s Tears” (aka “Panagia’s Tears” in the East) for use making prayer ropes. One can also find any number of prayer ropes made of olivewood beads. I’ve seen photographs of prayer ropes used by certain saints in Russia that were not ropes at all, but strings of beads.

The ropes/beads themselves are simply a tool for keeping track of one’s prayers. As a physical tool they also help keep our mind and body focused on the work of prayer itself.