Како мужу з женою и з домочатцы в дому своем молитися
The Daily Rule of Household Prayer
This instruction outlines the daily liturgical and personal prayer obligations for the husband, wife, and household to maintain spiritual order and intercede for the realm.
Every day in the evening, the husband with his wife and those of the household who can read should chant Vespers, Compline, and the Midnight Office in silence, with attention, standing meekly, with prayer and bows, singing clearly and with one voice. After the rule, absolutely neither drink nor eat; always teach everyone this. When lying down to sleep, every Christian should make three prostrations to the ground. At midnight, always rise secretly and, with tears, diligently pray to God as much as you can about your sin. Rising in the morning, do the same, each according to strength and desire, and not idly; women should bow to the waist. Every Christian should pray about his own sin and for the forgiveness of sins, and for the Tsar, the Tsaritsa, and their children, for their health, and for his brothers, boyars, and the Christ-loving army, for help against enemies and for the freedom of captives, and for the hierarchical and priestly ranks, for the sick and those shut in prisons, and for all Christians. The wife should pray about her own sin and for her husband, children, household, kin, and spiritual fathers; the husband should do likewise. Rising in the morning, pray to God and chant Matins and the Hours; on Sunday and on a feast day, a moleben with prayer and silence and meek standing, singing with one voice and listening with attention, and censing the saints. Where there is no one to chant, then pray sufficiently morning and evening. Husbands must never fail, every day, the church services of Vespers, Matins, and the Liturgy.✦12
Read the original Latin
По вся дни в вечере муж ж женою, и з домочадцы кто умеет грамоте, отпети вечерня павечерница полунощница с молчанием и со вниманием и с кротъкостоянием и с молитвою и с поклоны пети внятно и единогласно после правила отнюд ни пити ни ести, всегда всяму тому наук а ложася спати всякому, християнину по три поклона в землю положити, а в полунощи всегда таино встав со слезами прилежно к Богу молитися елико вместимо о своем согрешении а утре воставая такоже и комуждо по силе и по желанию а не празным женам кланятися до пояса всякому християнину молитися о своем согрешении и пущения грехом и о царском, и о царицине и о чадех их, здравии и о братии его и о болярех его и о христолюбивом воиньстве о помощи на враги и о плененых свободе, и о святительском и священническом чину, и о болящих и в темницах заключеных и за вся християне, жене молитися о своем согрешении и о мужи и о чадех и о домочадцех и о сродникех и о отцех духовных а мужу такоже а утре встав Богу молитися и отпети заутреня и часы а в неделю и в празник молебен с молитвою и молчанием и с кротъкостоянием и единогласно пети и со вниманием слушати и святым кажение а где некому пети ино молитися доволно вечере и утре, а мужем отнюд не погрешити по вся дни церковнаго пения вечерни заутрени обедни.
Scripture echoes
- ↩1Tim.2.1-1Tim.2.2 — I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. 1Tim.2.2 — for kings and all who hold high office, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and dignity." "Hold high office" is clearer than "are in high positions," and "so that" strengthens the purpose clause.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source reads «муж ж женою»; treated as the expected «муж з женою» («husband with his wife»).
- 2 ↩«а не празным женам кланятися до пояса» is dense: rendered as morning prayer done not idly, with women making waist bows (as distinct from full prostrations). «святым кажение» rendered as censing the saints/holy images.
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