Prayers of the Church - Text of Prayers

Prayers of the Orthodox Church

In the Orthodox Church, we often say that “we pray what we believe, and we believe what we pray.” The prayers of the Church are more than words—they are a living expression of our faith and our communion with God. Through prayers of praise, thanksgiving, repentance, supplication, and intercession, we are reminded of the Gospel of Christ, the teachings of the Apostles, and the beauty and depth of our Orthodox Christian faith.

In this section of our website, we offer the texts of some of the prayers of the Orthodox Church for reading, reflection, and personal prayer.

These prayers are not intended to limit the personal expression of our hearts before God, the Most Holy Theotokos, and the Saints. Rather, they are gifts handed down to us through the life of the Church. They help us learn how to pray and give us words when our own words are difficult to find. They serve as guides and models for our own conversations with God.

There are times when we long to pray but find ourselves distracted by the cares of the world, burdened by sorrow, or simply uncertain how to begin. At such times, a prayer book can become a welcome companion. As we begin with the words of the holy Fathers, we may discover that they express the very things we ourselves wish to say. And as we continue to pray, those words can open the way for words of our own—an honest and heartfelt offering of our souls before God.

May these prayers be a source of comfort, inspiration, and spiritual nourishment, drawing each of us closer to God and deeper into the life of the Church.