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What exactly is the Jesus Prayer? Do Byzantines typically use prayer beads? Do Byzantines pray the Rosary?

Gus,
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Typically, the "Jesus Prayer" also called "Prayer of the Heart" is "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." The rope used to pray it is called a "chotki" or simply a "prayer rope." Many Eastern Christians, Catholic and Orthodox wear one that has thirty four knoted "beads" on it. It is worn on the wrist like a bracelet but never as a decoration, always as a reminder to pray. One of the knots on the wrist rope is a different color or material. (usually the ropes are knotted by monks or nuns and done with a special knot that forms a cross, they pray for those who will be using the rope while they are making it) On that knot we add a prayer to the Mother of God (ie "Through the Prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us." or "Mother of God, intercede for us.") Some prayer ropes have 100 knots. You carry those with you. The idea of the Jesus Prayer comes from St. Paul's admonition to "pray always." Many people who pray this prayer sychronize the phrases with their breathing and with practice it becomes a constant prayer while awake. The knots aren't so much to keep count like in the Western rosary and there are no "mysteries." The rope is simply a tangible tool to help one pray and a "sacramental". The Jesus Prayer is really a summation of the whole Gospel and the words are taken almost directly from the Gospels. We need to call on the Holy Name of Jesus, we have access to the Father through Him, we acknowledge Him as Lord, and we need His mercy and love for us to live lives worthy of our calling. This prayer allow one to enter into a constant union with God through Christ. It is a very ancient form of prayer and predates the rosary. To learn more about it read "The Way of the Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues his Journey" these books were anonymouly written by a Russian in the 19th century. It is a story of a man on a physical and spiritual journey trying to answer the question, "How can we pray always?" There is an excellent edition published by Image Books in 1992, translated by Helen Bacovin, (ISBN 0-385-46814-8) Try ordering through <Amazon.com>.
Many Byzantine Catholics pray the rosary and that is a fine thing as a private devotion. Byzantines have our their spiritual traditions and should be aware of those as well.
God bless.

[This message has been edited by Batushka (edited 02-13-99).]

[This message has been edited by Batushka (edited 02-13-99).]

Great post!

Dear Gus,

One may use any counting device to recite the Jesus Prayer on - early monks had staffs with notches on them and they would count their prayers as they stood by using their thumb, going over the knotches.

I have just such a "prayer stick" or "Miquamia" from Ethiopia with such knotches.

The "rosary" has been prayed in the East since the 8th century, according to St Seraphim of Sarov.

Many Eastern Christians seem to be confused that since this devotion is so popular in the West - then it must be a Latin devotion.

And this is simply based on misinformation - and certainly not on the lives of Orthodox saints!

The nuns at Diveyevo monastery in Russia pray this rule, 150 Hail Mary's, out loud and together as they walk around the perimeter of their monastery.

On special feast-days, they sing the Hail Mary troparion 150 times.

Alex

Alex,

Gus unregistered long ago (see below his name). It was "daily monk" who resurrected this post from 1999 (years before you came into our midst). I'm sure Gus would have enjoyed your post.

Dear Father Deacon,

My apologies - it was early in the morning when I read that!

And I was already on the forum in that year.

I guess I should have remembered, no?

Alex

That is too funny. I was wondering how someone unregistered was able to post! That just shows how caught up we get in the topics.

Posters who show up as "unregistered" are those whose membership data was lost when we had a server crash in 2001. If they re-registered using the identical name it picked up their old posts under the new registration.

Thanks for the info, here's what I found.

http://www.unicorne.org/orthodoxy/hiver2004/stseraphim.htm

The Prayer Rule of St Seraphim of Sarov:
A Rosary By Any Other Name . . .

What a simply charming coincidence!

Dear daily monk,

Thank you for posting that brilliant article that so succinctly and lucidly explains this entire point!

You have excellent taste in URL's and are obviously someone of deep personal, spiritual culture and intelligence!

( )

Alex

Yes, that was a great article!

Some people have an incredible talent for explaining things!

I am grateful to Daily Monk and the author.

Michael

Alex

Tsk tsk

Dear Friends,

While we are on the topic of the Jesus Prayer.

I want to make the prayer inclusive.

Is it OK to pray, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on US sinners?"

Paul

I am pretty sure that would be an acceptable traditional form of prayer, but something makes me think it would be better for public recitation, as in a group aloud.

But that would be a lot like the chaplet of Divine Mercy, wouldn't it?

Somehow I think these devotions have a connection.

I wonder what the "experts" would say. We might have to refer back to that website!

Michael