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Encyclopedia > Jesus Prayer
Christogram with Jesus Prayer in Romanian:
Doamne Iisuse Hristoase, Fiul lui Dumnezeu, miluieşte-mă pe mine păcătosul.
Translation: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.

The Jesus Prayer, also called the Prayer of the Heart by some Church Fathers, is a short, formulaic prayer often uttered repeatedly. It has been widely used, taught and discussed throughout the history of Eastern Christianity. The exact words of the prayer have varied from the most simple possible involving the name "Jesus," such as "Lord have mercy," to the more common extended form: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Image File history File links Christogram_with_Jesus_Prayer_in_Romanian. ... Image File history File links Christogram_with_Jesus_Prayer_in_Romanian. ... A Christogram is a monogram or combination of letters which forms an abbreviation for the name of Jesus Christ, and is traditionally used as a Christian symbol. ... Eastern Christianity refers collectively to the Christian traditions and churches which developed in Greece, Russia, Armenia, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, northeastern Africa and southern India over several centuries of religious antiquity. ...


The Jesus Prayer is, for the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics,[citation needed] one of the most profound and mystical prayers and it is often repeated continually as a part of personal ascetic practice. Its practice is an integral part of Hesychasm, the subject of the Philokalia, a collection of texts on prayer compiled in the late 18th Century. There have been a number of Roman Catholic texts on the Jesus Prayer, but its practice has never achieved the same popularity as in the Orthodox Church. Moreover, the Eastern Orthodox theology of the Jesus Prayer, enunciated by St Gregory Palamas (1296–1359), has never been fully accepted by the Roman Catholic Church (see, e.g., Pope John Paul II's Angelus Message, August 11, 1996). Eastern Orthodoxy (also called Greek Orthodoxy and Russian Orthodoxy) is a Christian tradition which represents the majority of Eastern Christianity. ... The Eastern Catholic Churches are autonomous particular Churches in full communion with the Pope of Rome. ... The word ascetic derives from the ancient Greek term askesis (practice, training or exercise). ... Hesychasm (Greek hesychasmos, from hesychia, stillness, rest, quiet, silence) is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some other Eastern Churches of the Byzantine Rite, practised (Gk: hesychazo: to keep stillness) by the Hesychast (Gr. ... The Philokalia (Gk. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Gregory Palamas Gregory Palamas (Γρηγόριος Παλαμάς) (1296 - 1359) was a monk of Mount Athos in Greece and later Archbishop of Thessalonica known as a preeminent theologian of Hesychasm. ...


Mount Athos is a centre of the practise of the Jesus Prayer. Capital Karyes Official languages Koine Greek, Church Slavonic, Modern Greek, Russian, Serbian, Georgian, Bulgarian, Romanian (both liturgical and civil use), Modern Greek (civil use) Government  -  Head of State2 Dora Bakoyannis  -  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I Area  -  Total 390 km²  150 sq mi  Population  -   estimate 2,250  Demonyms: Athonite, Hagiorite (English); Αθωνίτης, Αγιορίτης (Greek). ...

Contents

Origins

The prayer's origin is most likely the Egyptian desert, which was settled by the monastic Desert Fathers in the fifth century.[1] The Thebaid is the region of ancient Egypt containing the thirteen southernmost nomes of Upper Egypt, from Abydos to Aswan. ... The Desert Fathers were Christian Hermits who lived in the Sahara desert of Egypt, beginning in about the third century. ...


The practice of repeating the prayer continually dates back to at least the fifth century. The earliest known mention is in the Gnostic Chapters of Saint Diadochos of Photiki (400-486), a work found in the first volume of the Philokalia. The Jesus Prayer is described in the Gnostic Chapters in terms very similar to St John Cassian's (d. 435) description in the Conferences 9 and 10 of the repetitive use of a passage of the Psalms. St Diadochos ties the practice of the Jesus Prayer to the purification of the soul and teaches that repetition of the prayer produces inner peace. The use of the Jesus Prayer is recommended in the Ladder of Divine Ascent of St John of Sinai (523–603) and in the work of St Hesychios (?8th Century), Pros Theodoulon, found in the first volume of the Philokalia. The use of the Jesus Prayer according to the tradition of the Philokalia is the subject of the Russian spiritual classic The Way of a Pilgrim. It is mentioned in passing in J.D. Salinger's novel, Franny and Zooey. Saint Diadochos of Photiki was a fifth century ascetic whose work is included in the Philokalia. ... The Philokalia (Gk. ... John Cassian (c. ... The Ladder of Paradise icon (St. ... People named Hesychius (Greek for calm one): Hesychius of Alexandria Hesychius of Jerusalem Hesychius of Sinai Hesychius of Antioch Hesychius of Miletus Category: ... The Way of a Pilgrim is the English title of an 19th century anonymous Russian work, seemingly autobiographical, likely by an Athonite monk, detailing the narrators journey across the country while practicing the Jesus Prayer devoutly, with the help of a prayer rope, and studying the Philokalia. ... Jerome David Salinger (born January 1, 1919) is an American author best known for The Catcher in the Rye, a classic coming-of-age story that has enjoyed enduring popularity since its publication in 1951. ... Franny and Zooey is a 1961 pair of stories, published together in book form, by J. D. Salinger, the author best known for The Catcher in the Rye. ...


Though the Jesus Prayer has been practised through the centuries as part of the Eastern tradition, in the twentieth century it also began to be used in some Western churches, including some Roman Catholic and Anglican churches.


Variants of repetitive formulas

A number of different repetitive prayer formulas have been attested in the history of Eastern Orthodox monasticism (e.g. the Prayer of St Ioannikios, the repetitive use of which by St Ioannikios (754–846) is described in his Life; the more recent practice of St Nikolaj Velimirović (1880–1956)). Sometimes the Jesus Prayer is alternated with an invocation to the Mother of God: "Most Holy Theotokos, save us." In such a case, the practitioner repeats, say, 400 Jesus Prayers and then 100 invocations of the Mother of God. Nikolai Velimirović Photo courtesy of freesrpska. ... Russian Orthodox Icon of the Theotokos Theotokos is a Greek word that means God-bearer or Mother of God. It is a title assigned by the early Christian Church to Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the Third Ecumenical Council held at Ephesus in 431. ...

  • Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. (the most common form)
  • Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
  • Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us. (rule of St John Chrysostom)
  • Jesus Christ, Son of David, have mercy on me, a sinner.
  • Lord have mercy.
  • Jesus have mercy. (not an Orthodox formula)
  • Christ have mercy. (not an Orthodox formula)
  • Son of God have mercy.
  • Most Holy Trinity have mercy.
  • Most Holy Theotokos save us.
  • St [name of the saint one was baptized with], my protector, have mercy.

Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Son of God is... This article or section contains too many quotations for an encyclopedic entry. ... Theotokos of Kazan Theotokos (Greek: , translit. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are often depicted as having halos. ... Baptism in early Christian art. ...

Practice

Eastern Orthodox prayer rope.
Eastern Orthodox prayer rope.

Theologically, the Jesus Prayer can be considered to be an extension of the lesson taught by the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee, in which the Pharisee demonstrates the improper way to pray by exclaiming: "Thank you Lord that I am not like the Publican", whereas the Publican prays correctly in humility, saying "Lord have mercy on me, the sinner." (Luke 18:10-14.) Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 466 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 466 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Please see the file description page for further information. ... -1...


In the Eastern tradition the prayer is said or prayed repeatedly, often with the aid of a prayer rope (Russian: chotki; Greek: komvoskini), which is a cord, usually woolen, tied with many knots. The person saying the prayer says one repetition for each knot. It may be accompanied by prostrations and the sign of the cross, signaled by beads strung along the prayer rope at intervals. The practice of the Jesus Prayer is integrated into the mental ascesis undertaken by the Orthodox monastic in the practice of hesychasm. This mental ascesis is the subject of the Philokalia.-1... Poyasny (little bow) and zemnoy poklon (great bow) are different kinds of bows used in an Eastern Orthodox worship service. ... For other uses, see Sign of the cross (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Monasticism (from Greek: monachos — a solitary person) is the religious practice in which one renounces worldly pursuits in order to fully devote ones life to spiritual work. ... Hesychasm (Greek hesychasmos, from hesychia, stillness, rest, quiet, silence) is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some other Eastern Churches of the Byzantine Rite, practised (Gk: hesychazo: to keep stillness) by the Hesychast (Gr. ... The Philokalia (Gk. ...


Monks often pray this prayer many hundreds of times each night as part of their private cell vigil ("cell rule"). Under the guidance of an Elder (Russian Starets; Greek Gerondas), the monk aims to internalize the prayer, so that he is praying unceasingly. St. Diadochos of Photiki refers in On Spiritual Knowledge and Discrimination to the automatic repetition of the Jesus Prayer, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, even in sleep. This state is regarded as the accomplishment of Saint Paul's exhortation to the Thessalonians to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). St Sergii Radonezhsky was one of the most famous of startsy. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      In mainstream Christianity, the...


The monk's goal is also, in advanced practice, to bring his mind into his heart so as to practice the Jesus Prayer as a "prayer of the heart". It can be used as a means of finding contrition and as a means of bringing about humility in the individual (hence the words "the sinner", as if no other sinner existed but the person praying—cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:15), but in its more advanced use, the monk aims to attain to a sober practice of the Jesus Prayer in the heart free of images. It is from this condition, called by Saints John Climacus and Hesychios the guard of the mind, that the monk is raised by Divine grace to contemplation. John Climacus ( ca. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...


In a modern context this continuing repetition is regarded by some as a form of meditation, the prayer functioning as a kind of mantra. However, traditional users of the Jesus Prayer emphasize the invocation of the name of Jesus Christ that St Hesychios describes in Pros Theodoulon which would be contemplation on the Triune God rather than simply emptying the mind. For other senses of this word, see Meditation (disambiguation). ... In Tibet, many Buddhists carve mantras into rocks as a form of devotion. ... Contemplation comes from the latin root for temple, and means to enter an open or consecrated place. ...


In various languages

The most common form is "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner". It was composed in Greek as «Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, Υἱέ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐλέησόν με τὸν ἁμαρτωλόν» («τὴν ἁμαρτωλόν» if prayed by a female.) It has been translated into numerous other languages:

  • Arabic: Ya Rabb Yasou' Al-Masihh, Ibn Allah (Al-Hhay) Arrahhamny Ana 9Indak Al-Hatta'. Ameen.

Please correct it as follows: Ayyuha-r-Rabbu Yasoo3 al-Maseeh, Ibnul-Laah, irhamnee anal-khaate' (that's said by a man. A woman would have to say: anal-khaati'a.) Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ...

  • Bulgarian: Господи Иисусе Христе, Сине Божий, помилвай мен грешника.
  • Church Slavonic: Господи Ісусе Христе Сыне Божїй помилѹй мѧ грѣшнаго. (грѣшнѹю if prayed by a female)
  • Croatian: Gospodine Isuse Kriste, Sine Božji, smiluj se meni grešnome.
  • Dutch: Heer Jezus, Zoon van God, ontferm U over mij, zondaar.
  • French: Seigneur Jesus Christ, Fils de Dieu, Prends pitie de moi, pauvre pecheur ('pecheuresse' if prayed by a female)
  • Georgian: უფალო იესუ ქრისტე, ძეო ღმრთისაო, შემიწყალე მე ცოდვილი.
  • Hebrew אדון ישוע הנוצרי בן אלהים רחם נא אלי כי חטתי (Adon Yeshua HaNotsri, ben elohim, rakhem na aylai ki khatati) Literally: Lord Jesus the Nazarene, Son of God, please have mercy upon me, because I have sinned.
  • Icelandic: Drottinn Jesús Kristur, sonur Guðs, miskunna þú mér syndugri.
  • Latin: Domine Iesu Christe, Fili Dei, miserere mei, peccatoris. (peccatricis if prayed by a female)
  • Norwegian: Herre Jesus Kristus, Guds Sønn, forbarm Deg over meg, en synder.
  • Polish: Panie Jezu Chryste, Syna Boga, zmiłuj się nade mną, grzesznikiem.
  • Portuguese: Senhor Jesus Cristo, Filho de Deus, tende piedade de mim, pecador. (pecadora if prayed by a female)
  • Romanian: Doamne Iisuse Hristoase, Fiul lui Dumnezeu, miluieşte-mă pe mine păcătosul. (păcătoasa if prayed by a female)
  • Russian: Господи Иисусе Христе, Сыне Божий, помилуй мя грешнаго. (грешную if prayed by a female)
  • Serbian: Господе Исусе Христе, Сине Божји, помилуј ме грешног. (Gospode Isuse Hriste, Sine Božiji, pomiluj me grešnog.)
  • Slovak: Pane Ježišu Kriste, Synu Boží, zmiluj sa nado mnou hriešnym.
  • Spanish: Señor Jesucristo, Hijo de Dios, ten piedad de mi, un pecador/pecadora.
  • Ukrainian: Господи Ісусе Христе, Сину Божий, помилуй мене грішного. (грішну if prayed by a female)
  • Tagalog: Panginoong Hesukristo, Anak ng Diyos, Patawarin mo akong makasalanan

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... “Hebrew” redirects here. ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Serbian (; ) is one of the standard versions of the Shtokavian dialect, used primarily in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, and by Serbs in the Serbian diaspora. ... Filipino (formerly Pilipino) is the national and an official language of the Philippines as designated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. ...

References

See also

Hesychasm (Greek hesychasmos, from hesychia, stillness, rest, quiet, silence) is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some other Eastern Churches of the Byzantine Rite, practised (Gk: hesychazo: to keep stillness) by the Hesychast (Gr. ... St Sergii Radonezhsky was one of the most famous of startsy. ... A poustinia cabin. ... For other uses, see Hermit (disambiguation). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      In Eastern Orthodox and... Schema-monk Illarion Imiaslavie (Russian: ) or Imiabozhie (Имябожие), also referred as onomatodoxy, is a dogmatic movement which was condemned by the Russian Orthodox Church, but that is still promoted by some affiliated with Gregory Lourie of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church (a splinter group of the Russian Orthodox Church), and by... Mary Magdalene in prayer. ... Prayer beads are traditionally used to keep count of the repetitions of prayers, chants or devotions. ... -1... A prayer book is a book outlining the liturgy of religious services. ... Our Lady of Lourdes - Mary appearing at Lourdes with Rosary beads. ... The Fatima Prayer (pron. ...

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