Prayer & Spiritual Life
73 writings in Prayer & Spiritual Life. Clear
Prayer & Spiritual Life
What is holy water?
Holy water is water that’s been blessed by a priest through specific prayers invoking the Holy Spirit. It’s a means of grace, not a sacrament…
Prayer & Spiritual Life
How should I store and pray with holy water?
You can drink it, sprinkle your rooms with it, bless yourself with the sign of the cross, and use it when someone’s sick or traveling.…
Prayer & Spiritual Life
What is blessed oil?
Blessed oil is olive oil that’s been consecrated by a priest through prayer. It carries God’s grace for healing, strength, and blessing. You’ll encounter it…
Prayer & Spiritual Life
How do I use blessed oil?
You anoint yourself with it when you’re sick, troubled, or struggling spiritually. The longer answer is that blessed oil is a means of grace the…
Prayer & Spiritual Life
What is incense and can I use it at home?
Yes, you can use incense at home for prayer. Many Orthodox Christians do. Incense is tree resin, usually frankincense, burned on hot charcoal to produce…
Prayer & Spiritual Life
What kind of incense do Orthodox use?
We use frankincense. But there’s more to it than that. Most Orthodox parishes burn either pure frankincense resin or what’s called “Athonite-style” incense, which is…
Prayer & Spiritual Life
How do I burn incense at home?
You’ll need a censer or heat-resistant burner, charcoal discs, and resin incense (frankincense or myrrh). Light the charcoal until it’s glowing gray, place a small…
Prayer & Spiritual Life
What is spiritual reading?
Spiritual reading is reading done to change you, not just inform you. It’s Scripture, the lives of the saints, and the writings of the Church…
Prayer & Spiritual Life
What books should new Orthodox Christians read?
Start with the services. Get yourself a prayer book before anything else. The Antiochian Archdiocese publishes a Pocket Prayer Book that fits in your glove…
Prayer & Spiritual Life
What are the Philokalia?
The Philokalia is a collection of spiritual writings by Orthodox monks and saints from the fourth through fifteenth centuries. Think of it as a library…
Prayer & Spiritual Life
What is The Way of a Pilgrim about?
The Way of a Pilgrim is a 19th-century Russian spiritual classic about an anonymous peasant who sets out to discover what it means to “pray…
Prayer & Spiritual Life
What is The Ladder of Divine Ascent?
The Ladder of Divine Ascent is a sixth-century spiritual guidebook written by St. John Climacus, abbot of the monastery at Mount Sinai. It’s one of…
