Prayer of St. Ephraim

The Orthodox pray the Prayer of St. Ephraim during Great Lent is normally added to either morning or evening prayers. The prayer is punctuated with prostrations.

Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk.

prostrate

But give rather the spirit of soberness, humility, patience, and love to Your servant.

prostrate

Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother, for You are blessed, unto ages of ages.

prostrate

Glory to You, O Christ our God and our Hope, glory to You.

sign the cross and bow

More Orthodox Prayers

Blog

You Are the Light of the World: Holiness and the Faith of Chalcedon

Fr. Nicholas Frazer

July 19, 2026 10:00 AM

Preached by Fr. Nicholas on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, this sermon joins two themes: Christ's call in the Sermon on the Mount, "You are the light of the world," and the faith defined at Chalcedon in 451. Fr. Nicholas shows how holiness and true doctrine belong together — the light of Christ shines through both holy living and the confession of Christ as fully God and fully man — and calls us to remove whatever hides that light so that our lives may lead others to glorify God.

Discovering Our Gifts and the Virtue of Filotimo

Sdn Tim Grace

July 12, 2026 10:00 AM

Preached by Sub Dn. Timothy Grace on the Sunday commemorating St. Paisios of Mount Athos, this sermon draws on St. Paul's letter to the Romans to explore both the unique gifts God gives each of us and the calling shared by all Christians. Through the lives of the saints, the Greek virtue of filotimo — a loving eagerness to do good — and the words of C.S. Lewis, Timothy shows how we grow in holiness by forgetting ourselves and losing our lives in Christ.

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