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

The Well, the Witness, and the Worldwide Mission

Fr. Geoff Harvey

May 10, 2026 10:00 AM

In this sermon for the Fifth Sunday of Pascha, Fr. Geoff Harvey reflects on the encounter between Christ and St. Photini at the well of Samaria, drawing together the Gospel of John and the Acts of the Apostles. Under three headings — the well, the witness, and the worldwide mission — he explores how Christ meets us in our weakness, how transformed people naturally proclaim Christ, and how one encounter at a well can overflow into a missionary church that reaches the whole world through the power of multiplication.

Do You Want to Be Healed? A Sermon on the Paralytic at the Sheep Pool

Daniel McInnes

May 3, 2026 10:00 AM

In this sermon for the Fourth Sunday of Pascha, Daniel McInnes reflects on the healing of the paralyzed man at the Sheep Pool and draws contrasts with the apostolic healings in Acts — Aeneas and Tabitha. He explores the Church's primary image as a hospital for souls, the difference between isolation and community, and the call to bear one another's burdens as we approach the feast of Pentecost.

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