Prayer takes first place in a nun’s life. It is the foundation of everything. This is why the sisters are entrusted to learn how to pray without ceasing. The schedule of the monastery is arranged in a way that the sisters have more time for the main monastic activity. Specific prayer efforts start in the evening and continue at night. The whole previous day serves as a preparation for them.
At 8.15 AM, the sisters gather at the Church of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov and execute the morning prayer rule. They sing troparia to the Saints to whom the churches of the monastery are dedicated and ask for their prayerful help for the coming day. Then the sisters go to their cells and read a chapter of the Gospel and the Apostle.
Every day the sisters read the Akathist to the Holy Theotokos near Her Holy Iveron Icon and, from morning until night, they read the Psalter with the commemoration of names.
During the day, at different obediences, the sisters try to say the Jesus prayer without ceasing.
At 12 AM, all people who are present at the monastery leave their obediences for 5 minutes and try to keep their attention only at the Jesus prayer.
At 3.45 PM, the sisters come to the church for an evening service.
At 8.30 PM, there is an Order of Forgiveness at the monastery. The Abbess and the sisters ask forgiveness of the Holy Theotokos and of one another. After this, they go with a procession around the monastery singing hymns, and then they ask the Holy Theotokos to bless them for a prayer feat and retreat to their cells.
From 9.00 PM to 11.00 PM the sisters execute their cell rule with prostrations, the Jesus prayer, and the prayer to the Holy Theotokos. Every sister says her own number of prayers.
At 11.30 PM, everybody comes to church for the Divine Liturgy. After the Liturgy sisters return to their cells where they read the evening prayers and the prayers before sleep.
Monday at the Iveron Monastery is the day of seclusion. Obediences and communication are kept to a minimum so everyone can spend this day in silence and prayer. The workshops and the church shop do not work. The sisters may fast all day (deny themselves any food) if they wish, stay in their cells, and leave them only if necessary.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
The Jesus prayer is not only a part of the monastic prayer rule. We try to cultivate a skill of having the Jesus prayer in the souls of our sisters and guests all day long, at any time and place. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner” or its shorter form, “Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.”
At 12 AM, our monastery stands motionless: the bell rings and during 5 minutes, everyone prays the Jesus prayer. All people become united by the prayer.
One Elder described the following comparison. When a platoon of soldiers cross a bridge, they do not march in step, as due to resonance the impact on the bridge increases badly and the bridge may be ruined. When people pray together, they are as if marching in step. A joint prayer is very powerful; it may work miracles for everyone who is in need of the help of God.
We will be happy to enlarge our spiritual family and we invite everyone to pray together with us!
В 12 часов дня наш монастырь замирает: звучит колокол, и в течение пяти минут все совершают Иисусову молитву. Возникает некое молитвенное единение людей.
У одного из старцев описывается такое сравнение. Когда взвод солдат заходит на мост, им запрещают идти в ногу, потому что из-за резонанса воздействие на мост увеличивается многократно, и мост может разрушиться. Когда люди все вместе молятся, они как бы идут в одну ногу. Так соборная молитва имеет огромную силу и творит чудеса для всех, кто нуждается в помощи Господа.
Мы будем рады расширить нашу молитвенную семью. Приглашаем всех молиться вместе с нами!