Are there any that would be acceptable to both Eastern and Roman Catholics ?

Are you looking for examples of public or private devotions? Liturgical or aliturgical? There are many that cross "ritual boundaries" in both categories, sometimes remaining exactly as they are, other times with local modifications.

What are you looking for in particular?

Peace and God bless!

I'm thinking of public devotions, and most likely aliturgical.

The late Holy Father John Paul II either offered or presided at the Akathist publically on several occasions. I believe the Akathist to be an especially efficacious and universal devotion.
FDRLB

From the Holy Father's words at one of these celebrations:

The Parakleisis, which is prayed during the Dormition Fast, is also very powerful.

Since both the Parakleisis and Akathist are non-communion services, these Holy Services can be prayed at an Orthodox Church where non-Orthodox can be invited. In this way, the non-Orthodox will not feel offended since no communion is offered.

However, there are some Orthodox monasteries and churches which do not allow non-Orthodox into the Nave of the church, but request that they remain in the Narthex.

I've only ever witnessed this on Mount Athos (in Aghiou Pavlou - the Monastery of St Paul). Even in the rather traditional Russian Church Abroad I've never heard of this being done.

Perhaps it happens in fringe group claiming to be Orthodox. I don't know.

Fr David Straut

Are there any devotions that originated with the Latin Church that would be acceptable in the East ?

There is the "Feast of Corpus Christi" which originated in the Latin Church and was picked up by at least the Melkite Church. It wasn't adopted wholesale "as is", but was "Melkitized" and an office written by the Melkite Patriarch of Antioch just a few years after Communion was restored between Rome and Antioch. The Melkite Feast includes processions with the Holy Eucharist.

It's important to note that this devotion was not adopted as a "Latin practice" being brought into the Melkite Church, but as a Melkite development inspired by a Latin practice that had developed after the Schism.

Peace and God bless!

The rites, chant, ambiance, and traditions, as well as entrenched separatism, are so strong that it would be difficult and controversial to try to make most services universal. We don't even make the Sign of the Cross the same! It's doubtful the East or West will accept a practice which was formalized after the Great Schism, so the rite, prayer or tradition would most likely be something which was common to both traditions before the break, or something which was not "formalized" or mandated by hierarchy of either Tradition in recent times.

After much thought, I propose that the Chaplet of Divine Mercy fits into the latter. The Chaplet was originated by Christ, not by hierarchy, and it originated in the Latin East (Poland) in a Slav country.

I believe that the Chaplet has a very Eastern spirituality. The first prayer "Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world."
This powerful prayer intuitively implies the Eastern understanding of theosis, that Christ became one of us so that we may be part of Him.
This offering, NOT to imply that it is similar to the offering by a priest at Consecration, is God's way of Gifting us in a fuller participation in His redemptive Mercy. This Mercy becomes omnipotent with engagement in this prayer.

The second prayer "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world" is a summation of our Etenia in all of our Liturgies, our Hospodi pomiluj, Lord have Mercy.

And of course, the closing prayer "Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have Mercy on us and on the whole world" is beloved by the East.

The Chaplet was given to the entire world by Christ, not just to the West, not just to the East, but for all the Earth. God's Mercy is so boundless! Are we squandering His Mercy?

A bit weaker candidate for common prayer (in the Americas) is devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas.

Just my humble opinion.

Fr. Deacon Paul

Dear Lawrence,

I think that there are Latin devotions such as the Angelus, various litanies, and Eucharistic devotion with with no thinking Orthodox could disagree in principle. But part of an Orthodox mentality is not to innovate in any way. I can see great beauty in the Marian Antiphons, in the prayers of the Rosary (though the simultaneous meditations are indeed problematic), in the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, in the Divine Praises (though 'Blessed be her Immaculate Conception' is understood differently by the Orthodox), in visits to the Blessed Sacrament, in Novenas, etc. But to adopt them myself would seem a bit like moving my friend's cherished furniture into my house. Not a good fit here, though they went perfectly well in my friend's house.

I think SimpleSinner put it well in a post about a month ago concerning Greek Catholics adapting Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament to their milieu. It's just out of place. Greek Catholics who find it meaningful would do well to go to a Roman Rite parish to attend Benediction, not seek to Byzantinize it in their own parish. I don't think Roman Rite Catholics should start singing Akathists in their parishes either. They should join their Greek Catholic brothers in their parish for that particular devotion.

Just my thoughts.

Fr David Straut

The Te Deum Prayer of St. Ambrose is used and is well loved especially in Slavic churches. While its use in the West is ancient it is a relatively new (17th century or so) addition to the Slavonic service books. There are several wonderful choral settings of this in Slavonic.

The Passia service is another example of a more recent service distinctly influenced by Western practices "post-schism" that have become popular especially amongst the Ukrainians.

I suppose also to a lesser extent the beautiful Akathist to the Divine Passion (which has also become a mainstay in many parishes) is another example of a Western influence which took Byzantine form, and perhaps the various Rules of the Mother of God to be prayed on the chotki.

A number of ACROD members pray the Rosary on a regular basis. An OCA chapel has a reference to the Sacred Heart, controversial as the concept has been among some. The "Tale of the Five Prayers" in older editions of the Jordanville Prayer Book reflects devotion to Our Lady's sorrows.

Most Western Rite Orthodox pray one or more of: the Angelus, the Western Hours of the Breviarium Monasticum (Benedictine tradition), the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

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Western Orthodoxy Blog

St. Seraphim taught his nuns to pray the beads.

He adapted the Rosary for the Orthodox.

If you want, I can provide some links.

Elizabeth Maria, please do! It would be great to know such prayers.

God Bless

This is the first document I found in 2004 on the Internet, but I cannot find the original url.

How to Pray the Rosary: Modified for Byzantine Catholic use

Note:
This is not urging Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Christians to ‘latinize’ (adopt customs from another Church when they didn’t use them before). However, the Rosary remains a part of us who have come from a tradition where it is a veritable school of prayer. For those of us who grew up in the Roman Catholic Church, but who are now Byzantine Christians, here is a version which has been devised by Ukrainian Catholic priests of the Basilian Order in the 1950s and modified recently to include the luminous mysteries.

Some background:
Besides the obvious parallel of the Rosary to the prayer beads used by Orthodox monks and nuns, there were Russian adaptations of the Rosary in the 1700s and 1800s. St. Seraphim of Sarov is said to have had one. The Russian ‘Rule of the Mother of God’ consists of praying 150 ‘Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God’ prayers (Hail Marys) a day. Some of the mysteries here are the same as the 12 Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church (Annunciation, Nativity, Ascension, Dormition) while others, especially the Sorrowful Mysteries, have a more Latin emphasis.

About the Rosary in general:
St Dominic is said to have introduced the Rosary to the Roman Catholic Church. The Reverend S.C. Hughson, Order of the Holy Cross (Anglican), wrote in 1918:

‘Almost any encyclopædia will inform the reader that the use of beads in prayer is far older than Christianity itself and belongs to almost every race which has any highly developed system of prayer.
‘It will be a surprise to many, no doubt, to know that our common English word bead is derived from the Saxon word bid, to pray, the derivation arising from the fact that our ancestors made common use of perforated pebbles, or beads, upon which to count their prayers. It will be news even to most Catholics to learn that instead of their Rosaries being spoken of as beads because of a resemblance to the common ornament of the name, the ornament takes its name from the Rosary.’

Make the Sign of the Cross at the Holy God, and invocation of the Holy Trinity at the Glory be, at the beginning of the Lord's Prayer, and at each invocation, “O Come...”,

Start at the crucifix:
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere and fillest all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life, come dwell within us, cleanse us from all our sins and save our souls, O gracious Lord.

Note: From Easter until Ascension, leave out Glory to Thee and Heavenly King and instead say three times Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. From Ascension until Pentecost, simply make the sign of the cross — In the Name of the Father — before continuing as usual with:

Holy God, holy Mighty, holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times)

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Most holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit us and heal our infirmities for Thy Name’s sake. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

At the first large bead on the pendant, pray the following:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we have no defense: this prayer do we as sinners offer Thee as Master, have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have hoped in Thee. Be not angry with us greatly nor remember our iniquities, but have mercy on us now for Thou art compassionate and deliver us from our enemies. For Thou art our God and we Thy people; all are the works of Thy hands and we call upon Thy name.

Both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Open unto us the doors of compassion, O holy Mother of God, for hoping in thee we will not perish, but through thee will we be delivered from all adversities, for thou art the salvation of Christians.

Lord, have mercy. (12 times)

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O come, let us worship God our King.
O come, let us worship and bow down before Christ, our King and our God.
O come, let us worship and bow down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.

Here, you may say Psalm 50 or another appropriate psalm and the Creed.

At the first small bead on the pendant, pray the following:

Glory to the Father, who hast made us, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God, Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.
At the second small bead on the pendant:
Glory to the Son, who hast redeemed us, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God...

At the third small bead on the pendant:
Glory to the Holy Spirit, who hast enlightened us, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God...
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The decades or mysteries are as in the Latin Rosary, with an Our Father, 10 ‘Rejoice O Virgin Mother of God’ (Hail Mary) prayers and the ‘Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit’. After each decade one may say the Fátima prayer: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy.

The mysteries are:

JOYFUL: Annunciation, Visitation of Our Lady to St Elizabeth, Nativity of Christ, Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple, Finding of the Boy Jesus in the Temple.

SORROWFUL: Agony in the Garden, Scourging at the Pillar, Crowning with Thorns, Jesus Carries the Cross, Crucifixion.

GLORIOUS: Resurrection, Ascension, Descent of the Holy Spirit, Dormition/Assumption and Crowning of Our Lady in Glory in Heaven.

Traditionally you pray the Joyful Mysteries on Mondays and Thursdays, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Note: In 2002, the Pope added another set of mysteries that may be prayed Thursdays, changing Saturday’s set to another round of the Joyful ones.

LUMINOUS: Baptism of Christ in the Jordan, the Wedding at Cana, Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom, the Transfiguration and the Institution of the Eucharist.

Closing Prayers:
JOYFUL MYSTERIES: It is truly proper to glorify thee, who hast borne God, the ever-blessed and immaculate and the Mother of our God! More honorable than the cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim art thou, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word. Thou art truly the Mother of God, we magnify thee!

SORROWFUL MYSTERIES: We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God. Despise not our prayers in our necessities but deliver us from all danger, O glorious and ever-blessed Virgin.
Most holy Mother of God, save us. (Three times with bows)

GLORIOUS MYSTERIES: To thee, the Champion Leader, we thy servants dedicate a feast of victory and thanksgiving as ones rescued out of sufferings, O Mother of God: but as one with invincible might, from all dangers deliver us that we may cry to thee: Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

St. Seraphim of Sarov Rule of Prayer

The great prayer of the Church, following the Divine Liturgy, is, of course, the Book of 150 Psalms. So interwoven are these prayers in the great liturgical texts that St John Chrysostom did not hesitate to remark that St David, King and Prophet, was everywhere commemorated and present throughout the feasts and festivals of the Church. The Psalter is sung liturgically once each week in our Church, and twice each week during Lent. It is the basis of personal prayer as well and it was not surprising to find individuals who knew the Psalter by heart. St. John the Ukrainian Kozak and Confessor spent his days in Turkish captivity praying the psalms which he knew by heart.

The practice soon developed, however, to develop “substitutes” for the Psalter to allow people who could not read or who were otherwise very busy to pray according to the pattern of the Church’s liturgy. Priests and monastics who were traveling, for example, could fulfill their daily obligations of prayer, when necessary, by fulfilling a private rule of repeated prayers.

One of the earliest of these “psalter-substitutes” or “little psalters” involved the repetition of the Our Father and O Virgin Theotokos prayers 150 times each.

To keep count, people tied 50 or 150 knots on a cord that they carried about with them. St. Basil the Great himself prescribed the making of prayer-ropes or “komvoschinia” with 100 knots divided every 25 with a divider bead or knot for the saying of prescribed numbers of the Jesus Prayer to replace the Divine Office and also the Psalter (one would have had to say the Jesus Prayer 6,000 times instead of the Psalter).

In the West, prayer-chains with beads were soon developed with beads organized into groups of ten, divided with a larger bead (called the “gaudies”). And the very word “bead” or “bede” came from the old English word for “prayer” (and “beg” comes from the same root). The group of ten beads recalled the ten-stringed musical instrument of the psalter itself on which King David played when he sang his psalms.

With all the interest in the life of St. Seraphim of Sarov last year and this, a number of his prayer rules have been published, his own very strict cell-rule for praying the psalms and his unique prayer rule for laity.

His “Rule of the Mother of God” consists of reciting 150 O Virgin Theotokos divided up into groups of ten. Each group is followed Our Father and by the prayer, Open the door, which he insisted was important to include along with a special prayer for a particular intention. St Seraphim also kept a book in which he listed all sorts of miraculous healings of people who prayed this rule faithfully every day.

O Virgin Theotokos, Rejoice, Mary full of grace; the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou has borne the Savior of our souls.

Open the door of thy loving-kindness, O blessed Mother of God, that we who put our hope in thee may not perish. Through thee, may we be delivered from adversities, for thou art the salvation of all Christian people.

At the great Diveyevo monastery, the nuns continue to recite this prayer rule as they walk in procession around the perimeter of their monastery three times. They actually sing it out loud during important feast-days associated with the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of all Joys” that was St Seraphim’s cell-icon and on feasts of St Seraphim himself. St. Seraphim taught that this prayer rule was revealed to an Eastern monk in the Thebaid in Africa in the 8th century.

On Mount Athos, novice monks especially are urged to practice reciting 150 "O Virgin Theotokos"es with a prostration to the ground at the end of each prayer. The same is practiced with "Our Father"s. St. Seraphim Zvezdinsky performed the Rule of the Mother of God every day, and; when he performed it he prayed for the whole world, embracing in is this Rule whole life of the Queen of Heaven. He gave one of his spiritual children the task of copying a plan which he included his prayer to the Ever Virgin Mary. Here it is:

First decade: Let us remember the birth of the Mother of God. Let us pray for mothers, fathers, and children.

Second decade: Let us the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin and Mother of God. Let us pray for those who have lost their way and fallen away from the church.

Third decade: Let us remember the Annunciation of the Blessed Mother of God—let us pray for the soothing of sorrows and the consolation of those who grieve.

Fourth decade: Let us remember the meeting of the Blessed Virgin with the righteous Elizabeth. Let us pray for the reunion of the separated, for those whose dear ones or children are living away from them or missing.

Fifth decade: Let us remember the Birth of Christ. Let us pray for the rebirth of souls, for new life in Christ.

Sixth decade: Let us remember the Feast of the Purification of the Lord, and the words uttered by St. Simeon: "Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also" (Luke 2:35). Let us pray that the Mother of God will meet our souls at the hour of our death, and will contrive that we receive the Holy Sacrament with our last breath, and will lead our souls through the terrible torments.

Seventh decade: Let us remember the flight of the Mother of God with the God-Child into Egypt. Let us pray that the Mother of God will help us avoid temptation in this life and deliver us from misfortunes.

Eighth decade: Let us remember the disappearance of the twelve-year old boy Jesus in Jerusalem and the sorrow of the Mother of God on this account. Let us pray, begging the Mother of God for the constant repetition of the Jesus Prayer.

Ninth decade: Let us remember-the miracle performed in Cana of Galilee, when the Lord turned water into wine at the words of the Mother of God: "They have no wine" (John 2:3). Let us ask the Mother of God for help in our affairs and deliverance from need.

Tenth decade: Let us remember the Mother of God standing at the Cross of the Lord, when grief pierced through her heart like a sword. Let us pray to the Mother of God for the strengthening of our Souls and the banishment of despondency.

Eleventh decade: Let us remember the Resurrection of Christ and ask the Mother of God in prayer to resurrect our souls and give us a new courage for spiritual feats.

Twelfth decade: Let us remember the Ascension of Christ, at which the Mother of God was present. Let us pray and ask the Queen of Heaven to raise up our souls from earthly and worldly amusements and direct them to striving for higher things.

Thirteenth decade: Let us remember the Upper Room and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the Mother of God. Let us pray: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me" (Psalm 50).

Fourteenth decade: Let us remember the Assumption of the Blessed Mother of God, and ask for a peaceful and serene end.

Fifteenth decade: Let us remember the glory of the Mother of God, with which the Lord crowned her after her removal from earth to heaven. Let us pray to the Queen of Heaven not to abandon the faithful who are on earth but to defend them from every evil, covering them with her honoring and protecting veil.

Modified and adapted 12-29-07 from <http://www.angelfire.com/planet/parastos/seraphimrule2.html>

THE FIVE PRAYERS
From the times of the Apostles, Christians of all ages, when entering upon a task, began it with prayer, and the end of it they also hallowed with prayerful thanksgiving to the Lord, in Whom we live and move and have our being. And let us do the same, beloved reader.

But not having the gift of effectual prayer, let us recall and commit to memory what once was offered to the Lord by the grace of the Holy Spirit out of the inspired heart of the great Russian man of prayer, our father among the Saints, Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov and Yaroslav.

I am sure that for you, as for me, in offering to your attention "The Tale of The Five Prayers" the work of the great Bishop, it will be both welcome and useful, especially in the view of the wonderful promises which it contains. So hear this tale, my beloved reader.

You will not blame me for offering you in this Tale something new - it is not mine, and not new, but only fundamentally and completely forgotten, forgive me that I have disturbed the dust of ages: but this dust is holy ...

***

One of the holy fathers, standing in prayer and being in ecstasy, heard the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ speaking to the Immaculate and Holy Mother of God, His Mother, saying to her:
"Tell me, My Mother, which were the greatest of your sufferings, when you lived in the world, which you suffered for My sake?"

The Immaculate One replied:

"My Son and God, five times I have endured my greatest suffering for you:

First, when I heard from the Prophet Simeon that you were to be killed;

Second, when I looked for you in Jerusalem, and did not see you for three days;

Third, when I heard that you were seized and bound by the Jews;

Fourth, when I saw you on the Cross crucified between the robbers;

Fifth, when I saw you placed in the Tomb."

And the Lord said to her:

"I tell you. My Mother, whoever reads every day each of your sufferings with My prayer, i.e. 'Our Father,' for the first suffering I will give the knowledge of his sins and sorrow for them; for the second, I will give the forgiveness of all his sins; for the third, I will restore to him the virtues lost through sin; for the fourth, I will refresh him at death with my Divine Body and Blood; for the fifth, I will appear to him Myself at his death, and receive his soul into eternal life. Amen."

***

After this vision of the Holy Father, the following prayers were added by St. Dimitri:

At the beginning of the five prayers:

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

"Glory to Thee, Christ my God, that Thou hast not destroyed me a sinner, with my sins, but even till now hast borne -with my sin." [Bow]

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep me this day without sin. Grant, O Lord, that I may not anger Thee, my Creator, in thought, word or deed, but that all my actions, counsels and thoughts may be to the glory of Thy Holy Name." [Bow]

"God be merciful to me, a sinner, throughout my whole life. In my passing and after death, forsake me not." [Bow]

Falling low on the earth, say:

"Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, accept me, dead in mind and soul, accept me, a sinful prodigal, impure in soul and body. Take from me all shameless enmity and resistance, and turn not Thy Face from me, O Lord, nor say: I know not who thou art. But hear the voice of my prayer: save me, for Thou hast a wealth of compassion and desirest not the death of a sinner. I will never leave Thee nor depart from Thee, my Creator, till Thou hearest me and givest me forgiveness of all my sins, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother, the intercession of the honorable Bodiless Powers of Heaven, of my holy and glorious Guardian Angel, of Thy Forerunner and Prophet, the Baptist John, of the God-speaking Apostles, of the holy and victorious martyrs, of our Reverend and God-fearing fathers, and all Thy Saints, have mercy and save me, a sinner."

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good gifts and Giver of Life, come and abide in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us. (thrice)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, wash away our sins, O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy Name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. (3 times.)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, Mary full of grace; the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.

First Prayer
"O merciful Mother, Virgin Mary, I thy sinful and unprofitable servant, remembering thy suffering on hearing from the Prophet Simeon of the merciless murder of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, offer thee this prayer and the Angelic Salutation. Accept it in honor and memory of thy suffering, and pray thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to grant me the knowledge of my sins and sorrow for them." [Bow]

Second Prayer
Our Father .. . Virgin Mother ...
"O Divinely-blessed and Immaculate Maiden, Mother and Virgin, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honor and memory of thy suffering when thou didst lose thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Temple, and for three days didst not see Him. Pray and beg of Him the forgiveness and remission of all my sins, O only Blessed One." [Bow]

Third Prayer
Our Father .. . Virgin Mother ...
"O Mother of Light, most blessed Virgin Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honor and memory of thy suffering on hearing that thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, had been seized and bound. Pray Him to restore to me the virtues lost through sin, that I may magnify thee, O Most Pure One, for ever." [Bow]

Fourth Prayer
Our Father ... Virgin Mother ...
"O Fountain of Mercy, Virgin Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honor and memory of thy suffering when thou didst see thy GOD, our Lord Jesus Christ, on the Cross between the robbers. Pray Him, O Lady, to grant me the gift of His mercy in the hour of my death, and to refresh me with His Divine Body and Blood, that I may glorify thee, my Defender, for ever." [Bow]

Fifth Prayer
Our Father .. . Virgin Mother . ..
"O my Hope, Most Pure Virgin, Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honor and memory of thy suffering when thou didst see thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, placed in the Tomb. Pray Him, O Lady, to appear to me in the hour of my death, and to receive my soul into eternal life. Amen." [Bow]

Retrieved 8 January 2008
<http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/prayerbook/main.htm>

Retrieved on 8 January, 2008

Dr. Alexander Roman
<http://www.unicorne.org/Orthodoxy/hiver2004/prayer.htm>

There are a number of devotions that are shared by both East and West and have been for centuries before the two parted ways after 1054 AD. Among these is the Psalter of the Mother of God or "rosary" as it has come to be known in the West.

In fact, Western saints like Alan des Roches, Louis de Montfort and Dominic preferred to call the recitation of 150 "Hail Mary's" together with meditations the "Psalter of Our Lady."

St Seraphim of Sarov, whose 250th anniversary of birth is being celebrated in Kursk and elsewhere in Ukraine and Russia right now, was very devoted to the Psalter or Rule of Prayer of the Mother of God. He recited it daily and expected his spiritual children to recite it daily as well.

At Diveyevo monastery in Russia, there is a ditch or canal that runs around the perimeter of the monastery where the nuns walk daily, reciting that rule of prayer and they sing it on important feast-days. St Seraphim taught them that the Mother of God herself revealed to him that she walks that canal daily. The great and holy Elder kept a book in which he wrote various miracles that occurred by the daily fulfillment of this rule of prayer.

St Seraphim taught that this prayer was revealed to a monk of the Thebaid in the 8th century during a vision of the Mother of God and that all Christians used to recite it daily ever since. He also taught that the daily praying of this rule was more important than any other prayer to the Mother of God such as canons or akathists in procuring her blessing and protection on our lives.

There were some Orthodox saints that used the "Hail Mary" or "Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos" prayer in place of the Jesus prayer, in other words they recited it continually. One Elder who did this was named, the "Elder of the Theotokos."

This prayer is a summation of the New Testament and a hymn of praise of the Divine Incarnation of our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. It begins by praising the Mother of God and then moves to the praise of the Fruit of her womb, the Lord Jesus. To pray this prayer often, and especially in the rule of prayer known in the West as the "rosary" is to enter into special union with Christ, God the Word-made-Flesh, and through Him, with the Holy Trinity.

The Eastern Orthodox Church developed prayer ropes that were divided into decades and St Seraphim of Sarov himself used a Lestovka, still used today by the Old Believers of Russia and Ukraine, that had 150 small "steps" divided every ten with a larger "step" or "babotchka."

But one may use the more readily available rosary beads and Roman Catholics still make the "cord rosary" which is the Western prayer rope made of Celtic knots. Western rite Orthodox use rosary beads and Orthodox Christians in the Carpathians, in Greece and elsewhere use wooden beads as well. It really matters not!
The "Hail Holy Queen" is used by Western rite Orthodox and there are those who use the Fatima prayer which is but a version of the Jesus Prayer. There is no reason why you should not continue to use those prayers!

The Holy Fool-for-Christ's sake, St Procopius of Ustiug in Russia was a German convert to Orthodoxy. After his repose in the Lord, the church authorities found his psalter that he always recited. They discovered that it was his old Latin Psalter, arranged in accordance with Roman tradition!

In addition, many Eastern Orthodox saints adopted Western forms of prayer such as St Dmitri of Rostov. He, and others of the "Kyivan Baroque" period of Orthodox church history, not only prayed the "rosarium" or Rule of Prayer of the Mother of God daily. He also prayed the Hail Mary at the turn of every hour, and even at night he got up out of bed every hour as the clock chimed to recite this prayer! He had a great devotion to the "Joys and Sorrows" of the Most Holy Virgin Mary and his devotion continues in the "Tale of the Five Prayers" that is even found in the Jordanville prayerbook that is online.

As a matter of fact, I've found Slavonic Orthodox translations of the Western rosary, the Little Office of the Virgin Mary (also used by Western Orthodox), the Psalter of Our Lady by St Bonaventure and the "Fifteen Prayers of St Brigitte." The western Scapular of Mt Carmel was also popular among the Orthodox of that time period and, to this day, there is a miraculous Orthodox icon of Our Lady of Mt Carmel, as noted in the book on icons by Prof. Poselianin ("Bogomater"), that is venerated in the Ukrainian town of Horodyschenske called the Mother of God of the Scapular or "Shkaplirna Bozha Maty!"

n fact, the original icon of Our Lady of Mt Carmel that is in the Cathedral of Naples (also called "Our Lady of Naples" or the "Brown Madonna" or "La Bruna") is a beautiful Byzantine icon and I have a poster-size copy of this icon

So please do get yourself another pair of beads or a prayer rope divided into decades and also a small decade "tenner" that you can carry with you throughout the day to ensure that you get through the full 15 decades daily that is the Orthodox tradition.

I like the practice of adding some words to every decade's "Hail Mary's" that reflect the mystery that is being considered. If you go to this website

<www.montfortmissionaries.com> and click on "Share your Thoughts," scroll down to my letter of September 24, 2003 where I've indicated an Orthodox set of mysteries and a method of reciting them. One may use the same outline to meditate on the mysteries as accepted in the West and also on the "Stations of the Cross" that Orthodox Christians in western Ukraine and elsewhere also practice devotion to. (The Ukrainian Orthodox Saint Tikhon Zadonsky had a life-size representation of a form of the Way of the Cross in his cell!).

And may the Most Holy Mother of God bless you in your endeavour!

The Rosary and Orthodoxy

Retrieved on 8 January 2008
<http://www.westernorthodox.com/rosary.html>

From The Walsingham Way (Vol. II, No. I, Fall 1999), a newsletter of Western Orthodox spirituality published by the Orthodox Christian Society of Our Lady of Walsingham.

Some people have asked why the Orthodox don’t pray the Rosary as Roman Catholics and some other non-Orthodox do. Others object to Orthodox praying the Rosary since, in their view, this is not an Orthodox devotion, but peculiar to Roman Catholicism.

In hope of shedding some light on the subject, we publish the following letter of Father Alexander Gumanovsky, a spiritual son of Father Zosima, who was himself a spiritual son of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Fr. Alexander begins his letter with a quote from Fr. Zosima:

…I forgot to give you a piece of advice vital for salvation. Say the 0 Hail, Mother of God and Virgin one hundred and fifty times, and this prayer will lead you on the way to salvation. This rule was given by the Mother of God herself in about the eighth century, and at one time all Christians fulfilled it. We Orthodox have forgotten about it, and St. Seraphim has reminded me of this Rule. In my hands I have a hand-written book from the cell of St. Seraphim, containing a description of the many miracles which took place through praying to the Mother of God and especially through saying one hundred and fifty times the O Hail, Mother of God and Virgin. If, being unaccustomed to it, it is difficult to master one hundred and fifty repetitions daily, say it fifty times at first. After every ten repetitions say the Our Father once and Open unto us the doors of thy loving-kindness1. Whomever he spoke to about this miracle-working Rule remained grateful to him…

The elder Zosima greatly valued and loved Bishop Seraphim Zvezdinsky and always spoke of him as that saintly Bishop. Bishop Seraphim Zvezdinsky performed the Rule of the Mother of God every day, and; when he performed it he prayed for the whole world, embracing in is this Rule whole life of the Queen of Heaven.

He gave one of his spiritual children the task of copying a plan which he included his prayer to the Ever Virgin Mary. Here it is:

First decade: Let us remember the birth of the Mother of God. Let us pray for mothers, fathers, and children.

Second decade: Let us the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin and Mother of God. Let us pray for those who have lost their way and fallen away from the church.

Third decade: Let us remember the Annunciation of the Blessed Mother of God—let us pray for the soothing of sorrows and the consolation of those who grieve.

Fourth decade: Let us remember the meeting of the Blessed Virgin with the righteous Elizabeth. Let us pray for the reunion of the separated, for those whose dear ones or children are living away from them or missing.

Fifth decade: Let us remember the Birth of Christ. Let us pray for the rebirth of souls, for new life in Christ.

Sixth decade: Let us remember the Feast of the Purification of the Lord, and the words uttered by St. Simeon: Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also (Luke 2:35). Let us pray that the Mother of God will meet our souls at the hour of our death, and will contrive that we receive the Holy Sacrament with our last breath, and will lead our souls through the terrible torments.
Seventh decade: Let us remember the flight of the Mother of God with the God-Child into Egypt. Let us pray that the Mother of God will help us avoid temptation in this life and deliver us from misfortunes.

Eighth decade: Let us remember the disappearance of the twelve-year old boy Jesus in Jerusalem and the sorrow of the Mother of God on this account. Let us pray, begging the Mother of God for the constant repetition of the Jesus Prayer.

Ninth decade: Let us remember-the miracle performed in Cana of Galilee, when the Lord turned water into wine at the words of the Mother of God: They have no wine (John 2:3). Let us ask the Mother of God for help in our affairs and deliverance from need.

Tenth decade: Let us remember the Mother of God standing at the Cross of the Lord, when grief pierced through her heart like a sword. Let us pray to the Mother of God for the strengthening of our Souls and the banishment of despondency.

Eleventh decade: Let us remember the Resurrection of Christ and ask the Mother of God in prayer to resurrect our souls and give us a new courage for spiritual feats.

Twelfth decade: Let us remember the Ascension of Christ, at which the Mother of God was present. Let us pray and ask the Queen of Heaven to raise up our souls from earthly and worldly amusements and direct them to striving for higher things.

Thirteenth decade: Let us remember the Upper Room and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the Mother of God. Let us pray: Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me (Psalm 51).

Fourteenth decade: Let us remember the Assumption of the Blessed Mother of God, and ask for a peaceful and serene end.

Fifteenth decade: Let us remember the glory of the Mother of God, with which the Lord crowned her after her removal from earth to heaven. Let us pray to the Queen of Heaven not to abandon the faithful who are on earth but to defend them from every evil, covering them with her honoring and protecting veil.

After every decade Bishop Seraphim prayed his own prayers, which he revealed to no one, so that only the Lord and the Queen of Heaven knew these prayers. Thus, we can see that the Rosary is a completely Orthodox form of devotion to our Lady.

Those who follow the Western tradition should follow one of the standard forms, i.e. the opening consisting of the Sign of the Cross followed by the Lord’s Prayer; or O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise and the Glory be… followed by the Lord’s Prayer and the Angelic Salutation (three times). After this, either five or fifteen decades (each preceded by the appropriate mystery) are recited; and after the decades, the conclusion consisting of the Regina Coeli and the appropriate collect.

Those who follow the Eastern tradition could very easily follow the form cited above, ending with the hymn, It is truly meet to call thee blessed.

What is essential is to daily seek the intercessions of the Mother of God, so that in drawing closer to her, we may be drawn closer to her Son, our Savior, Jesus, with whom she now reigns eternally in Heaven.

The Full text of the prayer is:
Open unto us the door of thy loving-kindness, O blessed Mother of God, in that we set our hope on thee, may we not go astray; but through thee may we be delivered from all adversities, for thou art the salvation of all Christian people.

I personally still do Angelus. Also, I've decided to Byzantinise the 'Three O'Clock Prayer":

<Glory to Thy Passion, O Lord.

Thy Cross we worship, O Master.... x3

Glory to Thy Long-Suffering, O Lord.>

I've been doing this for a while, except that for the Pentecost period, I've replaced it with the Paschal Troparion, with the usual 'Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee' before and after. That's just my own invention though...

Benedicite!

A beautiful tradition!