www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Old-Ritualists Forum Lestovka

Christ is Risen!

I will be receiving a 109 step lestovka from Diveevo. Can anyone help me with the method of praying with the lestovka?

Jeff

There are traditional formulae for the Prayer Rule of the Mother of God (150 steps), available from Diveevo. The only one I'm familiar with for the 109-step lestovka is to begin with the Nachalo Obychnoje (Usual Beginning) and then recite the Jesus Prayer. If anyone out there knows something different I, for one, would be very grateful to learn. Perhaps someone on the Old Believer forum?

Well, I consider myself to be an old Believer . . .

There is more than one OB prayer rule on the lestovka, but this is the most popular one:

Make the Sign of the Cross and then say the Prayer of the Publican on each of the first larger three steps above the Lapostki or triangular flaps. Then proceed with the Jesus Prayer on the smaller steps. On the three larger steps one may say one of the three parts of the prayer of the Good Thief: Remember me, o Lord, when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom on the first one etc.

Or else the Byzantine "Hail Mary" on each of those three divider steps - also popular with Old Believers. One makes the sign of the Cross at the end of the prayer and makes a bow.

On the last 17 step section, one may say the Prayer of St Ephrem (as is always done during Lent).

On the larger lapostka preceding the 17 steps, one says the "More Honourable than the Cherubim etc." and makes a bow. Then on the first small step one says the prayer of the Nachalo "through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us." Then on the next three steps, each of the three verses of the prayer of St Ephrem followed by 12 Jesus Prayers (e.g. until before the last small step).

On the last small step the entire prayer of St Ephrem is repeated with a bow).

Then one goes to the space on the leather lestovka before the three larger ending lapostki and says the Glory be .

Then one says the "Alleluia, Alleluia, Glory to Thee, O God" (in OB practice, only two Alleluias). Then one flips the lestovka and goes to the next three large steps and says "Lord have mercy" three times until one gets to the space where one again says the Glory be.

If your lestovka has the seven moveable pieces between the triangles, this would also be a good time to move one before you begin the next 100.

Alex

Christ is Risen!

Alex,

Thank you for the reply. This is just what I've been looking for. Andrew and Natalia sent me the prayers, two versions, but they are in Russian, which I do not speak. Thank you again for your assistance!

Many years,
Jeff

Many Years!

Alex