ORTHODOX TRADITION 42 PRAYERS

Orthodox prayers

Prayers from the Eastern Orthodox tradition: the Jesus Prayer at the heart of Orthodox spirituality, the Trisagion Prayers that open every service, the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos, the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem, and prayers from the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.

Pew Research · Feb 2025 About 1% of US adults identify as Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Christians represent a smaller but historically significant Christian presence in the United States. Pew Research Center's 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, published in February 2025, found that approximately 1% of US adults identify as Orthodox Christian. The largest Orthodox communities in the United States include Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Antiochian Orthodox, and the Orthodox Church in America.
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Daily prayers

Prayer at the Beginning of the Day 19th century AD; OCA Prayer Book 1979 Prayer at the End of the Day Traditional; OCA Prayer Book 1979 Prayer Before an Icon Medieval The Prayer of the Hours: An Introduction 4th-5th century AD; Hapgood 1906 The Trisagion Prayers Ancient; Hapgood 1906

The Jesus Prayer and hesychasm

Akathist to the Sweetest Lord Jesus 13th century AD The Jesus Prayer 5th century AD

Scripture and Communion

Prayer After Holy Communion 9th-10th century AD; Hapgood 1906 Prayer Before Holy Communion 9th-10th century AD; Hapgood 1906 Prayer Before Reading Scripture Ancient; Hapgood 1906 Prayer of St. John Chrysostom 4th-5th century AD; Hapgood 1906; BCP 1662 Prayer of St. Symeon the New Theologian c. 1000 AD The Anaphora of St. Basil 4th century AD The Cherubic Hymn 6th century AD

Marian and seasonal

Akathist to the Theotokos: Opening Kontakion 6th century AD; Hapgood 1906 The Beatitudes: Orthodox Liturgical Form 1st century AD (text); Hapgood 1906 (liturgical form) The Prayer of Ephrem the Syrian 4th century AD; Hapgood 1906 Wudasse Maryam 14th century AD

Biblical canticles

The Prayer of Azariah c. 2nd century BC The Prayer of Manasseh c. 2nd century BC The Song of Hannah c. 1000 BC

Christian year

An Easter Prayer 1662 (BCP form); ancient (Orthodox form)

Funeral prayers

Eternal Rest Medieval (Latin form); Lasance 1913 (English form)

Health and recovery

A Prayer for Anointing of the Sick 1st century AD (biblical pattern)

Marian devotions

The Hail Mary Luke 1:28, 42 (1st century AD); full form by 15th century AD; Lasance 1913

Patristic

Prayer of Cyprian of Carthage c. 250 AD Prayer of Tertullian c. 200 AD

Prayers to the saints

Prayer to the Guardian Angel Medieval (Latin original); 17th century (English verse form); Lasance 1913

Scriptural blessings

The Aaronic Blessing pre-6th century BC The Beatitudes 1st century AD

The Creeds

The Nicene Creed 325 AD (original); 381 AD (expanded form)

The Lord's Prayer family

The Lord's Prayer 1st century AD (biblical text); 1662 (English liturgical form, BCP)

The Psalms

Psalm 23 pre-6th century BC Psalm 51 pre-6th century BC Psalm 91 Ancient Israelite

The great hymns

The Magnificat 1st century AD The Sanctus 1st century AD

The shorter prayers

Sub Tuum Praesidium c. 250 AD The Agnus Dei c. 700 AD (liturgical form) The Glory Be 4th century AD (Latin form); 1662 (English BCP form) The Kyrie 4th century AD The Trisagion pre-500 AD