Orthodox Prayer Book, Rukumija Monastery, 2000 A.D.
Prayer with the aid of the prayer rope is one of the oldest ways of prayer, especially cultivated by Orthodox monks. The prayer rope itself has a symbolic character. It is usually black in colour, reminding us to lead a sober and serious life in unceasing repentance. The prayer rope is woven from pure sheep's wool, which reminds us that we are the rational sheep of the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who Himself, as the Lamb of God, suffered for us and delivered us from eternal death. A small prayer rope has 33 knots.
How do we pray with the prayer rope?
Besides the prayers found in the prayer book and read regularly at a set time of day, the Church of Christ blesses her faithful to supplement or replace all their prayers with short prayers repeated many times, gathered in attention. These enable and help us to gather our mind more easily upon the very words of the prayer, so that our mind does not wander.
How then do we begin to pray?
Having gathered our thoughts, we take a bead (or the small cross) of the prayer rope in the left hand, holding it gently between thumb and forefinger. We sign ourselves with the sign of the honourable cross with the right hand, and quietly begin, counting off each individual prayer with one knot. The most common prayer with which we pray "on the rope" is the so-called
Prayer Rope Prayer
THE JESUS PRAYER, which is:
LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME, A SINNER!
or in its shorter form: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me!
The Jesus Prayer is the most important prayer of every Christian. According to the rules of the Church it can replace all others. Being sanctified by the very name of Christ our God, it brings divine grace down into our hearts and brings an ineffable peace of soul when repeated frequently. The greatest power of this prayer lies in the very name of Jesus Christ, which drives out from our heart every disturbance and unrest and brings divine peace.
Besides the Jesus Prayer, it is customary for Christians to pray also to the Most Holy Theotokos and to the Saints, in the following way:
Most Holy Theotokos, save me, a sinner!
Holy (name of the saint), pray to God for me, a sinner!
When we are alone, it is best to choose some quiet place and to say the words of the prayer in a whisper. Christians most often pray standing before the icons with the lamp lit, but they may also pray sitting or lying down when we are physically exhausted or ill. It is useful to cross ourselves after each prayer spoken. In this way our attention is more easily bound to the words of the prayer. However, prayer with the rope can be practised in any situation: on a bus, on a train, in a waiting room, while walking, or even during a conversation in which we do not take part. The Apostle Paul teaches us to "pray without ceasing." Of course, when we are in company we cannot pray in the same way as when we are alone. In that case one should not attract attention by any "strange" behaviour, but simply, in silence, say the prayer within oneself, following it unobtrusively by turning the prayer rope. In short, we can pray always and everywhere, and no one else need know it except God to Whom we pray, and ourselves. Any deliberate attracting of the attention of other people is foreign to the spirit of true prayer, which we perform in repentance and humility, modestly and quietly, in the "secret chamber of our heart."
The prayer rope may, at times when we are not using it, be kept in a pocket or around the wrist. However, it is not fitting to draw attention to one's prayer rope, and especially not to play with it between one's fingers in moments of idleness. It serves only for prayer, and not for play or ornament. We owe the prayer rope due reverence.
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