If you’re searching for a way to establish a meaningful prayer routine that genuinely enriches your spiritual life, I can’t recommend Orthodox Christian Prayers enough. This isn’t just any orthodox christian prayer book—it’s a lifeline that has transformed how we approach daily prayers. From its readability to its comprehensive collection of prayers, this popular, handy pocket-sized book has become an indispensable part of our daily spiritual practice.
🙏 Our Journey to Discovering the Perfect Prayer Book
When we first joined the Orthodox Church, the sheer depth and richness of Orthodox prayers felt overwhelming. We had lived much of our lives without a structured faith, and our understanding of prayer was limited to personal, often self-centered conversations with God. However, after some guidance from Father Michael at Saint Luke’s Church, we realized that Orthodox prayers are so much more—they are about glorifying God, seeking His guidance, and asking for forgiveness with the help of the Saints and Holy Angels.
We knew we needed more structure, so we turned to prayer books. Father Michael suggested we start with the Little Red Prayer Book, which is a popular choice within the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese. While it provided a good foundation, we felt it lacked the comprehensive guidance we were seeking. We then tried several other highly-rated prayer books, but none quite fit the bill—until we discovered Orthodox Christian Prayers. This book, with its excellent reviews and reputation, became our spiritual anchor. It guided us in establishing a consistent and meaningful prayer routine that now feels as natural as breathing.
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Book: Orthodox Christian Prayers [Prayer Book]
Buy Now →The PDF version available of the Orthodox Christian Prayers prayer book on the Orthodox Church of America's Site.
📖 Why Orthodox Christian Prayers is the Best Choice for You
1. Readability and Accessibility
One of the first things that struck us about Orthodox Christian Prayers was how easy it was to read and navigate. The book is beautifully crafted, featuring a gold-tone stamping on a durable blue cloth cover, and its trim size makes it an ideal travel edition. We’ve found that its large, legible fonts make it effortless to follow along during both morning prayers and evening prayers, whether we’re at home or on the go. The page-marker ribbons are a small thing, but they’re incredibly helpful in guiding us through the day’s prayers without losing our place.
What really sets this book apart, though, is the use of red text throughout, which provides clear instructions on how to pray. These directions include when to make prostrations, incorporate metanias, or simply pause in silence. This attention to detail makes Orthodox Christian Prayers not just a visually appealing book but also a highly functional one, offering a concise spiritual roadmap for anyone—from beginners to seasoned parishioners—looking to deepen their prayer life.
2. Comprehensive Collection of Prayers
The variety of prayers included in Orthodox Christian Prayers is nothing short of impressive. The book covers the standard daily personal prayers of Orthodox Christians, including morning prayers, prayers at the table, and evening prayers. But it goes far beyond that. We’ve found prayers for almost every occasion—whether it’s the service of preparation before Holy Communion, prayers of thanksgiving after Holy Communion, or even the more specific prayers like those found in the small Paraklesis or the Akathist hymn.
This book has been particularly helpful during the fasting periods of the Church. It includes prayers tailored to these times, which has allowed us to adjust our daily routine in a way that feels more aligned with the liturgical seasons. The inclusion of the troparia and kontakia of the church year, as well as services like small compline and the complete service of Pascha, makes it easy to connect our daily prayers with the greater rhythm of Orthodox worship. We’ve found this to be invaluable in making our prayer life more holistic and integrated with the life of the Church.
3. Clear Directions for Structured Prayer
What truly makes Orthodox Christian Prayers stand out for us is the clear and detailed instructions on how to pray. For those new to Orthodoxy—or even those, like us, who are just looking to improve their prayer life—these directions have been a game-changer. The book provides specific guidance on how to approach your prayers, from making three prostrations upon rising in the morning to standing in silence before beginning your evening prayers.
This prayer book doesn’t just tell you what to pray; it shows you how to pray. The step-by-step guidance has allowed us to build a prayer practice that feels both natural and profound, connecting us more deeply to God. Whether we’re performing the service of vespers or the lesser hours, the book guides us through each step, ensuring that we are fully engaged in the prayer process. This level of detail is what makes Orthodox Christian Prayers an essential tool for anyone serious about growing in their faith.
⚠️ A Few Considerations to Keep in Mind
While Orthodox Christian Prayers has been a wonderful addition to our spiritual life, there are a few considerations we’d like to share:
1. Geared Toward Monastic Practices
Like many Orthodox Christian prayer books, Orthodox Christian Prayers includes prayers and practices that are designed with monastic life in mind. It doesn’t always differentiate between these and the practices more suited for laypeople. When we first started using the book, we needed some initial guidance from Father Michael to tailor the content to our personal prayer routine. However, once we figured out which prayers to focus on, this book became a lifelong companion.
2. Lacks Specific Guidance on Confession
One area where we found Orthodox Christian Prayers lacking was in its guidance related to confession. This omission was particularly noticeable for us as we were still learning how to approach this vital sacrament. We ended up turning back to the Little Red Prayer Book for confession prayers. We hope that future editions of Orthodox Christian Prayers will include a section on confession, as it would make the book even more comprehensive.
3. Traditional Language and No Explanations
While we appreciate the beauty of the traditional language used in Orthodox Christian Prayers, it can sometimes be challenging to fully grasp without additional context. The book doesn’t include explanations or translations of the prayers, which might make it difficult for some readers to understand the deeper meanings. We often found ourselves doing additional research to better understand certain prayers. While this isn’t necessarily a drawback, it’s something to keep in mind if you’re new to these ancient prayers.
🛐 Why Orthodox Christian Prayers Should Be Your Go-To Prayer Book
In conclusion, Orthodox Christian Prayers is more than just a collection of prayers—it’s a guide that has helped us build a structured and meaningful prayer life. Its readability, comprehensive collection of prayers, and clear directions have made it an invaluable resource for deepening our connection with God through daily prayer.
Whether you’re a young adult exploring the Orthodox faith, a parent teaching your children how to pray, or someone seeking a deeper spiritual practice, this prayer book will meet you where you are and guide you to where you need to be. The combination of its elegant design, practical content, and spiritual depth makes it, in our experience, the best Orthodox Christian prayer book available in English.
So if you’re ready to take your prayer life to the next level, Orthodox Christian Prayers is the book you need. It’s not just a tool—it’s a spiritual companion that will help you grow closer to God every day. This prayer book has been a steadfast companion, guiding us through the complexities of Orthodox prayer life with clarity and grace. We hope it does the same for you.
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Book: Orthodox Christian Prayers [Prayer Book]
Buy Now →❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Using a Christian prayer book like Orthodox Christian Prayers has been a deeply personal and spiritually enriching practice for us, helping us establish a consistent prayer routine. Here’s how we’ve made the most of it:
- Begin with the Basics: We start our day with morning prayers, as outlined in Orthodox Christian Prayers. This popular handy pocket-size book provides clear instructions, including when to make prostrations and how to incorporate the prayer of the heart. The book also includes prayers of preparation, guardian angel prayers, and communion prayers that align with the liturgical calendar.
- Follow the Daily Routine: The book is organized into sections that cover the standard daily personal prayers of Orthodox Christians. These include morning prayers, prayers at the table, evening prayers, and specific prayers for the paschal hours and other significant times, like the midnight service. The Thanksgiving prayers for the text of the divine liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and the prayers for holy week are also included, helping us stay connected with the rhythm of the Orthodox Church.
- Use the Red Text as a Guide: We’ve found the red text throughout the book incredibly helpful for spiritual watchfulness, as it guides us on how to perform each prayer properly. This is particularly useful for young adults and new converts, offering factual lists and structured prayers that are easy to follow.
- Incorporate Special Prayers: Depending on the day or season, we use prayers of preparation before communion, the akathist hymn, or the great supplicatory canons during fasting periods like the lenten triodion. The book’s comprehensive approach makes it easy to find the right prayer for every occasion.
- Carry It With You: We love that this beautiful prayer book, with its sturdy red paper cover and gold-tone stamping, is designed to be a travel edition. Whether at home or on the go, we can easily incorporate prayers into our day. The familiar translation of the St. Tikhon’s text ensures that the language resonates with our spiritual journey.
Jackie
Hello! Thanks for this review. You said: >> The text of the divine liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and the prayers for holy week are also included<< However, I have this prayer book and I don't find this. The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is in Little Red but I don't see it in this one. Can you please tell me what page it's on? Thank you.
Thierry
Hi Jackie,
Thank you for catching that, and I’m so glad you reached out! I meant to say that the prayers following the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom are included, not the full text itself. You can find these in the “Prayers of Thanksgiving After Holy Communion” section on page 171. I’ve also updated the post to clarify this.
If you’re looking for the full text of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, you can find it here: https://www.goarch.org/-/the-divine-liturgy-of-saint-john-chrysostom
Thanks again for pointing it out, and I hope you still find the review helpful!
Best,
Thierry
Daniel
"The book is beautifully crafted, featuring a gold-tone stamping on a durable blue cloth cover" sounds more like the HTM or Newrome prayer books 🙂
Thierry
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for the insight! It’s true that a lot of Orthodox prayer books share that classic, elegant look. I’ve personally used the version mentioned in the review, but it’s definitely possible that the HTM or Newrome books have a similar style. It’s always interesting to see how different publishers put their own twist on prayer books, even if the content remains similar. If you have a favorite edition, I’d love to hear about it. Thanks again for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
Best,
Thierry