How to Pray

Set up a prayer corner in your home — a small space with an icon of Christ, the Theotokos, and your patron saint. Light a candle or lampada before the icons as you pray. The icon is not an idol; it is a window into heaven, helping to lift your mind and heart to the one depicted. Stand with reverence, making the sign of the cross, and address the living person represented by the icon.

Join the thumb, index, and middle fingers of your right hand (symbolizing the Holy Trinity), while the ring and little fingers are folded to the palm (symbolizing the two natures of Christ). Touch your forehead, then your chest, then your right shoulder, then your left shoulder. This simple gesture is a confession of faith and a prayer in itself. Orthodox Christians cross themselves frequently — at the invocation of the Trinity, before and after prayer, when entering a church, and in times of need or gratitude.

The prayer rope is a loop of knotted wool, traditionally with 33, 50, 100, or 300 knots. Holding it in your left hand, you move from knot to knot, reciting the Jesus Prayer on each: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." The physical act of moving the knots helps the mind stay focused. Start with a manageable number (33 or 50) and increase gradually.