Welcome to My Greek Orthodox Prayer Book
We wanted to instil a regular prayer life into our children, and our family, from early on. Whether it was prayers before meals at the dining table, morning or evening prayers, we wanted to create a guide for ourselves, our children, and for others that could be used to instill a regular pattern of prayer in the home.
To keep with our faith, and to preserve the Greek language and culture in our house (as third and fourth generation Australians) we wanted to have prayers in Greek, and we wanted to be sure that we were saying them correctly.
The translation and transliteration of the Greek prayers are a helping start for children and families who also wish to retain as much of the Greek Orthodox rituals as possible.
If your children are between 18 months and 10 years old, and you're reading to them at night, before you say goodnight, read a series of evening prayers with them, finishing with the Lord's Prayer. God willing, this forms part of a regular routine in your house, if not already.
If your children are older, and they need guidance to assist with prayers in the evenings and in the morning, they can rely on this book to give them the a series of initial prayers that they can then build from, as they start to become more familiar with regular prayer.
We hope this book assists with encouraging more parents to read and pray with their children. We hope this book is used in the mornings and evenings to assist you and your children to instil a regular prayer life into the household, so that all members of the family are focused on developing their relationship with Jesus.
Statement of Faith - Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one essence with the Father, through him all things were made.
Who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human, and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried, and rose on the third day according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, and who spoke through the Prophets.
In one holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sings. I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come. Amen.
