Pure prayer
Holy Church takes special care of human life. The Church asks God's protection over the newborn and the mother after labor; the church implores the grace of the Holy Spirit over them and takes measures consistent with the requirements of hygiene and medicine. The rite "Prayers over a woman after labor on the fortieth day", performed over the mother and the child on the 40th day after his birth, refers to the churching of the mother, i.e. blessing her to return to the Church to participate in the Eucharist and to receive first communion after birth. From this day, preparation for the holy sacrament of Baptism begins.
What to prepare:
1. Bottle of sweet red wine
2. Bottle of oil
3. Package of flour
4. Candles (purchased from the temple)
What to do:
1. Let's get acquainted with the Orthodox meaning of the rite
How to pray:
Prayer for parents
O Lord, Heavenly Father, You have blessed us with the gift of family and have entrusted us with their spiritual upbringing. You commanded that we should teach our children about You in our lives: when we sit in our house, when we walk by the way, when we lie down and when we rise. Guide us O Lord every moment of the day as we work toward this awesome task.
Let the words of Christ dwell in us, so that we may teach and guide our family, through our words and deeds, to the saving knowledge of Your everlasting kingdom. Help us, O Lord, be compassionate, kind, and patient throughout our days. If one of us has a complaint against another, help us to forgive each other; as You have forgiven us. Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. Above all, help us to remember to put on love which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
We thank You, Lord for the many blessings and mercies You continually bestow on us. In everything we do, in word or deed, may we always do so in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through His Holy Spirit. Amen.