Religion 101: Orthodox Prayer Rope

The Holy Fathers called the science of prayer the 'art of the arts' because believers depend on constant prayer to grow in faith and in virtue. St. Paul encourages us to 'pray without ceasing'. The challenge is to get over the 'dry spots' of prayer when it does not offer the awaited consolation, nor the peaceful comfort from restlessness as the mind keeps presenting to us all sorts of things to distract us.

The faithful have used prayer aids or tools to combat these problems for centuries. Latin Rite Christians use the Rosary, the prayer beads used to repeat prayers as they meditate on the mysteries of the faith. In the same manner, the Eastern Christians utilize the Prayer Rope, with a divider for every 25 knots for the Greek Komboskinia, or for every 10 knots for the Russian Chokti. There are other variations according to the different countries and ethnicities of Holy Orthodoxy, such as the Romanian Matanii and the Macedonian or Serbian Brojanica..

The Prayer Ropes are traditionally made of black wool because black signifies penance, and wool calls to mind the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and reminds believers that we are rational sheep following the Good Shepherd. Prayer ropes are made by nuns and monks in monasteries, as they pray themselves. Just as with Rosaries, these are not to be worn as jewelry, but used exclusively for prayer and meditation.

Orthodox Prayer Rope with cross.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_rope)

An old tale explains the complicated knots used instead of beads to keep count of prayers. Hermits used to move small pebbles from one container to another as they prayed, in order to concentrate their minds on the prayer and to keep count. Since it was cumbersome when walking about or traveling, one hermit thought of tying knots on a rope instead. However, the hermit noticed that as he tied the knots, the Devil would untie them, to take the hermit's mind off his prayers. He had a dream, some say of an angel and others of the Holy Theotokos, who taught the hermit how to tie a knot making seven small crosses to prevent the Devil from being able to untie them, since he is powerless against the Sign of the Cross. From then on, the Prayer Rope has accompanied believers everywhere as they pray.

Prayer Ropes vary in length, as they may have 33 knots, 50 knots, 100 knots, or even 300 knots. These may also have dividers every 9 knots for the nine choirs of angels, every 12 knots for the number of Apostles, every 17 knots for the number or prophets, every 33 knots for the years of Jesus on Earth, 39 knots for the months of pregnancy of the Holy Theotokos.

The Prayer Ropes may also have tied loops of cloth or leather, dried flowers of a plant called 'Tears of the Mother of God', or sometimes beads. At the end, the knots come full circle to a woven cross, a cross and a tassel, or even four triangular pieces of leather representing the four Gospels sewn as two pairs overlapping one another on a Lestovka.

Orthodox Prayer Rope with tassel. Orthodox Lestovka.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_rope)

The cross 'speaks to us of the sacrifice and victory of life over death, of humility over pride, of self-sacrifice over selfishness, of light over darkness,' as stated on a booklet on the Prayer Rope published by St. Anthony's Monastery. The tassel is to wipe the tears of the repentant sinner.

Holding the Prayer Rope with the left hand, the believer makes the sign of the cross with the right hand while saying a prayer, before moving to the next knot. In between prayers, the believer makes a small bow -from the waist- and a full prostration to the ground -or metanoia- for the dividers.

The traditional prayer used is The Jesus Prayer because of the power inherent in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. There are different forms of this prayer. The longer version is: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son and Word of the living God, through the intercessions of thine all-pure Mother and of all thy Saints, have mercy and deliver us.’ Shorter versions are also acceptable, either: 'Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!' or 'Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me!'

Other traditional prayers include intercessory prayers to the Holy Theotokos: 'Oh, Most Holy Mother of God, save me -a sinner!' or to saints:'Oh, Holy (name of the saint) pray to God for me -a sinner!' When praying for others as intercessory prayers, the following prayer may be used: 'Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on Thy servants (name, or a list of names)' on the first knot only, followed with: 'Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on Thy mentioned servants!' for the remaining knots. To pray an intercessory prayer for the deceased, the prayer used would be: 'Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, give rest to Thy servants (names)' on the first knot only, followed by: 'Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, give rest to Thy mentioned servants!' on the remaining knots.

Master Orthodox Iconographer, Elias Damianakis includes a Prayer Rope in his icons exhibitions as part of the tools of his trade, since according to him, 'icons are extensions of prayer.'

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