Xenia of St. Petersburg Memorial Day on February 6: the most powerful prayers
On Friday, February 6, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg. On this day, thousands of pilgrims flock to her chapel at Smolensky Cemetery in St. Petersburg, and all over Russia they pray for family happiness, children's health, healing from diseases and protection from troubles. Saint Xenia is known as a quick helper in the most pressing everyday needs — from family peace to finding housing and work. For more information about who Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg is, what she helps with, and what prayers to read on her memorial day, see Izvestia.
Who is Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg?
Blessed Xenia (Xenia Grigorievna Petrova) was born between 1719 and 1731 in St. Petersburg into a noble family. She married Colonel Andrey Fedorovich Petrov, a chorister in the court choir, and lived happily until the age of 26. The sudden death of her husband without repentance and communion shocked the young widow. Ksenia distributed all her possessions to the poor, put on her late husband's clothes and went to wander around the city. Thus began her 45-year—old feat of foolishness for Christ's sake - voluntary "madness" for the sake of saving her husband's soul and helping people.
She roamed the streets of St. Petersburg and secretly helped build the Smolensk Church. After her death, her grave at the Smolensky Cemetery became a place of pilgrimage. In 1988, Blessed Xenia was canonized at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.
According to the testimonies of believers and the life, Blessed Xenia is most often addressed:
— family well-being, peace in the home and harmony between spouses;
— giving children, helping in marriage and happy marriage;
— about healing from diseases, including severe and incurable ones;
— protection from troubles, fires, slander, envy and ill-wishers;
— about the admonition of loved ones, success in good deeds and consolation in sorrows.
The power of her prayerful intercession lies in maternal love and boldness before God: she helps quickly and often very specifically, especially when asked with faith and repentance.
How to pray to Blessed Xenia on February 6
The clergy advise to remember that the power of prayer to Xenia lies not in "magical" texts, but in sincere faith, repentance and union with the sacraments of the church. Many believers visit the temple on this day, put a candle in front of the icon of the saint, read the troparion or one of the prayers at home — calmly, slowly, with attention to the words.
The most powerful prayers of Xenia of St. Petersburg
Troparion of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg
The troparion is the main church prayer-hymn of the saint, expressing the essence of her feat. It is read in churches and at home on Xenia Memorial Day and on Wednesdays.
Troparion, glas 7
"Having loved the poverty of Christ, you are now enjoying an Immortal Meal, having exposed the madness of the world with your imaginary madness, and with the humility of the cross you have accepted the power of God. Therefore, you who deserve the gift of miraculous help, blessed Xenia, pray to Christ God for our deliverance from all evil through repentance."
A model of the monument to St. Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg at the exhibition of competitive projects at the Union of Artists
The first prayer is for family, children, and the necessities of life.
This prayer is universal: it asks for the salvation of the soul, the blessing of deeds, the health of infants, academic success of children, family peace and the protection of the country.
Prayer 1
"Oh, Holy All-blessed Mother Xenia! Having lived under the protection of the Most High, guided and strengthened by the Mother of God, you have endured hunger and thirst, cold and heat, reproach and persecution, you have received the gift of foresight and miracle-working from God, and you rest under the shadow of the Almighty. Now the holy Church, like a fragrant flower, glorifies you. Standing at the place of your burial, before your holy image, as if you were alive with us, we pray to you: accept our petitions and bring them to the throne of the merciful Heavenly Father, as one who has boldness before Him; ask those who run to you for eternal salvation, for our good deeds and undertakings a generous blessing, from all troubles and deliverance from sorrows. Present thy holy prayers before our All-merciful Saviour for us, the unworthy and sinful. Help, holy blessed mother Xenia, to illuminate infants with the light of holy baptism and seal them with the gift of the Holy Spirit, to educate boys and girls in faith, honesty, and piety, and to grant them success in their studies; heal the sick and infirm, send down love and harmony to the family, honor the monks with good deeds and protect them from reproach, pastors in the fortress Strengthen the Holy Spirit, preserve our people and country in peace and serenity, and pray for those who are deprived of communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ at the hour of their death. You are our hope and hope, speedy hearing and deliverance, we send thanks to you and with you we glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen to that."
The second prayer is about repentance and spiritual purification.
This prayer helps with inner anguish, pride, resentment, and spiritual fatigue. It is read to purify conscience and renew life.
Prayer 2
"Oh, our glorious holy and blessed mother Xenia, fervent prayer book for us before God! As we used to kneel at your gravestone, so now, after your glorification, we run to your relics and ask: pray to the Lord, that He may sanctify our souls and bodies, enlighten our minds, cleanse our consciences from all filth, impure thoughts, evil and blasphemous intentions and from all arrogance, pride and arrogance, arrogance and May He grant us sincere repentance, contrition of our hearts, humility, meekness and calmness, reverence, spiritual understanding with all prudence and thanksgiving. Hidden from the wise of this age, but known to God! Grant deliverance to our Russian country from grave troubles, renewal and correction of our whole lives, and keep us in every pious Orthodox profession of the Christian faith, so that, in glorifying you, we may be worthy to sing praises, thank and glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Consubstantial, Life-giving and Indivisible Trinity forever and ever. Amen to that."
The third prayer is with the substitution of names
A personal prayer. Suitable for specific requests for forgiveness and protection.
Prayer 3
"Oh, holy saint of God, blessed Xenia! Mercifully look with your eye upon us, the servants of God (names), before your sacred icon, with the tenderness of those who pray and ask for your help and intercession. Extend your fervent prayers to the Lord our God and ask for the forgiveness of our sins for our souls. For behold, with a contrite heart and a humble spirit, we call upon you, a merciful intercessor to Vladyka and a prayer book for us sinners, because you have received grace from Him to pray for us and deliver us from troubles. We beseech you: do not despise us, the unworthy, who pray to you and need your help, and ask for everything useful for salvation, so that through your prayers to the Lord God, having received grace and mercy, we may glorify the Source of all good things and gifts of the Giver, the One God, in the Holy Trinity, the glorified Father and Son and Holy Of the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen to that."
On February 6, the saint's memorial day, the clergy advise not just to "chastise" the text, but to sincerely address her through prayers. The request can be expressed in your own words. It is also important to thank God and Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg for her help and intercession.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
