Many of you probably want to change your life, as well as the lives of those close to the best. Not sure how to do this? As you know, there are things that we cannot change, we need help from above. This article is dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra (Mirliki), a beloved by believers.
This saint of God became famous among not only Orthodox, but also Catholics. Therefore, he is revered in many countries of the world. Christians can with deep faith read a prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for 40 days or more, depending on the circumstances. Let's take a closer look at when and how much time you can offer your petitions to the saint of God, whether you need to prepare and how to behave during prayer.
Brief information about St. Nicholas
Saint Nicholas lived in the city of Peace in the 3rd century AD. He was a very pious and pious man. In adulthood, the Lord called him to serve the people, and also to perform miracles. It is thanks to the fact that many healings have been witnessed, troubles have been averted, innocent people have been released from the prayers of the saint to the Lord, people, even during their lifetime and at all times, turned to him for help.
There are briefly three events that are mentioned in the life of the saint: the release of prisoners from prison, salvation from drowning at sea, the marriage of the three daughters of the poor.
That is why in the Orthodox tradition it is customary to pray to St. Nicholas for a safe journey, marriage and in any danger.
How to pray
It is customary to pray secretly outside the church or in the church, but not during divine services (with the exception of the prayer service and akathist to St. Nicholas). You must have a canonical text in front of you that clearly reflects what you should ask of God and His saints. You should carefully read the words, delve into their meaning, make them your prayer.
Only after reading it can one formulate personal requests as prompted by the heart. But it’s important to understand that the Lord’s will is at all. And the saint with his intercession before God will surely arrange everything as it would be better not only for the prayer. The prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker, read for 40 days, can be perceived each time by a more tangible human heart, it can teach to live exactly as it should.
How to understand prayers
Read the first line invoking the name of the saint. It says that he is an "emergency assistant." It is advisable to pronounce these words with deep faith that he will soon help you too. Then we realize our sinfulness, and also repent of despondency. We must know that the Lord punishes us for committing unrighteous acts, evil thoughts. For life to change for the better, we should change. The prayer ends by asking for mercy from God so that after death a paradise life will be given.
Thus, you can read the text of the prayer to St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker for 40 days or more. Just before you complete your plan, you should seriously consider some of the rules listed below.
How to prepare
Preparation with long prayer is very important. You should go to the priest in the temple (preferably after confession), explain the whole situation to him and ask for blessings for prayers to Nicholas the Wonderworker. Read 40 days or not, you also need to find out from the priest. But usually experienced and pious ministers of the church do not give clear recommendations on the number of days. As much as necessary, so much will be your prayer.
After the blessing, you need to get a little book with prayers behind a candle box or in an Orthodox bookshop if there is no canonical text at home. Read should be standing or on your knees, facing the icon. If there is no image of the saint, then you can pray without him, the main thing is to understand who we are addressing.
Is it true that you need to read strictly 40 days?
You can often hear from unchurched people that you need to read the prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker 40 days strictly, no more, no less. But this myth should be dispelled, because God does not have a count of time. Exception: reading the Psalms of the deceased for 40 days. And you can and even need to pray all your life, but to whom, how much and how - a person must decide for himself or, what is better, with a confessor (a priest who is chosen by a believer as a spiritual mentor, leader in a pious life and in preparation for eternal life).
Read the prayer as much as the priest advises you, or for life's reasons. Sometimes people, having received what is requested, throw a prayer without thanking either God or the saint. You can’t do this. Therefore, do not forget about gratitude. But it should not be material, but spiritual - unwillingness to return to a sinful life, careful attitude to what the Lord sent.
The wonderful help of St. Nicholas to his contemporaries
You can cite the story that happened in Perm in 2009. Probably, many residents of the city remember the "furious bus", whose brakes did not work, but the transport was able to finish its fateful journey directly opposite the monument to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Then the event was without casualties. Even atheists agreed that a miracle happened.
Not every person who received the request will confirm that the prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is read for 40 days. The reviews make it clear that everyone has their own deadlines for the execution of the petition: someone prayed for only one second, and someone about five years. It is important not the number of days and months, but the presence of deep faith and hope that the Lord and His saints hear, will certainly help.
How the fate of the prayer will change
If a person tries to correct his life, not to sin, as God requires, then everything will radically change. Of course, troubles can continue with God's permission, but it is very important that the person himself becomes spiritually cleaner, kinder, sincere. A prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker that changes fate (40 days) is just a myth that may not correspond to reality. After all, Orthodox prayer is not a spell or a mantra, here you need to change yourself, and not try to rebuild events.
It is the sincere intention to change for the sake of the Lord, the desire to pray to St. Nicholas as if to a close friend will contribute to the fact that prayer is without count. Often, changes in people come imperceptibly, only after months and years a person realizes that all desires have been fulfilled, all prayers have been answered.
When the requested is fulfilled
As mentioned earlier, a prayer is read to St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker for 40 days or more / less, depending on the situation. It is not recommended to predict the exact deadlines for the execution of the petition (except for events that must occur on time, for example, the protection of the diploma is "excellent").
Often, those who do not seek to get what they want in a short time, quickly come to comfort, as prayers have already been answered. And those who want to find something that hour have to pray for a very long time.
The Holy Fathers answer the question about the duration of the prayer like this: "A long prayer tests you, so you yourself will understand if you really need what you ask for or not."
And if the request is not executed within 40 days?
Unfortunately, it also happens that a believer knows that what is not necessarily desired must happen within forty days. But deep down she hopes for a miracle. About 40 days of prayer to St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker, reviews say that by no means can such dates be always. More specifically, many people lose count and don’t know how long they prayed, because the act of communicating with God and saints is important to them.
Sometimes they ask how many times a day to read. It should be remembered that prayer is not a pill prescribed by a doctor. As much as you like, so much can be read during the day. But attention to prayer and sincerity are important.
What to do if you missed one or several days
It is worth dispelling another myth associated with prayers to St. Nicholas: if you missed one day, then you need to start the countdown anew. In fact, all this is not so. Indeed, in a person’s life there may be different circumstances under which he cannot devote time to prayer. The Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the heavenly forces do not need our reports on the work done in the form of dates and numbers, it is important for them that we change, grow stronger in the faith, and strive for salvation. After all, this is what is said in prayer to the beloved saint.
You have learned that reading a prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker for 40 days is not always necessary. But if there are any doubts, we recommend that you contact an experienced priest or bishop. In addition, reading a prayer for more than one month will be overwhelming for some people for one reason or another. A spiritually prepared Christian is likely to want to continue further, even after receiving the request. It’s important to remember only what the Lord says in the Gospel: “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7.7).