In the World of Prayer
19th c. · Asceticism & Spirituality · English translation, 2026
Source edition: В мире молитвы (azbyka.ru; from the pre-revolutionary Russian edition of St John of Kronstadt)
Cover art: The Vision to the Youth Bartholomew — Mikhail Nesterov (Russian, 1862–1942) (Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Saint John of Kronstadt called prayer the breathing of the Holy Spirit, and this book is his guide to living in that air. He treats the practical craft — recovering wandering attention, the power of the Name of God, casting every care upon the Lord — and sets it within the Liturgy, where Christ is invisibly present and the saints are asked to pray. Diary pages from his old age close the book with a witness drawn from life.
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Contents
- Introduction
- 1. In the World of Prayer
- 2. On the Nature, Significance, and Power of Prayer
- 3. Prayer – Breath of the Holy Spirit
- 4. Prayer – Standing Before the Holy Trinity and the Multitude of Heavenly…
- 5. The Word in Prayer
- 6. Prayer in the Church
- 7. On the Conciliality of Prayer
- 8. On the Lord’s Prayer
- 9. On Prayer to the Theotokos
- 10. On Prayer to the Saints
- 11. On Prayer for Our Neighbor
- 12. Concerning Prayer for the Dead
- 13. Repentance in Prayer
- 14. Concerning Overcoming the Flesh in Prayer
- 15. Concerning Darkness and the Devil’s Schemes in Prayer
- 16. Concerning Prayer Before Icons
- 17. Concerning Actions Accompanying Prayer
- 18. Concerning Moderation in Prayer
- 19. Concerning the Jesus Prayer
- 20. The Father John’s Prayerful Addresses
- 21. Excerpts From the Diary for the Biography of Father John of Kronstadt
- 22. Discourse of July 28, 1907 1
- The Author: Saint John of Kronstadt