Hesychast
The Jesus Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
About This Prayer
The Jesus Prayer is the heart of Orthodox hesychast spirituality. It is prayed continuously, often with a prayer rope (komboskini), as a practice of unceasing prayer. The prayer contains the name of Jesus, a confession of His divinity, and a cry for mercy - a complete theology in a single sentence.
Related Prayers
Explore the Teaching
Read More About This Prayer
Why Orthodox Christians Fast: The Deep Theology Behind AbstinenceFasting is one of the oldest disciplines in Orthodox Christianity - but why do we do it? Discover the patristic, scriptural, and spiritual reasons fasting transforms the soul and draws us into union with God.Truth, Masks, and Communion: An Orthodox Christian VisionWhy does authentic love require truth-telling? Explore the Orthodox Christian understanding of personhood, confession, and the divine Word as the ultimate unmasking of God's love for humanity.Justice, Mercy, and Humility: An Orthodox Christian VisionMicah 6:8 calls every believer to justice, mercy, and humility before God. Discover how the Orthodox Church's theology, liturgy, and Fathers illuminate this prophetic command for faithful living today.
Explore this topic cluster
Prayer & Spiritual Life
Daily rhythms, the Jesus Prayer, and the inner life of Orthodox ascetic tradition.
Pillar page
Orthodox Prayers & DevotionsRelated in this cluster
- TheosisTopicTheosis (deification) is the Orthodox Christian understanding of salvation - the process by which a human person participates in the divine nature and is united with God. St. Athanasius expressed it: 'God became man so that man might become god.'
- Jesus PrayerTopicThe Jesus Prayer is a short, ancient prayer central to Orthodox spirituality: 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' It is rooted in the hesychast tradition and practiced as a means of unceasing prayer in the spirit of 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
- MonasticismTopicOrthodox monasticism is the way of life in which men and women leave the world to devote themselves entirely to God through prayer, fasting, and ascetic struggle. Monastics are considered the vanguard of the Church, interceding for the whole world.
- What Is an Orthodox Prayer Rule, and How Do You Start One?ArticleA prayer rule is a small set of fixed daily prayers received from your priest — what goes in one, and what to do when you miss.
- Eros, Theosis, and the Orthodox Theology of Sexual LoveArticleWhat does Orthodox Christianity truly teach about sexual desire and eros? Discover the patristic vision of erotic love ordered toward God, theosis, and the sacramental life of marriage.
- Why Orthodox Christians Fast: The Deep Theology Behind AbstinenceArticleFasting is one of the oldest disciplines in Orthodox Christianity - but why do we do it? Discover the patristic, scriptural, and spiritual reasons fasting transforms the soul and draws us into union with God.
Supporting pillars