The Prayer Rule
of the Benedictine Brotherhood of Saint Romuald
OCSB-R
Hermits of St John the Divine
With One Mind, One Heart, One Life in Christ Jesus, We pray, weep, and repent for all!
--Motto of Romualdian Hermits
Revised 21 April 2016
Who we are
Hermits of St John the Divine (est. 1999) are Benedictine monastics observing the eremitical life
as taught by St Romuald of Ravenna; hence we are colloquially known as “Romualdians” Ours is
a stavropegial hermitage under the omophorion of His Eminence +Hilarion, Metropolitan of the
Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia. We are a bi-ritual liturgically with strict adherence to
pre-1072 Western Rituals & Practices.
You may learn more online:
http://stjohnshermits.org/
http://romualdians.wordpress.com
http://www.rocor-wr.org/
Hermits of St John the Divine
349 South Collingwood Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13206
Revised 21 April 2016
The Prayer Rule
of the Brotherhood of Saint Romuald
OCSB-R
Emulating our eremitic Benedictine ancestors, we have created this brojanice (rosary) unique and
exclusive to and for Romualdians. We give thanks to the St. Elisabeth Skete (ROCOR) in Upstate
New York for custom handcrafting our Romualdian Brojanice or Rosary.
The Romualdian Brojanice (Rosary) is made of 100 knots of grey wool and 10 black separator
beads. We do have an alternate version where the knots are black with grey beads. There are,
therefore, 10 decades (sets of 10) where upon the Romualdian’s Trinitarian Crown is prayed. On
each knot one prays Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Upon each of the
ten separator beads is prayed: My Most Holy and Blessed Lady Theotokos (or Mother of God),
Save Us! The practice is not rushed. Each word is said deliberately while the mind attends to
each word as a handmaid attends to the needs of her Queen. All other foreign and invading
thoughts are ignored; allowed to pass by while giving it no respect. Simply attend to the prayers
at hand; nothing else.
________________________
The practice of The Romualdian Trinitarian Crown --also referred to as our Brotherhood’s Prayer
Rule-- is established for all our monks, hermits and oblates. Anyone is welcomed to try this with
any 100 knotted Orthodox prayer rope. Romualdian Rosary purchase information follows at the
end of these instructions.
Fun Fact! Why are our prayer ropes grey & black? Because our robes are of the same color. Black
represents mourning and repentance of sins while the grey represents our poverty; poverty in
spirit, as well as our shared poverty in worldly matter.
The Prayer Rule
Intro Prayers:
O God be attentive unto helping me / O Lord Make haste to Help Me
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,
is now and ever, unto the ages of ages. Amen
Our Father, (remainder of this prayer is said silently) [ Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.]
Revised 21 April 2016
R/ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. †
Three times: Lord, have mercy.
then:
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the
beginning, is now and ever, unto the ages of ages. Amen
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.
The Miserere: Prayer of Repentance
Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my
sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I
sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and
blameless in thy judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother
conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore, teach me wisdom in
my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Fill me
with joy and gladness; let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit
within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore
to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach
transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee.
Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing
aloud of thy deliverance. O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
For thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt
not despise.
Revised 21 April 2016
Do good to Zion in thy good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, then wilt thou delight in
right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on thy
altar. †
Open unto us the door of thy loving-kindness, O most blessed Mother of God.
As we set our hope in thee, let us not be confounded, but through thee may we be delivered
from all adversities. For thou art the salvation of the Christian race. †
Rejoice O Virgin Mother!
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou
amongst women and blessed is the fruit † of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Savior of our
souls.
Prayer to Triune God
† O God the Father bless me, He that created the world out of nothing.
† O God the Son preserve me, He that repaired the lost human race with His Own Blood.
† O God the Holy Ghost enlighten me, and may the compassionate out-pouring of Him
save me always.
† May the All-Holy Trinity deliver me from all evil, preserve and strengthen me in all
goodness, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen.
FIRST PRAYER
God, my God, almighty One, before Thee I fall down in humble adoration. Thou art King
of kings and Lord of lords; Thou art judge of all the ages; Thou art the redeemer of our souls.
Thou art the deliverer of those with faith; Thou art the hope of those that toil; Thou art the
comfort of those that sorrow; Thou art the path to those that stray; Thou art the teacher of the
nations; Thou art the creator of all created things. Thou art the lover of all good; Thou art the
ruler of all the virtues; Thou art the joy of Thy Saints; Thou art everlasting life; Thou art joy in
the truth; Thou art exultation in the eternal homeland; Thou art Light of Light; Thou art the
wellspring of holiness; Thou art the glory of God the Father on high. Thou art the Saviour of the
Revised 21 April 2016
world; Thou art the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Thou sittest at the right hand of God the Father;
Thou reignest upon Thy throne for ever.
ask Thee for remission of all sins, O my Lord Jesus Christ, Who desirest that none should
perish, but all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Thou, O God, hast said with
Thy pure and holy mouth: In whatsoever day the sinner turneth again, ‘living, he shall live, and
shall not die.’ (Ezec. 18:21) I turn again to Thee, and with all my heart I will cry to Thee, my God,
and to Thee I now wish to confess all my sins. My debts are multiplied upon me, for my sins
have no number.
I confess † to Thee O Lord my God, for I have sinned against heaven and against the earth and
before Thee and before Thine Angels. I have sinned by neglecting Thy commandments and my
work. I have sinned by vainglory, boasts, and elation of heart. I have sinned by envy and ill will.
I have sinned by speaking ill of others and by greed. I have sinned by pride and by malice. I
have sinned by fornication and by gluttony. I have sinned by false witness and by hating
others. I have sinned by dishonesty and stealing. I have sinned by blasphemy and by carnal
hopes. I have sinned by drunkenness and by idle chatter. I have sinned by contentions and by
quarrels. I have sinned by swearing and by irritability. I have sinned by earthly and vanishing
joy. I have sinned by the delighting of my mind. I have sinned by depression and by
murmuring. I have sinned with mine eyes and with mine ears. I have sinned with my nose and
with my mouth. I have sinned with my hands and with my feet. I have sinned with my tongue
and throat. I have sinned with my neck and chest. I have sinned in my heart and in thoughts. I
have sinned with my bones and flesh. I have sinned with my marrow and loins. I have sinned
with my soul and with my whole body.
Thine avenging justice were now upon me, seeing that my sins have been so very greatly
multiplied in myself, how could I bear Thy judgment? But I have Thee as my High Priest. I
confess my sins to Thee, my God, for Thou art the sinless One. I beseech Thee, Lord God, by
Thy Passion and by the sign and wood of Thy salvation-bearing Cross, and by the shedding of
Thy holy Blood, that Thou wouldst grant me remission of all my sins. I ask Thee, O Lord my
God, Jesus Christ, that Thou wouldst not deal with me according to my deserts but according
Revised 21 April 2016
to Thy great mercy. Judge me, Lord, according to the judgment of Thy forgiveness and Thy
mercy. I implore Thee, mine almighty God, that Thou wouldst plant Thy love and fear in me.
For Thy name’s sake, raise up in me repentance and weeping for my sins. Help me and grant me
the remembrance of Thy commandments. O God, blot out mine iniquity from Thy sight, and
turn not Thy countenance away from my prayer. Cast me not away from Thy presence.
Forsake me not; O my God, depart not from me,
(Ps. 37:23)
(cf. Ps. 50)
but strengthen me in Thy will. Teach
me what I should do, what I should speak, and what I should be silent about. O Lord my God,
defend me from all mine enemies, visible and invisible. O Lord my God, defend me from the
darts of the Devil and against the angel of hell suggesting many evils to me and teaching me
how to do them. Forsake me not, O Lord my God, forsake me not, Thy lonely and miserable
servant, but help me, O Lord my God, and perfect Thy teaching in me. Teach me to do Thy will,
(Ps. 142:10)
for Thou art my Teacher and my God, Who reignest unto ages of ages. Amen.
SECOND PRAYER
Before Thine eyes, O Lord, I whose conscience is guilty stand witness. I do not dare to ask for
what I am unworthy to receive. For Thou, Lord, knowest all that happeneth with us. We blush
for shame to confess what we were fearless to allow ourselves to do. We serve Thee only with
words, and lie in our heart; and what we say we want, we prove by our actions that we refuse.
Spare us who confess to Thee, Lord; forgive our sins; have mercy on those who beseech Thee;
and because mine understanding regarding Thy Most Holy Mysteries is weak, grant, O Lord,
that Thou Who dost not accept from us the words of a stony heart mayest impart forgiveness
to us of Thyself, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Revised 21 April 2016
THIRD PRAYER
For my sins, O Lord, I ask forgiveness from Thee, for very many are my sins, and numberless
my transgressions. I have transgressed with predictability, daily, by day and by night. I
walk against the commandment of God which I ought to keep, for full am I of drunkenness,
vainglory, dishonesty, perjury, theft, fornication, defilement, lust, pride, spiritual sloth, and
envy, for I am sinful and unfaithful, wicked of heart, and hateful. I beat against every
commandment which I ought to keep from day to day. But, O Father in heaven, I ask for Thy
pity and Thy mercy, that Thou never allow me to depart from the light of this life before Thou
grant me, a sinner, such repentance that it will free me from hell and bring me into Thy holy
mercy. Amen.
A Prayer to the Mother of God
Earliest Known Version
Beneath Thy Compassion we take refuge O Theotokos, do not despise our petitions in times
of trouble but from danger rescue us O Holy, Only Blessed, Mother of Our God.

Kyrieleison
On each knot in every decade:
Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! (At each knot) (prostrations)
Following each decade:
My Most Holy and Blessed Lady Theotokos (or Mother of God), Save Us!

After going around the brojanice completely:
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, save and preserve thy servants (names of parents, relatives, and
friends), and all those who have asked us for prayer, increase their faith and repentance, and
when they die give them rest with the saints in your eternal glory. †
Conclusion:
Our Father, (remainder silently): Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom
come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and
forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Revised 21 April 2016
(aloud) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. †
It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, ever blessed and most pure,
and the Mother of God.
More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim,
who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we
magnify. †
Three times: Lord, have mercy.
then:
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever unto the ages of ages. Amen
Prayer to the Theotokos (Mother of God) for Healing
Where bitter sorrows overcome us, there will Patience and Rest be revealed.
Where the torment of despair dwells in the soul, there will shine the ineffable Light of Divinity!
Console the fainthearted, strengthen the weak, bestow softening and enlightenment upon
embittered hearts.
Heal Thine ailing people, O All-Merciful Queen!
Bless the minds and hands of our physicians, that they might serve as instruments of the
All-Powerful Physician, Christ our Saviour.
We pray before Thine Icon, that Thou mightest truly live with us, O Sovereign Lady!
Stretch out Thy hands, filled with healing and cures, O Joy of the sorrowful, Consolation in
afflictions that having speedily received miraculous help, we may glorify the Life-Creating and
Undivided Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen. †
Prayer to St. John the Theologian
O Apostle beloved of Christ our God, / hasten to deliver a defenseless people. / He Who allowed
thee to recline on His breast/ receives thee bowing in prayer, O John the Theologian. / Implore
Him to dispel heathen persistence/ and to grant us peace and mercy. Who can tell of thy
mighty works, O beloved Saint? / Thou didst pour forth miracles. / Thou art a source of healing
and dost intercede for our souls/ as Theologian and friend of Christ. †
Revised 21 April 2016
Prayer to St. Benedict
Glorious Saint Benedict, O Patriarch of monastics in the Western Church, sublime model of
virtue, pure vessel of God’s grace! Behold me, humbly kneeling at your feet. I implore you in
your loving kindness to pray for me before the throne of God. / To you I have recourse in the
dangers that daily surround me. Shield me against my selfishness, and my indifference to God
and to my neighbor. Inspire me to imitate you in all things. May your blessing be with me
always, so that I may see and serve Christ in others and work for His kingdom †
Prayer to St. Romuald
O father Romuald, you are a sign of perfect solitude having heeded so well the Lord’s command
to enter into your closet in order to pray, whose great measure of self-denial led you to the peak
of contemplation in God’s holy presence, whose only desire was that souls might draw close to
Him – pray all who seek the Lord may approach Him with a whole heart, a heart set on Him
alone, that in such perfect devotion all might find Him present in their souls, in their spirits,
and be elevated in their lowliness to His indescribable divine love, to His peace which passes
all our understanding but draws us ever closer to His wounded side. †
To One’s Patron Saint:
Pray to God for me, O Patron Saint (saints name) well-pleasing to God. I fervently entreat you
who are the sure help and intercessor for my soul.
A prayer to the All-Holy Trinity
The Father is my hope; the Son is my refuge; the Holy Spirit is my protector.
O All-holy Trinity, †
glory to You
Three times: Lord, have mercy.
Then:
Glory to the Father, and to the † Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is
now and ever unto the ages of ages. Amen
THE END OF THE ROMUALDIAN TRINITARIAN CROWN
____________________________________________________
Revised 21 April 2016
Short Version
The Romualdian Trinitarian Crown (Prayer Rule)
With our 33 knot or beaded The Romualdian Brojanice (Rosary)
The Prayer Rule
Rule begins with Intro Prayers:
Intro Prayers:
O God be attentive unto helping me / O Lord Make haste to Help Me
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,
is now and ever, unto the ages of ages. Amen
Our Father, (remainder of this prayer is said silently) [ Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.]
(aloud): And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. †
Three times: Lord, have mercy.
then:
Glory to the Father, and to † the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the
beginning, is now and ever, unto the ages of ages. Amen
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.
Penitential Prayer of St. Ambrose of Milan
O Lord, who hast mercy upon all, take away from me, my sins, and mercifully kindle in me
the fire of thy Holy Spirit. Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore Thee, a heart to delight in Thee, to follow and enjoy Thee, for
Christ's sake, Amen.
Revised 21 April 2016
Penitential Prayer of St. Augustine
O Lord, the house of my soul is narrow; enlarge it that you may enter in. It is ruinous, O repair
it! It displeases Your sight. I confess it, I know. But who shall cleanse it, to whom shall I cry
but to you? Cleanse me from my secret faults, O Lord, and spare Your servant from strange
sins. Amen.
Rejoice O Virgin Mother!
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou
amongst women and blessed is the fruit † of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Savior of our
souls.
Prayer to Triune God
† O God the Father bless me, He that created the world out of nothing.
† O God the Son preserve me, He that repaired the lost human race with His Own Blood.
† O God the Holy Ghost enlighten me, and may the compassionate out-pouring of Him
save me always.
† May the All-Holy Trinity deliver me from all evil, preserve and strengthen me in all
goodness, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen.

Kyrieleison
On each knot in every decade:
Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! (At each knot) (prostrations)
Following each decade:
My Most Holy and Blessed Lady Theotokos (or Mother of God), Save Us!

After going around the brojanice completely:
Revised 21 April 2016
Our Lady, Blessed Mother of God, save and preserve thy servants (names of parents, relatives, and
friends), and all those who have asked us for prayer, increase their faith and repentance, and
when they die give them rest with the saints in your eternal glory. †
Conclusion:
Our Father, (remainder silently): Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom
come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and
forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
(aloud) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. †
It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, ever blessed and most pure,
and the Mother of God.
More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim,
who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we
magnify. †
St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Breathe in me O † Holy Spirit that my thoughts may all be holy; Act in me O Holy Spirit that
my works, too, may be holy; Draw my heart O Holy Spirit that I love but what is holy;
Strengthen me O Holy Spirit to defend that is holy; Guard me then O Holy Spirit that I always
may be holy.
St. Silouan the Athonite’s Prayer
In Thanks for the Holy Spirit
Glory be to God that He has not left us comfortless but gave us the Holy Spirit on earth. The
Holy Spirit teaches the soul ineffable love for mankind, and compassion for all who have gone
astray. †
Three times: Lord, have mercy.
then:
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever unto the ages of ages. Amen
_____________________________________
Revised 21 April 2016
THE END OF Shorter Version of
The Romualdi Brotherhood Prayer Rule
____________________________________________________
Purchase Information

Revised 21 April 2016
Purchase Information:
Place amount of $38 (includes shipping) Online Ordering:
http://saintelizabethskete.org/support.html
There is a Message space to indicate which style you are requesting: Romualdian Prayer
rope, Grey or Black.
All prayer ropes are handcrafted by the sisters. Usually ships within 7 business days.
If using the “Donate” button is unclear then Please email your orders:
Email: store@saintelizabethskete.org
**All profits go to the St Elizabeth Skete, Herkimer, NY not to the Hermits of St John the Divine,
Syracuse, NY.
Your donations to our Hermitage are very much needed. God bless you all!
Revised 21 April 2016