Prayer Life In The Monastery
The life of a monk revolves primarily around obedience and prayer. When entering the monastery to repent and shed off the old self, one does not detach from the world entirely but rather unites with it and embraces it through prayer, as taught by the holy fathers.
Consequently, their prayer routine encompasses a range of practices, from solitary time in their cells—each monk having their own unique rule—to reciting the prayer with a prayer rope, reading the Bible and Psalms, and studying the teachings of the holy fathers. They are also bound to participate in communal prayers held in the church.
The monks gather in the church at four in the morning to pray the Midnight Prayer, Orthros and the Divine Liturgy. Then, at nine in the morning, they recite the Hours or a Paraklesis to the Theotokos or one of the saints. In the afternoon at four, they recite the Ninth Hour, Vespers and the Small Compline, without neglecting the Jesus prayer, 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,' during their daily tasks.
During Great Feasts devoted to Christ and the Theotokos, and feasts of saints, the monastery holds all-night vigils, like on the Monastery’s Feast Day (the Dormition of the Mother of God) and the Feast Day of Saint Jacob. We also hold shorter vigils for Saint Panteleimon and Saint Paisios, along with even shorter vigils occasionally.