Basics of Prayer Practice According to the Diaries of St. Righteous John of Kronstadt

The entire life of St. Righteous John of Kronstadt testifies to inseparable link between prayer and life of an Orthodox believer. The purpose of the article is to present some results of the study of Fr. John’s personal prayer experience, drawing on his diary entries, and to identify some didactic elements of his views on prayer practice. The experience left by St. John and his practical advice are of special significance in the context of their verification by eyewitness accounts and reflections from his personal diaries, making it possible to judge the effectiveness of his prayer practice. The article presents some results of the analysis of Fr. John’s diary entries from the third volume of his “Diaries”, which deal with didactic elements of his instructions to pastors and flock about prayer, and he made the teaching of prayer one of the main goals of his life. This article opens a series of publications devoted to various aspects of the activities of the Kronstadt pastor.