On the Rule of the Theotokos

[Despite the obvious and superficial similarities to the Papist Rosary, note the absence of instruction concerning "meditating" (that is, using the imagination, which is so susceptible to demonic manipulation) on the "Joyful," "Sorrowful," and "Glorious" "mysteries," which most characterizes the Rosary.]

 

"The Rule of the Theotokos" is the reciting of the Archangel’s greeting 150 times a day:

"O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice! O Mary full of grace, the Lord is with Thee; blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of Thy womb, for Thou hast borne the Savior of our souls!"

There is a church tradition that the Queen of Heaven Herself gave this rule to people in the 8th century, and that at one time all Christians observed it, but over time it was forgotten.

Venerable Seraphim of Sarov reminded of this rule, instructing to walk along the trench encircling the Diveyevo convent, reading 150 times "O Theotokos and Virgin…"

In the elder’s cell was found an old book describing miracles that occurred with people who observed this rule of reading 150 times the Archangel’s greeting to the Queen of Heaven.

In his conversation with [Nikolai] Motovilov about the aim of the Christian life, Venerable Seraphim of Sarov said:

"Although the enemy, the devil, deceived Eve, and with her Adam fell, yet the Lord not only granted them a Redeemer in the fruit of the seed of the woman, Who by death trampled down death, but also gave to us all, in the Ever-Virgin Theotokos Mary, Who crushed in Herself and in all the human race the head of the serpent, an unfailing Intercessor with Her Son and our God, an unashamed and invincible Advocate even for the most desperate sinners. Therefore, the Mother of God is called the Wound of demons, for it is impossible for a demon to destroy a man, if only the man himself does not depart from resorting to the help of the Mother of God."

Many pastors of high spiritual life themselves observed the Rule of the Theotokos and blessed their spiritual children for this practice.

Here is an excerpt from a letter of the most-humble Father Alexander (Gumanovsky), in monasticism Daniel [and the spiritual child of Elder Zosima, a direct spiritual child of St. Seraphim of Sarov], called the "Elder of the Theotokos" for his love and constant service to the Ever-Virgin Mary.

"I forgot to offer you an essential saving counsel: read 'O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice' 150 times daily, and this prayer will save you. This rule was given by the Mother of God Herself around the 7th century, and at one time all Christians observed it. We Orthodox have forgotten about it, and Venerable Seraphim reminds us of this rule. In my hands is a handwritten book from the cell of Venerable Seraphim, with a description of many miracles through prayer to the Mother of God, and in particular from reading 150 times 'O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice.' If, from lack of habit, it is difficult to manage 150 times daily, read at first 50 times. After each ten, read once 'Our Father' and 'The door of Thy compassion open unto us.' Whomever I told about this wondrous rule, all remained grateful."

Bishop Seraphim (Zvezdinsky), now glorified among the saints of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, daily performed the Rule of the Theotokos and knew from his own experience its mighty power.

In 1926, Vladyka Seraphim (Zvezdinsky) resided in the Diveyevo Monastery. During the winter he lived in the rooms of Elena Ivanovna Motovilova, in their building beyond the “kanavka.” * Abbess Alexandra reassured: “Live in peace, the Bolsheviks will not touch this place. Venerable Seraphim said that the kanavka will become a wall from earth to heaven, and the antichrist will not cross over it.” “You do not understand the words of the Venerable in that way,” replied Vladyka. “He taught to read one hundred and fifty times ‘O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice…’ and said: ‘Whoever fulfills this rule, him the antichrist will never overcome in soul.’”

Here is what he wrote from exile to his spiritual children:

“I am making a long and extended journey with transfers and wearisome stops. But this entire path — from Melenki to Moscow, from Moscow to Alma-Ata, from Alma-Ata to Uralsk, and the upcoming one from Uralsk to Guryev on the Caspian Sea — is a wondrous and unforgettable path. In short, it is a path of miracles from reading 150 times ‘O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice!’ At times it seems that the Lord has purposely sent me by this way, to show me with my own eyes how powerful before Him is the prayer of His Most Pure Mother, and how effective is the Archangel’s greeting offered to Her with faith: ‘O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice!’ I believe and confess, for I have known as never before, on the journey I am now making, all the warmth, all the protection, all the covering of this wondrous greeting ‘O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice!’ This invocation, in the most impassable places, laid for me a smoothed road with my faithful companions; in hopeless circumstances it gave an exit; it disposed those ill-disposed toward me; it repeatedly softened evil hearts, and those not softened it burned and put to shame, so that they vanished like smoke. The Archangel’s greeting ‘O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice!’ in complete helplessness suddenly granted unexpected help, and moreover from such a side whence it was altogether impossible to expect — not to speak of the inner peace amid storms, of the inward ordering amid surrounding disorder — from this Archangelic greeting, the justly-moved wrath of God it turns away from our head and annuls even the sentence of the Judge-Knower of hearts. O great boldness! O dread intercession! From the fire of passions, it draws one forth, from the depth of a fall it snatches one upward to heaven. Guard yourselves then more often and more fervently, my dear little children, with this unshakable wall, with this indestructible rampart — ‘O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice!’ With this prayer we shall by no means perish, we shall not burn in the fire, we shall not drown in the sea. And if Satan, hating us, trips us on our way and strikes us down, then even then, sending up the Archangel’s greeting, we shall leap up, rise well, we who were darkened shall be enlightened, we who were sick in soul shall be healed, we who were defiled by sin shall be cleansed and made white as snow in purity, by the prayer to Her who is Higher than the heavens and Purer than the radiance of the sun. We who were dead, slain by passions, shall rise, shall live, and in the rapture of spirit shall cry out: ‘Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!’”

 

* See https://diveevo-monastyr.ru/en/the-holy-kanavka/

Source: Сборник редких молитв ко Пресвятой Богородице [Collection of Rare Prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos], published by Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra, 2013.