Prayer for children

Praying for Children Is a Must!

Every true parent desires well-being, happiness, health, and success for their children, wishing for them to make the right choices and avoid the traps of vice. But how can we protect our growing child? How do we shield them from the evils of the world? How can we help adult children when they are far away or no longer listen to our advice? What prayer should be said for sons, so that divine assistance watches over them? How do we overcome our fears for them? How should a mother pray for her children, so that her son or daughter may receive an education and find their place in life? First and foremost, prayer is essential! Every person needs prayerful protection, but children need it even more—not only in difficult times when troubles arise, but also when everything seems fine and there is no apparent reason for concern.

What Is the Strongest Prayer for Children?

Many parents who decide to pray for their children ask: what is the strongest prayer for children? The answer is simple: The strongest prayer is a mother’s prayer! It must be an Orthodox prayer. It is most powerful when offered as a collective prayer. A mother’s prayer comes from a loving heart and is directed to the Lord, the Most Holy Theotokos, the saints, and the heavenly hosts, asking for protection, guidance, and blessings for her child. An Orthodox prayer for children is one that comes from the heart of a believer who "rightly glorifies the Lord." A mother’s prayer is not a magical incantation—our children are saved not by spoken words but by God Himself through His almighty power when He hears our sincere plea. To ensure that we do not fall into error, it is good to use prayers that have been handed down through the Orthodox Church for centuries, such as the Akathist to the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. Finally, a prayer by agreement is when parents pray for their children together, following the words of Jesus Christ, who said: "Truly I tell you that if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them." (Matthew 18:19-20).

Prayer to the Theotokos for Children

"A mother’s prayer can reach the depths of the ocean." This well-known saying reflects the centuries-old experience of mothers’ prayers being the most powerful before God. But we all have another Mother—our Heavenly Mother, the Most Holy Theotokos, who stands closer to the Lord than anyone and is a fervent intercessor for us, Her children. Her prayers never go unheard before God. If we sincerely pray to the Most Pure Theotokos for our children, then Her maternal heart and motherly intercession will reach both us and our children, even if they have fallen to the depths of sin and despair. If we feel that our own prayers are weak, if we pray for our godchildren, grandchildren, or children who are not our own, or if fathers feel that their fatherly prayers are not as strong as a mother’s, we must turn to the Theotokos, asking Her to pray fully on our behalf before Her Son for those we love, so that they may receive God’s protection, blessings, and salvation.

Why Is It Important to Pray for Sons, Daughters, Grandchildren, and Godchildren?

If we, as parents, do not pray for our children… If we, as grandparents, do not pray for our grandchildren… If we, as godparents, do not pray for our godchildren… then it is no surprise if they fall into trouble, become victims of evil forces, or struggle to find their purpose in life. To fulfill our duty as parents, grandparents, and godparents, we must pray the Akathist before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, "The Protection". No minute spent in prayer is wasted, and every heartfelt supplication will bear fruit in the lives of those for whom we pray. Even more powerful is when we pray together! Feeling our duty, helping one another through united prayer, and following the command of Christ to pray by agreement, we should gather at the same time (for example, every Sunday at 8:00 PM Moscow time) to offer the Akathist to the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, asking Her to intercede before the Lord for our sons, daughters, and grandchildren, seeking protection, help, well-being, and happiness for them.

What Prayer Should Be Read for a Child?

For many years, Orthodox believers in Bulgaria have gathered in collective prayer through the reading of Akathists. Every Sunday at 2:00, 8:00, 14:00, or 20:00 Moscow time, thousands of Orthodox Christians worldwide stand in the same prayer, offering the Akathist to the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos for their daughters, sons, grandchildren, and godchildren, seeking Her divine protection. This prayer unites hundreds of thousands of faithful around the world, who at the same moment call upon the Most Pure Theotokos with the same words and the same plea, asking Her to intercede for their children before Her Son, the Lord, protecting them from all evil forces, ensuring not only their physical health but also their spiritual well-being, and most importantly, praying for the salvation of their eternal souls for life everlasting.

The Akathist to the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos is read every Sunday—four times a day (2:00, 8:00, 14:00, or 20:00 Moscow time). You can choose the most convenient time to join in this life-saving collective prayer.