Father Vladimir Golovin

"Father Vladimir Golovin is a servant of the Russian Orthodox Church. He was born on September 6, 1961, in the city of Ulyanovsk. After graduating from school, he enrolled in the Moscow Theological Seminary. After being ordained as a priest, by God's Providence, he was sent to serve in the city of Bolgar in the Republic of Tatarstan.

Through the efforts of the young priest Vladimir Golovin, the construction of a church consecrated in honor of the Holy Martyr Avraamy of Bolgar began here in 1988, along with the establishment of a spiritual community. Large-scale missionary, publishing, spiritual, and educational activities gained momentum.

The Lord endowed Father Vladimir Golovin with the gift of living words. People from all over the world come to listen to his sermons. Hours-long conversations easily touch people's souls and turn their lives toward the Lord.

However, the epicenter of his ministry and the main focus of Father Vladimir Golovin's priestly life became the revival of the centuries-old Orthodox practice—prayer by agreement. This practice now unites thousands of people into one large spiritual family, and Bolgar has become a connecting link for those praying together, a universal epicenter of the experience of life with the living Christ.

In 2004, the St. Avraamy Church began to hold continuous prayer by agreement in the form of akathists to the Lord, the Mother of God, the Angelic Hosts, and the saints. Guided by the Lord through the desires of people coming to Father Vladimir Golovin to overcome specific life problems, a schedule of akathists for each day of the week was created according to ancient Orthodox tradition.

Numerous reviews and testimonies about instances of God's help received by believers through prayer by agreement pour into the official website of Bolgar. The greatest joy is the transformation of the souls of people praying together, their strengthening in the Orthodox faith, and their preparation for life with the Lord.

The phenomenon of ""prayer by agreement"" is not some innovation or invention of the 21st century; it has its foundation in the Holy Gospel (Matthew 18:19-20). Thousands and thousands of people have already experienced this practice and confirm with their testimonies the Gospel words: ""By their fruits you will know them"" (Matthew 7:16).

In addition to clear testimonies of how the living Lord Himself acts, granting help to all who pray without exception (including in situations that seem hopeless from a human perspective), we are left with several words about prayer by agreement in the Gospel.

Along with the Lord's Prayer, the Lord Jesus Christ gave us another unique prayer. Not in the form of specific words, but in its essence (the words themselves may vary).

Matthew 18:19-20: ""Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.""

Father Vladimir Golovin (from the YouTube channel ""Spiritual Lighthouse""):

– The Savior, coming into the world, accomplished the salvation of humanity in Himself and granted the Holy Spirit, who, through the Church Sacraments, gives every believer the strength for a new life. Along with the Sacraments, the Lord has given us a unique prayer through which we can feel the power of the Holy Spirit, allowing the Lord to act through our freedom (free will) within us. Changing everything, turning everything upside down, accomplishing what only God can do. And He can do anything! And this prayer is called prayer by agreement.

– What did Christ Himself say about this prayer? ""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 I am among them."" What does this mean? That this prayer is no longer just of these two or three, but of Christ Himself. They are already praying in Christ, and Christ is praying through them. And what is impossible for Him? If He raised Lazarus, walked on water, healed the terminally ill, and so on. And He will come again to raise everyone. Ask, and it will be given to you!

– Prayer by agreement is the key to resolving not only many everyday, earthly, emotional, and spiritual problems but also the path leading to the Kingdom of Heaven."