When it is said
A Russian prayer book gives it for times when doubts come about the Church’s teaching and the truths of the faith.
Anyone can pray it whenever believing feels hard.
Where it comes from
Author by tradition
From the story of the blind men
Two blind men sat by the road as Jesus left Jericho. When they heard He was passing, they cried out, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David.” The crowd told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more. Jesus stopped and asked what they wanted. “Lord, that our eyes may be opened,” they said. He touched their eyes, and at once they could see and followed Him.
In the Russian prayer book
A Russian prayer book has a short set of prayers for “thoughts of doubt about the Church’s teaching and the truths of the faith”. This one comes second, under the name of St Tikhon of Zadonsk. A Russian collection of his prayers places it among his prayers to Christ “taken from the Holy Gospel”, with the heading “Prayer taken from the story of the blind men”.
Azbyka, Russian prayer book: prayers in thoughts of doubt; Azbyka, the prayers and meditations of St Tikhon of Zadonsk
Who St Tikhon was
St Tikhon of Zadonsk lived in Russia from 1724 to 1783. He became a monk when he was 34 years old and was later made Bishop of Voronezh. After a little under seven years as bishop, he retired to the monastery of Zadonsk and lived there until he died. The Russian Orthodox Church declared him a saint in 1861.
What the words mean
“The eyes of my heart”
The phrase echoes St Paul. He prayed that the eyes of the Ephesians’ hearts would be enlightened, so that they would know the hope God was calling them to (Ephesians 1:18). The prayer’s first words echo John’s Gospel, where Christ is “the true Light, Who gives light to everyone” (John 1:9).
The Scripture in it
And there were two blind men sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd admonished them to be silent, but they cried out all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked. “Lord,” they answered, “let our eyes be opened.” Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and at once they received their sight and followed Him.
I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints …
The true Light, Who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.
In Church Slavonic
Сы́не Бо́жий, Све́те ве́чный и да́яй всем свет!
Поми́луй мя,
просвети́ о́чи се́рдца моего́, мгло́ю грехо́в и страсте́й омраче́нныя,
я́коже просвети́л еси́ слепы́х, возопи́вших к Тебе́.
Да отве́рзутся и мои́ о́чи серде́чныя,
да узрю́ Тя, Све́та незаходи́маго,
и ве́рою и любо́вию после́дую Тебе́,
мене́ ра́ди окая́ннаго ходи́вшему по земли́.
Ами́нь.
From Azbyka’s Russian prayer book, among its prayers in thoughts of doubt about the faith.