Businessmen, and ordinary sellers too, are superstitious people. Probably, in no other occupation there are so many different signs, rituals and rituals as in trading.
Despite this feature, not every person involved in trade knows who and how to pray for a successful business. Meanwhile, prayer to the saints contributes to good trade no less than various ceremonies. For example, prayer to Joseph Volotsky will help success in business.
Who is Joseph Volotsky?
Joseph Volotsky is not some foreign saint who patronized overseas merchants in ancient times. This is a Russian man who lived at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries and was engaged in enlightenment within the monastic rank.
St. Joseph was born into the Sanin family, belonging to the nobility and in the service of the appanage princes of Volotsk. In the world, the boy was named Ivan. The saint's family owned the small village of Yazvische and were quite we althy.
However, life turned out in such a way that after Joseph his father took the tonsure, and later his brothers, and their nephews came to the monastery after them. Thus, almost all of Joseph's family served the Lord.
The saint himself became famous for his educational work. He is the author of many books and epistles, but in addition to writing, Joseph was actively involved in general church issues, especially those related to land ownership and, in general, to the monastic economy.
Joseph was canonized at the end of the 16th century, and his chains and holy relics are still buried in the Joseph-Volotsky Monastery, in the Assumption Cathedral. A monument to the saint was also installed in the courtyard, which is a rarity for Orthodox churches.
How long have they been praying for trade to Joseph Volotsky?
The first prayer for successful trading to this saint was probably said even before his canonization. It is impossible to accurately answer the question of when the merchants began to pray to Joseph. From time immemorial, merchants considered Joseph their patron and intercessor.
Joseph acquired the official status of the "patron of trade" only in our century. Saint Joseph was declared the patron saint of Orthodox entrepreneurship and management in the winter of 2009 by Patriarch Kirill.
Where to pray to Joseph Volotsky?
Of course, you can visit the monastery and temple of Joseph Volotsky, bow to the relics and order a prayer service. However, this is not at all necessary. Like all requests to higher powers, a prayer to this saint has only one rule - sincerity and faith.
Prayer to Joseph Volotsky for success in trade, according to tradition, should not be dictated by a sense of self-interest or a desire for profit. This means that the trader must have a firm intention in his heart to spend the profit on good deeds. This does not mean that the businessman should give all the profits to the homeless shelter or do anything of the sort. But it is necessary to support an orphanage or a local clinic to the best of your ability, to donate to good deeds. But it should be sincere, at the behest of the soul, and not "for show." Only in this case, the prayer for successful trading will be heard. You can pray anywhere, in church, at work or at home.
How to pray to Joseph Volotsky?
The best prayer is one's own words that come from the heart and are spoken from the bottom of the heart. Prayer to Joseph Volotsky is no exception; its best text will be its own. But not all people can express their own thoughts, aspirations, hopes and requests on their own. For some, this is inconvenient and the search for the right words is confusing, distracting from prayer.
In this case, lines from the church troparion or ready-made versions of texts for prayer can help.
Prayer for the prosperity of business may sound like this: “Dear Reverend Father Joseph! Blessed is the bread given by the Lord. And blessed is he to whom it is given to eat that bread. Accept, reverend father, a prayer for the bestowal of worldly andwe alth enhancement. The Lord is a witness, there is no self-interest in the heart, but insolence in the thoughts. No for the sake of profit and stuffing the wallet, but for a good intention, for the implementation of good deeds and undertakings, grant the means to obtain and not lose. Do not leave in difficult times, enlighten the mind, blessed Father Joseph, direct them to the right decisions and grant prosperity and a satisfying table to all employees, honestly and responsibly, without laziness and negligence. Get rid of workers who do not get bread, do not perform work, and confuse the minds of others with idleness. Grant good he alth and faithful comrades-in-arms, like-minded people. Deliver from deceitful enemies and ungodly methods, from deceit and need, from all kinds of misfortune and temptations that are sent to the evil one. Amen.”
Prayer is not only read, sometimes it is hung in a frame, like a photograph, on the wall in the office.
Prayer to Joseph Volotsky at the workplace may sound like this: “Our Father Joseph, patron saint of heaven! Grant a profitable day, let me go to a house with prosperity. Not for profit, but for the satiety of my children and the well-being of my house. Amen.”
