Prayer in the Early Diaries (1856–1870) of St. John of Kronstadt: the Subject and Structure of Prayer Records

Abstract

The article analyzes the early diaries of St. John of Kronstadt (1856–1870) focusing on how he describes prayer. The author examines the content and structure of his entries to identify key themes and ideas. It is shown that for St. John, prayer is a living conversation with God, a means for repentance, struggle against passions, and helping others. Special attention is paid to priestly prayer and its role in spiritual guidance. The study also considers the saint’s personal experience — both moments of deep prayerful joy and instances of failure when prayer became formal or judgmental. Based on this, the conclusion is drawn: for John of Kronstadt, prayer was not merely a duty but the main work of life, meant to permeate all actions and thoughts of a Christian.