On the weekend of August 22–23, 2026, a two-day conference on the theme of prayer in the Orthodox tradition was held as part of the internal mission activities of the Holy Exarchate of Hungary.
A group of pilgrims from Budapest, led by Economos Joseph Ötvös, traveled to the Holy Monastery of the Holy Protection and Saint Paisios the Hagiorite in Sankt Andrä am Zicksee. There they were welcomed by Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria and Exarch of Hungary, who, as part of the conference, spoke on the meaning of prayer according to the tradition of the Church, with a talk specifically titled “Noetic Prayer in the Tradition of Our Church.”
The pilgrims had the opportunity to hear the talk, take part in the daily and nightly liturgical services observed at the Monastery, and converse with the fathers, thereby deepening their understanding of the Orthodox tradition.
The Metropolitan spoke of the twofold dimension of prayer as both a personal and a communal act. He referred to the teaching of Holy Scripture and the Church Fathers, with particular mention of the hesychast tradition. He explained to the faithful that the Orthodox Church recognizes two forms of prayer: that which each believer observes privately, and that which the worshipping community observes in celebrating the sacred Services.
He also noted that prayer is a path of preparation and spiritual edification, and an inseparable part of the believer’s life. Through prayer, a person seeks to gain deeper insight into their personal weaknesses and to seek help through divine Grace, to be granted spiritual progress. A disposition toward prayer should not be regarded merely as routine or habit, but should rather be cultivated as an effort toward the practice of virtue and self-improvement, since, according to the Orthodox tradition, neither does man achieve sanctification on his own, nor does divine Grace act upon people without their own active consent.
Through prayer, a person seeks to be cultivated and to render themselves receptive, so that the reception of the rich gifts of the Holy Spirit may be built up within them. At this point, the Metropolitan explained the necessity of participating in common acts of worship and prayer gatherings, where the Church, through the celebration of the Holy Mysteries within the framework of the Services, pours forth sanctification upon the souls and bodies of the faithful.
Within the context of the special priesthood, as it is lived out in the Orthodox tradition, regular participation in the Services presided over by a clergyman is essential — one who, through ordination, has received the grace to bind and loose the sins of the faithful, according to Scripture.
In this context, the Metropolitan also spoke about the way a monastic brotherhood functions, which, under the spiritual guidance of its elder, regulates all that is necessary for its orderly operation.
The purpose of prayer is for the believer to focus on keeping the commandments and on the purification of the soul through repentance and sacred confession, so that, through spiritual struggle, everyone who seeks life in Christ may render themselves receptive to divine Grace and receive sanctification and redemption.
During their two-day stay at the Holy Monastery, the pilgrims had the opportunity to converse with the Metropolitan, exchange views with the fathers, and receive spiritual strengthening, following the Monastery’s schedule of Services and participating in the Divine Liturgy. On many occasions, there was an opportunity for dialogue with the fathers and for the clarification of questions raised by the visitors.
The Metropolitan congratulated them on their effort and expressed the wish that the faithful maintain their close bond with the life of the Church and intensify their efforts, so that Christ may be at the center of their lives.
The conference concluded in an atmosphere of spiritual joy, with doxology to God and the prayer that similar gatherings be repeated as part of the internal mission of the Holy Exarchate of Hungary.
