Seven bow beginning is a customary beginning ofprayers used by believers ofByzantine Rite when praying alone. This beginning is prayed just before one starts to pray any other private prayers.
It consists of seven parts. It begins with the prayer of thepublican and contains also some other short prayers - e.g. toTheotokos and guardianangel. The structure of the seven bow beginning is as follows: "O God, be merciful...", "O God, cleanse me...", "Having created...", "I have sinned...", "My sovereign, most holy...", "O Angel, my holy Guardian..." and "Holy Apostle...".[1] After each of these short prayers abow is made.
This beginning can be found e. g. in the order for readingcanons andakathists when alone.[2]
Old Believers use a different form of seven bow beginning which uses another wording.[3] The Old Believer version actually contains eight bows, with the last one being done without making thesign of the cross.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)