The Jesus Prayer: The Desert Cry

The Jesus Prayer: The Desert Cry St. Shenouda Podcast: The Desert Way – The Jesus Prayer in the Egyptian Desert Join us for the latest episode in our series, The Desert Way, as we journey back to the 5th-century Egyptian desert to explore the roots of one of Christianity's most profound spiritual practices: The Jesus Prayer. In this episode, we dive into the cells of Scetis, Nitria, and Kellia, where the Desert Fathers and Mothers sought to fulfill the biblical command to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We discover that the Jesus Prayer—"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner"—is not merely a technique or a mantra, but a "cry" for mercy rooted in the humility of the publican and the blind man of the Gospels.