Heirs to the rich Orthodox tradition, modern Christians do not know how, and do not strive to turn to God with personal prayer; meaningful public worship, morning and evening rules, compiled by the great prayer books of the past, do not imply an individual approach. But in the 21st century, when well-functioning mechanisms stop working and traditions collapse, conscious Christian choice and personal appeal to God come to the fore. Reflections on Alexei Uminsky's thoughts on prayer - hard-won, dramatic, merciless to the spirit of complacency - excite and call for a filial conversation with God.