Prayer Skill Training Ironman - OSRS Money Making Guide

Prayer Skill Training in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is an essential aspect of gameplay that allows players to utilize divine powers to enhance their combat abilities and survivability. For Ironman accounts, who are restricted from trading with other players, managing and training this skill effectively is critical for long-term success in both PvE and PvP scenarios. With limited resources and the need to be self-sufficient, understanding the nuances of Prayer training methods becomes paramount.

Ironman players face unique challenges when it comes to training their Prayer skill, as they cannot rely on others to obtain bones or access certain methods. This guide will delve into the best practices for maximizing your Prayer experience and efficiency, enabling you to make informed decisions as you navigate the world of Gielinor. Whether you aim for the powerful overhead prayers or seek to gain an edge in boss battles, mastering Prayer skill training is a journey worth undertaking.

Understanding the Prayer Skill

The Prayer skill in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a vital skill that allows players to access various powerful abilities and benefits by invoking the favor of the gods. As one of the key support skills in the game, Prayer plays an essential role in both PvE (Player vs Environment) and PvP (Player vs Player) situations. Understanding how to effectively train and utilize the Prayer skill can significantly enhance your gameplay and survivability.

At its core, Prayer enables players to use various prayers that provide defensive bonuses, increase combat efficiency, and offer utility in various situations. Each prayer consumes a certain amount of Prayer points, which are replenished by using the altar found in churches and other designated locations. The maximum Prayer points a player can have is equal to their Prayer level multiplied by 10, plus an additional bonus from items such as the Ardougne Cloak or the God book.

Prayer is divided into different tiers of prayers, which enhance a player’s abilities:

Protect Prayers: These prayers shield players from specific damage types. For instance, “Protect from Missiles” reduces damage from ranged attacks, while “Protect from Magic” offers similar protection against magical attacks.
Combat Boosts: Prayers like “Damage Boost” (e.g., “Piety” or “Chivalry”) increase damage output and accuracy, making such prayers excellent choices for players during boss fights or PvP encounters.
Healing Prayers: Some prayers, like “Redemption,” automatically heal the player when their health drops below 10% of their max hit points, providing a crucial lifeline in dire situations.
Special Prayers: Certain prayers, like “Augury” and “Rigour,” increase the player’s combat stats and efficiency, making them highly sought after by high-level players is on endgame content.

Training Prayer involves a variety of methods, and players can choose which fits their style and budget. Some players opt for traditional methods such as:

Altar Bones: Burying bones is the most straightforward way to gain Prayer experience. The type of bones will influence the experience gained, with Dragon bones yielding the highest experience when buried.
Bonecrusher: This item automatically buries bones when you defeat monsters, granting you Prayer experience as well as saving you time and effort. Using the Bonecrusher in conjunction with combat training can be an efficient method.
Prayer Training Methods: Utilizing the “Chaos Altar” or “Gilded Altar” for burning bones offers significant experience in a short period. Additionally, players can join groups to utilize these altars effectively for maximum efficiency.

As you level up your Prayer skill, you’ll unlock access to higher-tier prayers that enhance various aspects of combat and survival. The skill reaches a cap of level 99, and reaching this level not only provides the highest tier of prayers but also valuable experience for the total level, contributing to the overall goals in OSRS.

In conclusion, the Prayer skill in OSRS is a multifaceted skill that provides players with a variety of defensive and offensive abilities through the invocation of prayers. By understanding its mechanics, training methods, and effective usage, players can significantly enhance their gaming experience and become formidable in both PvE and PvP environments.

Best Prayer Training Methods for Ironman

Training Prayer on an Ironman account in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) can be quite different from standard accounts due to the self-sufficient nature of Ironman gameplay. Here are some of the best methods to efficiently train Prayer while maximizing your resources:

1. Bone Burial

One of the simplest and most effective ways to train Prayer is by burying bones. The best bones to bury for maximum experience are the following:

Dragon Bones: Grants 252 Experience. Can be obtained from killing dragons, including baby dragons.
Big Bones: Grants 125 Experience. Dropped by larger creatures like Hill Giants and Ogres.
Regular Bones: Grants 4.5 Experience. Dropped by most普通 monsters.

Consider using the Bonecrusher if you have access to it, as it automatically buries bones dropped from slain NPCs while also providing Prayer experience.

2. Altars and Gilded Altars

If you have access to a house with an altar, you can use a Gilded Altar to receive increased Prayer experience when using bones:

Using a Gilded Altar can provide a 350% experience boost compared to burying.
Best to host and join in groups, as you can share the use of the altar in friends’ houses.

To build a Gilded Altar, you’ll need to train your Construction skill and gather necessary materials.

3. Prayer through Piety

As you train combat skills, you may consider utilizing Prayer-boosting items and prayers. Gaining the level to use Piety can be highly beneficial, as it also allows for efficient combat training:

Complete quests to unlock the ability to equip Prayer-boosting items.
Train combat while also gaining Prayer experience during PvM (Player vs Monster) activities.

4. Penguin Points and Ritual of the Mahjarrat

Completing the Penguin Hide and Seek and the Ritual of the Mahjarrat quests can yield valuable Prayer experience:

Penguin Points can be traded for experience lamps that can be used on Prayer.
Ritual of the Mahjarrat grants a considerable amount of Prayer experience as a reward.

5. Prayer Training with Monster Drops

Certain monsters drop bones and other items that give Prayer experience when used. Here are some useful monsters:

Barrows Brothers: They drop a variety of bones, including the powerful Barrows equipment.
Chaos Druids: They drop herbs and bones.
Spiritual Mages: Not only do they drop bones, but they also drop various Prayer-related items.

6. Sacred and Ectoplasmic Methods

If you prefer training through other means but still want to gain Prayer experience:

Collect Ectoplasm by using Ectophial and train through burying Ectoplasm.
Use Ancient Bones from specific monsters for higher experience rates.

Overall, while training Prayer on an Ironman, balancing between combat and efficient Prayer training methods will ensure better optimization of both skills, thus enhancing overall gameplay experience in OSRS. By combining these methods, you can achieve high Prayer levels while managing resources effectively.

Bone Types and Their Uses

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), bones are a crucial component for training the Prayer skill. Different types of bones offer varying amounts of Prayer experience when buried or used on an altar. Understanding the different bone types and their specific uses is essential for efficient Prayer training. Below is a comprehensive list of bone types you will encounter in the game:

1. Normal Bones

Normal bones are dropped by most common creatures throughout Gielinor. When buried, they provide a modest 4 Prayer experience.

Commonly dropped by: Chickens, Cows, Sheeps, and other low-level monsters.
Best use: Ideal for beginners to start their Prayer training.

2. Wet Bones

Wet bones are dropped by certain swamp creatures and are useful for low-level players. They grant 4 Prayer experience when buried, identical to normal bones.

Commonly dropped by: Swamp crabs and other swamp-dwelling creatures.
Best use: Similar to normal bones, good for early Prayer training but little advantage in experience.

3. Big Bones

Big bones are significantly more rewarding than normal bones and provide 15 Prayer experience when buried. They are primarily dropped by larger creatures.

Commonly dropped by: Hill giants, trolls, and some other larger enemies.
Best use: More efficient for training Prayer compared to normal bones, great for players looking for quicker gains.

4. Guys Bones

Guy’s bones are a rarer type of bone that grants 30 Prayer experience. They are not as common and require defeating stronger enemies.

Commonly dropped by: Medium-level enemies such as black demons.
Best use: High experience gain makes them valuable for players who can access these monsters.

5. Dragon Bones

Dragon bones are among the best for Prayer training, providing a substantial 72 Prayer experience when buried. They are harder to obtain but yield excellent benefits.

Commonly dropped by: Dragons, including green dragons, blue dragons, and others.
Best use: Essential for players seeking to level their Prayer quickly and efficiently.

6. Superior Dragon Bones

Superior dragon bones are exclusive and yield an impressive 125 Prayer experience when buried. They are the ultimate choice for Prayer training.

Commonly dropped by: Skeletal dragons and a few other high-level dragons.
Best use: Recommended for players aiming for the highest experience returns in the shortest time.

7. Sanctified Bones

Sanctified bones are obtained from elite monsters and grant 60 Prayer experience. These bones are useful for Prayer training in combination with an altar.

Commonly dropped by: Higher-level bosses and elite monsters.
Best use: Good for players in advanced levels seeking to enhance their Prayer training sessions.

Conclusion

Understanding the different types of bones and their respective experience values is vital for efficient Prayer training in OSRS. Consider the drop rates, experience per bone, and your current level when choosing which bones to focus on. Utilizing the higher-tier bones will significantly accelerate your progress towards leveling up your Prayer skill.

Efficient Experience Rates

When it comes to training Prayer in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) as an Ironman, maximizing your experience per hour is essential for efficient progress. Below are several strategies and methods to help you achieve optimal Prayer experience gained in the shortest time possible.

1. Altar Usage

The most efficient method for training Prayer is using altars. The Ectofuntus and Gilded Altar are the best options available.

Gilded Altar: Located in various player-owned houses. Use bones on the altar to receive double experience when lit with lit burners. Claiming a Gilded Altar allows for rapid experience gain, reaching up to 1,200-1,500 XP per hour depending on the bones used.
Ectofuntus: Found in Port Phasmatys, this replaces the need for burners. By worshipping bones at the Ectofuntus, you can gain approximately 8.3x experience compared to using normal methods. However, it requires more effort in collecting materials to use.

2. Bone Types

Choosing the right bones significantly influences your experience rates:

Dragon bones: Provide 252 XP each, making them one of the top choices for prayer training.
Wyvern bones: Offer 68 XP each and can be obtained through combat, a good alternative for lower-level players.
Bonecrusher: If you have completed the Animal Magnetism quest, using the Bonecrusher while fighting undead enemies allows you to automatically convert bones into Prayer experience.

3. Efficient Bone Acquisition

Maximizing your bone collection is just as crucial to achieving efficient training:

Using the Abyss: Killing Chaos Dwarves or Nechryaels can yield various bones, maximizing your prayer training experience.
Bossing: High-level bosses like Serachnis, Vorkath, and the KBD drop valuable bones appropriate for prayer training. Make sure you’re adequately prepared for these confrontations.

4. Prayer Training Locations

Efficient training often requires an optimal location. Consider the following:

Chaos Altar: This location offers a +50% experience bonus, making it a favorable place for training prayers if you’re in a group or have left bones in inventory for potential rewards.
God Wars Dungeon: This area has various bones from the bosses, which provide a non-stop supply of bones suitable for training prayer.

5. Using Prayer Potions

To maximize your efficiency, always stock up on Prayer Potions, as they will extend the duration of your training sessions. Combining supply management with bone usage strategies can significantly increase your experience rates.

Conclusion

By combining these methods—selecting the right altar, bones, and locations, along with an emphasis on efficient supply routes—you’ll see marked improvements in your Prayer experience rates. Stay dedicated, and you’ll be on your way to becoming an exemplary Ironman with blessed levels in no time!

Managing Prayer Points

Effective management of Prayer points is essential for maximizing your performance in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), especially for an Ironman account where resources are more limited. Understanding how to maintain and replenish your Prayer points can significantly enhance your gameplay and reduce risks in both PvE and PvP situations.

Understanding Prayer Points

Your Prayer points are used to activate various prayers, which provide numerous benefits like increased damage reduction, boosted stats, and other advantages during combat. In total, you can store a maximum of 99 Prayer points, which is equivalent to your level multiplied by 10.

Prayer Activations and Costs

Each prayer activated consumes 1 Prayer point per game tick (600ms), with some prayers costing more based on their strength. For instance, using Piety at level 70 Prayer costs 1 point per 15 seconds, whereas Protect from Magic requires 1 point per 6 seconds. Knowing the cost of each prayer helps in determining when to activate and deactivate them strategically.

Replenishing Prayer Points

There are several methods to replenish your Prayer points. Here are the most effective ways:

Altars: Resting at a gilded altar in a player-owned house provides a quick and efficient way to restore Prayer points. Ensure you have Burnt offerings or ashes for bonus points.
Monasteries and Places of Worship: Locations such as the Edgeville Monastery or the Chaeldar Temple allow you to restore prayer when praying at their altars. You can recharge Prayer points for free here.
Prayer Potions: Consuming Prayer potions can instantly restore 2-4 Prayer points depending on the potion’s strength. They are useful for sustained Prayer use during long encounters.
Holy Wrenches: Equip a Holy Wrench when using potions or restoring prayer at an altar to gain an additional 1 Prayer point from potions and several other benefits.
Piety/Sacrificial Items: If you have high Prayer levels, using certain sacrificial items grants significant restoration benefits. These items can sometimes restore multiple points at once!

Best Practices for Managing Prayer Points

To ensure you make the most of your Prayer points:

Plan Your Prayers: Be mindful of when to turn your prayers on and off. Use defensive prayers only during crucial moments or against high-damage foes to conserve points.
Rest during Downtime: Take advantage of opportunities where your player isn’t actively in combat to recharge your points at altars or resting spots.
Resource Management: Always keep a healthy stock of Prayer potions and be aware of your surroundings to easily access altars when you need to restore Prayer points.
Mix Combat Styles: If you are leveling up multiple skills, consider mixing melee and ranged combat. Utilize defensive prayers when engaged with more dangerous enemies which will help conserve Prayer points.
Establish a Routine: Regularly include Prayer training in your routine by using bones on altars or while fighting specific bosses. Utilizing bonecrusher for passive Prayer point recovery is also a great investment when feasible.

By mastering the management of your Prayer points, you’ll be adept at tackling tougher bosses, surviving in challenging fights, and ultimately enhancing your overall success in OSRS. Happy training, Ironman!

Utilizing Altars for Training

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), effective Prayer training is paramount for players aiming to maximize their efficiency and skill progression, especially for an Ironman account where resources are limited. One of the best methods for training Prayer is through the use of altars, which provide various bonuses and multiple methods to gain experience. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to utilize altars effectively for your Prayer training.

Types of Altars

There are several types of altars throughout Gielinor, each catering to different play styles and needs:

Normal Altars: Located in churches and shrines throughout the world, these altars can be used to recharge Prayer points by offering bones and providing experience in return.
Gilded Altars: Found in player-owned houses, gilded altars offer a significant experience boost when used in conjunction with incense burners. This is the most efficient method for training Prayer as it grants double experience for bones when active.
Chaos Altar: Located in the chaotic wilderness, the Chaos Altar offers a unique advantage by allowing players to *reclaim any bones used at the altar.* The drawback is the increased risk from player killers in the vicinity.

Gilded Altar Method

The gilded altar is the premier training method due to its high experience rates. To make the most of this method, consider the following steps:

Build a Gilded Altar: Use level 70 Construction to build a gilded altar using 2,000,000 coins, along with 4 mahogany planks, 4 gold leaves, and other building materials. Ensure that you also construct two incense burners to fully utilize the experience boost they provide.
Prepare Bones: Collect bones to be used at the altar. Ideal bones include Dragon bones for maximum experience gain (252xp each) or Wyvern bones which offer 210xp each. Use bones to peaches spell to convert bones effectively and maintain inventory space.
Invite Friends: If possible, allow friends or clan members to use your altar. They may offer you bones in return, helping you gain additional experience while assisting others in their training.
Boost with Sacred Oil: If you have access to it, use Sacred Oil along with the incense burners to further increase your experience rates while training Prayer.

Normal Altar Method

For Ironman accounts who do not have access to a gilded altar, normal altars serve as a reliable alternative:

Collect bones from your Slayer tasks or any other bossing activities. Common choices include Bonecrusher, which passively adds experience during combat.
Travel to the nearest altar—many players opt for the Varrock Church or the Edgeville Monastery for convenience.
Offer bones at the altar for experience, keeping in mind that Firemaking levels can further assist your speed by lighting incense burners nearby.

Chaos Altar Method

If you’re brave enough to venture into the Wilderness, the Chaos Altar can be a viable option:

Risk Management: Always be prepared for potential PKers. Bring a teleport method, such as a Rings of Wealth or Varrock Teleport.
Bone Preservation: Offering bones at the Chaos Altar not only grants experience but allows players the chance to reclaim bones, making this method traditional and economical.

Overall Tips for Effective Utilization of Altars

Here are additional tips to enhance your Prayer training experience:

Combine with Combat Training: Utilize the Bonecrusher item while training combat skills to simultaneously gather Prayer experience.
Utilize Events: Participate in events like Bonus XP Weekend or other activities that offer experience boosts specifically for Prayer.
Maximize Inventory Space: Bring games necklaces and other teleports to minimize downtime while moving to altars.
Strategize Your Bones: Prioritize the use of higher-level bones at altars for maximum efficiency; maintaining a steady supply of strong bones is key.

By effectively utilizing altars in OSRS for Prayer training, especially on an Ironman account, players can significantly accelerate their journey while also enhancing their overall gameplay experience. Happy grinding!

Unlocking Prayers and How They Help

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), Prayer is a vital skill that provides players with unique buffs and benefits during combat and various encounters. Unlocking and utilizing prayers effectively can significantly enhance your gameplay experience, especially for those training towards becoming an Ironman or those participating in high-level PvE and PvP content.

Unlocking Prayers

The Prayer skill consists of a variety of prayers that can be unlocked by leveling up your skill or completing certain quests. As you train your Prayer skill, you will gain access to more powerful prayers that can be strategically used in various scenarios.

Level 1: Protect Item – This prayer allows you to protect one item upon death, making it vital when exploring dangerous areas.
Level 5: Sap Spirit – This prayer drains the player’s prayer points over time while providing a small boost to combat stats.
Level 10: Thick Skin – Reduces damage taken by 5%, providing an essential layer of defense during challenging fights.
Level 13: Burst of Strength – Boosts your Strength by 10%, helping to increase your damage output in combat.
Level 20: Sharp Eye – Increases your Ranged Attack by 10%, perfect for archers looking to maximize damage.
Level 25: Mystic Will – Enhances your Magic Attack by 10%, beneficial for spellcasters during battles.
Level 31: Redemption – This prayer allows you to sacrifice your health to heal nearby allies, a strategic tool in group combat scenarios.
Level 43: Protect from Magic/Protect from Missiles/Protect from Melee – A trio of prayers that provide significant damage reduction against various attack types.
Level 50: Chivalry – Increases combat stats, but requires a certain level of Prayer to maintain effectively.
Level 52: Augury – A powerful prayer for defensive and offensive boosts, primarily focused on magic users.
Level 60: Piety – Provides significant combat boosts across the board, making it ideal for high-level combat encounters.

How They Help

Unlocking these prayers not only boosts your combat prowess but also plays a crucial role in survivability and efficiency while training as an Ironman. Here’s how different prayers can assist you:

Combat Effectiveness: Prayers like Piety and Augury significantly enhance your combat stats, allowing you to deal more damage and achieve kills faster.
Survivability: Defensive prayers like Protect from Melee help mitigate incoming damage, making them essential when facing high-level monsters or participating in PvP events.
Resource Management: Using Protect Item enables you to retain vital equipment upon death, which is especially important in Hardcore Ironman mode.
Team Play: Prayers like Redemption can turn the tide in group situations, allowing you to support your allies effectively.
Strategic Use: Learning when to activate specific prayers based on the situation can greatly improve your efficiency in combat and training, allowing you to tackle harder content and gain experience faster.

Overall, mastering the use of prayers is critical for any player, especially for those embarking on the challenging journey of an Ironman in OSRS. As you progress and unlock higher-level prayers, you will notice a marked improvement in your success across various activities within the game.

Tips for Gathering Bones

Gathering bones effectively is a crucial skill for maximizing your Prayer experience in Old School RuneScape (OSRS). Here are some tips and strategies to help you collect bones efficiently:

1. Choose the Right Monsters

Different monsters drop various types of bones. To maximize your gathering, consider hunting these monsters:

Chickens: Easily found and drop regular bones.
Cows: Often found in Lumbridge, they drop cowhides and regular bones.
Skeletons: Great for medium-level players, they drop bones and sometimes higher-quality bones.
Zombies: Good for beginners, they drop regular bones and can also yield herbs.
Dragons: For advanced players, dragons drop dragon bones, which provide excellent Prayer experience.

2. Use Efficient Training Methods

When hunting for bones, consider using efficient training methods:

Multi-combat Areas: Fight in multi-combat areas to increase the number of monsters you can kill in a short amount of time. Places like the Skele-Giants and the Chaos Dwarves area can be ideal.
Prayer and Combat Potions: Use potions to boost your combat levels beforehand, allowing you to defeat monsters faster and spend less time gathering.
Prayer Bonus Gear: Equip items that grant a prayer bonus to help you stay alive longer, especially while fighting tougher monsters.

3. Efficient Inventory Management

To maximize your gathering, maintain an efficient inventory:

Gather Bones in Groups: Aim to pick up bones in bulk. If you know where to find clusters of monsters, plan your route to gather multiple drops.
Use Bonecrusher: If you have access to the Bonecrusher, it automatically crushes bones dropped on the ground, providing Prayer experience. This can free up your inventory for more drops.

4. Use Teleportation Wisely

Using teleportation can save time and effort:

Exploration Teleport: Use Teleportation to Lumbridge or Varrock to access areas close to low-level monsters, like chickens or cows.
Altars: If you are hunting for higher-level bones, teleport directly near the area (like the Dragon area) to minimize downtime.

5. Consider Bone Prices in the Grand Exchange

If you want to save time gathering bones, consider purchasing them from the Grand Exchange. Bone prices fluctuate, so keep an eye out for:

Regular Bones: Generally low in price and found in larger quantities.
Big Bones: These offer better experience per bone and can be found through various monster drops.
Dragon Bones: Expensive but highly valued for Prayer training.

6. Join a Community

Joining a clan dedicated to Prayer training or monster hunting can facilitate bone gathering:

Group Hunts: Participate in group hunts for more action and shared drops, leading to increased bone collection.
Trade with Members: Trade excess bones with members for profit or better resources.

By following these tips, you can enhance your efficiency in gathering bones and leverage them for maximum Prayer experience in OSRS. Happy training!

Advanced Training Techniques

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), maximizing your Prayer experience while minimizing the time and resources spent is essential, especially for Ironman players who have limited access to certain items and resources. Below are some advanced training techniques that can help you effectively level your Prayer skill.

1. Bonecrusher

The Bonecrusher is a powerful tool when training Prayer. It allows you to convert regular combat experience into Prayer experience by offering the bones of slain monsters automatically. Here are a few key points:

Obtainable after completing the Ghosts Ahoy quest.
Since Ironman players cannot purchase bones from other players, killing monsters like Chaos Druids or Experiment can yield ample supply.
Paire your Bonecrusher usage with Prayer potions to counteract the loss of Prayer points during combat.

2. Dragon Bones on Altars

Using dragon bones on an altar (especially a gilded altar) provides significant experience. The experience rate is further amplified if you use incense burners:

Find a house with a gilded altar and burn the incense burners for an additional experience boost.
Make use of player-owned houses to gather friends for the bones and maximize efficiency.
Consider using Bonecrusher here too if any bones drop during combat.

3. Ectofuntus

Claiming Prayer experience via Ectofuntus is an effective method on an Ironman account. This method requires quests and materials to access:

After completing the Ghosts Ahoy quest, players can use Slayer’s staff or the white berries to worship the Ectofuntus.
If you gather enough bones, you can obtain bonus experience as you train, exceeding the normal altar experience rates.
The ability to convert bones into Ecto-tokens can also be beneficial for purchasing various items.

4. Efficient Use of Prayer Bonuses

Increasing your Prayer bonus utilizes various items:

Utilize Prayer gear such as the God books and Armadyl & Saradomin items to maximize your Prayer bonus while training.
Utilize Prayer potions and Super restore potions to replenish prayer points quickly when using prayer during combat.

5. Utilizing Prayer Skill Boosts

Many quests and events give temporary Prayer boosts:

Use your quest rewards wisely; for example, completing The Restless Ghost will yield a significant boost when offering bones.
Look for temporary boosts from items like the Ardougne Cloak or any events that increase combat efficiency or experience rates.

6. Participate in Group Activities

Joining groups or clans for high-level bossing can provide unique opportunities to gather bones:

Bones obtained from bosses like Kraken or Giant Mole can be quickly farmed.
Work together with clan members to maximize the output of bones for optimal experience.

7. Efficient Training Through Teleports

Utilizing teleports wisely can save time during bone offerings:

Your home teleport can instantly bring you to your furnished altar for quick training sessions.
Spirit trees, Fairy Rings, and Teleport tablets can help you access training locations faster.

In conclusion, mastering these advanced Prayer training techniques will enable you to level your Prayer skill efficiently, saving time and resources along your OSRS Ironman journey. Equip yourself with knowledge and prepare for a prayerful ascent!