Elder Sophrony wrote down prayers he composed - prayers that came from the heart, inspired by God, and useful for all Christians.
Using prayers composed by others is not something that hampers a personal relationship with God. In the Old Testament of the Bible we have a spiritual treasury of prayers called the Psalms, which were composed by two kings of Israel: David and Solomon. Jesus Christ, when on earth, even used these prayers, written by others - and He gave us a ready-made prayer for us to use: the "Our Father..."
Ultimately, prayers written by the Saints - like the Psalms - are inspired by the Holy Spirit and so are from God. One heart-felt prayer inspires another, and the patterns and echos of one hymn can be found in another. As we pray them, as an offering to God, we are at the same time blessed by the spiritual insights contained therein. They do not replace our own "personal" prayers, but rather inform and enlighten them.
Elder Sophrony's Prayer at Daybreak - Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos, author of influential works on prayer and Orthodox psychotherapy said: “If someone reads this prayer in the morning with contrition and attention, the whole day will be blessed.”
Prayer of unity for the Church (English & Russian) - A prayer inspired by Elder Sophrony, given to the clergy of the Archdiocese of Russian Tradition Parishes in Western Europe by His Eminence JEAN of Dubna back in 2018, as a response to the sad schism between the Patriarchs of Moscow and Constantinople. It is to be used and prayed by all.
