During their tonsure (religious profession), Orthodox monks and nuns receive a prayer string with the words: acceptance, O brother (sister) (name), the sword of the Spirit that is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17) in the eternal Jesus prayer with which you should have the name of the prayer. The prayer cord is part of the habit of Eastern Orthodox monks and nuns and is used by monasteries (and sometimes by others) to count how often one has the Jesus prayer or occasionally other prayers. Historically, the prayer cord would normally have 100 knots, although prayer ropes of 50 or 33 knots can also be used today. Hermits in their cells may have prayer ropes with up to 300 or 500 knots in them. The prayer cord symbolises the Shard of Christ, but in modern times other materials are also used. The traditional color of the rope is black (symbolizing grief for ones own sins) with either black or coloured beads. When praying, the user usually holds the prayer cord in their left hand, leaving the right hand free to make the cross sign. When not in use, the prayer cord is traditionally wrapped around the left wrist, so it continues to remind you to pray without ceasing. If this is inconvenient, it can be placed in the (left) pocket, but should not be hung around the neck or hung on the belt. The reason for this is modesty: one should not be intrusive or flashy to see the prayer cord for others. Lord in your soul, your thoughts and your heart, always say, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me sinners." Orthodox considers the prayer cord to be the sword of the Spirit, because prayer, inspired by the heart and the grace of the Holy Spirit, is a weapon that defeated the devil.