Throughout our worldly existence, our lives are almost entirely in our own hands. God Almighty knows about our needs and requests long before we begin to ask for help from Heavenly Father. But nothing depends on a person who, by coincidence of circumstances or by the will of the Almighty Father, passed away from this life. Even though a relative or friend has passed away, our duty is to pray sincerely with unshakable faith. Prayer can work miracles both in this world and in the Kingdom of God. As it says Holy Scripture“For the Father in heaven so loved the world that he gave his Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.” In order to bring eternal life closer to God's Kingdom we simply must remember and pray for the departed, so prayer can propitiate the Lord God, so that he forgives sins and sends down the grace of eternal life.

What is a memorial service, and how necessary is it?

Church ministers, in addition to standard and daily prayers for the dead during daily services, perform funeral commemorations. The Panikhida is also considered such a funeral commemoration. During the funeral service, the clergy, together with the parishioners, praying sincerely and with all their hearts, ask the Creator for forgiveness of sins and eternal life for the dead.
According to Church teachings, the human soul, having forever left the lifeless body, passes difficult path, before appearing before God. Souls suffer immensely, due to remorse and unforgiven sins, and are in great need of help. A memorial service that is one big prayer for the soul of the deceased, facilitates the difficult and painful transition to another world. Everyone who has at least once attended a memorial service has felt extraordinary bliss and calmness that penetrates every cell of the body, and the chant pacifies and calms the most anxious heart. The lost soul of the deceased experiences exactly the same sensations.

When to order a funeral service

It is customary to order a memorial service at the request of parishioners before the burial of the deceased on the third, ninth and, of course, fortieth day after death, as well as on the name day and birthday of the deceased. The clergy hold a memorial service for Radonitsa, before cheese week, on three Saturdays of Great Lent and other days.
The senior clergy understands perfectly well that in the hustle and bustle of everyday life it is not always possible to personally get into the temple and order this or that action. Therefore, a decision was made that will greatly simplify the ordering of religious services, regardless of the occasion for which a divine service needs to be ordered; a unique opportunity has appeared to order almost all types online. Using the World Wide Web, you can order a memorial service online, which in no case and not one hundredth will differ from the memorial service that was ordered in person.

In God's House with a pure heart and an open soul.

God is love. Prayer during a memorial service for the deceased is the only help we can provide to the deceased. As far as a pure heart in the process of ordering a memorial service and the service itself, only the Lord God will refuse requests for the remission of sins of the deceased.
And finally, a few words about when and why you cannot order a memorial service.
In no case should you order any services for the unbaptized; this rule also applies to memorial services.

For a believer, death is one of the greatest mysteries of existence. The idea of ​​it is radically different from those concepts that exist in the atheistic consciousness. Death in Christianity is not the opposite of life: it represents the third birth (the second is called Baptism) - birth into eternal life. It is significant that the days of remembrance of saints are the days of their death...

Death for a Christian does not mean the end of the road, but only the door through which souls enter new life- Kingdom of heaven. And on this path, which, according to the teachings of the Church, runs through aerial ordeals, the soul of the deceased needs the deep prayerful support of the living - relatives, friends and the entire Catholic Church. That is why in the liturgical cycle there are many moments dedicated to the remembrance of the dead. One of them is a memorial service.

What is a memorial service?

The word “requiem” itself, translated from ancient Greek, means “all-night vigil.” This service has its origins in ancient services that were performed by the first Christians at the graves of martyrs who suffered for Christ. During times of persecution, Christians could only serve funeral services at night, hiding in the catacombs. After the night vigil (which in those days consisted mainly of psalms), the bodies of the martyrs were buried.

Today we call a memorial service a special funeral service for a deceased person. This service can be full (otherwise it is called “parastas” - from the ancient Greek “standing near”) and shortened (litiya). Litiya can be performed at the grave or at home - not only by the priest, but also by the laity.

When is a memorial service for the deceased celebrated?

The performance of memorial services begins immediately after the death of a Christian. According to the teachings of the Church, the human soul, having been separated from the body, goes through a certain period of posthumous trials (ordeals), which determine its further fate. Therefore, during this period she really needs the prayerful support of her family and the entire Church.

The memorial service is performed on the day of death, as well as on the 3rd, 9th and 40th days, which has a very deep spiritual meaning. It is believed that during the first two days the soul, strongly attached to the body, stays next to it or visits its favorite earthly places, where it committed evil or good deeds. On the third day, God calls the soul to himself. It is for this reason that it is especially important to pray for a person on the third day after death.

The memorial service on the ninth day is performed for the sake of the nine angelic ranks, who, standing at the Throne of God, pray to the Lord for the salvation of human souls. In the requiem service of the ninth day, the Church combines its requests for the salvation of the human soul with the prayer of the angels.

The fortieth day plays a particularly important role in a person’s posthumous journey. The number forty itself is very common in Holy Scripture(the 40-day fast of Christ in the desert, the fast of Moses before receiving the commandments from the Lord on Mount Sinai, etc.) and is a symbol of completeness, and in this case, a symbol of the complete completion of the earthly path. It is believed that the soul finally leaves this world on the fortieth day, after a preliminary judgment has been performed on it, determining its place of residence until the Second Coming.

It is also customary to serve memorial services on the anniversary of death, on the birthday or name day of the deceased. This is how we show our loved ones that their memory is alive in our hearts.

Where is the funeral service held?

A memorial service can be celebrated at home over the coffin of the deceased or in a cemetery, but most often it takes place in a church, usually after the liturgy. The main content of prayers is a request for forgiveness of sins. According to the teachings of the Church, the souls of the dead themselves can no longer petition for forgiveness, however, the sincere prayers of the living are very important for their salvation.

In everyday life you often hear the phrase “civil memorial service”. This concept has nothing to do with a church ceremony and is a secular farewell ceremony for the deceased.

General remembrance

In addition to private commemoration of the dead, which is performed in the church at the request of family members and close people, there is also a general (ecumenical) church commemoration, performed on days specially established by the Church, which are called parental Saturdays. On days of general remembrance, the Church can pray for the salvation of all those “who have passed away from time to time” (that is, for all people who have ever died), as well as for those Christians who died suddenly and did not receive support in the funeral service.

Days of universal remembrance:

• Saturday before Maslenitsa, or Meat Festival. On the Sunday following it, the Church remembers the Last Judgment and therefore especially prays for God’s mercy to all those who have died;
• Saturday before Trinity Sunday. The descent of the Holy Spirit, to which the Trinity is dedicated, is a symbol of the atonement of human sins and gives hope of salvation for all the dead;
• Demetrius Saturday was established on the birthday of the holy noble prince Demetrius Donskoy. It is known that the prince often commemorated on this day all the soldiers who died during the Battle of Kulikovo;
• Tuesday of St. Thomas Week (Radonitsa) is a time of especially solemn commemoration of the deceased. On this day, the living come to the graves to share with the dead the joy of the Resurrection of Christ. On Radonitsa they use kolivo (or kutya), which is a symbol of unity in Christ. Honey symbolizes spiritual sweetness, and wheat - resurrection after death);
• September 11 (August 29, old style) (Beheading of John the Baptist) commemorates the fallen soldiers.

Ceremony of requiem

In its structure, the memorial service is similar to the funeral service, with the exception of some prayers. During it, the 50th and 90th psalms, the funeral litany, the funeral canon, “Eternal memory...” and other funeral prayers are read. If kolivo is prepared, the priest blesses it after reading the “Our Father” prayer.

The memorial service, which is served on Bright Week, has its own characteristics. At such a memorial service the troparion of Easter, the Easter canon and Easter stichera are sung.

Is it possible to administer lithium to infants?

The Church answers this question ambiguously. On the one hand, there is no need for such special prayers, because the Kingdom of Heaven already belongs to babies... However, it is known that, with the blessing of Patriarch Joachim, the magpie was celebrated after the death of the 4-year-old crown prince. Therefore, if parents ask to serve, the priest should not refuse such a request. The service in this case will have certain features (as will the rite of burial of infants). The commemoration of unbaptized infants is not performed in the Church.

How to order a memorial service?

A memorial service for the deceased can be ordered in every Orthodox church. To do this, you must submit a note with the name of the person for whom you are asking to pray. The name should be written in full and in the genitive case (about the repose of whom?). If you have any doubts about the correct spelling, please contact the church shop with your question.

• through a candle shop;
• through the sisters of mercy who carry out obedience in the city;
• through the monastery website by following the link and following simple instructions (this will be possible in the near future).

REMEMBRANCE OF THE DEAD

P why do people die?

- “God did not create death and does not rejoice in the destruction of the living, for He created everything for existence” (Wis. 1:13-14). Death appeared as a result of the fall of the first people. “Righteousness is immortal, but unrighteousness causes death: the wicked attracted her with hands and words, considered her a friend and wasted away, and made a covenant with her, for they are worthy to be her lot” (Wis. 1:15-16).

To understand the issue of mortality, it is necessary to distinguish between spiritual and physical death. Spiritual death is the separation of the soul from God, Who for the soul is the Source of eternal joyful existence. This death is the most terrible consequence of the Fall of man. A person gets rid of it in Baptism.

Although physical death after Baptism remains in a person, it takes on a different meaning. From punishment, it becomes the door to heaven (for people who were not only baptized, but also lived in a manner pleasing to God) and it is already called the “dormition.”

What happens to the soul after death?

According to Church Tradition, based on the words of Christ, the souls of the righteous are treated by angels on the threshold of heaven, where they remain until Last Judgment, expecting eternal bliss: “The beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:22). The souls of sinners fall into the hands of demons and are “in hell, in torment” (see Luke 16:23). The final division into the saved and the condemned will occur at the Last Judgment, when “many of those sleeping in the dust of the earth will awaken, some to eternal life, others to eternal reproach and shame” (Dan. 12:2). In the parable of the Last Judgment, Christ speaks in detail about the fact that sinners who did not do deeds of mercy will be condemned, and the righteous who did such deeds will be justified: “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25). :46).

What do the 3rd, 9th, 40th days after the death of a person mean? What should you do these days?

Holy Tradition preaches to us from the words of holy ascetics of faith and piety about the mystery of testing the soul after its departure from the body. For the first two days, the soul of a deceased person remains on earth and, with the Angel accompanying it, walks through those places that attract it with memories of earthly joys and sorrows, good and evil deeds. This is how the soul spends the first two days, but on the third day the Lord, in the image of His three-day Resurrection, commands the soul to ascend to heaven to worship Him - the God of all. On this day, the church commemoration of the soul of the deceased, who appeared before God, is timely.

Then the soul, accompanied by an Angel, enters the heavenly abodes and contemplates their indescribable beauty. The soul remains in this state for six days - from the third to the ninth. On the ninth day, the Lord commands the Angels to again present the soul to Him for worship. The soul stands before the Throne of the Most High with fear and trembling. But even at this time, the Holy Church again prays for the deceased, asking the Merciful Judge to place the soul of the deceased with the saints.

After the second worship of the Lord, the Angels take the soul to hell, and it contemplates the cruel torment of unrepentant sinners. On the fortieth day after death, the soul ascends for the third time to the Throne of God. Now her fate is being decided - she is assigned a certain place, which she has been awarded due to her deeds. That is why church prayers and commemorations on this day are so timely. They ask for forgiveness of sins and the inclusion of the soul of the deceased in paradise with the saints. On these days, the Church celebrates memorial services and litias.

The Church commemorates the deceased on the 3rd day after his death in honor of the three-day Resurrection of Jesus Christ and in the image of the Holy Trinity. Commemoration on the 9th day is performed in honor of the nine ranks of angels, who, as servants of the Heavenly King and representatives to Him, petition for pardon for the deceased. The commemoration on the 40th day, according to the tradition of the apostles, is based on the forty-day cry of the Israelis about the death of Moses. In addition, it is known that the forty-day period is very significant in the history and Tradition of the Church as the time necessary for preparing and receiving a special Divine gift, for receiving the gracious help of the Heavenly Father. Thus, the prophet Moses was honored to talk with God on Mount Sinai and receive the tablets of the Law from Him only after a forty-day fast. The prophet Elijah reached Mount Horeb after forty days. The Israelites reached the promised land after forty years of wandering in the desert. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself ascended into heaven on the fortieth day after His Resurrection. Taking all this as a basis, the Church established the commemoration of the departed on the 40th day after their death, so that the soul of the deceased would ascend the holy mountain of Heavenly Sinai, be rewarded with the sight of God, achieve the bliss promised to it and settle in the heavenly villages with the righteous.

On all these days, it is very important to order the commemoration of the deceased in the Church, submitting notes for commemoration at the Liturgy and memorial service.

What soul does not go through ordeals after death?

From Holy Tradition it is known that even Mother of God Having received notification from the Archangel Gabriel about the approaching hour of Her relocation to heaven, prostrating herself before the Lord, she humbly begged Him, so that, at the hour of the departure of Her soul, She would not see the prince of darkness and hellish monsters, but that the Lord Himself would accept Her soul into His Divine embrace. It is all the more useful for the sinful human race to think not about who does not go through ordeals, but about how to go through them, and do everything to cleanse the conscience and correct life according to the commandments of God. “The essence of everything: fear God and keep His commandments, because this is everything for man; For God will bring every work into judgment, even every secret thing, whether it is good or evil” (Eccl. 12:13-14).

What concept of heaven should you have?

Heaven is not so much a place as it is a state of mind; just as hell is suffering stemming from the inability to love and non-participation in the Divine light, so heaven is the bliss of the soul stemming from the excess of love and light, to which the one who has united with Christ fully and completely participates. This is not contradicted by the fact that heaven is described as a place with various “abodes” and “chambers”; all descriptions of paradise are only attempts to express in human language that which is inexpressible and surpasses the human mind.

In the Bible, "paradise" is the garden where God placed man; The same word in the ancient church tradition was used to describe the future bliss of people redeemed and saved by Christ. It is also called the “Kingdom of Heaven,” “the life of the age to come,” “the eighth day,” “the new heaven,” “the heavenly Jerusalem.” The Holy Apostle John the Theologian says: “I saw a new heaven and new land, for the former heaven and the former earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. And I, John, saw the holy city Jerusalem, new, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying: Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them; they will be His people, and God Himself with them will be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death; There will be no more crying, no crying, no pain, for the former things have passed away. And He who sat on the throne said: Behold, I am creating all things new... I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end; to the thirsty I will give freely from the fountain of living water... And the angel lifted me up in the spirit to great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, holy Jerusalem, which came down from heaven from God. It has the glory of God... But I did not see a temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty is its temple, and the Lamb. And the city has no need of either the sun or the moon for its illumination; for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The saved nations will walk in its light...And nothing unclean will enter into it, nor anyone who practices abomination and lies, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. 21:1-6,10,22-24 ,27). This is the earliest description of heaven in Christian literature.

When reading descriptions of paradise found in theological literature, it is necessary to keep in mind that many Church Fathers talk about the paradise that they saw, into which they were caught up by the power of the Holy Spirit. In all descriptions of paradise, it is emphasized that earthly words can only to a small extent depict heavenly beauty, since it is “inexpressible” and surpasses human comprehension. It also speaks of the “many mansions” of paradise (John 14:2), that is, of different degrees of bliss. “God will honor some with great honors, others with less,” says St. Basil the Great, “because “star differs from star in glory” (1 Cor. 15:41). And since the Father “has many mansions,” He will rest some in a more excellent and higher state, and others in a lower state.” However, for everyone, his “abode” will be the highest fullness of bliss available to him - in accordance with how close he is to God in earthly life. “All the saints who are in paradise will see and know one another, and Christ will see and fill everyone,” says St. Simeon the New Theologian.

What concept should you have of hell?

There is no person deprived of the love of God, and there is no place that is not involved in this love; however, everyone who has made a choice in favor of evil voluntarily deprives himself of God's mercy. Love, which for the righteous in heaven is a source of bliss and consolation, for sinners in hell becomes a source of torment, since they recognize themselves as not participating in love. According to Saint Isaac, “the torment of Gehenna is repentance.”

According to the teachings of St. Simeon the New Theologian, main reason the torment of a person in hell is an acute feeling of separation from God: “None of the people who believe in You, Master,” writes the Monk Simeon, “none of those who were baptized in your name will not endure this great and terrible burden of separation from You, Merciful One, because this is a terrible sorrow, unbearable, terrible and eternal sadness.” If on earth, says the Monk Simeon, those who are not involved in God have bodily pleasures, then there, outside the body, they will experience one incessant torment. And all the images of hellish torment that exist in world literature - fire, cold, thirst, red-hot ovens, lakes of fire, etc. - are only symbols of suffering, which comes from the fact that a person feels not involved in God.

For Orthodox Christian the thought of hell and eternal torment is inextricably linked with the mystery that is revealed in the services of Holy Week and Easter - the mystery of Christ's descent into hell and the deliverance of those there from the dominion of evil and death. The Church believes that after His death, Christ descended into the abysses of hell in order to abolish hell and death, to destroy the terrible kingdom of the devil. Just as by entering the waters of the Jordan at the moment of His Baptism, Christ sanctifies these waters, filled with human sin, so by descending into hell, He illuminates it with the light of His presence to the last depths and limits, so that hell can no longer tolerate the power of God and perishes. Saint John Chrysostom in the Easter Catechetical Sermon says: “Hell was upset when it met You; he was grieved because he was abolished; he was upset because he was ridiculed; he was grieved because he was killed; I was upset because I was deposed.” This does not mean that hell no longer exists at all after the Resurrection of Christ: it exists, but the death sentence has already been passed on it.

Every Sunday, Orthodox Christians hear hymns dedicated to the victory of Christ over death: “The council of angels was surprised, in vain you were imputed to the dead, but the mortal fortress, O Savior, was destroyed... and freed all from hell” (from hell, who freed everyone). Deliverance from hell, however, should not be understood as some kind of magical action performed by Christ against the will of man: for one who consciously rejects Christ and eternal life, hell continues to exist as suffering and the torment of abandonment by God.

How to cope with grief at death loved one?

The grief of separation from the deceased can be satisfied only by prayer for him. Christianity does not perceive death as the end. Death is the beginning of a new life, and earthly life is only a preparation for it. Man was created for eternity; in paradise he fed from the “tree of life” (Gen. 2:9) and was immortal. But after the Fall, the path to the tree of life was blocked and man became mortal and corruptible.

But life does not end with death, the death of the body is not the death of the soul, the soul is immortal. Therefore, it is necessary to see off the soul of the deceased with prayer. “Do not give up your heart to sorrow; move her away from you, remembering the end. Do not forget this, for there is no return; and you will not bring him any benefit, but will harm yourself... With the repose of the deceased, soothe his memory, and be comforted about him after the outcome of his soul” (Sir. 38:20-21,23).

What should you do if, after the death of a loved one, you are tormented by your conscience about the wrong attitude towards him during life?

The voice of conscience denouncing guilt subsides and ceases after sincere heartfelt repentance and confession to God to the priest of one’s sinfulness towards the deceased. It is important to remember that with God everyone is alive and the commandment of love also applies to the dead. The deceased are in great need prayer help living and alms given for them. A person who loves will pray, give alms, submit church notes for the repose of the departed, strive to live in a manner pleasing to God, so that God will show His mercy for them.

If you constantly remain in active concern for others and do good to them, then not only peace will be established in your soul, but deep satisfaction and joy.

What to do if you dream of a dead person?

You don't need to pay attention to dreams. However, we should not forget that the eternally living soul of the deceased experiences a great need for constant prayer for it, because it itself can no longer do good deeds with which it would be able to appease God. Therefore, prayer in church and at home for deceased loved ones is the duty of every Orthodox Christian.

How many days do people mourn for the deceased?

There is a tradition of mourning for forty days for a deceased loved one. According to the Tradition of the Church, on the fortieth day the soul of the deceased receives a certain place in which it will remain until the time of the Last Judgment of God. That is why, until the fortieth day, intense prayer is required for the forgiveness of the sins of the deceased, and the external wearing of mourning is intended to promote internal concentration and attention to prayer, and to prevent active involvement in previous everyday affairs. But you can have a prayerful attitude without wearing black clothes. The internal is more important than the external.

Who is the newly deceased and ever-memorable?

In church tradition, a deceased person is called newly deceased within forty days after death. The day of death is considered first, even if death occurred a few minutes before midnight. On the 40th day of the Church, God (at the private judgment of the soul) determines its afterlife fate until the general Last Judgment prophetically promised by the Savior (see Matt. 25:31-46).

A person is usually called eternally remembered after forty days after his death. Ever-memorable - the word “ever-memorable” means always. And the ever-memorable one is always remembered, that is, the one for whom they always remember and pray. In funeral notes, they sometimes write “of everlasting memory” before the name when the next anniversary of the death of the deceased(s) is celebrated.

How is the last kiss of the deceased performed? Do I need to be baptized at the same time?

The farewell kiss of the deceased occurs after his funeral service in the temple. They kiss the aureole placed on the forehead of the deceased, or apply it to the icon in his hands. At the same time, they are baptized on the icon.

What to do with the icon that was in the hands of the deceased during the funeral service?

After the funeral service for the deceased, the icon can be taken home or left in the church.

What can be done for the deceased if he was buried without a funeral service?

If he was baptized in the Orthodox Church, then you need to come to the temple and order funeral service in absentia, and also order magpies, memorial services and pray for him at home.

How to help the deceased?

It is possible to alleviate the fate of the deceased if you create for him frequent prayers and give alms. It is good to work for the Church in memory of the deceased, for example, in a monastery.

Why is the remembrance of the dead performed?

Prayer for those who have passed from temporary life to eternal life is ancient tradition Church, sanctified by centuries. Leaving the body, a person leaves the visible world, but he does not leave the Church, but remains its member, and it is the duty of those remaining on earth to pray for him. The Church believes that prayer eases a person’s posthumous fate. While a person is alive, he is able to repent of sins and do good. But after death this possibility disappears, only hope remains in the prayers of the living. After the death of the body and private judgment, the soul is on the threshold of eternal bliss or eternal torment. It depends on how the short earthly life was lived. But much depends on prayer for the deceased. The lives of the holy saints of God contain many examples of how, through the prayer of the righteous, the posthumous fate of sinners was eased - right up to their complete justification.

Is it possible to cremate the deceased?

Cremation is a custom alien to Orthodoxy, borrowed from Eastern cults and spread as the norm in a secular (non-religious) society during the Soviet period. Therefore, the relatives of the deceased, if possible to avoid cremation, should prefer burying the deceased in the ground. There is no prohibition in the sacred books to burn the bodies of the dead, but there are positive indications from Christian doctrine of another way of burying bodies - this is burying them in the earth (see: Gen. 3:19; John 5:28; Matt. 27:59-60). This method of burial, accepted by the Church from the very beginning of its existence and sanctified by it with a special rite, stands in connection with the entire Christian worldview and with its very essence - the belief in the resurrection of the dead. According to the strength of this faith, burial in the ground is an image of the temporary euthanization of the deceased, for whom the grave in the bowels of the earth is a natural bed of repose and who is therefore called by the Church the deceased (and in worldly terms, the deceased) until the resurrection. And if the burial of the bodies of the dead instills and strengthens the Christian faith in the resurrection, then the burning of the dead is easily related to the anti-Christian doctrine of non-existence.

The Gospel describes the burial order of the Lord Jesus Christ, which consisted of washing His Most Pure Body, dressing in special funeral clothes and placing in the grave (Matthew 27:59-60; Mark 15:46; 16:1; Luke 23:53 ; 24:1; John 19:39-42). The same actions are supposed to be performed on deceased Christians in the present time.

Cremation may be permissible in exceptional cases when there is no way to bury the body of the deceased.

Is it true that on the 40th day, the commemoration of the deceased must be ordered in three churches at once, or in one, but three services in succession?

Immediately after death, it is customary to order a magpie from the Church. This is a daily intensified commemoration of the newly deceased during the first forty days - until the private trial, which determines the fate of the soul beyond the grave. After forty days, it is good to order an annual commemoration and then renew it every year. You can also order longer-term commemorations in monasteries. There is a pious custom - to order commemoration in several monasteries and churches (their number does not matter). The more prayer books there are for the deceased, the better.

What is eve?

Kanun (or eve) is a special square or rectangular table on which there is a Cross with a Crucifix and holes for candles. Before the eve there are funeral services. Here you can light candles and put food to commemorate the dead.

Why do you need to bring food to the temple?

Believers bring various foods to the temple so that the ministers of the Church will remember the departed at a meal. These offerings serve as donations, alms for those who have passed away. In former times, in the courtyard of the house where the deceased was, on the most significant days for the soul (3rd, 9th, 40th) funeral tables were set, at which the poor, homeless, and orphans were fed, so that there would be many people praying for the deceased. For prayer and, especially for alms, many sins are forgiven, and the afterlife is made easier. Then these memorial tables began to be placed in churches on the days of the universal remembrance of all Christians who have died since centuries with the same purpose - to remember the departed.

What foods can you put on the eve?

The products can be anything. It is prohibited to bring meat food into the temple.

Which commemoration of the dead is the most important?

Prayers at the Liturgy have special power. The Church prays for all the departed, including those in hell. One of the kneeling prayers read on the feast of Pentecost contains a petition “for those kept in hell” and for the Lord to rest them “in a brighter place.” The Church believes that through the prayers of the living, God can alleviate the afterlife fate of the dead, saving them from torment and worthy of salvation with the saints.

Therefore, it is necessary, in the coming days after the death, to order a magpie in the church, that is, a commemoration at forty Liturgies: the Bloodless Sacrifice is offered forty times for the deceased, a particle is taken from the prosphora and immersed in the Blood of Christ with a prayer for the forgiveness of the sins of the newly deceased. This is a feat of love from the entirety of the Orthodox Church in the person of the priest who celebrates the Liturgy for the sake of the people commemorated at the proskomedia. This is the most necessary thing that can be done for the soul of the deceased.

What is Parents' Saturday?

On certain Saturdays of the year, the Church commemorates all previously deceased Christians. The memorial services that take place on such days are called ecumenical, and the days themselves are called Ecumenical Parental Saturdays. In the morning at parents' Saturdays During the Liturgy, all previously deceased Christians are remembered. On the eve of parental Saturday, on Friday evening, parastas is served (translated from Greek as “presence”, “intercession”, “intercession”) - the continuation of the great requiem for all deceased Orthodox Christians.

When are Parents' Saturdays?

Almost all parental Saturdays do not have a fixed date, but are associated with the moving day of Easter celebration. Meat Saturday occurs eight days before the start of Lent. Parents' Saturdays occur on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of Lent. Trinity Parental Saturday - on the eve of the Holy Trinity, on the ninth day after the Ascension. On the Saturday preceding the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica (November 8, new style) there is Dimitrievskaya Parental Saturday.

Is it possible to pray for repose after parental Saturday?

Yes, you can and should pray for the repose of the deceased even after parental Saturdays. This is the duty of the living to the dead and an expression of love for them. The deceased themselves can no longer help themselves, they cannot bear the fruits of repentance or give alms. This is evidenced by the Gospel parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). Death is not a departure into oblivion, but the continuation of the existence of the soul in eternity, with all its characteristics, weaknesses and passions. Therefore, the deceased (except for the saints glorified by the Church) need prayerful commemoration.

Saturdays (except for Great Saturday, Saturday on Bright Week and Saturdays coinciding with the twelve, great and temple holidays), in church calendar By tradition, they are considered days of special remembrance of the dead. But you can pray for the departed and submit notes in the church on any day of the year, even when, according to the charter of the Church, no memorial services are served; in this case, the names of the deceased are remembered at the altar.

What other days of remembrance of the dead are there?

Radonitsa - nine days after Easter, on Tuesday after Bright Week. On Radonitsa they share the joy of the Resurrection of the Lord with the deceased, expressing hope for their resurrection. The Savior Himself descended into hell to preach victory over death and brought from there the souls of the Old Testament righteous. Because of this great spiritual joy, the day of this commemoration is called “Rainbow”, or “Radonitsa”.

Special commemoration of all those who died during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. established by the Church on May 9. Warriors killed on the battlefield are also remembered on the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist on September 11, according to the new style.

Is it necessary to go to the cemetery on the anniversary of the death of a close relative?

The main days of remembrance of the deceased are the anniversaries of death and namesake. On the anniversary of the death of the deceased, relatives close to him pray for him, thereby expressing the belief that the day of a person’s death is not a day of destruction, but of a new birth for eternal life; the day of the transition of the immortal human soul to other conditions of life, where there is no longer any place for earthly illnesses, sorrows and sighs.

On this day it is good to visit the cemetery, but first you should come to the church at the beginning of the service, submit a note with the name of the deceased for commemoration at the altar (better if it is commemorated at a proskomedia), at a memorial service and, if possible, pray during the service.

Is it necessary to go to the cemetery on Easter, Trinity, and Holy Spirit Day?

Sunday and holidays should be spent in prayer in the temple of God, and for visiting the cemetery there are special days commemoration of the deceased - parental Saturdays, Radonitsa, as well as anniversaries of death and namesake days of the deceased.

What to do when visiting a cemetery?

Arriving at the cemetery, you need to clean up the grave. You can light a candle. If possible, invite a priest to perform the litia. If this is not possible, then you can read the short rite of the lithium yourself, having first purchased the corresponding brochure in a church or Orthodox store. If you wish, you can read an akathist about the repose of the departed. Just be silent, remember the deceased.

Is it possible to have a “wake” in a cemetery?

Apart from the kutia consecrated in the temple, you should not eat or drink anything in the cemetery. It is especially unacceptable to pour vodka into a grave mound - this insults the memory of the deceased. The custom of leaving a glass of vodka and a piece of bread at the grave “for the deceased” is a relic of paganism and should not be observed by the Orthodox. There is no need to leave food on the grave - it is better to give it to the beggar or the hungry.

What should you eat at a “wake”?

According to tradition, after the burial, a funeral table is assembled. The funeral meal is a continuation of the service and prayer for the deceased. The funeral meal begins with eating the kutia brought from the temple. Kutia or kolivo is boiled grains of wheat or rice with honey. Also traditionally they eat pancakes and sweet jelly. On a fast day, food should be lean. The funeral meal should be distinguished from a noisy feast by reverent silence and kind words about the deceased.

Unfortunately, the bad custom of remembering the deceased with vodka and a hearty snack has taken root. The same thing is repeated on the ninth and fortieth days. This is wrong, since the newly departed soul these days craves special fervent prayer for her to God and certainly not drinking wine.

Is it possible to place a photograph of the deceased on a grave cross?

A cemetery is a special place where the bodies of those who have passed on to another life are buried. Visible evidence of this is the tombstone cross, which is erected as a sign of the redemptive victory of the Lord Jesus Christ over death. Just as the Savior of the world was resurrected, having accepted death for people on the cross, so all the dead will be resurrected physically. People come to the cemetery to pray for them in this place of rest for the dead. A photograph on a grave cross often encourages reminiscence rather than prayer.

With the adoption of Christianity in Rus', the deceased were placed either in stone sarcophagi, with a cross depicted on the lid, or in the ground. A cross was placed on the grave. After 1917, when the destruction of Orthodox traditions became systematic, columns with photographs began to be placed on graves instead of crosses. Sometimes monuments were erected and a portrait of the deceased was attached to them. After the war, monuments with a star and a photograph began to predominate as a headstone. In the last decade and a half, crosses have increasingly begun to appear in cemeteries. The practice of placing photographs on crosses has been preserved from past Soviet decades.

Is it possible to take a dog with you when visiting a cemetery?

Of course, you shouldn’t take your dog to the cemetery for walking. But if necessary, for example, a guide dog for a blind person or for the purpose of protection when visiting a remote cemetery, you can take it with you. The dog should not be allowed to run over the graves.

If a person died on Bright Week (from the day of Holy Easter to Saturday of Bright Week inclusive), then the Easter Canon is read. Instead of the Psalter, on Bright Week the Acts of the Holy Apostles are read.

Is it necessary to serve a memorial service for a baby?

Dead babies are buried and memorial services are served for them, but in prayers they do not ask for forgiveness of sins, since babies do not consciously commit sins, but they ask the Lord to vouchsafe them the Kingdom of Heaven.

Is it possible to perform a funeral service in absentia for someone who died during the war if the place of his burial is unknown?

If the deceased was baptized, then the funeral service can be performed in absentia, and the soil received after the funeral in absentia can be sprinkled in a cross pattern on any grave in an Orthodox cemetery.

The tradition of performing a funeral service in absentia appeared in the 20th century in Russia due to the large number of those killed in the war, and since it was often impossible to perform a funeral service over the body of the deceased due to the lack of churches and priests, due to the persecution of the Church and persecution of believers. There are also cases of tragic death when it is impossible to find the body of the deceased. In such cases, a funeral service in absentia is permissible.

Is it possible to order a memorial service for an unburied deceased?

Funeral services can be ordered if the deceased was a baptized Orthodox person and not one of the suicide victims. The Church does not commemorate the unbaptized and suicides.

If it becomes known that the buried person was not buried according to the Orthodox rite, then he must be buried in absentia. During the funeral service, in contrast to the requiem service, the priest reads a special prayer for the forgiveness of the sins of the deceased.

It is important not only to “order” a memorial service and funeral service, but for the relatives and friends of the deceased to take part in them prayerfully.

Is it possible to perform a funeral service for a suicide and pray for his repose at home and in church?

In exceptional cases, after consideration of all the circumstances of suicide by the ruling bishop of the diocese, an absentee funeral service may be blessed. To do this, relevant documents and a written petition are submitted to the ruling bishop, where, with special responsibility for one’s words, all known circumstances and reasons for suicide are indicated. All cases are considered individually. When the bishop allows the funeral service in absentia, the temple prayer for repose becomes possible.

In all cases, for the prayerful consolation of the relatives and friends of a person who has committed suicide, a special prayer rite has been developed, which can be performed whenever the relatives of a person who has committed suicide turn to the priest for consolation in the grief that has befallen them.

In addition to performing this rite, relatives and friends can, with the blessing of the priest, read at home the prayer of the Venerable Elder Leo of Optina: “Seek, O Lord, the lost soul of Thy servant (name): if it is possible, have mercy. Your destinies are unsearchable. Do not make this my prayer a sin, but Thy holy will be done” and give alms.

Is it true that suicides are commemorated on Radonitsa? What to do if, believing this, they regularly submitted notes to the temple commemorating suicides?

No, that's not true. If a person, out of ignorance, submitted notes to commemorate suicides (the funeral service of which was not blessed by the ruling bishop), then he must repent of this in confession and not do this again. All doubtful questions should be resolved with the priest, and not believe rumors.

Is it possible to order a memorial service for the deceased if he is Catholic?

Private, cell (home) prayer for a heterodox deceased is not prohibited - you can remember him at home, read psalms at the grave. In churches, funeral services are not performed or commemorated for those who never belonged to the Orthodox Church: non-Christians and all those who died unbaptized. The funeral service and requiem service were compiled taking into account the fact that the deceased and the funeral service were a faithful member of the Orthodox Church.

Is it possible to submit notes in church about the remembrance of the deceased who have not been baptized?

Liturgical prayer is prayer for the children of the Church. In the Orthodox Church, it is not customary to remember unbaptized Christians, as well as non-Orthodox Christians, at proskomedia (the preparatory part of the Liturgy). This, however, does not mean that you cannot pray for them at all. Cell (home) prayer for such deceased is possible. Christians believe that prayer can provide great help to the dead. True Orthodoxy breathes the spirit of love, mercy and condescension towards all people, including those outside the Orthodox Church.

The Church cannot remember the unbaptized for the reason that they lived and died outside the Church - they were not its members, were not reborn to a new, spiritual life in the Sacrament of Baptism, did not confess the Lord Jesus Christ and cannot be involved in the benefits that He promised to those who love Him.

For the relief of the fate of the souls of the dead who were not worthy of Holy Baptism, and of infants who died in the womb or during childbirth, Orthodox Christians pray at home and read the canon to the holy martyr Uar, who has the grace from God to intercede for the dead who were not worthy of Holy Baptism. From the life of the holy martyr Uar, it is known that through his intercession he delivered from eternal torment the relatives of the pious Cleopatra, who revered him, who were pagans.

They say that those who die on Bright Week receive the Kingdom of Heaven. Is it so?

The posthumous fate of the dead is known only to the Lord. “Just as you do not know the way of the wind and how the bones are formed in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you cannot know the work of God, who does all things” (Eccl. 11:5). Anyone who lived piously, did good deeds, wore a cross, repented, confessed and received communion - by the grace of God, he can be granted a blessed life in eternity, regardless of the time of death. And if a person spent his entire life in sins, did not confess or receive communion, but died on Bright Week, can it be said that he inherited the Kingdom of Heaven?

If a person died in whole week before Peter's Fast, does this mean anything?

Doesn't mean anything. The Lord ends the earthly life of each person in due time, providentially caring for each soul.

“Do not hasten death by the errors of your life, and do not attract destruction to yourself by the works of your hands” (Wis. 1:12). “Do not indulge in sin, and do not be foolish: why should you die at the wrong time?” (Eccl. 7:17).

Is it possible to get married in the year of your mother's death?

There is no special rule in this regard. Let your religious and moral feeling itself tell you what to do. For all significant life issues you need to consult a priest.

Why is it necessary to receive communion on the days of remembrance of relatives: on the ninth, fortieth days after death?

There is no such rule. But it will be good if the relatives of the deceased get ready and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, having repented, including of sins related to the deceased, forgive him all insults and ask for forgiveness themselves.

Is it necessary to cover the mirror if one of your relatives dies?

Hanging mirrors in the house is a superstition, and has nothing to do with church traditions of burying the dead. Is it necessary to cover a mirror if one of your relatives has died?

The custom of hanging mirrors in a house where a death has occurred partly stems from the belief that whoever sees his own reflection in the mirror of this house will also soon die. There are many “mirror” superstitions, some of them are associated with fortune telling on mirrors. And where there is magic and witchcraft, fear and superstition inevitably appear. Whether a mirror is hung or not has no effect on life expectancy, which depends entirely on the Lord.

There is a belief that before the fortieth day nothing of the deceased’s belongings should be given away. Is this true?

You need to plead for the defendant before the trial, not after it. Therefore, it is necessary to intercede for the soul of the deceased immediately after his death until the fortieth day and after it: pray and perform acts of mercy, distribute the things of the deceased, donate to the monastery, to the church. Before the Last Judgment, you can change the afterlife fate of the deceased through intense prayer for him and alms.

“Nowhere in the world, except Russia, has the funeral custom and rite been developed to such deep, one might say, virtuosity, to which it reaches here,” wrote K.P. Pobedonostsev. “And there is no doubt that this attitude of his reflected our folk character, with a special worldview inherent in our nature” Our conversation with the serving priest of the temple in the name of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica in Sulazhgora O. Konstantin Savander.

“Since ancient times, special Saturdays have been appointed,” says Fr. Constantine - when all Christians purely prayed for their dead loved ones. Such days began to be called parenting days.

— Why does the Church pray with such care for the departed?

— The Church prays for the repose and forgiveness of the sins of the deceased, hoping for God’s mercy. Although man was a sinner and received God’s reward after death, when the final judgment of humanity takes place, prayers for him will be remembered by God, and he may be pardoned. After death, a person’s soul can no longer change anything; all its hopes are for those remaining on earth. There is a pious legend that on parental Saturdays the souls of even the most inveterate sinners receive consolation and joy.

— What should you do on Parents' Saturday?

— The day before and on Parents’ Saturday itself, you need to come to the Divine Service. Before it begins, submit a note with the names of the deceased, place candles on the funeral table, but most importantly, pray for your loved ones, listening to the words of church hymns. The most short prayer: “O Lord, rest the soul of your deceased servant (name), and forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.” With this prayer you can light candles and say goodbye to the deceased.

Wanting to somehow help the soul of the deceased, a person who believes not only in parental Saturday, but must always do works of mercy, give alms to poor people for the deceased, light candles, and give notes. People who do not have special means donate food, which is placed on a table located in front of (or behind) the funeral table. You cannot donate vodka or cognac...

In the morning, having attended the service, ordered a memorial service and prayed for the deceased at it, an Orthodox Christian goes to the cemetery to pray for his relatives, remember something good about them, and put things in order at the grave.

— When visiting a cemetery, we involuntarily think about our own death...

— A person must always be prepared for death. We won’t necessarily live a long life; no one knows their lifespan. Many are frightened by thoughts about death... In order not to be afraid, one must not sin, because often a person is afraid to bear responsibility for his evil deeds. We can correct ourselves, repent and change our lives, and then we will not be punished for our sins. We need to confess more often, live a very attentive spiritual life, we need to go to church, because without God’s help it is impossible to be saved. When the hour of death approaches, it is advisable to take unction, confess and receive communion. If a person is seriously ill, a priest is invited to his home.

— What should relatives do after the death of a loved one?

- Immediately after death you should start reading Psalter, this book is sold in churches and icon shops. Then you need to go to the temple and order funeral litia, agree on funeral service which is best done on the third day. It is advisable for the person to be buried in a church, but this can also be done in a funeral hall. Funeral service is performed on the deceased once, but funeral services can be ordered frequently. After the funeral service, the deceased is taken to the cemetery and buried. If the priest has the opportunity, he will perform lithium at the grave. There, after the last farewell to the deceased, the priest concludes rite of burial- three times with the prayer: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us,” pours consecrated sand in the form of an Orthodox six-pointed cross over the funeral veil. When there is no priest, any loved one can do this. Usually after the funeral there are wake, or funeral dinner - almost Lenten meal, preferably without alcohol, when loved ones remember the deceased kindly.

-Who can’t have a funeral service?

— We must realize that the funeral service is performed for a member of the Church, therefore it is useless to perform the funeral service for an unbaptized person. It happens that the relatives of the deceased do not know whether the deceased was baptized or in honor of which saint he was baptized (when a person has a secular, non-church name, for example, Edward). Then, before you go to order a funeral service, you need to try to find out whether the deceased had God-parents when he was born (if before the war, then he was probably baptized), was there a church in the village where he was born when this temple was closed. In general, such a fact (if it turns out with great certainty that the deceased was baptized after all) is very regrettable - it means that the deceased was a non-church, person of little faith. Relatives must pray hard for the Lord to have mercy on his soul. Funeral services and memorial services are not held for suicides.

— Why are the 3rd, 9th and 40th days especially highlighted?

— The soul of man before 3 days is close to his family, with 3 By Day 9 they show her afterworld, and with 9 days- a particularly difficult period for the soul of the deceased; it goes through ordeals, where it learns all its sins. Finally, on the 40th day, the ordeal ends and the soul is again ascended by the Angels to worship God, who determines its appropriate place in anticipation of the Last Judgment according to its earthly affairs, spiritual state and by the grace of the prayers of the Church and loved ones. During this period (from 9 By 40 day) relatives should pray especially. Again, the Psalter is read, in churches the person’s name is remembered in customized notes. It is highly advisable to serve a memorial service on the 3rd, 9th and 40th days.

— How can you decorate a grave?

- Whatever you want, you just need to try to have a cross on the grave, a symbol of victory over death.

— There are many superstitions associated with funerals and behavior in the cemetery...

- Yes, and many of them seem stupid and funny to me. For example, people throw money into a grave to ransom the deceased. Or they put money, food and various expensive things in the coffin or leave it at the grave. Isn't it better to give them to a poor believer who will pray to God for the repose of the deceased? There is no need to pour vodka on the grave or pour it into a pre-set glass, guided by such an “iron” argument that “the deceased loved vodka.” By doing this, you are making the deceased very painful, because he may suffer after death for the sin of drinking wine. Finally, it is pointless to knock on a monument or on a specially placed plaque on the grave in order to inform the deceased that you have come; he will not hear you, his soul is far away. The deceased can be given to know about you only through your fervent prayer to God.

— What to do if the deceased is dreaming?

- So he asks for prayers. But if the deceased, like a ghost, walks around the apartment and scares the residents, then this devilry under the guise of the dead he does his own thing dirty business. Such dwellings must be illuminated in a special way.

— What can you say to console the loved ones of the deceased?

- Of course, the loss of a dear person is the greatest grief, but you cannot reach despair. Separation is not eternal, future life we will meet. The time that we have left on earth must be used so that our meeting with loved ones, and most importantly, with God, is bright, and immortal life- joyful.

Interviewed by Irina Tatarina

About funeral rites based on materials from the Orthodox press

Ecumenical Parents' Saturdays have been established since the first centuries of Christianity. And this was not done by chance: the Holy Church cares not only about those living on this earth, but also about all Orthodox Christians who have passed away from time immemorial.

- Why is it necessary to perform funeral services for the dead?

— According to the traditions of the holy fathers and according to the spiritual practice of the Holy Church, the soul of the deceased without a funeral service has no peace. Therefore, performing the funeral service is very important for her. The entire Church, in the person of priests and worshipers, asks the Lord, by His great mercy, to forgive all the sins of the deceased and give him a resting place in the abodes of heaven. In the prayer of permission, the priest not only asks for forgiveness of the soul of the deceased, but also prays to the Lord to remove any curse weighing on the soul of the person being interred.

— Why do the Orthodox have such a solemn rite of burial of the dead?

- Because the body is a vessel of the Holy Spirit and loved ones see off not just the corruptible remains, but the relics. It is assumed that any Christian strived to live holy, but, like every person in this life, he sinned. This is what the Church prays for, so that the Lord will forgive the sins of the deceased.

— Why, after the death of a person, is it necessary to celebrate the magpie in church for his repose?

— St. Basil the Great writes that the human soul remains with the body until the third day, and therefore they bury it on the third day after repose. When a coffin with a body is sealed in a church, the soul at that moment leaves the person. After the ninth day she goes through ordeals, or in other words - 20 trials. The soul will be able to go through the ordeal if the person led a righteous and pious lifestyle. Otherwise she will be condemned. Therefore in church it is read magpie of repose, thereby we accompany the soul of a person with prayerful intercession before God.

IN old times Christians read for 40 days after the death of their neighbor Psalter for the dead and every day they took prosphora for the deceased in their church during the liturgy. In this way they provided his soul with great help. It is appropriate to note here that there is no higher prayer on earth than the prayer of a priest during the Sacrament of Proskomedia, when he pronounces the name of an Orthodox Christian and takes a particle from the prosphora. Therefore, you need to immediately order a magpie for the repose of your neighbor in the church and submit the name of the deceased for commemoration at Proskomedia. The more churches and monasteries the soul of the deceased is commemorated, the greater the benefit for it, as well as for the soul of the one who submits for commemoration.

- If the deceased never confessed during his lifetime, did not receive communion, did not fast, will it benefit him if a priest is brought to him after death?

“Deeds without faith are dead.” But the priests perform such a ritual over everyone, since they leave everything to the Judgment and providence of God, to what God wants to do with the soul of a sinner... It happens that we saw only the bad deeds of a person during his life, but did not see when he repented of their actions. And God saw and knows all this, therefore God will deal with this human soul according to His Will.

One day, people from leading party circles approached an archimandrite who served in the Tula region with a request to give communion to his grandfather. This was in the early 60s - during the time of the most severe persecution of the Church, when for secret baptism, communion at home, and even for minor repairs to the temple, people were imprisoned or committed to a mental hospital. Therefore, it is quite possible that this could have been a provocation. But the young people convincingly insisted on going with them, saying that their grandfather was dying and could not die. He was repeatedly placed dead in a coffin and each time, to the horror of those around him, he rose from the coffin, demanding to bring a priest for communion and explaining that as soon as he dies, all those killed and tortured by him come to him, led by three priests whom he shot , and they say to him: “Come back, confess and partake of the Body and Blood of Christ, for we have begged your soul from God.”

The old man’s relatives called the local priest, but he, having heard what sins this man was guilty of, refused to read the prayer of permission and said: “I cannot give permission from such sins. Look for a monk...”

After a long conversation, the elder agreed to go to the dying man. Before confession, as required by the rules, the archimandrite asked everyone standing in the room to leave, but the dying man, pointing to young man, who arrived with the elder, said: “Let him stay and hear everything, he needs it...”. “I have never heard a more terrible confession and at the same time more complete,” writes Archimandrite George, “I have never heard in my life.”

After the ardent atheist repented, the elder read a prayer of permission and administered communion to the dying man. Before this one dies an old man, having learned the truth under pain of damnation, bequeathed to his relatives to perform a funeral service for him in the temple and bury him under a wooden cross, and not to erect any monument. That's what they did - they held his funeral service in the church.

- Who should not have a funeral service? Orthodox churches?

— According to the Charter of the Church, it is impossible to commit Orthodox rituals burial and church commemoration of unbaptized people, baptized people, but renounced the faith (heretics), who during their lifetime treated the Church with ridicule, hostility, or, considered Orthodox, became carried away eastern religions. Previously, such people were excommunicated from the Church (anathema was proclaimed) - now this is done very rarely, but these people excommunicated themselves from the Church. The Church prays only for those who recognize the Orthodox Church as the true Church.

There is no church funeral service for suicides. Our Church denies this even to people who have made an attempt on the life or property of their neighbors and died from wounds and injuries received as a result of the rebuff. In this case, only soldiers who died on the battlefield are buried. They were sent to defend their Fatherland and they died martyrdom having fulfilled his military duty.

— What is an absentee funeral service? In what cases is it applicable?

— Because of the abundance of chants, the Orthodox rite of transporting souls to another world and bodies to the earth is called funeral service. When it is not performed on the body of the deceased, it is called in absentia. Due to the impoverishment of piety, this type of funeral service is now the most common. But strictly speaking, it is permissible only in cases where the body of the deceased is not available for burial (fires, floods, wars, terrorist attacks). But, as a certain psalm says: “ What you deserved, you got. What is the use of a funeral service when I have not lived for an hour in love and repentance?...»

— What should the relatives and friends of a missing person do if it is not known whether he is alive or not?

— If a person disappeared not so long ago, you need to order prayers to St. Martyr John the Warrior and Archangel Gabriel. They help find missing people, as well as missing things and other property.

— People often erect monuments and lay flowers on roads in places of fatal accidents. Is it correct?

- No, that's not right. On the contrary, this place must be sanctified by inviting a priest. After all, this place was desecrated by murder, the death of a person, that is, demons were present at this place, as a result of which the tragedy occurred.

— People often go to the cemetery on Easter Day. Is it worth following this folk custom?

- Christ rose (that is, came to life) from the dead, trampling death (disgracing, defeating), and giving life to those who were in the tombs (the dead). The time of Easter is a time of life, of resurrection, so on such days none of the Orthodox even think about cemeteries. There are no requiem services in the church throughout Easter week, and funeral services for those who died on these bright days are performed according to a special rite - Easter. Because everyone rejoices in the risen Savior of the world! But when will it end bright week and Radonitsa comes (as people say - Easter for the departed), then only we will go to the cemetery - to congratulate our deceased relatives with prayer.

— Is it possible to lay wreaths on the grave?

— Wreaths made of artificial flowers, such as paper, cannot be laid. It is better to put one live flower on the grave than many artificial ones. After all, a living flower is a symbol of the general Resurrection, and a paper flower is deadness, a symbol of the fact that the dead will never rise again. Paper wreaths were started by atheists.

Prayer for the deceased - sacred duty of every Christian. A great reward and great consolation awaits the one who, with his prayers, helps a deceased neighbor receive forgiveness of sins. For the All-Good Lord counts this act as righteousness and therefore, first of all, bestows mercy on those who show mercy, and then on the souls towards whom this mercy was shown. Those who remember the departed will be remembered by the Lord, and people will also remember them after they depart from the world.

Based on materials from Orthodox newspapers.

During the days of Great Lent, a time of repentance and prayer, several Saturdays are dedicated to the remembrance of the departed. We must remember our deceased loved ones not only on these days, but constantly. The priest of Alexander Nevsky answers our readers' questions cathedral O. Roman Chadayev.

— What is more important on the day of remembrance of loved ones: visiting a cemetery or celebrating mass in a church?

On the day of remembrance of the deceased, first of all, you need to submit a note at the church for a proskomedia and order a memorial service. If possible, visit the cemetery. Can be arranged funeral meal. It is also customary to do good deeds and give alms on the day of remembrance of the deceased.

—Who can you give alms to and how to do it?

Alms can be given to those who need it. To feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to visit the sick. This should be done not in public, but “in secret”, so that “ left hand didn’t know what the right one was doing.”

— How often and on what days should you visit graves and what is advisable to do there?

It is advisable to visit cemeteries on the day of death of the deceased, as well as on birthdays, name days (Angel Day), parental Saturdays and Radonitsa. It is necessary to remember the deceased with prayer, to restore order at the grave. There you can ask the priest to serve a memorial service. .

— Why do people stand with candles in their hands at funeral services?

During the funeral service, four candles are placed on the four sides of the coffin, representing a cross. During burial, as well as at memorial services, those present hold candles, thereby symbolizing the Divine light with which a Christian is enlightened in baptism, which serves as a prototype of the future light.

— Do graves need to be decorated?

The best decoration for a Christian grave is a tombstone cross. The custom of placing crosses on the graves of the dead dates back to ancient times. It first appeared around the 3rd century in the East, in Palestine, and came to us along with the faith from Greece.
The grave fence, the tombstone cross, and the place itself in the fence must be kept in good order and clean. This care is a natural manifestation in Christians of a sense of respect for the ashes of their ancestors and, in general, their neighbors who died in the faith.

Recorded by Irina Tatarina

After a person’s soul leaves the body, a crucial period begins to determine its posthumous fate. The joy of the Orthodox faith is that a deceased person is not doomed at all and can still be helped. For this there are special funeral prayers for a deceased person. And one of the most common is the magpie for the repose.

What is magpie for the repose

Sorokoust is a special type of church cathedral prayer, when during the Divine Liturgy the priest at the altar removes particles from the consecrated prosphora for each name submitted for commemoration. In addition to praying for health, you can submit petitions for your deceased relatives or any other people whose afterlife you are not indifferent to. This commemoration lasts 40 days.

About funeral prayers:

The small pieces of prosphora taken out by the priest are consecrated and go into the Chalice for the parishioners to receive communion. For each name submitted in the note, a prayer is read asking for the forgiveness of the sins of that person. Since prayer is performed in the holy of holies of the temple - the altar - such an appeal to the Lord has great spiritual power and can greatly alleviate a person’s fate after death.

Important. After death, a person’s soul goes through a period of testing, after which a private trial is carried out on the soul to determine its future fate.

That is why it is extremely important that after the death of a person there are people who will pray for the salvation of the soul of the deceased. The symbolic date in Christianity - 40 days - means that it is during this period of time that the soul undergoes trials (ordeals). And the sincere prayer of a believer can greatly help.

Prayer for peace

From the name itself it becomes clear that magpie lasts forty days. It is during this time that the priest remembers by name everyone whose names were submitted in a special note. The importance of such a prayer for the deceased is difficult to overestimate, because he is no longer able to pray on his own. It is good if before death a person managed to repent, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and went to the Lord quietly and peacefully. In this case, it will be easier to pray for him.

But if a person died suddenly, without proper preparation, he might not have had time to turn to the Lord before his death. In this case, the personal prayer of loved ones, as well as conciliar church petitions, such as the magpie for the repose, helps a lot.

The spiritual meaning of the magpie for the repose

For a non-believer, it may seem completely pointless to care in any way for loved ones who have already died. It would seem, what can be done for a person if he is no longer among the living?

Christianity teaches us that only the corruptible human body dies. But the immortal soul does not disappear anywhere, it goes to another spiritual world. And the fate of his immortal soul will depend on how a person lived his earthly life. That is why the Orthodox Church calls everyone to repentance while there is still time for this in our lives.

Reading Sorokoust

But the Lord loves each of us so much that he leaves the possibility of salvation even after death. And the relatives and friends of the deceased can help in this through their prayer. From Tradition and the revelations of saints, we can learn that prayer even for the last sinners alleviated the suffering of their unrepentant souls. Therefore, if we can do anything for a person after his death, it is to sincerely and with all our hearts pray for him and ask the Lord for a better fate. And it is the magpie for the repose that provides enormous assistance in this endeavor.

However, not only for the dead there is spiritual benefit in such church demands. Living friends and relatives also receive great comfort and strength from participating in church life. Any believer will say that the grief and pain of losing a loved one is endured much easier with God, in his holy temple. Many people managed to gain faith this way - they once came to the temple to order a demand for the deceased.

How to order sorokoust correctly

You can order a magpie for the repose of the dead in almost any church.. To do this, you need to fill out a special form at the candle kiosk, where you enter by name the names of those deceased people whose commemoration should be performed.

Important. You can only submit the names of those people who were baptized during their lifetime. Orthodox Church.

This rule is due to the fact that during the service, during which all the dead are remembered, a bloodless sacrifice is made on the altar, symbolizing the sacrifice of Christ for all humanity. But the Almighty Lord cannot save a person if he himself does not strive for this. If a person deliberately avoids church, does not go to divine services, and, moreover, rejects the Sacrament of Baptism, he deprives himself of salvation, despite the Lord’s readiness to grant forgiveness to any sinner at any moment.

Sorokoust for the repose

You can order a magpie for the repose of a person at any time after the death of a person. You should not get attached to the first 40 days; you can and should pray as much as possible for the deceased even after this period. The first 40 days are a period of the soul going through ordeals, so during this period prayer is especially important. But even later you should not forget about the deceased.

Read about the afterlife:

Interesting. There is an opinion that, for greater efficiency, you need to order a magpie for the repose of three, seven or some other number of churches.

This conviction is based on the experience of the conciliar church prayer. In the Gospel, the Lord God tells us that “where two or three are gathered in My Name, there I am in the midst of them.” Indeed, spiritual significance common prayer great.

But we should not forget that in Orthodoxy the essence always stands above the form. And if you set the task only to travel required quantity temples and submit a certain number of notes - there will be little benefit from such doing. First of all, you need to think about the spiritual component.

How else can we help the dead?

Having ordered a magpie for the repose, many wonder what else they can do to make it easier for the soul of a loved one to undergo post-mortem tests. In Orthodox practice, in addition to the requirements, there is a good tradition of giving alms for the deceased.

Surely everyone has seen poor people begging for alms near the temples. Nowadays, unfortunately, many speculate on such matters, turning them into whole business. However, you can always find someone who really needs help. These could be lonely old people, orphans, or simply poor families.

Prayer for peace

When helping such people, you need to ask them to pray or simply say a kind word to remember a deceased loved one. Thus, alms appear as if in his name. It is for this purpose that Orthodox churches have special tables for offerings. It is customary to bring and store food there after funeral requests have been ordered. After the service, all offerings are blessed by the priest and distributed to those who need them.

In addition to giving alms, the relatives of the deceased should also think about their own spiritual life. Correcting yourself, your life, repenting of your own sins has a positive effect on the entire family as a whole. Deceased loved ones will also experience spiritual joy for each of our repented sins and for each new acquired virtue.

Watch the video about Sorokoust