Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased is the most important part of any funeral and commemoration. As, in particular, in our Orthodox faith, so in the Christian religion in general. Why is this part of the funeral ritual given so much attention?
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Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased - where did this tradition come from and why is it needed
Prayer after the death of a person is an old part of any tradition, whether Christian or pagan. They are called differently and take completely different forms, but the fact remains. After the death of a person on the way to the other side, he is escorted by a certain, established chant, memorial service, or other form of religious ritual. Because in every tradition, regardless of religion, there is a practice of seeing a person off.
Prayers for peace facilitate the transition of a person from one world to another.
Why? What is the reason? The beliefs of mankind differ in many ways. But they all agreed that the human soul, burdened with sins, could hardly get into a better world. But everyone has relatives and people who love him. And the desire to facilitate such a journey for a loved one is quite natural.
That is why there are prayers for the repose of the soul. After all, they are pronounced with ardent compassion, trying to help the deceased. Higher powers, seeing such zeal on the part of relatives and friends, understand that if they love him so much, then the measure of sins can be moderated. It is unlikely that anyone will suffer for a bad person.
So the existence of such rituals is quite understandable, both logically and emotionally. Everyone wants to help their relatives, whether alive or dead. Moreover, by and large, the deceased himself no longer needs a coffin or a monument. He's already dead, he doesn't care. This is about the body. But the soul is another matter. It is for her that the mourners offer prayers. And it is worth knowing that such a prayer can help the living too. In such a way that it will help them tune in spiritually. Stand, so to speak, on one line of communication with Heaven. Think about how many sins have accumulated in each soul. And think about this topic - how many people will mourn at your own funeral?
When to read a prayer for the repose of the soul
Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased is an important part of the memorial service, when the soul most needs support during its wanderings. You can’t treat your dead relative casually, because God will feel your negligent attitude and will no longer be so lenient.
The strongest help will be if you read such a prayer in the Church. Before offering a prayer, a living relative needs to visit the temple. It is best to arrive at the very beginning of the service, or a few minutes before. Bring a church note with you, because it will need to be passed to the altar. The best moment is proskomedia. Then, in the name of the deceased, they will take a part from a special prosphora. With its help, you can get a great cleansing from sins, when a part of such a prosphora is placed in the Often of the Sacred Gifts. When the liturgy is over, the memorial service will also need to be served. If you want prayer to become much more effective, then the mourner should take communion himself.
There are certain days of the year when everyone is honored in the Church. From brothers and sisters who died with all Christian prayers and funerals, to those who were overtaken by a fierce or sudden death. Without relying at such a moment on the religious, ritual part.
List of such days:
- Saturday, which is called meat-fare. It is celebrated eight days before Lent.
- Saturdays named. They stand on the second, third and fourth weeks of Great Lent.
- Saturday Trinity. Marked before .
- . Second week after Easter, Tuesday.
- Saturday, which is considered both parental and Dimitrievskaya. It is celebrated on the eighth of November, which is the day of memory of the saint and martyr, Demetrius of Thessalonica. Initially, it took place on the eve of the Battle of Kulikovo and during it the names of Orthodox soldiers who died defending their native land were commemorated.
- Commemoration of the Orthodox, deceased soldiers, May 9 (April 26, old style).
On the commemoration of the dead: memorial service, memorial prayer, parental Saturdays
What else do you need to remember for the right commemoration? First, special dates. The deceased must be remembered on his birthday, death day and name day. Also these days it is advised to generously carry church donations, where his name will always be honored. And also - alms to the poor, with the expectation that they would remember the name of your relative when they pray.
The text of the prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased:
Remember, Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the belly of the eternally reposed Thy servant (name), and as Good and Lover of mankind, forgive sins and consume iniquities, weaken, leave and forgive all his voluntary sins and involuntary; deliver him eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal blessings, prepared for those who love You, and with Your saints, like the Generous, rest; there is no man who will live and not sin. But Thou alone art except for all sin, and Thy righteousness is righteousness forever; and You are the only God of mercies and generosity, and love of mankind, and we send glory to You, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer for 9 days after death, as well as for 3 days, 40 days and anniversary
Why is the prayer read 3 days, 9 and 40 days after death? It is believed that the soul is preparing to depart. She is still in the body, but holds on to it with just a few strings. Then, when the body is buried on the 3rd day, the last connection is broken. And from the 3rd day on the new departed soul they show paradise, so to speak. What Paradise looks like, what pleasures await the soul, how good and pleasant it is.
But when the 10th day comes, a completely different picture unfolds before the soul. They begin to show her the torments of hell, and what awaits her if she gets here. All this time she does not know what exactly awaits her, Heaven or Hell. And the deceased learns about it only on the 40th day. It is in these days, when the fate of the human soul is being decided, that it most of all needs support from living relatives. Therefore, it is customary to read prayers and perform memorial services on these dates. So, as we ourselves see, prayer for 9 days after death, for 3 days and for 40 days is very important. After all, it is on these days that the fate of the human being, or rather the fate of the immortal soul, is decided.
There are a few basic rules to follow when commemorating such significant dates. The first is the right atmosphere, at home, or together, where the event will take place. Relatives should pour water into a glass, put a slice of bread on top and light a lamp.
The second is the number of commemorators. There shouldn't be many. These are close relatives and friends, as well as colleagues with whom he maintained the closest contact. Women must tie their hair under a headscarf, without exception. And men should be without any headgear.
The third is an invitation. It is not customary to invite people to a commemoration, because this is the only way to find out who really cares about the peace of mind of the deceased. They must come themselves. But sometimes it happens that a person under the yoke of grief forgets what day it is. So he can be casually reminded without inviting directly.
Funeral Divine Liturgy and memorial service in the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - Patriarchal Compound of Sofia
The fourth is food. Everyone who is going to set the table on this day should remember that compote, kutya and porridge in general are an obligatory attribute of the funeral table. You can cook the favorite food of the deceased and put it at the head of the table.
The fifth and most important rule is that you are not here to dine. You must remember the deceased. Remember the joint, pleasant moments, some facts from his life. Let it pop up in your memory as a living thing. Like the person who was next to you. Feel its warmth.
Prayer for 9 days after death:
God of spirits and all flesh, righting death and abolishing the devil, and bestowing life on Your world! Himself, Lord, give rest to the souls of the departed Thy servants: His Holiness Patriarchs, His Grace Metropolitans, Archbishops and Bishops, who served You in the priestly, church and monastic ranks;
Any sin committed by them in word or deed or thought, as a good Humanity God, forgive, as if there is a person who will be alive and will not sin. Thou art only one except for sin, Thy righteousness is righteousness forever, and Thy word is truth. As You are the Resurrection, and the Life and Peace of Your dead servants (name of the rivers), Christ our God, and we send glory to You with Your Father without beginning, and the Most Holy, and the Good, and Your Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer for 3 days:
Rest, Lord, the soul of your deceased servant (your deceased servant, the soul of your deceased servant) (name) (bow), and if in this life you have sinned like a man (people have sinned), you, like a humane God, forgive him (yu, them) and have mercy (bow), deliver eternal torment (bow), make a communicant (participant, communicants) heavenly Kingdom (bow), and create a useful one for our souls (bow).
Prayer for 40 days:
Give rest, Lord, to the souls of your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names), and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, free and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.
Anniversary prayer after death:
God, the merciful Lord, remembering the anniversary of the death of Your servant (name) (Your servant (name), we ask You, honor him (her) place in Your Kingdom, grant blessed peace and enter into the radiance of Your glory.
Lord, graciously look at our prayers for the soul of Your servant (name) (Your servant (name), whose anniversary of death we remember; we ask You, add him (her) to the assembly of Your saints, grant forgiveness of sins and eternal rest. Through Christ, Our Lord, Amen.
Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased is an important part of any funeral and memorial ceremony. Because it helps the soul to be cleansed, both the soul of the dead and the souls of the living. Moreover, when reading such a prayer, the Lord God himself will evaluate the actions of the deceased with greater mercy.
