Orthodox Christians take funerals, as well as celebrations during life, very seriously. In this case, it is important to do everything according to the rules. Since it is during this period that the soul of the deceased needs prayer and remembrance. In Christian books it is mentioned more than once that through the prayers of the living, there will be help for the dead and vice versa. It is also believed that the soul sees both heaven and hell until the fortieth day, and only after that its fate is determined by its deeds.

IN modern world The customs have faded a bit and quite often the funeral dinner, which should take place strictly on the ninth day after the funeral, is held on the second day. This is explained by the fact that in cities people constantly do not have enough time, so all customs began to be “compressed”, which is fundamentally wrong. Just like 9 days for the deceased, so 40 and a year must be spent strictly at the established time, because it is on these days that the fate of the soul of the deceased is decided, and it most of all needs support and protection.

There are many misconceptions and myths about the wake on the ninth day that have nothing to do with the Christian faith. Often, young people ask a question to the older generation, in the hope that they probably know the rules for holding a wake, although they, in turn, may miss a lot. This is how misconceptions and “grandmother’s advice” are born, which greatly alienate the true traditions from the invented ones. If a person does not know something, or doubts the correctness of the actions being taken, it is best to ask the clergy directly, and not a neighbor. Only in this way will everyone receive the correct and edifying answer and conduct the wake according to all the rules.

Here we will describe how to properly conduct a wake for nine days, what needs to be prepared and what prayers are read for the deceased during this period

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9 days after death: the meaning of funerals at this time

The first funeral service, which is held after the burial of a person, occurs precisely on the ninth day after death. It is during this period from the day of death that the soul of the deceased, accompanied by angels, walks through paradise and sees all the blessings and joys of the holy fathers. After which, on the 9th day, the angels lift the soul to the throne of God so that it can worship and magnify the name of God. After which the soul is also sent on an introductory “excursion” to hell. But if a person was a righteous person during his lifetime and led a strictly Christian life, then his fate can be decided precisely on the ninth day after burial. Therefore, it is on this day that the relatives and friends of the deceased need to offer especially fervent prayers and think as much as possible about the soul of the deceased and his mortal paths.

Until the fortieth day, the soul of the deceased goes through all the circles of hell, where they try to win it from the angels, showing all its sins. In contrast, angels show all the good deeds of a person during life, and if there were more of them than bad, the person’s soul ascends to heaven and awaits there Last Judgment, and if there were more bad ones, then the demons take her and torture her until the Judgment.

It happens that there are almost equal numbers of good and bad deeds, and then the fate of the deceased is decided through the prayers of his loved ones on earth. If prayers are offered for the deceased for 40 days, notes for repose are given and memorial services are held, then his soul is saved, but if not, then he remains in hell.

That is why it is so important to spend exactly 9 days and 40 according to all the rules of the Christian world in order to help the soul of the deceased ascend to heaven, and not descend to the underworld.

Why do funerals take place on the 9th day?

It is believed that the rank of nine angels falls on the 9th day. It is they, together with the soul of the deceased, who ask the throne of the Lord for mercy and leniency towards the sinful soul of man. If it is possible to appease the Lord, then the soul remains in heaven without going through the ordeal in hell, which lasts until the fortieth day. If the soul was not righteous, it is sent to hell to undergo trials.

If the soul can go through all the circles of hell without obstacles, then it will again appear before the Throne, and will remain in heaven, offering prayers of thanks and praise to the Lord. It is also believed that the soul, which, through the prayers of its neighbors on earth, has gone to heaven, in turn offers prayers to God for its relatives on earth. She may also be in difficult periods life and warn family and friends about the danger.

Why are the dead remembered on the 9th day?

What rules must be followed for holding a wake on day 9?

In the Christian world there are a number of rules that were established by our forefathers and described in detail in religious literature. These rules must be strictly observed and ensured that they are carried out without changes:

• It is necessary to create an appropriate atmosphere in the place where the funeral dinner is planned. You also need to monitor this at home. As a rule, a glass of water and a slice of bread are placed in home walls. Also, a lamp is lit in front of the photograph of the deceased. But you can also light a lamp in front of an icon. In churches, relatives and friends of the deceased order a memorial prayer service, light candles in specially designated places for the repose and read a prayer for the acceptance of the soul of the deceased to the Lord God;
• 9 days is not a dinner party, so no one is specifically invited to this wake. Most often, relatives, close friends and colleagues of the deceased gather. It is worth remembering that for these particular commemorations, everyone should ask where and when they will take place;
• Women should wear scarves on their heads to cover their hair, which should not escape from under the scarf. Men, on the contrary, must free their heads from any clothing and sit at the table with their heads uncovered;
• The question is often asked: what should you bring to a funeral for 9 days? Most often these are flowers that need to be placed on the grave of the deceased. It is necessary to put red wine on the table, because this is how the deceased are remembered, as well as sweets and cookies;
• Various compotes, kutya and other porridge must be present on the table. You can also often see that those dishes that the deceased loved during his lifetime are often placed on the funeral table or placed on an empty plate. Each region may have its own customs and traditions of the funeral table for 9 days, but everyone should have the same basis;
• It is necessary to remember the deceased with red wine and most often this is three glasses. During such a period, the presence of strong alcoholic drinks on the table. Also, you should not “stay too long” at the table, so as not to turn the funeral dinner into a feast.
• If the funeral meal falls during fasting, then it is necessary to completely exclude all meat dishes, replacing them with fish and lighter snacks. At the same time, compote and kutya remain unchanged on the funeral table;
• At the funeral table you need not just to dine, but also to remember (remember) the person, telling some moments of the deceased, remembering him positive sides and on the good side, tell about him to those who may not have been so closely acquainted with the deceased. Most often, at such moments, certain truths are revealed that prompt soul-saving thoughts among those gathered.

What needs to be prepared for the funeral table within 9 days?

A standard menu for a nine-day funeral might look like this:

1. Kissel, kutya, kanun (can also be called kolovo);
2. Pancakes with different fillings, most often cottage cheese, poppy seeds and apples, sometimes liver;
3. Sandwiches with sprats and other cold fish appetizers;
4. Sweet pies (most often with poppy seed or apple filling);
5. There must be at least one hot dish, for example borscht with poultry;
6. Porridge, roast;
7. Cutlets and cabbage rolls;
8. Salads, especially vegetable ones (vinaigrette, Korean carrots, etc.);
9. Stuffed peppers;
10. Boiled potatoes with mushrooms;
11. Kvass and compote;
12. Cookies and sweets that people themselves brought to the funeral dinner are also served on the table.

It is customary to prepare those dishes that the deceased loved during his lifetime. This is also a kind of reference to the deceased. If you are fasting for 9 days, you need to replace all meat dishes with their fish counterparts, and cabbage rolls can be made vegetable by replacing meat with mushrooms.

It is very important on this day to give out alms and feed the needy, and you need to ask to remember the deceased.

What prayers should be read at the funeral for 9 days

On the day of death and before burial in the house, the entire psalter and certain prayers are usually read in front of the icon. Only the person who has received a blessing from the priest can read them. If there is no such person, you should read before the icon prayer rule and ask for God's blessing yourself.

On the ninth day, prayers are also read, which can be said both in church and within home walls near the icons. If the funeral dinner was scheduled in a cafe, as is often the case now, it is worth reading special prayers for the deceased before the funeral meal and only after that proceeding to dinner.

Litiya for the deceased for 9 days

Before the funeral meal, it is necessary to read the rite of lithium for the deceased, which is performed at home or in the cemetery, immediately in front of the grave:

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times)

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.

Lord have mercy. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Lord have mercy. (12 times)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Come, let us worship our King God. (Bow)

Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God. (Bow)

Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God. (Bow)

Psalm 90

Living in the help of the Most High, he will settle in the shelter of the Heavenly God. Says the Lord: Thou art my intercessor, and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. For He will deliver you from the snare of the trap and from rebellious words, His blanket will overshadow you, and under His wing you hope: His truth will surround you with weapons. Do not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies during the day, from the thing that passes in darkness, from the cloak and demon of the midday. Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come close to you: behold your eyes, and you will see the reward of sinners. For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge. Evil will not come to you, and wound will not come close to your body. As His angel commanded you, keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, but not when you dash your foot against a stone. Tread on the asp and the basilisk, and cross the lion and the serpent. For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver; I will cover and because I have known My name. He will call to Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in sorrow, I will destroy him and glorify him; I will fill him with long days, and show him My salvation.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to You, O God. (Thrice)

Troparion, tone 4:

From the spirits of the righteous who have passed away, rest the soul of Your servant, O Savior, preserving it in the blessed life that belongs to You, O Lover of Mankind.

In Thy chamber, O Lord, where all Thy saints rest, rest also the soul of Thy servant, for Thou art the only Lover of mankind.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Thou art God, who descended into hell, and loosed the bonds of the bound, and give rest to Thy servant Himself and the soul.

And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, pray for his soul to be saved.

Sedalen, voice 5th:

Rest, our Savior, with the righteous of Thy servant, and this one is lodged in Thy courts, as it is written, despising, as Good, his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and all those in knowledge and not in knowledge, Lover of mankind.

Kontakion, tone 8:

With the saints, rest, O Christ, the soul of Your servant, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life.

Ikos

Thou art the One Immortal One, who created and created man, on earth we were created from the earth, and to the other earth we will go, as you commanded, Who created me and gave me: as you are the earth, and you will go to the earth, and even all men will go, creating a funeral lament creating a song : alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord have mercy (Thrice), bless.

Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

In the blessed dormition, grant eternal rest, O Lord, to Thy departed servant. (Name), and create eternal memory for him.

Everlasting memory. (Thrice)

His soul will dwell in the good, and his memory throughout generation and generation.

It is also necessary to read the psalter and remember that everything is rewarded by faith. Therefore, behind the worldly bustle and preparation for the funeral dinner, you should first of all remember the spiritual. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to order a memorial prayer service, pray for the deceased yourself with all your heart, distribute alms in the church in honor of the deceased, light candles for the repose, and only after that proceed to the funeral dinner, which should be quiet and modest, without turning into a long feast .

The main thing is to help the soul with your prayers loved one in another world. And remember, it doesn’t matter how you remember the deceased, it’s how you do it that matters.

Guardian Angel and may the Lord bless you!

What happens to the soul after death

Funeral service for 9 days after death - rules for holding it was last modified: July 8th, 2017 by Bogolub

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Wake on days after of death days after of death

Memorial service for the dead (text) - how to order in church or...

The Christian belief is that after bodily of death soul of man … Day th - according to the number of angelic ranks. … this must be done with prayer, good deeds, avoiding alcohol (as at any Christian wake).

Prayer for the deceased up to 40 days - text

Wake on days after of death... Akathist read for 40 days to Nicholas... 40 days after of death- what... Prayer to the Ostrobramsk Icon... Prayer for Living Help (Psalm 90)...

The wake (9 days) is the next obligatory stage after the burial. Although it originated in the Christian religion, everyone adheres to this tradition. So how to spend a wake for 9 days? What are the features of the ritual?

Memorial service

If the deceased was a Christian, then you definitely need to go to church. It is believed that at this time the soul can still visit its earthly habitat. She completes the work that a person did not have time to do during his lifetime. He says goodbye to someone, asks for forgiveness from someone. A prayer service held at this time according to all church traditions helps to calm the soul and unite it with God.

It is advisable that the wake (9 days) and relatives begin with an appeal to the Lord. In a short prayer, you should ask the Almighty to forgive all the sins of the deceased and place him in the Kingdom of Heaven. This has always been part of the ritual. In the temple they light candles for the remembrance of the soul. There is a special place for this. If you don’t know, then consult a temple minister. But usually you can determine it yourself. The platform for funeral candles has rectangular shape(all others – round). Nearby there is a printed text of the prayer. Don't be lazy, read it.

What do 9 days of commemoration mean?

In Christianity, the path of the soul to the Lord is described in sufficient detail. So, in the first days, the Angels show her what life is like in Paradise. The ninth is the time, so to speak, of the exam. The soul appears before the Lord, who determines its future fate. It is believed that sinners are afraid and tormented, finally realizing how mediocre they are
wasted their energy. The righteous may also suffer from not knowing whether they will be life path approved by the Lord. Help for the soul of the deceased is extremely necessary during this period. Relatives with their prayers can help her cleanse herself and receive a “pass” to Paradise.

In Christian traditions, 9 days of commemoration are considered very important, since this is the last duty, the final stage of the earthly existence of the soul. After the Lord assigns her to Heaven or Hell, the living will be practically unable to help her. The clergy say that 9 days is almost a holiday! Because at this time the soul finds its shelter. It is imperative to pray that her stay in that world will be comfortable.

Funeral dinner

A church service, a trip to the cemetery - this is mainly for those closest to you. And those who want to express their respect to the deceased and his family members are invited to a memorial dinner. They spend it modestly. The first, second and compote are prepared. IN
In Christianity, neither all kinds of snacks and salads, nor alcohol are accepted. Traditions with a hundred grams and a piece of bread arose in very difficult times, when there was no other way to relieve stress. Nowadays there is no need to drink alcohol at funerals, and the church does not welcome it.

Of the “excesses,” only baking is allowed. So, they usually make pies or buns and serve them to the table. Everything should take place calmly and modestly. This is not an indicator of poverty. Rather, this demonstrates the recognition of the frailty of everything physical before the spiritual. At the table, everyone is given the floor to express their grief, share the confidence that the soul will go to Heaven, and simply remember the person who recently left this world.

Funeral feast

But not everyone has lunch these days. Some people don't have enough time, others don't want to. unnecessary hassle. The Church does not insist on strict adherence to this particular tradition.
It is quite permissible to replace a shared meal with a treat. What it is? You need to prepare such food that it is appropriate and convenient to serve to people without an invitation to the house, and so hold the funeral for 9 days. What are they giving away? Usually cookies and sweets. The easiest option is to buy what you need in a store. It is recommended to bake pies or cookies yourself. It is believed that by such actions you express greater respect to the deceased. You can distribute what you have prepared at work, in the yard to grandmothers and children.

How to calculate the required period?

People often get confused with this. It is best to contact the Father who performed the funeral service for the deceased. He will help you figure out the deadlines and tell you on what day to celebrate what. Due to its importance to the soul, you need to know exactly when to hold a wake for 9 days. How to count on your own? The first day is the day the person died. It is from this that we must count. From the moment of death, the soul begins its journey through the Kingdom of Angels. She needs help on the ninth day (and before that). Do not miss any deadlines, even if the death occurred before midnight. The first day is the date of death. The third, ninth and fortieth days are then important. You need to calculate them immediately and write them down so as not to forget. These are the dates that definitely need to be celebrated.

Who is invited to the funeral?

Family members and friends are the people who should be included in the sad meal. They themselves know this. Souls demand to meet and support
each other in grief. But a wake 9 days after death is an event to which people come without an invitation. It is not customary to drive away someone who wanted to take part in it, even if they are complete strangers. The logic is this: the more people pray for the salvation of the soul of the deceased, the easier it is for it to get to Heaven. Therefore, driving someone away is unacceptable, even sinful.

Try to treat as much as possible more people. And if it is not necessary to invite everyone to the funeral dinner, then you can give out sweets to everyone you meet on this day. Strictly speaking, it is not accepted to invite people to the event. People themselves should ask when it will take place (and in general, whether it is planned or not). For convenience, organizers most often take responsibility themselves and call everyone who has expressed a desire to remember the deceased.

Is it necessary to go to the cemetery?

Strictly speaking, a 9-day funeral does not include such a trip in the list of essential events. The Church believes that the graveyard contains mortal remains that have no special significance. Going to church and praying are welcome. But usually people themselves want to visit the final resting place of a dear person. They bring flowers and sweets there. Thus, as it were, a tribute is paid to the deceased. But this is more important for living than for the deceased.

Under no circumstances should you bring alcohol to the cemetery. This is strictly prohibited by the Church! If you decide that you definitely need to visit the cemetery on this day, then take care of the appropriate clothing. Outfits should be modest and not flashy. The presence of mourning symbols is also desirable. Women tie mourning scarves. Men can wear dark jackets. If it’s hot, black scarves are tied to the left forearm.

How to prepare a house for a funeral?

On this day, lamps are lit and a photograph of the deceased with a mourning ribbon is placed in a prominent place. There is no need to cover mirrors anymore. This is done only while the body is in the house. Naturally, on this day it is not customary to turn on music or watch funny films and programs.

You can place a glass of water and bread in front of the icon as a sign of help to a soul traveling through an as yet unknown world. It is desirable that an atmosphere of severity reign in the house. If you invite people to dinner, then worry about their comfort. Usually carpets are removed from the floor so that you can walk around the house in shoes. You also need to place a small vase or plate near the photograph of the deceased. This is where the money will be put. This is done when a lot of people come, including strangers to the household. They may express a desire to donate some amount to the monument. And giving money to relatives is not always convenient.

What should the relatives of the deceased do on the ninth day? How to calculate it? We will tell you about the rules and meaning of the funeral dinner, prayer and visiting the cemetery on this day.

Why are 9 days after a person's death so important? Why is it necessary to organize a wake and order a service in the church? We will tell you what needs to be taken into account when organizing a memorial dinner and how, according to all church canons, to spend the ninth day after the death of a loved one.

Remember that this particular day is “uninvited”, so it is not customary to invite guests to it. Relatives and friends of the deceased come at their own request to the memorial meal, those who with all their hearts want to once again remember the person and honor his blessed memory.

The funeral begins with the prayer “Our Father”, after which the first dish – kutia – is served. It is usually made from wheat or rice with the addition of honey and raisins. It is advisable that the kutia be consecrated in the church, however, if this is not possible, it is enough to simply sprinkle it with holy water. This dish is very symbolic, it means eternal life: just as grain sprouts in the ground, so a person is reborn in Christ.

Despite the fact that 9 days have already passed since the date of death, alcohol, fun, laughter, foul language and funny songs are still unacceptable at the table. It is also impossible to remember not the most best sides the deceased, his bad deeds and vices. The phrase “The kingdom of heaven to the deceased” is more of a formality. Therefore, so that your requests for a better fate for the soul of the deceased are actually heard, try to pray fully.

Don’t make it a rule: more food is better than a wake. It’s good if the meal for 9 days after death is modest, without any frills. After all, what is important is not the fact of eating, but the fact that people came for whom the deceased mattered more; what is important is that now they are together, supporting each other and are ready to help the grieving.

If the funeral took place during Lent on a weekday, then you must wait until the weekend. The appearance of those present also plays some role. Thus, women should have their heads covered and their hair should be gathered under scarves. Men, on the other hand, must remove their hats.

During the wake, we must not forget about those in need. Especially if you have leftover food. It's good to go out into the street and give it to the poor. In addition, you need to order a prayer service for the deceased. This can be done at the church kiosk by simply submitting a note with the name of the deceased. Also, if possible, you should go to the grave of a loved one. When visiting a cemetery, clean the grave and light a candle. If there is an opportunity to invite a priest to perform a litia, do so; if this is not possible, read the prayer yourself. Try to refrain from talking; it is much better if you simply remember the deceased in your thoughts. Under no circumstances should you hold a funeral ceremony at the burial site itself. You cannot eat or drink anything in the cemetery. It is considered blasphemy to leave a glass of vodka with bread “for the deceased,” and even more so to pour it on a grave mound.

Remember that it is necessary to organize a wake immediately after the funeral, for 9 days, 40 days and after a year after death. You can also organize memorial dinners on the birthday of the deceased and on the day of his Angel.

Many people wonder how to count day 9? Here you need to be very careful, because Orthodox canons, the count starts from the day of the person’s death, even if he died at the end of the day, but no later than midnight. For example, a person passed away on May 12. According to mathematical calculations (12+9), it is necessary to celebrate the funeral on May 21, but in reality this should be done on the 20th. In people’s lives, there are also situations when they managed to bury a person not on the third day, but on the fifth or sixth. When should the funeral be celebrated in this case? 9 days and 40 days are counted from the date of death, but the first memorial meal is organized on the day of the funeral.

Don't treat the ninth day as a formality to be observed. Remember that these days it depends on you whether you will harm the soul of the deceased or help it.

Actions performed on the body of the deceased and prayers for his soul before the funeral service

The body of the deceased is washed immediately after death. Washing is performed as a sign of the spiritual purity and integrity of the life of the deceased and out of the desire for him to appear in purity before God after the resurrection of the dead. After washing, the deceased is dressed in new, clean clothes, which indicate a new robe of incorruption and immortality. If for some reason a person did not wear a pectoral cross before his death, then it must be worn. Then the deceased is placed in a coffin, which is first sprinkled with holy water - outside and inside, and in this case, fulfilling the pious Christian custom of consecrating every thing that a person uses. A pillow is placed under the shoulders and head. Hands are folded so that the right one is on top. A cross is placed in the left hand of the deceased, and an icon is placed on the chest (usually for men - the image of the Savior, for women - the image of the Mother of God). This is done as a sign that the deceased believed in Christ, crucified on the Cross for the sake of his salvation, and gave up his soul to Christ, that together with the saints he moves on to eternal contemplation - face to face - of his Creator, in Whom he placed all his trust during his life.

A paper whisk is placed on the forehead of the deceased. A deceased Christian is symbolically decorated with a crown, like a warrior who has won a victory on the battlefield. This means that the Christian’s exploits on earth in the fight against all the destructive passions, worldly temptations and other temptations that beset him have already ended, and now he expects a reward for them in the Kingdom of Heaven. The body of the deceased, when placed in the coffin, is covered with a special white cover (shroud) - as a sign that the deceased, who belonged to the Orthodox Church and united with Christ in her holy Sacraments, is under the protection of Christ, under the patronage of the Church - she will pray for his soul. This cover is decorated with inscriptions with texts of prayers and excerpts from Holy Scripture, depicting the banner of the cross and Angels.

The coffin is usually placed in the middle of the room in front of household icons. A lamp (or candle) is lit in the house and burns until the body of the deceased is removed. Around the coffin, candles are lit in a cross pattern (one at the head, another at the feet, and two candles on the sides on both sides) as a sign that the deceased has passed into the realm of unstoppable light, into a better afterlife. Everything necessary must be done so that nothing unnecessary distracts attention from prayer for his soul. To please existing superstitions, one should not put bread, a hat, money and other foreign objects in the coffin. Then the reading of the Psalter begins over the body of the deceased - it serves as a prayer for relatives and friends for the deceased, comforts those who grieve for him and turns to God their prayers for the pardon of his soul.

Before the burial of the deceased, it is customary to read the Psalter continuously, except for the time when memorial services are served at the grave. According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, while a person’s body lies lifeless and dead, his soul goes through terrible ordeals - a kind of outpost on the way to another world. To make this transition easier for the soul of the deceased, memorial services are served, in addition to reading the Psalter. Along with memorial services, it is customary to serve funeral litias, especially due to lack of time (the litiya comprises the last part of the memorial service). Panikhida, translated from Greek, means general, prolonged prayer; Lithium - intensified public prayer. During the memorial service and litia, the worshipers stand with lighted candles, and the serving priest also stands with a censer; in it, fragrant incense is burned on burning coals for incense, which is performed by the clergy in the most solemn places of worship. Candles in the hands of worshipers express love for the deceased and warm prayer for him. When performing a memorial service, the Holy Church in her prayers focuses on the fact that the souls of the departed, ascending to judgment before the Lord in fear and trembling, need the support of their neighbors. In tears and sighs, trusting in God's mercy, the relatives and friends of the deceased ask to ease his fate. It is necessary to surround the body of the deceased with attention and respect, since, according to the teachings of the Church, the remains of a Christian are a shrine, because a person received the Holy Place of the Lord into this mortal body - he partook of the Most Pure Mysteries of Christ.

From the moment the soul is separated from the body, it is the duty of the dying person’s relatives and friends to support his soul with prayer. Facilitates the transition to eternity by reading special things over the dying church prayers- “The Canon of Prayer for the Exodus of the Soul,” which is written on behalf of the dying person, but can be read by a priest or someone close. The popular name for this canon is the “departure prayer.” Perhaps the dying person no longer hears the prayers, but just as during the baptism of an infant his lack of awareness does not detract from the secret action of God’s grace on the soul of the deceased, so the attenuation of consciousness does not prevent the salvation of the departing soul through the faith and prayer of loved ones gathered at the deathbed.

Upon death, the lithium is usually read over the deceased (before placing in the coffin) and the “Sequence on the departure of the soul from the body” (it is contained in the prayer book).

An ancient Orthodox custom is the reading of the Psalter for the deceased. Divinely inspired psalms console the grieving hearts of the loved ones of the deceased and serve to help the soul separated from the body. At the same time, it is not necessary to be near the deceased; you can read the Psalter anywhere and at any time.

As you know, the book of psalms is divided into 20 parts - kathisma. Each of the kathismas, in turn, is divided into three parts - “Glory”. When the Psalter is read for the deceased, after each “Glory” one must read the so-called small doxology: “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God (three times),” then the prayer “Remember, O Lord our God...” is read (see p. 138), after which “Lord, have mercy (three times). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever, Amen,” and then the next “Glory.”

It is recommended to order a magpie for the deceased as early as possible - a prayerful commemoration in the temple for Divine Liturgy for forty consecutive days. If funds allow, order magpie in several churches or monasteries. In the future, the sorokoust can be renewed or you can immediately submit a note for a long-term commemoration - six months or a year. In some monasteries and monastery farmsteads they are accepted for eternal remembrance (while the monastery is standing). Finally, it is very useful to serve a memorial service.

It is good to remember the deceased at the so-called “unceasing Psalter” - such a reading of it that does not stop day or night. Round-the-clock reading of the Psalter with remembrance of the departed is performed in many monasteries and on monastic farmsteads.

A special order of prayers for the deceased was established by the Church in the event that death and burial occurred on the days following the Easter holiday - on Bright Week. Instead of funeral canon on Bright Week the Easter canon is read, and in all cases when the Litia is supposed to be read, the Easter stichera are sung (at the position in the coffin, at the removal of the body from the house, before and after burial in the cemetery). Pious tradition says that those who die on Easter (during the continuation of Bright Week) immediately go to heaven, but therefore one should not diminish prayers for a person who died on these holy days.

Funeral service

The funeral service and burial usually take place on the third day (in this case, the day of death itself is always included in the counting of days, that is, for the person who died on Sunday before midnight, the third day will be on Tuesday). For the funeral service, the body of the deceased is brought to the temple, although the funeral service can also be performed at home. Before removing the body from the house, a funeral lithium is served, accompanied by censing around the deceased. The censer is sacrificed to God to propitiate the deceased, as a sign of the expression of his pious life - a life fragrant, like holy incense. Censing means that the soul of a deceased Christian, like incense ascending upward, ascends to heaven, to the Throne of God. The funeral service is not so much sad as it is touching and solemn in nature - there is no place for soul-oppressing sorrow and hopeless despair; faith, hope and love - these are the main feelings contained in the funeral service. If the relatives of the deceased are sometimes (although not necessarily) dressed in mourning clothes, then the priest’s vestments are always light. As during a memorial service, worshipers stand with lit candles. But if memorial services and lithiums are served repeatedly, then the funeral service is performed only once (even if reburial is carried out).

Funeral Kutya with a candle in the middle they place it near the coffin on a separately prepared table. Kutya (kolivo) is cooked from wheat or rice grains, mixed with honey or sugar and decorated with sweet fruits (for example, raisins). The grains contain hidden life and indicate the future resurrection of the deceased. Just as grains, in order to bear fruit, must themselves end up in the ground and decay, so the body of the deceased must be consigned to the earth and experience decay in order to rise later for the future life. Honey and other sweets signify the spiritual sweetness of heavenly bliss. Thus, the meaning of kutya, which is prepared not only at burial, but also at any commemoration of the deceased, consists in a visible expression of the confidence of the living in the immortality of the deceased, in their resurrection and blessed eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ - just as Christ, having died in the flesh, was resurrected and is alive, so we, according to the word of the Apostle Paul, will be resurrected and will be alive in Him. The coffin remains open until the end of the funeral service (unless there are special obstacles to this). On the first day of Easter and on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the deceased are not brought into the church and funeral services are not performed. Sometimes the deceased are buried in absentia, but this is not the norm, but rather a deviation from it. Funeral service in absentia received widespread during the Great Patriotic War, when relatives of those killed at the front received death notices and performed funeral services in absentia.

According to church rules, a person who deliberately commits suicide is deprived of an Orthodox burial. In order to perform a funeral service for a person who committed suicide while insane, his relatives should first seek written permission from the ruling bishop by submitting a petition to him, which is usually accompanied by a medical report on mental illness and cause of death.

The funeral service consists of many chants. At the end of the funeral service, after reading the Apostle and the Gospel, the priest reads a prayer of permission. With this prayer, the deceased is resolved (freed) from the prohibitions and sins that burdened him, which he repented of or which he could not remember in confession, and the deceased is released into the afterlife reconciled with God and his neighbors. The text of this prayer is immediately inserted into the right hand deceased him. relatives or friends.

The custom of the Russian Orthodox Church of giving a prayer of permission into the hands of the deceased began in the 11th century, when the Monk Theodosius of Pechersk wrote a prayer of permission for the Varangian prince Simon, who accepted the Orthodox faith, and he bequeathed to put this prayer in his hands after death. The incident with the funeral service of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky especially contributed to the spread and establishment of the custom of giving a prayer of permission into the hands of the deceased: when the time approached to place the prayer of permission into his hands, the deceased prince, as the chronicle says, himself extended his hand to accept it.

After the prayer of permission, farewell to the deceased occurs. Relatives and friends of the deceased walk around the coffin with the body, bowing and asking for forgiveness for involuntary offenses, kissing the icon on the chest of the deceased and the aureole on the forehead. In the case when the funeral service takes place with the coffin closed, the cross on the coffin lid is kissed.

Burial

Not a single people left the bodies of their dead without care - the law on burial and the corresponding rituals was sacred to everyone. The touching rites performed by the Orthodox Church over a dead Christian are not just solemn ceremonies, often invented by human vanity and saying nothing to either the mind or the heart. On the contrary, they have a deep meaning and significance, since they are based on the revelations of the holy faith, which were bequeathed by the Lord Himself, known from the apostles - the disciples and followers of Jesus Christ.

The funeral rites of the Orthodox Church bring consolation and serve as symbols that express the idea of ​​the general resurrection and future immortal life. The essence Orthodox rite burial lies in the Church’s view of the body as a temple of the soul sanctified by grace, of present life as a time of preparation for the future life, and of death as a dream, upon awakening from which eternal life will begin. At the end of the funeral service, the body of the deceased is escorted to the cemetery. All positions of the deceased are included in the burial ritual symbolic meaning. At home, the deceased is placed with his head to the icons, feet to the doors as a sign that he leaves everything in this world. In the church, during the funeral service, the deceased is placed in the same way as he always stood in the church - with his face (that is, with his feet, respectively) towards the altar, the throne of God, which expresses his readiness to appear for judgment before the One whose gifts are realized on him. And the deceased is placed in the grave with his face and feet facing the east, where he has been praying all his life - this symbolizes the departure of the deceased from the west of life to the east of eternity (the Lord is called “East from above” in the Holy Scriptures). The cross is placed at his feet as a sign that after the general resurrection, having risen, he will be ready to take the cross with him as proof of his title of Christian, which he bore on earth.

A special funeral service is performed over baptized infants: the Holy Church does not pray for the remission of their sins, but only asks that they be honored with the Kingdom of Heaven - although the infants themselves did not do anything to earn eternal bliss for themselves, but in Holy Baptism they were cleansed from their ancestral sin (Adam and Eve) and became blameless. The “Message of the Eastern Patriarchs” (Part 16) says: “The blessed fate of those who were washed with water and the Spirit in Baptism and received the Holy Spirit in Confirmation.”

“No one has ever doubted,” says Dogmatic Theology, “that baptized infants will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. True, there is a false and quite widespread opinion that those who die in infancy are awarded a special, highest degree of bliss. This idea is false, it has no basis in the patristic teaching: the bliss of dead infants is, naturally, less than the bliss that people achieve through free self-determination and personal achievement. Infants are sinless, but at the same time they do not have “positive content,” since they have not acquired any virtues through their own free will.”

Funeral services are not performed for unbaptized infants, since they have not been cleansed of their ancestral sin. The Fathers of the Church teach that such babies will be neither glorified nor punished by the Lord. Funeral services according to the infant rite are performed for children who died before the age of seven (from the age of seven, children already go to confession, like adults).

After the burial, and on other days too, you should not organize a feast in the cemetery with drinking alcoholic beverages, when the central moment of the wake is not the prayerful remembrance of the deceased, but the “pouring” of grief over his departure to another world. This custom is pagan; in ancient times it was called “triznas”. And, of course, observing pagan customs brings great harm to the soul of the deceased - as you know, his soul is undergoing tests at this time, and it is better to intensify the prayers at this time than the amount of alcohol consumed. Considering the harmfulness of this custom, you should try to get rid of it, although this, due to established traditions, is not easy to do.

Funeral meal

The pious custom of remembering the dead at meals has been known for a very long time. Traditionally, a memorial meal is held after a funeral, as well as on memorial days. It should begin with prayer, for example, with the rite of litia performed by a layman, or, as a last resort, at least read the 90th Psalm or “Our Father.”

First course funeral meal- kutya (kolivo). There is a special rite for the consecration of kutya; If it is not possible to ask a priest about this, you should sprinkle the kutya with holy water yourself. Pancakes and jelly are considered traditional funeral dishes in Rus'. Then other dishes are served, with the obligatory observance of the requirements of fasting if the funeral takes place on Wednesday, Friday or during a multi-day fast. During Lent, funerals can only be held on Saturday or Sunday. And once again I would like to remind you that the deceased are not remembered with alcohol. “Wine makes glad the heart of a man” (Ps. 103:15), and a wake is not a reason for fun. It is known what the heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages by guests at a funeral meal sometimes leads to. Instead of having a pious conversation, remembering the virtues and good deeds of the deceased, the guests begin to engage in extraneous conversations, argue, and even sort things out.

A Christian invited to the funeral of a loved one in an unbelieving family should better decline the invitation under a plausible pretext, so as not to sin by breaking fasting and drinking wine, thereby giving temptation to those around him.

Days of remembrance of the newly deceased

Orthodox Church Since ancient times, it has retained the pious custom of commemorating the dead mainly in third, ninth and fortieth days , and also after a year on the day of death. The Orthodox Church observes the commemoration of the newly deceased on certain days following the example of the Old Testament Church, in which three, seven and thirty days after their death were appointed for the commemoration and mourning of the departed. The book of Numbers says: “Whoever touches the dead body of any person will be unclean for seven days: he must cleanse himself on the third day and on the seventh day, and he will be clean” (Num. 19:11-12). “And all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, and the whole house of Israel mourned for Aaron for thirty days” (Num. 20:29). “And the children of Israel mourned for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days. And the days of weeping and mourning for Moses passed away” (Deut. 34:8). “And they took their bones and buried them under an oak tree in Jabez, and fasted seven days” (1 Sam. 31:13). And the wise Jesus, the son of Sirach, says: “Weep for the dead for seven days, and for the foolish and wicked all the days of his life” (Sir. 22:11). “Now all these things were written,” says the Apostle Paul, “for our teaching” (1 Cor. 10:11). In addition, the commemoration of the dead by the Orthodox Church is related to many very important events in the Kingdom of Grace, for example, the burial of the body on the third day and the commemoration of the newly deceased on this day - to the three-day death of the Firstborn from the dead - Jesus Christ. The apostolic decrees say: “Let the third day be celebrated over the dead for the sake of the Savior who rose on the third day” (book 8, chapter 42). “We perform the tithes,” says the Holy Church, “preserving the spiritual sacrament with a certain and reasonable attention, that is: we ask the Lord God, that the departed soul, through the prayers and intercession of the nine Angelic faces, which are God’s saints, may dwell and rest, and after the resurrection and may the Angel be worthy of the same bliss and cohabitation together.” The fortieth day is celebrated due to the sacred importance of the day. “The worldwide flood lasted for fourty days. The Scripture says about the deceased Jacob of the Old Testament: “Israel was buried and died for fourty days: so the days of burial are counted” (cf. Gen. 50:3). Before Moses received the tablets of the law of God, he remained on the mountain before the Lord for forty days. Elijah walked forty days to the mountain of God Horeb. Forty days the wife by birth is purified. Christ our God fasted for fourty days in the desert and after His resurrection He spent the same number of days on earth with His disciples, assuring them of His resurrection. The Holy Church, our mother, gave us fourty days of fasting for cleansing from all impurities” (“Stone of Faith. About charity to those who have passed away").

Thus, the Holy Church wants to say that, just as Moses, through a forty-day fast, approached God to receive the tablets of the law, just as Elijah, during a forty-day journey, reached the mountain of God, and just as our Savior defeated the devil with a forty-day fast, so the deceased through forty days of prayers is confirmed in the grace of God, defeats the hostile forces of the devil and reaches the Throne of God, where the souls of the righteous dwell.

Knowing the afterlife state of the soul, that is, its passing through ordeals and appearing to God for worship, the Church and relatives, wanting to prove that they remember and love the deceased, pray to the Lord for his soul to easily pass through the air ordeals and for the forgiveness of its sins. The liberation of the soul from sins constitutes its resurrection for a blessed, eternal life. Commemoration of the newly deceased takes place on the third, ninth and fortieth day. Let us recall that, according to the beliefs of the Orthodox Church, the soul spends the first two days after death on earth, visiting places where the deceased committed sins or righteous deeds, but on the third day it moves to another world - the spiritual world.

Three days

The third day after the death of a person is also called tretina and they commemorate the deceased, offering prayers to God for him - they serve a memorial service. At this time, the soul passes through legions of evil spirits, who block its path and accuse it of various sins, into which they themselves involved it - the ordeals have already been mentioned above. This day, for the deceased and for us who are still alive, has a direct spiritual relationship to the resurrection of the Head of our life, who marked the beginning of our blessed resurrection. On the third day the deceased is buried. The Church solemnly assures Her children that Christ rose from the dead and gave life to those in the tombs.

On the third day, the body is consigned to the earth, and the soul must ascend to heaven: “And the dust will return to the earth, as it was, and the spirit will return to God, who gave it” (Eccl. 12:7). So, following the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead on the third day, a requiem service is served for the deceased, so that he too will be resurrected on the third day for an endless, glorious life with Christ.

Nine days

According to the revelation of the Angel to St. Macarius of Alexandria, the special church commemoration of the departed on the ninth day after death (in addition to the general symbolism of the nine ranks of Angels) is due to the fact that until now the soul was shown the beauty of paradise, and only starting from the ninth day, during the rest of the forty-day period , she is shown the torments and horrors of hell before, on the fortieth day, she is assigned a place where she will await the resurrection of the dead and the Last Judgment.

Forty days

Then, having successfully gone through the ordeal and worshiped God, the soul continues to visit the heavenly abodes and hellish abysses for the remaining days, not yet knowing where it will remain, and only on the fortieth day is it assigned a place until the resurrection of the dead. Some souls, after forty days, find themselves in a state of anticipation of eternal joy and bliss, while others are in fear of eternal torment, which will fully begin after the Last Judgment. Before this, changes in the state of souls are still possible, especially thanks to the offering of the Bloodless Sacrifice for them (commemoration at the Liturgy) and other prayers. Knowing the afterlife state of the deceased soul, which corresponds to the fortieth day on earth, when the fate of the deceased is decided, although not yet finally, the Church and relatives rush to his aid. A memorial service is served on this day in order, to the extent that it depends on us, to appease God regarding the deceased.

Sorokousty

Sorokousts are commemorations that are performed by the Church daily for forty days. Every day during this period, particles are removed from the prosphora. “Forty-mouths,” writes Saint Simeon of Thessalonica, “are performed in remembrance of the Ascension of the Lord, which happened on the fortieth day after the Resurrection, and with the purpose that he (the deceased), having risen from the grave, ascended to meet the Judge, was caught up in the clouds and This is how it has always been with the Lord.”

Days - annual, and in subsequent years, days of death, name days, birthdays - for Christians remain forever memorable days. Wanting to prove that death did not terminate spiritual union between the living and the dead, Christians serve memorial services and pray to the One in Whom is our salvation and life, Who Himself told us: “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). We pray and hope undoubtedly for His promise to hear those who pray: “Ask, and it will be given to you, for I do not want the death of a sinner for whom I suffered, shed My blood and to whom I now give life... just believe!”

General days of remembrance

To love our dead and to intercede for them before God is characteristic of the entire human race, and therefore at every service the Holy Church prays both for the living and for the departed. Every day the Holy Church commemorates one or more saints. Additionally, each day is dedicated to a special memory; Thus, Saturday is dedicated to the memory of all saints and dead. Praying for the departed daily, the Church demands from its members that they do not forget their departed ones and pray for them as often and as diligently as possible. But the Church requires especially intense prayers for the departed on Saturdays, as on days dedicated to the remembrance of all saints and departed ones. The word "Saturday" means rest, rest. The Church asks God for eternal rest for the dead, rest after a sorrowful earthly life, and just as Saturday, according to the very commandment of God, was appointed for rest after six days of labor, so may the afterlife be an eternal Saturday for those who have passed into it, a day of peace and joy for those who have worked on the earth in fear of their Lord. Except daily prayers and Saturdays in general, there are also days in the year primarily designated for prayers for the dead. These days, the Holy Church, that is, the believers, takes a special active part in the state of the deceased.

These days - Saturdays - are called parent days and are divided into universal (general) and private or local days of remembrance. There are five Ecumenical Saturdays: Meat Saturday, Trinity Saturday and the Saturdays of the second, third and fourth weeks of Lent.

To these Saturdays the Church added private parenting days, on which memorial services are held to commemorate those who have died in the faith.

A memorial service is a church service, which in its composition is an abbreviation of the burial rite. The 90th psalm is read on it, after which the great litany for the repose of the one commemorated is raised, then troparia are sung with the refrain “Blessed are you, O Lord,” and the 50th psalm is read; a canon is also sung, divided and ending with small litanies. After the canon, the Trisagion and “Our Father” are read, troparia are sung and the litany “Have mercy on us, O God” is proclaimed, after which there is dismissal.

Name of this church service is explained by its historical connection with the all-night vigil, as indicated by the close similarity of the entire burial rite with part of the all-night vigil - matins. During persecution, Christians of the ancient Church buried their dead at night. The service that accompanied the burial was, in the proper sense, an all-night vigil. The funeral service was separated from the all-night vigil after the pacification of the Church.

In addition to the commemoration of each deceased individual, the Church at a certain time commemorates all the departed fathers and brothers in faith from time to time, those who were worthy of Christian death, and those who were caught sudden death, were not guided into the afterlife by the prayers of the Church. The memorial services performed at this time are called ecumenical.

Meat Saturday

The first universal parental Saturday occurs during meat-eating week. Why was this particular Saturday chosen, and not any other day of the week? We find the answer to this, firstly, in the meaning of this day - the day of rest and, secondly, in the meaning of the day following this Saturday. And since the living need God’s mercy at the Last Judgment, this judgment is preceded by mercy towards the dead. At the same time, this day was chosen to show that we are all in the closest union of love with all members of the Kingdom of Christ, with the saints and with the imperfect, and with everyone still living on earth. We remain in the union of love, without which salvation is impossible, and the upcoming feat of fasting is also impossible, for the Lord Himself says in the Holy Gospel: “So, if you bring your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave it there your gift is before the altar, and go first and be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). And in another place: “For if you forgive people their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, then your Father will not forgive you your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15 ). On this day, as if on the last day of the world, the Church invites its members to common prayer for all those who died in the faith from Adam to this day, and everyone prays not only for their relatives and friends, but also for all Christians who died in the true faith, “our forefather, father and brothers, from every kind: from the line of kings, princes , monastics, laity, youths and elders, and everyone who was covered with water, battle was reaped, coward was embraced, murderers were killed, fire fell, who were eaten by beasts, birds and reptiles, who died from lightning and were frozen with scum; even after killing the sword, the horse devoured; even strangling plinth or dusting; even the enchantment killed by drink, poison, bone strangulation - all those who suddenly died and were left without a legal burial” (service and Synaxarium on Meat Saturday).

The establishment of the universal parental Saturday before the Meat Week dates back to the first times of Christianity. The Synaxari, quoted above, also says that the holy fathers legitimized the commemoration of all those who died in the faith on this day, “from the sacred ones the apostles received.” This testimony of the Synaxarium is also confirmed by the Charter of the Church, which consolidated the most ancient traditions set forth in the 5th century Rev. Savva It was sanctified and the custom of ancient Christians, confirmed in writing back in the 4th century, to flock to cemeteries on days determined by the Church to commemorate the dead, just as Orthodox Christians do today in parents' Saturdays they gather at the graves of their neighbors for their Christian remembrance.

Parental Saturdays of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of Lent

The Holy Church also performs commemorations on Saturdays of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of Great Lent. According to the teachings of the Apostle Paul, the feat of fasting itself will lose its meaning if it is not accompanied mutual love. Therefore, the Holy Church makes sure that there is peace and love between all its members, and, encouraging us to do good deeds to our neighbors living on earth - to those who are hungry to give bread and resolve every union of unrighteousness - at the same time, it performs prayerful commemorations and departed from real life. For this purpose, commemorations were established on Saturdays 2nd, 3rd and 4th. weeks of Great Lent. Since during Great Lent the remembrance of the dead is not performed, since during the days of Great Lent, except Saturdays and Sundays, there are no full Liturgies at which particles are removed from the prosphora. However, the prayerful remembrance of the departed is not completely abandoned; moreover, according to church rules, after each Vespers (we serve it around noon) a lithium for the departed must be served. Therefore, so that the dead do not lose the saving intercession of the Church in the offerings at the Liturgy, it is established that during Great Lent, ecumenical commemorations should be performed three times on Saturdays of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks. Other Saturdays are dedicated to special celebrations: the first - to the Great Martyr Theodore Tyrone, the fifth - to the Praise of the Mother of God, the sixth - to the resurrection of Lazarus.

Radonitsa

On Tuesday of the second week of Easter, which is called St. Thomas Week, the Orthodox Church celebrates Radonitsa - the first day after Easter of special remembrance of the dead. Commemoration takes place on this day so that, after the bright seven-day celebration in honor of the Risen from the dead, we can share the great joy of Easter with the dead in the hope of a blessed resurrection, the joy of which was announced to the dead by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, “because Christ, in order to lead us to God, The righteous once suffered for our sins for the unjust, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, by which He went and preached to the spirits in prison” (1 Pet. 3:18-19), says the apostle. “Why,” asks St. John Chrysostom, “now (that is, on St. Thomas Tuesday) our fathers, having left their houses of prayer in the cities, are gathering outside the city in cemeteries to their dead?.. So that today Jesus Christ descended into hell to the dead to proclaim victory over death.

And therefore we gather among the dead to celebrate together the common joy of our salvation” (Homily 62). It is on Radonitsa that there is a custom of celebrating Easter with Easter dishes, during which a funeral meal is served, and part of what is prepared is given to the poor brethren for the funeral of the soul. Such living and natural communication with the departed reflects the belief that even after death they do not cease to be members of the Church of That God, Who “is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:32).

Commemoration of deceased warriors

Definition Bishops' Council The Russian Orthodox Church (November 29 - December 4, 1994) established on Victory Day - April 26 / May 9 - a special commemoration of the deceased soldiers who laid down their lives for the faith, Fatherland and people, and all those who died sufferingly during the Great Patriotic War of 1941- 1945

Trinity Saturday

According to the Charter of the Orthodox Church, on the eve of the feast of Holy Pentecost (Holy Trinity), a funeral service is held. This Saturday was called Trinity. Just as on Meat Saturday the Church interceded for its imperfect children in the afterlife, so on Trinity Saturday the Church brings prayerful cleansings about human ignorance and at the same time about the souls of the departed servants of God and asks to rest them in a place of repose: “As if not dead They will praise You, Lord, and those lower than those in hell will dare to bring You a confession, but we, who are alive, will bless You and pray and offer sacrifices to You for their souls.” Every year, at the Vespers of Holy Pentecost, which represents the first day of the Kingdom of Christ revealed in all its power, especially clearly expressed in the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, whose sanctifying and perfecting power extends to both us living and the dead, the Orthodox Church solemnly sends prayers to To God about the souls kept in hell.

This commemoration of the dead dates back to apostolic times. The Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost, addressing the Jews, speaks of the risen Savior: “God raised Him up, breaking the bonds of death” (Acts 2:24) and mentions in this sermon the holy ancestor David. And the apostolic decrees tell how the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, preached to the Jews and pagans our Savior Jesus Christ as the Judge of the living and the dead. Therefore, from ancient times the Holy Church calls on us to perform before the day Holy Trinity commemoration of all the departed, since on the day of Pentecost the redemption of the world was sealed by the sanctifying power of the Life-giving Holy Spirit, which graciously and salvificly extends to both us living and the dead.

Dimitrievskaya Saturday

The commemoration takes place on the Saturday before October 26, old style. Dimitrievskaya Saturday, which was originally the day of remembrance of Orthodox soldiers, was established by Grand Duke Dimitri Ioannovich Donskoy. Having won the famous victory on the Kulikovo field over Mamai on September 8, 1380, Dimitri Ioannovich, upon returning from the battlefield, visited the Trinity-Sergius monastery. The Monk Sergius of Radonezh, abbot of the monastery, had previously blessed him to fight the infidels and gave him two monks from among his brethren - Alexander Peresvet and Andrei Oslyabya. Both monks fell in battle and were buried near the walls of the Church of the Nativity Holy Mother of God in the Old Simonov Monastery. Having commemorated the Orthodox soldiers who fell in the Battle of Kulikovo at the Trinity Monastery, the Grand Duke invited the Church to perform this commemoration annually on the Saturday before October 26, on the day of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica - the name day of Demetrius of Donskoy himself. Subsequently, Orthodox Christians began on this day to commemorate not only the Orthodox soldiers who gave their lives in battle for the faith and the Fatherland, but along with them all the deceased in general.

How to remember the dead

In order to remember the deceased in a Christian way on a memorable day, you need to come to the temple at the beginning of the service and submit a funeral note with his name for the candle box. Notes are accepted for proskomedia, litany and memorial service.

Proskomedia- the first part of the Liturgy. During it, the priest extracts small pieces from special prosphora bread, praying for the living and the dead. Subsequently, after Communion, these particles will be lowered into the Chalice with the Blood of Christ with prayer. “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of those who were remembered here with Your venerable Blood and the prayers of Your saints.” Therefore, commemoration at the proskomedia is very important.

Litany- a public commemoration performed by a deacon or priest. Thus, when the choir and people sing “Lord have mercy,” prayer for the departed is performed by everyone church meeting Christian.

At the end of the Liturgy, all these notes are commemorated a second time in many churches, at a memorial service.

In some churches, in addition to ordinary notes, they accept custom notes, which are commemorated at the proskomedia, and at the litanies, and at the memorial service.

Notes must be written in legible handwriting so that the priest or deacon is not distracted from prayer by parsing the parishioners’ incomprehensible handwriting.

In addition to the prayerful remembrance of the souls of departed relatives and friends in the church, which, by the way, is not only possible, but also necessary to perform, in addition to memorable days, at every opportunity, on any day, excluding those days on which, according to church regulations, the remembrance of the dead is not performed, it is necessary to give alms for the repose of the soul.

It is very useful to give feasible alms with a request to pray for the deceased, for example, to the beggars. In the temple you can donate any food for the funeral of the soul - there are special memorial tables for this.

The simplest and most common way to sacrifice for the deceased is to buy a candle. Each temple has a “kanun” - a special candlestick in the form rectangular table with many cells for candles and a small crucifix. It is here that candles are placed with a prayer for repose, and funeral services are held here.

But it’s not only in the temple that you can pray for the dead. In addition to church commemoration, on the third, ninth, fortieth days and anniversaries, the memory of the deceased can be honored by reading the rite of lithium at home. Home prayer maybe more diligent. Subsequently, prayer for the repose of the soul of a loved one should become daily. For this purpose, a special petition is included in the prayer rule of Orthodox Christians: “Rest, O Lord, the souls of your departed servants (names), and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.” Home funeral prayer may also include reading the Psalter for the deceased, a canon or akathist for the repose of his soul.

If a person who prayerfully remembers a relative or friend who has passed into the world on a memorable day takes communion on this day, this will be a great help for the soul of the deceased. In many families, on such days, relatives and acquaintances of the deceased gather to remember him at the table. But it is necessary to remember the main meaning of these meetings - prayer and remembrance kind words deceased, and not a reason for alcoholic fun. If there is such an opportunity, it is better to invite poor and disadvantaged people to the table. The Lord, seeing such zeal, will undoubtedly relocate the soul of your relative to a place “where there is no sorrow, no illness, no sadness, no sighing, but endless life.”

From the book “When Death is Near”, Blago, 2005.

A wake is an important ritual for all people, regardless of religion. In Orthodoxy, it is customary to remember the deceased on the day of the funeral, as well as on the ninth and fortieth days. The countdown starts from the day of death. Even if a person died closer to midnight, they still count from that day.

For example, the day of death falls on the fifth of April, then the nine-day commemoration will take place on the thirteenth of April, and the forty-day commemoration will take place on the fourteenth of May. Be sure to do them every day.

The question arises: why nine days? According to the number of angels who ask the Lord God to forgive the deceased his sins. In Orthodoxy it is believed that the first two days after death the soul is separated from the body. Together with the angels, she walks the earth, visiting close people and places dear to her. On the third day, relief comes, which is given by the angel, since the psalter is read all three days, and everyone prays for the soul of the deceased.

The soul ascends to the Lord for worship. Then, until the ninth day, the angels show the beauties of paradise. On the ninth day the soul again ascends to the Lord for worship. Then she is sent to hell, where she remains until the fortieth day. It is also believed that during this period all the good deeds and all the sins that the deceased committed during his lifetime are remembered. Relatives and friends pray for the soul to withstand all trials and for the forgiveness of sins.

On this day, relatives should visit the temple, order a service, light candles and pray. Candles are placed on a special memorial table - eve. It stands on the north side, near the crucifixion of Christ. It is important to remember that candles are not lit for repose on Holy Week.

On the memorial day, you can order a memorial service, prayer service or lithium. It is necessary to go to the cemetery, remember the person and lay flowers. Under no circumstances should you have a meal in a cemetery, much less drink alcoholic beverages. All family and friends should know that no one is invited to the wake. Those who remember come, who want to pray for the deceased on this day.

Kutya must be placed on the table. This funeral dish is a porridge made from wheat, barley or rice, with the addition of honey, raisins, and nuts. Kutya, if desired, can be consecrated in the temple.

Many people, when organizing a funeral, are only concerned with the amount of food so that everyone is full. You should not place any culinary delights on the table. Dishes should be easy to prepare. First, second, no appetizers or salads. Drinks are required, but not alcohol. Baked goods and sweets are allowed.

You must behave modestly; laughter, jokes, songs and any fun are excluded. Do not forget that family members are in mourning. You cannot speak badly about the deceased, or talk about personal topics.

The meal begins with prayer. It is advisable that everyone pray for the deceased, otherwise there is no point in coming. People do not go to a wake to eat or discuss the latest worldly news: one should respect the grief of relatives.

Appearance

There are certain requirements for appearance. Men come in strict dark suits, with their heads uncovered. Women in modest dresses, with headscarves on their heads. At the table you can talk about the deceased, about his past successes and merits, and remember pleasant moments. A calm, peaceful atmosphere in the house will have a beneficial effect on everyone present.

People don't always have the opportunity to organize a funeral. In this case, you can simply treat your neighbors, friends, employees at work, and children. To do this, just bake a cake or cookies, buy candy and other sweets. This way you can remember the deceased on any day.

During Lent, commemorations are moved to the weekend. If you want to bring flowers, you need to leave them at the grave.

On memorial day, it is important to give alms to people in need. At the end of the meal, the remaining food must be distributed. It is strictly forbidden to throw away food. It is advisable to remember this during the cooking process.

The ninth day of remembrance is not a formal event. According to Orthodox canons, it is prayers on memorial days that help the soul find eternal peace. Everyone who goes to a funeral should remember this.

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According to the traditions of Christianity, the main wake for the deceased is held on the day of the funeral, on 9 days and on 40 days. Most often, commemorations come down to a memorial meal, but one should not think that people gather simply to eat; this event aims to pay tribute to the memory of the deceased and pray for the repose of his soul.

1
Christian customs mean that during the funeral meal, those gathered pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased. Absolutely everything matters during a wake, including the menu. The approximate plan for the funeral is as follows.

Before sitting down at the table, read the Lord's Prayer. Throughout the wake, remember the deceased, but memories of some bad deeds of the deceased are not acceptable. Laughter, funny songs or foul language are not allowed at the table.
2
Serve kutia (rice or wheat porridge with honey and raisins) as the first dish. It is best to light it during the funeral service, or at least sprinkle it with holy water. This dish is a symbol of eternal life, since a person, like a grain, will sprout (reborn) in Christ.
There is no need to rely on the rule: the more food on the table, the better, this is not true. Quite the contrary, food should be simple and modest. The important thing is that people gather together to remember the deceased; food is just a symbol.
3
Please note that if the day of the funeral falls on a weekday during Lent, reschedule the event for the weekend. Also remember that men at the wake should have their heads uncovered, while women, on the contrary, should have their hair tied up and wearing scarves.
4
If on the day of the funeral everyone who was at the cemetery is invited to the funeral, then for 9 days only relatives and closest friends of the deceased are invited to the funeral.
Remember that you cannot drink alcohol during meals; it is not recommended to even put wine on the table. Also, do not put on the table a photograph of the deceased with a glass of vodka covered with black bread, all these customs are simply relics of the past and Orthodox faith are not supported.
5
Do not limit yourself to the phrase: “The kingdom of heaven to the departed.” Pray for the deceased, begin each dish with a short prayer.
6
Also, on memorial days, it is very good to give to the poor, so that people who need food and are closer to God pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
7
In addition to the meal, they order a prayer service for the repose of the deceased; to do this, simply submit a note with the name of the deceased (in the genitive case) to the church kiosk.

You can remember not only on the 3rd, 9th and 40th day, there is a custom to remember the deceased on the anniversary of death, on his birthday and on Angel's Day; on these days people also go to the cemetery and go to church.

9th day after death. Why do we consider it a special day? Christians believe that a person's life does not end with his earthly existence. After all, a person is not only his body. From the Holy Scriptures we know that a person’s body is mortal, but his soul is eternal. After death, the soul meets God. This meeting happens differently for everyone. For some it is difficult because of the sins accumulated in earthly life, while for others they experience the great joy of meeting their Heavenly Father. But all people need support through prayer these days. You can pray in a church, in a cemetery, or privately. A person’s soul is poisoned by sin and a meeting with the Perfect God can become a great test for the soul of the deceased. But we know that the Lord is merciful and hears our prayers, granting us remission of sins. Therefore, we can pray for the deceased. Reception, from Church Tradition we know that some days in a person’s afterlife will be especially important and difficult for him. It is on these days that a person’s soul meets God, his posthumous fate is decided, he reviews the days of his earthly life and often suffers from his sins, from the memory of moments when he could not refuse the temptation to do something unrighteous. What is happening to the soul these days? How can you help the deceased?

9 days after death - meaning in Orthodoxy

3 days, 9 days after death, 40 days... These dates are important point for the soul of a deceased person. According to Church Tradition, the soul remains next to the body for up to 3 days after death. She has already moved into a new state, but has not yet completely left this world. On the third day, a person’s soul goes to the Lord, where it can see the heavenly abodes. On the ninth day, the soul appears before God and can find out what hell is, eternal life without the Lord. On the 9th day, the time of purification begins for the human soul. Being without the support of loved ones on this day can be difficult for the soul. A person’s posthumous memory is preserved; his soul knows and remembers that there are people left in earthly life who can pray for him. Memory is a part of the human personality and nowhere is it said that when it gets to heaven, the human soul completely loses contact with this world. Moreover, there is a terrible meeting with the abodes of hell ahead. This meeting lasts longer because one enters the Kingdom of Heaven through the “narrow gate.” The abodes of hell are much larger than those of heaven. But the fortieth day will determine the further fate of a person until the Last Judgment; the soul of the deceased will remain in Paradise or in hell until the moment when the Lord comes to “judge the living and the dead,” and comes new world. During the Last Judgment, where the fate of all people will be finally decided, they will be resurrected.

What happens to the soul of the deceased on the 9th day after death

Traveling through heaven and hell is a figurative concept. We know nothing for certain about how exactly God and the human soul meet after death. In earthly life, a person cannot see God, so there is no doubt that after traveling through the heavenly abodes, meeting God is a responsible and important moment. The Guardian Angel led a person through the Kingdom of Heaven and, behold, the person finds himself worshiped by the Heavenly Father. Man is imperfect; in earthly life he committed many sins. And it is difficult for the soul to withstand the meeting with the perfect Creator. Superstitious beliefs often depict hell as a place with frying pans and boiling cauldrons. In reality, we only know figuratively that we are waiting for a person who does not end up in Paradise. All we know for sure is that life without God is torment for man, and all the good things we have in this earthly and future life come from God. We don't have an exact promise. 3 days, 9 days after death and 40 days after death are numbers that appear frequently in the Bible. Perhaps 9 days after death is a very long time in our understanding, but we perceive days as earthly time, heavenly time can go completely differently. You need to calculate 9 days after death correctly. The usual mathematical method (add 9 days to the day of death of a person) is the wrong way. To correctly calculate 9 days from the date of death, we need to take into account the date on which the person died. Even if it happened at 11 pm. If a person died on November 4, the 9th day from the date of death is November 12. It is imperative to take into account the date of death, if the death occurred within 24 hours of November 4, this day is also taken into account when calculating. We know one thing for certain about the 9th day after death, the 40th day after death - these milestones become special and the most important for the human soul in his afterlife.

Funeral service on the 9th day after death

The best thing for the soul of a deceased person is to go to the cemetery on the 9th day and ask the priest to perform a memorial service. Of course, you can pray for a person’s soul privately. We don't know exactly how our prayer works. When discussing such things, one can only make assumptions, but the Church clearly says that prayer these days eases the lot of the deceased and gives comfort to the relatives and friends of the person who has passed on to eternal life. There are various prejudices and superstitions that say that you should not visit a cemetery on the 9th day after death. But all statements that this is a bad omen or can somehow harm a person’s soul are untrue. The Church resolutely rejects superstitious beliefs that are not based on Church Tradition. The experience of the Church suggests that a person can go to a cemetery, or he can not go if he does not have such an opportunity. The main thing is to pray for the soul of the deceased.

9 days after death - what should the relatives of the deceased do?

The death of a loved one or relative always gives rise to grief. God created us for eternal life, which is why death is perceived by our minds as something abnormal and disgusting human nature, scary and wrong. “Death is the only penance that not a single person has escaped,” say the priests. With death we pay for the imperfection of this world in which we find ourselves as a result Original sin. Our body is forcibly separated from our soul and, of course, this is a test for both the deceased and his loved ones. The human soul will pass into eternity in the state in which death found it. We never know when we will convert to God, which is why we need to try to live with dignity and righteousness throughout our lives. But Christians have consolation. We know that our Lord, Jesus Christ, “trampled down death by death.” The Lord took upon ourselves our sins so that we could enter into eternal life. He conquered death. By His mercy, God has given us the opportunity to help the soul of a person who can no longer help himself through repentance. Paisiy Svyatogorets said “the best memorial service for the deceased is the correction of one’s own life.” Therefore, sincere prayer, without a formal approach, pleases God, and we can indeed still help our loved ones if we pray for them after their death.

If you do not have the opportunity to invite a priest, you can read a litany about the deceased for a layman. There is a special rite of litia, which is performed by the laity privately and in the cemetery. Despite the fact that we cannot know exactly what our prayer gives to the soul of the deceased, we have some spiritual experience that the Russian Orthodox Church has accumulated and we know that God always hears our prayers. He also sees a sincere desire to help the deceased, the love of neighbors for a person who has moved to a new world.

In prayers for the deceased, we ask that on the 9th day after death, upon meeting God, the person’s soul receives indescribable joy and consolation, and not sorrow over its unworthy life.

What prayers to read on the 9th day after death

The rite of litia, which the laity performs privately and at the grave of the deceased, differs from the rite of litia, which is read by the clergy.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times)

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.

Lord have mercy. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Lord have mercy. (12 times)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Come, let us worship our King God. (Bow)

Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God. (Bow)

Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God. (Bow)

Psalm 90

Living in the help of the Most High, he will settle in the shelter of the Heavenly God. Says the Lord: Thou art my intercessor, and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. For He will deliver you from the snare of the trap and from rebellious words, His blanket will overshadow you, and under His wing you hope: His truth will surround you with weapons. Do not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies during the day, from the thing that passes in darkness, from the cloak and demon of the midday. Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come close to you: behold your eyes, and you will see the reward of sinners. For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge. Evil will not come to you, and wound will not come close to your body. As His angel commanded you, keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, but not when you dash your foot against a stone. Tread on the asp and the basilisk, and cross the lion and the serpent. For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver; I will cover and because I have known My name. He will call to Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in sorrow, I will destroy him and glorify him; I will fill him with long days, and show him My salvation.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to You, O God. (Thrice)

Troparion, tone 4:

From the spirits of the righteous who have passed away, rest the soul of Your servant, O Savior, preserving it in the blessed life that belongs to You, O Lover of Mankind.

In Thy chamber, O Lord, where all Thy saints rest, rest also the soul of Thy servant, for Thou art the only Lover of mankind.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Thou art God, who descended into hell, and loosed the bonds of the bound, and give rest to Thy servant Himself and the soul.

And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, pray for his soul to be saved.

Sedalen, voice 5th:

Rest, our Savior, with the righteous of Thy servant, and this one is lodged in Thy courts, as it is written, despising, as Good, his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and all those in knowledge and not in knowledge, Lover of mankind.

Kontakion, tone 8:

With the saints, rest, O Christ, the soul of Your servant, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life.

Ikos:

Thou art the One Immortal One, who created and created man, on earth we were created from the earth, and to the other earth we will go, as you commanded, Who created me and gave me: as you are the earth, and you will go to the earth, and even all men will go, creating a funeral lament creating a song : alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord have mercy (Thrice), bless.

Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

In the blessed dormition, grant eternal rest, O Lord, to Thy departed servant. (Name), and create eternal memory for him.

Everlasting memory. (Thrice)

His soul will dwell in the good, and his memory throughout generation and generation.

The death of a person is accompanied by certain traditions. People who have lost a loved one or acquaintance are often faced with dates following the funeral: 3 days, 9 days, 40 days. There is a desire to gather in a close circle and... But how to count 9 days after death?

Detailed countdown

The day of death is considered the first day. To calculate 9 days, you need to add the number 8. For example, the 5th of the month. The 9th day falls on the 13th. Before midnight is the first day, even if death occurred a few minutes before 24 hours. Special Remembrance occurs on the 9th day because the soul is in heaven.

Carefully, without breaking the silence, acquaintances meet at the same table and talk about a person who is in another world. Lay people, attending memorial dinners, often forget about the mission entrusted to them and, instead of intense prayer, begin to talk about their own affairs.

From the 3rd to the 9th day the soul is given a place in heaven. There she rests and prepares for serious tests that come after 9 days. You can help her with frank prayer and conversation about the good deeds of the deceased person. You should not remember wrongdoings that cause resentment or bitterness.

Sincere prayer can support both the soul of the deceased and the one praying. Sacred words help reduce the pain of loss and calm worry and anxiety. By pronouncing phrases, a lay person gradually begins to think without sadness. You should not give in to vanity on this day, spend time in humility.

The person dies and the body is buried. It is the responsibility of relatives to observe the rituals of remembrance. In ancient times, meals were held to which the homeless and beggars were invited. Nowadays such traditions are not performed, and those who knew the deceased sit at the table.

Alms are distributed at the cemetery or in the church. Particularly needy parishioners welcome alms. With an open heart and pure thoughts, they will pray for the repose of the soul, calling the name and reading the necessary prayers. By giving away a package, you simultaneously help those who ask for help and remember a loved one.

According to Scripture, the soul of a deceased person is busy searching for a path. She does not know what is in store for her and what trials she will have to endure for her sins. But there is no other way out and everything that has already been done cannot be corrected. Relatives can help the soul with prayers and pleasant memories. It’s not for nothing that they say: “They either say good things about a dead person or nothing.”

On the ninth day, the deceased forgets about grief and pain. He begins to sincerely repent for the sins he has committed and the prayer of his family is a great support for him. The soul located in Paradise understands that the time is approaching to answer for the wrongdoings committed, but what has been done cannot be erased from the former life.

A special prayer joins the soul to the number of angels. The closest people who have passed on to another world become guardian angels, protecting the living person for a long time. Very often, the deceased mother protects the child, appearing to him in a dream. By giving advice, she often prevents an accident.

Important points on day 9

• Relatives and friends are encouraged to attend church. A small prayer and a candle for repose are the main details of this day.
• Visiting the grave of the deceased is not just a tribute to tradition. At the cemetery, a person begins to correlate his actions and evaluate his life. Along with memories comes awareness and understanding.
• Caramel and cookies are placed on the grave, millet is scattered and eggs are crumbled.
• On the 9th day, mirrors are opened, with the exception of the room of the deceased.
• Alms and small offerings of cookies and sweets are given.

The church orders a prayer service for the deceased. It is not always possible to read near the icon, because not all churches hold daily services. Reading the sacred word at home is also powerful. The main thing is that the spoken word is sincere and open. If you are in a hurry and fussiness is associated with a funeral dinner, postpone the prayer until the evening, when you can retire.

It’s not just relatives who read the prayer. The more appeals, the more likely a positive decision by the heavenly court. Relatives and acquaintances, uniting, beg for mercy for the soul. Therefore, it is important not only how to count 9 days after death, but also the behavior of relatives on this day.