By praying for those who have gone to another world, the living take a holy part in the salvation of their souls. By praying for them, the living move the All-Good God to show mercy to the dead, for this mercy, due to the fact that the souls of the dead are no longer able to appease God with their actions, is given to them at the request of the living. Prayers for the dead bring salvation to the living, because they attune the soul to heavenly things and distract it from the temporary, vain, fill it with the memory of death and therefore deviate from evil; They give strength to abstain from arbitrary sins and impart generous and joyful patience in days of sorrow, which are weakened by hope for a future that is not earthly. Prayers for the dead dispose the souls of the living to fulfill the commandment of Christ - to prepare for the exodus at every hour. Our departed also pray for us. We receive special help through the prayers of the deceased, who have found bliss in eternity.
Health is commemorated for those who have Christian names, and repose is remembered only for those baptized in the Orthodox Church.
Notes can be submitted at the liturgy:
For proskomedia - the first part of the liturgy, when for each name indicated in the note, particles are taken from special prosphoras, which are subsequently lowered into the Blood of Christ with a prayer for the forgiveness of sins
Of course, it is difficult to count on salvation for those who led a dissolute life and, being a baptized Christian, lived outside the Church and excommunicated themselves from it by their behavior. The prayer of the Church will not be able to save someone who during his lifetime did not make any effort at all for this. Therefore, during life, it is necessary to do for ourselves what we hope others will do about us after death. In the words of St. Gregory the Great, “it is better to exodus free than to seek freedom while being in chains.”
If a person during his life strived to be a good Christian and died in peace with God, although he was a sinner, and only the Lord is without sin, then the prayer of the Church and good deeds in memory of him incline the All-Merciful God to forgive the sins of this Christian soul. In a certain sense, we can say that the prayer of the Church and individual Christians for the deceased is a certain result of the life of this person. If relatives pray for lawless people in the first days after death, fulfilling the prescribed Orthodox customs, then after commemorating the fortieth day, these prayers, as a rule, fade away. The memory of a pious Christian, who during his lifetime did many good deeds both for the Church and for loved ones, inspires us to constantly pray for him, instilling hope for the salvation of the soul of the deceased.
There are enough examples in Orthodox literature about the benefits of prayers for the dead. Let us give at least two such cases.
The magazine “Wanderer” for May 1862 contains a revelation conveyed to Father Seraphim of the Svyatogorsk by one of the Athonite schema-monks. “The reason for my entry into monasticism was a vision in a dream of the afterlife fate of sinners. After a two-month illness, I became very exhausted. In this state I see two young men entering me; they took my hands and said, “Follow us”! I, not feeling sick, got up, looked back at my bed and saw that my body was lying calmly: then I realized that I had left earthly life and must appear in the afterlife. I recognized the Angels in the young men, with whom I went. I was shown fiery places of torment, I heard the cries of the sufferers there. The angels, showing me which sin was responsible for which fiery place, added: “If you do not give up your habits of a sinful life, then this is your place of punishment.” After that, one of the Angels pulled one man out of the flames, who was black as coal, completely burned and bound from head to toe in chains. Then both Angels approached the sufferer, removed his shackles, and his blackness disappeared along with the chains, the man became pure and bright, like an Angel; then the Angels clothed him in a shining robe like light.
What does this change in man mean? - I decided to ask the Angels.
This sinful soul, answered the Angels, excommunicated from God for its sins, had to burn forever in this flame; Meanwhile, the parents of this soul gave a lot of alms, made many commemorations at liturgies, held funeral services, and so, for the sake of the parental prayers and the prayers of the Church, God was appeased, and perfect forgiveness was granted to the sinful soul. She is delivered from eternal torment and will now appear before the face of her Lord and will rejoice with all the Saints.
When the vision ended, I came to my senses, and what did I see: they stood around me and cried, preparing my body for burial.”
The journal “Description of Signs and Healings in 1863 from the Athos Shrine in Russia” contains a letter addressed to Hieromonk Arseny with the following content: “We grieved a lot about the death of our brother, Prince M. N. Chegodaev, which followed in 1861 in Samara. And they were all the more sad that his death was sudden, without repentance and the parting words of the Holy Sacraments. But then I saw a dream that my late brother and I were walking together through a beautiful area. We approach a new, seemingly recently built village, at the entrance to which there is a new high wooden cross, and at the exit from the village stands a wonderfully beautiful house, also new. Approaching him, my brother said to me with a joyful look:
This is a rich village that I recently bought, and I am very, very indebted to my wife Tashenka for this purchase; I need to write to her and thank her for the kindness she has done for me.
The meaning of this dream was soon explained. I received a letter from Tatyana Nikiforovna, in which she informed me that the Lord had helped her to arrange eternal remembrance for her husband, my brother, in Holy Athos.”
Prayers for them are so important for the souls of the departed, especially during the Divine Liturgy, that by God’s will, sometimes the souls of the departed appear to the living with a request to pray for them. Here is one such modern case. The deceased husband began to appear to one woman in a dream asking her to give her two rubles. These appearances with the same request were repeated several nights in a row, which caused anxiety and anxiety in the widow. On the advice of friends, she went to church to submit a registered note for the liturgy with the name of the deceased. When asked how much it would cost to submit this note, she was told: “two rubles.” It is quite natural that the appearances of the late husband have since ceased, since his request was fulfilled. Let this incident always remind us that it is necessary to take care of our departed loved ones, pray for them and hope that when our time comes to depart to another world, they will pray for us too.
The everlasting psalter
The indefatigable Psalter is read not only about health, but also about peace. Since ancient times, ordering a commemoration on the Everlasting Psalter has been considered a great alms for a departed soul.
It is also good to order the Indestructible Psalter for yourself; you will feel the support. And one more important point, but far from the least important,
There is eternal remembrance on the Indestructible Psalter. It seems expensive, but the result is more than millions of times more than the money spent. If this is still not possible, then you can order for a shorter period. It's also good to read for yourself.
If you find out that your deceased relative was not buried according to the Orthodox rite, then, regardless of when he died, you must definitely order a funeral service, unless, of course, there are church obstacles to this, for example, he was non-Orthodox or committed suicide. You can also order a church commemoration for six months or a year. Monasteries can accept requests for commemoration for longer periods. Numerous testimonies confirm how important the ritual of church funerals is for the souls of the departed. Here is one such testimony, told by priest Valentin Biryukov, who lives in the city of Berdsk, Novosibirsk region:
“This incident occurred in 1980, when I was the rector of a temple in one of the cities of Central Asia. One elderly parishioner once came up to me and said:
Father, help. My son is completely exhausted and has no more strength.
Knowing that she lives alone, I was surprised and asked:
Which son?
Yes, who died in 1943 at the front. I dream about it almost every night, but the dreams are the same: as if he was sitting in the middle of the mud, and his dear one was being beaten with sticks from all sides, and they were throwing this mud at him. And my son looks at me pitifully, as if asking for something.
Is your son inveterate? - I ask.
Yes, God knows. Maybe they had a funeral service for them at the front, maybe not.
I wrote down the name of the killed warrior and performed the required funeral service. Literally the next day a joyful parishioner came running to me and said:
My son dreamed again, but in a different way - as if he was walking along a hard road, all joyful and holding a paper in his hands, and he said to me: “Thank you, mom, for getting me a pass. With this pass, the road is open to me everywhere.”
I showed her the letter of permission that is read at the funeral service:
Was this paper with your son?
Yes, father, this one.”
This amazing incident should motivate us to take care of the funeral service for our deceased loved ones. If you do not know whether your relative is inveterate or not, and there are doubts, then you need to turn to the priest for a blessing.
Widower's Prayer
Christ Jesus, Lord and Almighty! In contrition and tenderness of my heart, I pray to You: rest, O Lord, the soul of Your departed servant (name), in Your heavenly Kingdom. Lord Almighty! You favored the marital union of husband and wife, when you said: it is not good for man to be alone; let us create for him a helper for him. You have sanctified this union in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church. I believe, Lord, and confess that You have blessed me to unite me in this holy union with one of Your handmaids. By your good and wise will you deigned to take away from me this servant of yours, whom you have given to me as a helper and companion of my life. I bow before Your will, and I pray to You with all my heart, accept my prayer for Your servant (name), and forgive her if you sin in word, deed, thought, knowledge and ignorance; Love earthly things more than heavenly things; Even if you care more about the clothing and decoration of your body than about the enlightenment of the clothing of your soul; or even careless about your children; if you upset anyone by word or deed; If there is a grudge in your heart against your neighbor or condemn someone or anything else you have done from such evil people. Forgive her all this, for she is good and philanthropic; for there is no man who will live and not sin. Do not enter into judgment with Thy servant, as Thy creation, do not condemn her to eternal torment for her sin, but have mercy and mercy according to Thy great mercy. I pray and ask You, Lord, to grant me strength throughout the days of my life to not cease to pray for Your departed servant, and even until the end of my life to ask her from You, the Judge of the whole world, for forgiveness of her sins. Yes, because You, God, have placed on her head a crown from an honest stone, eternal here on earth; Thus crown me with Thy eternal glory in Thy heavenly Kingdom, with all the saints who rejoice there, and together with them may eternally sing Thy all-holy name with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Widow's Prayer
Christ Jesus, Lord and Almighty! You are the consolation of the weeping, the intercession of the orphans and widows. You said: call on Me in the day of your sorrow, and I will destroy you. In the days of my sorrow, I run to You and pray to You: do not turn Your face away from me and hear my prayer brought to You with tears. You, Lord, Master of all, have blessed me to unite me with one of Your servants, so that we may be one body and one spirit; You gave me this servant as a companion and protector. It was Your good and wise will that you would take this servant of Yours away from me and leave me alone. I bow before Your will and I resort to You in the days of my sorrow: quench my sorrow about separation from Your servant, my friend. Even if you took him away from me, do not take your mercy away from me. Just as you once accepted two mites for a widow, so accept this prayer of mine. Remember, Lord, the soul of Your departed servant (name), forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, whether in word, or in deed, or in knowledge and ignorance, do not destroy him with his iniquities and do not deliver him to eternal torment, but according to Your great mercy and according to the multitude of Thy compassions, weaken and forgive all his sins and commit them with Thy saints, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life. I pray and ask You, Lord, grant that all the days of my life I will not cease to pray for Your departed servant, and even before my departure, ask You, the Judge of the whole world, to forgive all his sins and to place him in the heavenly abodes that You have prepared for those who love Cha. For even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit is Orthodox even until your last breath of confession; His faith, even in Thee, is imputed to him instead of works: for there is no man who will live and not sin. You are One besides sin, and Your truth is truth forever. I believe, Lord, and I confess that You have heard my prayer and have not turned Your face away from me. Seeing a widow weeping green, you were merciful, and you brought her son to the grave, carrying her to the grave; thus, having compassion, calmed down my sorrow. For Thou didst open to Thy servant Theophilus, who went to Thee, the doors of Thy mercy and forgave him his sins through the prayers of Thy holy Church, heeding the prayers and alms of his wife: here and I pray to Thee, accept my prayer for Thy servant, and bring him in to eternal life. For You are our hope, You are God, to have mercy and to save, and to You we send glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen!
Children's prayer for deceased parents
Lord Jesus Christ our God! You are the keeper of the orphans, the refuge of the grieving and the comforter of the weeping. I come running to You, orphaned, groaning, and... crying, and I pray to You: hear my prayer and do not turn Your face away from the sighs of my heart and from the tears of my eyes. I pray to You, merciful Lord, satisfy my grief over separation from the one who gave birth and raised me, my parent (name); accept his soul, as if it had gone to You with true faith in You and firm hope in Your love for mankind and mercy, into Your Heavenly Kingdom. I bow before Your holy will, which was taken away from me, and I ask You not to take away Your mercy and mercy from him. We know, Lord, that You, the Judge of this world, punish the sins and wickedness of the fathers in children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even to the third and fourth generation: but you also have mercy on the fathers for the prayers and virtues of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. With contrition and tenderness of heart, I pray to You, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment your deceased servant, unforgettable for me, my parent (name), but forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance, committed by him in his life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and love for mankind, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints, have mercy on him and deliver him from eternal torment. You, merciful Father of fathers and children! grant me, all the days of my life, until my last breath, not to cease to remember my deceased parent in my prayers, and to beg You, the righteous Judge, to order him in a place of light, in a cool place and in a place of peace, with all the saints , from here all illness, sorrow and sighing have escaped. Merciful Lord! accept this day for Thy servant (name), my warm prayer and give him Thy reward for the labors and cares of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as He who taught me first of all to lead You, My Lord, in reverence to pray to You, in You alone to trust in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and keep Your commandments; for his concern for my spiritual success, for the warmth of the prayer he brought for me before You and for all the gifts he asked me from You, reward him with Your mercy, Your heavenly blessings and joys in Your eternal kingdom. For You are the God of mercies and generosity and love for mankind, You are the peace and joy of Your faithful servants, and we send glory to You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of parents for deceased children
Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Lord of life and death, Comforter of the afflicted! With a contrite and tender heart, I run to You and pray to You: remember, Lord, in Your kingdom Your departed servant, my child (name), and create for him an eternal memory. You, Lord of life and death, gave me this child, but by your good and wise will you deigned to take it away from me. Blessed be Thy name, O Lord. I pray to You, Judge of heaven and earth, with Your endless love for us sinners, forgive my deceased child all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, in deed, in knowledge and ignorance. Forgive, O Merciful One, our parental sins too, so that they may not remain on our children: we know that we have committed many things before You, many have not kept them, we have not done as Thou hast commanded us. If our deceased child, ours or his own, for the sake of guilt, lived in this life, working for the world and his flesh, and not more than You, the Lord and his God: if you loved the delights of this world, and not more than Your word and Your commandments, if you surrendered with the pleasures of life, and not more than with contrition for one’s sins, and in intemperance, giving up vigil, fasting and prayer to oblivion, I earnestly pray to Thee, forgive, most good Father, all such sins of my child, forgive and weaken, even if you have done other evil things in life family Christ Jesus! You raised the daughter of Jairus through the faith and prayer of her father, You healed the daughter of a Canaanite woman through faith and the request of her mother: hear my prayer, and do not despise my prayer for my child. Forgive, Lord, forgive, all his sins and, having forgiven and cleansed his soul, remove eternal torment and dwell with all Your saints, who have pleased You from the ages, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life: like there is no man, whoever lives and does not sin, but You are the only One besides all sin: so that when you judge the world, my child will hear Your most beloved voice: come, blessed of My Father, and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For You are the Father of mercies and generosity, You are our life and resurrection, and to You we send glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer for the suddenly deceased
Lord Jesus Christ, Lord of life and death, Thou hast declared in Thy holy Gospel: watch, for thou knowest not when the Son of Man shall come, at that hour do not think, the Son of Man shall come. But we, earthlings and sinners, having given ourselves over to the sorrows and pleasures of this life, consign the hour of our death to oblivion, and thus we call to You, Judge of heaven and earth, suddenly, at the hour, not in anticipation and not in anticipation. Thus, Your deceased servant, our brother (name), was suddenly called to You. Unsearchable and incomprehensible are the ways of Your wondrous glance at us, O Lord the Savior! I humbly bow my head before these Thy paths, Lord Master, and I pray to Thee with my zealous faith, look down from the height of Thy holy dwelling and cover me with Thy Grace, that my prayer may be corrected before Thee, like a fragrant censer. Most merciful Lord, hear my prayer for Thy servant, who, according to Thy inscrutable destinies, was suddenly stolen from us by death; have mercy and have mercy on his trembling soul, called to Thy impartial judgment at an hour of no other time. Do not reprove me with Your wrath, let me punish you with Your wrath; but have mercy and have mercy on her, for the sake of Your merits on the cross and prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints, forgive her all sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, in deed, in knowledge and ignorance. Even if Thy servant (name) was caught up, but rather in this life, faith in Thee and confession of Thee, the God and Savior of the world, Christ, and having trust in Thee: this faith and this hope instead of works of imputation. Merciful Lord! You do not want the death of a sinner, but you graciously accept from him and for him everything that is done towards conversion and salvation, and you yourself arrange his path so that he may live. I pray to You, deign to remember all the works of mercy and all the prayers done here on earth for Your departed servant, deign to accept my prayer for him together with the prayers of the clergy of Your Holy Church, and forgive his soul all the sins, pacify his troubled heart, spare him from eternal torment and rest him in a brighter place. For it is Yours to have mercy and save us, Christ our Savior, and to You alone befits ineffable goodness and eternal glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer for the deceased
Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the life of Thy eternally departed servant, our brother (name), as Good and Lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal good things, prepared for those who love You: even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, You are glorified God in the Trinity, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to him, and have faith in You instead of deeds, and rest with Your saints as You are Generous: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer for all departed Christians
God of spirits and all flesh, having trampled down death and abolished the devil, and given life to Thy world! Himself, Lord, give rest to the souls of your departed servants: your most holy patriarchs, eminence metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, who served you in the priestly ecclesiastical and monastic ranks; the creators of this holy temple, the Orthodox forefathers, fathers, brothers and sisters, lying here and everywhere; leaders and warriors who laid down their lives for the faith and fatherland, the faithful who were killed in internecine warfare, drowned, burned, frozen to death, torn to pieces by beasts, suddenly died without repentance and did not have time to reconcile with the Church and with their enemies; in the frenzy of the mind of those who committed suicide, those for whom we were commanded and asked to pray, for whom there is no one to pray and the faithful, Christian burial deprived of (name) in a bright place, in a green place, in a place of peace, from where illness, sadness and sighing escaped. Every sin committed by them in word or deed or thought, as a good Lover of mankind, God forgives, as if there is no man who will live and not sin. For You are the only one besides sin, Your righteousness is truth forever, and Your word is truth.
For Thou art the Resurrection, and the Life and Repose of the departed Thy servant (name), Christ our God, and to Thee we send glory with Thy beginningless Father, and Thy Most Holy, and Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The death of loved ones is a real tragedy that every person is forced to go through at some point in life. No words about the immortality of the soul and the end of earthly torment can console a grieving person in his loss. But tears cannot help grief, but words can heal. Prayers for the repose of the dead will bring benefit to the soul moving to a new level of existence, and to the person experiencing loss - it’s so nice to know that you are doing something good for your dear heart.
In this article
Church about death
The Christian Church adheres to a common opinion on issues of death, which is presented in the form of 3 postulates.
- The destinies of God are incomprehensible - death can take any form and comes regardless of a person’s merits at any time known only to God. You should not blame the universe for the injustice of your loss - this is a direct insult to God. A church building collapsed on St. Athanasius of Athos, but he did not grumble and found himself near his Lord.
Saints who were martyred
- Human life is the will of God, God’s providence, although not always understandable, controls people and sets everything up in their favor. The Monk Leo wrote that everyone who has been baptized must believe that life on earth is not the end of existence, but the beginning of True joy.
The Church says that under no circumstances should one grieve excessively for the dead - this is displeasing to God and contrary to his plans and orders.
- The memory of death will teach you to understand yourself - thinking about death is normal and necessary, this helps you analyze your earthly path and act in accordance with the word of God. Elder Macarius wrote about life as a small drop before eternity, opening after the death of the physical body.
All the subtleties of church teaching on death are covered in the program “The Hour of Orthodoxy”; priest Dionisy Beloglazov answers key questions:
The church clearly speaks positively about funeral prayers: this action brings reassurance to the relatives of the newly deceased.
Where did this tradition come from and why is it needed?
The tradition of praying for the dead dates back to ancient times - even pagans recognized the need to support the soul with special words after its transition to the other side of life. In the light of different cultures, this custom is refracted from different angles, but its essence remains the same: after a diagnosed death, perform a special ritual to alleviate the fate of the soul of the deceased.
Sins do not allow one to soar to the kingdom of eternal bliss - they weigh down the soul and pull it down. Sincerely spoken words of prayers for peace remove part of the burden.
After death, it is undesirable to cry for a person: the grief of relatives will be burdened by extraterrestrial existence. Hysteria and tears carry a charge of destructive energy and can lead to irreversible consequences.
If they grieve excessively for the deceased, there is a possibility that his soul will not find the desired peace. Having been subjected to tearful lamentations about a painful loss on the part of loved ones, the soul begins to rush about and does not get to the place assigned to it by the Higher Powers, getting stuck somewhere halfway.
When to read
Prayer is a powerful weapon for people on earth who want to help deceased relatives or simply close souls. It is considered an important part of the memorial service and ignoring this ritual will have negative consequences. God, seeing the lack of support from the outside, will not show much mercy to the etheric body of an untimely departed person.
You can pray right away - the words offered to God in the temple will certainly be heard. You need to come to perform the ceremony 5-10 minutes before the start of the service, be sure to leave a note near the altar (any words, but from the heart) and take communion.
The ideal time to attend a service is considered to be the time of proskomedia - a sacrament involving the acceptance of the prosphora - the body of Christ. If you get there, in the name of the deceased, they will take part of the liturgical bread and place it in the Chalice of the Sacred Gifts. This ritual carries with it purification from sins.
On certain days of the year, the church honors all the dead (with the exception of suicides):
- 8 days before Lent - on Meat Saturday.
- Parental Saturdays – 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of Lent.
- Saturday before the day of the Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Radonitsa - second week after Easter, on Tuesday.
- November 8 is the day of Dmitry Solunsky.
- May 9 is the day of remembrance of deceased soldiers.
Prayer for the newly deceased
Immediately after death, the Sequence for the separation of the soul from the body is read over the person, and then the psalter. Before the burial, you can also order memorial services in the temple. It is very important to pray for the newly deceased in the first 40 days, since it is at this time that the fate of the soul is decided. Prayers support us on the path to the Last Judgment.
Prayer for the deceased can influence his future fate and even change the decision of the Last Judgment.
There is a known case when a monk was buried in the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery without absolution. All the residents saw his face blackened from hellish torment one night. And then they began to pray together for the servant of God, in new visions his face became more and more peaceful, God forgave him his earthly sins and gave him the Kingdom of Heaven.
Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the eternal life of Your newly departed servant (Your servant), (name), and as he is good and a lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming iniquities, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, exonerating him at Thy holy second coming into the communion of Thy eternal blessings, for the sake of the One who has faith in Thee, the true God and Lover of mankind. For You are the resurrection and the life and rest of Your servant, (name), Christ our God. And we send glory to You, with Your beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen
Prayer for day 3
The first 3 days after the death of the physical body, the soul prepares to depart to another world. It is on the 3rd day that the body is buried, and the spirit loses all connection with the physical world. The task of the relatives of the newly deceased is to ease the transition through prayer.
Rest, O Lord, to the soul of Thy departed servant (Thy departed servant, the soul of Thy departed servant) (name) (bow), and as much as man has sinned in this life (humans have sinned), Thou, as the Lover of Mankind, forgive him (u, them) and have mercy (bow), deliver eternal torment (bow), give to the heavenly Kingdom a partaker (participant, partakers) (bow), and do good for our souls (bow)
Prayer for day 9
The ninth day is key for the soul, then the “tour” of Paradise ends, after which the torments of hell are shown, so the newly departed must be remembered with a special meal and a prayer must be read.
God of spirits and all flesh, having trampled down death and abolished the devil, and given life to Thy world! Himself, Lord, give rest to the souls of your departed servants: your most holy patriarchs, your eminence metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, who served you in the priestly, ecclesiastical and monastic ranks
Prayer for 40 days
This is the day of the Last Judgment. On this day, prayer should be especially passionate and sincere - eternity is at stake, which the soul can spend in Paradise or in Fiery Gehenna. They read it exactly 40 times - for every earthly day lived without the deceased.
Rest, O Lord, the souls of Your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names), and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven
Prayer for a funeral candle
For greater support for the tormenting soul, the relatives and friends of the deceased go to the temple - light a memorial candle and read a prayer.
Remember, Lord, the souls of your departed servants, my parents (names) and all relatives in the flesh. And forgive all sins, voluntary and involuntary, grant them the Kingdom and the communion of your eternal good things and your endless and blissful life of pleasure (bow).
Remember, Lord, the souls of the departed and all in the hope of resurrection to eternal life, our departed fathers and brothers and sisters, and Orthodox Christians lying here and everywhere, and with Thy Saints, where the light of Thy face is present, have mercy on us all, for He is good and a lover of mankind, Amen (bow).
Grant, Lord, remission of sins to all our fathers, brothers and sisters who have previously departed in faith and hope on Sunday, and create for them eternal memory, eternal memory, eternal memory. (bow) Amen.
Prayer for suicides
Suicide is a mortal sin; the church does not perform funeral services for such dead people and does not allow them to be buried within the walls of a cemetery. Mentally ill people, those who were in a state of passion and those who killed themselves through negligence can receive relief. Funeral services in special cases are possible with the permission of the ruling bishop and a full set of medical evidence of the person’s condition. In any case, you can pray for those who committed suicide at home yourself.
A suicide needs the prayers of family and friends - only they can save a lost soul.
Master, Lord, Merciful and Lover of Mankind, we cry to You: we have sinned and committed lawlessness before You, we have transgressed Your saving commandments and the love of the Gospel has not been revealed to our despairing brother (our despairing sister). But do not reprove us with Your wrath, punish us with Your wrath, O Master who loves mankind, weaken, heal our heartfelt sorrow, may the multitude of Your bounties overcome the abyss of our sins, and may Your countless goodness cover the abyss of our bitter tears.
To her, Sweetest Jesus, we still pray, grant to Your servant, your relative who died without permission, consolation in their sorrow and firm hope in Your mercy.
For You are a Merciful and Lover of Mankind, and we send glory to You with Your Beginning Father and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
How to pray for the deceased at home
In addition to special days of remembrance, it is customary to pray for the departed daily at home: for this you will need a psalter. Read in the first half of the day.
The main rule is to say it sincerely and without tears, in a state of peace, remembering pleasant moments from the life of the newly deceased.
Father Arkady will tell you how to pray correctly:
What prayers should be read at home for the deceased?
In addition to standard prayers, special divine texts are read.
About deceased priests:
Lord Jesus Christ our God, who has given us apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers for the perfection of the Saints, for the work of service, for the building up of Your Body! We pray to Thee, O Most Merciful Master, hear our prayerful voice and remember in Thy Kingdom those Thy servants who have passed from this earthly world to the heavenly world: Orthodox Patriarchs, metropolitans (names), archbishops and bishops (names), archimandrites, abbots, hieromonks, priests (names) ), hierodeacons and deacons (names); place them, Lord, in the heavenly shelters of eternal peace. For those who have served for the glory of Thy Most Holy Name and for the glory of Thy Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, for the edification and salvation of Her children; Remember everyone in the monastic rank and church clergy who served You. We pray to Thee, Lord Jesus Christ our God, we pray as the Chief Shepherd, accept by Thy mercy the souls of Thy departed servants, as chosen servants and builders of Thy Mysteries, who stood before Thy terrible throne, performed bloodless sacred rites and gave us Thy Holy and Life-giving Gifts - Thy Honest Body and Your honorable Blood, for the remission of sins and eternal life; For this reason, we pray to Thee, our God, to make them also partakers of the gracious gifts of Thy Holy Spirit in Thy Kingdom. God! Thou hast given them the power in Thy name to forgive and forgive us our sins, to bind and resolve, we diligently pray to Thee: forgive, forgive them their sins and do not remember their sins; save and have mercy on them according to Your great mercy; look upon them with Thy mercy and accept them, O Christ, under Thy compassion, as Thou hast taught us to guard all that Thou hast commanded us; rest with the saints in Thy house, as stewards who humbly labored in planting and strengthening the Orthodox Faith and piety in our hearts; make them worthy to appear before You at Your judgment, without condemnation, as before the Chief Shepherd, and place them in Your heavenly hillside, like an olive planting. Bring them, Light-Giver Lord, to the unevening light of Your Kingdom, as if you enlightened us with the light of the Gospel, instill them in Your Holy City, as if you instilled in us the spirit of wisdom and reason, the spirit of advice and strength, the spirit of knowledge and piety, the spirit of Your fear, - and grant them to enjoy the fatness of Thy house, as they nourished and enjoyed our souls from Thy divine Table. We pray to Thee, the King, with the prayers of the apostles and prophets, saints and teachers and all the saints, glorify them as servants of the word in Thy Holy Church, militant on earth, glorify them in the Church triumphant in Heaven, and number them with the face of Thy holy apostles, saints and teachers of the Church who served and pleased You in word and deed. Amen.
Prayer of parents for deceased children:
Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Lord of life and death. Comforter of the Sorrowful! With a contrite and tender heart I run to You and pray to You: remember, Lord, in Your Kingdom your departed servant (Thy servant), my child ( Name ) , and create eternal memory for him (her). You, Lord of life and death, have given me this child. It was your good and wise will to take it away from me. Blessed be Thy Name, O Lord. I pray to You, Judge of heaven and earth, with Your endless love for us sinners, forgive my deceased child all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, in deed, in knowledge and ignorance. Forgive, O Merciful One, our parental sins, so that they may not remain on our children: we know that we have sinned many times before You, many of whom we have not observed, and have not done, as You commanded us. If our deceased child, ours or his own, for the sake of guilt, lived in this life, working for the world and his flesh and not more than You, the Lord and his God: if you loved the delights of this world, and not more than Your Word and Your Commandments, if you indulged in sweets worldly, and not more so in contrition for one’s sins, and in intemperance having given up vigil, fasting and prayer to oblivion, I earnestly pray to Thee, forgive the most good Father, my child, all such sins of him, forgive and weaken, even if he has done other evil in this life, Christ Jesus! You raised up the daughter of Jairus through the faith and prayer of her father. You healed the daughter of the Canaanite wife through faith and the request of her mother: hear my prayer, and do not despise my prayer for my child. Forgive, Lord, forgive, all his sins and, having forgiven and cleansed his soul, remove eternal torment and dwell with all Your saints, who have pleased You from all eternity, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life: like there is no man who will live and not sin. You are One except for sin: so that when you judge the world, my child will hear Your most beloved voice: come, blessing of My Father, and inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For You are the Father of mercies and generosity, You are our life and resurrection, and to You we send glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
About deceased parents:
Lord Jesus Christ our God! You are the keeper of the orphans, the refuge of the grieving and the comforter of the weeping. I, an orphan, come running to You, groaning and crying, and I pray to You: hear my prayer and do not turn Your face away from the sighs of my heart and from the tears of my eyes. I pray to You, merciful Lord, satisfy my grief over separation from my parent (matter) (name), and his soul (her), as if she has gone to You with true faith in You and firm hope in Yours accept philanthropy and mercy into Your Heavenly Kingdom. I bow before Your holy will, which was taken away from me, and I ask You not to take away from him (her or them) Your mercy and mercy. We know, Lord, that You, the Judge of this world, punish the sins and wickedness of the fathers in children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even to the third and fourth generation: but you also have mercy on the fathers for the prayers and virtues of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. With contrition and tenderness of heart, I pray to Thee, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment the deceased, unforgettable for me, Your servant (s), my parent (mother) (name), but forgive him (her) all his (her) sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance, committed by him (her) in his (her) life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and love for mankind, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Mother of God and All saints, have mercy on him (you) and deliver him from eternal torment. You, merciful Father of fathers and children! Grant me, all the days of my life, until my last breath, not to cease to remember my deceased parent (mother) in my prayers, and to beg Thee, the righteous Judge, to order him (s) in a place of light, in a place cool and in a calm place, with all the saints, from where all illness, sadness and sighing have escaped. Merciful Lord! Accept this day for Thy servant (Your) (name) my warm prayer and give him (her) Your reward for the labors and cares of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as having taught me first of all to lead You, my Lord, pray to You in reverence, trust in You alone in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and keep Your Commandments; for his (her) concern for my spiritual progress, for the warmth of his (her) prayer for me before You and for all the gifts he (she) asked me from You, reward him (her) with Your mercy, Your heavenly blessings and joys in Your eternal Kingdom. For you are the God of mercies and generosity and love for mankind. You are the peace and joy of Your faithful servants, and we send glory to You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
About those who died without repentance:
Passion winner, helper for souls, prayer book for all, intercessor and mentor for everyone’s salvation, sighing from the depths of our hearts, we earnestly and fervently pray to you, Reverend Paisius! Hear and help us, do not reject or despise us, but rather hear in humility the hearts of those who flow to you. You, reverend, diligently strived for the salvation of your neighbors and led many sinners to the light of salvation. He considered excessive exploits to be a tranquility in itself, extremely wonderful, and, always burning with love for the Lord, you were vouchsafed the appearance of Christ the Savior, and you imitated Him for the people who died, imitating love, and for those who renounced Christ. Hear us, O most praiseworthy Pais, for we are unworthy to pray for the granting of the great mercy of the Lord to us, since we are sinners, and we have defiled lips and burdened hearts, and we suffer under the burden of sins, and our prayer does not reach the Lord. For this sake, pray for us with your strong and God-pleasing prayer, Saint Paisios, so that our relatives, our neighbors and those we know, who have died without repentance, will be delivered from eternal torment, and our Savior will accept your prayer in good will and give them His mercy instead of good deeds, free them , we believe, from suffering and will dwell in the villages of the righteous, and will merit us to die in repentance, so that together we may glorify the All-Holy and magnificent name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer for those who died unbaptized
If the soul of the newly deceased did not have time to receive baptism, you can still pray for it, but only at home on your own. At the Divine Liturgy, you cannot mention the name of an unbaptized person - this will anger the Lord.
Have mercy, O Lord, on the soul of Your servant (name), who passed into eternal life without Holy Baptism. Your destinies are unsearchable. Do not make this my prayer a sin for me. But Thy holy will be done.
And in conclusion
No matter who the deceased was during life, the prayer of loved ones can make his existence in the afterlife easier. It will free the soul from the burden of earthly sins and allow it to settle near God in Paradise. It doesn’t matter whether a person knows how to pray or not, what matters is the feeling with which he does it. Everyone is equal before the face of God, so you shouldn’t be afraid if something doesn’t work out.
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Prayers for the deceased are considered an important church ritual that helps the soul of the deceased find peace. What prayer to read for the deceased up to 40 days every day, what prayer for the repose of the soul up to 1 year for parents, relatives, husbands, wives should be read in order to correctly remember a newly deceased (recently departed to another world) loved one, a long-dead father, mother?
For up to 40 days, the souls of the departed need prayer. Prayers for the deceased, as a rule, are read by relatives at home or in church; the texts of the prayers can be short or long; on memorial days, prayers spoken in one’s own words are suitable.
For the first 3 days after death, according to the narration of the Holy Fathers, the soul is near the body. After 3 days, the soul of the newly departed deceased passes from earthly life to the spiritual world, where each soul has the opportunity to bear responsibility for the earthly deeds committed, to answer for the sins committed. On the 40th day, God's Judgment ends, and the soul moves to heaven or hell. The first 40 days are very important for the souls of the departed; prayers are especially necessary during these days.
Razgadamus considers it educational. The most important prayers for Orthodox Christians are prayers for the departed; an Orthodox prayer is read at the Liturgy in the church during the service, during the memorial service by the priests. At home, in addition to prayer, you can read the Psalter - this is the sacred book of psalms, which is read collectively, individually in church or at home in front of icons. Psalms for the departed can be read on the anniversary of the death of parents, husband, wife, or on any other day; they should be read correctly at home with a burning candle or lamp.
How to pray on the days of remembrance, what prayers for the departed should Orthodox Christians have? We offer the most powerful Orthodox prayers of remembrance, which can be read on Parental Memorial Saturdays, after the death of parents (father, mother) for up to 40 days, or of a deceased wife, husband, relative every day. After, according to, Orthodox Christians celebrate the holiday every year (in 2017 the date is April 25); We hope that the accessible texts published in this article will be used by many believers on the approaching day of remembrance.
Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased
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The death of a person is a tragic event, perhaps occurring after a long illness, or a sudden death, but for loved ones it is always a tragedy and grief. If a loved one has passed away, then it is necessary to read a memorial prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
Prayer for deceased parents
The parents who gave us life always leave their children unexpectedly. To help the soul of a parent (father, mother) find peace, one should turn to God for help. You can read prayer texts up to 40 days after the death of your parents, and after 40 days, as well as on all memorial dates: 1 year from the date of death of the mother (father), 2 years, etc.
Prayer for the deceased up to 40 days
During the first 40 days after death, it is very important to read prayer texts as often as possible, in church, at home with a candle in front of the icon. You should order a magpie in the temple on the day of death; the duration of the magpie is 40 days. Pray and ask for forgiveness of the sins of the newly deceased.
A short prayer for the dead
A memorial book is a book that can be purchased at a church and the names of all deceased relatives can be written down. In Orthodoxy, there is a custom to keep memorial books with the names of the deceased, reading them by name during commemoration. A short prayer for the deceased is read in the cemetery, at home, in church, at any time the soul desires.
How to pray in a cemetery and behave near a grave? The duty of relatives is to keep the grave clean: the burial place, according to church canons, is considered holy. Arriving at the cemetery, you need to light a candle and read a prayer for the deceased, honoring his memory. It is forbidden to drink alcohol or use foul language in the cemetery on Memorial Day or any other day.
When a person’s life is cut short, it is always hard for his loved ones and relatives; they grieve and grieve for the deceased for a long time, and sometimes their entire lives.
However, every believer knows and has always known (and now this fact has been scientifically confirmed) that only the human body is subject to death. The soul - that is, a person’s personality, the ability to think, feel, his consciousness - remains to live. A person who has died in new, unnatural conditions for himself (death was not part of God’s plans, it was the result of the Fall) especially needs support and reassurance - a memorial prayer.
The long years of atheism in Soviet times in our country, mass propaganda and persecution of the Church for several generations cemented in the descendants of our predecessors several features in relation to spiritual life and many things connected with it.
Some still don’t believe in the Creator - not just in his omnipotence, but even in existence, some reinterpret spiritual realities to suit their own understanding, some believe only in the soul, but not in the rest, and some , knowing the truth, resisting it, and much more.
Of course, everyone is free to live as they want and treat everything as they wish. But everyone should know - regardless of his beliefs, every deceased person (translated from ancient Slavic this means “asleep”) remains himself, losing only his material expression, his biological mechanism, which allows him to interact in the world of dense matter.
A real breakthrough in different parts of the world over the past 40 years has been made by resuscitators and biologists, having found irrefutable evidence of the existence of the soul outside the body without any discomfort in well-being.
Scientists and doctors who proved the life of the soul
Evidence of the continuation of the life of the soul after death in the scientific world began with the works of such prominent representatives of science in the foreign world as:
This is a list of just some of the studies. It is easy to notice that almost all of them were published only a few years apart. This is already the result. At the same time, the listed scientists received the first evidence about the life of the soul while still unfamiliar with each other. Their observations and results are almost completely identical.
Domestic scientists did not publish practically any books during the difficult Soviet times. They are just in 1969 in Leningrad at the Brain Institute. Bekhterev filmed the exit of the soul from the human body in high-frequency discharges. And they simply showed it in a popular science film on the main channels of the country, which cannot but make us proud of our own people.
If you don’t yet believe or have little faith in the life of the soul after the body, then turn to scientific facts and, even if you don’t believe yet, simply help disembodied people in their difficult further path to God. To help the soul get used to the new situation, you should read prayers at home, and also be sure to turn to the Church for help.
In church, Christians read sacred books for the dead, remembering each person by name. The Bible, Psalms, and Gospels are not just books written by people, as was taught in Soviet times. These are divinely inspired books, the texts of which were dictated by the Lord himself, his Holy Spirit.
In the temple you can order the most powerful commemorations:
Mandatory activities for every deceased Christian:
- funeral service;
- memorial service;
- (which is a funeral service, you can sing or read it yourself at the cemetery);
- magpies (experience shows that it is best to order for a year at once - it will be a great help to those who have passed away).
Reading home prayer
Each person can help the human soul with his own strength. People still living on earth turn to the Lord to save the soul of the deceased from hell and to persuade Him to mercy. It should also be noted that prayer for the dead makes it possible for the living to be saved. After all, through prayer we do a good deed, we do a deed of love, and this is so pleasant for our Heavenly Father to see. In addition, daily prayer allows you to escape from the everyday hustle and bustle and protect yourself from evil.
About deceased parents
Prayer for the repose of the soul of a deceased parent makes it possible to accept what happened, come to terms with it and be comforted, but most importantly, it will make it easier for her to go through the ordeal after death.
One of the methods that allows you to show care for your parents who have passed away is reading the Psalter. You should read one kathisma prayer for the deceased every day for up to 40 days, the text of which can be found on the Internet or simply purchased. This prayer rule will provide quick peace, support and an additional opportunity for the souls of loved ones to receive liberation from eternal torment. Reading prayer texts is allowed at any time of the day.
About the deceased mother
Losing a mother is one of the most difficult and bitter experiences for a person, regardless of age and often even relationships during life. In order to help the soul of a loved one and ease your own mental pain, you need to turn to the Heavenly Father.
Traditional prayer for deceased parents read for the first 40 days after the date of completion of the earthly journey, 40 days before the anniversary of his death. as well as on all memorial dates: on the day of death, birthday, on the day of the angel, etc. It is worth noting that this is a kind of rule - very conditional, this is the same immutable minimum that must be done for parents.
Everything that has been said about prayer for the soul of a mother equally applies to the soul of a father. The Psalter can also be read to ask for the Lord’s mercy for a deceased father.
Of course, in addition to the indicated texts, you can simply ask the Higher Powers in your own words. However, it is advisable to still resort to sacred texts. During unauthorized prayer, under the influence of mental pain from loss, you can go into the jungle of condemnation, accusations and grumbling. Therefore, at first it is still worth turning to the prayers of the saints.
If you do not provide prayerful support to the deceased at all, then it is difficult to imagine greater torture and betrayal on the part of a loved one. The transition to an incorporeal state is one of the most important and stressful in a person’s life, equal in responsibility and significance to birth, or even more difficult.
If the descendants, as the closest people, deprive their father of prayer support, it will be almost impossible for him to go through an incredibly difficult and dangerous path, where on the way to the Kingdom of God there are spirits of evil, laying claim to every soul. After all, how can they take so long and so many worked to “appropriate” it for themselves. And they come out on the way to demand theirs. We all have many sins. And everyone will need any support.
The prayer for the repose of the soul of the introduced relative must be read thoughtfully and with all the heart (but without hysterics). The texts of the prayers are easy to find in any prayer book or online.
Widowers' prayer for deceased spouses
The prayer of a widow for her soul mate is especially strong and pleasing to God. A woman can pray with a special text. It can be combined with reading the Psalter. It can be left on each “Slava”. This must be supplemented by ordering commemoration in monasteries and churches, with alms.
To help survive grief, it is advisable for a woman to turn to the Lord with a request to give her strength so that she can live on and carry out her feat as a widow with dignity.
The Lord will certainly hear the prayer book and give her strength to cope with trouble. It is important at this time to confess and receive Communion most often, talk with the priest about the grief that happened. In any case, a woman must understand that God unites us on Earth not in order to separate us in eternity. On the contrary, He builds everything in such a way that people who love each other can live together forever in the Kingdom of God - in the world of Love and Goodness. The same words about prayer and reunion are true for a widower.
About alms for the dead
Many have a negative attitude towards this word, believing that this is “another pumping out of money.” This is the stereotype that opponents of the Church instill in people. It is important to understand: your money is not the only way to help. Almsgiving can be done not only with money (it’s just the easiest way). Everyone has the power to:
The main thing is to do it with a pure heart, no matter what exactly you choose. Perhaps you will come up with something of your own, for example, singing spiritual songs in a subway crossing... Whatever. After all, prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased is the same alms, only done within the walls of one’s home.
Remember, O Lord our God, in faith and hope the life of your eternal newly departed servant, our brother ( Name), and as the Good One and the Lover of Mankind, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forgive and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Thy eternal good things, prepared for those who love Thee: otherwise and sin, but do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God glorify You in the Trinity, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until your last breath of confession. Be merciful to him, and the faith that is in You, instead of deeds, and rest with Your saints, as you are Generous: for there is no man who will live and not sin, but You are the only One besides all sin, and Your truth is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercy and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The death of loved ones is a great loss and sorrow. And at the same time, believers do not completely despair, having hope of meeting them. Where such confidence? Why does the church pray not only for the living, but also for the dead? The main thing is what can a person do for his beloved relative? After all, the worst has already happened; the deceased cannot be brought back. Is it so?
Important: The Orthodox Church prays for the baptized (notes, services, services, Sacraments). If the deceased is not baptized (he is a non-Russian, a suicide), his loved ones pray for him, wherever it is convenient for them, independently (at home, in church, silently). If it is unknown, they discuss the conditions with the priest on the spot.
The worst is yet to come
Yes, death is a terrible event, but it is not the most terrible thing, for this is a temporary state, like our stay on earth. The eternal destiny of man is the most important factor for all people. The final determination will be made at the Last Judgment, after the Second Coming of Christ to earth. Before this, there is a little time to correct what was not done during life.
Why does the church pray for the dead?
If the dead could take care of themselves, they would not need our prayers. While we are alive, we are able to change, be transformed, accumulate the Holy Spirit, which sanctifies, freeing us from passions. Having buried the body, consigning it to ashes, an immortal component remains from a person:
- soul – inherent in all living beings, including animals;
- spirit (personality, self-awareness, “I”) - only people possess it.
There is no full-fledged person after death, since the body lies in the ground. Without it, the soul (together with its “I”) has no will. What they filled her with is what she will remain with, moving into the threshold of eternal life. If the deceased had passions, then they all remained with him. The horror is that the craving for the familiar increases 1000 times in comparison with earthly desires.
The soul does not sleep, does not eat, is not distracted, its entire essence thirsts for the satisfaction of passions in order to be satisfied with the previous “goods”. Just as a drug addict suffers without doping, so the soul that loved to eat deliciously, drink, smoke, revel in wealth, fame, etc., cannot calm down, because there is nowhere to get the “dose.”
Thanks to the prayers of the church, the dead receive relief, some consolation and help - Light that burns the irrepressible passions of the soul. Relatives can be very helpful. It is necessary not only to order services, but also to pray yourself. Who will do it better? Those who have a family connection, one Spirit with the deceased. For example, children who love their parents and are ready to do everything possible for them.
One Spirit
It is said: Save yourself, and thousands around you will be saved. Having one Spirit with relatives, the owner of a soul sanctified by God will help the dead most. The prayer of a loving heart works miracles. She saves those who cannot do it themselves. By what force? By the grace of the Holy Spirit (by the grace of the Lord), the soul is rescued from hell. To do this you need:
- Pray for the departed at the Liturgy.
- Order a memorial service on significant dates.
- Read the psalter.
- Order sorokoust.
- Remember it daily in morning prayers.
- Read the canon for the one who died and
- Litiya for the laity.
Thanks to the prayers of the church and relatives, the soul not only receives relief, but gradually weakens earthly attachments. Freed from the shackles of passions. Illuminated by the prayers of loving people. Receives hope of salvation in eternal life.
Note: A memorial service can be ordered on any weekday. During Lent, a short litany is served for the deceased. Three services (3; 9 and 40) must be performed.
Why is the prayer of children (relatives) for the departed important?
God created man immortal. If it were not for the fall of the first people, the bony old woman with a scythe would have been left without a job. Those who were baptized received the Spirit of Christ (eternal) as a gift, but did not maintain holiness and fell without having time to be cleansed before death. That is why sinful souls suffer, awaiting the Last Judgment. The living can help by illuminating themselves and begging their parents.
When we are resurrected, the body laid in the ground will unite with the eternal soul and be renewed. What a new person will become depends on the connection with God. It is necessary to become like the Lord, so that His resurrected Power will also transform our bodies. Having accumulated Grace within themselves, relatives illuminate the dead. Their prayer can bring long-awaited peace and joy of bliss to loved ones.
Note: In Orthodoxy they read the canon “For the One Who Died.” An Akathist circulating on the Internet is the homemade work of unknown people. There is no blessing for reading it.
How the church can help
The first three days. The most important moments for the deceased are contained in the posthumous 40 days. The first three - the soul parts with earthly joys: with its favorite places, family and friends. She faces a long separation. So that the sadness is not very strong and mournful, in the church every day it is remembered at the proskomedia and prayed at the Liturgy. Therefore you need to:
- Order the magpie in the church where the Liturgy is served every day. Find out this right away, since this practice does not exist everywhere. You can order a memorial in several churches.
- It is advisable to attend services and pray for the deceased when the pieces are removed.
- At the litany on Parental Saturday, both the living and the dead are remembered. Only the names of deceased people are read out loud.
- To make your prayers more effective and have greater power: confess and take Communion. Communication with the deceased will have less interference.
- At home, read the psalter all 40 days, more if possible. The number of kathismas per day is not limited. Finished the circle, start again.
- For each significant day (3; 9; 40), order a Requiem Service (served after the Liturgy), submit a Registered Note to the altar.
- Give alms to those in need. Good deeds are done for the sake of relatives. You can take some kind of vow (at least for the first 40 days). It must be fulfilled.
Children, when you offer prayers, perhaps at this moment the soul of your loved ones is nearby. Thanks to the Blood of Christ, in which a particle is washed for the deceased, attachment weakens, preparing the soul for the heavenly abodes. Finally, she goes on a “journey.”
- Six days There will be an “excursion” to the heavenly places. At this time, the church and relatives pray intensely so that the weak-willed soul will be favored by what it sees. She leaned towards her near and dear ones. Attachment to virtues at this moment will affect your future destiny. Happy are those who discover a congenial place within themselves.
- From 9 days to 40 A review of the Underworld is coming. May the Lord have mercy on your soul at this moment. So that she can hold on, having discovered a place where, due to human passions, she will be drawn to sin that is related to herself. For example, a smoker cannot resist cigarette smoke, an alcoholic cannot resist rivers of wine, a fornicator... etc. This is why we need to pray. So that the weak-willed Spirit “I” does not exchange the good abodes of Paradise for its passions.
Note: Do not take this description as 100% truth. The angel talking with Saint Macarius, explaining the heavenly world, warned: look at everything as if through a dark glass, fortune-telling. For it is impossible to give a more precise explanation - there is nothing to compare with on earth.
Where are souls after death?
From days 9 to 40 the soul goes through ordeals. It is impossible to say exactly how this happens. According to the available information and assumptions of the saints who contemplated that world, they are not able to explain knowledge, for not everything lends itself to understanding accessible to everyone. There are two versions:
- The soul is tested by the temptations of the passions, as described above. She rushes to what is close to her spirit (according to the assumption of St. Theophan the Recluse)
- There are 20 ordeals (according to the descriptions of Blessed Theodora). At each of them they are met by demons who have charters with records of a person’s unrepentant sins. According to them, they lay claim to the poor soul.
No matter which option is correct (it is possible that both), there is nothing soothing for the sinner. This is torment that we cannot even imagine, it is so terrible. Before the Last Judgment, a private ruling is made. Souls are on the threshold of Heaven or Hell.
After the resurrection, those who have illuminated bodies (like Christ’s) will find heavenly abodes. Others will go to eternal torment in hell, where, in addition to their passions, they will be subjected to the bullying of demons. That is why, while there is time, save your loved ones and relatives, sanctify yourself, pray for them. Then both you and your family will be saved.
Conclusion: The church brings prayers for deceased parents (any relatives) - renewing the seed of Christ given at baptism. The prayers of children will help Him grow - this is fertile soil. She suppresses the weeds of passion, cultivating what the Lord has sown.
Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased for 9 days
God of spirits and all flesh, having trampled down death and abolished the devil, and given life to Thy world! Himself, Lord, give rest to the souls of your departed servants: your most holy patriarchs, your eminence metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, who served you in the priestly, ecclesiastical and monastic ranks; the creators of this holy temple, the Orthodox forefathers, fathers, brothers and sisters, lying here and everywhere; leaders and warriors who laid down their lives for the faith and fatherland, the faithful, who were killed in internecine warfare, drowned, burned, frozen to death, torn to pieces by beasts, who suddenly died without repentance and did not have time to reconcile with the Church and with their enemies; in a frenzy of mind, those who committed suicide, those for whom we were commanded and asked to pray, for whom there is no one to pray and the faithful, deprived of a Christian burial ( Name) in a brighter place, in a greener place, in a calm place, from where illness, sadness and sighing have escaped. Every sin committed by them in word or deed or thought, as a good Lover of mankind, God forgives, as if there is no man who will live and not sin. For You are the only one besides sin, Your righteousness is truth forever, and Your word is truth.
Prayer to the Lord for the newly departed deceased
Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the eternal life of Thy newly departed servant (or Thy handmaid), (name), and as he is good and a lover of mankind,
forgive sins and consume untruths, weaken, forgive and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, raising him up at Your holy second coming to partake of Your eternal blessings,
For their sake we have faith in You, the One, the true God and Lover of Mankind.
For You are the resurrection and the life and rest of Your servant, (name), Christ our God.
And we send glory to You, with Your beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen.
Prayer for the deceased before burial
Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the eternal life of Your departed servant, our brother (name), and as Good and Lover of mankind, forgiving sins,
and consume untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and pleasure of Your eternal good things, prepared for those who love You:
Even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God glorify You in the Trinity, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until your last breath of confession.
In the same way, be merciful to him, and faith, even in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as you generously rest:
There is no man who will live and not sin.
But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.