Funeral service and burial of monks, abbots and archimandrites. The funeral service of monks and holy monks also has many statutory features that quite significantly change the order of this service. But for the reasons stated in the chapter “Funeral services for priests”, these

Funeral and burial of infants

A special funeral service is performed for infants who died after Holy Baptism, as for immaculate, sinless ones: the Saint does not pray for the remission of the sins of the dead, but only asks that they be honored with the Kingdom of Heaven, according to the false promise of Christ. Although the infants after Holy Baptism themselves did not do anything to deserve the Kingdom of Heaven, they were cleansed from their ancestral sin in Holy Baptism; became blameless and... heirs of the Kingdom of God.
Funeral services according to the infant rite are performed for children who died before the age of seven, at which age children already go to confession, like adults.
The funeral service for infants is shorter than the funeral service for older (adult) lay people and is distinguished by the following features.
1) The 17th kathisma is not sung.
2) “The troparia immaculate” are not sung.
3) A canon is sung with the refrain: “Lord, rest the baby.” To familiarize yourself with the spirit and essence of this canon, we present three troparions from it (in Russian - Ed.):
"Let us not weep for babies, let us rather weep for ourselves, we who constantly sin, so that we may be freed from Gehenna" .
“Lord! You have deprived the baby of earthly pleasures: honor him, as the Just One, with Heavenly blessings.” (Canto 4, troparia 1 and 2)
"Don't cry for me, relatives and friends! I haven't done anything worthy of crying; Better cry for yourself, because you are constantly sinning, so that you do not suffer torment: this is how the dead baby cries" (Song 5, troparion 3).
4) The litany for the repose of a baby differs from that pronounced for those who died at age: in it the deceased baby is called blessed and there is no prayer for forgiveness of his sins. And the prayer secretly read by the priest after the litany is different than when proclaiming the litany for the deceased.
"Let us pray again and again in peace to the Lord.
We also pray for the repose of the blessed baby (name) and for the hedgehog, according to His false promise, to be worthy of His Heavenly Kingdom.
For may the Lord our God cause his spirit, where all the righteous rest.
The mercy of God, the Kingdom of Heaven and rest with the saints in Christ, the Immortal King and our God, we ask ourselves for this.
Let's pray to the Lord" .
Priest (secretly):
"Lord Jesus Christ, our God, to those who were born of water and the Spirit and in immaculate life, to give the Kingdom of Heaven to those who are passing away, with promise and river: leave the children to come to me, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven! We humbly pray, now from us to Your departed servant, the immaculate baby (name), according to Your false promise, grant the inheritance of Your Kingdom, grant us immaculate to pass away and end our Christian life, with all Your saints to settle in the heavenly realms" .
And he proclaims:
For You are the Resurrection, Life and Repose of Your servants, and to Your now departed servant, the child (name), Christ our God, and to You we send glory...
5) After the 6th song of the canon and kontakion “Rest with the saints...” with the ikos “Thou art the One Immortal...” three more ikos are sung, depicting the grief of parents for their dead babies.
6) According to the 9th canto - small litany and exapostilary.
(Exapostilary - lit. (pre) sent: this is the name of the hymns sung at Matins after the canon, because in ancient times a singer was sent to sing in the middle of the temple.)
Now we have rested and found much relief (relief), as if we had ceased from corruption and turned to life (passed to life): Lord, Glory to Thee (thrice).
Glory, even now: Now I have chosen the Mother of God, the Virgin, for Christ was born from Her, the Deliverer of all: Lord, glory to Thee.
7) After the canon, the Apostle and the Gospel are read differently than during the funeral service for lay people.
Apostle - concept 162 (First Epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 15, verses 39 - 46) - about the state of human soul and body after the Resurrection.
8) After the Gospel, “there is a last kiss during the singing of farewell stichera (5 in number): in these stichera the grief of the parents is expressed for the deceased baby and the consolation is taught in the fact that he has united with the faces (here: with the multitude) of the saints, as “unparticipated worldly evils" and "pure from sinful corruption."
9) After farewell stichera - lithium and dismissal:
Risen from the dead, possessing both the living and the dead, Christ, our True God, through the prayers of Thy Most Holy Mother and all Thy saints, the soul of the child (name) departed from us was installed in the tabernacles of the saints and was counted among the righteous, for He is Good and Lover of Mankind.
After the dismissal the priest says:
Your eternal memory, blessed and ever-remembered child (name).
The face sings three times: Eternal memory.
10) Instead of the prayer of permission prescribed during the funeral service for the elderly, the priest reads the following prayer:
Protect the infants, O Lord, in their present life, but in the future life you have prepared for them space, Abraham’s womb and, in purity, an angelic light-like place, in which the righteous souls will settle! You Yourself, Lord Christ, accept the soul of Your baby servant (name) in peace. You said: leave the children to come to Me, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven. For you are due all glory, honor and worship, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
“And having taken the body, they go to the coffin (grave) with the priest and deacon and the entire clergy preceding, singing “Holy God...” Having placed the relics in the coffin, the leading priest, taking up a shovel, pours earth into the coffin, saying: “It is the Lord’s the earth and its accomplishments, the universe and all who live on it." And they depart, thanking God." (Trebnik. Rite of infant burial).
Note. A funeral service is not performed for dead infants who have not received Holy Baptism, since they have not been cleansed of their ancestral sin.
As for the fate of infants dying without Baptism, then... some of the ancient fathers and teachers of the Church (among them Blessed Augustine) believed that such infants endure torment, although, as lightly as possible.
Others spoke of a kind of middle state between bliss and condemnation.
This last thought is expressed by:
a) Saint Gregory of Nyssa: “The premature death of infants does not yet give rise to the thought that the one who ends his life in this way will be among the unhappy; as well as that he will inherit the same fate with those who in this life have purified themselves with all virtue” (To Giarius on infants , abducted by premature death. In "Christian Reading", 1838, 4).
b) Saint Gregory the Theologian: “The latter (who were not worthy of Baptism due to their infancy) will not be glorified or punished by the Righteous Judge, because, although they are not sealed (with the seal of sin. - Ed.), they are nevertheless not bad, and are more themselves suffered rather than do harm. For not everyone who is unworthy of punishment is worthy of honor; just as not everyone who is unworthy of honor is worthy of punishment” (Word on Holy Baptism, in the Works of the Holy Fathers, 3, 294).

There is a canon in the rite of funeral services for infants, reading which it is impossible to hold back tears. The Church finds words of amazing power to console bereaved parents, to keep them from the abyss of despair and to support them in this terrible hour. Translated into Russian, the words of the canon are more convenient for modern understanding. Here are some verses from this canon.

  
You, Christ the Savior, as a Lover of mankind, accepted this immaculate baby before he knew earthly pleasures, in order to merit him eternal bliss.
Virgin Mary, who incomprehensibly gave birth to Wisdom and the Word of the Father! Heal the severe wound of my soul and end the sorrow of my heart.

The mortal sword that came upon You cut you off like a young branch, O blessed baby, who had not yet tasted worldly pleasures. But Christ, as the Merciful One, opens the heavenly gates for you, numbering you among His chosen ones.

“Do not weep for me, my family and friends,” cries the baby, “for I have not yet undertaken anything worthy of tears, but most of all, weep unceasingly for yourselves, as those who always sin, so as not to be subjected to torment.”

“Do not hinder the children from coming to Me, for only those who are like them receive My Kingdom,” You, the Word, the Son of God, said to the Apostles. Therefore, honor the child You have relocated with Your light.

No one evokes such compassion as a mother, and regret as a father, when they first see their babies off from this world, because everything inside them shrinks from suffering and strong sorrow for the children covers their hearts, especially when they remember the pleasant children's words , while singing: Hallelujah.
Here are the parents in front of the coffin, repeatedly striking themselves on the chest, crying out: “Oh my son, my sweetest child, don’t you hear what your mother is saying? This is the womb that bore you; Why don’t you tell us anything, as you said before? But now you are silent, not singing with us: Hallelujah.”

“God, God, who called me! - the baby cries, - now be a consolation for my family, for they are all crying bitterly, seeing in me as if they were their only one. But You, born of the Virgin Mother; cool the inside of my mother and water the heart of my father, while singing: Hallelujah.”

Now your separation, baby, from those who love you has been the cause of their sorrow, but for you it truly serves as joy and joy, for you will inherit an ever-blessed life.

“Why mourn me, a displaced baby? “I must not cause tears,” the lying baby mysteriously cries, since the joy of all the righteous is determined for babies who have not done deeds worthy of tears and they sing to Christ: priests, sing, people, exalt Him forever.”

Christ, Who Himself was without change a Child! You voluntarily accepted suffering and saw the maternal sorrows of the One who gave birth to You, so ease the sadness and severe suffering of the believing parents of the deceased baby, so that we glorify Your power.

You, the King of the whole world, sent from above and called the blessed baby back to you, like a pure bird into the heavenly nests, and thereby saved his soul from many different snares. Unite him, O Lord, with the souls of the righteous, delighting in Your Kingdom.

You, the Word, the Son of God, have given a heavenly abode to infants who have done nothing; therefore You, the Merciful One, deigned to include this Your creation among them; You Yourself, as the Merciful and Humane One, alleviate the suffering of the parents of the baby who has now come to You.

Text of the stichera that are sung at farewell:

Oh, who will not weep, my child, for this tear-worthy migration of yours from this life, for you, as an immature baby, have now, like a chick, flown away from your mother’s embrace and returned to the Creator of all. O child, who will not shed tears, seeing your bright face fade, recently blooming like a lily?

Oh, who does not groan, my child, and cry with a cry for your blooming life and you, full of beauty, for like a ship that leaves no trace, so you quickly disappeared from view. Come, my friends, family and friends, let’s kiss him with me and take him to the grave.

Death for infants is liberation, for they, having appeared uninvolved in worldly evil, have achieved peace and rejoice in heavenly joy together with Abraham and now rejoice with the Divine host of holy infants and truly triumph, since they departed undefiled by sin-loving corruption.

In ancient times, in paradise, when the serpent emitted poison, Adam, having tasted the fruit of the forbidden tree, received illness and through this universal death entered the world, eating man; but then the Lord came and, having cast down the serpent, gave us immortality. Therefore, let us cry to the Savior: spare, O Christ, the child You have accepted, and give him rest with Your chosen ones.

Eternal memory to you, baby (name), worthy of eternal bliss and remembrance.
   

See the full text of the canon here.

Christian death “We ask for a Christian death of our life, painless, shameless, peaceful, and a good answer at the Last Judgment of Christ.” This petition is heard at every service of the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox consciousness is not indifferent to the circumstances in which the separation of the soul from the body will occur, and whether the dying person will face this with dignity. the most important moment. Therefore, every believer throughout his life fervently prays that the Lord will not allow him sudden death, did not allow me to die in unrepentant sins.

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die” (Eccl. 3:1-2). Sooner or later, for every person the time comes for the transition from temporary earthly existence to eternity. It's scary when a person dies without realizing it, clinging to last minute for illusory hopes of recovery, especially if his neighbors, out of cowardice, hide the truth from him. On the contrary, it is a great blessing if the relatives took care of the dying parting words and called the priest to the dying person (of course, not against his wishes).

The Orthodox Church blesses its children in the afterlife with the sacraments of Repentance, Communion and Blessing of Anointing (Unction). If the dying person has not been baptized, then first of all the sacrament of Baptism is performed on him. Those who are baptized bring confession to the priest of all the untruths and sins that have occurred in their lives, and, if their repentance was sincere, they are allowed to receive Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. This is the best parting word for a soul preparing to embark on the road to eternity. It is even believed that a person who lived a church life and was honored with Communion on the day of his death will bypass demonic intimidation and torture when ascending to heaven, and will freely reach the bright palaces. Unction does not replace confession, as is considered by some, but complements it. In the Sacrament of the Blessing of Unction, unconscious or forgotten sins are forgiven, but those deliberately (out of shame or calculation) hidden during confession are not forgiven.

The consecrated oil that remains after the unction must be preserved. During burial it is poured over the remains of a Christian. To do this, the relatives of the deceased, going to the church for the funeral service, take a vessel with oil with them and warn the priest about this in advance.

But none of the sacraments can be performed on a person who is unconscious and unable to testify to his will, much less on someone who has already died.

If for some reason it is impossible to call a priest, and the dying person wishes to be baptized, it will be the right and duty of every Orthodox layman to perform this sacrament himself. To do this, it is necessary to pronounce without distortion the perfect formula of Baptism: “The servant of God is baptized ( full name) in the name of the Father, amen. And the Son, amen. And the Holy Spirit, Amen,” washing the sufferer’s head with holy water every time the word “Amen” is uttered.

(If after such baptism the dying person, by God's providence unknown to us, remains alive, the sacrament is considered valid and is no longer repeated. However, it should be supplemented with those prayers and rituals that only a priest can perform, first of all - the sacrament of Confirmation. For this you need come to church or invite the priest to your home.)

At the moment of separation of the soul from the body, according to the testimony of many who experienced clinical death, a person experiences a feeling of languor. He sees unclean spirits, terrible in appearance, and hears their terrible voices. Therefore, our pious ancestors always surrounded the dying person with objects that gave peace and tranquility to the soul: they placed icons and a cross so that the person suffering in the death throes could see them, and they placed the bed with the dying person under the icons and lit the Passion Candle (the candle with which they stood in the temple at Matins 12 Gospels). The candle was placed in the hand of the dying person or placed near the icons.

The transition to eternity is facilitated by reading special church prayers over the dying person - “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 to him. Popular name of this canon is the “exit prayer.”

It is not necessary to read it next to the dying person. If a person dies in a hospital, the canon can be read at home. The main thing is to support the soul with prayer in these most difficult moments for it. If a Christian gives up the ghost while reading the canons, then they are finished reading with the funeral refrain: “Rest, O Lord, to the soul of Thy departed servant...”

After the soul leaves the body, the deceased’s eyes are closed, the jaw is tied up, the body is straightened and the head is covered.

Sometimes the near-death illness lasts a long time, bringing severe suffering to both the patient and his family. In such situations, with the blessing of the priest, another canon can be read - “The rite performed for the separation of the soul from the body, a person always suffers for a long time.” It contains petitions for the speedy and peaceful death of the sufferer. You can find the texts of the canons in Orthodox prayer books.

Preparing the body for burial

The human body, according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, is a temple of the soul, sanctified by the grace of the sacraments. Orthodoxy insists on the dogma of the general resurrection of the dead before the Last Judgment. Both heavenly bliss and hellish torment will be the lot of not only the soul, but also the body. Therefore, since apostolic times, the Church has lovingly cared for the remains of brothers and sisters in faith, so that, having given them the last honors, they would be buried before the Second Coming of our Lord.

The Gospel describes the burial order of the Lord Jesus Christ, which consisted of washing His Most Pure Body, dressing in special clothes and placing in the grave. The same actions are supposed to be performed on Christians in the present time.

Washing the body symbolizes the purity and integrity of the righteous in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is performed by one of the relatives of the deceased with the reading of the Trisagion prayer: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.” The deceased is freed from clothes, the jaw is tied up and placed on a bench or on the floor, with a cloth spread over it. For ablution, use a sponge, warm water and soap, using cross-shaped movements to wipe all parts of the body three times, starting with the head.

It is customary to burn the clothes in which a person died, and everything that was used during his ablution.

“This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:53). IN eternal life the resurrected bodies of the righteous will be, like a robe, dressed with Divine light. Reminding this, Orthodox tradition orders to dress the deceased in new, clean clothes. Previously, a shroud was used for burial - a white cover signifying the Shroud of Christ. These days this custom is rarely observed.

The washed and clothed body, which must have a cross on it (if preserved, a baptismal cross), is placed on the table face up. The deceased's lips should be closed, his eyes closed, his hands folded crosswise on his chest, the right one on top of the left. A Christian woman’s head is covered with a large scarf that completely covers her hair, and its ends do not need to be tied, but simply folded crosswise. Should not be worn on the deceased Orthodox Christian tie.

A Crucifix is ​​placed in the hands (there is a special funeral type with a white figure of the Savior on a black cross) or an icon - Christ, the Mother of God or a heavenly patron. The forehead is decorated with a halo - a strip of paper with the image of the Lord and saints. This is a symbol of the reward of the Kingdom of Heaven for the hardships of earthly life, according to the words of the Apostle Paul: “And now there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). Chaplets and funeral crosses are sold in churches.

It is clear that all of the above can only be fulfilled if the body is not transferred to the morgue. Nowadays, it is rarely possible to leave the deceased in a city apartment, and relatives are forced to agree to an autopsy in order to obtain a death certificate. However, even before the arrival of the funeral service personnel, it is necessary to wash and dress the deceased, and when releasing the body from the morgue, place a corolla and a crucifix in the coffin.

A Christian's coffin should be wooden and modest. It is also permissible to use zinc if long-term transportation is required, as well as if there is a risk of infection. Before the body is placed, the coffin is sprinkled with holy water and, if possible, incense is burned. Before being placed in the coffin, they read over the body. At the end of the Litiya, with the words “to the servant of God who is departed...” the deceased is placed in a coffin. Litiya is also read if the coffin with the body of the deceased is brought from the morgue. A pillow is placed under the head of the deceased, which is usually prepared in advance, filling a small pillowcase with blessed willows from the Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem or birch leaves from the Feast of the Trinity. The body is completely covered with a sheet or a special shroud with the image of the Crucifixion, as a testimony to the faith of the Church that the deceased is under the protection of God. During the farewell of relatives to the deceased and the funeral service, the veil is pulled back so that the face and hands remain open, and then, before burial, the body is covered with it again with the head.

Firmly established rules How to place the coffin with the body of the deceased in the house during farewell does not exist. You can stand facing the icons, which are usually located in the front corner (right opposite the entrance); You can say goodbye facing those entering. Candles are lit near the coffin; if possible, you need to arrange them crosswise on four sides (or just at the head). The candle fire speaks of our hope for the transition of the deceased to the Kingdom of the True Light.

Lamps and candles are also lit near the icons. It is unacceptable to place a glass of water (or even vodka), bread, etc. under them. Also, you should not place a photograph of the deceased next to the icons and light a candle in front of it.

Prayers for the deceased before the funeral service

Immediately after preparing the body for burial, you need to read the prayer book “Following the departure of the soul from the body” over the deceased. It ends with a prayer that can be read separately:

“Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the eternal life of Your servant, our brother, who has passed away (Name), and as He is 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 Thy eternal good things, prepared for those who love Thee: even if 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 faith, even in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as You give generous rest: 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 to the ages of ages. Amen".

Ancient Orthodox custom is the reading of the Psalter for the deceased. Divinely inspired psalms console the grieving hearts of the deceased’s neighbors 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 (from the Greek “kafiso” - “to sit”, which indicates the permissibility of reading the Psalter while sitting). 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 You, God (three times). 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 prayer “Remember, O Lord our God...” (see above). The Small Doxology and Prayer are read while standing.

It is recommended to order the deceased as soon as possible sorokoust- prayerful commemoration in church during the Divine Liturgy for forty days in a row. 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 monasteries and monastery farmsteads, eternal remembrance is ordered (while the monastery is standing). Finally, it is very useful to serve funeral services.

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 has been established by the Church in the event that death occurs on the days following Easter - on Bright Week. At this time, the Church triumphs in the victory over death that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished and promised to everyone who believes in Him after His Second Coming to earth and the Last Judgment. The Resurrection of Christ brings special, joyful notes to funeral prayers. Instead of the 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 and before and after burial in the cemetery): “May God rise again and the enemies be scattered His” and “The sacred Easter has appeared to us today: the new holy Easter, the mysterious Easter, the all-honorable Easter, the Easter of Christ the Redeemer, the immaculate Easter, the great Easter, the Easter of the faithful, the Easter that opens the doors of paradise to us, the Easter that sanctifies all the faithful.”

Instead of the Psalter on Bright Week, according to tradition, one of the books of the New Testament is read - the Acts of the Holy Apostles, for the apostles in their ministry brought the light of Christ's Resurrection to the world. They begin the reading with the words: “Through the prayers of the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, have mercy on us, Amen,” after reading: “To our God be glory always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.” Reading the Acts of the Holy Apostles is extremely beneficial and instructive; it contains both prayer for the deceased and consolation for relatives.

Memorial service

The essence of the requiem is prayerful remembrance of the departed brothers and sisters, who, although they died faithful to Christ, did not completely renounce the weaknesses of the fallen human nature and took away their infirmities with them. By performing a memorial service, the Church reminds all living how the souls of the departed ascend from the earth to the Judgment of God, how with fear and trembling they stand at this Judgment, confessing their deeds before the Lord, the Knower of the Heart. Not daring to determine the posthumous fate of the deceased, which will become known only after the Judgment, the Church reminds us of Divine mercy and encourages us to pray for the dead, gives the opportunity for the heart to pour out in tears and petitions for loved one.

The memorial service ends with the deacon’s proclamation: “In the blessed Dormition, grant eternal rest, O Lord, to Thy departed servant (Name), and create for him an eternal memory!” As the interpreter of the service, Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, says, “this prayerful invocation is a gift and the completion of everything, it sends the deceased to the enjoyment of God and, as it were, transfers the soul and body of the deceased to God.”

Carrying out the body

Shortly before the coffin is taken out of the house (or the body is handed over to the morgue), you need to read it again "An Inquiry into the Exodus of the Soul from the Body." Just before taking it out, the Litiya is read and the Angelic Song is sung. “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us” The coffin with the body of the deceased is transferred to the temple. This singing testifies that the deceased confessed during his lifetime Life-giving Trinity and now passes into the kingdom of disembodied spirits surrounding the Throne of the Almighty and singing the Trisagion to Him. On Bright Week, the deceased is seen off to the singing of “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tombs.”

It is better to try to arrive at the temple before the start of the Divine Liturgy. In this case, the clergy and all the people gathered at the Liturgy will especially honor the deceased, offering prayers during the service for the forgiveness of his sins.

The coffin is carried by relatives and friends, dressed in mourning clothes. Since ancient times, Christians participating in funeral processions have carried lighted candles. In front is a cross or icon. In some villages, the custom of a funeral procession with a cross and banners is still preserved. An orchestra is inappropriate at the funeral of Orthodox Christians.

According to the Charter, when a body is brought into the temple, a special funeral bell must be rung. This ringing announces to the living the departure of another Christian from the world, and serves as a prototype of the Archangel trumpets, the sound of which will be heard on the last day of the world and will be heard to all ends of the earth.

In the temple, the body of the deceased is placed on a special stand with its feet facing the altar, and candlesticks are placed next to it. The coffin lid is left in the vestibule or in the courtyard. It is allowed to bring wreaths and fresh flowers into the church.

If the deceased had such a desire, the coffin may be in the vestibule on the last night before the funeral service. For this you should ask for the blessing of the rector of the temple, who has the right to refuse the request if the vestibule is too small.

Don't forget to take your death certificate to the temple. If for some reason the delivery of the coffin to the church is delayed, be sure to notify the priest and ask to reschedule the funeral service.

Funeral service

The funeral service begins with the 90th psalm: “He who lives in the help of the Most High...” It reveals to the spiritual gaze a picture of the transition into eternity of a truly believing soul along the mysterious path leading to the abode of the Heavenly Father. Let us note that this psalm is also read before the Divine Liturgy as part of the sixth hour, when the death on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ is remembered. In the words of the psalmist David, the Church depicts the terrible path of death that the sinless, holy soul of the God-Man traversed.

Then follows Psalm 118, depicting the bliss of the souls of the righteous, their firm hope in the mercy of God and fidelity to His commandments. This psalm, containing 176 verses, is subject to significant reductions in practice.

After the psalms - Old Testament chants - New Testament ones are sung troparia with the refrain “Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me by thy justification,” briefly depicting human destiny. Created from nothing, endowed with the image of God, for violating the commandments, man returns to the land from which he was taken. But even now he is an image of ineffable glory, although he bears the wounds of sins; and now he dares to ask God’s mercy to return to him through repentance his longed-for fatherland, where the face of the saints is located who have found the source of eternal life; where are the martyrs slain like lambs; where are all those who worthily carried their cross on earth.

The funeral service continues canon. He is imbued with prayer to the holy martyrs, whom the Church asks to intercede for the deceased. In the words of the canon, life appears to be a stormy sea, and death is a guide to a quiet haven. The clergy pray to God to rest the deceased with the saints, where there is no illness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life.

The canon is followed by special funeral rites stichera, compiled by the Monk John of Damascus (8th century). This is a sermon about the vanity of everything that deceives us in the world and does not remain with us after death; this is a person’s repentant cry about the beauty of creation, dishonored by sin. Here are selected excerpts from these stichera translated into Russian:

“What sweetness is there in life that is not associated with sadness? Whose glory will stand on earth unchangeable? Everything here is more insignificant than a shadow; everything is more deceptive than a dream; one moment - and all this is stolen by death...

Where did the passion for peace go? Where are the dreams of the temporary? Where is the gold and silver? Where are the multitude of slaves and glory? All this is dust, all is ashes, all is a shadow...

I cry and weep when I think about death and see our beauty, created in the image of God, lying in the graves, ugly, inglorious, without form...”

With such a bleak picture of human life, Christians find consolation in the words of Holy Scripture. An excerpt from the First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians, 4, 13-17) is read, transferring our thought to the afterlife and revealing the mystery of the general resurrection:

“I do not want to leave you, brothers, in ignorance about the dead, so that you do not grieve like others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For we say this to you in the words of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not warn those who have died; because the Lord Himself, with a proclamation, with the voice of the Archangel and the trumpet of God, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first; Then we who are left alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

Finally, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, through the lips of a priest, consoles us:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life; and does not come to judgment, but has passed from death to life. Truly, truly, I say to you, the time is coming, and has already come, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and having heard, they will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, so He gave to the Son to have life in Himself. And He gave Him authority to carry out Judgment, because He is the Son of man. Do not marvel at this; for the time is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who have done good will come forth into the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil into the resurrection of condemnation. I cannot create anything on my own. As I hear, so I judge; and My judgment is righteous: for I do not seek My will, but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:24-30).

Following the reading of the Gospel, the priest, in front of all those gathered, testifies to the forgiveness of all sins that the deceased repented of or was unable to confess due to weakness of memory, reading prayer of permission:

“Our Lord Jesus Christ, by His Divine grace, the gift and power given by His holy disciple and apostle, to bind and solve the sins of men, said to them: receive the Holy Spirit, and forgive their sins, they will be forgiven; hold them, they will hold; And if you bind and loose the tree on earth, it will be bound and loosed in heaven. From them and to us, who has come to accept each other, may through me the humble one, forgiven and this in spirit, the child (name) of all, if, as a man, sinned against God in word, or deed, or thought, and with all his feelings, willy or involuntarily, knowledge or ignorance. If you were under an oath or excommunication by a bishop or a priest, or if you swore an oath to your father or mother, or fell under your own curse, or broke an oath, or committed some other sins; but for all these, with a contrite heart, repent, and from all those guilts and burdens, let him be forgiven; He gave up the tree to oblivion for the weakness of nature, and may she forgive him everything, for her love for mankind, through the prayers of our Most Holy and Most Blessed Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, the glorious and all-praised apostle saints, and all the saints. Amen".

For more visible confirmation that all penances have been removed from the deceased and he has been reconciled with the Church, the priest places a scroll with the text of the prayer of permission into his right hand. It should be noted that sins deliberately hidden from confession are not forgiven by this prayer. The funeral service is not a sacrament, since it is performed not over a living person, but over a lifeless body, and does not serve as a “pass to the Kingdom of Heaven,” as is sometimes considered due to lack of faith and ignorance of the teachings of the Orthodox Church. It is only a farewell to the soul along one of the two paths - bliss or punishment - which was chosen by a person while he was still alive and witnessed by his earthly deeds.

Finally the time comes to say goodbye. As a sign of love and unity, which does not end beyond the coffin, neighbors give the deceased their last kiss, kissing the aureole on his forehead and the icon lying in the coffin. At this moment, we need to sincerely ask for forgiveness for all the insults and sorrows that we have caused to the deceased, and forgive what he was guilty of before us.

Farewell is celebrated by singing touching songs, with which the Church seeks to more deeply imprint in the hearts of the living the memory of the inevitability of death:

“Seeing me lying silent and lifeless, weep for me, all brothers and relatives and acquaintances. Yesterday I was talking with you, and suddenly the terrible hour of death overtook me; but come, all you who love me, and kiss me with the last kiss. I will no longer live with you or talk about anything; I go to the Judge, where there is no partiality: there the slave and the ruler stand together, the king and the warrior, the poor and the rich in equal dignity; each one will be glorified or disgraced by his own deeds. But I ask and beseech everyone: pray unceasingly for me to Christ God, so that I may not be brought down for my sins to a place of torment, but may I dwell where the Light of life shines.”

We hasten to respond to this last prayer of the deceased, calling on Christ:

“Through the prayers of thee who gave birth to Thee, O Christ, and Thy Forerunner, the apostles, the prophets, the hierarchs, the venerable and righteous, and all the saints, give rest to Thy departed servant.”

“Eternal Memory” is proclaimed over the coffin. The face of the deceased is covered with a veil, and the priest sprinkles earth in a cross shape on the body of the deceased, saying: “The earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness, the universe and all who live on it” (Ps. 23:1). Some pastors add to this the words “This tomb is sealed until the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Immediately after this, the coffin is closed with a lid and hammered with nails. According to the Rule, oil from a lamp is also supposed to be poured onto the body and ashes from a censer are sprinkled on it to commemorate the fact that the life of a Christian, like fire or incense, fades away for the earth, but not for heaven. However, this requirement of the Charter is not strict and therefore is not observed everywhere.

If the relatives of the deceased want to say goodbye to him in the cemetery, then the coffin is not nailed down in the church, but the priest blesses one of the relatives to sprinkle the body with earth immediately before burial.

After the funeral service, the deceased should be carried out of the church feet first while the Trisagion is chanted. When lowering the coffin into the grave, you need to read the troparion “From the spirits of the righteous who have died, rest the soul of Your servant, O Savior, preserving it in the blessed life that belongs to You, O Lover of Mankind.”

Funeral service in absentia

Now this phenomenon has become widespread, firstly, due to the lack of churches in many cities and villages; secondly, due to the high cost of transport and other funeral services, as a result of which the relatives of a deceased Christian decide to save on the funeral service. The latter is extremely regrettable, since it is better to refuse funerals, wreaths, tombstone, but make every effort and bring the body to the temple, as a last resort - call the priest home or to the cemetery. Nevertheless, the Church meets people halfway and, if necessary, performs an absentee funeral service, somewhat shortened compared to the usual one.

An absentee funeral service must be ordered on the day of the funeral, remembering to take the death certificate to the church. It is enough for at least one of the relatives of the deceased to pray in the temple. The priest will give him a whisk, a scroll of paper with the text of a prayer of permission, and a small bag of earth. As already mentioned, the whisk should be placed on the forehead of the deceased, the prayer should be placed in the right hand, and the earth should be scattered over the body in a cross shape - from the head to the feet and from the right shoulder to the left.

It happens that an absentee funeral service takes place some time after the funeral. Then the burial soil should be scattered over the grave, and the aureole and prayer should be buried into the grave mound to a shallow depth. If the grave is very far away or in an unknown place, then the aureole and prayer are burned, and the earth is scattered on any grave on which an Orthodox cross is installed.

The funeral service, like Baptism, is performed once. But if it is impossible to establish for certain whether a person was inveterate or not, you need, without embarrassment, to order an absentee funeral service, and the sooner the better.

Who is deprived of the funeral service

Persons who have made an attempt on the life or property of their neighbors and died from wounds and injuries received as a result of the rebuff are deprived of funeral services. Warriors who died on the battlefield do not belong to this category.

If the suicide committed suicide while being permanently or temporarily insane ( mental illness, acute narcotic or alcohol intoxication), then the issue of his funeral service is decided by the diocesan bishop. Relatives must contact the office of the diocese (in St. Petersburg - embankment of the Monastyrka River, building 2, opposite the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra) with a written request, to which a death certificate is attached. If the issue is resolved positively, the bishop's resolution is presented to the parish priest, and he performs the funeral service. The same should be done in other controversial cases - for example, when the relatives of a non-Orthodox Christian (Catholic or Protestant) want to perform a funeral service according to the Orthodox rite, or when it is impossible to establish for certain whether the deceased was baptized or not.

Home prayer for the repose of people of other faiths, the unbaptized, and suicides is permitted by the Church, but it can only be performed with the blessing of a confessor. We find an example of such a prayer in the biography venerable elder Leonid (in the schema of Leo) of Optinsky. His student's father committed suicide. The student said to the elder: “I am tormented by the idea of ​​the grave torment that awaits my parent, who died without repentance. Tell me, father, how can I console myself in real sorrow?” The monk answered: “In the spirit of the venerable and wise, pray like this: “Seek, Lord, the lost soul of my father; If possible, have mercy! Your destinies are unsearchable. Do not make this my prayer a sin for me. But Thy holy will be done!” Pray simply, without testing, transferring your heart to the right hand of the Most High... Leave the fate of your parent to the goodness and mercy of God, Who, if He deigns to have mercy, then who can resist Him?

Funeral service for babies

A special succession is performed over dead infants who have received the sacrament of Baptism, as over sinless, immaculate creatures. It does not contain prayers for the remission of sins, but there are petitions to honor the baby with the Kingdom of Heaven according to the false promise of the Lord (Mark 10:14). Although the baby did not perform any feats of Christian piety, having been cleansed of original sin in holy Baptism, he became the immaculate heir of eternal life.

The rite of burial of infants is replete with words of consolation to grieving parents. His chants testify to the Church’s belief that blessed babies, after death, become prayer books for all who loved them on earth. Funeral services according to this rite are performed for children under seven years of age.

Unbaptized babies, including unborn ones (as a result of miscarriages, those who died during childbirth, or those killed by an induced abortion), are not given a funeral service. About the afterlife fate of such St. Gregory the Theologian said: “they will not be glorified and will not be punished by the righteous Judge... for not everyone who is not worthy of punishment is already worthy of honor, just as everyone who is not worthy of honor is already worthy of punishment.”

Orthodox Christian grave

The custom of marking a burial site by building a hill over it comes from deep pre-Christian antiquity. The Christian Church, having adopted this custom, decorates the grave mound with the victorious sign of our salvation - the Holy Life-Giving Cross, inscribed on the tombstone or placed over the grave. The cross should be placed at the feet of the buried person so that the Crucifix is ​​facing his face.

The cross over the grave of an Orthodox Christian is a silent preacher of blessed immortality and resurrection; planted in the ground and rising to heaven, it signifies the faith of Christians that the body of the deceased is in the earth, and the soul is in heaven, that under the Cross is hidden a seed that will grow for eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

For the grave of an Orthodox Christian, a simple cross made of wood, concrete or metal is more suitable than expensive monuments made of granite and marble. It is acceptable to place a photograph or portrait of the deceased on the tombstone. If relatives want to write an epitaph, then it is best, according to tradition, to use words from the Holy Scriptures, or from famous prayers, and not self-invented phrases.

Cremation

When death entered the world after the fall of our ancestors, the method of burying dead bodies was also determined. "You are dust, and to dust you will return"- God said to Adam (Gen. 3:19). Based on these words, the dead are buried in the ground.

The custom of burning bodies, so popular now in Russia due to its relative cheapness, came to us from the pagan East. Eastern religious teachings contain the idea of ​​reincarnation (reincarnation), according to which the soul comes to earth many times, changing its bodily shells. Therefore, paganism sees in the body not the temple of the soul, but its prison. The term of stay in another prison has ended - you need to burn it and scatter the ashes to the wind.

The Orthodox Church disapproves of cremation and allows it only under circumstances of force majeure - lack of space in cemeteries or extreme scarcity of funds for burial. All funeral prayers, including funeral services, are performed over the cremated person without changes. Before burning the body, the icon or Crucifix must be removed from the coffin, and the aureole and sheet with the prayer of permission must be left. If the urn with ashes is subsequently buried in the grave, the Trisagion must be read during this action.

There is a fear among Christians that burning will inevitably condemn the deceased to hellish torment (parallels are drawn between the fire of a crematorium and the fire of Gehenna). On this score, back in the second century, Christian apologist Minucius Felix said: “We are not afraid ... of any damage in any method of burial, but we adhere to the old and best custom bury the body." Cremation is not approved by the Church primarily because for those who burn their loved ones, this action is not edifying; it instills despair in the soul rather than hope for resurrection. The posthumous fate of each deceased is in the hands of God and does not depend on the method of burial.

State of mind after death and commemoration of the departed

Church tradition preaches to us from the words of holy ascetics of faith and piety, who were honored to receive divine revelation, about the state of the soul after its separation from the body.

For the first two days, the soul remains on earth and, with the angel accompanying it, visits those places that attract it with memories of earthly joys and sorrows, good and evil deeds. On the third day, the Lord commands the soul to ascend to heaven to worship Himself.

Then the soul, returning from the Face of God, accompanied by angels, enters the heavenly abodes and contemplates their indescribable beauty. So she remains for six days - from the third to the ninth. On the ninth day, the Lord commands the angels to again present the soul to Him for worship.

After the second worship of God, the angels take the soul to hell, and it contemplates the cruel torment of unrepentant sinners. On the fortieth day after death, the soul ascends for the third time to the Throne of the Lord, where its fate is decided - the place it has been awarded for its deeds is assigned.

From here it is clear that the days of intense prayer for the dead should be the third, ninth and fortieth days after death. These terms also have another meaning.

The commemoration of the deceased on the third day is performed in honor of the three-day resurrection of Jesus Christ and in the image of the Holy Trinity.

The prayer on the ninth day is a rendering of honor to the nine angelic ranks, who, as servants of the Heavenly King, petition for pardon for the deceased.

The forty-day period is very significant in the history and tradition of the Church, as the time required for preparation, for accepting a special divine gift, for receiving the gracious help of the Heavenly Father. Thus, the prophet Moses was honored to talk with God on Mount Sinai and receive the tablets of the law from Him only after a forty-day fast. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself ascended to heaven on the fortieth day after His Resurrection. Taking this as a basis, the Church established the commemoration of the deceased on the fortieth day after death, so that his soul would ascend the Holy Mountain of Heavenly Sinai, be rewarded with the sight of God, achieve the bliss promised to it and settle in the heavenly villages with the righteous.

In addition, it is necessary to remember the deceased on the anniversary of their death. The reasons for this are obvious. It is known that after a year, all the fixed holidays are repeated in the Church. The anniversary of the death of a loved one is always marked with heartfelt remembrance by family and friends. Other memorable days - the birthday of the deceased, his name day, wedding day (for spouses) - are also reasons for enhanced funeral prayer. Finally, one should not neglect commemorating the deceased on any other day, because prayer is the main, invaluable help of the living to those who have passed on to another world.

While a person is alive, he is able to repent of sins and do good. After death, this opportunity disappears, but hope remains in the prayers of the living. The Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly healed the sick through the faith of their loved ones. The lives of the holy saints of God contain many examples of how, through the prayer of the righteous, the posthumous fate of sinners was eased, right up to their complete justification. If the prayer is made for a person who has already been pardoned by God and installed in the heavenly abode, then it does not remain fruitless, but turns to the benefit of the one praying. As St. said. John Chrysostom: “Let us try, as much as possible, to help the departed instead of tears, instead of sobs, instead of magnificent tombs - with our prayers, alms and offerings for them, so that in this way both for them and for us receive the promised benefits."

In order to properly remember the deceased 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 to the candle holder. Notes are accepted for proskomedia, mass, litany and memorial service.

Proskomedia - first part of the Divine 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 under the prayer: “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of those who were remembered here by Your honest Blood and the prayers of Your saints.” Proskomedia commemoration is considered the most effective.

Mass- common name Divine Liturgy. Notes submitted “for mass” are commemorated by priests, deacons and psalm-readers at a certain point in the service before the Holy See.

Litany - the commemoration is publicly performed by a deacon or priest. Notes submitted for the funeral litany are subsequently remembered at the memorial service.

The note should be titled “On Repose”, names should be written legibly, putting them in the genitive case (for example, Peter, Mary). For clergy, indicate their rank, in full or in an understandable abbreviation (for example, Metropolitan John, Deacon Vasily). Children under seven years of age are called babies; those who died before the fortieth day - newly deceased; on the anniversary of death - ever-memorable. Separately indicated warriors. The words “killed”, “died”, “drowned”, “burnt” and the like do not need to be written.

It is very useful to give feasible alms to the poor with a request to pray for the deceased. You can donate some food for the funeral; for this purpose, there are special memorial tables in churches. It is not customary to bring meat food into the temple, and during the period of fasting, eggs, dairy products and savory sweets should not be left on funeral tables. Of course, all food and products brought must be suitable for consumption.

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 of a rectangular table with many cells for candles and a small crucifix. It is here that candles are placed with a prayer for repose; memorial services and funeral services in absentia 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 should be honored by reading the rite of Litia at home. Home prayer can be more diligent. It is good to read the Canon about the deceased every day for forty days after death.

Subsequently, prayer for the repose of the soul of a loved one should become daily. To do this in prayer rule Orthodox Christians include a special petition: “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.

Nowadays, many people, even being baptized, do not go to church, do not confess, do not partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, or do this extremely rarely. For them, as well as for all those who died suddenly and did not have time to properly prepare for their death, the Canon is read Saint Paisius Great. This saint, who worked all his life in monastic deeds, did not want to have any reward for them, only so that the soul of one young sinner would be spared from punishment. And the Lord mercifully accepted the vigils and tears of His servant and gave him special grace to intercede for those who died without repentance.

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 a prayer, for example, performed by a layman as a last resort, at least reading the 90th Psalm or “Our Father.”

The first dish of the funeral meal is kutia (kolivo). These are boiled grains of wheat (rice) with honey (raisins, dried apricots). Grains serve as a symbol of resurrection, and honey - the sweetness that the righteous enjoy in the Kingdom of God. There is a special rite for consecrating the kutya; if it is not possible to ask a priest about this, sprinkle the kutya with holy water. 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.

The dead 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. Even if the deceased loved to drink, you should not imitate him in not the best habits.

A Christian invited to the funeral of a loved one by an unbelieving family should not decline the invitation. Since love is higher than fasting, you need to be guided by the words of the Savior: “Eat what is offered to you” (Luke 10:8), but observe moderation in food and conversation.

How to behave in a cemetery

Out of love for the deceased, relatives keep his grave clean and tidy - the place of future resurrection. Arriving at the cemetery, it is good to light a candle, pray for the deceased, read an akathist or canon about the repose of his soul. You can perform a litia, read the Gospel or the Psalter. Then clean up the grave or just be silent, remembering dear person. It is not appropriate for a Christian to eat or drink (especially vodka) in a cemetery. There is no need to leave food on the grave; it is better to give it to the poor. An excessively long stay in a cemetery in a state of intense grief can harm the soul and instill despondency and despair in it. Measurement is also necessary here.

Superstitions associated with burial

The Russian people, having adopted Orthodoxy, still did not completely outlive pagan customs. They manifest themselves most visibly in the burial ritual. There are many unwritten, and sometimes quite strange rituals, which, nevertheless, are passed down from generation to generation and are performed almost with greater zeal than church prayer rituals. In the 20th century, when the thread of church tradition was broken, these pagan superstitions became widespread. They are performed without thinking about the meaning, even by people who consider themselves atheists. Let's name some customs and beliefs that Orthodox Christians should not perform and take into account:

• hang mirrors in a house where there is a dead person;
• put money, things and food in the coffin;
• placing a pancake on the face of the deceased, and then eating it, believing that this eliminates the sins of the deceased;
• consider that the closest relatives of the deceased cannot participate in moving the coffin;
• to believe that a person who returns to the house after removing the body and before returning from the cemetery will certainly die;
• consider that you cannot look out of the window at the funeral procession, otherwise you will die;
• at a wake, place a glass of vodka and bread “for the deceased”;
• keep this “funeral glass” until the fortieth day;
• pour vodka into a grave mound;
• say: “May you rest in peace”;
• scatter bread crumbs over the grave;
• submit notes in church for suicides on Spiritual Day;
• believe that the soul of the deceased can take the form of a bird or a bee;
• to believe that if the deceased is not inveterate, then his soul remains on earth as a ghost;
• to believe that a person who accidentally stands between the coffin and the altar during the funeral service will certainly die soon;
• believe that burial soil, which is given at an absentee funeral service, cannot be kept at home for more than one day;
• believe that cremation can cause illness in the children or grandchildren of the person being cremated.

Days of the Ecumenical Remembrance of the Dead

On the days of the year specified by the Charter, the Church commemorates all Orthodox Christians who have died since the ages. In the church calendar, these days do not have a constant number, but are associated with the moving Lenten-Easter cycle:

1. Meat-free parental Saturday - 8 days before Lent, before Sunday called “The Week of the Last Judgment”;

2. Parents' Saturdays of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of Great Lent;

3. Trinity Parents' Saturday before the Feast of the Holy Trinity. On the evening before Parents' Saturdays, parastases are held in churches - funeral all-night vigils, and after the Liturgy there are ecumenical memorial services with repeated commemoration of the names of the deceased indicated in the funeral notes.

The Russian Orthodox Church, in addition, established several more days of special prayer for the departed:

4. Radonitsa (Radunitsa) - Tuesday, 8th day after Easter;

5. Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday - the Saturday closest to November 8, the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica. Initially, on this day the Church prayed for the soldiers who fell on the Kulikovo Field; later it acquired the status of a universal memorial day.

Finally, by the decision of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1994, Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War(May 9th) became the day of special annual commemoration of the deceased soldiers who laid down their lives for the faith, Fatherland and people, and all who died sufferingly during the Great Patriotic War.

When there is no remembrance of the dead

Memorial services, funeral services in absentia and any funeral prayers, except for the commemoration of notes on the proskomedia, are not performed in all churches during the period from Thursday of Holy Week (the last week before Easter) to Antipascha (the first Sunday after Easter). In-person funeral services are allowed on these days, except for Easter itself. The rite of the Easter funeral service is very different from the usual one, since it contains many joyful Easter chants. On the Nativity of Christ and other twelve holidays, the funeral prayer is canceled by the Charter, but can be performed at the discretion of the rector of the temple.

Litiya rite performed by a layman

Babies who die after Holy Baptism are given special care, as if they were immaculate, sinless creatures. This sequence does not contain prayers for the remission of the sins of the deceased, but contains only a request to honor the soul of the deceased infant with the Kingdom of Heaven according to the immutable promise of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although the baby did not perform any feats of Christian piety, but, having been cleansed in holy Baptism from his ancestral sin, he became the immaculate heir of the Kingdom of God. Funeral services are not performed for dead unbaptized infants, since they have not been cleansed of original sin. About the future fate of infants who died without Baptism, Saint Gregory the Theologian says that “they will not be glorified and will not be punished by the Righteous Judge, like those who, although not sealed, are not evil, and have suffered more loss than they did. For not everyone, not he who is worthy of punishment is already worthy of honor, just as anyone who is not worthy of honor is already worthy of punishment” (Homo 40, for baptism).

Funeral services according to this rite are performed for deceased children under seven years of age. "Infant Burial Sequence" is shorter than the Adult Funeral Service worldly people and differs as follows:

1) It does not include kathisma.

2) Troparions for the “Immaculate Ones” are not sung.

3) The canon is sung with the refrain: “Lord, rest the child.”

Natural for mourners in long journey your beloved child’s petitions are intertwined with the expression of firm faith that “behold, Christ opens the gates of heaven for you, uniting you to the elect, as He is gracious.” Although separation from earthly life for a baby means a transition to the Kingdom of God “truly joy and gladness through intercession,” but for the parents who love him it is “guilty of sorrow.” Therefore, the burial of an infant, even more than the burial of adults, abounds in the consolation of the mourners: “Why are you crying for the child who has passed away... I am not mournful: for the joy of the righteous is determined as a child.” The Holy Church instructs those surrounding the baby’s coffin: “We do not cry for babies, but especially for ourselves, so that we who sin always weep.” On behalf of the baby, the Church calls: “Do not weep for me, weeping for nothing is worthy of beginnings. You weep more than yourselves who sin, relatives and friends” (Apostle - 1 Cor. 15, 39-46, and the Gospel is about the resurrection of the dead by the power of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ - John 6, 35-39).

4) Instead of a prayer of permission, the prayer “God bless the babies...” is read, in which the priest asks that the Lord, who has prepared the angelic place of light, accept the baby there.

5) During the last kiss, special stichera are sung, which express the parents’ grief for the deceased baby and their consolation from the fact that he is numbered among the ranks of the angels.

It is significant that in the rite of infant burial, in all cases when the name of the baby is pronounced, for the most part all the deceased are remembered along with him or the petition of those praying for the baby and for themselves is added. This each time demonstrates the Church’s faith that the blessed infants, after their repose, become prayer books for those who love them and all those living on earth.