Orthodox Christians know a lot about the miraculous properties of prayers. Remembering the deceased, they help his soul to be cleansed of sins and calmly go to the Kingdom of Heaven, where it will find eternal rest.

Prayers for the departed are not only a tribute, but also a way to enlist the support of the family for good luck in life. Thus, the living ask God for mercy, since prayers also save our souls, allowing them to be cleansed through sincere faith and repentance. They tune in to peace, eradicating all the wicked things that are happening in our hearts, and contribute to spiritual growth and development. Prayers also help prepare for a sudden death, because, sadly, no one knows when this hour will come. The souls of the deceased protect those who do not consign the memory of their ancestors to oblivion, but visit the cemetery and order prayers in the church for loved ones who have left us. To do this, before the liturgy, Christians bring notes with the names of all the deceased baptized relatives and close people.

If you don't know if you are alive or not close person, after a certain time, it is necessary to contact the priest to sing it, so that the soul does not rush around our world in search of a way out. Often the prerequisites for the funeral are prophetic dreams, where missing relatives who died under various circumstances give signs to the living. In such a dream, you can see his torment, a look full of prayer, or even a direct appeal of the deceased with a request to bury his ashes and pray for his soul.

Prayer for the dead

“Great Lord, support in our lives. Everyone will appear before Your eyes at the appointed hour. In different ways, but invariably at the appointed hour, we all stand before Your judgment. We pray to you, Father, have mercy on the souls of our departed brothers, parents, children and loved ones. Grant them your mercy, as you forgive the sins of those who sincerely repent. Deliver them from torment, forgive and have mercy on their involuntary sins committed out of ignorance. As children ask for forgiveness from their parents, so we ask you for forgiveness. Lord Almighty, we pray to you with sincere faith and for the repentance of all the dead, whose ashes are not buried, whose thoughts are unclear. Grant them a fair trial, but save them from diabolical torment. Deliver their souls from eternal wandering on the sinful Earth, take them under your protection. Amen".

Prayer for deceased relatives

“Our merciful Father in heaven! I, a sinful servant (name), pray to you in humility. Rest the souls of my relatives who left our world (names). The servants of God are now in Your power. Their bodies are committed to the earth, and eternal souls went to the Kingdom of Heaven. Accept them and forgive them with your all-mercy, forgive them their lifetime sins, voluntary and involuntary, and admit them to eternal communion. Let them watch over us, living beings, and through Your mercy suggest the only true and righteous path. Amen".

Prayers for all the dead through the ages

“The sinful servant (name), bound by the bonds of sins, asks You, Creator, for forgiveness and purification. Before Your eyes with humility I came with my troubles, let me pray for the souls of all the dead. For sinners and the righteous, warriors and children, old and young. In all ages, souls flock to you, ascend. Leave no one unattended, but forgive them all their voluntary and involuntary mistakes. Indebted to You by life and death, I pray for guidance, peace and peace in my heart. Protect me from demonic manifestations during my lifetime, and I will remember all who have died now, and pay respect to them through the words of a sincere and cleansing prayer. May it be so forever and ever, and all sinners be righteous, may the blessed Kingdom of Heaven come on earth. Amen".

Do not forget to honor the memory of your kind, because every devoted person ascends to Heaven, where he continues to watch his relatives and provide all possible assistance. Visit the graves, paying respect, light candles so that the cleansing fire, through prayers and repentance, will free your souls from all sins. Live in the world and don't forget to press the buttons and

16.03.2017 03:01

It is known that with God everyone is alive, but many believe that visiting a cemetery on Easter is equal to ...

DAYS OF SPECIAL REMEMBER OF THE DECENT

The hour is coming when the remains of the deceased are buried in the earth, where they will rest until the end of time and the general resurrection. But the love of the mother of the Church for her child, who has passed away from this life, does not dry out. IN famous days she prays for the deceased and brings a bloodless sacrifice for his repose. Special days of commemoration are the third, ninth and fortieth (while the day of death is considered the first). Commemoration these days is consecrated by an ancient church custom. It is consistent with the teaching of the Church about the state of the soul beyond the grave.

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

For the first two days, the soul of the deceased is still on earth, passing along with the Angel accompanying her to those places that attract her with memories of earthly joys and sorrows, evil and good deeds. The soul that loves the body sometimes wanders around the house where the body is laid, and thus spends two days like a bird looking for its nest. The virtuous soul, on the other hand, walks in those places where it used to do the right thing. On the third day, the Lord commands the soul to ascend to heaven to worship Him, the God of all. Therefore, the church commemoration of the soul, which appeared before the face of the Just, is very timely.

Ninth day. The commemoration of the deceased on this day is in honor of the nine orders of angels, who, as servants of the King of Heaven and intercessors to Him for us, intercede for mercy on the deceased.

After the third day, the soul, accompanied by an Angel, enters the heavenly abodes and contemplates their inexpressible beauty. She remains in this state for six days. For this time, the soul forgets the sorrow that it felt while in the body and after leaving it. But if she is guilty of sins, then at the sight of the enjoyment of the saints, she begins to grieve and reproach herself: “Alas for me! How busy I am in this world! I spent most of my life in carelessness and did not serve God as I should, so that I too would be worthy of this grace and glory. Alas, poor me!” On the ninth day, the Lord commands the Angels to again present the soul to Him for worship. With fear and trembling the soul stands before the throne of the Most High. But even at this time, the holy Church again prays for the deceased, asking the merciful Judge to place the soul of her child with the saints.

Fortieth day. The forty-day period is very significant in the history and tradition of the Church as the time necessary for preparation, for the acceptance of the special Divine gift of the grace-filled help of the Heavenly Father. 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 Israelites reached the promised land after forty years of wandering. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself ascended into heaven on the fortieth day after His resurrection. Taking all this as a basis, the Church established a commemoration on the fortieth day after death, so that the soul of the deceased ascended the holy mountain of Heavenly Sinai, was rewarded with the sight of God, achieved the blessedness promised to her and settled in heavenly villages with the righteous.

After the second worship of the Lord, the angels take the soul to hell, and she contemplates the cruel torments of unrepentant sinners. On the fortieth day, the soul ascends for the third time to worship God, and then its fate is decided - according to earthly affairs, it is assigned a place of residence until doomsday. That is why church prayers and commemorations on this day are so timely. They blot out the sins of the deceased and ask his soul to be placed in paradise with the saints.

Anniversary. The Church commemorates the dead on the anniversary of their death. The basis for this establishment is obvious. It is known that the largest liturgical cycle is the annual circle, after which all fixed holidays are repeated again. The anniversary of the death of a loved one is always celebrated with at least a hearty commemoration of his loving relatives and friends. For an Orthodox believer, this is a birthday for a new, eternal life.

Ecumenical funeral service (PARENTAL SATURDAYS)

In addition to these days, the Church has established special days for the solemn, universal, ecumenical commemoration of all fathers and brothers who have passed away from time immemorial, who have been honored with a Christian death, as well as those who, having been caught sudden death, were not admonished to the afterlife by the prayers of the Church. The requiems performed at the same time, indicated by the charter of the Ecumenical Church, are called ecumenical, and the days on which the commemoration is performed are called ecumenical. parent Saturdays. In the circle of the liturgical year, such days of general remembrance are:

Saturday is meatless. Dedicating the Meat-Feast Week to the remembrance of the last Last Judgment of Christ, the Church, in view of this judgment, has established intercession not only for her living members, but also for all those who have died from time immemorial, who have lived in piety, of all genera, ranks and conditions, especially for those who died a sudden death. and pray to the Lord for mercy on them. The solemn all-church commemoration of the departed on this Saturday (as well as on Trinity Saturday) brings great benefit and help to our dead fathers and brothers, and at the same time serves as an expression of the fullness of the Church life that we live. For salvation is possible only in the Church - a community of believers, whose members are not only those who live, but also all who die in the faith. And communion with them through prayer, prayerful commemoration of them is the expression of our common unity in the Church of Christ.

Saturday Trinity. The commemoration of all the dead pious Christians was established on the Saturday before Pentecost due to the fact that the event of the descent of the Holy Spirit completed the economy of the salvation of man, and the departed also participate in this salvation. Therefore, the Church, sending up prayers on Pentecost for the revival of all living by the Holy Spirit, asks on the very day of the feast that for the departed the grace of the all-holy and all-sanctifying Spirit of the Comforter, which they were honored during their lifetime, would be a source of bliss, since by the Holy Spirit “every soul is alive.” ". Therefore, the eve of the holiday, Saturday, the Church dedicates to the remembrance of the dead, to prayer for them. St. Basil the Great, who compiled the touching prayers for the Vespers of Pentecost, says in them that the Lord, most of all, on this day deigns to accept prayers for the dead and even for "those who are held in hell."

Parental Saturdays of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of Holy Forty Days. On Holy Forty Days - the days of Great Lent, spiritual feat, the feat of repentance and doing good to others - the Church calls on believers to be in the closest union of Christian love and peace not only with the living, but also with the dead, to make prayerful commemoration on the appointed days of those who have departed from this life. In addition, the Saturdays of these weeks are appointed by the Church to commemorate the departed also for the reason that no funeral commemorations are performed on the weekly days of Great Lent (this includes funeral litanies, litias, memorial services, commemoration of the 3rd, 9th and 40th days after death, forty-mouthed), since there is no daily full liturgy, with the celebration of which the commemoration of the dead is associated. In order not to deprive the dead of the saving intercession of the Church on the days of Holy Forty Days, the indicated Saturdays are singled out.

Radonitsa. The basis of the general commemoration of the dead, which takes place on Tuesday after St. Thomas' week (Sunday), is, on the one hand, the remembrance of the descent of Jesus Christ into hell and His victory over death, combined with St. Thomas Sunday, on the other hand, the permission of the church charter to perform the usual commemoration after Passion and bright week, starting with Fomin Monday. On this day, believers come to the graves of their loved ones with the joyful news of the Resurrection of Christ. Hence the very day of commemoration is called Radonitsa (or Radunitsa).

Unfortunately, in Soviet time a custom was established to visit cemeteries not on Radonitsa, but on the first day of Easter. It is natural for a believer to visit the graves of his loved ones after an earnest prayer for their repose in the temple - after a memorial service served in the church. At the same time Easter week there are no memorial services, for Easter is an all-encompassing joy for those who believe in the Resurrection of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, during the entire Paschal week, litanies for the dead are not pronounced (although the usual commemoration is performed at the proskomedia), and memorial services are not served.

CHURCH FUNERAL SERVICES

It is necessary to commemorate the deceased in the Church as often as possible, not only on the indicated special days commemoration, but also on any other day. The main prayer for the repose of the departed Orthodox Christians is performed by the Church on Divine Liturgy offering a bloodless sacrifice to God for them. To do this, before the start of the liturgy (or the night before), a note with their names should be submitted to the church (only baptized Orthodox can be entered). On the proskomedia, particles for their repose will be taken out of the prosphora, which at the end of the liturgy will be lowered into the holy cup and washed with the Blood of the Son of God. Let us remember that this is the greatest good that we can give to those who are dear to us. Here is how the commemoration at the liturgy is said in the Epistle of the Eastern Patriarchs: “We believe that the souls of people who fell into mortal sins and did not despair at death, but repented even before being separated from real life, only those who did not have time to bear any fruits of repentance (such fruits could be their prayers, tears, kneeling during prayerful vigils, contrition, consolation of the poor and expression in deeds of love for God and neighbor), - the souls of such people descend into hell and suffer for what they have done sins of punishment, without losing, however, the hope of relief. They receive relief through the infinite goodness of God through the prayers of priests and good works done for the dead, and especially through the power of bloodless sacrifice, which, in particular, the clergy brings for every Christian for his loved ones, and in general for everyone, the Catholic and Apostolic Church daily brings.

At the top of the note is usually placed an eight-pointed Orthodox cross. Then the type of commemoration is indicated - “On the repose”, after which the names of those commemorated in large, legible handwriting are written. genitive case(to answer the question “who?”), with the clergy and monastics being the first to be mentioned, indicating the rank and degree of monasticism (for example, Metropolitan John, Shegumen Savva, Archpriest Alexander, nun Rachel, Andrei, Nina).

All names must be given in church spelling (for example, Tatiana, Alexy) and in full (Michael, Lyubov, not Misha, Lyuba).

The number of names in the note does not matter; it is only necessary to take into account that the priest has the opportunity to read not very long notes more carefully. Therefore, it is better to submit several notes if you want to remember many of your loved ones.

By submitting notes, the parishioner makes a donation for the needs of the monastery or temple. To avoid confusion, remember that the difference in prices (registered or simple notes) only reflects the difference in the amount of the donation. Nor should you be embarrassed if you have not heard the names of your relatives mentioned in the litany. As mentioned above, the main commemoration takes place on the proskomedia, when particles are taken out of the prosphora. During the funeral litany, you can take out your commemoration book and pray for loved ones. Prayer will be more effective if the one who commemorates himself on that day partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ.

After the liturgy, you can serve a memorial service. A memorial service is served before the eve - a special table with the image of a crucifix and rows of candlesticks. Here you can also leave an offering for the needs of the temple in memory of the departed loved ones.

It is very important after death to order a magpie in the temple - an unceasing commemoration at the liturgy for forty days. At the end of the magpie, you can order again. There are also long periods of commemoration - six months, a year. Some monasteries accept notes for eternal (as long as the monastery stands) commemoration or for commemoration during the reading of the Psalter (this is an ancient Orthodox custom). The more churches that pray, the better for our neighbor!

It is very useful on the memorable days of the deceased to donate to the church, to give alms to the poor with a request to pray for him. On the eve, you can bring sacrificed food. You can’t just bring meat food and alcohol (except church wine) on the eve. The simplest type of sacrifice for the deceased is a candle that is placed on his repose.

Understanding that the most we can do for our deceased loved ones is to submit a note of commemoration at the liturgy, we should not forget to pray for them at home and do works of mercy.

REMEMBERING THE DEAD AT HOME PRAYER

Prayer for the departed is our main and invaluable help to those who have departed to another world. The deceased does not need, by and large, either a coffin, or a grave monument, and even more so a memorial table - all this is just a tribute to traditions, albeit very pious ones. But the eternally living soul of the deceased feels a great need for constant prayer, for she cannot do good deeds herself, with which she would be able to propitiate the Lord. home prayer for loved ones, including the dead, is the duty of every Orthodox. St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, says this about prayer for the departed: “If the all-pervading Wisdom of God does not forbid praying for the dead, does this not mean that it is still allowed to throw a rope, although not always reliable enough, but sometimes, and maybe often, salvific for souls who have fallen away from the shore of temporal life, but have not reached the eternal home? Salvatory for those souls who vacillate over the abyss between bodily death and the last judgment of Christ, now rising by faith, now plunging into deeds unworthy of it, now exalted by grace, now being brought down by the remains of a damaged nature, now ascending by Divine desire, now becoming entangled in coarse, not yet completely stripped off the clothes of earthly thoughts ... "

The home prayer commemoration of the deceased Christian is very diverse. One should especially pray for the deceased in the first forty days after his death. As already indicated in the section “Reading the Psalter for the Dead”, during this period it is very useful to read about the deceased Psalter, at least one kathisma a day. You can also recommend reading an akathist for the repose of the dead. In general, the Church commands us to pray every day for the deceased parents, relatives, known and benefactors. For this, in the number of daily morning prayers the following short prayer is included:

Prayer for the dead

Give rest, O Lord, to 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.

It is more convenient to read the names from the commemorative book - a small book where the names of living and deceased relatives are recorded. There is a pious custom to keep family commemorations, reading which Orthodox people commemorate many generations of their deceased ancestors by name.

FUNERAL MEAL

The pious custom of commemorating the dead at a meal has been known for a very long time. But, unfortunately, many commemorations turn into an occasion for relatives to get together, discuss the news, eat tasty food, while Orthodox Christians should also pray for the departed at the memorial table.

Before the meal, one should perform a lithium - a short rite of memorial service, which can be performed by a layman. In extreme cases, you need to at least read the 90th psalm and the prayer "Our Father". The first dish that is eaten at the wake is kutya (kolyovo). These are boiled grains of cereals (wheat or rice) with honey and raisins. Grains are a symbol of resurrection, and honey is a sweetness enjoyed by the righteous in the Kingdom of God. According to the charter, kutya should be consecrated with a special rite during a memorial service; if this is not possible, it is necessary to sprinkle it with holy water.

Naturally, the desire of the owners to treat everyone who came to the commemoration to taste better. But you need to observe the fasts established by the Church, and eat the allowed food: on Wednesday, Friday, during long fasts - do not eat fast. If the memory of the deceased happens on a weekday of Great Lent, then the commemoration is transferred to the next Saturday or Sunday.

It is necessary to refrain from wine, especially from vodka, at the memorial meal! The dead are not commemorated with wine! Wine is a symbol of earthly joy, and a commemoration is an occasion for intense prayer for a person who can suffer afterlife. You should not drink alcohol, even if the deceased himself liked to drink. It is known that "drunken" commemorations often turn into an ugly gathering, where the deceased is simply forgotten. At the table, you need to remember the deceased, his good qualities and deeds (hence the name - commemoration). The custom of leaving a glass of vodka and a piece of bread “for the deceased” at the table is a relic of paganism and should not be observed in Orthodox families.

On the contrary, there are pious customs, worthy of emulation. In many Orthodox families, the poor and the poor, children and old women are the first to sit down at the memorial table. They can also distribute clothes and belongings of the deceased. Orthodox people can tell about numerous cases of evidence from the afterlife about the great help to the dead as a result of the creation of alms by their relatives. Moreover, the loss of loved ones prompts many people to take the first step towards God, to begin to live the life of an Orthodox Christian.

Thus, one now living archimandrite relates the following incident from his pastoral practice.

“It was in the difficult post-war years. Comes to me, the rector of the village church, a mother crying with grief, in which her eight-year-old son Misha drowned. And she says that Misha dreamed of her and complained about the cold - he was completely without clothes. I say to her: "Are any of his clothes left?" - "Yes, sure". - "Give it to your friends Mishin, they will surely come in handy."

A few days later, she tells me that she again saw Misha in a dream: he was dressed in exactly the same clothes that were given to his friends. He thanked, but now complained of hunger. I advised to do for the village kids - Misha's friends and acquaintances - memorial meal. No matter how difficult it is hard times, but what can you do for your beloved little son! And the woman, than she could, treated the children.

She came for the third time. She thanked me very much: "Misha said in a dream that now he is warm and full, only my prayers are not enough." I taught her prayers and advised her not to leave works of mercy for the future. She became a zealous parishioner, always ready to respond to requests for help, to the best of her ability and ability she helped orphans, the poor and the poor.”

The death of loved ones is grief and an irreparable loss for the living. And although today everyone knows that only the body dies, the soul ascends to heaven, this does not make it any easier, because there will never be another person next to the departed. What are the prayers for the departed, how is it right when to read them?

It is difficult to hold back groans, tears, pain, but every living person must understand for himself that by lamenting and tearing his soul, we are doing badly to the departed. In this case, the soul toils, not finding a home for itself. The best thing we can do for dear people who have gone to another world is to pray fervently and sincerely for the repose of their souls.

Prayer for the repose of the newly deceased is very important in the first days after death, and up to 40 days it should be every day. Don't forget to pray for native person and after that time, as long as you remember it.

Prayers for the peace of the soul

Prayer for the newly deceased deceased (briefly)

A prayer is read from the day of death 40 days and before the anniversary of the day of death 40 days before the event daily

“Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the belly of the eternal newly-departed Thy servant (Thy servant), ( Name), and as good and a philanthropist, forgive sins and consume iniquities, weaken, leave and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, raising him to Your holy second coming into the communion of Your eternal blessings, even for the sake of the One faith in You, the true God and the Lover of mankind . Like you are the resurrection and the belly, and rest to your servant, ( Name), Christ our God. And we send glory to You, with Your Father without beginning and with the Most Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen."

Prayer for the dead up to 9 days

God of spirits and all flesh, righting death and abolishing the devil, and bestowing life on Your world! Himself, Lord, rest the souls of the departed Thy servants: holy patriarchs His Grace Metropolitans, Archbishops and Bishops, who served You in the priestly, church and monastic ranks; the creators of this holy temple, Orthodox forefathers, father, brothers and sisters, lying here and everywhere; leaders and warriors for faith and the fatherland laid down their lives, faithful, killed in internecine warfare, drowned, burned, frozen in the scum, 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 the suicidal, those whom we were commanded and asked to pray for, for whom there is no one to pray and the faithful, Christian burials deprived ( Name) in a brighter place, in a greener place, in a place of peace, from nowhere, sickness, sadness and sighing run away. Any sin committed by them in word or deed or thought, like a good God who loves mankind, forgive, like a person, who will be alive and will not sin. Thou art only one except for sin, Thy righteousness is righteousness forever, and Thy word is truth.

Like you are the Resurrection, and the Life and Peace of the dead is your servant ( Name), Christ our God, and we send glory to You with Your Father without beginning, and the Most Holy, and the Good, and Your Life-giving Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen."

Prayer for peace up to 40 days

This prayer is a little more detailed and translated from Old Church Slavonic:

“Remember, Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the belly of the eternal reposed * Your servant, our brother ( Name), and like a Good and Humanitarian, forgive sins and consume iniquities, weaken, leave and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him 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 more and sin, but do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Your God in the Trinity glorified, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to that, and faith, even in Thee, instead of deeds, and with Your saints, like Generous, rest in peace: there is no man who lives and does not sin, but You are One besides all sin and Your truth is truth forever, and Thou art the One God of mercy and bounty, and philanthropy, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen."

Prayer for the dead in the church for a memorial candle

Remember, Lord, the souls of your departed servants, my parents (names) and all relatives in the flesh. And forgive all the sins of free and involuntary, grant them the Kingdom and the communion of your eternal good and Your endless and blessed life of enjoyment (bow).

Remember, Lord, the souls of the departed and all in the hope of resurrection to life, the eternally departed fathers and our brothers and sisters, and Orthodox Christians lying here and everywhere and with Your Saints where the light of Your face is present, have mercy on all of us, as good and Humane, Amen (bow).

Grant, Lord, the forgiveness of sins to all those who have departed in faith and hope Sunday to our fathers, brothers and sisters, and create for them eternal memory, eternal memory, eternal memory. (bow) Amen

Prayer for the suicidal

Master, Lord, Merciful and Humane, we cry out to You: we have sinned and lawless before You, we have transgressed Your saving commandment and the love of the gospel to our despairing brother (our despairing sister) is not revealed. But not with the fury of Your appearance, punish us below with Your anger, O Lord of mankind, weaken, heal our heartfelt grief, may the many bounties of Your sins overcome our abyss, and may Your countless goodness abyss cover the bitter sea of ​​our tears.

To her, the Sweetest Jesus, we still pray, give to Your servant, a kinsman who died of his own will, in sorrow their consolation and firm hope in Your mercy.

As a Merciful and Humanitarian God, Thou art, and we send glory to You with Your Beginningless Father and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

As you know, the church does not bury such dead. But you can pray for them if a person is dear to you and you are ready to show mercy before God for the forgiveness of his sins in another world. Praying for a suicide, you are angry at yourself for inviting sin, therefore we ask God to condescend to us the remission of sins. This prayer was given by the Monk Leo of Optina.

“Seek, Lord, the lost soul (name); if it is possible to eat, have mercy! Your destinies are unsearchable. Do not put me in the sin of this prayer of mine. But Thy holy will be done!”

Short Prayer for the Dead

“God give rest, Lord, to the souls of your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names), and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, free and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Prayers for the dead are considered an important church ritual that helps the soul of the deceased find peace. Which prayer to read for the deceased up to 40 days every day, which prayer for the repose of the soul up to 1 year for parents, relatives, husbands, wives, should be chosen in order to correctly commemorate the newly deceased (recently departed to another world) loved one, a long-dead father, mother?

Up to 40 days, the souls of the departed need prayer. Prayers for the dead, as a rule, are read by relatives at home or in the temple, the texts of prayers can be short, long, prayers uttered in one's own words are suitable on memorial days.

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 deceased deceased passes from earthly life to spiritual world, where each soul has the opportunity to bear the responsibility for the earthly deeds done, 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 needed these days.

Razgadamus considers it educational. The most important for Orthodox Christians are prayers for the departed; an Orthodox prayer is read at the Liturgy in the church during the service, in the process of the funeral 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 the church or at home before the icons. Psalms for the dead can be read on the anniversary of the death of parents, husband, wife, on any other day, it should be read correctly at home with a burning candle or lamp.

How to pray on memorial days, what kind of prayers for the departed should Orthodox Christians have? We offer the strongest Orthodox prayers commemorations, which can be read in Parental Memorial Saturdays, after the death of parents (father, mother) up to 40 days or dead wife, husband, relative every day. After, according to, every year Orthodox Christians celebrate the holiday (in 2017, the number 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 man tragic event, possibly after prolonged illness, or sudden death, but for loved ones it is always a tragedy and sorrow. 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 leave their children always 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 the parents, and after 40 days, as well as on all memorable memorial dates: for 1 year from the day of the death of the mother (father), 2 years, etc.

Prayer for the deceased up to 40 days

The first 40 days after death, it is very important to read prayer texts as often as possible, in the temple, at home with a candle in front of the icon. It should be ordered on the day of the death of the magpie in the temple, the duration of the magpie is 40 days. Pray and ask for the forgiveness of the sins of the newly deceased.

Short Prayer for the Dead

A commemoration book is a book that can be purchased at the temple and write down the names of all deceased relatives. In Orthodoxy, there is a custom to keep commemoration books with the names of the deceased, reading them by name during the commemoration. A short prayer for the dead is read at the cemetery, at home, in the church, at any time when the soul desires.

How to pray in the cemetery and behave near the 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, it is necessary to light a candle and read a prayer for the deceased, honoring his memory. Drinking alcohol, swearing at the cemetery on commemoration days and on any other day is prohibited.

In Orthodoxy, there is a lot of patristic literature dedicated to what awaits people after death. Also, entire works have been written on how to pray for the departed. This is done not just like that, but in accordance with the entire teaching of the Church. Each rite, each prayer has its own meaning.

Life after death

In fact, all Christian earthly life should serve as a preparation for the moment of transition to eternal life. Why is it so important? Because on the other side, a person can no longer express his repentance, cannot do good to his neighbor. And he can serve the Lord only by prayers. And the extent to which grace can perceive. After all, feelings are sharpened many times, that is, the torments of conscience, barely audible here, will be deafening there.

There are several well-known books that describe in detail the journey of the soul in afterlife. Prayer for the departed is very important - it protects against the attacks of unclean spirits, which in Orthodox tradition are called tollhouses. It is believed that zealous petitions, fasting and good deeds can mitigate the sentence. Up to 40 days, a person is considered newly deceased, and he needs especially strong support.

Types of commemoration of the dead

Prayer can be both church and personal. Since Christians are one body of Christ, after death the Church continues to care for them.

But it’s better to call the priest, because a person needs to remove sins from his soul, partake of the holy mysteries of Christ - this is the best death for a believer, which the righteous are honored with. Petitions for such a departure are heard at every Liturgy.

• The Psalter is essentially a collection of religious hymns compiled by King David. Since there are many psalms, Orthodox Church divided the book into parts, which are called kathismas, there are only 20 of them. From the moment of death, these chapters are read for the soul of the deceased. Between them are special prayers, in which God asks for mercy on the soul of the deceased, you can remember not only the newly deceased, but also all the departed.
• The 90th psalm plays a special role - it is filled with a repentant mood, the author's thoughts are directed to God. The opening verses describe how the soul is attacked on its way to paradise. dark forces. Here the strength of faith is tested, which the soul must show. The psalmist believed that the Lord would deliver his children from any danger. It is this prayer, among others, that is traditionally read during the funeral service.

Now consider how the Church commemorates her children. About the deceased parents, the husband, you should regularly submit notes for proskomidia and memorial service. It is better not to leave, but to pray together with everyone. Who else will support the dead, if not children. After all, someday they, too, will need similar support.

Burial traditions

The body of the deceased should also be taken care of. The custom of washing, putting on everything new, closing your eyes is known from very ancient literary sources. Washing symbolizes that before God people will appear clean, without sins and vices. New clothes- a sign of imperishable nature, which is bestowed after the resurrection. Yes, and to meet with God must be prepared properly.

It is customary in Orthodoxy to place a chaplet on the head of the deceased, on which prayers are written. They are read daily by all Christians. The crown indicates that the deceased fought worthily for Christian values. It also symbolizes the hope of receiving a worthy reward.

What prayers to read

There are many prayers for the departed - they are all addressed to the Lord. At home, remember your loved ones every day. Prayer texts should be taken only from reliable sites, various occult forums should be avoided. There are many non-canonical texts circulating around now. If in doubt, take the Psalter. No one knows how incorrectly composed prayers will respond to your parents.

You can regularly order a magpie, in any monastery they accept notes for reading the Psalter - for a long time. At home, you need to do this according to your strength, if you cannot master the whole kathisma in a day, then even the most infirm can read 2-3 psalms.

When the husband died

A special prayer has been composed for widows, there are no restrictions on reading. It is important to do this slowly, to stand in front of the image, to sincerely forgive everything that the deceased has done wrong to you. Your resentment is useless - it will not return a person, it will only harm your own soul. A widow's prayer should not be filled with despair. After all, according to the words of the prophet Daniel, instead of the departed spouse, the Lord Himself now takes care of the woman.

The teachings of the elders say that one should not indulge in grief without looking back. We must give others the opportunity to help themselves, to console themselves. All the love that a woman had for her husband should be directed to her children. There is no need to be afraid of the future, it is better to devote more time to fellowship with God. Honest widowhood is a worthy feat. You can get married a second time, but only Christian traditions. Fornication is frowned upon in any case.

What prayer to read

What prayer to read for the deceased at home - the person himself chooses. If there is a desire and strength, it is better to devote time and read slowly 17 kathisma about the repose. The mental attitude must be calm, one must trust God, hope for His mercy. It is good to attend services more often, on your own at the grave you can read the Panikhida in a worldly rank. Do not insult the memory of the departed with drunkenness! Better feed the poor. Each deceased will be grateful for any, even a short, prayer - that's what they expect from us.

Widow's Prayer for Husband

Christ Jesus, Lord and Almighty! You are the weeping consolation, orphans and widows intercession. Thou didst say: Call upon Me in the day of thy affliction, and I will destroy thee. In the days of my sorrow, I resort 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, Lord of all, have blessed you to combine me with one of Your servants, in which we have one body and one spirit; You gave me this servant, as a partner and protector. Thy good and wise will deigned to take this Thy servant away from me and leave me alone. Bow before this Thy will, and I resort to Thee in the days of my sorrow: quench my sorrow about being separated from Thy servant, my friend. If you took him away from me, do not take Your mercy from me. As if you once received a widow's two mites, so accept this prayer of mine. Remember, Lord, the soul of your deceased servant (name), forgive him all his sins, free and involuntary, if in word, if in deed, if in knowledge and ignorance, do not destroy him with his iniquities and do not betray eternal torment, but according to Your great mercy and according to the multitude of Thy mercies, weaken and forgive all his sins and commit him with Thy saints, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life. I pray and ask Thee, Lord, grant that all the days of my life do not stop praying for Your departed servant, and even before my departure, ask You, the Judge of the whole world, for the remission of all his sins and his settlement in heavenly abodes, even if you have prepared for those who love Tya. Like if you sin, but do not depart from You, and undoubtedly the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are Orthodox even until the last breath of confession; the same, his faith, even in Thee, instead of deeds, he is imputed: as if a person is not, who will be alive and will not sin, You are One except for sin, and Your truth is truth forever. I believe, Lord, and I confess that You hear my prayer and do not turn Your face away from me. Seeing the widow, weeping greenery, having mercy, her son, carried to the burial, resurrected thou: so, having mercy, calm my sorrow. As if you opened the doors of Your mercy to Your servant Theophilus, who departed to You, and forgave him his sins through the prayers of Your holy Church, heeding the prayers and alms of his wife: I pray to You, accept my prayer for Your servant, and bring him in into eternal life. As if You are our hope, You are God, to have mercy and save, and we send glory to You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen!

Children's prayer for parents

Lord Jesus Christ our God! You are the guardian of the orphans, the grieving refuge and the weeping comforter. I resort to You, orphan, groaning and weeping, 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, quench my grief about separation from my parent (matter) my (-her) (name), his soul (her), as if departed (-s) to You with true faith in You and firm hope in Yours philanthropy and mercy, receive into Your Kingdom of Heaven. I bow before Your holy will, it has already been taken away from me, and I ask You, do not take away from him (her or them) Your mercy and mercy. We know, Lord, as You are the Judge of this world, punish the sins and wickedness of the fathers in children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even up to the third and fourth generation: but also have mercy on the fathers for the prayers and virtues of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. With contrition and tenderness of the heart, I pray to You, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment the deceased (s) unforgettable (s) for me, your slave (s) (s), my parent (mother) (s) (name), but forgive him (her) all his (her) sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, by knowledge and ignorance created by him (her) in his (her) life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and philanthropy, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints, have mercy on him (u) and deliver eternal torment. You, merciful Father of fathers and children! Grant me, all the days of my life, until my last breath, do not stop remembering the deceased parent (mother) of mine (her) in your prayers, and beg Thee, the righteous Judge, and put him (s) in a place of light, in a place cool and in a place of peace, with all the saints, from nowhere any illness, sorrow and sighing will flee. Merciful Lord! Receive this day about Your servant (Your) (name) this warm prayer of mine and give him (her) Your recompense for the labors and cares of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as if he taught me first of all lead Thee, your Lord, pray to You in reverence, trust in You alone in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and keep Your Commandments; for the well-being of him (her) about my spiritual success, for the warmth of the prayers he (she) brings about 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. You are the God of mercies and generosity and philanthropy. 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 forever and forever and ever. Amen.