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Each person is allotted only a limited period of his earthly stay. The Holy Church tirelessly calls on her children to remember this and purify their souls during their lifetime. Prayer and repentance are what will prepare her for the inevitable. But now the moment has come when the soul parted with the mortal body, and only we, who remain on this side of life and death, can help it. This is why there are memorial prayers for the deceased.

Days of remembrance established after death

The Orthodox Church teaches that funeral prayer is especially necessary for the deceased on the third, ninth and fortieth day after departure to the other world. According to tradition, the day of death is considered the first. Why did the Holy Church establish these particular days for special commemoration? To understand this, we will have to turn to Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition.

Funeral prayer of the third day

In this case, the number three is associated with the three-day stay in the tomb of the Son of God. According to Sacred Tradition, the soul spends two days next to the body it abandoned or passes, accompanied by an angel, through those places that were dear to it during life. This is a kind of farewell to everything that remains forever in this world. The next day, the Creator calls her to ascend to Heaven to worship Him, the Lord of the living and the dead. There is no doubt that funeral prayer is extremely necessary for those who stand before the Face of the Almighty.

Commemoration on the ninth day

The ninth day, according to church tradition, marks the nine ranks of angels - servants of God and prayer books before Him for us sinners. It is generally accepted that from the third to the ninth day the soul remains in heaven, contemplating the environment of eternal bliss prepared for the righteous. After this period, she, again filled with fear and trembling, bows before the Throne of God. Once again, the only thing that can bring her relief is our funeral prayer.

Fortieth day prayers

The number forty is mentioned throughout the Bible. These are forty days of fasting, after which the prophet Moses was honored to hear the words of God at Sinai. This includes forty years of Jewish wandering in the desert, and forty days, after which the ascension of the resurrected Jesus took place. This list is far from complete.

The funeral prayer on the fortieth day is necessary for the reason that after its second appearance at the Throne of the Most High, the soul is cast into hell, where the angels allow it to see the full depth of the torment that sinners endure. When forty days have expired, the soul returns to the Lord, where the Supreme Judge indicates the place prepared for it according to its earthly affairs. There the soul will wait for the End of the World and the promised resurrection. Whether it will be heaven or the abysses of hell depends on the Will of God, and our memorial prayer can help the unfortunate soul.

The birth of a soul for a new reality

In addition to the days listed above, it is customary to remember the deceased on the anniversary of their death. This is quite understandable, since the year represents the largest liturgical cycle, after which all non-transitionable holidays are repeated again. That is why these days the souls of the departed are in dire need of our prayers.

Funeral Orthodox prayers should always be combined with a deep, heartfelt remembrance of a loved one who has left us in the world of memories and left a mark in our heart. It is necessary to understand that his birth took place for a new existence. The soul finds itself in a reality that is new to it, a stay in which at first frightens it. This is where our prayerful help and support is needed. But it can only be effective if it is sincere and sincere.

Days of prayer for all those who have passed away

The Orthodox Church has also established special days on which we pray for everyone who has previously left this world. These include: Meat Saturday - the last Saturday before the fasting of meat for Lent, Trinity Saturday - before the Feast of Pentecost, Radonitsa, which occurs on Tuesday after St. Thomas Week, as well as Parental Saturdays of the second, third and fourth weeks of Great Lent.

On these days, prayers are offered for all Orthodox Christians who have died from time immemorial and who have been worthy of Christian death, regardless of the circumstances under which it occurred. Prayer for the memorial day is offered both in the temple of God and just at home with loved ones. The memorial service, performed on the days established for general commemoration, is called Ecumenical, since it is addressed to all souls who have departed to another world.

The Holy Church calls on us to remember the departed as often as possible. To do this, there is no need to wait for the special days listed above. Commemoration can be performed at every liturgy. To do this, you just need to submit a note before the service with the names of those who should be remembered. It is important to note that the note indicates only the names of baptized Orthodox Christians. The Church does not forbid the commemoration of unbaptized people, as well as people of other faiths, but this should be done at home.

Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased - reassurance of the soul of the deceased, memorial words spoken in memory of the departed person. By praying for the repose of their relatives, remembering them in churches and temples, people not only invisibly help the dead, but also find comfort in communion with God. All this is embedded in the Christian canons, where death is given a different, non-tragic meaning.

Prayer for everyone who has died

Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the life of Thy eternally departed servant, our brother (name), as Good and Lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal good things, prepared for those who love You: even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, You are glorified God in the Trinity, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to him, and have faith in You instead of deeds, and rest with Your saints as You are Generous: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your truth is the truth forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Holy Lady Theotokos! We resort to You, our Intercessor: You are a quick helper, our never-ending intercessor with God! Most of all, we pray to Thee at this hour: help Thy newly departed servant (Thy servant) (name) to cross this terrible and unknown path; We pray to Thee, Lady of the world, by Thy power to drive away from his (her) fear-driven soul the terrible powers of dark spirits, so that they may be confused and put to shame before Thee; free the air tax collectors from torture, destroy their councils and overthrow them as malicious enemies. Be her, O All-Merciful Lady Theotokos, an intercessor and protector from the airy prince of darkness, the tormentor and the terrible paths of the champion; We pray to Thee, Most Holy Theotokos, with Thy honorable robe to Protect us, so that He may pass from earth to heaven without fear and without restraint. We pray to Thee, our Intercessor, intercede for Thy servant (Thy servant) with Thy motherhood before the Lord with boldness; We pray to You, our Help, help him (her), who has to be judged even before the Last Judgment Seat, help him to be justified before God, as the Creator of heaven and earth, and implore Your Only Begotten Son, the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, may he rest the deceased in the bosom of Abraham with the righteous and all the saints. Amen.

Prayer to the Lord God for the repose of the departed

God of spirits, and of all flesh, having trampled down death and abolished the devil, and given life to Thy world, O Lord Himself, rest the soul of Thy departed servant (name) in a bright place, in a green place, in a place of peace, from where sickness, sorrow and sighing have escaped . Every sin committed by him, in deed or word or thought, as the Good Lover of Mankind, God forgives: for there is no man who lives and does not sin, for You are the only One besides sin, Your truth is righteousness forever, and Your word is truth. Thou art the resurrection, and the life, and the rest of Thy departed servant (name), Christ our God, and to Thee we send up glory, with Thy Beginningless Father, and Thy Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Farewell prayer for death

The Lord Jesus Christ our God, who gave the divine commandments to the saints as his disciple and apostle, to bind and solve the sins of the fallen, and from them we also accept guilt and create: may he forgive you, spiritual child, if you have done anything free in this present world or involuntary, now and ever, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for someone who died suddenly (suddenly)

Lord Jesus Christ, Lord of life and death, Thou hast declared in Thy holy Gospel: watch, for thou knowest not when the Son of Man shall come, at that hour do not think, the Son of Man shall come. But we are earthly and sinful, having given ourselves over to the sorrows and pleasures of life, we consign the hour of our death to oblivion, and thus we call to You, the Court of heaven and earth, suddenly, at an hour, in the same place, neither in anticipation nor in imagination. Thus, Your deceased servant, our brother (name), was suddenly called to You. Unsearchable and incomprehensible are the ways of Your wondrous glance at us, O Lord the Savior! I humbly bow my head before these Thy paths, Lord Master, and I pray to Thee with my zealous faith, look down from the height of Thy holy dwelling and cover me with Thy Grace, that my prayer may be corrected before Thee, like a fragrant censer. Most merciful Lord, hear my prayer for Thy servant, according to Thy inscrutable destinies, he was suddenly condemned by death from us; have mercy and have mercy on his trembling soul, called to Thy impartial judgment at an hour he had not expected, May he not reprove him with Thy wrath, nor punish him with Thy wrath; but have mercy and have mercy on her, for the sake of Your merits on the cross and prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints, forgive her all sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, in deed, in knowledge and ignorance. Even if Thy servant (name) was caught up, but rather in this life, faith in Thee and confession of Thee, the God and Savior of the world, Christ, and having trust in Thee: this faith and this hope instead of works of imputation. Merciful Lord! You do not want the death of a sinner, but you mercifully accept from him and for him everything that is done towards conversion and salvation, and you yourself arrange his path so that he may live. I pray to You, deign to remember in this way all the works of mercy and all the prayers done here on earth for Your departed servant, deign to accept my prayer for him together with the prayers of the clergy of Your Holy Church, and forgive his soul all the sins, pacify his troubled heart, spare him from eternal torment and rest him in a brighter place. For it is Yours to have mercy and save us, Christ our Savior, and to You alone befits ineffable goodness and eternal glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Funeral prayers: what are they and what are they for?

Prayer for the repose is words that calm the soul of the deceased, as well as a kind of continuation of the life of the deceased, since they themselves can no longer turn to God. And their relatives, saying words of prayer, help them in this, preserving fond memories and doing good deeds in their name. The prayer for repose is important not only for the soul of the deceased, but also for the person praying. Scripture says that when you pray for others, you yourself will be forgiven. Through it, a person who remembers the deceased cleanses himself, getting rid of his sins.

After the death of a person, his soul remains on earth for some time. For forty days, the relatives of the deceased must say a prayer for the repose of the newly deceased. If they are far from the faith and do not know the words, a funeral prayer is ordered in the church. Candles are also placed here for the repose, and ritual notes are written to commemorate the soul of the deceased. You can invite a priest home, where a prayer is read to them for the repose of the soul.

The prayer for the repose of the deceased carries a certain message to the Lord God. The person praying asks to help and protect the soul of the deceased, to protect him from illness, to forgive him all his sins, to show him a new path in another world. The most important thing is that the text of the funeral prayer is pronounced sincerely, from the bottom of the heart, without any evil thoughts. Because, reading a prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased or any other, a person on a spiritual level comes into contact with his soul with the Almighty. With its help, a kind of dialogue is conducted with the Lord, and the more selfless the prayers are, the more likely it is that they will be heard.

A prayer for the repose of the soul is a kind of debt to the deceased, which must be paid by his relatives and friends who remained in this world. After talking with God, a person finds peace of mind, pain subsides and relief comes. Therefore, the more often prayers are offered, the faster he will be healed from heart wounds and the all-consuming grief of losing a loved one. It will be easier for him to survive this test, gather his strength and feel the taste of life again.

When and what prayers are read?

Prayers for the departure of the soul from the body begin to be read from the moment when a person is near death. They cry out to the Lord for relief from the death throes of the dying person, at the moment when the soul leaves the body. A priest is invited to read a prayer.

Prayer for the departure of the soul from the body

God of Spirits and all flesh! You create Your angels, Your spirits, and Your servants, Your fiery flame. Cherubim and Seraphim tremble before You, and thousands of thousands stand before Your Throne with fear and trembling. For those who want to improve their salvation, You send Your holy Angels to serve; You also give to us sinners Your holy Angel, like a mentor, who kept us in all our paths from all evil and mysteriously instructed and admonished us even until our last breath. God! Thou hast commanded to take the soul away from Thy servant (Thy servant) (name), whom we ever remember, Thy will is the holy will; We pray to Thee, Life-Giver Lord, do not now take away from his (her) soul this nurturer and guardian of it, and do not leave me alone as I walk on the path; commanded him, as a guardian, not to go away with help in this terrible passage of her into the invisible world of heaven; We pray to You that He will be her intercessor and protector from the evil enemy during the ordeal, until he brings You to You, as to the Judge of heaven and earth. Oh, this passage is terrible for the soul that is coming to Thy impartial judgment, and that in the course of this passage will be tormented by the spirits of wickedness in the heavens! Therefore, we pray to You, Most Good Lord, to favor and send Your holy Angels to the soul of Your servant (Your servant) (name) who has come to You, so that they will protect, protect and preserve You from the attack and torment of these terrible and evil spirits, as torturers and tax collectors of the air, servants of the prince of darkness; We pray to Thee, free this evil situation, so that a horde of evil demons does not gather; grant me the honor to fearlessly, graciously and unrestrainedly take this terrible path from the earth with Your Angels, may they lift you up to bow to Your Throne and may they lead you to the light of Your mercy.

If there is no priest, then the relatives themselves read the canons, and it is not necessary to do this over the dying person. If during the reading of these canons a person gives up the ghost, then the end of each prayer is read with a chant.

Canon for a person dying in a hospital or outside the home

“Rest, O Lord, to the soul of Thy departed servant (thy departed servant) (name) (bow), and as much as man has sinned in this life, You, as the Lover of Mankind, forgive him (y) and have mercy (bow), eternal torment deliver (bow), give (bow) to the Heavenly Kingdom of the communicant (bow), and do (bow) useful to our souls.”

Canon for a person dying in long agony and suffering

“The rite performed for the separation of the soul from the body always causes a person to suffer for a long time.” Both of these canons are in the complete Orthodox prayer books. Prayer must be intensified to make the death easier. You can sprinkle holy water on a dying person with the words: “Grace of the Holy Spirit, who has sanctified this water, deliver your soul from all evil.”

After death, until the moment of funeral, the psalter is read day and night to ease the mental anguish of the relatives of the deceased. In the church they order the sorokoust - special prayers read for forty days from the day of death until the departure of the soul of the deceased to another world. Also, before the body is committed to the earth, it is buried in the temple. It is also possible to perform this ritual in the house of the deceased.

During this ceremony, the Apostle and the Gospel are read and concluded with a prayer for the forgiveness of the sins of the deceased and honoring the Kingdom of Heaven. In the cemetery, at the time of burial, the Trisagion is read - the song of the angels, signifying the transition of the deceased to the angelic world. After the body is buried, the relatives and friends of the deceased go to remember him. At the wake, a prayer is read for the repose of the soul of the newly deceased.

Prayer for the repose of the soul of the newly deceased

Remember, Lord, the Orthodox kings and queens, the faithful princes and princesses, the most holy patriarchs, the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops who departed from this life, who served You in the priesthood and in the parable of the church, and in the monastic rank, and in Your eternal villages with the saints rest in peace (Bow)Remember, Lord, the souls of Your departed servants, my parents (their names), and all relatives in the flesh; and forgive them all their sins, voluntary and involuntary, giving them the Kingdom and the communion of Your eternal good things and the pleasure of Your endless and blissful life. (Bow).

Remember, O Lord, and all in the hope of resurrection and eternal life, those who have fallen asleep, our fathers and brothers and sisters, and those who lie here and everywhere, Orthodox Christians, and with Thy saints, where the light of Thy face shines, have mercy on us, for He is Good and Lover of humanity. Amen. (Bow).

Grant, Lord, remission of sins to all who have previously departed in the faith and hope of resurrection, our fathers, brothers and sisters, and create for them eternal memory. (Thrice)

In the future, a prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased is read on the third, ninth, fortieth day, a year after the funeral. And also on all days of remembrance of the dead, which include Ecumenical, Parental and Dmitrov Saturdays and other days of commemoration. If you pray at home, then before this ritual you must visit the temple to buy candles and write a note about the repose of the soul of the deceased. At home, before starting prayer, light candles in front of the icons and place a bowl of holy water. Then, throwing away all sorrowful and sad thoughts, begin reading prayers.

The rite of litia performed by a layman at home and in the cemetery

Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen. Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee. Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of Truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything. Treasure of good things and life to the Giver, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed One, our souls. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Read three times, with the sign of the cross and bow from the waist.).

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake. Lord have mercy. (Three times.) Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Lord have mercy. (12 times). Come, let us worship our King God. (Bow.). Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God. (Bow.). Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God. (Bow.)

Psalm 90

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

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God (three times).

From the spirits of the righteous who have passed away, rest the soul of Your servant, O Savior, preserving it in the blessed life that belongs to You, O Lover of Mankind.In Thy resting place, O Lord, where Thy holiness rests, rest also the soul of Thy servant, for Thou art the only Lover of mankind.Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: You are God, who descended into hell and loosed the bonds of those who were bound. May you and your servant rest in peace.And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen: One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, pray for his soul to be saved.

Kontakion, tone 8

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

Ikos

Thou art the One Immortal One, who created and created man: we were created on earth from the earth, and let us go to the same earth, as Thou Who Created me commanded, and who gave unto me: as Thou art the earth, and thou hast gone to the earth, and even as men shall go, weeping at the grave, creating a song: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.

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

Lord, have mercy (three times), bless.

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

In blessed dormition, grant eternal peace. Lord, Thy departed servant (name) and create for him eternal memory.Eternal memory (three times).His soul will dwell in the good, and his memory throughout generation and generation.

Unfortunately, people sooner or later go to another world, leaving us forever. And we all seem to know that the end is inevitable, it is very difficult and difficult to come to terms with the loss of a loved one. And in order for the Lord to ease our heartaches and calm the souls of the dead, it is necessary to read memorial prayers. They will not only help those who have died in the Kingdom of Heaven, but will also heal us from bitterness and pain, and give us strength and faith in the future.

Religious reading: prayer at a funeral before eating food to help our readers.

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

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

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

Lord have mercy (Three times).

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

And funeral troparia: With the spirits of the righteous who have passed away, the soul of Thy servant (Thy servant), O Savior, give rest, preserving it in the blessed life that belongs to You, O Lover of Mankind.

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

Glory: You are God, who descended into hell and loosed the bonds of the bound. May you and the soul of Your servant (Your servant) rest.

And now: One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, pray for his (her) soul to be saved.

Then this prayer is said three times with 15 bows: Remember, O Lord, the soul of Thy departed servant (Thy deceased servant) name (bow). Elika in this life, as a man, sinned, but You, as a Lover of Mankind, have mercy (bow), and deliver eternal torment (bow), and make the Kingdom of Heaven a partaker (bow), and do good for our souls (bow).

Our Father, it is followed by an invocation of God's blessing on the meal according to the rank for the laity.

You see me speechless, / and lying there lifeless, / weep for me, brothers and friends, / relatives and knowers: / yesterday was the day I talked with you, / and suddenly you found the terrible hour of death upon me; / but come, all you who love me, / and kiss me with your last kiss, / because I will not like anyone with you / or talk with you, etc.; / for I am going to the Judge, / where there is no partiality: / for the servant and the ruler stand together, / the king and the warrior, the rich and the poor, / in equal dignity: / each will be glorified or ashamed by his deeds. / But I ask and pray to everyone, / constantly pray for me to Christ God, / that I may not be brought down (brought down) by my sin to the place of torment, / but may he punish me where the animal Light is.

I cry and sob, / when I think about death, / and I see our beauty lying / in the tombs, created in the image of God, / ugly, inglorious, / without form. / Oh miracle! What is this sacrament about us? / How do we surrender to corruption, / how do we embrace death? / Truly by God’s command, / as it is written, / Who gives repose to the deceased.

Then the priest: In the blessed dormition of the servant of God (servant of God) the name of the one who passed away (reposed) is eternal memory.

To the servant of God (servant of God) who passed away (reposed) eternal memory.

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Prayer at a funeral before eating food

The fish should be baked in a very hot oven.

To make cleaning the fish more convenient, you can do this in a plastic bag.

To prevent the fish from falling apart when frying, salt it and hold for 10-15 minutes to absorb the salt.

Fish that smells like mud should be washed in a strong, cold salt solution. The unpleasant smell will disappear. Potatoes are boiled over moderate heat.

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Prayer after eating food

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The themes of gluttony and hunger have long been given special importance in the Christian faith. Therefore, special prayers were created that are read before and after eating. The most common is prayer after eating food in Russian.

Prayer after eating

We thank Thee, Christ our God, for Thou hast filled us with Thy earthly blessings; Do not deprive us of Your Heavenly Kingdom, but as You came among Your disciples, Savior, give them peace, come to us and save us.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord have mercy. (Thrice) Bless.

After the ritual, you cannot eat until the next meal, since such a prayer ends the entire meal process. You can’t even get up from the table after saying prayers. It is necessary to wait some time so as not to interrupt the blessed circle.

Rules for reading the prayer text

After eating food, prayer is read in the room where the meal is being taken. The procedure can be carried out in different ways:

• speaking out loud, silently or singing;
• the head of the family reads the text, and the rest repeat in a whisper;
• standing, sitting and leaning your elbows on the table;
• closing or slightly closing your eyelids.

When there are strangers in the house, you should find out their attitude towards such a ritual, and then just start praying. Children need to be taught to pray, then they will quickly adapt to fasting and attending church. It is obligatory to be baptized while reading a prayer after a meal.

May the Lord protect you!

Watch also the video prayer to the Lord after eating food:

Official website of the Archangel Michael Church in the village of Ilteryakovo

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Funeral meal (funeral)

This custom of remembering the dead at a funeral meal has been known for a very long time. Usually, a memorial meal is held by relatives and friends after the funeral (on the 3rd day), on the 9th day, on the 40th day, the anniversary of death, as well as on his name day and birth. The main purpose of the funeral meal is general prayer for the deceased. The deceased is remembered at the table, first of all, with Christian prayers and kind words, and then by “breaking bread.”

It should begin with a prayer, someone close to you reads it 17 Kathisma from the Psalter in front of a candle or lamp, or perform Lithium - a short rite of requiem, which can be performed by a layman, or at least read Psalm 90, or "Our Father"».

On the third, ninth, and fortieth days, a special memorial prayer (Psalm 118) should be read for the deceased in front of the holy icons with a lit lamp or candles.

On any day of commemoration, they read the prayer: “Through the prayers of Christ, who gave birth to Thee, and thy Forerunner, the apostles, prophets, hierarchs, the venerable and righteous, and all the saints, give rest to thy departed servant.”

Immediately before eating, the Lord's Prayer is read.

Before starting the next dish, you need to read this short prayer: “Rest, O Lord, the soul of Your newly departed servant, and forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.”

“Rest, O Lord, the soul of Your newly departed servant, and forgive her all her sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant her the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Before the last meal on the day of burial, a stichera is sung “You can see me silent and lifeless,” the words of which “yesterday was the day I talked with you” so touchingly correspond to this fraternal meal, celebrated for the first time in the absence of a dear brother. After the stichera it is proclaimed Everlasting memory.

If the memorial meal is held on other days (on nine days, on forties, on the anniversary of death or the day of the Angel of the deceased), then only Everlasting memory.

At the end of the table, ask God for all the departed: “Grant, Lord, remission of sins to all who have previously departed in the faith and hope of the resurrection, take away our brothers and sisters and create for them eternal memory.”

First course of the funeral meal – kutya (kolivo). These are boiled grains of wheat or rice with honey (raisins, dried apricots). The grains in this case are a symbol of resurrection, and honey is the sweetness that the righteous enjoy in the Kingdom of God.

If it is not possible to illuminate the kutya in the temple, then you need to sprinkle it with holy water yourself. Pancakes and jelly are traditional funeral dishes in Rus'. Then other dishes are served.

If the funeral takes place during one of the multi-day or one-day (Wednesday, Friday) fasts, then its requirements must be observed. And during Lent, funerals can only be held on Saturday or Sunday. Therefore, if they fall on weekdays, then they need to be moved forward to Saturday or Sunday.

You are not allowed to drink alcohol at a funeral! “Wine makes glad the heart of a man” (Ps. 103:15), and funerals are not a reason for joy. There are times when this rule is violated, and then, instead of remembering the deceased, his merits and good deeds, they begin to talk about extraneous things, argue, or even sort things out.

A Christian who has been invited to the funeral of a loved one in an unbelieving family should better refuse under a worthy pretext, so as not to sin by breaking the fast or drinking wine.

According to the Church Charter, memorial meals cannot be held on the twelve and great holidays, on Sundays, as well as on Lazarus Saturday, on Bright Week, on the days of half-life and Easter, on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays of Holy Week, on the second days of Christmas, Epiphany and the Holy Trinity.

All prayers mentioned in this material can be read by lay people.

Prayers at meals

PRAYERS AT MEAL

Our Church Charter knows only two meals - lunch and dinner. And only for these two cases does he give in the liturgical books the corresponding rites of blessing the meal and thanksgiving after it. This is understandable, for our Rule was drawn up primarily in monasteries, where both the early morning and the entire first part of the day (almost until noon) were occupied with divine services.

But even in monasteries, part of the brethren who carry out various obediences, having defended the Midnight Office, the first part of Matins and the Six Psalms, with the beginning of the reading of the kathismas, go to various obediences, often involving difficult physical labor. Moreover, worldly people, obligated by everyday concerns, after morning prayer must go to “their work and their work even until the evening” (Ps. 103: 22-23). In view of the upcoming work, it is necessary to reinforce bodily strength with food. This is how the third was established - the morning meal, served both in secular houses and monasteries, but in the latter only for those who have work to do in the morning. This third meal - breakfast - especially among worldly people has become traditional, irrevocable, a legalized custom and therefore, as it were, statutory. For people engaged in heavy physical labor, in particular, for the Russian people-farmers living in rather harsh climatic conditions, and beyond these three times - especially on long summer days, when farmers work from dawn to dusk in a difficult time of suffering, additional meals. Second breakfast, called “afternoon snack”, and “pauzhinok” - light food reinforcement between lunch and dinner. But even beyond this, the hospitable Russian people have always been in a hurry for the sake of the guest, and are in a hurry to provide at least a small treat, to arrange at least a modest fraternal meal. And over the last century, not only in the city, but also in the countryside, not only among lay people, but also among monks, tea drinking has become almost obligatory, organized both for the sake of guests and in addition to or instead of breakfast and afternoon tea.

Believers, like any activity in general, and in particular the eating of food, even if not provided for by the Charter, are always preceded and concluded with prayer. In monasteries, before and after meals, general public prayers are performed, accompanied at appropriate moments by singing. In Ancient Rus', in secular homes, on these occasions, a common public prayer was offered for all participants in the meal. Unfortunately, since the time of Peter the Great's secularization of Holy Rus', this good custom of antiquity has been almost completely forgotten. Now, most often, each of those present at the meal reads to himself what kind of prayer he knows. Only in a few families that cherish the Old Testament customs, and during festive and funeral meals, headed by clergy, a common prayer is read or sung. But even in these cases, even in the presence of the bishop, at every meal, be it breakfast, lunch, dinner or just tea, for the most part, the same thing is read: before the meal “Our Father. ”, after it - “We thank You, Christ our God. " , in half abridged against the edition given in liturgical books, in which it was published in prayer books for the laity. Meanwhile, in the liturgical books for the two statutory meals, completely different orders of pre-meal and post-meal prayers are given, compiled in relation to the nature of one and the other meal. Accordingly, and for all other occasions of eating, there should be special blessings for the food offered for each rite and thanksgiving after eating them.

The desire to bring home pre-meal and post-meal prayer as close as possible to the Church Rule, as was the case in ancient times in Holy Rus', was the reason for drawing up the proposed rites. Basically, the corresponding sequences of liturgical books were used for them, using them for secular use and for celebration by laymen alone without a priest.

Of all the daily meals, the main one is the lunch meal - the most complete, the most plentiful, the longest, during which food is allowed to be eaten until full. This character of the dinner meal corresponds to the statutory prayers surrounding it. True, only one prayer is sung before dinner, but it is the greatest of prayers, so to speak, the prayer of prayers, the Lord’s Prayer. And after the dinner meal there is a whole lengthy rite of thanksgiving, not only for the gift of “meal for joy,” but also for the satiation: “For Thou hast satisfied us with Thy earthly blessings.” In the present experience of using the statutory rite of afternoon thanksgiving for secular use, it is primarily shortened by the omission of everything that relates to the rite of offering “Panagia” - bread in honor of the Mother of God, which is not always and not performed everywhere in monasteries. The statutory afternoon rite includes the troparion of a holiday or day, to which in some monasteries the troparion of a cathedral church or holy monastery is added. In accordance with this, in the rite proposed here, in addition to the troparion served on that day of the feast of the Lord, the Mother of God or the great ecumenical saint, the troparion of All Russian Saints is introduced, the common holiday of which can be considered as a temple or monastery for all Orthodox Russian people. After the general troparion to All Russian Saints, in accordance with the same thought about their significance for us, Russian people, the troparions to the Russian Saints celebrated that day are indicated. After this, the troparion to the prophet Elijah is introduced to “Glory”, who, according to the revelation of one person of highly spiritual life, is a nourisher in our time, especially for those who prayerfully call on him. Accordingly, the edition of the troparion to the prophet was slightly changed. On “And Now” as the Theotokos, the troparion in honor of the original Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was taken from the same service to All Russian Saints, under whose grace-filled cover the entire history of the great Russian state was formed. At the conclusion of the entire rite of afternoon thanksgiving, a prayer for benefactors is added, which is especially appropriate when the meal is a gift of love and care for the brethren.

The evening meal is significantly different from the lunch meal. It is less abundant and less long lasting. For her, the Charter recommends not to prepare food again, but to be content with what is left over from lunch. The evening meal is only for light reinforcement of food for those going to bed, which only the poor - the “poor” could consider satiation. It is much shorter than lunch. Accordingly, the prayers surrounding it are shorter.

The morning meal not provided for by the Charter - breakfast - is very different in nature from lunch, it is shorter and closer to dinner. Accordingly, the prayers surrounding breakfast should be different from lunch. The prayers of the evening meal could be used here, with the exception of verses of Psalm 4, the words of which “in peace together I will sleep and rest” do not correspond to the time. But for a new meal not provided for by the Charter, a new order can be drawn up. Just as before dinner a passage from Psalm 21 is read, so before breakfast a prayer known to many laymen, composed of verses 15-16 of Psalm 144, can be used: “The eyes of all trust in Thee, O Lord. " And after breakfast, there may be, accordingly, the reading of one of the thanksgiving after-dinner prayers, also well known to many lay people: “We give thanks to Thee, Christ our God, for Thou hast satisfied us. ”, for the morning saturation, in view of the upcoming labors, can be fuller and more plentiful than the evening one.

A meal with tea and all others, unnecessary against the Charter, are, as it were, some kind of lawlessness, a consequence of our weaknesses. Therefore, the Optina elders advised to precede such meals with a prayer for the forgiveness of our sins, for the healing of our infirmities, and to end with the usual final song to the Mother of God: “It is worthy to eat,” in the hope that the Mother of God will add to our prayers Her bold intercession for the forgiveness of our sins, about the healing of our infirmities.

PRAYERS BEFORE BREAKFAST

As before the beginning of any prayer, first of all three bows with prayers of repentance are required:

(Bow.)

(Bow.)

There are no number of sins, Lord, have mercy and forgive me, the sinner. (Bow.)

Let's pray before meals

The eyes of all trust in You, O Lord, and You give them food in good season, You open Your other hand and fulfill it with every living thing. e nia.

Glory: (Bow.) And now: (Bow.) Lord have mercy. (Thrice.) (Bow.) Bless.

Priest: Christ God, bless the food and drink of Thy servant, I am holy, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

[If only lay people eat, then the person reading the prayer, usually the eldest, without blessing the meal, says:

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus, behold, the Sons of God, bless the food and drink of Thy servant, I am holy, always, now and forever, and forever and ever.]

PRAYERS AFTER BREAKFAST

We thank You, Christ our God, I brought Your earthly blessings to us, and did not deprive us and Heaven of Your Kingdom, but I came through Your disciples Jesus, Savior, peace be upon them, came to us and saved us too.

Glory: (Bow.) And now: (Bow.) Lord have mercy. (Thrice.) (Bow.) Bless.

Priest: God is with us with His grace and love for mankind, always, now and ever, and forever and ever.

(In the absence of the priest: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.)

And three final bows with prayers:

Oh my God, please forgive me for my sin. (Bow.)

Creator of me, Lord, help me. (Bow.)

There are no number of sins, Lord, forgive and forgive the sinner. (Bow.)

PRAYERS BEFORE DINNER

Three short prayers of repentance with bows. Then:

O our father, who is also in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in heaven and on earth. Give us our abundant bread this day; and leave us our debts, I skin and we leave the debtor about us; and did not lead us into temptation, but delivered us from the bow.

Glory: (Bow.) And now: (Bow.) Lord have mercy. (Thrice.) (Bow.) Bless.

Priest: Christ God, bless the food and drink of Thy servant, I am holy, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

(In the absence of a secular priest: Through the prayers of the saints, our father, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, bless the food and drink of Thy servant, I am holy, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.)

AFTERNOON PRAYERS

Let's take a vacation: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus, behold, Christ is our God, have mercy on us.

Blessed be God, have mercy and nourished us from our youth, give food to all flesh, fill our hearts with joy and joy, and always I have some contentment with them, abounding in every good work in Christ Jesus our Lord: with Him glory befits you, O power , honor and worship, with the Holy Spirit forever. Am and n.

Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee, O Holy One, glory to Thee, O King, I have given to us also the Lord for joy: fill us and the Spirit Holy One, may He find Himself before Thee in good days and in days of fasting, when He will always be rewarded according to His deeds.

Thank you, Christ our God, I gave you your earthly blessings to us, and did not deprive us and heaven of your kingdom, but I am a disciple through your coming trees, behold the Savior, may I give them peace, came to us and saved us.

Then the troparions are sung or read on that day of the feasts celebrated - the Lord's, the Theotokos, the Archangels, the Forerunner, the Apostles and the great Ecumenical Saints (with a bow after each troparion).

Let us therefore troparion to All Russian Saints (Tone 8):

I skin the red fruit of Thy saved and sowed body, the Russian land brings Thy, O Lord, all the saints who asked for it. Those prayers and yours in the world deeply about the Church and the countries of our God have observed the dice, Much and kindness.

And the troparia of the Russian saints celebrated that day (with bows).

Glory: Troparion to the Prophet Elijah (Tone 4):

An angel incarnate, the foundation of the prophets, the second forerunner of the coming of Christ, Or am I the glorious one, from the angel I receive food and receive a widow and a widow at the time May your eyes continue, and to us who honor you, be a gracious nourisher.

We do not fall before the Protector of our country, the Ever-Virgin Mother of God, the priest, and to the first-painted icon of Her, with faith we call from the depths of our souls: O M a Lord of God, saved the Russian land, healed its contrition, and gave comfort to the faithful people.

TO Thanksgiving for the nourishment can be accompanied by a prayer for the hosts of the meal and benefactors. Then, at the end of the troparion to the Mother of God, the priest exclaims:

Merciful Lord, have mercy on Thy servants who love us. Everyone repeats this refrain. Priest: Glory. And we: And now. Then they sing the chaos:

Deliver us from the troubles and sorrows of Your servants who nourish us, O Merciful One, I diligently resort to You, to the Merciful Nourisher of ours and all of us. he promised mercy to the one who was kind.

The priest pronounces the litany: Have mercy on us, O God, command Thy mercy, pray, hear and have mercy.

Priest: We also pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, forgiveness and forgiveness of sins. (The worldly man begins the petition: Lord have mercy. Further general continuation) all those who love, have mercy and nourish us, who do good and serve us, who gave commandments and for whom we were commanded to pray, and all their relatives, about the same reward Pray to them for their love for us, remember their faith in the strength of your prayers, brethren and your priests, and according to their faith, fulfill all their requests, pour out on them good spirit, physical and spiritual, bless their labors and undertakings with success, and save them from all sorrows (especially may they not be blessed rbi for the work of love that is being done to us), we pray to You, Merciful Lord, hear us sinners praying to You, and have mercy.

Priest: Yako is merciful.

Glory: (Bow.) And now: (Bow.) Lord have mercy. (Thrice.) (Bow.) Bless.

Priest: Blessed be God, who has mercy and nourished us with His divine gifts, His grace and love for mankind, always, now and ever, and forever about v.

(In the absence of the priest, the worldly: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus, behold, Christ is our God, have mercy on us.)

In conclusion, three bows are required with the usual prayers and everyone thanks the organizers of the meal and the eldest of the tablemates.

PRAYERS BEFORE NON-STARTED MEALS

Three short prayers of repentance with bows:

O God, cleanse me, a sinner. (Bow.)

Created me, Lord, have mercy on me. (Bow.)

I have sinned without number and x, Lord, have mercy and forgive me, a sinner. (Bow.)

Most Holy Trinity, help and protect us; Lord, please forgive our sin; Lord, ours is simple and lawless; Holy One, visit and heal our relics, and for Your sake. Glory, even now. Lord have mercy. (Thrice.)

And a blessing like before breakfast: Christ and God, bless and. Through the prayers of the saints from the father.

PRAYERS AFTER NON-STARTED MEALS

Worthy, I truly believe, is the blessedness of Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify the most honorable cherub and the most glorious, without comparison, the seraph, without the corruption of God the Word, who gave birth to the present Mother of God.

Glory, even now. Lord have mercy. (Thrice.) Bless.

And the ending is like after breakfast: God is with us. or Prayers of the saints from the father. And three prayers of repentance with bows.

PRAYERS BEFORE DINNER

After three prayers of repentance:

I eat the murderers, and they feed on us, and they who seek Him will praise the Lord, and their hearts will live forever and ever.

Glory, even now. Lord have mercy. (Thrice.) Bless.

And a blessing like before breakfast: Christ and God, bless and. or Prayers of the saints from the father.

PRAYERS AFTER DINNER

Be in Thy womb, the Holy Table, which has the Heavenly Bread, Christ our God, from Him every poisonous one does not die, I say to the skin e of all, Bogorod and the calf, Pit atel.

Most honorable to the cherubs, and most glorious without comparison to the seraphs, without the corruption of God, who gave birth to the Word, the present Mother of God, we magnify Thee.

We are glad, O Lord, in Thy creation, and in Thy hands we will rejoice. Knowing the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord, He gave joy to my heart, from the fruit of wheat, wine and oil, I grew wise. In the world I fell asleep, and I rested, because You, Lord, have given me all my hope.

Glory, and now: Lord have mercy. (Thrice.) Bless.

And the ending is like after breakfast: God is with us. or the prayers of the saints father.

PRAYERS AT THE FUNERAL MEAL

If a priest is present at the funeral meal, then the usual funeral litia is performed first, after which the Our Father is sung. and the blessing of the meal follows.

If there is no priest among those present, then after three usual bows:

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

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

Glory, even now. Amen. Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, forgive our sins; Lord, ours is simple and lawless; Holy One, visited and healed our infirmities, and for Thy sake.

Lord have mercy (Thrice).

Glory, even now. Amen.

O our father, who is also in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in heaven and on earth. Give us our abundant bread this day; and leave us our debts, I skin and we leave our debtor; and did not lead us into temptation, but delivered us from the bow.

And funeral troparia: From the spirits of the righteous who have passed away the soul of Thy servant (I am Your slave), O blessed one, keep me in a more blessed life, I am with You, O Man-loving One.

In Thy rest, O Lord, where all Thy saints and Thy rest rest, rest the soul of Thy servant. (Thy servants), I ko E d i n e s and Man-loving.

Glory: You are also God, descended into hell and broken into bondage. Your servant himself and soul (I am Your slave) upok about y.

And now: One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, praying that his soul will be saved (e i).

Then this prayer is said three times with 15 bows: I remember and, Lord, I remember Your servant. (us about pshey slave y Thy I) Name (bow). I ate in my life and therefore I have sinned against man and, You, I love God, help me (bow), and eternal torment of the hut (bow), and the Kingdom of Heaven by a participant (participant) of the teaching and (bow), and created good things for our souls (bow).

After this, it is sung or read as a pre-dinner prayer. Our Father, followed by an invocation of God's blessing on the meal according to the rank for the laity.

At the beginning of the funeral meal, before other foods, everyone is offered kutia. And before the last sweet dish, which is traditionally served with jelly with milk (on fast days with almond or poppy seed), the so-called pivomedie is brought - a sweet non-alcoholic drink. In conclusion, everyone stands up and, if the meal is served on the day of burial or commemoration: on the 9th, 20th, 40th days after death and on the first anniversary, they sing the stichera in the 6th tone:

I see the eyeless sleep, / and the lifeless Anna, / weep for me, brothers and friends, / relatives and knowledge: / yesterday was the day of the conversations with you, / and suddenly the terrible hour of death was found upon me; / but come and all those who love me, / and kiss me with the last kiss, / not who resembles you / or talk about other things; / to judge and because we depart, / there is no partiality: / the slave and the ruler stand before us, / the king and the warrior, the rich and the poor / equal in dignity ministry: / who lives from his own deeds / or is glorified, or is shamed. / But I ask and pray to everyone, / Christ constantly prays for me and cries to God, / lest I be brought down (brought down to) by sin for my sake in the place of a hundred torments e niya, / but yes, I am the living Light.

If the commemoration is performed on occasions other than those listed, the stichera, tone 8, is sung:

I cry and sob, / when I always think about death, / and I look forward to our tomb lying / in the image of God, our beauty, / ugly, nameless but in, / not for them in and yes. / Oh miracles! What is this sacrament about us? / How do we surrender ourselves to corruption, / how do we embrace death? / Truly by God’s command, / I am skinned Sano is, / I give this to the one who is infatuated (presti and lyshaysya) rest.

Then the priest: In blessed dormition, a servant of God (servant of God) name, please (presti and lyshaysya) everlasting memory.

In the absence of the priest, the eldest of the laity: Servant of God (servant of God) please, please (presti and lyshaysya) everlasting memory.

All: Everlasting memory (three times).

They drink the funeral cup and eat the last dish. The meal ends with the usual thanksgiving.

PRAYER FOR THE BLESSING OF EASTER FOOD

Lord Jesus, behold, Christ is our God, filled with the great sorrow of the Cross and Thy suffering and immeasurable joy with the triday resurrection of all! Thank you, I have granted you and us, through fasting, to attain to the saints of these days and the joy of the light and goodness of your resurrection to be partakers . We thank You, because by Your mercy and ineffable condescension towards our weaknesses, You comfort us and provide us with a festive meal to strengthen and delight our weak flesh. . We also pray to Thee, bless this Easter bread, thickened milk, eggs and other Easter foods, especially these and from them, in obedience to the Charter of the Church , in the past days of fasting, Your servants abstained, so that they would give health to those who eat them with thanksgiving, to strengthen their bodily strength, to cheerfulness and joy, Let us use all the good things we have to do good deeds, and from the fullness of our grateful hearts to glorify Thee, the Risen One, who nourishes and comforts us, and is with Thee. and the Infinite of Your Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

This prayer can be read by the priest or the eldest of those present at the first festive meal instead of the usual blessing formula.

ANOTHER PRAYER AT THE VERY SCARY EASTER MEAL

Lord Jesus, behold, Christ is our God, through the great sorrow of the Cross and Thy suffering, filled with immeasurable joy through the third day of resurrection! I give thanks to You, I have granted you and us, through the practice of fasting, to achieve the saints of these days and the joy of the holy goodness of Your resurrection to be partakers. We pray to Thee: bless and sanctify both these breads, and even Thy servants, in their meagerness, instead of Easter meals, brought about your treat and brought them before Your Holy Face. May they be a source of sweetness and consolation to those who eat them faithfully, and may the meagerness of the meal not darken the festive joy of Your people. With the light of the resurrection, may all sorrows and sorrows be dispelled, so that everyone, both the rich and the poor, and the poor, and those in poverty, glorify Thee, the Risen One, and in sorrows I will give joy to us, Who gives us a lot of peace with You. and the Infinite of Thy Father and Holy Spirit, unto ages of ages. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE BLESSING OF MASSIVE FOOD ON THE HOLIDAY OF THE CHRISTMAS

Lord Jesus, behold, Christ is our God, who willed our salvation for the sake of appearing on earth and in the flesh and being indescribably born of the Blessed and Most Pure Virgin Mary! We thank Thee, I have vouchsafed thee and us, who have chosen the feat of fasting, to achieve the great feast of Thy Nativity and in spiritual joy to sing praises to Thee with the angels, to praise Thee with the shepherds, and to worship Thee with the wise men. We thank Thee, for through Thy great mercy and immeasurable condescension towards our weaknesses, you comfort us now not only with abundant spiritual food, but also with a festive meal.

We also pray to Thee, who opens Thy generous hand, fills all living things with Thy blessings, gives everyone food in accordance with the times and rules of the Church, bless the holiday foods prepared by Thy faithful people, especially for this reason, from them I owe In accordance with the Charter of Thy Church, in past days of fasting Thy servants abstained, so that those who partake of them with thanksgiving will be able to give them health, to strengthen their bodily strength, to joy and gladness. May all of us, having all the good things we have, let us use and seize them for good deeds, and from the fullness of a grateful heart glorify Thee, who feeds and comforts us, and also Thy Beginning Father and the Most Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE BLESSING OF FAST FOOD (ON THE HOLIDAY OF THE HIGH APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL)

(read at the first holiday meal instead of the usual blessing formula)

Lord Jesus Christ our God! We thank You for giving the forest to us who, through the fasting of the holy apostles, have passed on, to achieve the feast of the glorious Chief Fathers Peter and Paul.

We pray to You, who opens Your generous hand, fills all living things with Your blessings, gives everyone food in accordance with the times and rules of the Church, bless the holiday foods prepared by Your faithful people, especially this, from them, obeying the Charter of Your Church, in the past days Thy servants abstained from fasting, so that those who partake of it with thanksgiving may experience health, strengthen their bodily strength, and bring joy and joy. Yes, we all have every kind of contentment, let us do good deeds, and from the fullness of a grateful heart glorify You, who nourishes and comforts us, together with Your Beginning Father and the Most Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

(If the Feast of the Supreme Apostles happens on Wednesday or Friday, this prayer is read before the meal the next day).

BISHOP ATHANASY - ELDER AND NOBLICION

Afanasy (Sakharov), Bishop of Kovrov (July 2, 1887 - October 28, 1962) - bishop of Tikhon’s installation, whose fate reflected the entire tragic post-revolutionary fate of the Russian Orthodox Church. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, “the elder bishop was one of those rare people whom you want to bow to the ground and fall to your knees, seeking from them unfading courage and unquenchable warmth. And one could bow down even if one knew only the purely external facts of his life.” Vladyka himself wrote at the end of the 50s, in the decline of his life, that he spent “33 months in diocesan service, 32 months in freedom, out of work, 76 in exile, 252 [months] in prison and bitter labor.” " The bishop-confessor in the camp had a “favorite job” - cleaning latrines and removing sewage; he understood this “obedience” to the camp authorities as making him similar to the holy hymnographer of the Orthodox Church - St. John of Damascus.

The hymnographic heritage of Bishop Athanasius himself is still awaiting its researchers. But even without knowing the name of the prayer book about the Russian land, parishioners often sing stichera with the whole church together on the stichera from the service “To all the Saints who have shone in the Russian land”: “New house of the Euphrates, chosen inheritance, Holy Rus', keep the Orthodox faith, in which you statement". The compiler of this service, Bishop Athanasius, is also the author of venerations of many saints and icons of the Mother of God, especially revered in the Russian Church, a service to the “Maximovskaya” icon of the Mother of God, and a wonderful study “On the Commemoration of the Dead according to the Charter of the Orthodox Church.”

At the Local Council of 1917-1918, the then Hieromonk Athanasius presented to the Council Council a report “On the inclusion of all Russian memories in the church calendar,” according to which the following determination was made:

1. A complete monthly book should be published with a full indication of all the celebrations in honor of the icons of the Mother of God and all the memories of saints, both universal and locally revered, with troparia and kontakions, with brief information about the holy icons and from the lives of saints, indicating their place veneration. The indicated month book should be sent to all churches.

2. The names of saints revered by the entire Russian Church are included in the month book of all liturgical books where this month book is printed.

3. All available services to Russian saints must be collected, and in honor of the icons of the Mother of God, corrected, replenished with synaxarions and henceforth printed - in menaions; services in honor of St. icons and saints, locally revered, should be placed in additional menaia.

4. Complete front calendars with images of both ecumenical and all Russian saints and with images of icons of the Mother of God should be published.

Vladyka Athanasius devoted his entire life to collecting materials in pursuance of this Council definition - services of celebrations in honor of the icons of the Mother of God and locally revered saints, hagiographic references and information about the veneration of iconographic images. The extensive correspondence reflects the greatness of the work done. The result was the appearance (after the death of the Bishop) of complete liturgical Menyas in 1970-1980, prepared for printing and published for the anniversary of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' by the Moscow Patriarchate Publishing House.

Bishop Athanasius wrote about his other “doing”: “. The Holy Council of 1917-1918, recognizing the matter of correcting liturgical books as urgently necessary, expressed the wish that the temporary commission established for this purpose at the Holy Synod be transformed into a permanent institution, which was carried out by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, who, by resolution of November 6, 1956. established the Liturgical and Calendar Commission under the Holy Synod.”

It is interesting to turn to the history of the issue of correcting liturgical books. Even Saint Theophan, the Recluse of Vyshensky, wrote on this occasion: “Our liturgical hymns are all edifying, thoughtful and sublime. They contain all theological science and all Christian moral teaching, and all consolations, and all fears. Anyone who listens to them can do without any other teaching Christian books. Meanwhile, most of these chants are completely incomprehensible. And this deprives our church books of the fruit that they could produce, and does not allow them to serve the purposes for which they are intended and available. As a result of this, a new translation of church liturgical books is urgently needed. A simplified and clear translation of liturgical books is needed. Need a new one Slavic(my italics - A.I.) translation” (Collected letters. Issue II, Letter 289.). The Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', St. Tikhon, spoke wittily and insightfully on this issue: “It is important for the Russian Church to have a new Slavic translation of liturgical books (the current one is outdated and incorrect in many places), which will prevent the demand of others to serve in the Russian everyday language.”

In the pre-conciliar discussion at the beginning of the century, the majority of bishops unanimously spoke out in favor of correcting liturgical texts, in which Greek grammar and word production sometimes hide and often distort the meaning and content of many liturgical readings and chants. But they also talked about the lessons that should be learned from the church book correction in the 16th and 17th centuries, when a well-organized task entrusted to a whole staff of inspectors, in addition to benefits, also led to the sad events of the time of Patriarch Nikon. In the discussions, the requirement to translate texts into the Slavic language, a common language for all Slavic tribes in their native Orthodox faith, sounded mandatory. (By the way, in these debates there were also wishes for publishers: it is necessary to publish small liturgical books for distribution in the church to the people, so that every layman can more successfully study the language and structure of the service. Not only “read and chant” himself, but also make it impossible to perform the service carelessly. )

Vladyka Athanasius made this work - the work of a surveyor - the obedience of his whole life. Immediately upon returning from exile in 1955, he wrote to the rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, Archimandrite Sergius Golubtsov: “For a long time, I began to defile my menaions and other liturgical books, correcting the old Slavic text. I consider the correction of liturgical books to be an urgent matter. And I would like to give away all my soiled books. to his native academy, - of course, after death.” Vladyka understood his work as a beginning and, bequeathing materials to the academy, assumed that it would help begin to solve a large scientific and practical problem, the urgency of which was clearly recognized at the beginning of the century.

In the archives of Bishop Afanasy, a notebook of prayers and prayer orders for everyday use has been preserved. Several pages in it are occupied by abbreviated notes from “Prayers at Meals,” which represent not only a wonderful historical testimony of our time, a scientific and theological development of a small but important topic, but also a precious grain of the prayer experience of the elder confessor. In the introductory article to the “Prayers,” the Bishop shares his secret knowledge, advising before dinner to sing a new troparion he compiled to the prophet Elijah, a saint who “is a nourisher in our time, especially for those who prayerfully call upon him.”

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Death is always a sad event, which is difficult for relatives, friends and even acquaintances of the deceased. How can you ease the pain of loss? Orthodox Christians believe that funeral prayers, which are read after a person has passed away, can influence his fate after death. At the same time, they soften the feeling of powerlessness, loss, and strengthen faith. It is imperative to see someone off into eternity according to Christian tradition.

Prayers before death

When a Christian makes his earthly journey, he attends church services, during which they constantly ask God to send him a worthy death. The meaning of this petition is very deep. After all, a caring Church considers preparation for eternity a very important matter. Therefore, Orthodox Christians invite a priest already at a time when a person’s soul is just about to leave the body. This applies to the terminally ill and those who suddenly receive serious injuries.

• There are cases when, after baptism in the intensive care unit, people, as they say, return from the other world. But this doesn’t always happen and you shouldn’t hope for it, putting off the matter of saving the soul on the back burner. If a person leaves baptized, you can read all the prescribed prayers for the departed, which is of great benefit.

When the agony sets in, the priest must perform the necessary rituals:

• absolve sins by holding a general confession;
• conduct the sacrament of Communion;
• to carry out the sacrament of Unction - it is necessary for the dying, because it serves to cleanse the soul and forgive sins, of which any person accumulates a lot.

Traditionally, unction was performed only on the dying, but now it is carried out everywhere in Orthodox churches during Lent for everyone.

What prayers to read after death

And then comes a difficult moment when the soul parts with the body. Christians believe that this is only a transition to another world, the spiritual world. And there the deceased really needs prayer help. It doesn’t matter to him where exactly the cemetery will be located, in which coffin the perishable remains will be buried. But the soul can suffer, tormented by sins committed during life. Therefore, she really needs support from the first minutes after her death. The prayer for the newly deceased is somewhat different from the others.

First of all, if a priest has not yet come, you need to invite him so that the Sequence on the departure of the soul from the body can be read. It is read once, immediately after death. This can be done remotely - for example, if the priest cannot arrive in person. Then you need to start reading the Psalms. It is best if it is read all night. It will be quite difficult for inexperienced people, but any believer can at least master Psalm 118.

You can immediately order an indestructible Psalter upon death - for which you should go to the temple, name the newly deceased person, and make the necessary donation. And, of course, we need to order a funeral service. There are several conditions under which a church memorial for the repose is performed:

• the newly deceased must be baptized in the Orthodox Church;
• the death was not due to suicide;
• the man was not a blasphemer, did not renounce his faith.

The most effective funeral prayers

Prayer for a widow

Prayer for children for deceased parents

“Christ Jesus, Lord and Almighty! You are the consolation of the weeping, the intercession of the orphans and widows. You said: call on Me in the day of your sorrow, and I will destroy you. In the days of my sorrow, I run to You and pray to You: do not turn Your face away from me and hear my prayer brought to You with tears.

You, Lord, Master of all, have blessed me to unite me with one of Your servants, so that we may be one body and one spirit; You gave me this servant as a companion and protector. It was Your good and wise will that you would take this servant of Yours away from me and leave me alone. I bow before Your will and I resort to You in the days of my sorrow: quench my sorrow about separation from Your servant, my friend.

Even if you took him away from me, do not take your mercy away from me. Just as you once accepted two mites for a widow, so accept this prayer of mine. Remember, Lord, the soul of Your departed servant (name), forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, whether in word, or in deed, or in knowledge and ignorance, do not destroy him with his iniquities and do not deliver him to eternal torment, but according to Your great mercy and according to the multitude of Thy compassions, weaken and forgive all his sins and commit them with Thy saints, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life.

I pray and ask You, Lord, grant that all the days of my life I will not cease to pray for Your departed servant, and even before my departure, ask You, the Judge of the whole world, to forgive all his sins and to place him in the heavenly abodes that You have prepared for those who love Cha. For even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit is Orthodox even until your last breath of confession; His faith, even in Thee, is imputed to him instead of works: for there is no man who will live and not sin.

You are One besides sin, and Your truth is truth forever. I believe, Lord, and I confess that You have heard my prayer and have not turned Your face away from me. Seeing a widow weeping green, you were merciful, and you brought her son to the grave, carrying her to the grave, and you raised her up: so, having compassion, calm down my sorrow.

For Thou didst open to Thy servant Theophilus, who went to Thee, the doors of Thy mercy and forgave him his sins through the prayers of Thy holy Church, heeding the prayers and alms of his wife: here and I pray to Thee, accept my prayer for Thy servant, and bring him in to eternal life. For You are our hope, You are God, to have mercy and to save, and to You we send glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen!"

Children's prayers for their deceased parents:

« Lord Jesus Christ our God! You are the keeper of the orphans, the refuge of the grieving and the comforter of the weeping. I come running to You, orphaned, groaning, and... crying, and I pray to You: hear my prayer and do not turn Your face away from the sighs of my heart and from the tears of my eyes.

I pray to You, merciful Lord, satisfy my grief over separation from the one who gave birth and raised me, my parent (name); accept his soul, as if it had gone to You with true faith in You and firm hope in Your love for mankind and mercy, into Your Heavenly Kingdom.

I bow before Your holy will, which was taken away from me, and I ask You not to take away Your mercy and mercy from him. We know, Lord, that You, the Judge of this world, punish the sins and wickedness of the fathers in children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even to the third and fourth generation: but you also have mercy on the fathers for the prayers and virtues of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

With contrition and tenderness of heart, I pray to You, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment your deceased servant, unforgettable for me, my parent (name), but forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance, committed by him in his life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and love for mankind, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints, have mercy on him and deliver him from eternal torment.

You, merciful Father of fathers and children! grant me, all the days of my life, until my last breath, not to cease to remember my deceased parent in my prayers, and to beg You, the righteous Judge, to order him in a place of light, in a cool place and in a place of peace, with all the saints , from here all illness, sorrow and sighing have escaped. Merciful Lord!

Accept this day for Thy servant (name), my warm prayer and give him Thy reward for the labors and cares of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as He who taught me first of all to lead You, My Lord, in reverence to pray to You, in You alone to trust in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and keep Your commandments;

for his concern for my spiritual success, for the warmth of the prayer he brought for me before You and for all the gifts he asked me from You, reward him with Your mercy, Your heavenly blessings and joys in Your eternal kingdom.

For You are the God of mercies and generosity and love for mankind, You are the peace and joy of Your faithful servants, and we send glory to You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen".

How to say goodbye to a loved one with dignity

According to Christian traditions, the body of the deceased must also be treated with respect - washed and ritualized. Cremation is not accepted in Orthodoxy - the reasons for this can be seen in the Gospel stories, where you can repeatedly see how believers treated the bodies of the dead. Ablution, for example, is nothing more than a symbol of a future life with God, when the soul is cleansed of all sins. New clothes symbolize that the soul is entering a new reality, because this is a big holiday for believers.

Prayer for the newly deceased

“Remember, O Lord our God, in faith and hope, the eternal life of Your newly departed servant (or Your servant), ( Name) , and as he is good and a lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, raising him up at Thy holy second coming to partake of Thy eternal blessings, for the sake of which there is only faith in Thee, the true God and Lover of Mankind. For You are the resurrection and life and rest for Your servant, ( Name), Christ our God. And we send glory to You, with Your beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.”

Other funeral rites and traditions are also full of deep meaning.

• The arms crossed on the chest are a symbol of the Cross on which the Lord was crucified. Christians also crucify their sins, passions and desires that are displeasing to God. Saints who had a presentiment of their death themselves folded their hands in a similar way.
• An icon is placed in the hands of the deceased. This indicates that the deceased was a Christian and he gave his soul to Christ.
• The custom of holding lit candles during a funeral service means that a person has made the journey from a sinful state to an enlightened state of soul.

It is necessary to distinguish between truly Christian and pagan traditions, from which there is no benefit to the deceased. For example, there is no need to eat or drink in a cemetery, much less pour vodka on the grave, or put unnecessary objects into the coffin. There is also no need to “feed” the deceased - food left near the grave only attracts looters who can desecrate the place of eternal rest.

Of course, the most important moment in the entire funeral process for believers is the funeral service. Everyone who knew the deceased comes to pray for repose. Church prayer pleases God, so many try to arrange for this ritual to take place under the arches of the temple. But it is quite possible to arrange it in a cemetery or in absentia, if there is no other possibility.

Prayers at funerals

The funeral service is performed only once, but prayer for the deceased should be heard constantly - while those who love and remember him are alive. For this purpose, there is a special ritual - a requiem service, which is served in the church every week. Relatives of the deceased should visit him regularly, ideally every week. And a personal short prayer for the deceased is said every day.

But the 9th day and 40th day after death are considered especially important. On these dates, it is customary to gather for a funeral meal. But it must be preceded by prayer. This could be a specially ordered funeral service, where relatives and friends are invited. If this is not possible, one of the relatives independently reads the secular rite of lithium.

Prayer for the 9th day after death

“God of spirits and all flesh, having trampled down death and abolished the devil, and given life to Thy world! Himself, Lord, give rest to the souls of your departed servants: your most holy patriarchs, your eminence metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, who served you in the priestly, ecclesiastical and monastic ranks; the creators of this holy temple, the Orthodox forefathers, fathers, brothers and sisters, lying here and everywhere; leaders and warriors who laid down their lives for the faith and fatherland, the faithful, who were killed in internecine warfare, drowned, burned, frozen to death, torn to pieces by beasts, who suddenly died without repentance and did not have time to reconcile with the Church and with their enemies; in a frenzy of mind, those who committed suicide, those for whom we were commanded and asked to pray, for whom there is no one to pray and the faithful, deprived of a Christian burial ( Name) in a brighter place, in a greener place, in a calm place, from where illness, sadness and sighing have escaped. Every sin committed by them in word or deed or thought, as a good Lover of mankind, God forgives, as if there is no man who will live and not sin. For You are the only one besides sin, Your righteousness is truth forever, and Your word is truth.

For Thou art the Resurrection, and the Life and Peace of Thy servants who have fallen asleep ( Name), Christ our God, and to You we send glory with Your beginningless Father, and Your Most Holy, and Good, and Your Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

Prayer for 40 days after death

(Read from the day of death 40 days and before the anniversary 40 days before the day of death daily)

“Remember, O Lord our God, in faith and hope the eternal life of the one who passed away * Your servant, our brother ( Name), and as the Good One and the Lover of Mankind, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forgive and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Thy eternal good things, prepared for those who love Thee: otherwise and sin, but do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God glorify You in the Trinity, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until your last breath of confession. Be merciful to him, and the faith that is in You, instead of deeds, and rest with Your saints, as you are Generous: for there is no man who will live and not sin, but You are the only One besides all sin, and Your truth is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercy and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

* Until the 40th day after death, it is necessary to read “newly deceased”, and subsequently - “deceased”.

After the death of our relatives, loved ones and friends, relationships with them do not end. Only visible communication is interrupted, because in the Kingdom of Christ there is no death. It is only an invisible transition from temporary, earthly life to eternal life.

Why do you need to pray for the dead?

Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased is a continuation of our invisible connection. Orthodox Christians believe that the Merciful Lord grants forgiveness to their souls through prayer.

Jesus Christ the Great Bishop

While a person is alive, he can receive forgiveness from God at any time. But after death, the soul no longer has the opportunity to ask for forgiveness and intercede for itself. And we, living people, come to the Creator to help with prayers for them.

Also read:

After the death of a person, the location of his newly departed soul depends on how the deceased spent his earthly life, whether he believed in Christ, and whether he kept His commandments. Therefore, by fervently praying for dead people, we, the living, can accomplish for them the only and long-awaited good - eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Texts of prayers

Prayer for deceased parents

Lord Jesus Christ our God! You are the keeper of the orphans, the refuge of the grieving and the comforter of the weeping. I come running to You, orphaned, groaning, and... crying, and I pray to You: hear my prayer and do not turn Your face away from the sighs of my heart and from the tears of my eyes.

I pray to You, merciful Lord, satisfy my grief over separation from the one who gave birth and raised me, my parent (name); accept his soul, as if it had gone to You with true faith in You and firm hope in Your love for mankind and mercy, into Your Heavenly Kingdom.

I bow before Your holy will, which was taken away from me, and I ask You not to take away Your mercy and mercy from him. We know, Lord, that You, the Judge of this world, punish the sins and wickedness of the fathers in children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even to the third and fourth generation: but you also have mercy on the fathers for the prayers and virtues of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

With contrition and tenderness of heart, I pray to You, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment your deceased servant, unforgettable for me, my parent (name), but forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance, committed by him in his life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and love for mankind, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints, have mercy on him and deliver him from eternal torment.

You, merciful Father of fathers and children! grant me, all the days of my life, until my last breath, not to cease to remember my deceased parent in my prayers, and to beg You, the righteous Judge, to order him in a place of light, in a cool place and in a place of peace, with all the saints , from here all illness, sorrow and sighing have escaped. Merciful Lord!

Accept this day for Thy servant (name), my warm prayer and give him Thy reward for the labors and cares of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as He who taught me first of all to lead You, My Lord, in reverence to pray to You, in You alone to trust in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and keep Your commandments;

For his concern for my spiritual success, for the warmth of his prayers for me before You and for all the gifts he asked me from You, reward him with Your mercy, Your heavenly blessings and joys in Your eternal kingdom.

For You are the God of mercies and generosity and love for mankind, You are the peace and joy of Your faithful servants, and we send glory to You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer for one who died up to 40 days

Read from the day of death 40 days and before the anniversary 40 days before the day of death daily.

Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the eternal life of Your departed * servant, our brother (name), and as Good and Lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him eternal torment and fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal good things, prepared for those who love You: even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Your glorified God in the Trinity, Faith, and Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is Orthodox even until its last breath of confession. Be merciful to him, and the faith that is in You, instead of deeds, and rest with Your saints, as you are Generous: for there is no man who will live and not sin, but You are the only One besides all sin, and Your truth is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercy and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased for 9 days

God of spirits and all flesh, having trampled down death and abolished the devil, and given life to Thy world! Himself, Lord, give rest to the souls of your departed servants: your most holy patriarchs, your eminence metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, who served you in the priestly, ecclesiastical and monastic ranks; the creators of this holy temple, the Orthodox forefathers, fathers, brothers and sisters, lying here and everywhere; leaders and warriors who laid down their lives for the faith and fatherland, the faithful, who were killed in internecine warfare, drowned, burned, frozen to death, torn to pieces by beasts, who suddenly died without repentance and did not have time to reconcile with the Church and with their enemies; in the frenzy of the mind of those who committed suicide, those for whom we were commanded and asked to pray, for whom there is no one to pray and the faithful, Christian burial deprived of (name) in a bright place, in a green place, in a place of peace, from where sickness, sadness and sighing escaped. Every sin committed by them in word or deed or thought, as a good Lover of mankind, God forgives, as if there is no man who will live and not sin. For You are the only one besides sin, Your righteousness is truth forever, and Your word is truth.

For You are the Resurrection, and the Life and Repose of the departed Thy servant (name), Christ our God, and to You we send glory with Your beginningless Father, and Your Most Holy, and Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer for the newly deceased

Remember, O Lord our God, in faith and hope the life of Thy eternal newly departed servant (or Thy servant), (name), and as a good and loving man, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, exonerating him at Thy holy second coming into the communion of Thy eternal blessings, for the sake of which in Thee is the only faith, the true God and Lover of mankind. For You are the resurrection and the life and rest of Your servant, (name), Christ our God. And we send glory to You, with Your beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen.

A short prayer for the departed

Rest, O Lord, the souls of Your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names), and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.

What do 3, 9, 40 days and anniversary mean?

Few of the deceased were honored before death with confession and Holy Communion, many die unexpectedly, and some suffer a violent death.

Icon of Jesus Christ the Savior

The deceased especially needs prayer support within 40 days of death. It is at this time that his fate in the other world is decided, “placement” in hell or in heavenly villages.

For the sake of the good memory of the deceased, relatives and close people are obliged to perform the feat of prayer:

• do merciful deeds and deeds;
• forgive ill-wishers;
• tame personal hypocrisy;
• regularly repent of sins and take Communion;
• comfort the mourners;
• give alms to the needy.

Day three

Commemoration on the 3rd day after death is performed in memory of the Resurrection of Christ. The soul is present on earth for 2 days. She is constantly accompanied by an angel. She visits places dear to her during her life, “visits” her favorite people.

Important! On the 3rd day the soul ascends to worship the Creator. It is on this day that prayers for her repose and forgiveness of sins are a particularly timely event.

From days 3 to 6, the soul, accompanied by an angel, beholds the beauty of heavenly villages. Gradually the grief that was felt when parting with the body is forgotten. The sinful soul grieves and reproaches itself for the carelessness of earthly life.

Day nine

On day 9, the Almighty again commands the soul to appear to Him. A memorial service on this day is held in memory. It is they who intercede for salvation and mercy for the newly deceased.

Day of the fortieth

On the 40th day, the soul again ascends to Christ to resolve its fate - the Almighty determines its location until His Second Coming to earth and the Last Judgment. It is at this moment that prayer and remembrance are considered especially opportune for the sake of placing the deceased soul in paradise with the saints.

It is the 40th day that is significant in the history of the Church:

• the prophet Moses talked with the Creator on Mount Sinai and received it after a 40-day fast;
• the Israelites, after a 40-year journey, reached Judea;
• The Savior ascended on the 40th day after the Resurrection.

Important articles:

Anniversary of remembrance

The commemoration of the deceased on the anniversary of death is determined by the liturgical cycle - the annual circle. At its end, all church events are repeated again. And the anniversary of a person’s repose is his birthday for eternity.

On the 40th day, the soul again ascends to Christ to resolve its fate.

The Orthodox Church keeps many examples of how the deceased expect prayers for them from living people: they come to us in dream visions, perform certain signs indicating the need for prayerful remembrance.

Christian love is eternal, and the dead are not dead, but are alive and love us, because the human soul is immortal. Few of the righteous go to heavenly abodes and enjoy the joy of communication with the Heavenly Father. This is why prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased is so important.

Important! An equally effective way to commemorate the dead is to offer the Bloodless Sacrifice for them during the Divine Liturgy.

Watch a video on how to pray for the dead.