How to remember the dead

Christian faith is permeated with reverence in the face of eternity and the preparation of the soul of every Christian for the judgment of God. The essence of the commemoration of the deceased is the care of his soul at the time of death and all days after death. At the same time, a person who has left this world will not be able to influence anything by deciding on the fate of his soul in another world. But the commemoration of his relatives and friends this fate can change.

You will need

Prayer book
Church candles
Alms

Instruction manual

The main commemoration of the deceased is performed in the church at the Divine Liturgy and in custom-made memorial prayers, namely, memorial services and litas. The commemoration is ordered in any church, for example, for forty days - forty years, for a year - annual remembrance. Church commemoration is allowed to be performed only at the baptized deceased.

Relatives and friends of the deceased can remember him daily in their house prayers for the blessed repose of his soul. Home prayer for repose is in every prayer book - a special collection of prayers that can be purchased in every temple. In addition, praying for the departed is not necessary "according to the book, " God will hear any sincere prayer, composed in his own words. In home prayer, you can list all relatives and friends, including unbaptized, but believing people.

In order to calm the soul of the deceased and to contribute to a good decision of her fate behind the grave, Christians must perform merciful deeds, engage in charity, selfless help and share their blessings in memory of the deceased.

In the Christian church, there is a special custom in the days of the commemoration of the departed: to worship at the temple for prayer and bring alms for the departed. This can be a variety of products (with the exception of meat), which are placed on the eve of the funeral table, and after the service they are distributed to the temple staff and all those in need with a request to use them with a prayer for the repose of your loved one. This type of remembrance is accepted in Christianity since ancient times.

On the days of the commemoration of the dead, you should visit the cemetery whenever possible. It is better to do this after prayer in the temple and memorial service. At the cemetery you can light a candle, make a lithium, read an akathist. If necessary, tidy up the grave and silently recall the deceased. The Christian faith does not welcome funeral feasts over the grave, alcohol and sprinkling grave with vodka are especially unacceptable, you should not leave a glass and food at the tomb cross. This custom is a relic of paganism, when the funeral was accompanied by plentiful feasts and loud festivities right on the grave of the deceased. If someone close brings food to the cemetery, distribute it to the poor and needy.

After the memorial prayers, you can sit down at the memorial table. The memorial meal is considered a continuation of the holy service. Kutia is served - boiled wheat or rice with honey and raisins, which is brought to the temple for the time of the requiem or lithium. Then they take her home and the funeral feast begins precisely with the eating of the blessed kutya. Traditionally, pancakes and jelly are prepared for the wake. If the commemoration fell on fasting days, then the funeral food should only be fasting. Wine, let alone vodka, should not be present at the memorial meal. Wine - a symbol of earthly joy - to remember the dead is not accepted. A remnant of paganism is the custom of placing a cutlery "for the deceased"; it is even more unacceptable to put a glass of vodka and a piece of bread in front of the portrait. Such traditions should not be respected in Orthodox families. At the memorial table, remember the deceased, his good qualities and actions (that is why the memorial prayers are called - commemoration, from the word "memory").

Useful advice

The special days of commemoration of the deceased are the third, ninth, fortieth day after death. Godina is the date of the death of the deceased. Remember and birthdays and name days. On special days of commemoration of the dead, memorial services are performed, which are called universal. Memorial days themselves are called universal parental Saturdays. They do not have a constant number, but rely on a passing Lent-Easter cycle.

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