When a person dies, it always becomes a shock for his loved ones, even if the death was expected due to age or illness. Cope and survive is difficult. In the Orthodox religion, there are many customs and rituals that allow the deceased to pass on to the last journey with dignity. The organization of burial, memorial ceremonies, the erection of a monument on the grave, etc. are of paramount importance. But from ancient times the Christian religion defines the most important way of commemorating the departed prayer in his honor.
The need to read a prayer for the dead
In history, the earliest testimony of permissive prayer falls on the second half of the eleventh century. Its author was the Rev. Theodosius of Pechersk, who composed the text of the prayer book and put it in the hand of the deceased at the request of one of the princes of Kievan Rus. Others are convinced that the first mention of the funeral litany occurs in the eighth century. According to this source, the pioneer was John of Damascus, who wrote thirteen verses for the funeral service of a deceased comrade.
Commemorative prayer is a way to honor the memory of the deceased and ease his fate on the other side of life. Speaking the name of the deceased before the images, we remind the higher forces about him, so that they take care of his eternal soul in the next world. There are prayers of another kind, designed to reduce the suffering of a person.in death agony. When he introduces himself, from now on, the reading of the canon of the one-and-one and the Psalter with a prayer for his soul is permitted. After that, the person is carried to the temple and the funeral.
It is necessary to pray for the soul of the deceased because it faces various ordeals, as well as the Last Judgment and the Judgment Seat of Christ. At a time when the soul goes through an ordeal, demons torment it, trying to drag it to the hell. If a close person prays fervently about the dead, it is easier for the soul to withstand the ordeal. The judgment of Christ will determine her place in heaven or hell, where she will await the final judgment. A prayer for the dead can change his fate before this event, so it is extremely important to pronounce it.
What prayers to read for the rest of the soul?
Saying a holy text about the deceased, we show them respect, but we also ask for mercy for our soul, since any prayer is salutary. It adjusts to grace, eradicates vices and unholy thoughts, strengthens the power of the spirit. It's not customary to talk about this, but praying prepares us for sudden deathso that in this case we will appear prepared before the higher forces. To forget the memory of the deceased is to refuse it, and this does not correspond to the Christian canons.
One strong prayer is enough, for which the following text fits:
"Great Lord, reliance in our lives. Everyone will appear before Your eyes at the appointed hour. In various ways, but always at the appointed hour, every single one will appear before Your judgment. We pray to You, Father, have mercy on the souls of our departed brothers, parents, children and loved ones Grant them your mercy as you forgive sins of those who repent sincerely. Deliver them from torment, forgive and have mercy on their unwitting sins committed out of ignorance. As children ask for forgiveness from their parents, so do we pray you for forgiveness. O Lord Almighty, we pray you sincere faith and repentance and all the dead, whose ashes are not buried, whose thoughts are unclear. Give them a fair trial, but save them from diabolical agony. Deliver them from eternal wandering around the sinful Earth, take them under your veil. Amen. "
Turning to God be merciful and remember in the speeches of all the dead in the ages, for the salvation of which, perhaps, no one prays. This is a good thing, which will surely be reckoned to you from above.
The prayer itself is:
"A sinful slave (name), bound by sins, asks the Creator, forgiveness and purification from You. Before Your eyes I came with humility with my troubles, let me pray for the souls of all the dead. For sinners and righteous, warriors and children, old people and young people. In all ages, souls flock to you, ascend. Do not disregard anyone, forgive them for all their voluntary and involuntary mistakes Life and death You owe, I pray for guidance, peace and peace in my heart. from demonic manifestations in life, and I will remember all who have died now and in give them respect through prayer, sincere and purified. So be it forever, and all the wicked will be righteous, but there will come upon the earth blessed kingdom of heaven. Amen. "
Sometimes close people disappear without a trace: the number of missing people grows from year to year, and this is also a huge tragedy. If you are not sure about the fate of a loved one or close friend, wait a certain amount of time, and then ask the priest to pardon him. If this is not done, the soul of the potentially deceased will wander around the world.
For the rest of the soul, prayers are usually read:
- For 40 days after death;
- On the ninth day after death;
- On the anniversary of retirement;
- On the birthday of the deceased.
Prayer for children about deceased parents
The Orthodox religion establishes certain days, called parental funeral Sabbaths. They fall on the period before the preparation for fasting (zagovhenie), before the coming of the Most Holy Trinity, on the second, third and fourth Saturday of Great Lent, as well as on Dimitrie's Saturday (on the memorable day of St. Dimitrius of Thessalonica). These days reading a memorial prayer for deceased parents bears exceptional strength and helps their immortal soul find eternal rest.
If you consider yourself a true Christian, submit memorials for the liturgy and memorial service. Also, such services are ordered on days that were special for the deceased (anniversary of death, birthday, name day, etc.). It is useful to read the prayer book about the repose of the soul of the father or mother himself.
The prayer of children about their deceased parents is given in abbreviated form. Its full text is available here:
"Lord Jesus Christ, O our God! You are an orphan guardian, a refugee who mourn and cry, a comforter. I come to you, gray, wailing and weeping, and I pray to Thee: hear my prayer and do not turn Your face away from the sighing of my heart and from tears of eyes my prayers, merciful Lord, satisfy my grief about separation from my parents and parents (my mother), (name) (or: my parents who raised and raised my parents, their names) -, my soul did he (or: her, or: them), who was departed (or: departed) come to You with true faith in Thee, and with firmness I give hope to Your love of mankind and mercy, take Thy Kingdom of Heaven into the Kingdom ... "
Prayer for 9 days after death
The prayer for the peace of the soul, read out on the ninth day after the death of a person, is especially important, since on this day he is before the Creator and is waiting for a sentence before the Last Judgment. Relatives of the deceased on the 9th day are obliged to go to the temple and order a requiem service.
While in church, remember to pray by saying the following:
"Holy Guardian Angel, you were appointed to the deceased servant of God (the name of the deceased)! So please do not abandon his soul during this period, guard it from evil terrible demons; be her protector in the invisible world of spirits, take the soul of the deceased under your wing and escort through the air gate, stand before God and pray to the Most High to have mercy and let go of all the earthly transgressions of the servant of God (the name of the deceased). Beg not the Lord to send the soul of the departed to the place of eternal darkness, but to send it to the Kingdom of Heaven, where she will find eternal rest ".
The dead person is remembered only in the best light. Name his positive character traits, remember good deeds and actions. The Creator will remember everything, including the prayer. If there is a desire, take part: it helps to purify sinfulness from the soul of the deceased.
What prayers to read for the dead before 40 days?
The church teaches that the newly-reposed person should be otmolen during the first 40 days after his death. At this time, his spirit remains in an uncertain position, dwelling between heaven and earth. He is awaiting a decision from above, which will determine him in heaven or in the kingdom of darkness and pain. Since he himself is unable to do anything to alleviate his own fate, this mission is shifted to loved ones. They are obliged to pray for the deceased, to give alms for his rest, to mention the name of the deceased at the liturgy.
A prayer for the deceased up to 40 days is performed in many ways: ordering a memorial service, filing a note for commemoration during the liturgy or litia. But most often they pray for the dead at home alone.
Prayer for up to forty days is pronounced:
"Remember, O Lord our God, in faith and hope in the belly of Your everlasting newly-slave Thy servant (or Thy slaves), a name and a name, and good and humane, forgive sins and consume unrighteousness, weaken, forgive and forgive all his voluntary transgressions and involuntary, raising him to the holy second coming of yours in communion of your eternal blessings, even for the sake of Te, the One God, the True God and the Man-Lover. For you are the resurrection and the belly, and the rest Your servant, the Name, Christ our God, and thee, We send glory to You, with your beginningless Father and with the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever, Amen. "
After this period, you are no longer able to change the fate of the departed in another world, but the reading of prayers should be continued.
Remembering the dead man, say the following words out loud:
"Remember, O Lord our God, in faith and hope in the belly of the everlastingly present of Thy servant, our brother (name), and as good and humane, redeem your sins, and consume unrighteousness, weaken, forgive and forgive all his voluntary transgressions and unwitting, deliver him eternal torment and fire of geences, and grant him communion and enjoyment of the eternal thy good, prepared by the lover of Ta: if bo and sin, but do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God Ty, in the Trinity of Slavimago, faith, and A unit in the Trinity and Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until the last Holy Day With the breath of confession. With the same mercy, wake up, and faith, even in Them, instead of works, and with your saints, Like a Generous repentance: there is no man, he will live and do not sin, but You alone are all other than sin, and Thy truth, the truth forever, and you are the One God of mercy and bounty, of humanity, and the glory of You, we send to the Father and to the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen. "
How to pray for relatives?
Orthodox doctrine establishes that church prayer has the power to give the deceased relief or even pardon from punishment in the afterlife. That is why a person who longs for a relative who is gone and wants to show him loyalty and love, should tirelessly pray for the dead man. The tradition of commemorating his home came into being from ancient times. Those who remember the duty of memory and respect to the deceased relative, are obliged to periodically deduct the Psalter. It can also be read in kafism every day or include the commemoration of relatives, the deceased and the living, in the morning prayer ritual.
A prayer for deceased relatives is pronounced before the images of the Virgin, Jesus Christ.
If you are in the temple, light a commemorative candle and say:
"Our all-merciful Father in heaven! I, a sinful servant (name), pray in humility to you. May God rest the souls of my relatives who left our world (names). God's servants are now in Your power. Their bodies are buried in the earth, and the eternal souls have gone to the Kingdom of Heaven Accept them and forgive by your omnipotence, absolve them of their lifetime, voluntary and involuntary sins, and allow them to the eternal communion. Let them watch us, the living, and through Your grace suggest the way the only true and righteous. Amen. "
There is an unspoken belief that prayer will be heard faster if it carries a personalized character. This means that it is more correct to pray for a specific relative from the point of view of commemoration.
For example, a prayer for a deceased grandmother will give you a chance to once again connect in thoughts with the deceased:
"Remember, O Lord our God, in faith and hope in the belly of your everlasting servant Your name, and as good and human lover, forgive sins and consume unrighteousness, weaken, forgive and forgive all his voluntary transgressions and involuntary, elevating him to the holy second coming in communion of your eternal blessings, ikhe for the sake of the one faith, the true God and the man of love. For you are the resurrection and the belly, and the rest is your servant's name, Christ our God. And we give glory to You, with your beginningless Father and the Sacred Spirit and forevermore, Amen. "
Similarly, the prayer book about the late grandfather will sound like this:
"Remember, O Lord our God, in faith and hope in the belly of the eternal servant of Your name, and as good and humanistic, forgive sins and consume unrighteousness, weaken, forgive and forgive all his voluntary transgressions and involuntary, elevating him to the holy second coming in communion your eternal blessings, their ikha for the sake of the One God of faith, the true God and the man of love. For you are the resurrection and the belly, and peace of your servant, the name, Christ our God. And we give glory to You, with the beginningless Father and the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever since ever and ever, Amen. "
The end of the second half is always a terrible tragedy for someone who truly loves. You can no longer change what happened, but it is in your will to make the deceased get eternal life in prayers.
If the spouse has died, then the prayer for the dead husband is read:
"Christ Jesus, Lord and Almighty! You are crying for consolation, for the orphaned and widowed intercession. You are the Lord: call Me on your day of sorrow, and let you go. In the days of your trouble I resort to You, and I pray T: do not turn Your face away from me and hear my prayer offered to you with tears. You, O Lord of all sorts, have favored you in combination with one of your servants, even we have one body and one spirit ... " (the full text of the prayer is here).
The grieving widower should commemorate another spouse who departed to the world with the following words:
"Christ Jesus, Lord and Almighty! In the sorrow and tenderness of my heart, I pray to You: God rest, Lord, Soul of Your servant (name), in Your Kingdom in Heavenly Kingdom. Lord of the Almighty! You have blessed the marriage union of husband and wife, Advertisment You cannot be good to one man, let him make help for him. You have sanctified this union in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church. I believe, O Lord, and I confess, for you have blessed you to combine this holy union with one of your servants ... " (download the text of the prayer can be here).
Remember that when praying for deceased relatives, under no circumstances should you rebuke heaven. What happened does not cancel, but the insult and pain can delay the spirit of the deceased between the two worlds, and he will remain restless. No one will be able to fully understand the grief of the one who lost a loved one, but he must find comfort and keep only fond memories of the dead.
The death of children is the most terrible ordeal that can befall a parent. It is hard to realize and let go of such misfortune, some of them are not able to recover from the blow until the end of their days. But to alleviate the pain at least a jot will prayer.
For the rest of the dead daughter read this text:
"Lord Jesus Christ, O our God, Lord of the belly and death, Comforter of the sorrowful! I have recourse to You with a broken and tender heart, and I pray to Ty: remember. O Lord, in Your Kingdom your departed servant, my child (name), and create an eternal memory for her You, Lord of the belly and death, have bestowed upon me on this child of yours. And to your good and wise will, you will deign and take away from me ... " (the entire prayer is here).
Pray for the deceased son in the following words:
"Lord Jesus Christ, O our God, Lord of the belly and death, Comforter of the sorrowful! I have recourse to You with a broken and tender heart, and I pray to Ty: remember. Lord, in Your Kingdom your departed servant, my child (name), and create for him an eternal memory ... " (the entire text of the prayer book can be downloaded here).
What to read at the grave?
Regular visits to the place where another person departed to the world rests, has a special meaning in the Orthodox world. Being above the grave, we establish an invisible connection with the spirit of the deceased. He watches us from above and feels relief his fate in the afterlife becomes less severe. The visiting person remembers the dead person once more and thus revives him in his thoughts. If, at this moment, the prayer is read at the cemetery at the grave of the deceased, the effect of presence for both increases many times.
We recommend pronouncing upon arrival at the cemetery. The following of lithias for the laity, which includes the following words:
"By the prayers of the saints of our father, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen. Glory to You, our God, glory to You. To the King of Heaven, the Comforter, the Soul of Truth, All the same, and all fulfilled, Treasure of the good and life of the Giver, come and Settle in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, Blessing, our souls. Holy God, Mighty Holy, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice) Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever and ever Amen. Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; O Lord, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal немощи наша, имене Твоего ради. Господи, помилуй. (Трижды) Слава Отцу и Сыну и Святому Духу, и ныне и присно и во веки веков. Аминь. Отче наш, Иже еси на небесех! Да святится имя Твое, да приидет Царствие Твое, да будет воля Твоя, яко на небеси и на земли. Хлеб наш насущный даждь нам днесь; и остави нам долги наша, якоже и мы оставляем должником нашим; и не введи нас во искушение, но избави нас от лукаваго. Господи, помилуй. (12 раз) Слава Отцу и Сыну и Святому Духу. И ныне и присно и во веки веков. Amen. Приидите, поклонимся Цареви нашему Богу. (Поклон) Придите, поклонимся и припадем Христу, Цареви нашему Богу. (Поклон) Придите, поклонимся и припадем Самому Христу, Цареви и Богу нашему. (Поклон)".
Если вы не считаете себя воцерковленной или глубоко религиозной личностью, но чувствуете долг перед усопшим, вам больше подойдет короткая молитва об упокоении и помиловании души умершего человека. Количество символов и букв в молитвословии не так важно, как искренность при ее прочтении.
Вспоминая об умершем человеке, проговорите вслух:
"Упокой, Господи, души усопших раб Твоих: родителей моих, сродников, благодетелей (имена их), и всех православных христиан, и прости им вся согрешения вольная и невольная, и даруй им Царствие Небесное".
Произнося молитвословие, будьте сдержанны, не стоит давать чувствам слишком эмоциональный выход: душа покойника не должна быть растревожена. Нести светлую печаль вам никто не запрещает, но бурные рыдания и шумное поведение возле могилы не приветствуются.
