Commemoration of the dead. Orthodox Traditions

Orthodox priests teach parishioners that a sincere prayer for the peace of the soul of the deceased relatives and pious remarks is the best that descendants can give them. After all, the soul of the deceased needs a funeral prayer for others. Commemoration of the departed is a centuries-old Orthodox tradition. It will include many rituals.

Commemoration of the dead immediately after death

The first stage of commemoration begins with forty-forty, which is ordered in the church after the death of a person.

The newly ordained is commemorated daily, all 40 days, conducting especially solemn prayers on the third and ninth days.

You can order the sorokoust in several temples, moreover, the more temples will serve it, the easier it will be for the deceased to go through the ordeals during a personal trial, which is exactly completed during this period.

At the end of the forty-day period, one should submit notes with the name of the deceased to the liturgy and requiem.

Order forty sorrows, memorial services and liturgies, give alms with a request for prayers for the deceased, you can pray for the Psalter for anyone other than committed suicide, as well as for all those who were not baptized in the Orthodox Church.

Commemoration of the dead on the 3rd and 9th days. Memorial service after 40 days from death

On the third day, a service is dedicated to the three-day Christ Resurrection and the image of the Virgin. On the ninth day, prayers are held in honor of the servants of the King of Heaven-nine angels who pray to God for people. The commemoration on the fortieth day honored the memory of the Ascension of Jesus, which occurred on the 40th day after the Resurrection.

Remembrance of the Dead on Other Assigned Days

The anniversary of death is a day for remembrance among the family and close friends of the deceased. On Saturday, the meat-eating (preceding the cheese week) Orthodox Christians pray to God that he will show mercy on the day of the Last Judgment. On this day the Church prays for all who have rested in the Orthodox faith since the beginning of mankind.
The three Saturdays of the Great Lent are parental, during which it is customary to commemorate the dead and pray for their souls.

Radunitsa - Tuesday after the end of the week. On this day, the deceased are commemorated in honor of the resurrection of Christ, hoping that they will also be resurrected for eternal life.

The Trinity Sabbath is the day of remembrance, invoking the Holy Spirit to descend and purify the souls of all the departed forefathers from sin.

Dmitrievskaya Saturday is the day when the commemoration of the soldiers is held, which was established by Dmitry Donskoy in the late 14th century.

In addition to this day, warriors were commemorated on May 9 - the day when the fascist conquerors were defeated, and also on the day of the truncation of the head of John the Baptist (late August).

All the days when the commemoration of the departed occurs, ceremonial services and liturgies are held in the churches, prayer for the dead is pronounced, and the funeral candles are lit.

On commemoration of the dead (Theophan the Recluse)

No one should be lazy to remember their parents, but all other deceased Orthodox Christians should also be remembered, and not only in this day, but at all times, with all prayer. We will all be there ourselves, we will need this prayer, like a beggar in bread flax and a cup of water ... Do not be lazy at every prayer to remember all departed fathers and brothers. This will be their mercy ...