How to commemorate for 9 days: rules, place of commemoration, menu and prayers

How to remember for 9 days? What should you do and what shouldn't you do? This is discussed in detail in the article. Body, soul and spirit are all creations of God. If the first is of a temporary nature, then the rest live forever. Today we will talk about why they commemorate on the 9th day, why they do it. The basic rules of this event will also be presented, it will be described how to organize everything correctly, when and where.

Of course, an important ritual that helps the dead pass on to another world is the wake on the 9th day.

Where is the soul after a person has died?

According to Orthodox canons, it is believed that the soul of the newly deceased does not depart as intended by God on the day of death. For another 40 days after it leaves the body, the soul remains on earth. During this period, relatives pray for the deceased. The 3rd, 9th and 40th days are celebrated in a special way.

Why do this? Why are they commemorated on the 9th and 40th days? The meaning of commemorations these days is to pray for the deceased before God. Note that 9 is a sacred number. After a person has died, his body rests covered with earth. At the same time, the soul continues to wander around the Earth.

What happens on the 9th day? The afterlife begins from the first day. On the 3rd day, the soul of the deceased leaves his native walls. During this period, she goes on a 9-day walk. During these six days she goes through a special journey. At this time, she is preparing for a personal meeting with the Almighty. On the 40th day the journey ends.

Why is it remembered on the 9th day after death? These events help the deceased to stand before the throne of God, the Judge, with fear and trembling. Let us note that in God's hierarchy the angels have their own ranks. After a 9-day stay on the posthumous path, the choice of angels ends. They act as defenders (lawyers) in God's court. Each of them will ask God for mercy. At the same time, he will be provided with evidence of the righteous life of a person who died 9 days ago.

The first three days after death, when the soul is still near the living, a guardian angel stays next to it. The soul enters heaven for dating on the fourth day. While the verdict has not yet been pronounced, everyone finds themselves in heavenly spaces. This is done so that the soul has the opportunity to rest from the pain that haunted it on earth. All the sins of the deceased are also shown.

Meaning of 9 days

As you understand, angels bring the deceased to the throne of God. After a conversation with the Almighty, the soul goes to hell. This decision is not final. We can say that the soul goes there for acquaintance. During such a journey, various difficult obstacles arise in front of the deceased (more precisely, his soul). He must pass all the tests. Their difficulty depends entirely on the temptations encountered along the way.

Those souls who have been able to show that good triumphs over evil can expect a change of heart at God's judgment. It is very likely that they can count on forgiveness.

What is the importance of the 9th day? The fact is that the deceased has not yet been determined on his path. The memories of relatives, as well as their prayers, will provide undeniable help to the deceased. The memory of the good deeds of the deceased, his life and forgiveness of the offended bring peace to the soul.

According to Orthodox canons, it is believed that one cannot constantly mourn the deceased. This is how you keep him on the ground by your behavior. When family and friends find peace, they give peace to the departed person.

When the soul goes through the journey in hell, then sinners have the opportunity to repent. At the moment, it is the prayers of the living that provide strong support for the dead on this difficult path.

It is very important to order a prayer service on the 9th day. After which, of course, you must definitely end the day with a wake. The prayer that sounds during commemoration helps the deceased to pass these difficult hellish trials.

The prayers of living people are filled with requests for the deceased to join the angels. If the Almighty wills, then the deceased will become a guardian angel for one of his relatives.

Lenten salads

During fasting, salads are prepared without meat and eggs. It is strictly forbidden to add sour cream and mayonnaise. Vegetable oil, salad dressings based on vegetable broths, and soy sauce are used. It is recommended to give preference to dishes that do not require much time to prepare.

The most affordable salads:

• Lenten "Olivier";
• vitamin cabbage;
• potato with herbs;
• the vinaigrette;
• from green peas, cucumbers and onions;
• beans with crackers;
• "Beijing" with cucumber;
• beetroot with garlic;
• corn with cucumber;
• assorted tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers.

Recipe for “Two Jars” Salad (10 servings). To prepare, you will need 2 cans of beans (exclusively in their own juice), 2 cans of champignons, 100 g of parsley, 2 packs of airy baguette-shaped croutons. For dressing, use 3 cloves of garlic, vegetable oil, salt. Place beans and champignons in a salad bowl, after draining excess liquid from open jars. Wash and finely chop the parsley, which will add rich flavor to the salad. Add the crackers. Make the dressing by thoroughly mixing the oil and finely grated garlic. Season and season the salad before serving.

How to count the 9th day correctly?

When calculating, you need to take into account not only the day, but also the time. The funeral must be held no later than the ninth day. Usually they are even done earlier. There is no way to organize a wake later.

For example, if a person died after lunch, then a wake should be held eight days later. Please note that the date of death and the time of the funeral are in no way related to each other. According to Orthodox customs, it is believed that the body is buried on the second or third day. But it also happened that the date of burial was postponed even to the sixth and seventh day. Based on this, the date of the funeral is calculated only from the time of death.

How to calculate the required period?

People often get confused with this. It is best to contact the Father who performed the funeral service for the deceased. He will help you figure out the deadlines and tell you on what day to celebrate what. Due to its importance to the soul, you need to know exactly when to hold a wake for 9 days. How to count on your own? The first day is the day the person died. It is from this that we must count. From the moment of death, the soul begins its journey through the Kingdom of Angels. She needs help on the ninth day (and before that). Do not miss any deadlines, even if the death occurred before midnight. The first day is the date of death. The third, ninth and fortieth days are then important. You need to calculate them immediately and write them down so as not to forget. These are the dates that definitely need to be celebrated.

Funeral according to traditions

How to remember for 9 days after death? Now we will tell you in detail. Let us note that a wake is a necessary, but not very simple, ritual in order to pay tribute to the memory of the deceased. At the same time, leaving in his mind all the best from his life.

Funerals on the 9th day are not usually held in a cemetery. You can simply come to the grave of the deceased for your loved ones. You can arrange a funeral at home. If it is not possible to do this there, then you can hold the event in a cafe.

It is customary that people are not invited to the funeral dinner. They must come on their own. Of course, you need to tell them when and where the event will take place. It is also necessary to express the desire for these people to be present at the funeral dinner, which begins and ends with the Lord's Prayer.

How much does it cost on average to organize a funeral in a cafe for 15-25 people?

If you have decided to order a cafe, you need to decide on the location and think about who to invite, since the price will depend on the number of people. Cost of the service in different cities:

We set the table correctly for a funeral dinner. What dishes can you cook?

How to remember correctly for 9 days? We need to arrange a special lunch. Just remember that it has nothing to do with celebration. During this dinner there can be no laughter, fun and songs.

The Church does not recommend placing on the table and consuming alcoholic beverages that cause inappropriate behavior. In general, drunkenness is a great sin. And, as you know, during wakes people pray for the forgiveness of sins, not only of the dead, but also of the living. During lunch on the 9th day, if you indulge in drunkenness, you can harm the deceased.

How to remember for 9 days after people have prayed? Then each of those present puts on a kutya, which was specially prepared and consecrated in the church. Note that if it was not possible to consecrate the food, then it can be sprinkled with holy water three times.

Lenten snacks for the mourning table

Funeral - from the word memory. When preparing snacks for a mournful meal during Lent, you should give preference to simple food. Popular traditional dishes:

• pickled cucumbers, tomatoes;
• marinated mushrooms;
• squash, eggplant caviar;
• sauerkraut with cranberries;
• sandwiches with hummus and greens;
• pies with fillings (rice, potato with onions, cabbage, mushroom).

Recipe for lean roll with mushrooms (10 servings). Take 2 thin pita breads, 600 g of champignons, carrots and onions (2 pieces each), vegetable oil, salt. Wash the champignons thoroughly and cut them. Finely grate the carrots, previously peeled. Chop the onion and add salt. Fry the ingredients together in an oiled frying pan until cooked. All that remains is to cool the filling and spread it on the unfolded pita bread, and then carefully roll up the roll. After the dish, covered with film, has stood in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, it can be cut into portions. It’s convenient that a modern Lenten snack for a wake can be prepared the evening before.

Funeral kutia

As has already become clear, the main dish, that is, what is remembered for 9 days, is kutia. Each region has its own unique food preparation traditions. But the main components are grain and honey. The following cereals can be used in cooking:

• millet;
• rice;
• corn;
• wheat.

Let us note that it is not by chance that grain is chosen to prepare this dish. It has a sacred meaning. What is meant here is that the seed dies when cooked, just like a person dies. The latter can be reborn in the Kingdom of Heaven in a new appearance. To wish the deceased a heavenly life, poppy seeds and honey are added to kutya.

Raisins and nuts are not always added to this lean dish. This is because they symbolize healthy life and well-being. Symbols of heaven are sweets such as honey and sugar. They are also added to kutya. Don't turn a funeral dinner into a waste of time. This time is reserved for consoling loved ones and remembering the deceased.

Recipes for the funeral table. Drawing up a funeral menu

In the Russian Orthodox Church there are traditions, the observance of which is mandatory when holding a funeral service. Funeral services are held on the third, ninth and fortieth day after the death of the deceased.

On them, relatives and friends have the opportunity to remember the good deeds of the deceased and pray for the repose of his soul.

The conversation should take place at a set table, in a calm environment conducive to conversation.

When organizing a funeral table, you should carefully consider the choice of treats. Below is a description of the main dishes that must be on the table.

Funeral menu recipes

The main dish that is present in funeral recipes is kutia. It is prepared from wheat grains, rice or barley. Add raisins and honey to the finished porridge. Kutya is illuminated after the funeral service; its preparation carries great meaning. Honey and raisins symbolize the bliss of eternal life in heaven.

Another traditional dish is pancakes. The Slavs associated them with the sun, rebirth, and the beginning of a new life. They are usually served with honey. You can also add dried fruits and nuts to honey. On the table they can lie on a common dish, but it is better to put several pancakes for each guest. If the funeral is held on the day of Lent, the pancakes should be lean, without milk or eggs.

It is also customary to serve hot soups, borscht or cabbage soup at funerals. Warm dishes will warm and satisfy guests.

Try to prepare simple recipes for the funeral menu, without any frills. The food should be tasty, but the main thing on this day is to remember the deceased. The table setting should correspond to the purpose of the funeral dinner; there is no need to be sophisticated when choosing a tablecloth and cutlery.

The main drink that should be offered to guests: jelly for funerals. The presence of alcoholic beverages on the table is not approved. It is believed that people can drink too much alcohol and lose control. This insults the memory of the deceased. Therefore, if you decide to serve alcohol, make sure that guests drink it in moderation.

Menu for funerals recipes. Traditional dishes

Pancakes. Recipe for a funeral

Such pancakes are prepared when a funeral dinner does not take place on a fast day.

Products you will need for cooking:

Eggs - 8 pcs, 4 and a half tbsp. premium flour, a liter of milk, you can replace kefir, water - 5 tbsp, sugar - 7 tbsp, 1 tsp soda, 9 tbsp vegetable oil, salt to taste.

Mix the products in a deep bowl using a blender until smooth. The finished dough should rest for about half an hour. Fry pancakes in a hot frying pan, pouring a thin layer of batter onto it. Periodically grease the pan with vegetable oil. The finished pancakes are beautifully rolled up, placed on plates, and placed on the table.

Kutya (Rice for a funeral). Recipe

0.5 kg round rice, 0.2 kg raisins, 0.2 kg dried apricots, 4 tbsp. honey, salt.

Dried apricots, cut into small pieces and raisins must be poured with boiling water for half an hour, then drained.

Pour the washed rice with cold water, add salt and cook over low heat. Do not disturb the rice when cooking. To prevent the rice from boiling, leave it on the stove for no more than ten minutes after boiling.

After this, remove the rice from the heat and keep covered for another ten minutes. Add raisins, dried apricots, honey to the resulting mass and stir thoroughly. The prepared kutya is placed on the table in small saucers.

Everyone who comes to the wake must try kutya.

Pancakes for fasting day

This recipe is perfect for a fast day.

To get lean pancakes, take:

Flour - 4 and a half cups, water - 7 cups, 2 tsp dry yeast, sugar - 4 tbsp, salt, vegetable oil.

Heat the water a little and dissolve the yeast and sugar in it, wait ten minutes. While stirring, add flour and salt. Blend with a blender until smooth and add butter. Place the finished dough in a warm place for half an hour. Bake thin pancakes in a hot frying pan. Ready-made lean pancakes can be poured with honey.

Recipes for a funeral table on the day of a funeral. Other dishes desirable for a funeral table

Funeral recipes for first courses

Lenten borscht

2-3 kg of cabbage (fresh or pickled, your choice), 1 kg of beets, 0.5 kg of onions, 0.5 kg of carrots, 0.3 kg of potatoes, 200 g of vegetable oil, 200 g of tomato paste, 10 liters of clean water, salt, seasonings and salt of your choice.

Cut the peeled potatoes into large pieces and throw them into salted boiling water.

Add chopped fresh cabbage to the water after the potatoes. If you use pickled potatoes, you need to rinse them and put them in the pan when the potatoes are already cooked. The potatoes will be ready about twenty to twenty-five minutes after they boil.

Fry the soup dressing separately in a frying pan. Two minutes before removing, add tomato paste to the pan. The beets are cooked in a separate frying pan. Before frying, cut it into small strips.

Bring cabbage and potatoes to readiness and add fried vegetables to them. After the soup boils again, keep it on the fire for another five minutes and remove. Spices and herbs are added to taste. After the borscht, you need to let it sit for about fifteen to twenty minutes before serving.

Funeral lunch. Basic rules of behavior

How to remember the dead for 9 days? Lunch should start with the first course. Usually it is borscht. Also on the funeral menu there is porridge, often pea. This dish is served with cutlets, fish or poultry.

Many people are interested in how to remember for 9 days and what should be served? Now let's try to understand this issue. The menu at a wake must include porridge (often pea), accompanied by cutlets, fried fish or poultry.

The receiving party chooses the cold appetizers themselves. As for drinks, there should be either compote or uzvar on the table. At the end of lunch, thin pancakes (with cottage cheese or poppy seeds) or pies with sweet filling are served.

Sample menu

Regardless of whether the guests are strictly religious, a Lenten menu is prepared for the funeral. Any animal products are excluded from the meal. Sample menu:

• Rice or wheat kutia (dried fruits are added to improve the taste);
• Beetroot soup, borscht, stew, fish soup;
• Mushroom roast;
• Canned or salted tomatoes and cucumbers;
• Sauerkraut;
• Vegetable or mushroom salads dressed with simple sauces;
• Pies and pancakes.

During dinner, quiet conversations are held about the deceased and his earthly life. At the end of the feast, all those invited stand up and pray. Leftover food is distributed to guests.

Snacks

The choice of food depends on the season of the year. In summer, fresh vegetables are served (radishes, tomatoes, peppers, etc.). In winter, they use more pickles, pickled and canned delicacies. Popular snacks:

• Caviar from beets, zucchini or eggplants;
• Stuffed vegetables (mother-in-law's tongue, peppers and cabbage);
• Pies and pancakes with mushrooms, potatoes, peas;
• Canned butter, cucumbers, tomatoes;
• Onions with sauerkraut and pickled cucumber;
• Boiled beets with garlic or new potatoes with herbs;
• Herring with onions, sandwiches with sprats, fish pies.

Salads

Meat, smoked meats, and lard are not added to salads. It is forbidden to use sour cream and mayonnaise for dressing. Cold foods are seasoned with vegetable oil, soy sauce, and herb-based sauces. The most popular options for a funeral feast include vinaigrette, assorted vegetables, and vegetarian Olivier. With the permission of the clergyman, fur coat, mimosa, and crab are made.

Hot dishes

For main course, beetroot soup, vegetable soup, and borscht without meat are served. To make the meal more satisfying, add beans or beans, decorate the soup with croutons, and offer sandwiches with light spreads. For the second course, a roast of potatoes, beans, and champignons is prepared. Various porridges (buckwheat, peas, etc.) or mashed potatoes are used as a side dish.

For commemoration, spaghetti with tomatoes and peppers, nutritious stew, mushroom gravy, rice with honey mushrooms, stuffed champignons, stewed cabbage or potatoes in tomato juice are boiled. On some days, river or sea fish is baked or fried. The cutlets are made from high-quality soybeans and fried in breadcrumbs or sesame seeds.

The purpose of a wake is not to consume food!

Note that you don’t need to prepare a lot of food so as not to fall into gluttony. In general, rituals during the taking of funeral food are an invention of people. The meal is not the main event of the day. People should just quietly remember the deceased. Don't talk bad about him. This is necessary in order not to harm him during his journey through hell.

If you talk negatively about the deceased on the 9th day, then there is a chance that he will receive a terrible sentence. Let us note that all the food left after the funeral dinner must be distributed to the needy and the poor.

Where to put leftover untouched food after a funeral

Even if not all the dishes were eaten, the question arises of what to do with the funeral meal, because it may have a completely different energy, since the food was originally prepared to honor the deceased in this way.

Despite concerns, food from the wake is not dangerous for relatives.

It should not be confused with food that remains in the cemetery - it is this that contains negative energy, and it is not recommended to take it home. After the funeral, untouched food should be distributed. This can be done on behalf of the deceased, which will help the relatives of his soul in the next world.

Behavior in church

We have already figured out how to remember for 9 days. For Orthodox loved ones, it is a prerequisite that they be present at the service on the occasion of 9 days.

All people light candles for the repose of the deceased according to this plan:

1. First, go to the icon, near which there are candles for the repose. It usually depicts the crucifixion of Jesus. Cross yourself.
2. Light the previously purchased candle from other burning ones. If they are not there, then you can use the fire from the lamp. Under no circumstances should you use matches or lighters in this matter.
3. Place a lit candle in an empty space.
4. Next, ask God to rest the soul of the deceased, be sure to give the full name (the one with which you were baptized).
5. Cross yourself, bow, move away from the lamp.

The candles that are placed in the church symbolize a collective request for the deceased. When praying for the soul of the deceased, send requests to God for the mercy of a sinful person. The more people who plead for his forgiveness, the more likely it is that he will receive forgiveness. You can ask both from the Holy Saints, and from the angels and God.

Is it necessary to go to the cemetery?

Strictly speaking, a 9-day funeral does not include such a trip in the list of essential events. The Church believes that the graveyard contains mortal remains that have no special significance. Going to church and praying are welcome. But usually people themselves want to visit the final resting place of a dear person. They bring flowers and sweets there. Thus, as it were, a tribute is paid to the deceased. But this is more important for the living than for the deceased.

Under no circumstances should you bring alcohol to the cemetery. This is strictly prohibited by the Church! If you decide that you definitely need to visit the cemetery on this day, then take care of the appropriate clothing. Outfits should be modest and not flashy. The presence of mourning symbols is also desirable. Women tie mourning scarves. Men can wear dark jackets. If it’s hot, black scarves are tied to the left forearm.