"Save me, God!".
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Litiya is a very important part of the Orthodox service. Translated from Greek, it means fervent prayer. According to church canons, it is performed only outside the church. There are different types, both in content and in rank. But they always have one thing in common - prayer outside the temple.
If you study Orthodox worship, you will notice that lithium for the laity is usually performed on Saturday holidays or during some kind of mass misfortune or invasion (for example, plague, cholera). Then the priest sings a fervent prayer appeal to the Lord among the people in the center of the city.
Why is it important to pray for the dead?
According to Christian doctrine, death is not the end of human existence, but its transition to Eternity. And a person can influence the afterlife fate of his immortal soul only during his lifetime. After death, only prayers and good deeds of living people can help his soul. Litiya for the dead for the laity is one of the expressions of prayer to God for the soul of a deceased person.
Prayer at the cemetery
A person has free will, the ability to repent and change morally only when his spiritual and earthly essences are one. Physical death separates these two human components: the body goes into the earth, and the soul is in the spiritual world. And her afterlife state is determined by the spiritual appearance that was formed during life. The righteous sought to cleanse themselves of sin and draw closer to the Lord. Therefore, after death they remain with God. Unrepentant souls deliberately rejected the Truth; they did not need God. The Lord cannot force them to come to Himself. Therefore, after death, sinners are at the mercy of dark forces. A person realizes the reasons for his spiritual death, but is no longer able to repent or change.
However, “the dead are helped by offerings made by the living” (Works of St. Ephraim the Syrian, volume 3). Christians remember the dead with church and home prayer, as well as good deeds (for example, almsgiving). This shows love and compassion for the deceased. And the merciful God responds to our prayers, easing the fate of sinners after death. Christians believe that some sinners will be prayed for and pardoned by God at the Last Judgment. Saint John Chrysostom notes that the commemoration of the dead
“the Holy Spirit established, desiring that we should benefit through each other” (“Orthodox Dogmatic Theology”).
Lithium for the dead - a powerful weapon of an Orthodox Christian
Today, as in the old days, the most effective weapon against the forces of evil for a believing Orthodox Christian is a prayerful appeal to the Lord. The holy elders always said that a believer reads a prayer, and at that time the evil one runs away from him and is afraid to approach.
An effective weapon, both for the soul of a deceased person and for ours, is intensified prayer. In memory of deceased people, special attention is paid in church services. As the clergy say: prayer is an appeal to God, and prayer for the dead is communication with the dead, asking for them. Such prayer brings us closer to the Lord and to close and dear people.
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Remember that the funeral litany for the dead has a very important meaning not only from the Christian faith, but also spiritual and psychological implications.
The Lord is always with you!
Litiya is a fervent prayer to God
The word "lithia" is translated from Greek as "prayer." In ancient times, this was a prayer performed in times of disaster. Later, the lithium began to acquire a solemn character and was celebrated on church holidays. Today lithium is part of worship services. A litany for the dead is also performed for the laity at home and in a cemetery without a priest. The legacy of the festive “prayers” is the lithium before the liturgy. Repentant motives are present in the litias at Vespers and Matins.
Litiyas are performed in the vestibule of the temple or outside it. This is intended to remind us of our unworthiness to pray in the House of God.
Theologian Mikhail Skaballanovich notes that in this way
“The Church proceeds from its blessed environment into the outside world... with the goal of a prayer mission in this world” (Explanatory Typikon, part 2).
Often the lithium is combined with a prayer service or religious procession.
Lithium for the dead for the laity - how and why
Mortuary lithium - what is it? This is the name for a separate type of lithium - a short service near the body of the deceased. Christian burial involves burying the deceased in a church and committing the body to the earth. The funeral service, as a rule, takes place in the church. In exceptional cases - in a cemetery or at home. The funeral lithium is served at home over the body of the deceased before it is taken to the church for the funeral service. Litia for the deceased can be served in church even after burial. There is also a lithium for the dead for the laity at home. Orthodox Christians can read it independently in private or in a cemetery, over the grave of the deceased.
The Litiya for the deceased contains prayers to God and the Most Holy Theotokos to grant the newly departed soul peace and forgiveness of all sins. Hope is expressed in God's boundless mercy. The Lord is glorified as the Redeemer of our sins, risen from the dead, the Conqueror of death and hell. The litany for the departed for the laity also contains the 90th Psalm. It expresses trust in God's protection from visible and invisible enemies.
Litiya performed by a layman, as it happened
Previously, the original purpose of lithium was to pray in public places where some kind of disaster, threat, or defeat had occurred. But there are also such divine services of a joyful and solemn nature, which usually took place outside the city. The development of this type of worship especially began in the Jerusalem Church, where all Sunday suppers ended with lithiums in various holy places.
Today, this is a small remnant of the old Jerusalem fervent prayers. They consist of prayers, songs and special rituals. This rite consists mainly only of the ceremonial exit of the clergy into the vestibule.
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One can also note a special type of funeral litia performed by a layman. This type is established specifically for praying for the deceased, which is performed when the coffin is taken out of the house, as well as directly in any other place and at any time at the request of relatives.
Most often, the lithium is performed by a layman at home, in the cemetery, and upon returning home after burial.
Litia for the dead for the laity with Russian translation
Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.
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 Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, souls ours.
The prayer to the Holy Spirit is not read from Easter to Trinity Day.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, abiding everywhere and filling everything, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (three times)
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now, and always, 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.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Lord, 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.
Our Father, who is in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us our daily bread today; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Lord have mercy. (12 times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Come, let us worship the King our God.
Come, let us worship our King, God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God.
Come, let us worship and fall before Christ, the King, our God.
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.
Come, let us bow and fall before Christ Himself, our King and God.
Psalm 90
Living in the help of the Most High, he will dwell in the blood 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 net of the trap and from the words of rebellion, His splash will overshadow you, and under His krill you hope that His truth will surround you with weapons. Do not fear from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies in the days, from the thing that passes in the darkness, from the clot and the demon of the midday. Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come near you: behold your eyes, and 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 come near your body. As His angel commanded you, to keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, lest they dash your foot against a stone. Step on the asp and the basilisk, and cross the lion and the serpent. For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver; I will cover you, because you have known My name. He will call to Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in tribulation, I will destroy him, and I will glorify him; I will fill him with long days, and I will show him My salvation.
He who lives with the help of the Almighty will find his home under the roof of the heavenly God. He will say to the Lord: “You are my protector and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him.” For He will deliver you from the snare of fishers and from the disturbing news. He will hide you behind His shoulders, and under His wings you will hope; His truth will surround you like a weapon. You will not be afraid from the fear of the night, from an arrow flying during the day; from danger wandering in the darkness, from misfortune and the demon of the midday. A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right, but they will not come close to you. Only with your eyes will you look and see the reward of sinners.
For You, Lord, are my hope! You have made the Most High your refuge. Evil will not approach you, and the scourge will not come close to your tent, for He will command His angels for you, to keep you in all your ways; they will carry you in their hands, so that you do not stumble on a stone with your foot. You will tread on the asp and the basilisk, and you will trample the lion and the dragon. “For he trusted in Me, and I will deliver him, I will cover him, for he has known My name. He will call Me, and I will hear him, I am with him in sorrow, I will deliver him and glorify him, I will fill him with long life and show him My salvation.”
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to you, God. (three times)
Troparion, tone 4:
From the spirits of the righteous who have passed away, give rest to the soul of Your servant, O Savior, preserving it in the blessed life that belongs to You, O Lover of Mankind.
With the spirits of the righteous who have passed away the soul of Thy servant [or: Thy servant], Savior, preserving her rest in the blessed life that is with You, O Lover of Mankind.
In Thy chamber, Lord, where all Thy saints rest, give rest also to the soul of Thy servant, for Thou art the only Lover of mankind.
In Thy resting place, O Lord, where all Thy saints find peace, give rest also to the soul of Thy servant [or: Thy handmaid], for Thou alone art the Lover of mankind.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
You are God, who descended into hell, and who can loose the bonds of the bound, who give rest to you and the soul of your servant.
You are our God, who descended into hell and ended the torment of the prisoners, and give rest to the soul of Your servant [or: Your servant].
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.
One pure and immaculate Virgin, who bore God in her womb inexpressibly, intercede for the salvation of the soul of Thy servant [or: Thy servant].
Sedalen, voice 5th:
Rest, our Savior, with the righteous of Thy servant, and this one has settled in Thy courts, as it is written, despising, as Good, his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and all that is known and not known, to Man By the way.
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.
With the saints, rest, O Christ, the soul of Thy servant [or: Thy servant], where there is no pain, no sorrow, no groaning, but endless life.
