Such a sad event as a funeral is associated with various omens. Some people consider superstitions to be relics. But there are signs that are still observed today .
The tradition of covering mirrors when the deceased is in the house has been around for a long time. Even the church cannot tell you exactly when to open the mirrors after the funeral, but the priest’s answer is of interest to believers.
Why are mirrors covered?
The ancient Slavs were sure that the mirror opened a portal to the other world. The human body has not only a physical shell, but also a soul. Mirror surfaces are covered for a number of reasons:
- The soul, separating from the body, may become frightened when it sees its reflection in the mirror.
- If a living person sees the deceased in a mirror, he will die. The spirit of the deceased can be taken with him.
- The soul can get lost in the mirror corridor. Once reflected in it, the spirit will not find its way to the Kingdom of Heaven. He will remain there as if trapped. And his dead energy will remain in the house forever.
- An evil spirit can take the soul of a deceased person by dragging him through a mirror.
- The energy of the deceased will harm the living. After all, mirrors can absorb and conduct different energies. Therefore, they need to be systematically cleaned and hung up at the time of the funeral.
- A person who has lost a relative is depressed. He feels loss, his soul is devastated. Passing by an uncovered mirror, he can look into it and, in a state of depression, see a certain image.
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How many days should you keep your mirrors covered?
You should curtain immediately as soon as you learn about the death of a loved one. And withstand at least 9 days, or all 40 days, again if you are very superstitious. But if you did not cover the mirror surfaces at all (forgot or did not consider it necessary), and inexplicable things began to happen in the house, for example, noise and footsteps at night, flashing lights, contactless falling of things, unknown spots or stains on mirrors, etc., then call a clergyman to cleanse your house. If this does not help, then the mirrors should be destroyed so that the soul finally calms down and leaves our world.
Whether to hang mirrors or not is up to everyone to decide for themselves. If you are superstitious, follow this tradition, because you will not bring trouble upon yourself. And if you think covering mirrors is unreasonable, then try not to look at reflective surfaces for at least 9 days.
In addition to hanging mirrors, there are other rituals, for example: “What to follow when the body of the deceased is at home? What to put in the coffin and how to take it out correctly? and many other rituals, which we will talk about in other articles.
How does the church view the custom?
Priests do not give a definite answer to the question of hanging mirrors after death and how many days they should be closed. Their opinion is based on the fact that there are no standard instructions for ritual in Orthodoxy.
But some temple servants advise knowing on what day after death mirrors are opened. They need to be curtained not only for the duration of the deceased’s stay in the house, but also on the ninth and fortieth days. For forty days the soul remains on earth. She does not move away from the body.
When can I open
Those who believe in funeral superstitions need to know when the covers are removed from mirrors after a funeral. It is accepted that disclosure can be made after nine days. But if a person is overcome by doubts about why he needs to close them, it is better to wait for forty days.
For the first nine days, the soul still remains in the room. Then she separates from the body and goes into another world. The energy of death disappears from the home. Some reflective surfaces, such as a TV or computer, can be opened earlier. After all, a person who has lost a loved one already feels bad; he cannot spend all his time in silence.
But it is prohibited to leave reflective surfaces open during the funeral. At this time, even non-superstitious people curtain them. A day or two after the burial ceremony they open them.
Objective reasons for covering mirrors in the house of a deceased person
Passing by a mirror, a person automatically looks at his reflection. It is quite natural that the death of a loved one leaves a mark on people’s appearance - a pale face, tear-stained eyes, a sad expression are easy to notice. As a rule, people do not want to see themselves in this state, so they prefer not to look in the mirror if possible, at least in the first days. This does not apply only to cases when a person washes or dresses, and even then not always.
Mourning has its own laws regarding the appearance and behavior of loved ones of the deceased. Admiring your reflection in the mirror does not fit into them at all. To make it easier for the relatives of the deceased to strictly observe mourning, all mirrors in the rooms are covered. By the way, this is also necessary so that nothing distracts the living from praying for the dead, and they can devote time to their grief. There is also an opinion that large mirrors give the room a more elegant, beautiful look, so they are covered with canvases to emphasize the tragedy of the moment.
During deep grief, a person perceives space and other people in a way that is not quite the same as usual. It can be difficult for him to see the reflection of the house and those around him in the mirror. The worst thing is if the reflection shows a photograph of the deceased, which was chosen for the funeral, candles, or the coffin itself and wreaths. All this only aggravates the situation, it puts pressure, because even if you turn away from what gives painful emotions, you will see the same thing in the reflection.
Antique mirrors
In the old days they were made by layer-by-layer application of mercury on glass. When dying, a person emits alpha brain waves, and the mirror absorbs the images and creates a hologram. Images are reproduced, ghosts appear.
Modern products are already produced using a different technology , less suitable for storing information. But the tradition of covering mirrors or turning them away remains.
There were cases when the mirror became cloudy after the death of a person and intricate drawings appeared on it. He was immediately destroyed. Otherwise, the spirit of the deceased could not leave the labyrinths of the looking glass.
Phenomena associated with omen
You can often hear mystical stories about how a mirror was not hung in the house after the death of a tenant, and then strange things began to happen. At night, household members heard footsteps, lights flickered, things fell, dishes broke. This means that the soul of the deceased is not at rest.
A clergyman was invited to the house. If the unnatural phenomena did not go away after the consecration of the home, the mirrors were thrown away.
Even if a loved one did not die at home, but was buried from the funeral hall of the morgue, mirrors must be covered. For another 40 days, a person’s soul remains among the living. Popular beliefs say that after death, the spirit of the deceased comes to the homes of relatives and friends to say goodbye forever.
Why do they cover mirrors when a person dies?
At funerals, all reflective surfaces are required to be covered. The interpretation of superstitions is as follows:
- It is generally accepted that after the death of a person, his soul wanders the earth for 40 days, and then goes to another world and calms down. Once she gets into the Looking Glass through an uncurtained object, she will never find her way back.
- According to signs, Through the Looking Glass was considered the habitat of the devil. If it is not hung after a person's death, dark forces may try to drag his soul with them. This is especially true if the deceased during his lifetime was a bright, positive and very kind person.
- According to some versions, relatives cover mirrors, as the soul may be afraid of its reflection. This is due to the opinion that often people do not understand and do not accept the fact of their death.
- In reflective surfaces that are not covered in a timely manner, ghosts and apparitions can be seen in the future.
Old-timers give their interpretation of the sign. Mirrors are curtained because during the service they reflect the cross in reverse projection.
Please note: in temples and churches there are no objects in which reflections can be seen. It is believed that such a surface takes away all grace, which means that prayer will not have true power.
Some signs warn the living against using a mirror in the house of the deceased. According to interpretations, this can bring serious troubles to the person watching, even death.
People with an unstable psyche and a rich imagination should not look in the mirror. If you look first at the reflection of the deceased, and then directly at the deceased, you might think that he is smiling.
A more down-to-earth point of view says that when a person dies, his family does not have the time or desire to use a mirror. When there is a deceased person in the house, reflective surfaces are covered so that they do not attract attention.
Other beliefs
In addition to the tradition of sealing mirrors or covering them with a blanket while the deceased is in the house, there are other signs. No need to look in mirrors in the cemetery. Since they reflect not only the obvious, but also another world, the person who looks at it will be haunted by misfortunes.
People say that a mirror that breaks during a burial in the house where the deceased was located necessarily foreshadows troubles and misfortunes. Soon they will fall on the relatives of the deceased.
The tradition of covering mirrors with cloth has passed down from pagan times and is not supported by Christianity. When to cover with a sheet and open them, each person decides for himself. Sometimes nothing bad happens, but in history there are cases when, due to uncovered mirrors during a funeral, a series of tragic events followed.
Where and how to cover mirrors and other reflective surfaces?
It is necessary to cover all mirrors, TV, glass doors, etc. only in the house where the deceased lived and died. If death occurred in the hospital, and after the body was sent to the morgue, then this sign may not be followed. But if you are a very superstitious person, then in any case it is better to cover the mirrors, since the soul of a person close to you will still come to his home to say goodbye to loved ones.
The material used to hide the mirrors from view can be anything. The main thing is that it is an opaque and dense fabric. These can be plain fabrics, bedspreads, sheets, etc., it is best if this material is dark in color. Cover so that the material holds well and is not accidentally pulled off the mirror.
Rules and actions at a funeral
It is necessary to escort a person on his final journey correctly. Mistakes made at a funeral can negatively affect the future life of the household. Generally accepted rules:
- The coffin with the deceased can only be carried by strangers.
- They throw a handful of earth onto the lid of the coffin. So that the soul of the deceased does not come out at night and frighten the living.
- Money is placed at the bottom of the coffin as a ransom for a new place.
- A glass of water is placed at the cemetery and at home. The deceased will be able to drink.
- A handkerchief is placed in the coffin so that when communicating with the Lord there is something to wipe the sweat from the forehead.
- It happens that a person prepares the coffin in advance. Store the product in the attic. But it shouldn't stand empty. Sawdust, shavings or grain are poured into the finished coffin. After a person passes away, the contents of the coffin are buried in a hole.
- At the moment the soul leaves the body, you need to read the Canon of the Mother of God. During the reading process, the Orthodox Christian holds a holy cross or a burning candle in his hand.
- When the soul leaves the body, a person is seized with fear. He sees the Guardian Angel and demons. Relatives should read prayers, trying to alleviate the person’s mental suffering, but not cry or lament.
- The dying person must ask forgiveness from those present and forgive them himself.
- When a person leaves this world, measurements are taken from him to make a coffin. They don't put her on the bed. They are taken out of the house and placed in a coffin during burial.
- The body of the deceased is washed after death. The soul must appear pure before the face of God after the resurrection. All parts of the body are washed.
- You cannot wash the deceased with hot water, only warm water. During the ablution process they read: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us” or “Lord, have mercy.” The head is washed last, then the deceased is combed.
- After the procedure, the deceased is dressed in clean, light clothes. They put on a cross.
- It is better to carry out the procedure during daylight hours. Pour water where people do not go. You can’t give “dead” water to anyone; sorcerers can use it in black magic.
- Water should not be spilled around the apartment. Household members may get sick.
- Pregnant women should not wash the deceased.
- The deceased should not have knots. The tie or scarf is untied before closing the coffin. The hands and feet of the deceased are also untied. If the bandages are cut with scissors, they are placed in the coffin.
- These rules are for Orthodox Christians. In Buddhism, people celebrate when a person passes into another world. This means that he has passed the earthly path and a new reincarnation awaits him.
- After removing the coffin with the deceased from the apartment, the floors must be washed and swept, washing death out of the corners.
If you ask in a temple when you can remove the curtains from the mirrors, the priests will advise you to wait until the forties. At this time, the soul of the deceased leaves the world.
Of course, each family decides for itself how to bury the body of the deceased and when to open mirrors after the death of a loved one. But people believe in the signs regarding burials and try to observe them.
When can you open mirrors after a funeral?
November 25, 2019
When can you open mirrors after a funeral?
, according to folk superstitions that developed over a long period of observation and experience. For the most part, such signs were known in pre-Christian times.
Why cover mirrors?
Everyone knows that after death, all reflective surfaces in the house must be covered. These include not only mirrors, but also monitors, televisions, and other surfaces, looking at which you can see a reflection. This ritual is carried out so that the reflection of the deceased himself cannot remain in the house. And also so that his ghost could not appear alive.
When to open the mirror?
Will accept quite a lot on this score. According to current modern traditions: - upon arrival home from the cemetery, - after 3 days, - after 9 days. But the “old” generation still adheres to the tradition of opening mirrors only on the 41st day. It is believed that after 40 days, the fate of the soul of the deceased is completely decided.
Signs of passing the path of the deceased
It is believed that: - after 3 days, from the onset of death, the guardian angel takes him away to show him paradise. - on the 9th day the soul has to appear before the Lord. Next, an inspection of hell must take place... - on the 40th day, a verdict is made on where she should stay.
Based on this, in fact, the soul is among the living only for the first 3 days. Therefore, mirrors can be opened on the 4th day, after the soul leaves the physical world. Previously, everyone believed that the soul had the opportunity to “come” to relatives for 40 days. Because of this, the ban on opening mirrors was observed for the entire period - 40 days...
Some don't cover mirrors
When, for example, a person’s death occurs in a hospital and his body is transported to the cemetery directly from the morgue, bypassing the stay in the house. This position of the relatives of the deceased is incorrect. All the same, the soul has the opportunity to return home and stay close to loved ones.
Also, it is noteworthy that it is necessary to close mirrors not only in a specific room where the deceased was, but certainly in all rooms of the house.
So as not to cause trouble
, there is also
a ritual before removing the curtains
on the mirrors. The cat was the first to approach the opening mirror. According to legend, she is in no danger in this case...
Based on materials from folk signs from open sources - a news feed from a funeral agency - qualified assistance in organizing funerals, selecting paraphernalia and related products for burials.
