Despite the fact that the reading of the Psalms for the dead began many centuries ago, psalms for the dead are still read in our period. The recitation of God's word indicates love for their deceased brethren, and is accepted by the Lord as a prayer with the goal of cleansing the sins of those remembered.
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The order of reading the Psalter for the dead
Order the request online on the website Saints (Psalter for the Repose)..
There is a certain order of reading the Psalms for the departed. Only people with special religious knowledge and certain training can read the Psalter near the deceased, because reading should, if possible, be continuous. That is why clergy are invited to read. Close relatives should also not stand aside, but pray for the soul of the deceased , but at the same time they need to secure a blessing from the priest.
In the teachings of the Apostles, it is ordained to sing psalmody and offer prayers on the third, ninth and fortieth days. However, at this time, in most cases, psalms for the dead are pronounced during the first three days, although there are cases of forty-day psalmody .
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In total, the Psalter includes 20 kathismas (sections), which are divided into three “Glories”. The opening prayers precede the presentation of the first kathisma. At the end of each kathisma or at the conclusion of the Psalter, special prayers are said that are necessary after pronouncing the kathisma.
If not all kathismas were read during the day, then the next day reading should begin with the next kathisma. After completing the reading of the Psalter, one should begin a new reading with preparatory prayers.
In total, according to Church tradition, forty psalters are read for the dead.
What is the Psalter and what is the secret of its popularity?
One of the most beloved and popular books of all Christians can be called the Psalter - the book of psalms. Among the Jews, psalms were prayer hymns dedicated to the Lord and sung to the accompaniment.
The ability to compose psalms was considered a great gift, and King David, who is credited with the authorship of the Psalter - 151 psalms (in some translations 150), possessed it in full. Most of these hymns were actually written by David. The king put all shades of emotion into them: he thanked the Lord, tearfully prayed for help, repented of his sins, and prophesied about the fate of the Israeli people.
How was Psalm 50 written?
This psalm is a song of repentance. What did the king repent of? One day he was seduced by the beauty of Bathsheba, the wife of his warrior Uriah. In order to “remove” his legitimate husband, he gave the order to place a warrior in the battle with the Ammonites in the place where he would definitely be killed. When Bathsheba became a widow, David took her to his palace and married her. But the king sincerely repented of his wicked act, and the prophet Nathan convicted him of sin. The Lord also punished David: the first son from Bathsheba was born dead. After the endowment, the king prayed and fasted for a long time. The result of this secret prayer was Psalm 50.
Which psalm protects against unclean spirits?
No less famous is Psalm 90, with which the holy fathers advise protecting oneself from unclean spirits. The main meaning of the hymn is that the Lord will definitely protect those who trust in God. This is what happened in the story of King David. Through prayers, the Lord delivered from a three-day pestilence, the epidemic of which killed tens of thousands of people.
These are just two examples of famous hymns. In fact, there are many more of them. Believers use them in church and personal prayer, reading the Psalter for the dead and for the living. How did this tradition develop?
Prayers before reading the Psalter
Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
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, our souls.
When reading kathismas, for each “Glory” you need to say:
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God! (three times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the eternal life, Thy servant [or: Thy handmaid], our brother [or: our sister] [name], who reposed (before the 40th day from the day of death - “newly reposed”), and who is Good and Lover of Mankind , forgive sins and consume untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his [or: her] sins, voluntary and involuntary, deliver him [or: yu] eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him [or: her] communion and eternal pleasure Your good things, prepared for those who love You: even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God glorify You in the Trinity, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even to its last sighs of confession. In the same way, be merciful to him [or: to that] and have faith in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints as You give generous rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
And now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Next we read the psalms of kathisma.
Having finished the kathisma, you should say:
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Read three times, with the sign of the cross and bow from the waist.)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
After this, you need to read the prayer words that are prescribed at the end of the kathisma.
According to the 1st kathisma
Master Almighty, Incomprehensible, the beginning of light and the supreme power, like the Hypostatic Word of the Father and the One-Powered Emitter of Your Spirit: merciful for the sake of mercy and ineffable goodness, not despising human nature, the darkness of sin contained, but the Divine lights of Your sacred teachings, the law and prophets shining to the world, follow and let us, O God, grant us, in a vigilant and sober heart, to pass through the whole night of this present life, awaiting the coming of Thy Son and God. ours, the judge of all, let us not recline and sleep, but be awake and lifted up in the doing of Thy commandments, and let us find ourselves in His joy, where those who celebrate the unceasing voice and the ineffable sweetness of those who behold Your face, the unspeakable kindness. For You are a Good and Lover of Mankind, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 2nd kathisma
Master Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Only Begotten Son, grant unto me an undefiled body, a pure heart, a vigorous mind, an unlost mind, the influx of the Holy Spirit, to the acquisition and contentment of the truth in Thy Christ: with Him is due to Thee glory, honor and worship, with the Holy Spirit now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 3rd kathisma
Lord Almighty, Word of the Eternal Father, Self-perfect God Jesus Christ, for the sake of Thy unconditional mercy, do not part from Thy servants, but rest ever in them, do not forsake me, Thy servant, O All-Holy King, but give me, unworthy, the joy of Thy salvation and enlighten my mind with the light of the knowledge of Your Gospel, bind my soul to the love of Your Cross, adorn my body with Your dispassion, calm my thoughts and keep my nose from creeping, and do not destroy me with my iniquities, Good Lord, but tempt me, O God, and enlighten my heart mine, test me and guide me in my paths, and see if the path of iniquity is in me, and turn me away from it, and guide me on the eternal path. For You are the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, and we send up glory to You with Your Beginning Father and the Most Holy, and Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 4th kathisma
To You, Lord, the only Good and Unmemorable Evil One, I confess my sins, I fall down crying to You, unworthy: I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned and am not worthy to look up to the heights of heaven from the multitude of my untruths. But, my Lord, Lord, grant me tears of compunction, the only Blessed and Merciful One, for with them I beg You to be cleansed before the end from all sin: for it is a terrible and menacing place for the Imam to pass through, our bodies being separated, and a multitude of dark and inhuman demons will bury me, and no one can help or deliver. Thus I bow down to Your goodness, do not betray those who offend me, below let my enemies boast about me, Good Lord, below let them say: you came into our hands, and you are betrayed to us. Neither, Lord, do not forget Your bounties and do not repay me for my iniquity, and do not turn Your face away from me: but You, Lord, punish me, both with mercy and bounty. Let my enemy not rejoice over me, but extinguish his reproaches against me and abolish all his actions, and give me a reproachful path to You, Good Lord: even though I have sinned, I have not resorted to another doctor, and I have not stretched my hand to a foreign god. , do not reject my prayer, but hear me with Your goodness and strengthen my heart with Your fear, and may Your grace be upon me, Lord, like fire that burns up unclean thoughts in me. For you are, Lord, light, more than any light; joy, more than any joy; peace, more than any peace; true life and salvation that endures forever and ever, Amen.
According to the 5th Kathisma
Righteous and Praiseworthy God, Great and Mighty God, Eternal God, hear the prayer of a sinful man at this hour: hear me, who promised to hear those who call on You in truth, and do not hate me, having unclean lips and containing sins, the hope of all the ends of the earth and those who wander. far away. Take the weapon and the shield and rise up to help me: pour out the sword and make a stand against those who persecute me. Ban the unclean spirit from the face of my madness, and let the spirit of hatred and resentment, the spirit of envy and flattery, the spirit of fear and despondency, the spirit of pride and all other malice be separated from my thoughts; and may all kindling and movement of my flesh, caused by the devil’s action, be extinguished, and may my soul and body and spirit be enlightened by the light of Your Divine knowledge: may I, through the multitude of Your bounty, achieve the union of faith, in a perfect husband, according to the measure of my age, and glorify with the Angels and by all Your saints, Your most honorable and magnificent name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 6th Kathisma
We thank Thee, Lord our God, for all Thy good deeds, even from the first age to the present in us, the unworthy, the former, those known and unknown, those manifested and unmanifested, those who were in deed, and in a word: having loved us as He loved the Only Begotten You are willing to give your Son to us. Make us worthy of Your love. Grant with Your word wisdom and with Your fear inhale strength from Your power, and whatever we want or don’t want to sin, forgive, and not impute, and preserve our holy soul, and present it to Your Throne, having a clear conscience, and the end is worthy of Your love for mankind. And remember, O Lord, all who call upon Thy name in truth: remember all who desire good or evil against us: for all are men, and every man is in vain. We also pray to You, Lord: grant us Your great mercy.
According to the 7th Kathisma
Lord, my God, as you are Good and Lover of Mankind, you have done many mercies with me, even more than you expected, and what will I repay to your goodness, my Lord, Lord? I thank Your much-sung name, I thank Your inscrutable kindness towards me, I thank Your unconditional long-suffering. And from now on, intercede, and help me, and cover me, Master, from everyone who has no one to sin before You: for You weigh my favored nature, You weigh my madness, You weigh what I have done, even in knowledge and not in knowledge, even voluntary and involuntary, even in the night and in the days, and in the mind, and thoughts, for God is good and a lover of mankind, cleanse me with the dew of Thy mercy, Most Good Lord, and save us for the sake of Thy holy name, in the image of destinies. For You are Light and Truth and Life, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 8th Kathisma
Lord, Generous and Merciful, Long-suffering and Many-merciful, inspire prayer and listen to the voice of my prayer: create a sign for good with me, guide me on Your path, to walk in Your truth, make my heart glad, in fear of Your Holy Name, who art Thou before great. , and work miracles. You are the One God, and there is no one like You in God, O Lord, Mighty in mercy, and Good in strength, to help and comfort, and to save all who trust in Your name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever forever and ever, amen.
According to the 9th Kathisma
Master Lord, our God, who is the only ailment of my soul that is accursed and knows how to sow healing, heal you as if you were weighed, for the sake of the multitude of your mercy and your generosity, since there is no plaster to apply to it from my deeds, lower than oil, lower than duty, but you who have come call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance, have mercy, be generous, forgive me, tear up the handwriting of many of my and cold deeds and guide me on Thy right path, so that, walking in Thy truth, I will be able to avoid the arrows of the evil one and I will appear uncondemned before Thy terrible throne , glorifying and singing Your Most Holy Name forever, amen.
According to the 10th Kathisma
Lord our God, Rich in mercy and Incomprehensible in generosity, One by nature Sinless, and for our sakes except for sin, having been a Man, hear this painful prayer of mine at this hour, for I am poor and wretched because of good deeds, and my heart is troubled within me. For you weigh, the Highest King, Lord of heaven and earth, for all my youth I lived in sins and followed the lusts of my flesh, all the laughter was a demon, all the devil followed, I will take out in the time of pleasures wallow, darkened by thoughts from infancy, even Until now, I never wanted to do Your holy will, but I was captivated by the passions that plagued me, I was filled with laughter and reproach by the demon, not even thinking in my mind like the unbearable anger of a hedgehog at the sinners of Your rebuke, and the lying fiery Gehenna. As if from here I fell into despair, and as though I had no feeling of conversion, I was empty and naked from Your friendship. What kind of sin have you not committed? What deed has the demon not done? What cold and prodigal deed have you not accomplished with advantage and diligence? The mind has been desecrated by the memories of the flesh, the body has been desecrated by the confusion, the spirit has been desecrated by the combination of defilements, I have loved all the pleasures of my damned flesh to serve and work with sin. And who else will not weep for me, the accursed one? Who will not weep for me, condemned? I am the only one, O Lord, who has provoked Your wrath, I am the only one who has kindled Your anger against me, I am the only one who has created evil before You, having surpassed and conquered all sinners from the ages, who have sinned incomparably and unforgivenly. But since you are the Most Merciful, the Compassionate One, the Lover of Mankind, and waiting for human conversion, I bring myself before Thy terrible and unbearable judgment, and as if I touched Your most pure feet, I cry to Thee from the depths of my soul: cleanse, Lord, forgive, Benefactor, have mercy on my infirmity. , bow to my bewilderment, listen to my prayer and do not silence my tears, accept me who repents, and convert the erring one, who turns around and prays, forgive me. You have not ordained repentance for the righteous, you have not ordained forgiveness for those who do not sin, but you have ordained repentance for me, a sinner, for the same things I have done in Your indignation; Heavenly, from the severity of my sins we dance. Enlighten the eyes of my heart and give me tenderness for repentance, and contrition of heart for correction, so that with good hope and true assurance I will go to the world there, praising and blessing I will take out Your all-holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever, amen.
According to the 11th Kathisma
Shine in our hearts, O Lord who loves mankind, of Your imperishable knowledge of God, and open our mental eyes, in Your gospel sermons, understanding, put fear in us and Your blessed commandments, so that all carnal lusts may be trampled, we will pass through spiritual life, all that is for Your good pleasure. both wise and active. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ God, and we send up glory to You, with Your Originless Father and Your All-Holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 12th Kathisma
Lord my God, One Good and Humane, One Merciful and Meek, One True and Righteous, One Generous and Merciful our God: may Thy power come upon me, Thy sinful and indecent servant, and may He strengthen my temple with the Gospel of Thy Divine teaching, Master and O Lover of Mankind, O Lover of Bliss, O Lover of Compassion, enlighten my wombs and all souls with Thy will. Cleanse me from all malice and sin: keep me undefiled and blameless from every inspiration and action of the devil, and grant me, according to Your goodness, Your understanding, Your wisdom, and in Your desires to live, To fear Your fear, to do what is pleasing to You until my last sighs, because by Your inscrutable mercy You have preserved my body and soul, and my mind and thoughts, and have not been tempted by any opposing network of the temple. My Lord, Lord, cover me with Your compassion, and do not forsake me, a sinner, and an unclean, and an unworthy servant of Yours: for You are my Protector, Lord, and I sing about You, and we send up glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy One. To the Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 13th Kathisma
Holy Lord, Who liveth in the highest, and with Thy all-seeing eye look down upon all creation. We bow our necks to You, soul and body, and we pray to You, Holy of Holies: stretch out Your invisible hand from Your holy dwelling, and bless us all: and if we have sinned against You, willingly or unwillingly, for God is Good and Lover of Mankind, forgive us, and grant us peace and blessings. Yours. For it is Thine to have mercy and to save, our God, and to Thee we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 14th Kathisma
We thank Thee, O Lord God of our salvation, for Thou hast done everything for the good deeds of our life, for Thou hast given us rest in the past night time, and raised us up from our beds, and placed us in the worship of Thy honorable and glorious name. We also pray to You, Lord: give us grace and strength, so that we may be worthy of You to sing wisely and pray unceasingly: and I will look to You, the Savior and Benefactor of our souls, with fear and trembling, our salvation working. Hear now and have mercy, O Compassionate One, on us: crush under our feet the invisible warriors and enemies: accept according to the strength of our thanksgiving: give us grace and strength to open our mouths, and teach us by Your justification. As if we would not pray as we should, except You, Lord, guide us with Your Holy Spirit. If you have sinned even before the present hour, in word, or deed, or thought, willfully or involuntarily, relax, forgive, forgive. If you see iniquity, Lord, Lord, who will stand? For You have purification, You have deliverance. You are the only Holy One, the Mighty Helper, and the Protector of our life, and we bless You forever, amen.
According to the 15th Kathisma
Master Lord Jesus Christ, You are my Helper, I am in Your hands, help me, do not leave me to sin against You, for I am lost, do not leave me to follow the will of my flesh, do not despise me, Lord, for I am weak. You weigh what is useful to me, do not leave me to perish in my sins, do not forsake me, Lord, do not depart from me, as I have come running to You, teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Heal my soul, as those who have sinned by You, save me for the sake of Your mercy, as before You we are all who suffer, and I have no other refuge but You, Lord. Let all those who rise up against me and seek my soul be ashamed to consume it, for You are the only Mighty One, O Lord, in all, and Yours is the glory forever and ever, Amen.
According to the 16th Kathisma
Holy Lord, Living in the Highest, and with Your all-seeing eye look upon all creation, We bow to You, soul and body, and we pray to You, Holy of Holies: stretch out Your invisible hand from Your holy dwelling, and bless us all, and forgive us every sin, voluntary and involuntary, in word or deed. Grant us, Lord, tenderness, grant spiritual tears from the soul, for the cleansing of many of our sins, grant Your great mercy to Your world and to us, Your unworthy servants. For blessed and glorified is Your name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 17th Kathisma
Master, Lord Almighty and Creator of all, the Father of generosity and mercy, God, who created man from the earth, and showed him in Your image and likeness, so that Your magnificent name may be glorified on earth, and that which was uprooted by the transgression of Your commandments, again creating something better him in Thy Christ, and raised up to Heaven: I thank Thee, for Thou hast increased Thy greatness upon me, and Thou hast not betrayed me to the end as my enemy, to cast me out into the abyss of hell by those who seek me, and left me below to perish through my iniquities. Now, O most merciful and most merciful Lord, do not want the death of a sinner, but wait for conversion, and accept: He who has corrected the downtrodden, who has healed the contrite, turn me to repentance, and correct the overthrown, and heal the contrite: remember Thy mercies, and even Thy since the ages incomprehensible goodness and my immeasurable forget the iniquities that I have committed in deed, word, and thought: resolve the blindness of my heart, and give me tears of tenderness to cleanse the filth of my thoughts. Hear, O Lord, attend, O Lover of mankind, cleanse, O Compassionate One, and free my accursed soul from the torment of the reigning passions within me. And let no one keep me from sin, let the demon fighter be able to attack me, let him lead me to his desire, but by Thy mighty hand, having snatched me away from His dominion, Thou reign in me, O Good and Humane-loving Lord, and of all Thy being, and May I live otherwise according to Your good will. And grant me with the indescribable goodness of my heart, purification of the heart, guarding of the mouth, rightness of actions, humble wisdom, peace of thoughts, silence of my spiritual strength, spiritual joy, true love, long-suffering, kindness, meekness, unfeigned faith, self-control, and fill me with all good fruits, by the gift of Your Holy Spirit. And do not bring me to the end of my days, delight my uncorrected and unprepared soul below, but complete me with Your perfection, and thus bring me to the present life, as if I had passed through the beginnings and powers of darkness without restraint, by Your grace I will see and I, unapproachable to Your glory, unspeakable kindness, with all Your saints, in them be sanctified, and glorified is Your all-honorable and magnificent name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 18th Kathisma
Lord, do not reprove me with Your wrath; do not punish me with Your wrath. Владыко Господи Иисусе Христе, Сыне Бога Живаго, помилуй мя, грешнаго, нищаго, обнаженнаго, лениваго, нерадиваго, прекословнаго, окаяннаго, блудника, прелюбодея, малакия, мужеложника, сквернаго, блуднаго, неблагодарнаго, немилостиваго, жестокаго, пияницу, сожженнаго совестию, безличнаго , daring, unrequited, unworthy of Your love for mankind, and worthy of all torment, and Gehenna, and torment. And not for the sake of my many sins, do you inflict torment on the Redeemer; but have mercy on me, for I am weak, both in soul, and in flesh, and in mind, and in thought, and through your destinies save me, Thy unworthy servant, through the prayers of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos, and of all the saints who have pleased You from the ages: for blessed art Thou in forever and ever, amen.
According to the 19th Kathisma
Master Christ God, Who healed my passions with Your Passion and healed my ulcers with Your ulcers, grant to me, who have sinned much against You, tears of tenderness, dissolve my body from the smell of Your life-giving Body, and delight my soul with Your Honest Blood from sorrow, with which I was given a drink by the enemy. . Raise my mind to You, which has been drawn down below, and lift me from the abyss of destruction, as I am not the imam of repentance, not the imam of tenderness, not the imam of comforting tears, leading children to their inheritance. My mind has been darkened by worldly passions, I cannot look to You in illness, I cannot warm myself with tears, even love for You, but, Master Lord Jesus Christ, Treasure of the Good, grant me complete repentance, and a heart laboring to seek Yours, grant me grace Yours, and renew in me the eyes of Your image. Forsaken Thee, do not forsake me, go out to seek me, lead me to Thy pasture, and number me among the sheep of Thy chosen flock, educate me with them from the grain of Thy Divine mysteries, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints, amen.
According to the 20th Kathisma
Lord Jesus Christ my God, have mercy on me, a sinner, and forgive me, Thy unworthy servant, for those who have sinned throughout my whole life, and even to this day, and even if I have sinned like a man, my voluntary and involuntary sins, in deed and word, I think with my mind and thoughts, with admiration and inattention, and much of my laziness and negligence. If I have sworn by Your name, or have sworn falsely, or have blasphemed my thoughts, or have reproached anyone, or slandered, or been saddened, or in wicked anger, or stolen, or committed fornication, or lied, or secretly poisoned, or a friend approached me and despised him, or my brother who was insulted and bitter, or who stood by me in prayer and psalmody, my wicked mind went around the crafty one, or I enjoyed myself more than foolishly, or I laughed madly, or I spoke blasphemously, or I was vain, or proud, or I saw vain kindness and was deceived by it. , or ridiculous mocked me. If I was negligent in my prayers, or did not keep the commandments of my spiritual father, or idle talk, or did other evil things, I remember all these deeds, which I remember below. Have mercy, O Lord, and forgive me everything, so that I may sleep and rest in peace, singing, blessing, and glorifying Thee, with Thy Beginning Father and with Thy Most Holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
On the commemoration of the dead according to the statutes of the Orthodox Church
Preparing for demise
The Orthodox Church guides each of its members to the afterlife with the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion. In case of mortal danger, first of all, care should be taken to invite a priest to the sick person to perform these Sacraments, so as not to appear before God unprepared and uncleaned. During serious illnesses, the Holy Church calls on her children to also resort to the Sacrament of Anointing, in which, when anointing the body with oil, the grace of God is invoked on the sick person, healing from illnesses and remission of sins is asked. Therefore, this Sacrament must be performed during the intensification of the illness, with the faith that the days of a person’s earthly life will be extended for repentance and correction.
When the soul is separated from the body and moves into the spiritual world, it especially needs our prayerful help. To facilitate the very last minutes of a Christian’s earthly life, special canons are read on the exodus of the soul from the body: to the Lord our God Jesus Christ and the Most Pure Mother of God and the canon “when a person suffers for a long time.” The canons are filled with great repentance and prayers for God’s mercy to those departing to another world. In the absence of a priest, both canons on the outcome of the soul can and should be read at the bedside of a dying person by a layman. In our publication, according to the instructions of St. Athanasius (Sakharov), they are combined into one Follow-up for the separation of the soul from the body of every true believer
(see:
Afanasy Sakharov
, bishop. On the commemoration of the departed according to the charter of the Orthodox Church. - St. Petersburg: Satis, 1999. P. 137).
The canons on the outcome of the soul do not have to be read directly next to the dying person. If a person dies in a hospital, the canons can be read at home. The main thing is to help the soul in these most difficult moments for it. If a Christian gives up the ghost while reading the canons, then they are finished reading with the funeral refrain: “Rest, O Lord, to the soul of Thy departed servant...”. And after the 9th song they end with the End of the funeral canons.
Upon the departure of the soul from the body, they begin to read the Canon about the deceased
(p. 361). If a person died not at home, read the canon upon receiving news of his death.
Funeral reading of the Psalter
Reading the Psalter can begin immediately after death and not necessarily directly above the coffin. The custom of singing psalms at the tomb of the deceased came from deep early Christian antiquity. This is both the strongest help from the living to the soul of the deceased, who is going through terrible ordeals in the first days, and consolation for grieving loved ones.
Reading the Psalter before burial differs from reading it later during home prayer. It is performed according to a special rite, it is advisable not to interrupt it either day or night. It is necessary to read the entire Psalter over the tomb at least once. At the same time, only the newly deceased are commemorated; other deceased should not be commemorated.
Prayers for the departed on Bright Week
If a person died on Bright Week (from the day of Holy Easter to Saturday of Bright Week inclusive), then instead of the funeral service the Easter Canon
. In all cases when the Litia is supposed to be read, the Easter stichera are sung: “May God rise ...” and “Holy Easter ...”, that is, at the position in the coffin, at the removal of the body from the house and before and after burial in the cemetery.
Instead of the Psalter on Bright Week, according to tradition, the Acts of the Holy Apostles are read. They begin the reading with the words: “Through the prayers of the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, have mercy on us, Amen,” after reading: “To our God be glory always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.”
Reading the Acts of the Holy Apostles contains both prayer for the deceased and consolation to relatives. The pagans have a custom of mourning, hysterical sobs and screams, tearing their clothes. We, Christians, believe that life does not end with death, that the death of the body is not the death of the soul, that the soul is immortal. Therefore, we must accompany the soul of the one who has left us in quiet prayer.
Burial
During burial, the coffin with the body of the deceased is taken out of the house, transferred to the temple and from the temple to the grave while the “Trisagion” is chanted. On Bright Week, the deceased is seen off to the singing of “Christ is risen from the dead...”. A cross or icon is carried in front. In some villages, the custom of a funeral procession with a cross and banners is still preserved. An orchestra is inappropriate at the funeral of Orthodox Christians.
Days of Remembrance of the Dead
The first forty days after death are dedicated to intense prayers for the deceased; all these days he is referred to in prayers as the newly deceased. A special commemoration is made on the third day - in remembrance that our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead “on the third day according to Scripture.” On the ninth day, we pray that through the intercession and prayers of the nine angelic orders, the soul of the deceased will be pardoned. And on the fortieth day - in memory of the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven on the fortieth day after His Resurrection. There is also a pious custom to perform a special commemoration on the twentieth day after death and six months later.
The main days of remembrance of the deceased are anniversaries of death, as well as namesake days. Commemoration is also obligatory on Ecumenical Parental Saturdays: Meat (the week before Lent), Trinity (before the Holy Trinity Day), as well as on Parental Saturdays of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of Lent, on Radonitsa and Dimitrievskaya Saturday. On Ecumenical Parental Saturdays, the Church especially prays for those who died a sudden death, for those pious Christians who, having passed into another world in a foreign land, from hunger and disease, at sea, in a fire, from troubles and misfortunes, “did not receive the legalized psalms and songs of memory " Radonitsa is the first commemoration of the dead after Holy Easter, on the 10th day, Tuesday of St. Thomas Week. Dimitrievskaya Saturday was established by the holy noble prince Dimitri Donskoy in memory of the soldiers who fell on the Kulikovo field. Subsequently, all Orthodox Christians began to be commemorated on this day.
In addition, all Saturdays of the year on which holidays do not fall are dedicated to the remembrance of the dead, because Saturday is a day of rest, “the seventh day... which the Lord blessed of old... rest from work” (Gen. 2:3). And because our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, on this day “dwelt among the departed” (according to the words of St. Philaret of Moscow).
Church commemoration of the dead
The Holy Fathers of the Church teach that the most powerful and effective means for the departed to ask for God’s mercy is the Liturgy for the dead. Saint John Chrysostom said that “it was not in vain that the apostles legitimized the remembrance of the departed before the Terrible Mysteries: the apostles knew that this would be of great benefit to the departed, a great deed.” It is necessary, in the coming days after his death, to order a magpie in the church, that is, a commemoration at forty Liturgies: the Bloodless Sacrifice is offered forty times for the deceased, a particle is taken from the prosphora and immersed in the Blood of Christ with a prayer for the remission of sins of the newly deceased. This is the most necessary thing that can be done for the soul of the deceased.
During Great Lent, full Liturgies are served only on Saturdays and Sundays, so the magpie is usually ordered with St. Thomas week.
After forty days, an annual commemoration should be ordered and then renewed every year. You can also order a longer-term commemoration in monasteries - eternal, that is, while the monastery stands. There is a pious custom to order commemoration in several monasteries or churches. It is good to remember the deceased at the “unceasing” Psalter, that is, with the continuous reading of the Psalter, day or night.
On all days of remembrance of the deceased, it is necessary to submit notes about their repose and order memorial services in the temple. Commemoration is performed at every Liturgy.
Home prayers for the dead
The Holy Church considers prayer for the departed to be a necessary part of not only church services, but also household rules.
Of course, the main thing is the church commemoration of the dead, together with the pastors. But “we won’t blame everything on the priest.” We must work hard ourselves, in our home prayer. This is our duty to the departed, proof of our love for them. All the more necessary is home prayer on the days of remembrance of the dead, if it was impossible to remember them in church.
On the third, ninth, fortieth days and anniversaries (where customary, also on the twentieth day and half a year), the memory of the deceased should be honored by reading a Panikhida
.
During all forty days after death - a time of special commemoration, when the fate of the soul of the deceased is decided - the Canon about the deceased
.
All these sequences can be read both at home and in the cemetery.
On other days you can read or requiem
, or separately
Canons about the deceased, the deceased
.
They also remember the departed in the Psalter and read the memorial in morning (and, if desired, evening) prayers. the Canons about the deceased
for all your relatives .
We also publish the Canon of the Dead
, which takes place in the church only twice a year - on Meat and Trinity Ecumenical Parental Saturdays. But in home prayer you can read it at any other time - if you wish and are able, with the blessing of your confessor. This is the commemoration of all Orthodox Christians who have died from time immemorial.
There is a pious custom - once a year, remember all your relatives both in home prayer and at a memorial meal. You can choose for this either the day of remembrance of one of your relatives, or simply some convenient day for commemoration, when, according to the Charter, home funeral prayer is allowed, that is, not on holidays or Sundays.
It should be especially noted that you should definitely consult with a priest, and most importantly, with your spiritual father, about the composition and limits of your home prayer.
Funeral meal
The commemoration of the dead is usually accompanied by a funeral meal. If everyone present had previously attended a memorial service in the temple, then after the usual prayers before eating food, you can begin the meal. If many were unable to attend the memorial service in the church, then before the meal you should read either the Memorial Service
, or
the Canon of the Deceased
, whichever is possible.
The meal itself begins with eating kutia. According to custom, in Central Russia it is customary to serve pancakes and jelly at funerals. At the end of the meal, the funeral litia
.
It is unacceptable to place food or drinks on the table or even under icons as if for the dead. This is a pagan custom.
If the funeral meal is served on a fast day, then the table should be fast.
The Apostolic Rules prohibit the consumption of wine and other alcoholic beverages at funeral dinners. According to the words of St. John Chrysostom, the one who remembers the deceased by drinking wine does not intercede for deliverance from the torment of the soul of the deceased, but for the increase of the fire of hell for him.
A funeral meal is our almsgiving in memory of the deceased. The food at the funeral meal is supposed to be eaten in silence, making a prayer in the mind for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
When commemoration is not performed
According to the Church Charter, home funeral prayers and memorial meals are not performed on all Sundays, twelfths and great holidays, on Bright (Easter) Week, on Lazarus Saturday, Mid-Pentecost, Easter, on the last three days of Holy Week, as well as on the second Day of the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany, Holy Trinity.
On holidays and Sundays, an Orthodox Christian must be in church for the Liturgy and submit a note of repose at the proskomedia, and postpone the memorial meal to another day. On Christmas Eve and all Christmastide, you can pray for the departed at home, but you should not have funeral meals. If a person dies during Lent, all commemorations are transferred to Saturdays. The Typikon says that the third day is commemorated on the coming Saturday, and on the following Saturday the ninth day is celebrated, regardless of the count, since there are no funeral meals on weekdays during Great Lent.
The memory of the fortieth day, according to the Charter, should not be transferred, therefore, on the fortieth day it is necessary to hold a service in the temple, read the Panikhida at home, but there should not be any large gatherings, unless you can remember in a narrow circle of relatives, without, of course, breaking the fast . Everyone can gather for the sake of remembrance again next Saturday. The same must be done when the fortieth day falls on a holiday or Sunday.
During the first three days of Holy Week, a funeral litany is served in the church. You can pray for the departed at home. But starting from Vespers on Holy Thursday we stand before the Passion of Christ and the Holy Sepulcher - everything else falls silent.
If the ninth and fortieth days or anniversary fall on Bright Week, then notes can be submitted, but prayers for the deceased and memorial meals are not performed. After the burial on Bright Week, the dinner should not have the character of a funeral - neither kutia nor pancakes are served at the meal. All commemorations from Holy and Holy Weeks are transferred to Radonitsa. On Christmas Day and on the day of Holy Easter, burials are not even performed.
Prayers for those who died without repentance
Nowadays, many people, even being baptized, do not go to church, do not confess, do not partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, or do this extremely rarely. For them, as well as for all those who died suddenly and did not have time to properly prepare for their death, the Canon is read to St. Paisius the Great
. This saint, who worked all his life in monastic deeds, did not want to have any reward for them, only so that the soul of one young sinner would be spared from punishment. And the Lord mercifully accepted the vigils and tears of His servant and gave him special grace to intercede for those who died without repentance.
For whom the Church does not pray
The Orthodox Church does not perform funeral services and does not offer prayers for people who consciously rejected God and the Church, who fell away from Orthodoxy into schisms, heresies and sects, who were excommunicated from the Church, who were involved in the occult, magic, extrasensory perception, etc., as well as for those who deliberately committed suicide who took their own lives.
If the person who took his own life was mentally ill or was driven to suicide by bullying and oppression (for example, in the army or in prison), as well as in all dubious circumstances, it is necessary to obtain the blessing of the ruling bishop for the funeral and commemoration.
How to pray for the unbaptized and people of other faiths
Also, they do not perform funeral services or commemorate those who never belonged to the Orthodox Church: Catholics, Protestants, non-Christians and all those who died unbaptized. Church-wide prayer cannot be performed for their souls. But close relatives in home prayer can read the Canon to the Martyr Uar
who has grace from God to intercede for the dead who have not been worthy of Holy Baptism. (The names of those who died unbaptized are not mentioned.) From the life of the holy martyr Huar, it is known that through his intercession he delivered from eternal torment the relatives of the pious Cleopatra, who revered him, who were pagans.
The question often arises about the posthumous fate and commemoration of babies who died unbaptized or were killed in the womb of their mother. The life of St. Basil the New speaks of the revelation of God given to the saint’s disciple that unbaptized or innocently lost babies, although they cannot fully inherit eternal bliss, will be delivered from eternal torment. The Canon to the Martyr Uar is also read for them, for even if the pagans receive relief, then all the more do they deserve God’s mercy for the souls of these unfortunate babies.
On the benefits of prayers for the dead
“Whoever prays for the dead intercedes for himself life and salvation,” says St. John Chrysostom. – Prayers are not in vain, alms are not in vain: the Holy Spirit established all this, wanting us to benefit from each other, for the charity of the living in memory of the dead saves both. If the deceased is a sinner, then with our loving care we can help him a lot, and from a place of darkness and sorrow we can transfer him to the bright world of boundless happiness, and if the deceased is righteous, then he himself, being before the Throne of God, will respond to our love with a fervent prayer for our soul still in earthly life.”
Taking care of the salvation of the souls of the departed, praying for them to the Lord God, so that He will forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, is the sacred duty of every son of the Orthodox Church. Christian love, by which we are all united in our Lord, prompts us to pray for the departed. This love unites us here on earth. It does not end with the transition to eternal life. After all, love, according to the words of the Apostle Paul, “never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8). The departed are our neighbors whom God calls us to love as ourselves. After all, the Lord did not command us to love our neighbors only while they live on earth. The Lord wants this love to go beyond the grave. Through remembrance and prayer we prove our enduring love for our dear departed.
Options for praying according to the Psalter for the repose
In certain cases, based on especially zealous remembrance for the deceased, there is a tradition of reading only one kathisma, which most determines the life credo of the deceased.
The chosen kathisma is exclusive and magnificent not only in its content, but also in its vivid interpretation and language - this is the seventeenth kathisma. It is the brightest and longest in the Psalter. The reader of this chapter has a real chance, albeit in a rather brief summary, to remember the dear deceased and work for him (bringing to the Almighty not only a word, but also a deed), and by praying himself, he will gain great support for his soul.
How to learn to understand the psalms?
A popular question that concerns many believers: how to understand the Psalter, especially if you read it in Church Slavonic? Usually the answers of priests and theologians are somewhat different.
- Someone advises to still read the Psalter for the dead and about health, even if you don’t understand. The main argument: you don’t understand, but the evil spirits understand everything and run away. Over time, the one who prays earnestly will also begin to understand. God reveals.
- Others recommend using translations into Russian, writing out individual words, and using a dictionary from Church Slavonic to translate them into Russian. It is best to read historical information about the writing of each hymn and use the interpretations of the holy fathers and theologians.
You can find such explanations both in the church store and on useful Christian sites. Also, in order to understand the meaning of the hymns, one must study the Holy Scriptures. What David experienced before he wrote Psalm 50 is described in the Second Book of Samuel.
Priest Konstantin Parkhomenko gives recommendations for those who want to read the Psalter for the Dead:
Prayer for the deceased up to 40 days
Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the eternal life of Your departed servant, our brother (name), and as Good and Lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him eternal torment and fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal good things, prepared for those who love You: even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Your glorified God in the Trinity, Faith, and Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to him, and faith, even in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as You give generous rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Why do they read the Psalter?
It is believed that reading the Psalter can really help the deceased. On the way to the heavenly homeland, the soul encounters obstacles - various spirits who fight for the right to dispose of the soul on equal terms with the Lord.
About the author About the book
- Prayer for the deceased up to 40 days - text;
- Funeral prayers - which ones to read on days 9 and 40, see here;
- How to properly remember the deceased on the anniversary of death -.
