One day our loved ones will be gone, they will die. Unfortunately, this is the end of every person’s life, and it cannot be changed. What changes in relation to the dead? We grieve, but love does not disappear after death. We are left with bright memories and a new meaning in existence appears. If we brought prayers for loved ones during life, then why should we stop doing this? When they were nearby, prayers were an expression of love, after death we must continue to turn to the Lord, this has a special meaning.
Is it necessary to pray for the deceased?
The word “deceased” indicates that Christians believe in resurrection and eternal life. Death is not considered the final point or departure into oblivion. In the early Christian times, those who could not believe in existence after death were called the dead. Special territories were built for them – Necropolises. Later, cemeteries began to be created. The term “cemetery” is of Greek origin, translated from this language “kima” means “to sleep”.
We sincerely believe that those who have completed their earthly purpose fell asleep in the hope of resurrection. They have passed into the next order of existence. Faith helps to pass earthly trials with dignity. A special interconnectedness remains between the parishioners of the church, built by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, as well as the power of Baptism. The Church carries out a mission of love, which consists in praying for the dead and hoping that on the feast of the General Resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ will carry out a merciful judgment.
Components of the church community
Prayer for the deceased is one of the options for mercy for the soul of a neighbor. The deceased are also considered to be involved in the church community, which is conventionally divided into the following parts:
– the saints in heaven – they have already achieved eternal bliss and look at God up close;
– ordinary people making their way to their heavenly homeland;
– the deceased who fell asleep with the hope of resurrection and continue to remain in the Church of Christ.
They need the help of the living, because prayer for the deceased is an integral part of the Christian faith. After repose, the path of purification begins. Prayer helps to quickly pass it and achieve eternal happiness.
In our prayers, we ask for forgiveness of the sins of our loved ones, voluntary and involuntary. We pray for repose where there is no suffering, sorrow, sighing, and there is eternal bliss. The deceased cannot demand anything except sincere words of prayer. They are not able to help themselves, because the time when a person can improve is fixed at the moment of departure into eternity.
Prayers and visiting the cemetery
A common ceremony for Christians is a funeral feast. This custom dates back to pre-Christian times. People were confident that the spiritual essence could return to its final resting place, so they visited graves and brought various foods. The current procedure has undergone a number of changes, but relatives regularly visit the burial sites of the deceased, paying tribute to their memory and respect. The main purpose is to pray for the deceased. It is important to ask God for peace for loved ones. There is another reason, a psychological one. Certain days of gathering for relatives bring invaluable help and shared experiences.
Prayers for Remembrance
The main Orthodox service during which the deceased are commemorated in the church is the Liturgy. After it, you need to light candles for the repose of the soul; there is a special area to the left of the icon of Christ for this. The priest will pronounce the names of the deceased for whom the prayer is held in the church. To add someone to the list of loved ones, you need to write a note about the repose of the soul. Not only special texts are used for commemoration, but also traditional ones. The prayer “Eternal Memory” is a hope that the Lord will take into account sincere words and will remember our loved ones – relatives, friends.
Prayer for Eternal Rest
O Lord, grant eternal rest to the souls of the faithful departed. May Your perpetual light shine upon them, and may they rest in peace. Through the mercy of God, may they find everlasting joy in Your presence. Amen.
Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great
Eternal Father, I offer You the most precious blood of Your Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory. Look upon them with compassion, and through Your infinite mercy, draw them into Your eternal kingdom. Amen.
Prayer to the Virgin Mary for the Departed
O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, intercede for the souls in purgatory. With your maternal love, present them before the throne of Divine Justice, that they may be purified and welcomed into the everlasting light of Heaven. Through your prayers, may they know the fullness of God’s love. Amen.
Litany for the Faithful Departed
Lord, have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed. Christ, have mercy on them. Holy Mary, pray for them. St. Joseph, intercede for them. All the angels and saints, surround them with your prayers, that they may find eternal rest in God’s embrace. Amen.
Final Prayer of Hope
Merciful Father, we entrust our loved ones to Your infinite kindness. May they dwell forever in the light of Your countenance. Grant us, too, the grace to live in holiness, so that, when our time comes, we may join them in the eternal joy of Heaven. Amen.
