Signs after the funeral and during them have been observed for more than one hundred years. It is believed that a neglectful attitude towards them can threaten with unpleasant consequences, up to inflicting damage on oneself.

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Signs after the funeral, before and during the burial

There are many signs that prescribe the relatives of the deceased and everyone else who came to see him off. last way how to behave at a funeral, and what not to do. Some of them were lost in the past and have not survived to this day, but many of the signs associated with the funeral are observed to this day.

Failure to comply with most superstitions and signs threatens with serious consequences - from illness to death. The energy of death is very heavy, and it does not forgive mistakes. Therefore, try to remember and observe signs during the funeral.

In the past, everyone knew and observed. Modern people think little about how to properly organize the burial and what to do in general. It is difficult to find a representative of today's youth who would have such knowledge, so older people usually follow what happens during the burial. But this does not mean that you do not need to learn from this experience.

Funeral superstitions - in the home

Even during the existence of numerous ritual offices, a large part of the organizational issues lies with the relatives of the deceased person. There are many points to be taken into account.

The dead cannot be left alone, not only in the house, but even in the room. Someone must always be near the coffin. There are many reasons for this. Items associated with the deceased have a greater magical power. Sometimes they are sought to be stolen by those who need these things for rituals. Care must be taken not to let this fall into the wrong hands. The church believes that the soul of the deceased needs prayer support, so you need to read the psalms and. Besides, leaving unattended is disrespectful.

There is another reason for this. The eyes of the deceased may open, and the one on whom his gaze falls will soon die. In order to prevent this, there should be someone near the coffin who will close the eyes of the dead if they open.

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Immediately after death, all mirror surfaces should be hung with an opaque cloth. This is necessary so that the soul of the deceased does not fall into the mirror world instead of the afterlife. For forty days they do not open mirrors, because all this time the spirit is in its native places.

The piece of furniture on which the coffin stood should be turned upside down when it is taken to the cemetery. You can put it back only after a day has passed. If you ignore such a sign, the deceased may return in the form of a spirit. To prevent accumulation negative energy death, an ax should be put in place of the coffin.

Photographs to the deceased are not placed in any case, otherwise those depicted on it will die. So you can damage and kill the enemy from the world. However, this does not apply to photographs of the deceased (for example, the parents of the deceased).

The water used to wash the deceased is poured out in deserted places. So you will not allow it to be used in magic, because such water is not used for good deeds. Everything that was connected with the dead - a comb, soap used for washing, tourniquets, for tying hands and similar things - is placed in the coffin. They use such things only to induce damage.

When the legs of the deceased are warm until the very burial, this is a harbinger of the imminent death of someone living in the house. To avoid this, the dead man should be appeased by putting bread and salt in the coffin.

As long as there is a deceased in the housing, you can’t sweep it away, so you can “sweep out” everyone who lives here in the cemetery. But when they take him away to bury, there should be a person who will sweep and wash the floor in order to drive death out of the house. Tools for such cleaning are immediately taken out of the room and thrown away somewhere, they cannot be stored and used.

Be sure to leave a new handkerchief in the coffin so that the deceased has something to wipe sweat during the trial. Glasses, prostheses and similar things also put inside the coffin - personal items must go to another world with the owner.

If a funeral is taking place near you, and one of your family members is sleeping, be sure to wake it up, because the soul of the deceased can get into a sleeping person. Not all the dead calmly accept that they no longer live, and try to stay in the world of the living. You should especially worry about children and keep them awake during the funeral. And if your child is eating at this time, put water under the cradle.

Dogs and cats are not allowed in the room where the coffin is located. They can disturb his spirit. Jumped into the coffin. Howls and meows frighten the dead.

Near the threshold of the house with the deceased, spruce branches are placed so that relatives and friends who came to honor the memory do not take death to their home.

You can not sleep in a room with the deceased. If this happens, in the morning you need to eat noodles for breakfast.

Only widows wash the dead. Wash and dress in clean clothes before the body cools down. But after such a lesson, you can do a ceremony so that your hands never freeze. To do this, a small fire is lit from the chips and other wooden remains from which the coffin was made, and all participants in the washing warm their hands over it.

Why you can't look through the window at a funeral

If a funeral is taking place near you, you can’t look out the window, otherwise you will follow. There is such a sign, but few people know for sure why it is impossible to look through the window at the funeral. It is believed that for some time the soul of the deceased is next to the body, which, as you know, is in the coffin during the funeral. She feels discomfort from staring at her through the window pane, and even if a good and gentle person is buried in every sense, his spirit can avenge such impoliteness.

It is known how the spirit of the deceased can take revenge - drag it with it to the world of the dead. Old people say that if you look out the window at a funeral or a dead person in general, you can get seriously ill. This disease can be fatal. This belief is especially true for children, energy protection which are weaker than in adults. The vengeful spirit will be able to cope with the child much faster.

If a glance at the deceased was accidental, which is not at all uncommon, in the old days they immediately looked away and made the sign of the cross three times, and also mentally wished the Kingdom of Heaven to the deceased and prayed for his soul. If you have a desire to look at the funeral procession, you need to go out the door of the apartment or the gate and look from the street. Many have such a desire, and there is nothing wrong in sympathy even with a stranger.

Bad omens at funerals - on the street and in the cemetery

Under no circumstances should you cross the path of the funeral procession. As a rule, those who do not comply with this rule are in for a serious illness. It's hard to let that happen.

Some believe that if you cross the road of the funeral procession, you can die for the same reasons for which the one who was buried died.

If the grave is dug too large sizes, it can threaten the death of another family member. A similar meaning is attached to the coffin lid forgotten in the house. This should not be allowed.

You can not carry the coffin to relatives. This should be done by friends, colleagues, neighbors or people from the ritual agency - anyone but relatives. Otherwise, the deceased can take them with him. The people who carry the coffin must tie a new towel around their hand.

Have you ever wondered why everyone who came to the funeral throws a handful of earth on the coffin? So that the ghost could not come at night.

Close the lid of the coffin is possible only in the cemetery. If this is done at home, death will come to the family of the deceased and to those who board up the coffin.

When the coffin is carried out, you can’t look into the windows - it doesn’t matter if it’s your own or someone else’s, otherwise you will attract death to this house. In order for none of the relatives of the deceased to die soon, they do not turn back.

You can not go in front of the coffin - this is to death.

If, when digging a grave, they stumble upon what is left of the old one - bones, for example, this portends the deceased good life in the next world and means that his spirit will not disturb the living.

Before the coffin is lowered into the ground, coins are thrown there to buy a place in the next world.

Signs and superstitions at the funeral - after burial

During the commemoration, as a rule, they put a photo of the deceased, and next to it - a glass of vodka (sometimes with water) and a piece of bread. Anyone who drinks this vodka or eats the dead man's bread will fall ill and die. Even animals are not allowed.

After you return from the funeral, be sure to warm your hands with live fire or wash them in hot water. This is how you protect yourself from early death. Many instead touch the stove or light candles to burn whatever they can get at the funeral.

You can’t cry too much for the dead, otherwise he will drown in your tears in the next world.

Every person has favorite places. Leave water there, because the soul is among the living for some time, and from time to time it needs water. Let it stand for forty days, top up from time to time. The relatives of the deceased cannot drink the same amount, and the lamp should also burn.

You should leave the cemetery without looking back. On the way out, wipe your feet.

The image that stood in front of the deceased must be floated on the water. They go to the river and put it on the water to float. You can’t store it, throw it away too, water - the only way get rid of the icon so that it does not bring trouble. In all other cases, take the icons to the church, they will decide what to do with them.

If extra burial items have been purchased, they are placed in a coffin or left in a cemetery. You can carry it away later if you missed this moment. You can not count the number of wreaths and ribbons for them, but they will remain in the cemetery in any case.

The funeral of a person is a rite of burial of the deceased, symbolizing farewell and the end of earthly life and the beginning of a new, eternal one. The entire funeral ritual among the Slavs has both Christian and pagan roots, closely intertwined and no longer separable due to centuries-old foundations.

Orthodox funerals in Russia, perhaps, most fully combined pre-Christian burial traditions and religious rules and burial procedures, traditions after the funeral.

This is due to the relative tolerance of Orthodoxy towards pagan survivals, the presence of many social and historical features in various parts of the country.

Tradition, burial of the deceased in every culture and religion is accompanied by a certain ceremony and rituals. The mysterious and mystical transition from the realm of the living to the realm of the dead is beyond the scope of human understanding, so people, depending on the religious worldview, historical and cultural features, have developed a whole system of rules and traditions for funerals. They should help the deceased to get used to the new world - after all, the vast majority of religions and beliefs proceed from the fact that death means only the end of the earthly period of existence.

The ritual ceremony is performed primarily to help the deceased, although at present many mistakenly consider the observed customs of burial and commemoration as a desire to support loved ones and relatives, share the bitterness of loss with them, and show a sense of respect for the deceased.

Stages of the funeral, Orthodox funeral traditions in Russia include the following main events and rituals, which together represent a sequential burial procedure;

Preparation;
wires;
funeral service;
burial;
remembrance.

Everyone has to bury loved ones. It is important to observe the funeral ritual. Russian Orthodox traditions have long been established (including those not currently used or used in remote areas by the Orthodox). There is a mandatory minimum that a person involved in the burial procedure needs to know.

An Orthodox person should know the minimum necessary for the proper construction of a funeral.

Such information is especially important for believers. Many people come to God in adulthood and do not know some customs, attaching importance to superstitions that are not related to religion and, thereby, not helping the soul of the deceased to enter the afterlife. For non-believers, the observance of traditions is important out of a sense of respect for the deceased and those who gathered to see him off.

Preparation for burial

Preparation is the pre-burial stage of the funeral, which includes several component ritual events. When preparing the body for burial, some pagan customs are also observed. Death in Christianity is seen as the beginning of the road to new life, so the deceased must be prepared and collected for the road. The preparation of the body of the deceased for the unearthly path has both a religious and mystical content, and a sanitary and hygienic component.

body washing

The deceased must appear before the Creator clean both spiritually and bodily.

The mystical component of the rite is that the body was to be washed by certain people - the washers.

They could not be closely related to the deceased, so that tears would not fall on the body. Mourning for the deceased is not compatible with the Christian understanding of death as a transition to eternal life and a meeting with God. There is a belief that a mother's tear burns a dead child. The washers were chosen from among the old virgins and widows who are clean and do not commit bodily sins. For work, linen and clothes of the deceased relied as a reward.

The body was washed on the floor at the threshold of the house, the deceased was located with his feet to the stove. used warm water, comb and soap. It was believed that otherworldly dead forces pass to the things used when washing, so it was necessary to get rid of them as soon as possible. Pots containing water for washing, combs, soap residues were thrown into the ravine, carried out to the crossroads, beyond the field. The used water was considered dead and poured out in the far corner of the yard, where people did not go and nothing landed.

All these traditions are a reflection of the mystical component of the pagan understanding of death and fear of the other world.

Compliance with such rituals was necessary so that the dead would not come from the other world and take their loved ones with them. The Christian meaning lies in the need to purify before God not only spiritual, but also bodily. Modern washing in the morgue has a purely sanitary and hygienic content.

Deceased's vestments

Now it is traditional to dress the deceased man in a dark suit and white shirt, women in light colors. However, in the era Ancient Rus' and in the Middle Ages everyone was buried in white. This tradition combined both Christian ideas about the purity of the soul and the traditional white robes adopted in Rus'.

Traditionally, the deceased is dressed in white.

Chosen for burial best clothes of the deceased, special funeral sets or new suits and dresses are often purchased, which also symbolizes the purity of a person before God. Feet are shod in white slippers without hard soles - a familiar symbol of funeral accessories. It is forbidden to use clothes of relatives or other people. The head of women is covered with a scarf, which is combined with Christian and cultural traditions, a wreath is put on a man with a prayer.

Separate traditions are observed in relation to deceased young girls and boys who did not have time to marry.

Death young man is always an exceptional event. Premature death at the most active age causes particular regret and sadness. Unmarried girls, both in the old days and now, are buried in white, and often in wedding dresses, put a veil in the coffin. The funeral of the bride may be accompanied by some wedding customs - drinking champagne, singing wedding songs.

For dead young people who did not have time to marry, they put on the ring finger of their right hand wedding rings. The dressing of young people takes place in the same way as in preparation for the wedding ceremony. Similar traditions exist not only in the Orthodox world.

Position in the coffin

After washing and dressing, the deceased is placed on a bench facing the icons, spreading straw or something soft. Silence must be observed in the house, telephones, audio-video equipment must be turned off. Mirrors, glass surfaces other than windows (cabinet and sideboard doors, interior doors etc.) must be covered with white paper or cloth, photographs and paintings removed or hung up.

The coffin (the obsolete name domina - from the word "house") is considered as the last earthly refuge of a person. This element is given much attention in the funeral procedure.

In ancient times, coffins could be made whole from a tree trunk. In its usual form, this ritual object is made of boards, modern materials (chipboard, plastic, etc.), metals can only be used for decoration and decoration (zinc coffins are an exception in certain cases). For the manufacture of any type of wood except aspen can be used. Inside the coffin is lined with soft material. Expensive coffins can be polished, trimmed valuable materials and upholstered with a soft covering. The body is placed on a white cover - a sheet or cloth. A small pillow is placed under the head. A prepared coffin can be regarded as an imitation of a bed, the deceased is laid down in such a way that it is “comfortable”. Sometimes women during their lifetime prepare a pillow for themselves in the coffin, stuffed with their own hair.

The coffin in the Christian tradition is an imitation of a bed

The baptized are buried with pectoral cross. An icon is placed in the coffin, a chaplet on the forehead and “manuscript” - a written or printed prayer that absolves sins. It is put into the right hand of the deceased, A candle is placed on the chest in crossed arms. The deceased can put things that he constantly used or especially valued during his lifetime. It has become common to be buried with cell phones.

Previously, mittens were worn to transfer the body to the coffin, the house was constantly fumigated with incense. Until the removal of the coffin, you can not throw garbage out of the house - this custom is observed in our time.

Seeing the deceased

Seeing off the deceased is also a symbiosis of Orthodox rites, mystical beliefs and traditions and takes place in several stages. Currently, modern traditions are closely intertwined with established old customs, which include:

the establishment of a portrait and awards of the deceased at the coffin, their demonstration in the funeral procession;
farewell speeches;
placement of photographs on grave monuments and crosses;
funeral music, singing, fireworks;
condolences through the media, etc.

Farewell to the deceased

The coffin is placed in the room on a table covered with cloth, or on stools with their feet towards the door. The cover is located vertically with a narrow part to the floor in the corridor, often on the landing. For 3 days, the coffin with the body of the deceased must remain in the house.

Relatives, friends, acquaintances and neighbors come to visit the deceased. The doors don't close. At night, relatives and friends should gather around the coffin - say goodbye to the deceased, remember him worldly life, events in which the deceased was a participant.

Earlier in without fail over the coffin, relatives or specially invited persons (not necessarily priests) read the psalter. Now the observance of this tradition is at the discretion of the next of kin. Above the deceased one should read the canon “Following the Exodus of the Soul from the Body”.

If there are images in the house, it is necessary to put a glass of water in front of them, covered with a piece of bread. Water and bread can be placed on the windowsill. It is believed that the soul of the deceased does not immediately leave the earth. The food and drink on display can reflect both pagan sacrifice to the spirit of the deceased, and Christian ideas about the stay of the soul on earth after death for 40 days - a vivid example of the interweaving of pagan and Christian rites. At the head of the coffin, on a table or other elevation, a candle is lit, and a lamp should be lit in front of the images. Candles can be installed in the corners of the domino.

A portrait with a black ribbon is set at the head of the coffin, awards are placed on a pillow at the feet. Wreaths are lined up along the walls of the room, a wreath from relatives is placed at the feet between the coffin and the pillow with awards. People who come to say goodbye usually do not take off their shoes. It is required to stand or sit near the coffin for a while, for a long time or during the night only relatives gather at the deceased. Chairs or benches should be placed along the coffin in the room with the deceased. Farewell is carried out until the removal of the body.

At present, the tradition of a three-day farewell is not observed in megacities and major cities but in small towns and countryside preserved everywhere.

Compliance with the three-day farewell is at the discretion of the relatives and depends on the actual circumstances in which the burial takes place.

Often the body for burial is taken from the mortuary already prepared, the procession immediately goes to the church or to the cemetery. The clergy do not insist on the exact observance of all this does not affect.

Removal of the body and funeral procession

The removal of the body is appointed no earlier than 12 - 13 hours and with the expectation that the burial occurs before sunset. Usually they try to carry out the removal before 14 - 00. They take out the deceased with their feet forward, without touching the threshold and door jambs, which should protect against the return of the dead. There is another special protective rite - replacing the place of the deceased. It is necessary to sit for some time on the table or stools on which the coffin was located, and then turn them upside down for a day.

Removal of the body begins at 12 - 13 hours

Before the removal, those who came to say goodbye and see off on their last journey line up along the route of the procession. Initially, wreaths, a portrait of the deceased, a pillow with orders and medals, and a coffin lid are taken out of the house. After 10-15 minutes, they take out the coffin and carry it to the hearse, relatives go out behind the coffin. In front of the hearse, the coffin is placed on stools for several minutes and left open to give the opportunity to say goodbye to those people who have not been at home and are not going to the funeral service and the cemetery.

In a hearse, the coffin is placed on a special pedestal with the head forward, wreaths are laid.

A specific custom during the removal is the mourning of the deceased, and more often non-relatives or close people mourn. Lamentations over the coffin and tears, according to tradition, should characterize the personality of the deceased. The better the relationship with others and respect from society, the more crying. In the old days, there were special mourners who were specially invited to the ceremony. Folklore has also preserved funeral lamentations - songs-lamentations that were sung in a hoarse howling voice.

The funeral procession from the door of the house to the hearse is built in the following order:

orchestra;
master of ceremonies;
a man carrying a portrait;
people carrying pillows with awards of the deceased;
people with wreaths;
people carrying a coffin lid;
carrying the coffin;
close relatives;
others who say goodbye.

There was an interesting ritual of the first meeting, personifying the unity of earthly and unearthly life. The rite consisted in the fact that the first person met by the procession was given bread, which he wrapped in a towel. The gifted had to pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased. It was assumed that the deceased should be the first to meet in the other world the person who was presented with bread. Along the way, the procession with the coffin scattered grain for the birds. The presence of birds was considered a good sign, sometimes they were identified with the souls of the dead.

According to church canons, the funeral procession could only stop in the church and near the cemetery. Often, traffic slowed down or stopped when passing some places and objects memorable for the deceased or significant: near the house of a recently deceased neighbor or relative, at crossroads, at crosses, etc. As they passed through such places, some of the mourners could be weeded out.

This custom is to some extent combined with the traditions associated with the 40-day stay of the soul of the deceased on earth. During this period, the soul visits the most significant places for a person in earthly life.

The coffin is not allowed to be carried by the next of kin. Most often, porters are either specially invited people, or friends, colleagues and distant relatives. The ceremony of carrying the coffin is very different from the one that existed before. What remains in common is that the farther the coffin is carried on the hands, the more respected position the deceased occupied. On the way to the coffin, fresh flowers are scattered - carnations for the deceased man and roses for women and girls.

funeral service

The deceased is buried on the 3rd day after death, except for the days of Holy Pascha and the Nativity of Christ. The ceremony is performed only once, in contrast to memorial services, which can be served both before burial and repeatedly after. Only baptized people are allowed to perform the funeral service. Those who have renounced the faith or excommunicated from the church, suicides, cannot be reprimanded. In absolutely exceptional cases, the latter can be buried with the blessing of the bishop.

Suicides are not buried in church

To perform the ceremony, the coffin with the deceased is brought into the church and placed with his head to the altar. Those gathered are nearby, holding burning church candles in their hands. The priest proclaims the Eternal Memory and reads a prayer of permissiveness, with which the unfulfilled oaths lying on the deceased and the sins committed by him during his lifetime are released. Permissive prayer does not forgive sins that the deceased did not consciously want to repent of, only those recognized at confession or about which the deceased did not report due to ignorance or forgetfulness can be forgiven.

A leaflet with the words of a prayer is put into the hands of the deceased.

At the end of the prayer, those gathered put out the candles and walk around the coffin, kiss the chaplet on the forehead and the icon on the chest, and ask for forgiveness from the deceased. After the farewell is over, the body is covered with a shroud. The coffin is closed with a lid, after the funeral it can no longer be opened. With the singing of the Trisagion, the deceased is carried out of the temple, the procession moves to the burial place. There is a procedure if it is not possible to deliver the deceased to the temple or invite the clergyman home.

burial

The burial must be completed before sunset. By the time the body is delivered to the burial site, the grave must be ready. If the burial is carried out without a funeral service, the coffin is closed at the dug grave, after giving the audience the opportunity to finally say goodbye to the deceased. Over the open coffin, the last speeches are made, the merits and good deeds of the deceased are remembered. The coffin is lowered into the grave on long towels. Those gathered take turns throwing a handful of earth on the lid of the coffin, the relatives are the first to pass. You can briefly pray to yourself with the words: God rest the soul of your newly-departed servant (name), and forgive him all his sins, free and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven. This prayer is also performed at a memorial dinner before a new dish.

May be accompanied by a number of customs and ritual actions:

Together with the coffin, church candles that burned in the temple during the funeral ceremony are lowered into the grave.
Small coins are thrown into the grave. This custom is interpreted as the purchase by the dead of a place in the cemetery from the "owner" of the underworld or a place in the next world, payment for passage to another world.
After instillation, a tear handkerchief is left on the grave.

These customs have pagan roots, but do not contradict Orthodox canons.

A temporary Orthodox cross or obelisk, another sign with a photograph of the deceased, name and dates of life is installed on the grave hill. A permanent monument can be erected no earlier than on next year after burial. The grave is usually buried by working cemeteries - diggers. After the burial, the custom prescribes to treat the workers with traditional funeral dishes and vodka for the repose of the soul. Leftover food is scattered on the grave to attract birds.

The funeral of military personnel, participants in the war and hostilities, employees of law enforcement agencies is accompanied by a salute from small arms.

In the old days, there was an interesting ritual - hidden alms. For 40 days after the burial, relatives secretly laid out alms for poor neighbors on the windows and on the porch - bread, eggs, pancakes, pieces of canvas, etc. The gifted had to pray for the deceased, while it was believed that they took part of the sins to themselves. The distribution of alms is also associated with the customs of distributing tearful handkerchiefs, pies, and sweets. in some places, new wooden spoons were distributed so that the deceased was remembered every time they ate. Wealthy relatives could make large donations for a new bell (it was believed that the bell could rescue a sinful soul from hell). There was a custom to give a neighbor a rooster so that he would sing for the sins of the deceased.

Remembrance

The funeral ends with a memorial dinner, to which everyone is invited. The commemoration serves not only to remind the deceased, but also personifies the continuation of life. The memorial meal has certain features in the choice and sequence of dishes. The basis, the head of nutrition in Russian traditions was bread, flour products. Wake begins and ends with pancakes or pancakes with honey, kutya. Kutya, depending on local characteristics, is prepared from wheat grains boiled in honey, rice with sugar and raisins.

Meat soup or soup is served on the first course. For the second, porridge (barley, millet) or potatoes with meat are prepared. Separate appetizers can be served with fish, jelly. On fasting days, meat is replaced with fish and mushrooms. A sweet third is required. In accordance with the old traditions, the third should be oatmeal jelly, but nowadays it is being replaced by compote. Can serve as separate snacks Fried fish, jelly. At the wake, they are treated to vodka, women can be offered wine.

Mandatory attribute are pies with meat, cabbage, sweets. Pies are distributed to those present so that they treat them to their household.

Wakes are held on the 9th and 40th day. Day 9 means an appeal to 9 angelic ranks, which act as those asking God for indulgence and pardon for a sinful soul. From the 9th day after the funeral to the 40th, the soul is doomed to wander through the ordeals, representing visits to various places where sins were committed. Angels must help the soul overcome sinful obstacles on the way to another world. The Creator does not initially assign the soul to either hell or heaven. Within 40 days, the deceased atones for his sins, an assessment of the deed good and evil is carried out. The wake is held in the form of a memorial meal. At the time of the commemoration, the house is cleaned in the same way as during the farewell to the deceased within 3 days after death.

Day 40 is the last day of the soul's stay in this world. On this day, the Supreme Court is held, the soul returns for a while to its former home and remains there until the farewell - commemoration. If the farewell is not arranged, the deceased will suffer. On the 40th day, the further extraterrestrial life of a person is determined. There is a custom for 40 days to hang a towel in the corner of the house. The soul, returning home after ordeals, wipes itself with a towel and rests.

Sweet pies are an obligatory dish of the funeral table

Prayer is able to alleviate the fate of a sinful soul in extraterrestrial life, so the relatives of the deceased order a funeral service (mass) in the church with the remembrance of the deceased for 6 weeks after death - magpie. Instead of Mass, you can order a reading of Magpie to a reader who reads the canon for 40 days in the house of the deceased. The names of the dead are recorded in the annual commemoration - synodic.

Mourning for the head of the family is observed for a longer time than for the elderly. Externally, mourning is expressed in wearing dark clothes.

Women wear a black headscarf for 40 days after the funeral. During the period of mourning, they often visit the deceased at the cemetery, go to church, refuse entertainment and celebrations. Longer periods of mourning characterize the severity of the loss. Mothers of dead children and young widows observe mourning for up to a year or more. With regard to deceased elderly parents, spouse in old age, mourning can be reduced to 6 weeks. Men adhere to the mourning form of clothing to participate in funeral rites; on other days, mourning is not outwardly expressed.

Find out why they are buried on the 3rd day after death and what traditions and superstitions are associated with this date. The third day is one of the memorial days, like the ninth, fortieth, year and sometimes six months.

In the article:

Why they bury on the 3rd day after death - funeral traditions

Due to the spiritual relationship between Christ and the human soul, the third day is considered suitable for burial. It is on the third day after death that all connections between the soul and the body are finally cut off. The intangible component of a person goes into Heavenly Kingdom accompanied . The day before and on the day of death, the soul is still in the world of the living. She should not see her funeral - this is a lot of stress for a recently deceased person.

In addition, the third day after death is identified with the Trinity. The third day is always a memorial day. Wake, as a rule, is held after the burial of the human body. Tretiny thus aligned with the day of the funeral. It is impossible to calculate their offensive mathematically by adding three. So, for example, for a person who died on January 18, thirds will not come on January 21, but on January 20.

Priests say that it is impossible to bury before 3 days. The soul is still attached to the body, and it will have nowhere to go if it is buried earlier. Only on the third day will she go to watch the heavens with her angel. The connection between the soul and the dead body cannot be broken; for this, there is a natural process provided by God. In addition, it is far from immediately she can get used to the absence physical body so fast. Usually three days are enough for this.

Burying later, for example, on the 4th or 5th day after death is allowed. The Church does not object to such delays - situations are different. It can be difficult for relatives living far away to get there in a short period of time, it is not always possible to make full preparations for the funeral ceremony - there can be many reasons to postpone the funeral for several days. Wake in this case is also transferred - they are held after the funeral. But prayers and orders for services in the church cannot be cancelled.

The third day after death and its meaning in Christianity

The location of the soul of the deceased and its path in the afterlife is known to Orthodox Christians thanks to revelations Saint Macarius of Alexandria. According to him, the state of souls was recorded from the first to the fortieth day after death. The further path of the deceased depends on the verdict that will be delivered at the Heavenly Court. In addition, many believe in reincarnation, but it has nothing to do with the Orthodox tradition.

So, after death, the soul separates from the body. The day of death is considered the first day after death. Even if a person died a few minutes before midnight, you need to count the days after death from the date that is on the calendar. On the first and second days, his spirit roams the world of the living, accompanied by a guardian angel. He visits his favorite places, looks at dear and close people. According to the Saint, the soul of the deceased also visits the place of death and the coffin with his body.

On the third day after death, the soul ascends to heaven along with the guardian angel. There she sees God for the first time. A visit to his throne for bowing will be made three times - on the third, ninth and fortieth days. After the third day, the soul goes to see Paradise. But this is not forever, the Judgment will take place only on the fortieth day. And before him, each soul will see Hell, and will also pass tests that will indicate its level of spirituality and the degree of sinfulness. They are called ordeals of the soul.

Therefore, three days after death is an important period for both the deceased and his living relatives. At this time, his spirit is preparing for trials, and also looks at Paradise, so that on the ninth day it will again appear to bow to the Lord. What can relatives do to alleviate his plight? Observance of traditions and customs such as commemoration, prayers and church services will help the deceased to gain blessings and go to Paradise.

Why exactly the third day? It is known that Jesus Christ resurrected on the third day after the crucifixion. Similarly, the resurrection of each person takes place, but not in the world of people, but in heaven. The third day after death is called tretiny.

According to the book of Enoch, the entrance to Paradise was closed after the fall of Adam and Eve. The Garden of Eden is guarded by a cherub angel, who was instructed from above not to let anyone through. Everyone, both sinners and the righteous, can only go to hell. The only exception to this rule was Enoch. However, the church does not recognize this source, and in Orthodox tradition it is generally accepted that at least from the third to the ninth day all the dead are in Paradise.

It is generally accepted that any soul can be prayed for. That is why, even if you are sure that your close person was an inveterate sinner, one must continue to pray for his soul, indulgence at the Heavenly Court and admission to Paradise.

Three days after death - how to remember on this day

On the third, as well as on the ninth and fortieth days, be sure to order memorial service. Let the church there is a service for the repose of the soul of the deceased. This will help her pass all the tests of the underworld, as well as get the acquittal at the Heavenly Court. In addition, one should read prayers in the temple and at home, as well as light candles for the repose of the soul. It is advisable to give alms to the poor in the cemetery and near the church.

Wake on the third day usually occurs after the funeral - it is on this day that the bodies of the dead are supposed to be buried. Everyone who attended the funeral is invited to attend. Traditionally, all guests go to commemorate the deceased immediately from the cemetery. If a trip to the church is planned after the funeral, then those invited go to the wake from there.

Before the start of the feast, the prayer "Our Father" is read. Then kutya is served - a traditional ritual dish of wheat or rice with the addition of honey, sugar or jam. On the third day, it is allowed to add raisins to kutya. It is served first, and it should also be the first dish for everyone present. If you do not like kutya, you need to eat at least three spoons.

A memorial meal should not be luxurious, gluttony is a great sin. If the relatives of the deceased indulge in sin, commemorating him, this will reflect in a bad way on his afterlife. Fish dishes, as well as compote or jelly, must be present on the table. Must not be alcoholic beverages, both at the commemoration and at the cemetery as an offering to the deceased.

It is supposed to distribute sweets and pastries to guests, neighbors and strangers after a funeral or commemoration, so that they commemorate the deceased. If food and dishes remain after the funeral meal, they must be distributed to the poor as alms. In any case, it is impossible to throw them away, it is a sin.

In general, sooner or later every person has to face the need to bury relatives and friends. Therefore, anyone will need information on how to properly observe Orthodox traditions regarding memorial days. After the death of a person, his relatives are able to help only in this way. Follow the traditions, pray, order prayers - and, most likely, the soul of your relative will go to Paradise.

Death is perhaps one of the most mysterious and frightening phenomena. It will inevitably affect every person. Even those who are skeptical about ghosts and other unknown things believe in it. Therefore, seeing off a person to another world has long been overgrown with a mass of beliefs and signs. Many of them are explained quite simply - a tribute to a person who has ended his life. The origin of others is mysterious and incomprehensible and is rooted in ancient, already forgotten traditions.

Signs at the funeral. What Not to Do

In the house where the deceased is located, it is supposed to hang all the mirrors. Otherwise, the soul will get lost in them, and the reflection of the deceased will appear alive, frightening them.
You can not stay overnight in the room where the coffin is located. If someone had to do this, in the morning such a person must be fed noodles.
Animals are not allowed in the house with the deceased. A dog can howl, which will frighten the soul of the deceased, and a cat can jump into the coffin, which is a bad omen.
It is impossible to sweep and take out garbage from the dwelling with the deceased - to the death of everyone living in the house. All this is done after the removal of the body.
Coins are placed on the eyes of the deceased - it is believed that if the dead man opens his eyes, he will certainly look out for the one who will soon leave after him.
You can’t put anything someone else’s in the coffin, and you can’t take anything that is already there back.
You can not photograph the deceased and shoot on video.
The coffin is not made to size - another dead man will appear in the house.

Meet the funeral - a sign, interpreted differently. Some say that this portends misfortune, others, on the contrary, consider the funeral procession a sign of happiness in the future, but this day does not bode well. As a sign of respect for the deceased, it is forbidden to cross the street in front of the procession (to the growth on the bones or unfortunately) and go towards. You have to stop and wait. Men should take off their hats. It is also forbidden to overtake the procession by car.

Funeral of a child: signs

The greatest tragedy is when a child dies. Some signs are also associated with the funeral of prematurely departed children:

going to the funeral of a baby, you should buy a toy and sweets or a wreath with a toy;
if the child has not been baptized, it is better to bury him at night, otherwise you can get sick. There is a belief that unbaptized children turn into evil spirits.

Notes related to memorials

It is forbidden to clink glasses at the commemoration - it is believed that this will transfer trouble from one house to another.
You can’t give tables and chairs to the wake - you can invite a funeral to your house.
Returning from the funeral, you need to warm your hands over the stove or a lit candle - it is believed that this will not allow death to be brought into the house.
After the grave is buried, one should drink for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
Returning to the house from where the deceased was taken out, it is necessary to put a glass of water by the window - the soul will drink from it for 40 days.
It is impossible to laugh and sing at the wake - grief will come to the house. You can’t get drunk - children will become alcoholics.

Signs related to the funeral for pregnant women

Many are interested in the question: is it possible for pregnant women to go to the cemetery?

Also available for pregnant women bad omens at the funeral. If possible, it is best to avoid such activities during pregnancy altogether. It is believed that the child may be born sick or dead.

If a woman came to a funeral, she should leave the house before the coffin with the deceased is carried out. It is forbidden to attend the funeral and burial.

It is not allowed to look at the deceased - it is believed that he can pick up not yet born child with myself.

Funeral signs - superstitions, traditions, rituals

What We Do Wrong During a Funeral

A funeral is a place where the spirit of the deceased is present, where the living and the afterlife come into contact. At the funeral, you should be extremely circumspect and careful. No wonder they say that pregnant women should not go to funerals. It is easy to drag an unborn soul into the afterlife.

Funeral.
By Christian rules the deceased should be buried in a coffin. In it, he will rest (be stored) until the next resurrection. The grave of the deceased must be kept clean, respectful and tidy. After all, even the Mother of God was placed in a coffin, and the coffin was left in the grave until the day when the Lord called His Mother to Himself.

The clothes in which a person died should not be given to one's own or to strangers. Basically they burn it. If relatives are against this and want to wash clothes and lay them down, then this is their right. But it should be remembered that these clothes are by no means worn for 40 days.

WARNING: FUNERAL...

The cemetery is one of the dangerous places, this place is often damaged.

And often it happens unconsciously.
Magicians recommend keeping in mind a few practical tips and warnings, then you will be reliably protected

A woman came to a healer and said that after she threw out the bed of the deceased (sister) on the advice of a neighbor, serious problems began in her family. She shouldn't have done that.

If you see the deceased in a coffin, do not automatically touch your body - tumors may appear that will be difficult to cure.

If you meet someone you know at a funeral, greet them with a nod of your head, not a touch or a handshake.

While there is a dead person in the house, you should not wash the floors and sweep them, you can thus call trouble on the whole family.

Some recommend putting needles crosswise on his lips to save the body of the deceased. It won't help save the body. But these needles can fall into bad hands and will be used to induce damage. It is better to put a bunch of sage grass in the coffin.

For candles, you need to use any new candlesticks. It is especially not recommended to use the dishes from which you eat, even used empty canning jars, for funeral candles. It is better to buy new ones, and after using them, get rid of them.

Never put photographs in the coffin. If you follow the advice, “so that he himself is not” and bury a photo of the whole family with the deceased, then soon all the captured relatives run the risk of following the deceased.

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FUNERAL SIGNS AND RITUALS.

Many beliefs and rituals are associated with the death and subsequent burial of the dead. Some of them have survived to this day. But do we suspect their true meaning?
According to Christian custom, the dead man should lie in the grave with his head to the west and his feet to the east. So, according to legend, the body of Christ was buried.
Even in relatively recent times, there was the concept of a "Christian" death. It meant obligatory repentance before death. In addition, cemeteries were arranged at church parishes. That is, only members of this parish could be buried in such a churchyard.

If a person died “without repentance” - for example, he took his own life, became a victim of a murder or an accident, or simply did not belong to a particular parish, then for such deceased it was often established special order burial. For example, in big cities they were buried twice a year, on the feast of the Intercession of the Virgin and on the seventh Thursday after Easter. Special places called Wretched Houses, pitiful, buffaloes, pustules or skulnitsy . There they set up a barn and arranged a huge common grave in it. The bodies of those who died a sudden or violent death were brought here - of course, provided that there was no one who could take care of their burial. And at that time, when there was no telephone, telegraph and other means of communication, the death of a person on the road could mean that relatives would never hear about him again. As for the wanderers, the beggars, the executed, they automatically fell into the category of "clients" of the Wretched Houses. Suicides and robbers were also sent here.
During the reign of Peter the Great, anatomized corpses from hospitals began to be brought to skudelnitsa. By the way, both illegitimate and orphans from the shelters kept at the Wretched Houses were buried there - such was the practice then ... The guard guarded the dead, called "Holy man" .
In Moscow, there were several similar "depositories": for example, at the Church of John the Warrior, on the street, which was called Bozhedomkoy , at the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God on Mogiltsy and at the Intercession Monastery on Wretched Houses. On the appointed days they settled here procession with a dirge. The burial of "those who died without repentance" was carried out at the expense of pilgrims.
Such a nightmarish practice was stopped only at the end of the 18th century, after Moscow was subjected to a plague epidemic and there was a danger of infection spreading through unburied corpses ... Cemeteries appeared in the cities, and the burial order at church parishes was abolished. There were also many customs, signs and rituals, concerning the farewell of the deceased on his last journey. Among the Russian peasants, the deceased was laid on a bench, with his head in "red corner" where the icons hung, they covered it with a white canvas (shroud), folded their hands on their chest, while the dead man had to “hold” a white handkerchief in his right hand. All this was done so that he could appear before God in a proper form. It was believed that if the dead man's eyes remain open, then supposedly this is for the imminent death of one of his relatives. Therefore, they always tried to close the eyes of the dead - in the old days, copper nickels were placed on them for this.
While the body was in the house, a knife was thrown into a tub of water - this allegedly prevented the spirit of the deceased from entering the room. Until the very funeral, they did not lend anything to anyone - not even salt. Windows and doors were kept tightly closed. While the dead man was in the house, pregnant women could not cross his threshold - this could have a bad effect on the child ... It was customary to close the mirrors in the house so that the dead man would not be reflected in them ...
It was supposed to put underwear, a belt, a hat, bast shoes and small coins in the coffin. It was believed that things could be useful to the deceased in the next world, and the money would serve as payment for transportation to the kingdom of the dead ... True, in early XIX V. this custom took on a different meaning. If during the funeral they accidentally dug up a coffin with previously buried remains, then it was supposed to throw money into the grave - a “contribution” for a new “neighbor”. If a child died, they always put a belt on him so that he could collect fruits in his bosom in the Garden of Eden ...
When the coffin was taken out, it was supposed to touch the threshold of the hut and the hallway three times in order to receive a blessing from the deceased. At the same time, some old woman showered the coffin and those accompanying with grains. If the head of the family - the owner or mistress - died, then all the gates and doors in the house were tied with a red thread - so that the household would not leave after the owner.

They buried on the third day, when the soul had to finally fly away from the body. This custom has been preserved even now, as well as the one that orders all those present to throw a handful of earth on the coffin lowered into the grave. The earth is a symbol of purification, in ancient times it was believed that it accepts all the filth that a person has accumulated in his life. In addition, among the pagans, this rite restored the connection of the newly deceased with the whole family.
In Rus', it has long been believed that if during a funeral it will rain, then the soul of the deceased will fly safely to heaven. Like, if the rain cries for the dead, then he was a good man…
Modern commemoration was once called a feast. It was a special ritual designed to facilitate the transition to another world. For the feast, special funeral dishes were prepared. Kutya, which is a steeply boiled rice with raisins. Kutia is supposed to be treated at the cemetery immediately after burial. Russian commemoration also cannot do without pancakes - pagan symbols of the Sun.
And today, during the commemoration, they put on the table a glass of vodka, covered with a crust of bread - for the deceased. There is also a belief: if some food fell from the table at the commemoration, then it cannot be picked up - this is a sin.
On the forties, honey and water were placed in front of the icons - so that the life of the deceased in the next world would be sweeter. Sometimes a arshin-long staircase was baked from wheat flour - to help the deceased ascend to heaven ... Alas, now this custom is no longer observed.

The world is changing, and so are we. Many return to the Christian faith for consolation and hope. It has become customary to celebrate Christian holidays.
Christmas, Baptism, Holy Trinity, parent days... However, whether out of ignorance or for other reasons, old traditions are often replaced by new ones.

Unfortunately, there are no issues today that are more shrouded in all sorts of conjectures and prejudices than issues related to the burial of the dead and their commemoration.
What will the omniscient old women not say!

But there is a corresponding Orthodox literature which is not difficult to acquire. For example, in all Orthodox parishes of our city,
brochure "Orthodox commemoration of the dead", in which you can find answers to many questions.
The main thing that we SHOULD understand is that deceased loved ones first of all need
in prayers for them. Thank God, in our time there is a place to pray. In each district,
Orthodox parishes were opened, new churches were being built.

Here is what is said about the memorial meal in the brochure "Orthodox commemoration
deceased:

In the Orthodox tradition, eating food is a continuation of worship. Since early Christian times, relatives and acquaintances of the deceased have gathered together on special days of commemoration in order to ask the Lord in joint prayer for a better fate for the soul of the deceased in the afterlife.

After visiting the church and the cemetery, the relatives of the deceased arranged a memorial meal, to which not only relatives were invited, but mainly the needy: the poor and the needy.
That is, a commemoration is a kind of almsgiving for those who have gathered.

The first course is kutya - boiled wheat grains with honey or boiled rice with raisins, which are consecrated at a memorial service in the temple

There should be no alcohol on the memorial table. The custom of drinking alcohol is an echo of pagan feasts.
Firstly, Orthodox commemoration is not only (and not the main thing) food, but also prayer, and prayer and a drunken mind are incompatible things.
Secondly, on the days of commemoration, we intercede before the Lord for the improvement of the afterlife of the deceased, for the forgiveness of his earthly sins. But will the Chief Justice listen to the words of drunk intercessors?
Thirdly, "drinking is the joy of the soul." And after drinking a glass, our mind dissipates, switches to other topics, grief for the deceased leaves our hearts, and quite often it happens that by the end of the commemoration, many people forget why they have gathered - the commemoration ends with the usual feast with discussion domestic problems and political news, and sometimes worldly songs.

And at this time, the languishing soul of the deceased waits in vain for prayer support from their loved ones, And for this sin of mercilessness towards the deceased, the Lord will exact from them at His judgment. What, in comparison with this, is the condemnation from the neighbors for the lack of alcohol on the memorial table?

Instead of the common atheistic phrase "Let the earth rest in peace to him," pray briefly:
“God rest, Lord, the soul of Your newly-departed servant (name), and forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.”
This prayer must be performed before proceeding to the next dish.

There is no need to remove the forks from the table - there is no point in this.

There is no need to put a cutlery in honor of the deceased, or even worse - to put vodka in a glass with a piece of bread in front of the portrait. All this is the sin of paganism.

Especially a lot of gossip is caused by the curtain of mirrors, supposedly in order to avoid the reflection of the coffin with the deceased in them and thereby protect themselves from the appearance of another deceased in the house. The absurdity of this opinion is that the coffin can be reflected in any shiny object, but you cannot cover everything in the house.

But the main thing is that our life and death does not depend on any signs, but is in the hands of God.

If the commemoration takes place on fast days, then the food should be fast.

If the commemoration fell on the time of Great Lent, then there are no commemorations on weekdays. They are transferred to the next (forward) Saturday or Sunday ...
If the memorial days fell on the 1st, 4th and 7th weeks of Great Lent (the strictest weeks), then the closest relatives are invited to the commemoration.

Memorial days that fell on Bright Week (the first week after Easter) and on Monday of the second Easter week are transferred to Radonitsa - Tuesday of the second week after Easter (Parents' Day).

Commemorations of the 3rd, 9th and 40th days are arranged for relatives, relatives, friends and acquaintances of the deceased. At such a commemoration, in order to honor the deceased, you can come without an invitation. On other days of commemoration, only the closest relatives gather.
It is useful these days to distribute alms to the poor and needy.