Funeral prayer for the deceased. Prayers for the dead. What to read

Complete collection and description: prayer for the departed up to 40 days to read at home for the spiritual life of a believer.

Prayers for the deceased are considered an important church ritual that helps the soul of the deceased find peace. What prayer to read for the deceased up to 40 days every day, what prayer for the repose of the soul up to 1 year for parents, relatives, husbands, wives should be read in order to correctly remember a newly deceased (recently departed to another world) loved one, a long-dead father, mother?

For up to 40 days, the souls of the departed need prayer. Prayers for the deceased, as a rule, are read by relatives at home or in church; the texts of the prayers can be short or long; on memorial days, prayers spoken in one’s own words are suitable.

For the first 3 days after death, according to the narration of the Holy Fathers, the soul is near the body. After 3 days, the soul of the newly departed deceased passes from earthly life to the spiritual world, where each soul has the opportunity to bear responsibility for the earthly deeds committed, to answer for the sins committed. On the 40th day, God's Judgment ends, and the soul moves to heaven or hell. The first 40 days are very important for the souls of the departed; prayers are especially necessary during these days.

Razgadamus considers it educational. The most important prayers for Orthodox Christians are prayers for the departed; an Orthodox prayer is read at the Liturgy in the church during the service, during the memorial service by the priests. At home, in addition to prayer, you can read the Psalter - this is the sacred book of psalms, which is read collectively, individually in church or at home in front of icons. Psalms for the departed can be read on the anniversary of the death of parents, husband, wife, or on any other day; they should be read correctly at home with a burning candle or lamp.

How to pray on the days of remembrance, what prayers for the departed should Orthodox Christians have? We offer the most powerful Orthodox prayers of remembrance, which can be read on Parental Memorial Saturdays, after the death of parents (father, mother) for up to 40 days, or of a deceased wife, husband, relative every day. After Easter, according to the Orthodox church calendar, every year Orthodox Christians celebrate the holiday of Radonitsa or Parents' Day (in 2017 the date is April 25); We hope that the accessible texts published in this article will be used by many believers on the approaching day of remembrance.

Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased

Prayer for deceased parents

Prayer for the deceased up to 40 days

A short prayer for the dead

Most of all, I believe in the power of clear text. I read a short prayer today, I liked it, I think the souls of mom and dad heard me.

It is imperative to touch on mourning topics so as not to forget about those who died, even if they died a long time ago, but need our help - prayer for the repose!

As far as I know, the canons of Orthodoxy for the newly deceased in the church, first of all, they order a memorial service so that the Lord will have mercy on his soul; prayer, if it is strong, helps both the deceased and the relatives mourning a loved one

I’m ashamed to say, I didn’t even know that there are special texts for the repose that can be read in a cemetery, etc. and have you never noticed that anyone prayed at the graves?

It is important not where to pray for the dead (at home, in a cemetery, in church), how to do it - consciously or as some people read the text automatically, memorizing it without delving into the meaning.

after my parents died I prayed until 40 days and after 40 days from the date of death. First, my father died, and then my mother died 3 months later. I understood from the priest’s story that it is better to read for the newly deceased in church during a memorial service, and at home of course.

The souls of the dead require prayer for up to 40 days, both as newly appointed ones and after passing through purgatory. We need to remember and not forget about those who have already passed into another world constantly, they feel our care - we mean souls.

If I correctly understood the meaning of the text of the prayer, can it be read about the repose and pardon of the soul of a deceased person?

This is why funeral prayers are read, so that the Lord will have mercy on the soul of the newly deceased and give him the Kingdom of Heaven.

I chose for myself a short prayer for the departed, REST IN THE LORD. I read it on Radonitsa, Parents' Saturdays on memorial days of remembrance from the day of death or on the birthday of parents. The text of the prayer is focused and intelligible, and tears well up when you read it.

I asked at the church and they said that you can remember the deceased on any day. It is better to order a prayer service more often, especially for those who have recently died under 1 year of age.

It is best to regularly order a prayer service for the dead in church. Reading a prayer once a year is not enough.

Some people say once a year. You need to remember the dead with prayer every time you come to the cemetery, and TWO times: first immediately upon arrival, then before leaving.

I didn’t know that the prayer for repose in the cemetery is read twice?! I'll find out - thanks for the tip.

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A newly deceased person is a person who has died if no more than forty days have passed since his death. According to Orthodox belief, after death, during the first two days, the soul remains on earth and visits the places where a person’s earthly life took place. On the third day the soul is transferred to the spiritual world. Orthodox prayers of relatives for the newly deceased help the soul to go through the ordeals of the air. The Lord is able, through the fervent and sincere prayers of loved ones, to forgive the sins of the deceased. Liberation from sins makes possible the resurrection of the soul for eternal blissful life.

Day of death. What to do

You need to plead for the defendant before the trial, not after it. After death, when the soul goes through ordeals, judgment is carried out, one must intercede for it: pray and perform deeds of mercy.

Why is the death of the body necessary?

For many people, death is a means of salvation from spiritual death.

Death reduces the amount of total evil on earth. What would life be like if there were Cain murderers forever, betraying the Lord of Judah and others like them?

The Holy Fathers of the Church teach that the most powerful and effective means for the departed to ask for God’s mercy is to remember them at the Liturgy.

What foods can you put on the eve?

The Lord only ends a person’s life when he sees him ready to move into eternity or when he sees no hope for his correction.

Anyone who lived piously, did good deeds, wore a cross, repented, confessed and received communion - by the grace of God, he can be granted a blessed life in eternity and regardless of the time of death.

If the deceased wished to be cremated, it is not a sin to violate this dying will.

Why are funerals held for 40 days?

And according to another popular belief, it is on the 40th day of the wake that the soul returns to its home for the whole day, and leaves only after it has been carried out.

Sometimes they even carefully prepared for such a coming of the soul, making the bed in the evening with a white sheet and covering it with a blanket.

Prayers for the newly deceased servant of God up to 40 days

The prayers are written mainly in Old Church Slavonic. There are a lot of them. Depending on the cause of death and who died. There is also a prayer for those who died and did not have time to be baptized. Among them is a prayer to the Mother of God for the newly deceased. She is the mother of the Lord, and prayer to her can help soften the Heavenly King. You can find it in almost any prayer book. The purpose of a memorial dinner is to remember the deceased person, pray for the repose of his soul, provide psychological support to those in need, and thank people for their participation and help. You cannot organize a dinner with the goal of impressing the guests with expensive and delicious dishes, boasting of an abundance of dishes, or feeding them to their fullest. The main thing is not food, but uniting in grief and supporting those who are having a hard time.

You should not perceive a wake as a feast.

Visiting the grave of a deceased person is an obligatory part of the funeral ritual. You need to take flowers and a candle with you. It is customary to carry a pair of flowers to a cemetery; even numbers are a symbol of life and death. Laying flowers is the best way to show respect to the deceased.

When you arrive, you should light a candle and pray for peace of mind, then you can simply stand and be silent, remembering the good moments from the life of the deceased person.

Noisy conversations and discussions are not allowed at the cemetery; everything should take place in an atmosphere of calm and tranquility.

Prayer for the deceased up to 40 days

Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the life of Thy eternal newly departed servant (or Thy servant), named, and as good and a lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming iniquities, weaken, forgive and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, exposing him to Thy holy second coming into the communion of Thy eternal blessings, for the sake of the One who has faith in Thee, the true God and Lover of mankind. For You are the resurrection and the life and the rest of Your servant, named Christ our God. And we send glory to You, with Your beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen.

Help yourself and your loved ones

Praying for the newly deceased is the highest form of asceticism. The fruits of which are recognized only at the Last Judgment. When people ask the Lord for something, they get what they want. For this they thank the Lord. If you pronounce them with a pure heart and good intentions, then many sins of a person who has already died will be forgiven. The wrath of the King of Heaven will be replaced by mercy.

Prayer for the newly deceased is the fulfillment of the main twofold commandment. She talks about love for God and neighbor. Loving your neighbor does not mean simply helping him in his worldly life. This means helping him when nothing depends on him. He came to the Lord, and his soul was stained with sins.

Such a visit signified respect for the deceased and his family. The clergy were formally invited to the commemoration, in fact trying not to participate in it.

When arriving at the house from the cemetery, they always washed their hands and dried them with a towel. They also cleansed themselves by touching the stove and bread with their hands; they used to even specially heat a bathhouse and wash in it, and change their clothes. This custom among the Slavs is obviously connected with ideas about the cleansing power of fire and is aimed at protecting oneself from the deceased.

During the time that the deceased was taken to the cemetery and buried in the house, preparations for the meal were completed. They arranged the furniture, washed the floors, swept away all the garbage that had accumulated over three days from the large corner to the threshold, collected it and burned it. The floors needed to be washed thoroughly, especially the corner, handles, and threshold. After cleaning, the room was fumigated with incense or juniper smoke.

Funeral feasts also existed in ancient times, when pagans ate food at the graves of their dead fellow tribesmen. This tradition became part of Christian rituals, and ancient Christian funeral meals were transformed in later times into modern commemorations.

There are also so-called calendar commemorations associated with certain holidays that accompany the economic and everyday life of peasants, and which are included in church rituals. In an effort to bury the deceased according to folk rituals and in accordance with church rules, relatives and friends of the deceased often formally follow the performance of ritual actions, without going into their meaning.

The entire space (according to Christian mythology) represents several judgment seats, where the incoming soul is convicted by demons of sins. Each judgment (ordeal) corresponds to a specific sin; evil spirits are called tax collectors.

The number forty is significant and is often found in the Holy Scriptures.

For funeral meals, they gathered first of all relatives, closest friends, and earlier also, necessarily the poor and the poor. Those who washed and dressed the deceased were especially invited. After the meal, all relatives of the deceased were supposed to go to the bathhouse to wash themselves.

They always paid money for the funeral service until the fortieth day.

Compliance with the norms in the Orthodox funeral meal requires that before it begins, one of the loved ones reads the 17th kathisma from the Psalter in front of a lit lamp or candle.

Currently, the funeral table menu also consists of a certain set of dishes, depending on what days the funeral falls on (Lenten or Fast).

We tried to have an even number of dishes on the table; changing them was not practiced, but we adhered to a certain sequence of meals.

In real life, there are rarely any wakes without alcoholic beverages.

Sweet and sparkling alcoholic drinks are usually excluded. The presence of alcoholic beverages at the funeral table is partly explained by the fact that they help relieve emotional tension and stress associated with the loss of loved ones. The table conversation is mainly devoted to the remembrance of the deceased, reminiscing with kind words about his deeds on earth, and is also aimed at consoling relatives.

We ate as usual with tablespoons or dessert spoons, trying not to use knives and forks. In some cases, if there was silverware in the family, the relatives of the deceased used silver spoons, which also serves as evidence that silver was given magical cleansing properties.

At each change of dishes, the Orthodox tried to read a prayer. The funeral table was often decorated with branches of spruce, lingonberries, myrtle, and black mourning ribbon. The tablecloth was laid in a single color, not necessarily white, but often in muted tones, which could be decorated at the edges with black ribbon.

Folk tradition also regulated the order of placing people at the funeral table. Usually the owner of the house, the head of the family, sat at the head of the table, on both sides of which were relatives in order of proximity of kinship by seniority.

The next day, crumbs of bread were carried to the grave, thereby, as it were, introducing the deceased to information about how the wake took place.

The Orthodox ended the meal with a prayer of gratitude: “We give thanks, O Christ our God...” and “It is worthy to eat...”, as well as a wish for well-being and an expression of sympathy for the relatives of the deceased. After eating, the spoon was usually placed on the table and not on the plate. By the way, it should be mentioned that according to custom, if during lunch a spoon fell under the table, then it was not recommended to pick it up.

There was also a custom of leaving the device with a glass of vodka covered with bread for up to forty days. They believed that if the liquid decreases, it means that the soul is drinking. Vodka and snacks were also left at the grave, although this has nothing to do with Orthodox rituals.

After the guests left, the household, if they had time, usually washed themselves before sunset.

All doors and windows were tightly closed at night. At dusk they already tried not to cry, so as not to “call the deceased from the cemetery,” according to popular belief.

Naturally, in the eyes of others, even thoughts of remarriage before the end of the period of mourning were considered indecent.

In most cases, a widower mourned for six months.

Most often not new. Currently, if there are no suitable clothes or headdress in the wardrobe, they buy a black dress (suit) and a headscarf.

Previously, during mourning, they did not even try to take special care of clothes, because, according to popular beliefs, careful care of them was a manifestation of disrespect for the memory of the deceased. There was a widespread custom during this period not to cut hair, not to do elegant, voluminous hairstyles, and in some cases, even to braid girls’ hair.

In families of believers, mourning was marked by intense prayers, reading religious books, abstinence in food and pastime.

An arbitrary reduction of mourning in a society with a certain way of life and observance of folk traditions immediately catches the eye and can cause condemnation. In modern conditions, as a rule, such a long period of mourning as before is not observed, especially in the city.

All this is individual and in each specific case depends on a number of circumstances. When wearing mourning, one should not show boundless grief by demonstrating it to others.

Prayers for the newly deceased servant of God up to 40 days

The birth of a person brings great joy to the family. Unfortunately, the date of death has already been marked in the book of life. It depends only on the person how and with what he will come to this day. How will he live the period allotted to him?

Day of death. What to do

When the day of death approaches, the Lord calls his servant to himself. The body loses the ability to move, the heart stops. After which the body is in the coffin, but the soul continues to live. Now her journey to another, eternal life begins. The path is not easy and thorny.

According to the Holy Fathers, the soul hovers above the earth for three days. She mourns the separation from her body. The relatives of the deceased also grieve with their souls. It’s not easy to believe that a loved one is no longer around. They remember all the good things associated with him and curse fate that she decreed it this way.

In fact, this is not the only thing to worry about. It is much more necessary to grieve about what will happen to the soul of the deceased. Where she will find peace. After all, not everyone manages to live life with dignity. But even when leading a respectable lifestyle, there are many sins that do not allow the soul to enter heaven. They are deposited throughout a person's life.

Help a loved one

People confess during life and before death. But it is simply impossible to remember absolutely all your sins. They can either be very small - you can forget about them. Or they were committed so long ago that it is very difficult to remember them. It is not always possible to confess before death.

In such a situation, you should rely only on the help of relatives. They must pray for the soul of the deceased. Immediately after the departure of a loved one to another world, it is necessary to read the “Prayer for the Departure of the Soul.” It is printed on the first page of the psalter and is in the prayer books.

The text of the prayer is simple. It can also help if a person is suffering in agony and death cannot come to him. By reading the prayer, you can ease the torment, and the Lord will quickly call him to himself.

Read the psalter

After this, it is recommended to read the psalter further. When praying for the newly deceased for up to 3 days, you need to read from one to several kathismas per day. The amount depends on the strength of the person praying. After reading the psalter to the end, you should start over.

Some relatives trust the reading of the psalter to strangers. They simply pay for their services and consider the job done. But in fact, the Holy Fathers and the Church unanimously say that prayer is more soulful if it is read by a relative. He puts his whole soul into it. All your suffering is about the deceased.

Prayer to the Mother of God

The prayers are written mainly in Old Church Slavonic. Therefore, they are difficult not only to pronounce, but also to understand. In this case, it is impossible to pronounce the words of prayers sincerely. To do this, many prayer books offer prayers for the newly deceased in Russian.

There are a lot of them. Depending on the cause of death and who died. There is also a prayer for those who died and did not have time to be baptized. Among them is a prayer to the Mother of God for the newly deceased. She is the mother of the Lord, and prayer to her can help soften the Heavenly King. You can find it in almost any prayer book.

Journeys of the soul

After three days, the soul appears before the Lord. This occurs after the funeral service in the church and burial of the body. It is worth remembering that not everyone can have funeral services in church. Under the ban on funeral services:

The soul worships God, and he gives her the opportunity for 6 days to admire how they are having fun in paradise. How the saints spend their time there. If the soul is sinful, then it is tormented by sorrows and resentments for a life lived incorrectly. When praying for the newly deceased servant of God, you should not forget about this. Daily appeals to God from family and friends will help alleviate suffering. It is necessary to sincerely read prayers and be baptized.

On the 9th day the soul appears before the Lord. The Lord sends her to hell. There she watches the torment of sinners. He sees how the souls of those who lived their lives idly suffer. In dislike of the Lord. Prayers for the newly deceased will help to beg forgiveness before the Lord and ease the suffering of the soul.

On the fortieth day, the soul appears before the Lord, and at this time its place of residence is determined. Therefore, prayer for the deceased up to 40 days is important. Fervent prayer can soften the Lord. His mercy can help a soul go to heaven or, while in hell, endure less torment.

Nobody except us

You can read prayers for the newly deceased at home or in church. After the death of a loved one, you need to go to the temple. Submit a note for the repose of the soul of the newly deceased servant of God. It would be a good idea to order a magpie for repose and an everlasting prayer service. After returning to their temple, candles are lit and placed in salt. They put water on and put in a piece of bread. The main thing is not to forget to place the image of the Savior. All prayer readings are performed before him.

You can order sorokoust in any church. If the commemoration will be long-term, it is better to order it at the monastery. After all, there are services there every day and throughout the day. According to Christian custom, it is recommended that the body be buried rather than cremated. Make-up is considered a special forced measure.

Prayer for the deceased for up to 40 days is a special type of mercy. It connects man and God, like the umbilical cord of a child with its mother. Even the worst sinner, being in worldly life, can change something in it. It is impossible to become a righteous person overnight. This is hard work, and not everyone can do it. But being alive can change your life. After death, nothing can be changed. All the hope of the soul rests on the shoulders of loved ones and relatives. She asks them to help. He asks to beg for a better fate from the Lord.

Help yourself and your loved ones

Praying for the newly deceased is the highest form of asceticism. The fruits of which are recognized only at the Last Judgment. When people ask the Lord for something, they get what they want. For this they thank the Lord. They praise him. Prayers for the newly deceased, of course, reach the ears of the Lord, but their result will be known only at the Last Judgment. Having come to it, the human soul will learn how effective they were. If you pronounce them with a pure heart and good intentions, then many sins of a person who has already died will be forgiven. The wrath of the King of Heaven will be replaced by mercy. And then, at the Last Judgment, the deceased will bow at the feet of his friend or relative and thank him for this.

Prayer for the newly deceased is the fulfillment of the main twofold commandment. She talks about love for God and neighbor. Loving your neighbor does not mean simply helping him in his worldly life. This means helping him when nothing depends on him. He came to the Lord, and his soul was stained with sins. The prayers of loved ones will help to whiten her and soften the Lord’s anger.

Prayers for day 40

It is on the fortieth day that the soul stops hovering over the abyss. Her fate is finally determined. On this day it is the hardest for the loved ones of the deceased. An unhealed wound in the soul bleeds, and faith in a better future does not come. Prayer for 40 days will help ease mental suffering.

In the temple, you should ask the Lord to take the soul of the deceased and give peace to the soul of your loved one. Before this, light candles for the repose of your soul. Then, having crossed yourself and taking three candles with you, you can go home. These candles are lit there and, looking at them, a prayer is said to the Lord for 40 days (it can be found in the prayer book).

For forty days it is worth not only praying at home, but also visiting the temple. If the deceased is baptized, then he can be mentioned in notes given in the temple. If not, then you can only pray for him yourself. And it doesn’t matter where - at home or in church.

In addition to prayers, you can bring food and serve it to the temple. This will be considered alms and will go for the remembrance of the soul. The clergy will remember him at the meal. Just be sure to say the name of God's servant.

Mourning should be worn for at least 40 days. If an internal need arises, you can do this longer.

After this, mental suffering will subside a little and the strength to live on will appear. The future will be without the deceased, but such is life. And it continues no matter what. The main thing is to believe in the best, and then the pain will subside faster.

Miraculous words: prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased for up to 40 days, read at home in full description from all the sources we found.

Customs associated with funerals

If a misfortune happens in your life and someone close to you dies, then you should bury him according to all customs so that the soul of your relative finds peace in the next world. As soon as the body has given up its last spirit, it is necessary to cover all the mirrors in the house with large towels or blankets.

Setting the table for the funeral

After this, everyone sits down at the table and remembers the deceased. No one is invited to the funeral; everyone comes on their own. It’s also impossible to drive people away from the table; you can only give a cultural hint to the guests that it’s time to be honored if they stay up late.

Prayer read up to 40 days

It is believed that for up to 40 days the soul of the deceased will be between heaven and earth and sometimes it will come to the house where the deceased lived. And in order for his soul to calm down and find its place, relatives should read this prayer daily:

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Prayer for the repose of the soul for 40 days

If it so happens that a loved one has passed away, do not rush to throw yourself into bitter lamentations and endless grief. Remember that he doesn’t need your tears; you won’t help with tears. Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased up to 40 days - today we are discussing precisely this issue. Think about what useful things you can do for him? Prayer is the best help for him.

No matter how hard it may be for you after the loss of a loved one, do not forget to pray for the repose of his soul.

Why do you need to read prayers for the repose?

After death, the soul remains in a state of shock for 2-3 days and does not leave the body, then it awaits ordeal and judgment.

The ordeal of the soul is the torment of it by evil spirits who remember all sins and demand to answer for them.

Sometimes sins not committed in earthly life are attributed to evil spirits. In total, the soul goes through 20 ordeals, these are:

1. Celebration. Useless conversations, indecent songs, loud laughter, stupid laughter.
2. Lies. Insincere confession of sins, empty mention of the name of God.
3. Judging others, slander. Those who condemn others are equated with the opponents of Christ, who imagine themselves to have the right to judge.
4. Uncontrolled gluttony.
5. Laziness. Those who do not work, or take payment but do not do the assigned work.
6. Theft.
7. Stinginess.
8. Unfair acquisition. Usury, bribery.
9. Not true. Judges who, for a fee, acquit the guilty and condemn the innocent; people who do not pay wages to mercenaries.
10. Envy.
11. Pride.
12. Uncontrollable anger.
13. Grudge. Feeding malice towards people.
14. Murder.
15. Appeal to magic, appeal to the demon.
16. Fornication. Prodigal dreams, thoughts, mental pleasure in that, vicious touch, passionate touches.
17. Adultery. Adultery, violence.
18. Sins of Sodom. Incest, fornication, unnatural sins
19. Unrighteous discussions about faith, changing the Christian religion to another.
20. Not mercy and cruelty. Refusal of alms, lack of compassion for those in need.

How to survive the death of a loved one - through prayer. Pray for the soul of the deceased

Prayer “For the repose of the soul” No. 1

Remember, Lord God, Your newly departed servant (name).

You are generous, you bestow blessings on us.

You are a lover of humanity, we rely on you alone.

We pray to you for forgiveness of sins, weaken your anger, leave and forgive him his sinful acts, have mercy on him, save him from eternal torment and the fire of hell.

We pray that you grant him communion, grant him eternal enjoyment of your blessings.

We bend our knees in prayer, we glorify Your greatness, we confess the Christian faith until our last breath.

The soul of Your deceased servant (name) comes to Your judgment.

Have mercy and don’t be strict with him.

We glorify Your righteousness, Your mercy, Your mercies.

We praise Your love for mankind.

We ask you for our deceased, to forgive him all his sins.

We trust in Your mercy. Amen.

How to behave after the death of a loved one

At this moment, prayers read by relatives help the soul to be cleansed of sins and to endure ordeals more easily.

The fortieth day after death is an important date for the soul. On this day, she is sentenced and a decision is made about where she will go - to hell or heaven. And since the soul will no longer be able to change anything on its own, to repent, relatives can do this for it with their prayers to God. The fortieth day is the last day of the soul on earth, the day when it says goodbye to all the places that were dear to it. Until 40 days, you should not allow yourself to lament or cry, because... the soul will hear all this and experience severe torment. It is better to pick up the Holy Scriptures and read aloud what will happen to the soul next, so that it hears what awaits it next and stops being afraid of the unknown.

Prayer “For the deceased For the repose of the soul” No. 2

Lord Jesus, accept the soul of your servant (name of the deceased),

Forgive him all his sins, small and large, and accept him into heaven.

How he suffered in his life, how tired he was of suffering and sorrow on this earth,

So now let him rest in peace and sleep eternal sleep.

Protect him from the fire of hell, do not allow him to fall to the demons and to the devil to be torn to pieces.

In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God.

Satisfy my heartfelt grief for the deceased slave (state the name of the deceased).

Help me cope with a difficult loss and give me strength to withstand grief.

And on the fortieth day of grief, accept the soul of the deceased (again call the name of the deceased) into the Heavenly Kingdom.

Let it be so now, and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

As was written earlier, prayers on the fortieth day after death are of great importance. They support the soul of the deceased, give him relief and the opportunity to receive a better fate than what could have been. Don't neglect your prayers. Instead of paying enormous attention to the commemoration and the monument, it is better to spend more time for prayers, go to the temple, order a magpie, light a candle for the repose, make a donation to the temple, give alms. When giving alms, there is no need to name the name of the person for whom it is being given; the Lord will understand everything from your thoughts.

And remember the main thing, no matter how difficult it is, do not plunge headlong into suffering; if a loved one died, it means it was better for him. Physical death does not mean spiritual death. Perhaps the soul of your loved one will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, where it will find happiness and peace. Sooner or later, everyone will die, which means that you will definitely meet again.

Peter and Fevronia

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Prayer for a deceased relative, read at home for up to 40 days

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A loved one or loved one who has passed away plunges everyone into grief, melancholy and despondency. People's tears can only ease their pain, without affecting the soul of the deceased in any way. The soul of the deceased is unlikely to be affected by a solid monument, a magnificent and beautiful funeral service, or a prestigious place in the cemetery. Because everything is material. It does not affect God’s spiritual world in any way. The deceased is helped by a memorial prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased.

In such prayer, the living take a holy part in the salvation of the soul of the deceased. People pray “Rest, O Lord, the soul of your departed servant” and promote God to the mercy of the soul of the deceased. Such mercy is given only at the request of the living. Prayer for deceased relatives also brings salvation to the living.

The whole point is that when praying for the dead, people also attune their souls to a heavenly mood. All this distracts from the fussy and temporary living world and fills people’s memory of death and turns their souls away from evil. Also, such prayer helps the living to hope for an unearthly future, and to refrain from arbitrary sins.

Prayers for deceased relatives also help to dispose the soul of a believing peasant to fulfill the main commandment of Christ - to prepare for exodus at any hour. Remember that the departed also pray for us. And we can receive special help from prayers that have shown their Divine power and found bliss in eternity.

Basic rules for prayer requests for the dead

Funeral prayers for a deceased relative are considered the duty of any Orthodox believer. According to the canons of the Orthodox Church, it is necessary to pray especially diligently during the first forty days after death. The Christian Church commands a widow to offer a prayer for her deceased husband, children, parents, or just a loved one every day.

The Orthodox Church also commands that names be read according to a special memorial. This is a small book in which the names of deceased and living relatives are preserved. There is even a pious custom according to which family memorials are offered. By reading the names of all recorded relatives, Orthodox believers can remember many generations of relatives who died a long time ago.

Remember that prayers read at home before 40 days for the deceased have a much better effect than after 40 days. In addition, it is worth considering that you can read all the prayers at home. Even those that cannot be mentioned at church services. For example, in church it is forbidden to read a prayer for the unbaptized deceased or for suicides. The main thing is to accurately reproduce the entire text of the prayer book, maintain all intentions and concentration. And under no circumstances should you be distracted by anything.

Worship in the temple

It is necessary to remember a deceased person in the Church as often as possible. This should be done not only on memorial days, but also on any other day.

1. The main prayer is a short prayer for the departed Orthodox Christians at the Divine Liturgy. During this process, a bloodless sacrifice is made to God.
2. The liturgy is followed by a memorial service. This ritual is served before the eve - a special table with several candlesticks and an image of the crucifixion. During this process, an offering should be left in memory of the deceased for the needs of the church.
3. It is very important for the soul of a deceased person to order a magpie in the church. This is a liturgical rite that lasts from the day of a person’s death to 40 days. At the end of the fortieth day, it can be ordered again. Long term memorials can be ordered for six months or a year. And the simplest sacrifice for the deceased is considered to be a candle, which is lit for the repose of a person.

What prayers to read for the deceased at home

Remember that the greatest thing you can do in memory of the deceased is to order a liturgy. But still, we should not forget that you can also perform acts of mercy and pray for them at home.

Praying for the salvation of the soul of the deceased is a sacred duty that is assigned to living relatives. Remember that only by praying for deceased loved ones can you give them the only good they expect. This good will be the remembrance of the Lord.

The Church commands children to say words of prayer for their deceased parents until 40 days after their death. This must be done every day during this period. To do this, just read the following short prayer every morning:

“Rest, O Lord, the souls of Your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names), and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.”

At the cemetery

A cemetery is a holy place where the bodies of the deceased rest until their future general resurrection. Even during pagan times, tombs were considered inviolable and sacred.

Remember that the grave of a deceased person should always be kept perfectly clean. The cross on the grave is considered a silent preacher of resurrection and immortality. It must be placed at the feet of the deceased so that his face is turned towards the Crucifixion.

Arriving at the cemetery, you need to light a candle and pray. There is no need to eat or drink in the cemetery. It is especially unacceptable to pour vodka on a grave mound. After all, this desecrates the memory of the deceased. Also, the custom of leaving a piece of bread and a glass of vodka on the grave should not be observed. This is a relic of paganism.

The most effective funeral prayers

Next we’ll talk about what prayers to read for the deceased so that the Lord will hear them. After all, prayers for the dead with a load of sins can greatly improve the afterlife of our relatives. And the Lord has always heard very well those who pray not only for themselves, but also for other people.

The widows turn to the Lord with the following memorial prayer:

“Christ Jesus, Lord and Almighty! You are the consolation of the weeping, the intercession of the orphans and widows. You said: call on Me in the day of your sorrow, and I will destroy you. In the days of my sorrow, I run to You and pray to You: do not turn Your face away from me and hear my prayer brought to You with tears.

You, Lord, Master of all, have blessed me to unite me with one of Your servants, so that we may be one body and one spirit; You gave me this servant as a companion and protector. It was Your good and wise will that you would take this servant of Yours away from me and leave me alone. I bow before Your will and I resort to You in the days of my sorrow: quench my sorrow about separation from Your servant, my friend.

Even if you took him away from me, do not take your mercy away from me. Just as you once accepted two mites for a widow, so accept this prayer of mine. Remember, Lord, the soul of Your departed servant (name), forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, whether in word, or in deed, or in knowledge and ignorance, do not destroy him with his iniquities and do not deliver him to eternal torment, but according to Your great mercy and according to the multitude of Thy compassions, weaken and forgive all his sins and commit them with Thy saints, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life.

I pray and ask You, Lord, grant that all the days of my life I will not cease to pray for Your departed servant, and even before my departure, ask You, the Judge of the whole world, to forgive all his sins and to place him in the heavenly abodes that You have prepared for those who love Cha. For even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit is Orthodox even until your last breath of confession; His faith, even in Thee, is imputed to him instead of works: for there is no man who will live and not sin.

You are One besides sin, and Your truth is truth forever. I believe, Lord, and I confess that You have heard my prayer and have not turned Your face away from me. Seeing a widow weeping green, you were merciful, and you brought her son to the grave, carrying her to the grave, and you raised her up: so, having compassion, calm down my sorrow.

For Thou didst open to Thy servant Theophilus, who went to Thee, the doors of Thy mercy and forgave him his sins through the prayers of Thy holy Church, heeding the prayers and alms of his wife: here and I pray to Thee, accept my prayer for Thy servant, and bring him in to eternal life. For You are our hope, You are God, to have mercy and to save, and to You we send glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen!"

Children's prayers for their deceased parents:

« Lord Jesus Christ our God! You are the keeper of the orphans, the refuge of the grieving and the comforter of the weeping. I come running to You, orphaned, groaning, and... crying, and I pray to You: hear my prayer and do not turn Your face away from the sighs of my heart and from the tears of my eyes.

I pray to You, merciful Lord, satisfy my grief over separation from the one who gave birth and raised me, my parent (name); accept his soul, as if it had gone to You with true faith in You and firm hope in Your love for mankind and mercy, into Your Heavenly Kingdom.

I bow before Your holy will, which was taken away from me, and I ask You not to take away Your mercy and mercy from him. We know, Lord, that You, the Judge of this world, punish the sins and wickedness of the fathers in children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even to the third and fourth generation: but you also have mercy on the fathers for the prayers and virtues of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

With contrition and tenderness of heart, I pray to You, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment your deceased servant, unforgettable for me, my parent (name), but forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance, committed by him in his life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and love for mankind, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints, have mercy on him and deliver him from eternal torment.

You, merciful Father of fathers and children! grant me, all the days of my life, until my last breath, not to cease to remember my deceased parent in my prayers, and to beg You, the righteous Judge, to order him in a place of light, in a cool place and in a place of peace, with all the saints , from here all illness, sorrow and sighing have escaped. Merciful Lord!

Accept this day for Thy servant (name), my warm prayer and give him Thy reward for the labors and cares of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as He who taught me first of all to lead You, My Lord, to reverently pray to You, in You alone I trust in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and keep Your commandments;

for his concern for my spiritual success, for the warmth of the prayer he brought for me before You and for all the gifts he asked me from You, reward him with Your mercy, Your heavenly blessings and joys in Your eternal kingdom.

For You are the God of mercies and generosity and love for mankind, You are the peace and joy of Your faithful servants, and we send glory to You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen".

Orthodox prayers ☦

Prayers for the departed

Prayer for one who died up to 40 days

(Read from the day of death 40 days and before the anniversary 40 days before the day of death daily)

“Remember, O Lord our God, in faith and hope the eternal life of the one who passed away * Your servant, our brother ( Name), and as the Good One and the Lover of Mankind, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forgive and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Thy eternal good things, prepared for those who love Thee: otherwise and sin, but 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 until your last breath of confession. Be merciful to him, and the faith that is in You, instead of deeds, and rest with Your saints, as you are Generous: for there is no man who will live and not sin, but You are the only One besides all sin, and Your truth is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercy 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 unto ages of ages. Amen."

* Until the 40th day after death, it is necessary to read “newly deceased”, and subsequently - “deceased”.

Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased for 9 days

“God of spirits and all flesh, having trampled down death and abolished the devil, and given life to Thy world! Himself, Lord, give rest to the souls of your departed servants: your most holy patriarchs, your eminence metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, who served you in the priestly, ecclesiastical and monastic ranks; the creators of this holy temple, the Orthodox forefathers, fathers, brothers and sisters, lying here and everywhere; leaders and warriors who laid down their lives for the faith and fatherland, the faithful, who were killed in internecine warfare, drowned, burned, frozen to death, torn to pieces by beasts, who suddenly died without repentance and did not have time to reconcile with the Church and with their enemies; in a frenzy of mind, those who committed suicide, those for whom we were commanded and asked to pray, for whom there is no one to pray and the faithful, deprived of a Christian burial ( Name) in a brighter place, in a greener place, in a calm place, from where illness, sadness and sighing have escaped. Every sin committed by them in word or deed or thought, as a good Lover of mankind, God forgives, as if there is no man who will live and not sin. For You are the only one besides sin, Your righteousness is truth forever, and Your word is truth.

For Thou art the Resurrection, and the Life and Peace of Thy servants who have fallen asleep ( Name), Christ our God, and to You we send glory with Your beginningless Father, and Your Most Holy, and Good, and Your Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

Prayer for the newly deceased

“Remember, O Lord our God, in faith and hope, the eternal life of Your newly departed servant (or Your servant), ( Name) , and as he is good and a lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming iniquities, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, raising him up at Thy holy second coming to partake of Thy eternal blessings, for the sake of which there is only faith in Thee, the true God and Lover of Mankind. For You are the resurrection and life and rest for Your servant, ( Name), Christ our God. And we send glory to You, with Your beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.”

Prayers for a deceased spouse

Widow's prayer for her deceased husband

“Christ Jesus, Lord and Almighty! You are the consolation of the weeping, the intercession of the orphans and widows. You said: call on Me in the day of your sorrow, and I will destroy you. In the days of my sorrow, I run to You and pray to You: do not turn Your face away from me and hear my prayer brought to You with tears. You, Lord, Master of all, have deigned to unite me with one of Your servants, so that we may be one body and one spirit; You gave me this servant as a companion and protector. It was Your good and wise will that you would take this servant of Yours away from me and leave me alone. I bow before Your will and I resort to You in the days of my sorrow: quench my sorrow about separation from Your servant, my friend. Even if you took him away from me, do not take your mercy away from me. Just as you once accepted two mites from widows, so accept this prayer of mine. Remember, Lord, the soul of Your departed servant (Name), forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, whether in word, or in deed, or in knowledge and ignorance, do not destroy him with his iniquities and do not subject him to eternal torment, but according to Your great mercy and according to the multitude of Your bounties, weaken and forgive all his sins and Do it with Your saints, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life. I pray and ask You, Lord, grant that all the days of my life I will not cease to pray for Your departed servant, and even before my departure, ask You, the Judge of the whole world, to forgive all his sins and place him in the Heavenly abodes, which You have prepared for those who love Cha. For even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are Orthodox even to your last breath of confession; impute to him the same faith, even in You, instead of works: for there is no man who will live and not sin, You are the only one besides sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever. I believe, Lord, and confess that You will hear my prayer and do not turn Your face away from me. Seeing a widow weeping green, you were merciful, and you brought her son to the grave, carrying her to the grave; How did You open to Your servant Theophilus, who went to You, the doors of Your mercy and forgave him for his sins through the prayers of Your Holy Church, heeding the prayers and alms of his wife: here and I pray to You, accept my prayer for Your servant and bring him into eternal life. For You are our hope. You are God, the hedgehog to have mercy and save, and we send glory to You with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Prayer for a deceased wife

(A widower’s prayer for his deceased wife)

“Christ Jesus, Lord and Almighty! In contrition and tenderness of my heart I pray to You: rest, O Lord, the soul of Your departed servant (Name), in Your Heavenly Kingdom. Lord Almighty! You blessed the marital union of husband and wife, when you said: it is not good for man to be alone, let us create for him a helper for him. You have sanctified this union in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church. I believe, Lord, and confess that You have blessed me to unite me in this holy union with one of Your handmaids. By your good and wise will you deigned to take away from me this servant of yours, whom you have given to me as a helper and companion of my life. I bow before Your will, and I pray to You with all my heart, accept this prayer for Your servant ( Name), and forgive her if you sin in word, deed, thought, knowledge and ignorance; Love earthly things more than heavenly things; Even if you care more about the clothing and decoration of your body than about the enlightenment of the clothing of your soul; or even careless about your children; if you upset anyone by word or deed; If there is a grudge in your heart against your neighbor or condemn someone or anything else you have done from such evil people. Forgive her all this, for she is good and philanthropic; for there is no man who will live and not sin. Do not enter into judgment with Thy servant, as Thy creation, do not condemn her to eternal torment for her sin, but have mercy and mercy according to Thy great mercy. I pray and ask You, Lord, to grant me strength throughout the days of my life, without ceasing to pray for Your departed servant, and even until the end of my life to ask her from You, the Judge of the whole world, to forgive her sins. Yes, as if You, God, placed a crown of stone on her head, crowning her here on earth; Thus crown me with Thy eternal glory in Thy Heavenly Kingdom, with all the saints who rejoice there, so that together with them He may forever sing Thy all-holy name with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Children's prayers for deceased parents

Prayer for the deceased mother

I come running to you, an orphan, groaning and crying, and I pray to you: hear my prayer and do not turn your face away from the sighs of my heart and from the tears of my eyes. I pray to You, merciful Lord, satisfy my grief over separation from my mother who gave birth to and raised me, (Name) - But accept her soul, as if it has gone to You with true faith in You and with firm hope in Your love for mankind and mercy, into Your Heavenly Kingdom.

I bow before Your holy will, which was taken away from me, and I ask You not to take away Your mercy and mercy from her. We know, Lord, that You are the Judge of this world, you punish the sins and wickedness of the fathers in children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even to the third and fourth generation: but you also have mercy on the fathers for the prayers and virtues of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. With contrition and tenderness of heart, I pray to You, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment Your deceased servant, unforgettable for me, my mother. (Name), but forgive her all her sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance, committed by her in her life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and love for mankind, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints, have mercy on her and save her from eternal torment.

You, merciful Father of fathers and children! Grant me, all the days of my life, until my last breath, not to cease to remember my departed mother in my prayers, and to beg You, the righteous Judge, to order me in a bright place, in a cool place and in a place of peace, with all the saints , from here all illness, sorrow and sighing have escaped.

Merciful Lord! Receive today for Your servant (Name) this warm prayer of mine and reward it with Your reward for the labors and care of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as you taught me first of all to lead You, my Lord, to pray to You in reverence, to trust in You alone in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and to keep the commandments Yours; for her concern for my spiritual success, for the warmth of her prayer for me before You and for all the gifts she asked me from You, reward her with Your mercy, Your heavenly blessings and joys in Your eternal Kingdom.

Prayer for a deceased father

“Lord Jesus Christ our God! You are the keeper of the orphans, the refuge of the grieving and the comforter of the weeping.

I come running to you, an orphan, groaning and crying, and I pray to you: hear my prayer and do not turn your face away from the sighs of my heart and from the tears of my eyes. I pray to You, merciful Lord, satisfy my grief over separation from my parent who gave birth to and raised me, (Name) , accept his soul, as if it had gone to You with true faith in You and with firm hope in Your love for mankind and mercy, into Your Heavenly Kingdom.

I bow before Your holy will, which was taken away from me, and I ask You not to take away Your mercy and mercy from him. We know, Lord, that You are the Judge of this world, you punish the sins and wickedness of the fathers in children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even to the third and fourth generation: but you also have mercy on the fathers for the prayers and virtues of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. With contrition and tenderness of heart, I pray to You, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment Your deceased servant, my parent, who is unforgettable for me. (Name), but forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance, committed by him in his life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and love for mankind, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints, have mercy on him and deliver him from eternal torment.

You, merciful Father of fathers and children! Grant me, all the days of my life, until my last breath, not to cease to remember my deceased parent in my prayers, and to beg You, the righteous Judge, to order him in a place of light, in a cool place and in a place of peace, with all the saints , from here all illness, sorrow and sighing have escaped.

Merciful Lord! Receive today for Your servant (Name) this warm prayer of mine and give him Your reward for the labors and cares of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as He taught me first of all to lead You, my Lord, to pray to You in reverence, to trust in You alone in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and to keep the commandments Yours; for his concern for my spiritual success, for the warmth of the prayer he brings for me before You and for all the gifts he asked me from You, reward him with Your mercy, Your heavenly blessings and joys in Your eternal Kingdom.

For You are the God of mercies and generosity and love for mankind, You are the peace and joy of Your faithful servants, and we send glory to You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen."

Prayers of parents for deceased children

Prayer for a deceased daughter

“Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Lord of life and death, Comforter of the afflicted! With a contrite and tender heart I run to You and pray to You: remember. Lord, in Your Kingdom your fallen servant, my child, (Name),

Prayer for a deceased son

“Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Lord of life and death, Comforter of the afflicted! With a contrite and tender heart I run to You and pray to You: remember. Lord, in Your Kingdom, Your departed servant, my child (Name), and create eternal memory for her. You, Lord of life and death, have given me this child. It was your good and wise will to take it away from me. Blessed be Thy name, O Lord. I pray to You, Judge of heaven and earth, with Your endless love for us sinners, forgive my deceased child all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, in deed, in knowledge and ignorance. Forgive, O Merciful One, our parental sins as well, so that they may not remain on our children: we know that we have sinned many times before You, many of whom we have not observed, and have not done, as You commanded us. If our deceased child, ours or his own, for the sake of guilt, lived in this life, working for the world and his flesh, and not more than You, the Lord and his God: if you loved the delights of this world, and not more than Your Word and Your commandments, if you surrendered with the pleasures of life, and not more than with contrition for one’s sins, and in intemperance, vigil, fasting and prayer have been consigned to oblivion - I earnestly pray to Thee, forgive, most good Father, all such sins of my child, forgive and weaken, even if you have done other evil in this life . Christ Jesus! You raised up the daughter of Jairus through the faith and prayer of her father. You healed the daughter of the Canaanite wife through faith and the request of her mother: hear my prayer, and do not despise my prayer for my child. Forgive, Lord, forgive all his sins and, having forgiven and cleansed his soul, remove eternal torment and dwell with all Your saints, who have pleased You from the ages, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life: like there is no man like He will live and will not sin, but You are the only One besides all sin: so that when you judge the world, my child will hear Your most beloved voice: come, blessed of My Father, and inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For You are the Father of mercies and generosity. You are our life and resurrection, and we send glory to You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

Prayer for unbaptized and stillborn babies

Prayer for unbaptized infants from the Synodikon of His Eminence Gregory, Metropolitan of Novgorod and St. Petersburg.

“Remember, O Lord who loves mankind, the souls of Your departed servants, the babies who in the womb of their Orthodox mothers died accidentally from unknown actions, or from a difficult birth, or from some carelessness; baptize them, O Lord, in the sea of ​​Your bounties, and save them with Your ineffable goodness.”

Mother's prayer for stillborn and unbaptized children given by Hieromonk Arseny of Athos:

“Lord, have mercy on my children who died in my womb! For my faith and tears, for the sake of Thy mercy, Lord, do not deprive them of Thy Divine light!”

Prayer for a deceased loved one is an important action that the living must perform. One day our parents will no longer be alive, no matter how sad it may sound. This event will be the saddest event in my entire life, the most bitter loss and acute sadness in my hearts. Parents are the most sacred thing in the world. In order for loved ones to feel good in Heaven, and for us to feel calmer on earth, we need a prayer for deceased parents, which everyone should know.

Special days for reading prayers for the repose of the soul of a deceased parent

Exactly 8 times a year the day comes when everyone should forget about their problems, worldly worries and devote all their time to prayer to their parents. What are these days on which it is important to pray?

• parents' Saturday;
• all Saturdays of the second, third and fourth weeks of Great Lent;
• Radonitsa;
• Trinity Saturday;
• Dmitrievskaya Saturday;
• Day of the Dead Warriors, i.e. 9th May.

It is on these days that it is very good if every child visits the temple and begins to read a prayer for their deceased parents. You can bring food with you that will definitely be laid out on the funeral table. Usually these are candies, cookies or fruits.

There is no need to think that children’s prayer for deceased parents is a tribute, a day when everyone remembers their loved ones. First of all, it is communication with the dead. They hear everything and will protect every loved one living on earth in every way. You can not only come to church, but also visit the cemetery to read the Psalter so that life in Heaven becomes the happiest, most joyful and eternal for your beloved parents.

Text of prayer for deceased parents

« Lord Jesus Christ our God! You are the keeper of the orphans, the refuge of the grieving and the comforter of the weeping. I come running to You, orphaned, groaning, and... crying, and I pray to You: hear my prayer and do not turn Your face away from the sighs of my heart and from the tears of my eyes.

I pray to You, merciful Lord, satisfy my grief over separation from the one who gave birth and raised me, my parent (name); accept his soul, as if it had gone to You with true faith in You and firm hope in Your love for mankind and mercy, into Your Heavenly Kingdom.

I bow before Your holy will, which was taken away from me, and I ask You not to take away Your mercy and mercy from him. We know, Lord, that You, the Judge of this world, punish the sins and wickedness of the fathers in children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even to the third and fourth generation: but you also have mercy on the fathers for the prayers and virtues of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

With contrition and tenderness of heart, I pray to You, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment your deceased servant, unforgettable for me, my parent (name), but forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance, committed by him in his life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and love for mankind, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints, have mercy on him and deliver him from eternal torment.

You, merciful Father of fathers and children! grant me, all the days of my life, until my last breath, not to cease to remember my deceased parent in my prayers, and to beg You, the righteous Judge, to order him in a place of light, in a cool place and in a place of peace, with all the saints , from here all illness, sorrow and sighing have escaped. Merciful Lord!

Accept this day for Thy servant (name), my warm prayer and give him Thy reward for the labors and cares of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as He who taught me first of all to lead You, My Lord, to reverently pray to You, in You alone I trust in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and keep Your commandments;

for his concern for my spiritual success, for the warmth of the prayer he brought for me before You and for all the gifts he asked me from You, reward him with Your mercy, Your heavenly blessings and joys in Your eternal kingdom.

For You are the God of mercies and generosity and love for mankind, You are the peace and joy of Your faithful servants, and we send glory to You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen".

About remembering the dead at home

Within the walls of your home there should always be a memory of your parents; do not be afraid to remember them in your room, standing in front of the icons. Home prayer is a real salvation for loved ones of the deceased. You can ask Father in more detail about how exactly the text should be read, because it must be included in the morning address to a relative or in the evening. Those who have passed on to another world feel much freer as soon as we begin to read the sacred text for them. All prayers are as short as possible, so you can easily learn them by heart yourself.

Prayer for deceased parents up to 40 days

It is very important to remember a deceased soul as quickly as possible, especially if a relative has died recently. For this, many people order magpie in church. This is a special liturgical rite that lasts from the day of death of a loved one to 40 days. Sorokoust can be ordered again as soon as the first reporting days are over. Such periods of remembrance can only be ordered in the church for a year or six months. Also, sacrifice takes place here - these are the most ordinary candles that we are used to lighting and placing on lamps with prayer. True, everything is not arranged like that here: for the departed there is not a bright lamp, but sand, into which everyone puts a lit light from a pure heart.

Anniversary prayer for a deceased parent

For the Lord God, the world is not divided into the living and the dead. There are only those who live on earth and those who are in Heaven. If a lot of time has passed since the death of a loved one, and the anniversary of death is coming very soon, then you can give to the deceased in the following way:

• invite everyone who was closely acquainted with the deceased;
• organize a wake at home or in a cafe;
• be sure to go to the cemetery early on the day of the funeral and read a prayer there, placing beautiful fresh flowers on the grave;
• gather everyone for a funeral dinner;
• go to church, light a candle for the repose, and on the way out help all the poor with money (if you have extra).

It is impossible to do without prayer, which frees the soul from torment and gives strength to every deceased person. You can’t even imagine how good it is in Heaven, especially if prayers are read for the deceased. After all, this is real peace for the soul. And here is the prayer itself, which is important to read on the anniversary of the death of a loved one:

“God, merciful Lord, remembering the anniversary of the death of Thy servant N (Thy servant N), we ask You to honor him (her) with a place in Thy Kingdom, grant blessed peace and bring him into the radiance of Thy glory.

Lord, look mercifully on our prayers for the soul of Your servant N (Your servant N), whose anniversary of death we remember; We ask You to number him (her) among the host of Your saints, grant forgiveness of sins and eternal peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen."

A few rules for what to order for a death anniversary

1. If the date of death falls in the first week after the celebration of Great Easter, then a special Easter canon is sung at this time, and for the second week it is necessary to order mass, proskomedia and requiem.
2. Be sure to take the prosphora and eat it after the church service at home on an empty stomach. This is a kind of memory of the deceased.
3. Always pray and read a prayer - this is the most valuable thing for those who are in Heaven.

Remember about your parents, spend as much time as possible with them, otherwise someday the very moment will come when they will not be in this world. Pray for their health. And as soon as the people closest to you are no longer alive, be sure to read the sacred texts for their repose. This is the best thing that can be done for souls.

Children's prayer for deceased parents for the repose of the soul was last modified: July 8th, 2017 by Bogolub

Prayer for the departed is a tradition of the Orthodox faith. All believers understand the miraculous power of prayers. Such a prayer helps the deceased to be cleansed of sins and find eternal peace in the Kingdom of Heaven. But besides this, such prayer requests in memory of deceased people allow you to enlist the support of the Higher Powers and attract good luck into your own life. By praying in memory of a deceased person, believers save their own souls.

Prayer requests in which we remember the deceased allow us to calm down after the loss of a loved one. They bring peace to the soul and set them up for a future happy life, in which the memory of the departed person will be preserved.

Orthodox prayers for the repose of the soul of the deceased

Orthodox prayers offer a number of important prayers for the deceased, which should be read at certain periods. It is believed that one should pray most diligently for a departed person in the first 40 days after his death. It is during this period that the fate of a person is decided by Higher powers. It is very important to pray with full concentration on thoughts of the deceased.

Prayer for the 9th day for the deceased

It is believed that from the 3rd to the 9th day the deceased is shown all the delights of heavenly life. Therefore, in order to increase the chances of a loved one going to heaven, it is necessary to arrange a wake on the 9th day. On this day you should also visit the temple to light a candle for the repose and, if possible, order a prayer service.



The prayer request on the 9th day after death sounds, when read independently, as follows:

“God of spirits and all flesh, you have trampled death and abolished the devil himself, and given life to the whole world! I ask, Merciful Lord, rest in peace the soul of Your departed servant, as well as all the patriarchs and metropolitans, your Eminences and Holinesses, the ministers of the church in any active rank, who sincerely served You, those creators of this temple, all Orthodox people resting here and in other places, as well as all the soldiers and their leaders who served their fatherland with honor and truth, who laid down their lives for their faith, who were killed in various internecine battles, all those who drowned and burned, who froze in the terrible cold, who were torn to pieces by fierce beasts, those who died suddenly, who did not have time to repent of their sins and to reconcile with the Church, those who committed suicide in a frenzy of soul and were deprived of the opportunity to be buried according to Orthodox traditions. Rest all souls and save them, forgive all known and unknown sins, committed by word or thought, since you are the only God who loves mankind. The truth on earth is only yours and only you can truly give everyone what they deserve. Rest your souls and grant them resurrection into the Kingdom of Heaven, I send up glory to you without beginning, and I signify myself with the cross. From now on and forever. Amen".

It is generally accepted that the fate of the deceased in the afterlife is determined on the 40th day. The entire period before this period should be prayed for the person who has passed away, and on the 40th day you should visit the temple, read a special prayer and arrange a memorial service. If possible, you should order a prayer service during the service. The priest in prayer will mention the name you wrote, and God will definitely hear his words.

At home, prayer for 40 days will allow a person suffering from a terrible loss to calm down. After it comes the understanding that the soul of a loved one has found refuge and you just need to continue living. You should retire to a separate room, light church candles and watch in silence for a while as they cry with wax.

After the soul is filled with peace, you should read the following prayer:

“Lord our savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I ask you to satisfy your spiritual grief for my loved one, the deceased servant of God (name of the person). Give me the strength to cope with this difficult loss and continue to live without grief in my soul. Today is the fortieth day, so accept the soul of the deceased and accept him into the Kingdom of Heaven, forgive all his sins and deliver him from eternal torment. Amen".

Prayer for the deceased after 40 days

Believers also pray for the departed for 40 days. This needs to be done on certain days, but you should also pray at moments when there is a spiritual need for it.

The words of the prayer are:

“Remember, O Lord, Ruler of the world, Giver of blessings and Great Lover of Mankind, of Your departed servant (name of the deceased), forgive his sins, forgive his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment, do not allow him to experience torment in hellish fire, grant him the enjoyment of eternal blessings which You have prepared for those who love You. For the one who sinned did not depart from You, glorified Your name in the Trinity and believed in the Trinity, strong in its Unity, until his last breath. But You are the One God who bestows His bounties on people, I send glory to You and fill my soul with sincere faith. Amen".

Text of the prayer “Lord rest the soul of your departed servant”

The text of the prayer translated into understandable Russian may sound like this:

“Lord God, who trampled death and conquered the devil, who gave life to all mankind. I ask for rest for the soul of your deceased servant (proper name). And if he has sinned in life, then forgive him his voluntary and involuntary sins. You, as a great philanthropist, forgive him and have mercy. Grant his soul to find peace in the Kingdom of Heaven, deliver him from retribution for his sins and from eternal torment in fiery hell. Remember him, Lord, as well as all the most holy ministers of the church, who served You with faith during their lives, the soldiers who defended their homeland from their adversaries, those who on occasion laid down their heads in internecine warfare. Every sin of Your deceased servant (name of the person) was committed through foolishness, and during his lifetime he repented of his misdeeds and deeds. I send up my prayer to You and believe in Your mercy. Amen".

Short prayer

“Remember, Lord, the deceased, the Servant of God (the person’s name), forgive all his sins and give him hope for resurrection. Help his soul, Lord, to find peace in the Kingdom of God and deliver him from eternal torment. Amen".

Children should definitely pray for their deceased parents. The church provides special days for this, but in addition to this, prayer can be offered at other times, when memories of loved ones come flooding back. This will remove melancholy from the soul, and memories after prayer will be filled with tender sadness.

Prayer for a deceased father

The prayer for the deceased father sounds like this:

“Lord Almighty, Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race! You are the guardian of truth, the refuge of grieving people and the comforter of those who cry. I, the Servant of God (my own name), come running to You, groaning and crying, and turning to You with a sincere prayer. Hear me and turn your gaze to me. Assuage, merciful Lord, Lover of Mankind, my spiritual sorrow associated with eternal separation from my father. Grant me faith that You accepted him into the Kingdom of Heaven and delivered him from eternal torment for his earthly sins. I bow before Your holy will and accept everything sent down by You. I ask only for Your mercy. Only You can punish for sins up to the fourth generation, but You also mercifully forgive sins committed through human folly. So forgive, Lord, not to punish my deceased parent for his earthly sins, forgive him all his voluntary and involuntary sins, have mercy on him and deliver him from fiery hell. Merciful and Just Lord, hear my warm prayer for my deceased parent. Give him your fair reward for raising me in Christian piety. All my life I will pray to you in reverence, thank you for my life filled with faith, and also seek refuge near you in sorrow and illness. Amen".

Prayer for the deceased mother (mother)

The prayer for the deceased mother is as follows:

“Lord Almighty, Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race! I, the Servant of God (my own name), turn to you with a prayer and ask you to quench my spiritual grief for the closest and dearest person - my deceased mother. I truly believe that you will accept her soul into your Kingdom of Heaven. I will accept any of Your will and Your decisions, just do not refuse Your mercy. Do not punish my deceased mother, Your servant (mother’s name) for the sins she committed during her earthly life and do not transfer the payment for them to future generations. Forgive all her voluntary and involuntary sins and do not punish her with eternal torment in fiery Gehenna. Grant me, All-Merciful Lord, until my last breath to thank You in prayer for Your deeds. I ask You to grant me peace of mind and leave the memory of my mother in my soul, and remove mental suffering and sadness. Reward, Lord, your blessings to my deceased mother for her labors in raising me in sincere faith and Christian piety. Grant peace to her soul and bestow the joys of Thy eternal Kingdom of Heaven. Amen".

You should definitely pray for other deceased relatives. Such prayers are a tribute to loved ones and hope for obtaining your own peace of mind.

Widow's prayer for her deceased husband

A woman’s prayer for her deceased husband is as follows:

“Our Savior Jesus Christ, Lord and Almighty of Heaven! You are a consolation for the suffering, and an intercession for the weeping widows. I, the servant of God (my own name), in moments of sorrow, come running to You and pray for support. Turn your gaze upon me, O All-Merciful Lord, and hear my prayer, filled with pain and suffering. You, Lord Almighty, did not leave me alone in life and gave me the servant of God (the name of the deceased spouse) as a companion. By your good will, you took it away from me and now you have prepared for me to experience the loneliness of earthly life. I accept Your will and ask you to quench your mental suffering and sadness for my deceased husband (husband’s name). I bow before Your image, I ask you to accept my request and not refuse it. Remember, Lord, the soul of my deceased husband (name of spouse), forgive all sins, voluntary and involuntary, committed by him in earthly life. Do not let him pay for them with eternal torment and experience fiery hell. I will pray for the forgiveness of all his sins, committed through foolishness, all my life, so that you do not punish our children and our grandchildren for them. Let his soul move into Your Kingdom and experience the joys there. For there is not a person on earth who has not sinned at least once. You alone, sinless Lord, only you have been granted the power to have mercy and save human souls. Amen".

Prayers for deceased children

When parents lose a child prematurely, there is an emptiness in their souls. Healing emotional wounds is not easy, but sincere prayer for deceased children will help you continue to live.

It sounds like this:

“Savior of the human race, Son of God, Jesus Christ, in endless spiritual sorrow, I come running to you, servant of God (proper name), and pray with tears for support. By Your will a child was given to me, and by Your will You took him away from me. Your will and your power, I accept it and ask you to heal your spiritual wounds. May your name be blessed, O Lord, may no one doubt your mercy and truth, may no one lose faith in his soul. I pray to you, the All-Just Heavenly Lord, for the forgiveness of all the sins of my child committed in his short earthly life. Forgive my sins, voluntary and involuntary, so that my deceased child (name of the child) does not suffer punishment and eternal torment for them. With endless love for You, Lord, I come running and pray for the salvation of the soul of my deceased child, I ask you to bestow your blessings and mercies on her and take her to the Kingdom of Heaven. I will honor your commandments until the last days of my life, and glorify you in my sincere prayers. Do not despise my prayer. Amen".

When older people pass away, it is considered natural. But even in this case, there is always heartache. Adult grandchildren who follow their grandmother, who gave them all of herself, suffer especially often. Therefore, in order to find peace of mind, you need to pray for the deceased.

The prayer for the deceased grandmother is as follows:

“Remember, Lord, Your servant (name) who passed away. You are a true lover of humanity, so I beg you to forgive the voluntary and involuntary sins of my beloved grandmother. She lived a righteous life, raised me in the true Christian faith and fear of God. Let this be counted towards her and help her avoid God’s punishment for sins committed through foolishness in earthly life. Do not let her experience torment in fiery hell, give her the opportunity to repent and receive communion, so that she can experience peace and joy in the Kingdom of Heaven. You are the One God, and only You can show mercy to sinful people, for you know that only You are sinless. I will pray to you for your mercy and glorify all your good deeds until the end of my days. Amen".

Prayer to Archangel Michael for the unbaptized deceased

It is also possible for unbaptized deceased. Sincere prayers will definitely be heard by the Higher powers. Prayer will help quench spiritual grief and give hope that the soul of the deceased, who is not an Orthodox believer, will still find peace.

A very powerful prayer in such cases is the prayer addressed to the Archangel Michael, which is said on September 19 and November 21. It is believed that praying for the dead at midnight on these dates has miraculous power. It was during this period that Archangel Michael descends into hell and lowers his wing into fiery Gehenna to extinguish it. Therefore, you need to pray for the unbaptized deceased, be sure to name their names, so that the saint will lead them out of hell.

The prayer text reads as follows:

“Lord the Great Heavenly King, All-Merciful and All-Merciful! I ask You to send me, the Servant of God (my own name), to help Your Archangel Michael. Ask him to protect me from all enemies, visible and invisible. I turn to you, Great Archangel Michael of the Lord, Prince and commander of all the heavenly forces of God, the Seraphim and Cherubim. I ask you to become my assistant and provide support in sorrows, sorrows, in deserts and river spaces. Protect me, Great Archangel Michael, from devilish temptations, defeat all my enemies and enemies with the power of the Honest and Life-giving Cross of the Lord and the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos. I ask you, Holy Archangel Michael, to bring the deceased (the name of the unbaptized deceased) out of the lake of fire and bring him, under the cover of your wing, to the Throne of God for repentance. Pray to the Lord God, the All-Merciful Lover of Mankind, to forgive the sins of the servant of God (name of the deceased) and to grant peace to his soul. Amen".

In the Orthodox faith, dead people are called deceased, since faith in eternal life is always present in the souls of true believers. As a rule, during a funeral, prayers are read by a priest. But subsequently, prayers must also be read at the grave of the deceased.

After the grave has been removed, you should light a candle and read the following prayer:

“Remember, O Lord, all-merciful and all-merciful. Your deceased servant (name of the deceased), a person close to me. Show, Lord, your love for mankind and forgive him all his earthly sins, voluntary and involuntary, for he committed them out of his own foolishness and sincerely repented of them. Only You are truth and truth, only You have been granted the power to forgive sins and give peace to the soul. Show your mercies and blessings, deliver the deceased, the servant of God (name of the deceased) from punishment and torment in fiery Gehenna. A person cannot live his life without sinning, for You alone are sinless. I pray to you and send glory to your deeds. Amen".

What prayers are ordered in the church for the deceased?

When a loved one dies, it is a terrible loss, but despite this, you should know how to behave in such a situation. It is important to order a memorial service for the deceased after the funeral.

To do this you need:

• Visit the temple.
• Place a candle in the appropriate place for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
• Place funeral products on the funeral table.
• Write a note with the name of the deceased for the priest.
• Tell the minister about your desire to order a memorial service.

The memorial service must be ordered on the 9th and 40th day. These dates are significant for determining where the soul of the deceased will end up, and prayers in this case play an important role. Texts of prayers for memorial services are not ordered. As a rule, the priest reads all the initial prayers first, then the prayer continues with the reading of the 90th Psalm. After this, special texts are read for the repose of the soul of the deceased; they must mention the name of the deceased person. It is permissible to order a memorial service at the cemetery.