The death of a person is always a great grief for his relatives, but the bitterness from the death of a loved one who ended his life without receiving holy Orthodox baptism, or who passed away by his own decision, grows several times.
Every Christian knows that the unbaptized and those who committed suicide are not buried in church and are not prayed for in future services. It is hard to realize the departure of a dear person from earthly life, but it is much harder to know all your life that he is burning in hell if there is no intercessor for him in heaven and earth.
Holy Martyr Uar of Egypt
Prayer to the holy martyr Uar is a prayer request from relatives for their deceased unbaptized relatives or suicides.
What is baptism?
Before we deal with the issue of the funeral service, let’s find out: what is the sacrament of baptism and why is it needed?
Baptism is spiritual birth. We were already born with a body. And baptism allows you to be born spiritually. At baptism, each of us is given a guardian angel.
Don’t think that baptism is a ticket to Heaven. Baptism is becoming a member of Christ's church. A baptized person is a sheep of God.
Why can't you have a funeral service?
It would seem that above we examined the question of why it is impossible to perform funeral services for unbaptized people. No, not completely.
A funeral service is not just a beautiful ceremony. Candles flicker, the priest walks around the coffin with a censer and sings something. The smell of incense is in the air, the relatives of the deceased cry, saying goodbye to him forever.
When the priest “sings something,” then this “something” turns out to be prayers. The priest reads special prayers. And in one of them there is the line “rest with the saints.” That is, the priest and relatives ask the Lord to accept the deceased into His Paradise.
Is it possible to ask for this fate for someone who was not a member of the church? Who didn't know God? The priest will most accurately answer this question. But it is hardly permissible to perform a funeral service for an unbaptized person.
Is it possible to pray for an unbaptized person?
Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin notes that deceased Christians during their lifetime entered the bosom of the Church through holy Baptism. This means that they remain its members even after death. Therefore, the Orthodox Church continues to offer prayers for the souls of deceased Christians. The Church cannot pray for an unbaptized person, since he did not belong to her. Archpriest Sergius Vasin points out that “you cannot force a person to become a Christian, even after death.” According to Archpriest Dimitry Struev, the Church’s prayer for people who did not recognize it and did not want to be part of it would be “violence against their will and free choice.”
How to remember the unbaptized dead? It is possible and necessary to ask God for mercy for such people. But not in church, but in private prayer. Yes, funeral services cannot be performed for the unbaptized, and the relatives of such deceased are saddened by this ban. However, notes Dimitria Struyeva, the funeral service cannot be perceived as a procedure necessary for “passage to heaven.” If a person is not inveterate, this does not mean that he is automatically deprived of the Kingdom of Heaven. Only God will decide the fate of such a person. And we know that the Lord's mercy is great.
In addition, the absence of Baptism is not always the result of a person’s free choice. The reason for this can be a variety of circumstances. For example, in the 20th century, many people were not baptized due to persecution of the Church. The souls of the departed need our prayerful help. Therefore, the Church blesses home, personal prayer for unbaptized people.
The shortest version of the cell prayer for the dead is “Rest, O Lord, the soul of your deceased servant (name).” New Martyr Bishop Afanasy (Sakharov) in his work “On the Commemoration of the Dead according to the Charter of the Orthodox Church” writes that the humble home commemoration of the unbaptized
“It will be more valuable in the eyes of God and more joyful for the departed than what was done in the temple, but with violation and neglect of the Church statutes.”
Also, for private commemoration of the deceased, a prayer to the martyr Uar can be used.
How are suicides buried?
In the old days, people who took their own lives were buried behind the cemetery fence. Now this rule has long been forgotten. Suicides are buried in cemeteries. But they don’t put a cross on a grave. This is a desecration of a shrine.
Is it possible to erect a monument? Yes, you can. Only without the image of the cross, angels and other things somehow connected with the church and God.
Is a funeral service a pass to Heaven?
We now know whether it is possible to perform a funeral service for an unbaptized person. It is forbidden. But even for a baptized person, this sacrament is not a guarantee of heavenly abodes.
Judge for yourself: a man has lived his whole life without knowing God. I did not go to church, did not attend the sacraments of confession and communion. “Legally” he was considered God’s, but in fact he lived on his own. Where is “rest with the saints” here?
Although, as they say, the ways of the Lord are mysterious. We do not know what a person was like during his lifetime. Maybe he lived according to the gospel commandments without knowing it. And it is possible that God accepted him posthumously.
How to help the soul of the deceased?
Here we make a reservation: the unbaptized deceased. If a note can be submitted for a baptized person and a magpie can be ordered, then a deceased person who has not received the sacrament of baptism cannot be commemorated in church.
And what should loved ones do who understand what the fate of their relative is, but do not know how to alleviate it?
- Give alms for the deceased.
- Do good deeds in his name. Help those in need not only financially, but also morally. Live not for yourself, but for others.
- Pray for the unbaptized deceased in home prayer.
The history of the appearance of the Uaru prayer
The Uaru prayer arose in 307 AD, after the death of a small child, his mother Cleopatra kept the relics of the saint in the family tomb, then built a church in his honor, where people came to pray every day. She turned to him in prayer, and in a dream he came with the good news that his son was now under his protection. After this, people came and repeatedly received healing at his tomb.
Uar independently decided to become a martyr, in the name of eternal joy after the death of the body, which Jesus Christ promised to all faithful soldiers. He ended his earthly journey by taking the last opportunity to transform his fear of his executioners into acceptance and repentance.
Who is Saint War?
The future martyr came from a pious family. Saint Huar lived in Egypt during the reign of Diocletian. War was a very courageous man and served in the imperial army. But none of this prevented the future martyr from reverently treating the exploits of Christians.
At that time, seven ascetics of Christ were in prison. And Saint Uar visited them, knowing that people were suffering for Christ. Shortly before the trial, one of the righteous died. And then Uar stood in his place to accept martyrdom.
The young warrior revealed himself to the emperor. He was very surprised. It is unknown whether he tried to persuade Uar to renounce his faith. Only information has reached us about his anger when the martyr said that no one and nothing could influence his decision.
It was then that the cup of the emperor’s wrath poured out on the young man. He was tied to a rack and beaten with wide leather straps. The torture did not break the fortitude of the spirit of Saint Huar. He was calm, which angered his tormentors even more. They tied up the martyr, threw him to the ground and ripped open his womb. The insides fell out. The torturers tied Uar to a pole, near which he gave his soul to God five hours later.
CANON TO THE HOLY MARTYR UARU,
He was also given the grace to pray for the deceased ancestors of Cleopatra, who were not worthy to receive holy baptism
Canon, tone 8, immemorial lines: beg, Uare, for our external births
Song 1
Irmos: Plunge the chariot of the persecutor of Pharaoh, sometimes work miracles, striking the rod of Moses in a cross shape and dividing the sea, and saving Israel the fugitive pedestrian, singing the song of God.
Holy Martyr Ware, pray to God for us.
Be implored, O Lord, by Thy holy martyr Uar and clothe yourself with mercy and generosity; and this will be poured out even to hell, O Lover of Mankind, and will reward what is asked of us with Your rich mercy.
Holy Martyr Ware, pray to God for us.
Great martyr of Christ, remember the embittered and helpless ones who sit in the darkness of darkness, unenlightened, and do not stop, falling to the generous Lord, until I will comfort you with His rich mercy.
Holy Martyr Ware, pray to God for us.
You were able to pray for the wondrous family of Cleopatra, O glorious passion-bearer, for even today, by being able, you are able to free from the torments that are remembered from us, if you diligently pray for them to the Lord, for for your sake the Lord will console you with His rich mercy.
Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: To the helpless Good Helper, look from Your glory, Lady, to the darkness of hell and see the troubles of those touched by us, remembered before You, and do not stop beseeching Your Son and the generous Lord and Master for them, until I will comfort you with His rich mercy.
Song 3
Irmos: Establish at the beginning the Heavens with your mind and the earth on the waters, establishing me, Christ, on the stone, establish Your commandments, as there is nothing holy, more than You, the only Lover of mankind.
Move the face of the holy Heavenly Powers with you to prayer, O martyr, and do a wonderful, great, and honest work, and even more joy to those who have no hope and no consolation, who do not trust in our bitter unfaithfully deceased ancestor and who are remembered with them, to grant them forgiveness from the Lord and great mercy.
Considerably passionate and beloved of Christ, assure that if freedom and joy are desired for those who are tormented, then our relatives, and those like them who have acquired unbelief for the sake of eternal torment, will not find their joy, even if you ask for forgiveness and great mercy from the Lord.
Uare, the kindly victorious sufferer, be merciful to our prayers, and see those who are dejected by the unspeakable need, and you yourself, compelled by pity, relentlessly pray to the Humanity-loving Lady, that he may grant them forgiveness and great mercy.
Theotokos: Universal hope, God-pleasing village, our reconciliation with God, Mary the Lady, accept the petitions of this present coming and do not stop praying to Your Son and the Lord of all, that He may grant forgiveness and great mercy to the hopeless for Your sake.
Sedalen, voice 5:
If you pray for the whole world, great martyr, and do not cease, asking for mercy for everyone and for every criminal, those who have fiercely annoyed and constantly annoyed the Master, who have completely killed their deeds with dead people and have gained nothing, as if they have done evil, likewise, more passion-bearing, stand for ours as well. deceased relatives, as if possible, starting, do not retreat, praying and falling to the Lord, who has mercy on all, may he forgive and have mercy on those who sit in darkness and are greatly grieved.
Another sedalene, voice 3:
Eternal joys of the inhabitant, namesake of Heavenly peace, Great Uare, daring and daring to remember before the Lord the tender couple of our ancestors, even if we do not lay you in their tomb, but with a zealous request for pity, from them, we join you. In the same way, fall down and pray, for the Master will not reject your presence, but is bowed down from immeasurable goodness, and will send deliverance and great mercy to the distressed.
Glory, even now, to the Mother of God:
Blessed Lady, exalted by the Heavenly powers and exalted, Mother of the King of all, where and when Your glory and majesty wants to increase, isn’t it then, when You intercede for sinners and cover the whole world with Your prayers, and today also multiply, O Lady, Your splendor exaltation, deliver with Your warm prayers from fierce torment our unfaithful and unbaptized relatives and those who remember them and with them, and grant them deliverance and great mercy.
Song 4
Irmos: You are my strength, Lord, You are my strength, You are my God, You are my joy, do not leave the bosom of the Father, and having visited our poverty, I call you with the prophet Habakkuk: Glory to Your strength, Lover of mankind.
Elma*, most passionately patient, loves everyone who comes running to you with faith, and also loves to be in good hands from those who pray to you. What else will the Humane-lover do with the desire to glorify you, if not by giving the requested mercy to the touched and all joy deprived of the eternal prisoner, and henceforth, O good martyr, do not pray for these in poverty.
The winter is fierce and the barrenness of salvation lies in the wicked dead and the crying is joyless, here we take into account the essence that is remembered from us. You, the passion-bearer, unite these to the race of the righteous, striving and praying for them without ceasing.
Let the dark prison of hell forever not embrace our ancestors and relatives and all those remembered with them: to you, the wondrous sufferer, who has laid down the power of unbelief and sinful power, so continue to forgive these hedgehogs with Cleopatrine’s family, martyr, praying.
Theotokos: By Thee, Most Pure One, we glorify with the knowledge of all the Creator, and from Thee the Flesh-Bearer, the inexorable Savior, magnify with skill, and Thee, the Lady, we praise, and we worship Thee, and we pray, have mercy on our relatives who have died in unbelief, and to deliver these, not in poverty, to the Son, praying .
Song 5
Irmos: Thou hast cast me away from Thy presence, O unstoppable Light, and an alien darkness has covered me, the accursed one, but turn me and direct my path to the light of Thy commandments, I pray.
Every gift, martyr, and every mercy from the merciful Lord are poured out, even if they are wonderful and wonderful, but they are added to the forgiveness of those who died in wickedness, the majesty of this is most wonderfully left. In the same way, today, try to do a great thing, pray to the Lord, the martyr.
Do not turn away, O Lord, from our tenderness, remember the multitude of our sins, and moreover remember Your ancient mercies, both for the sake of Your bounty, and for the sake of the noble sufferer, do not become impoverished in the wealth of Your immeasurable mercy, but pour out mercy and forgiveness from us remembered.
There is, O Great Martyr, and the Lord’s love for mankind reaches those who are in the sea far away, so stand also today and, falling down, beg Him to have mercy on our distant relatives of faith and baptism, our deceased relatives who are alienated and to all who are remembered with them, to grant forgiveness and great mercy.
Theotokos: Appear, O Lady, to our exhaustion and wake us up in our needs, helping us everywhere and ever. For You are the Christian Hope and Trust, so do not reject our petition, but make it perfect and filled with Your indescribable grace.
Song 6
Irmos: Cleanse me, O Savior, for my iniquities are many, and bring me up from the depths of evil, I pray: I have cried out to You, and hear me, O God of my salvation.
Let the vacillations of the enemy not rejoice, having received souls for gain, but you, martyr, destroy his desires with your warm prayers, begging the Lord to forgive those we remember, and to deliver us from that eternal torment.
The beginning of our feat is Cleopatrine's kind of forgiveness, from here, with the guilty perception, raise you up to prayer, and do not despise those whom we remember, great martyr, and do not reject the sinners, but, having labored, ask the Lord Christ for forgiveness and deliverance from bitter torment.
For the sake of unbelief, you seeth the end of evils, and the aspirations of good things are greatly destroyed by the wrath of God for the sake of God, but you, more passionate, receive boldness, the joy of forgiveness instead of terrible languor from the Heavenly King and, having been delivered from grief, observe in the Master's mercy.
Theotokos: Kaya, Lady, will anger overcome Your swearing prayers? Truly, if you appear today, praying for those asked by You, you will grant them joyful forgiveness, deliverance and great mercy.
Kontakion, tone 4:
Having followed Christ, the martyr Uare, having drunk His cup, and having been bound with the crown of torment, and rejoicing with the Angels, pray unceasingly for our souls.
Ikos:
Remember our words, O bright inhabitant of Heaven, the glorious Great Martyr Uare of Christ, the same-named for eternal rest, and through your great sufferings, an impassable and bright chamber acquired from an impassable prison, and unceasing anguish, and need, striving with your God-pleasing prayers to deliver the tender servants, for whose sake we pray to you, coming forward and crying with zeal, fulfill our petitions, holy one, and pray to Christ God unceasingly for our souls.
Song 7
Irmos: Sometimes the fire in Babylon was ashamed of God’s descent, for this reason the youths in the cave rejoiced with their feet, like in a flower bed, rejoicing: blessed art thou, O God of our fathers.
As the sun, Lord, enlightens everyone, and rains unenviably upon everyone, and unceasingly grants mercy to those who anger You, and now listen to Uar, Your sufferer, and pour out Your mercy to the end of our estranged relatives and those who are unfaithful with them, Lover of mankind.
Now, as before, be generous, Lord, and beg to appear, O Lord, as you did for Cleopatra, do for us, O Merciful One; Send Your generosity and mercy to those we remember, for You are an inexhaustible source of mercy.
Even if the prophet, rising up, sings of Thy mercy, O Lord, forever, for we believe in Thy bounty without becoming depleted, for the limits of Thy mercy are immeasurable, and from the abyss into the depths of those who have drowned, we implore Thy mercy to be poured out, so fulfill this for the sake of the martyr, O our Lord.
Theotokos: The wise prophet said to Mount Thee, but we believe that the Stone of Theotokos will come from Thee without the admixture of men; Through whom we received our salvation and from the depths of hell we received our erection, O Lady, raise up those whom we remember today from hell, so that we may unceasingly magnify You, the All-Merciful.
Song 8
Irmos: By the Musikian body harmonizing and by the countless people worshiping the image in Deir, the three youths, disobeying, sang and glorified the Lord forever.
Balls* may Thy ancient words be, merciful, O Lord, speaking and lifting up our hope, for Thou didst listen to Thy saints, O Lord, to have mercy on the unfaithful dead, whom even today we bring to Thee in prayer, and for the sake of their petitions, for the sake of graciousness to those who died heterodoxically, through knowledge and ignorance You, Vladyka, have annoyed you.
Lamb of God, who redeemed us with His Most Pure Blood, Feklino and Blessed Gregory heard the prayer, Methodius with many and Macarius received the petition, and gave joy and deliverance to the evil-believers to the dead, and Chrysostom wrote a prayer for these, having erected, accept therefore, O Master, with these glorious Uar and through their prayers, remembered from us, forgive and have mercy.
Ask for joy for us, great martyr, let us rejoice if through your prayers we find our relatives delivered from eternal torment; The Lord always hears your prayers and fulfills your requests, so you are not poor about these and now pray, so that we glorify you.
Theotokos: Most immaculate Lady, abound with abundance of mercy and bounty, wondrous and Blessed Mother of the Tsareva, for we who seek mercy, where in India we will find this, if we do not hasten to You, falling, You have given birth to an abundant stream of sweetness for us, Most Blessed One.
Song 9
Irmos: Heaven was horrified at this, and the ends of the earth were amazed, for God had appeared as a man in the flesh, and Your womb was the most spacious of Heaven, and thus Thee, the Mother of God, the Angels and the people of the ranks are magnified.
O God, may you, glorious Uara, through your God-pleasing prayers accept and pour out mercy, even to those who are alienated to the end, for One is the Parent of generosity and mercy, and everything is possible for Him, as the Master, to the Unmanly One, the sufferer, pray, to forgive and have mercy even from us remembered.
Do the work diligently, about the great martyr, and apply it to your glory, asking forgiveness from the Lord and His righteous wrath, asking those who are grieved by the dark evil faith for the sake of our ancestor and the hedgehog, in grief and in anticipation of the fiercest beings, so that you may stir up fearless deliverance, where the Lord has forgiven put
And what kind of miracle will appear this most wondrous, what glory is most famous, and what kind of mercy is greater than this, if you, martyr, regret, beg the merciful Lord to forgive the sin of wickedness, who are remembered from us, and to deliver them from their fierce torment.
Theotokos: Merciful Lady, loving of mankind and not remembering evil, accept the pity of our petition and persistently intercede for mercy to your merciful Son and Lady, to have mercy and forgive the sin of heterodoxy for our deceased relatives and those remembered with them, absolution and the place of this mercy is inalienable.
Svetilen:
It will be righteous, O Master Lord, who forgave Ti Cleopatra's ancestors, and today hear the prayer of Uar, Your great martyr, and ours, many sinners, stand: to deliver from torment those who are remembered with pity before You. Likewise, speed up, O Generous One, and strive as if you are merciful to have mercy on these, as much as you can.
Glory, even now, to the Mother of God:
Strive, O Lady, to hear our prayer, which is brought to You in Your Church, and bow down to the mercy of Your Son and the Master, who have died in Your Church, and to save our deceased ancestors from righteous anger, and our friends and relatives, hasten, O All-Merciful One, to deliver these, you can, because you are merciful, desiring mercy for everyone.
Stichera:
What shall we bring you, wonderful martyr, for every Church honors you, as you are glorified by the Lord Christ with the glory of Heaven, Who has given you the grace of great boldness towards Him, and now you stand before Him with the Angels, glorious Uare, the passion-bearer of Christ, Whom you pray to forgive those who died heterodoxly and be saved to our souls.
Holy martyr Uare the great, in vain, Christ’s sufferers, covered with grievous wounds, kindled with zeal for the Lady, you confessed the Heavenly King before the tormentor, and you suffered earnestly for Him, and with Him you now reign, pray to Him to send mercy to those who died in unbelief and to save our souls.
Wonderful Uare, your splendid glory, rejoicing in imperishable joys, rejoicing with the Heavenly Powers on High, and seeing clearly the Holy Trinity, and enjoying the light of the Beginning Radiance, remember us in your joy, remember also our relatives in languor, who died in wickedness, and pray to Christ God to have mercy on these and save our souls.
Who is of the same name to eternal rest, the glorious martyr, given by God to us for our benefit and salvation, who was enlightened for Christ in suffering, the equal of the holy Angel appeared and pray to the Lord to grant worldly humility and deliverance from us, but we diligently chant to you: Accept our petitions, saying, and lift them up to Christ God, and send down great mercy to all.
Come now, lovers of martyrdom, strenuously this day, let us exalt the passion-bearer, the Heavenly Crowned, the glorious Uar the Great Martyr, and cry out to him, praying and saying: O wondrous warrior and brave, King Christ’s commander, descend to real rejoicing in the hedgehog to see with prayer the coming, and accept our petition, and do not forget to have mercy on those remembered by us, our relatives who fell in unbelief about us, just as Cleopatrine freed the unfaithful race with his prayers from eternal torment, so remember the memories of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, and those who were revered with them, those who were buried against God , died unbaptized. For these things, present yourself to Christ God, to Your Hero, for you have zealously suffered for the Unworthy, and strive to ask for deliverance from eternal darkness and forgiveness and great mercy for our souls.
The beautiful chamber of the Word, the longed-for Royal spoon, the animate chamber of Christ, the Immaculate Bride of the Father, Mary, the Most Pure Maiden, look upon those touched by our petition and see how we are in misery from pity, visibly suffering from the fierceness of our ancestors and neighbors, even more and in dignity, but much more I will always encounter anguish, sorrow, and torment; Look then, O All-Merciful One, upon these from the heights of Your joy, and be moved by their fierce needs, and do not cease from asking, O Lady, until you beg Your Son and Lord to grant forgiveness and great mercy to the helpless.
Life of the Holy Martyr Huar
The holy martyr Huar lived in Alexandria in the 4th century and served in the Roman army. He was a secret Christian. Not having the courage to openly confess his faith during the persecution, Uar went around the prisons at night, looked after the martyrs and asked for their prayers.
One day he learned that there were seven Christian teachers among the prisoners. They were tortured and then thrown bound into a prison cell, where they were starved for several days. Having bribed the guards, Uar entered the prison, freed the martyrs from their shackles, gave them food and drink.
“Pray for me, saints of God,” he asked, “and I would like to suffer for Christ, but I’m afraid of torture.” “Remember what is said in the Gospel,” answered the martyrs. “Whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Heavenly Father.” Come with us, brother, to Christ along the martyr’s path—let’s endure together.”
The next morning, one of the martyrs died from his wounds and Saint Uar, appearing before the governor in his place, said that he wanted to suffer with the Christians. They began to torture him: they tortured him, whittled him with iron knives, then nailed him to a tree upside down, tore off the skin from his back, and beat him on the stomach with gnarled sticks until his entrails fell out to the ground. When Saint War died, his body was dragged out of the city and thrown to be devoured by dogs.
One pious widow, named Cleopatra, secretly took the body of the martyr and buried it in her house.
When the persecution ended, Cleopatra left for Palestine, to the village of Edra. She brought the saint’s relics here and placed them in the family tomb. Every day she prayed at the tomb of the martyr Huar. Following her example, other Christians began to resort to his help and received healing from the relics of the saint.
Blessed Cleopatra, seeing that many people were gathering at the tomb of Huar, decided to build a temple in his honor. Her seventeen-year-old son John was preparing to join the Roman army, and his mother fervently prayed to Saint Uar so that he would be an assistant to the young man and would ask the Lord for him what would be pleasing to Him and useful to John. She hoped that when the temple was built, her son would receive an honorary position in the army.
In the new church, the relics of Saint War were placed under the altar. After the first Divine Liturgy, Blessed Cleopatra arranged a meal and, together with her son, served the guests. Suddenly he developed a high fever, and at midnight the young man died. Cleopatra ran to the church and began to reproach the holy martyr: “Pleasant of God, this is how you paid for my labors! It would be better for me to die myself than to see my son die.”
From extreme fatigue and grief, blessed Cleopatra fell asleep right in the temple. In a dream, the martyr Uar and John appeared to her in sparkling robes and crowns.
The saint said: “Do you really think that I have forgotten your good deeds? I begged God to forgive the sins of your relatives, with whom you laid me in the tomb. I took your son - he stands before the throne of God and serves the King of Heaven; if you want him to serve the earthly and temporary king, take him back.” But the young man hugged him with the words: “No, do not deprive me of communication with the saints!” And he said to his mother: “Why are you crying? I am numbered among the heavenly army and stand before Christ along with the angels.”
Having come to her senses, blessed Cleopatra told the priests about the vision; together with them she honorably buried her son at the tomb of Saint Uar, no longer crying, but rejoicing in the Lord. After this, having distributed her property and renounced the world, Cleopatra began to live at the church of St. War, pleasing God.
The day of remembrance of the holy martyr Huar is October 19 (November 1, new style).
| bodyguard Moscow |
to Home Page
But before...
Is it possible to perform a funeral service for an unbaptized person? No, this is prohibited. You can pray for him to Saint Uar at home.
If you come to church, and there they tell you, then you can order a prayer service to the holy martyr, submit notes about an unbaptized relative and light candles for him, run away from this church.
Previously, dishonest abbots took advantage of people’s gullibility and accepted such notes and prayers, assuring that they were equivalent to prayer as for a baptized person. This is a lie. For the purpose of profit, nothing more. No bishop will allow this.
Prayer is the connection between man and God
Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev) in his “Catechism” defines prayer as a person’s communication with God, a mutual movement towards each other. Sincere, heartfelt prayer will always bear fruit. The answer can be given in many different forms. But a true Christian joyfully accepts the holy will of God and entrusts his life to Him. Prayer to Saint Uar is one of the manifestations of such trust in the Creator.
Holy Martyr Uar (Orthodox icon)
Orthodoxy has generally accepted prayer texts that have been used by believers for centuries. However, you can pray to God in your own words, in Russian. The main thing is to do this with faith and reverence. We can offer prayers to the Almighty, asking for help in the fight against sins in various life situations. We can mourn our sins with prayer and express hope for God’s mercy.
Also in prayer they thank God for His blessings or simply joyfully praise Him. The motives for turning to the Lord can be very different. But they all have one thing in common - love for the Almighty, the desire to hear and feel Him in their lives. The Apostle Paul also tells us about this: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in everything” (1 Thess. 5:16–18). God is always there and He hears us.
A special place in Christian life is occupied by prayer for other people: living and dead. We ask God to help our children, parents, relatives and friends. We are also called, imitating Christ, to pray for our enemies and offenders and thus overcome evil with good. Prayer for the souls of the deceased is important because they themselves can no longer influence their afterlife fate. Repentance and a change of soul were possible for them only during their lifetime. But the living can beg God for mercy and even forgiveness for their deceased loved ones.
