What prayer is said at the cemetery?

Litiya performed by a layman at home and in the cemetery

Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls. (the prayer to the Holy Spirit is not read from Easter to Trinity Day)

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, abiding everywhere and filling everything, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (three times)
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now, and always, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Lord, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.

Lord have mercy (three times)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Our Father, who is in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us our daily bread today; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Lord have mercy. (12 times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Come, let us worship our King God.
Come, let us worship our King, God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God.
Come, let us worship and fall before Christ, the King, our God.
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.
Come, let us bow and fall before Christ Himself, our King and God.

How to properly pray for the deceased

Before you read prayers, you need to figure out how to do it correctly. The Orthodox Church points out several simple rules that must be followed when praying: before reading the prayer text, you should fully concentrate on saying the prayer; It is recommended to purify the soul and mind in advance to ensure that God will hear the words; it is not necessary to memorize prayer words, so you can read them; when pronouncing words, one must discard all life’s difficulties and problems; You must read the text confidently, sincerely believing in the help of prayer and its power.

Psalm 90

Living in the help of the Most High, he will settle in the shelter of the Heavenly God. Says the Lord: Thou art my intercessor, and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him.

For He will deliver you from the snare of the trap and from rebellious words, His blanket will overshadow you, and under His wing you hope: His truth will surround you with weapons.

Do not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies during the day, from the thing that passes in darkness, from the cloak and demon of the midday.

Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come close to you: behold your eyes, and you will see the reward of sinners.

For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge. Evil will not come to you, and wound will not come close to your body.

As His angel commanded you, keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, but not when you dash your foot against a stone.

Tread on the asp and the basilisk, and cross the lion and the serpent. For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver; I will cover and because I have known My name.

He will call to Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in sorrow, I will destroy him and glorify him; I will fill him with long days, and show him My salvation.

He who lives with the help of the Almighty will find his home under the roof of the heavenly God. He will say to the Lord: “You are my protector and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him.”

For He will deliver you from the snare of fishers and from the disturbing news. He will hide you behind His shoulders, and under His wings you will hope; His truth will surround you like a weapon.

You will not be afraid from the fear of the night, from an arrow flying during the day; from danger wandering in the darkness, from misfortune and the demon of the midday. A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right, but they will not come close to you.

Only with your eyes will you look and see the reward of sinners. For You, Lord, are my hope! You have made the Most High your refuge.

Evil will not approach you, and the scourge will not come close to your tent, for He will command His angels for you, to keep you in all your ways; they will carry you in their hands, so that you do not stumble on a stone with your foot.

You will tread on the asp and the basilisk, and you will trample the lion and the dragon. “For he trusted in Me, and I will deliver him, I will cover him, for he has known My name.

He will call Me, and I will hear him, I am with him in sorrow, I will deliver him and glorify him, I will fill him with long life and show him My salvation.”

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to You, O God. (three times)

Troparion, tone 4

From the spirits of the righteous who have passed away, rest the soul of Your servant, O Savior, preserving it in the blessed life that belongs to You, O Lover of Mankind.

With the spirits of the righteous who have passed away the soul of Thy servant [or: Thy servant], Savior, preserving her rest in the blessed life that is with You, O Lover of Mankind.

In Thy chamber, O Lord, where all Thy saints rest, rest also the soul of Thy servant, for Thou art the only Lover of mankind.

In Thy resting place, O Lord, where all Thy saints find peace, give rest also to the soul of Thy servant [or: Thy handmaid], for Thou alone art the Lover of mankind.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

You are God, descended into hell, and the bonds of the bound can be broken, give rest to yourself and the soul of your servant.

You are our God, who descended into hell and ended the torment of the prisoners, and give rest to the soul of Your servant [or: Your servant].

And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, pray for his soul to be saved.

One pure and immaculate Virgin, who bore God in her womb inexpressibly, intercede for the salvation of the soul of Thy servant [or: Thy servant].

Sedalen, voice 5th

Rest, our Savior, with the righteous of Thy servant, and this one is lodged in Thy courts, as it is written, despising, as Good, his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and all those in knowledge and not in knowledge, Lover of mankind.

Kontakion, tone 8

With the saints, rest, O Christ, the soul of Your servant, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life.

With the saints, rest, O Christ, the soul of Thy servant [or: Thy servant], where there is no pain, no sorrow, no groaning, but endless life.

Ikos

Thou art the One Immortal One, who created and created man, on earth we were created from the earth, and to the other earth we will go, as you commanded, Who created me and gave me: as you are the earth, and you will go to the earth, and even all men will go, a funeral lament creating a song : alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

You Yourself are the only immortal One, who created and created man: we, mortals, were created from the earth, and we will go to the same earth, as You commanded, having created me and saying to me: “You are the earth, and to the earth you will go,” where all We mortals will go, turning our funeral sobs into the song “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!”

It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.

It is truly worthy to praise You, Mother of God, eternally blessed and immaculate and Mother of our God. With honor higher than the Cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, who virginally gave birth to God the Word, the true Mother of God, we glorify You.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy (three times), bless.

Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.

In the blessed dormition, grant eternal peace, O Lord, to Thy departed servant (name), and create for him eternal memory.

In the blessed dormition, grant eternal rest, O Lord, to Thy departed servant, and create for him eternal memory!

Everlasting memory. (three times)

His soul will dwell in the good, and his memory throughout generation and generation.

His [or: her] soul will be established among blessings, and his [or: her] memory for generations and generations.

Prayer for a deceased Christian

Even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God glorify You in the Trinity, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until your last breath of confession.

Be merciful to him, and faith, even in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as You give generous rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Widower's Prayer

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 my 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.

Easter Sunday is not the time to remember the dead

On Easter Sunday, the entire Christian world expresses joy over the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not customary to commemorate the dead on this holiday. The church has set a special day for commemoration. It takes place during the Easter period, but falls on the 9th day after Easter Sunday and is called Radonitsa.

For various reasons, people began to visit cemeteries on Easter, specifically on Sunday. Is it correct? Where did this tradition come from? What does the church say about this?

Widow's 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 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 deceased servant (name), forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, even in a word,

whether by deed, or by knowledge and ignorance, do not destroy him with his iniquities and do not consign him to eternal torment, but according to Thy great mercy and according to the multitude of Thy compassions, weaken and forgive all his sins and commit him with Thy saints, where there is no sickness or 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; imputed 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 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.

Parents' prayer for deceased children

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 worldly sweets,

and not more than in contrition for one’s sins, and in intemperance, vigil, fasting and prayer have been abandoned 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 place him with all Your saints, who have pleased You from all eternity, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life:

for there is no man who will live and 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.

What not to do on Radonitsa

We can find not many everyday situations when the church takes a fairly definite, even categorical position on the prohibitions of certain actions. The case of Radonitsa fits this description completely. Yes, we know quite a lot of popular ideas about the “correct” funeral, but Christian views here are significantly different.

Food and vodka at the cemetery

Orthodoxy does not consider it necessary to organize a funeral, as is customary among the people, with the help of food and alcohol, which are brought and placed at the grave. This tradition has long-standing pagan and partly Soviet roots - back then, at the burial site of fallen soldiers, a cut glass of vodka was placed, on which a piece of bread was placed. There is nothing reprehensible in this gesture itself, because people express their respect in this way - they remember a loved one.

On the other hand, it is no secret that if a glass is poured, someone will certainly drink it. Perhaps the person who poured the alcohol will drink it himself, and after the memorial, a stranger may even look at the grave. In addition, dogs or worse, rats may come running to eat.

It turns out that we are trying to act from the bottom of our hearts - to remember the person, to pay our last tribute to him. But the consequences of using food and especially alcohol (and strong alcohol) at the grave do not quite correspond to our noble goal.

However, this does not make it impossible to donate all the food to those in need, who may also be at the cemetery. Give the eggs and papa to any person, as your heart tells you. Perhaps he himself will ask about it, or maybe everything will be clear without words - this is the most convenient situation.

There are no specific recommendations or rules here, there is only one condition: alms are given from a pure heart. And of course, we are not talking about alcohol. We are talking about a person in need, about his urgent need. And alcohol, whatever one may say, is a false need, something without which it is quite possible to live healthy and happy, and even more so on the day of Radonitsa.

Official representatives of the Orthodox Church willingly share their point of view on how to properly commemorate the deceased on Radonitsa. The priests are unanimous that the tradition of commemoration with alcohol and leaving food at the grave has nothing to do with Orthodoxy.

Therefore, if there is a desire to correctly remember a deceased person, then it would be wise to listen to the point of view of the Orthodox Church.

Children's prayer for deceased parents

I pray to You, merciful Lord, satisfy my grief over separation from my parent (my mother), (name) (or: with my parents who gave birth and raised me, their names) - , and his soul (or: her, or: them),

for those who have gone (or: gone) to Thee with true faith in Thee and with firm hope in Thy love for mankind and mercy, accept into Thy Kingdom of Heaven.

I bow before Your holy will, which was taken away (or: taken away, or: taken away) from me, and I ask You not to take away from him (or: from her, or: from them) Your mercy and mercy.

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 Thee, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment the unforgettable deceased (unforgettable deceased) for me Thy servant (Thy servant), my parent (my mother) (name),

but forgive him (her) all his (her) sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance, created by him (her) in his (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 saints, have mercy on him (you) 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 (my deceased mother) in my prayers, and to beg You, the righteous Judge, to order him in a brighter place,

in a cool place and in a calm place, with all the saints, and from here all illness, sadness and sighing have escaped.

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

for his (her) concern for my spiritual progress, for the warmth of his (her) prayer for me before You and for all the gifts he (she) asked me from You, reward him (her) 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.

Symbol of faith

HOW TO CORRECTLY REMEMBER THE DECEASED

Ordering requirements in the Holy Land

Commemoration at the Divine Liturgy Water-blessed prayer Prayer for health Prayer for repose Prayer for health Candle for repose Candle for health Sorokoust for repose Sorokoust for health Requiem service Prayer for the departed is the greatest and most important thing we can do for those who have passed on to another world . By and large, the deceased does not need either a coffin or a monument - all this is a tribute to traditions, albeit pious ones.
But the eternally living soul of the deceased experiences a great need for our constant prayer, because it itself cannot do good deeds with which it would be able to appease God. That is why prayer at home for loved ones, prayer in the cemetery at the grave of the deceased is the duty of every Orthodox Christian. But commemoration in the Church provides special help to the deceased. Before visiting the cemetery, you should come to the church at the beginning of the service, submit a note with the names of your deceased relatives for commemoration at the altar (it is best if this is a commemoration at the proskomedia, when a piece is taken out of a special prosphora for the deceased, and then as a sign of washing away his sins will be lowered into the Chalice with the Holy Gifts). After the Liturgy, a memorial service must be celebrated. The prayer will be more effective if the person commemorating this day himself partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ. On certain days of the year, the Church commemorates all fathers and brothers in faith who have passed away from time to time, who have been worthy of Christian death, as well as those who were overtaken by sudden death and were not guided into the afterlife by the prayers of the Church. The memorial services that take place on such days are called ecumenical, and the days themselves are called ecumenical parental Saturdays. All of them do not have a constant number, but are associated with the moving Lenten-Easter cycle. These are the days: 1. Meat Saturday - eight days before the start of Lent, on the eve of the Week of the Last Judgment. 2. Parents' Saturdays - in the second, third and fourth weeks of Lent. 3. Trinity Parental Saturday - on the eve of the Holy Trinity, on the ninth day after the Ascension. On the eve of each of these days, special funeral all-night vigils are served in churches - parastases, and after the liturgy there are ecumenical memorial services. In addition to these general church days, the Russian Orthodox Church has established some more, namely: 4. Radonitsa (Radunitsa) - Easter commemoration of the departed, occurs in the second week after Easter, on Tuesday. 5. Dimitrievskaya Parental Saturday is a day of special commemoration of killed soldiers, originally established in memory of the Battle of Kulikovo, and later became a day of prayer for all Orthodox soldiers and military leaders. It happens on the Saturday preceding the eighth of November - the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica. 6. Commemoration of deceased soldiers - April 26 (May 9, new style). In addition to these days of general church commemoration, every deceased Orthodox Christian should be commemorated annually on his birthday, death, and name day. On memorable days, it is very useful to donate to the church, give alms to the poor with a request to pray for the departed. HOW TO TREAT THE GRAVE OF AN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN

Cemeteries are sacred places where the bodies of the dead are buried until a future resurrection. Even according to the laws of pagan states, tombs were considered sacred and inviolable. From deep pre-Christian antiquity there is a custom of marking burial places by building a hill above it. Having adopted this custom, the Christian Church decorates the grave mound with the victorious sign of our salvation - the Holy Life-Giving Cross, inscribed on the tombstone or placed above the tombstone. We call our dead departed, not deceased, because at a certain time they will rise from the grave. The grave is the place of future resurrection, and therefore it is necessary to keep it clean and orderly. The cross on the grave of an Orthodox Christian is a silent preacher of blessed immortality and resurrection. Planted in the ground and rising towards the sky, it signifies the faith of Christians that the body of the deceased is here in the earth, and the soul is in heaven, that under the cross is hidden a seed that grows for eternal life in the Kingdom of God. The cross on the grave is placed at the feet of the deceased so that the Crucifix is facing the face of the deceased. We must especially ensure that the cross on the grave is not askew, that it is always painted, clean and well-groomed. A simple, modest cross made of metal or wood is more appropriate for the grave of an Orthodox Christian than expensive monuments and tombstones made of granite and marble.

HOW TO BEHALF IN A CEMETERY

Arriving at the cemetery, you need to light a candle and perform a lithium (this word literally means intense prayer. To perform the rite of lithium in remembrance of the dead, you need to invite a priest. A shorter rite, which can also be performed by a layman, is given in the “Complete Orthodox Prayer Book for the Laity” ). Then clean up the grave or simply remain silent and remember the deceased. There is no need to eat or drink in a cemetery; it is especially unacceptable to pour vodka into a grave mound - this insults the memory of the dead. The custom of leaving a glass of vodka and a piece of bread at the grave “for the deceased” is a relic of paganism and should not be observed in Orthodox families. There is no need to leave food on the grave; it is better to give it to the beggar or the hungry.

PRAYER FOR THE DECEASED CHRISTIAN

Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the eternal life of Your departed servant, our brother (name), and as Good and Lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him eternal torment and fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal good things, prepared for those who love You: even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Your glorified God in the Trinity, Faith, and Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to him, and faith, even in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as You give generous rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

WIDOWER'S PRAYER

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 my 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.

WIDOW'S 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 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 consign 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 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; imputed 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 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.

PARENTS' PRAYER FOR DECEASED CHILDREN

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 deceased servant (your servant), my child (name), and create for him (her) eternal memory. 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 given over 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.

CHILDREN'S 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, 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 (my mother), (name) (or: with my parents who gave birth and raised me, their names) - , and his soul (or: her, or: them), as having gone (or: gone) to You with true faith in You and with firm hope in Your love for mankind and mercy, accept into Your Kingdom of Heaven. I bow before Your holy will, which was taken away (or: taken away, or: taken away) from me, and I ask You not to take away from him (or: from her, or: from them) Your mercy and mercy. 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 Thee, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment the unforgettable deceased (unforgettable deceased) for me Thy servant (Thy servant), my parent (my mother) (name), but forgive him (her) all his sins ( her) voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance, created by him (her) in his (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 him (her) and eternal save me from 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 (my deceased mother) in my prayers, and to beg Thee, the righteous Judge, to order him in a place of light, in a place of coolness and in a place of peace, with all the saints, from nowhere all sickness, sorrow and sighing have fled. Merciful Lord! Accept this day for Thy servant (Your) (name) my warm prayer and give him (her) Your reward for the labors and cares of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as He taught (taught) me first of all to lead You, my Lord, in reverently pray to You, trust in You alone in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and keep Your commandments; for his (her) concern for my spiritual progress, for the warmth of his (her) prayer for me before You and for all the gifts he (she) asked me from You, reward him (her) 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.

RITE OF LITHIA PERFORMED BY A LAYMAN AT HOME AND IN THE CEMETERY

Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.