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.
What about the unbaptized?
If a person dies unbaptized, will he not enter the Kingdom of God? This is a very difficult question, which only a spiritually experienced priest can answer. Relatives of the deceased should think about how to help him.
According to the rules of the church, it is forbidden to remember the unbaptized at the liturgy. You cannot submit notes for them, order memorial services or magpies. This is explained by the fact that man was not born for eternal life and did not become a Christian. The hardest thing for the relatives of those who voluntarily did not want to be baptized to realize this, although they knew about God, but rejected him.
Is there a prayer for the unbaptized dead or cannot one pray for them at all? We'll find out about this a little later. Now let's talk about babies who died without baptism.
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.
^ On the canonical inadmissibility of church commemoration of non-Orthodox people
The canonical consciousness of the ancient Church absolutely did not allow prayerful communication with heretics, Jews and pagans. This ban on prayer communication applied to both the living and the dead. As Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin rightly noted, “deceased Christians remain members of the Church, and therefore the Church offers its prayers for them as well as for its living members,” therefore, “The Church can, of course, perform funeral services only for those who belong only to it” [15, c . 322].
This can be clearly shown by comparing the above quotes from the non-statutory canon to the martyr Uar with the church canon from the service of Trinity Parental Saturday, placed in the Colored Triodion. In this liturgical sequence, literally every song of the canon notes that the Church remembers only baptized Orthodox people who ended their earthly life in faith and piety.
“Let us all pray to Christ, who creates a memory of the dead this day from time immemorial, that I may deliver from eternal fire the departed in faith and hope of eternal life” (Song 1).
“You see, you see, for I am your God, having established the limits of life with righteous judgment, and accepting all who have fallen asleep in the hope of eternal resurrection into incorruption from aphids” ( Song
“Christ, the sea of turbid life that has floated into the imperishable life of yours, vouchsafed a haven of refuge, nourished by the Orthodox life” ( Song 3).
“Fathers and forefathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers, from the first and even to the last, in good faith and good faith, all remember our Savior” (Song 4).
“The ever-scorching fire, and the dark darkness, the gnashing of teeth, and the endlessly tormenting worm, and deliver all torment, O our Savior, all who are truly dead” (Song 5).
“From time immemorial you have received the faithful God , every human race, grant to glorify You forever with those who serve You” (Song 6).
“At Your terrible coming, O Generous One, set Your sheep at the right hand, having served Christ
“Having first broken the shadow of death, having risen like the sun from the grave, create the sons of Your resurrection, O Lord of glory, all who have died in faith forever” (Song 8).
“Of all ages, old men, and young babies, and children, and wet milk, male and female, God rest in what thou hast received faithfully” (Song 9).
In the Theotokos troparia of this service, in contrast to the non-statutory service to the martyr Uar, the Church asks intercession from the Most Pure Virgin Mary only for the faithful: “A sealed stream of living spring, you appeared to the Virgin Mary, having given birth to the Lord without a husband, watering the faithful with Song 8).
Lengthy and detailed petitions for the departed are read according to the Rule at Vespers on the Day of the Holy Spirit - especially in the third kneeling prayer placed in the Colored Triodion. But even in this all-encompassing prayer, exclusively Orthodox Christians are mentioned: “Hear us praying to You, and give rest to the souls of Your servants, our fathers and brothers who have fallen before us, and others who are related in the flesh, and all our own in the faith, of whom we create memory now , as in You is the power of all, and in Your hand do You contain all the ends of the earth.”
According to the Service Book, at the proskomedia commemoration is made “of all in the hope of the resurrection of eternal life Orthodox . The rite of the Eucharistic canon of the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom contains the following words: “We also offer this verbal service to You for those who have fallen asleep in the faith... and for every righteous soul who has passed on the hope of the resurrection of eternal life . At the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, the primate prays in a similar way: “May we find mercy and grace with all the saints from the ages who have pleased You... and with every righteous spirit who in faith ,” and in conclusion: “And remember all those who have fallen asleep before about the hope of the resurrection of eternal life .” [eleven]. About non-believers neither St. John Chrysostom, nor St. Basil the Great did not offer prayers, remembering the words of the Gospel: whoever has faith and is baptized will be saved, and whoever does not have faith will be condemned (Mark 16:16).
The Holy Fathers acted in full accordance with the teachings of the Apostles: What communion of righteousness and lawlessness, or what communion between light and darkness, what agreement between Christ and Belial, or what portion will I return with the infidel, or what undoing of the Church of God from idols? (2 Cor. 6:14–16).
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Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov) wrote: “Our prayers can act directly on the souls of the deceased, if only they died in the right faith and with true repentance, i.e. in communion with the Church and with the Lord Jesus: because in this case, despite the apparent distance from us, they continue to belong with us to the same body of Christ” [6, p. 456]. He cites an excerpt from Rule 5 of the VII Ecumenical Council: “There is a sin leading to death when some, having sinned, remain uncorrected, and... stiff-neckedly rebel against piety and truth... the Lord God is not in such, unless they humble themselves and are sobered from their fall.” . In this regard, Bishop Macarius notes: “Those who died in mortal sins, in unrepentance and outside communion with the Church are not worthy of her prayers, according to this apostolic commandment” [6, p. 450].
The decrees of the Laodicean Local Council clearly prohibit prayer for living heretics: “It is not proper to pray with a heretic or renegade” (Canon 33). “One must not accept holiday gifts sent from Jews or heretics, nor celebrate with them” (Rule 37). The same Council of Laodicea prohibits members of the Church from prayerfully commemorating the dead buried in non-Orthodox cemeteries: “Let the church members not be allowed to go to the cemeteries of all heretics, or to the places of martyrdom that they call so-called, for prayer or for healing. And those who walk, even if they are faithful, will be deprived of church communion for a certain time” (Rule 9). In his interpretation of this Rule, Bishop Nikodim (Milash) [10, p. 86].
In light of this, the ancient and widespread tradition of separating Orthodox cemeteries from others - German, Tatar, Jewish, Armenian - becomes clear. After all, the funeral prayer in cemetery churches and chapels is performed, according to the Service Book, for “ who lie here and everywhere . The Church does not pray for “the Gentiles who lie here.”
Likewise, the Church does not pray for suicides. The rule of St. Timothy of Alexandria, given in the Book of Rules, prohibits the church commemoration of those persons who “raise their hands against themselves or cast themselves down from on high”: “It is not fitting for such an offering to be made, for he is a suicide” (Response 14). Saint Timothy even warns the presbyter, who “must certainly test such cases with all care, lest he fall under condemnation.”
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It is noteworthy that while the Holy Fathers prohibit praying for living and dead heretics, they positively resolve the issue of the possibility of church prayer for apostates who, due to weakness and cowardice, did not withstand the test during persecution: “or those who suffered in prison and were overcome by hunger and thirst , or outside the prison at the judgment seat of those tortured, planed and beaten, and finally overcome by the weakness of the flesh.” “For such,” St. Peter of Alexandria decrees, “ when some by faith ask for offerings of prayers and petitions, it is righteous to agree with him” (see: Book of Rules, rule 11). This is motivated by the fact that “sympathy and condolences with those who cry and groan for those who have overcome the feat... is not in the least harmful for anyone” [Ibid.].
Church canonical Rules do not allow the possibility of praying for heretics and pagans, but declare anathema to them and thereby
The only case of liturgical intercession for the unbaptized is prayers and litanies for the catechumens. But this exception only confirms the rule, since the catechumens are precisely those people whom the Church does not consider strangers in the faith, since they have expressed a conscious desire to become Orthodox Christians and are preparing for holy Baptism. Moreover, the content of the prayers for the catechumens obviously applies only to the living. There are no prayer rites for deceased catechumens.
Blessed Augustine wrote Churches, saving sacrifices and alms benefit the dead, but only those who lived before death in such a way that after death all this could be useful to them . For those who have departed without faith , promoted by love, and without communion in the sacraments are performed So, the dead do not acquire new merits when those they know do something good for them, but only draw consequences from the principles they previously laid down” [6, p. 457].
In the Russian Orthodox Church, the Holy Synod for the first time in 1797 allowed Orthodox priests, when accompanying the body of a deceased non-Orthodox person in certain cases, to limit themselves only to the singing of the Trisagion. The “Handbook for Clergy and Clerics” states: “ The burial of people of other faiths according to the rites of the Orthodox Church is prohibited but if a non-Christian confession dies and “there is no priest or pastor of either the confession to which the deceased belonged or another, then a priest of the Orthodox confession is obliged to escort the corpse from the place to the cemetery according to the rules specified in the code of church laws,” according to which the priest should the deceased “to be escorted from the place to the cemetery in vestments and stoles and lowered into the ground while singing the verse: Holy God” (Decree of the Holy Synod of August 24, 1797)” [3, p. 1346].
Saint Philaret of Moscow notes in this regard: “According to church rules, it would be fair if the Holy Synod did not allow this either. In allowing this, he used condescension and showed respect to the soul that had on itself the seal of baptism in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. There is no right to demand more” [3, p. 1347].
The reference book also explains the following: “ The obligation for an Orthodox priest to bury a non- Christian
The Holy Synod, in a resolution dated March 10–15, 1847, decreed: 1) when burying military officials of the Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Reformed confessions, the Orthodox perform only what is 1797 (to be escorted to the cemetery with the singing of the Trisagion - Priest K.B.); 2) the Orthodox clergy does not have the right to perform funeral services for such 3) the body of a deceased non-Christian cannot be brought into the Orthodox Church before burial ; 4) the regimental Orthodox clergy, according to such ranks, cannot perform house memorial services and include them in church commemoration ( Case of 1346].
This standard of piety, which prohibits funeral services for non-Orthodox people, was observed everywhere in all local Orthodox Churches. However, in the middle of the 19th century, this provision was violated.” Patriarch Gregory VI of Constantinople in 1869 established a special rite of burial for the deceased non-Orthodox, which was also adopted by the Hellenic Synod. This rite consists of the Trisagion, the 17th kathisma with the usual refrains, the Apostle, the Gospel and the small absolution” [9, p. 28].
In the very adoption of this rite one cannot help but see a deviation from the patristic tradition. This innovation was carried out among the Greeks in parallel with the adoption of a new so-called “Typikon of the Great Church of Constantinople”, published in Athens in 1864, the essence of which was to reform and reduce the statutory worship. The spirit of modernism, shaking the foundations of Orthodoxy, encouraged the creation of similar orders in the Russian Orthodox Church. As Archpriest Gennady Nefedov noted, “just before the revolution, the Petrograd Synodal Printing House published a special brochure in Slavic script, “Service of Order for the Deceased Non-Orthodox.” This rite is indicated to be performed instead of a requiem, with the omission of the prokemna, the Apostle and the Gospel" [9, p. 29].
This very “Service over the deceased non-Orthodox” appeared in our Church as a manifestation of the revolutionary-democratic and renovationist mentality that captivated the minds of other theologians and clergy at the beginning of the 20th century. Its text cannot be justified at all from a church-canonical position. The text of this “Service of Order” in the Trebnik [12] contains a number of absurdities.
So, for example, at the beginning of the “Service of Order” it is said: “If for the sake of a certain blessed guilt , it will be opportune for an Orthodox priest to perform the burial of the body of a deceased non-Orthodox” [12, p. 342]. We have already shown above that the church canons do not allow any “blessed guilt” here.
After the usual prayerful beginning, the “Service of Ceremony” cites Psalm 87, which contains, in particular, the following words: Who will tell the story of Thy mercy in the grave, and Thy truth in destruction; Thy wonders will be known in darkness, and Thy righteousness in forgotten lands (Ps. 87:12-13). If we clarify that the Church Slavonic word food means “is it really possible,” the Psalm will become a denunciation of those who read it over the non-Orthodox dead.
After this, Psalm 119 is given, praising those who walk in the Law of the Lord (Ps. 119:1). Saint Theophan the Recluse, in his interpretation of this Psalm, cites a patristic judgment: “Not those blessed who stain themselves with sin in the corruption of the age, but those who are blameless in their path and walk in the Law of the Lord” [14, p. 12].
In fairness, it should be noted that in the editions of the Trebnik of the last ten to fifteen years this “Sequence of Orders” is no longer published.
From the point of view of the Orthodox traditional attitude to the issue under consideration, the position of the monk Mitrofan, who published the book “Afterlife” in 1897, should be considered correct. Let's give a few quotes from it.
"Our St. The Church prays for the departed as follows: “Rest, O Lord, the souls of Your servants who have reposed in the faith and hope of the resurrection. May God rest all Orthodox Christians.” This is for whom the Church prays and with whom she is in inextricable union and communion. Consequently, there is no union and communion with the dead non-Christians and non-Orthodox... For a true Christian, except suicide, no kind of death dissolves the union and communion with the living - with the Church... The saints pray for him, and the living also pray for him, as for a living member of a single living body "
“Let us ask, can everyone in hell be liberated through our prayers? The Church prays for all the dead, but only those who die in true faith will certainly receive liberation from hellish torment. The soul, while in the body, is obliged to take care of its future life in advance, it must deserve that upon its transition to the afterlife, the intercession of the living can bring it relief and salvation.”
“Sins that constitute blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, that is, unbelief, bitterness, apostasy unrepentance and the like, make a person eternally lost, and the living will not help . the Church no longer prays for such people , p. 52, 133, 134].
Here the author obviously has in mind the words of the Gospel: If anyone speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; and whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the next (Matt. 12:32). From these words of the Savior, many naturally concluded that, in principle, remission of sins is possible even after the death of a sinner. Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov) in this regard notes: “ for those who died with blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, or , and that is will not be released to man either in this age or in the next” [6, p. 451].
The Monk Theodore the Studite did not 634].
Let us cite a number of statements of the Holy Fathers, in which they, calling for prayer for the dead, did not allow it to be performed in the Church for those who died outside church communion - heretics and the unbaptized.
Blessed Augustine: “The whole Church observes this, as a tradition from the Fathers, to pray for when they are remembered in due time at the very sacrifice” [6, p. 455].
Saint Gregory of Nyssa: “This is a very godly and useful thing - to commemorate [6, p. 453].
St. John of Damascus: “The mysteries and self-seers of the Word, who conquered the earthly circle, the disciples and divine Apostles of the Savior, not without reason, not in vain and not without benefit, established during the terrible, pure and life-giving mysteries to commemorate , p. 453].
Saint John Chrysostom: “ When all the people and the sacred cathedral stand with their hands stretched out to heaven, and when a terrible sacrifice is presented: how can we not appease God by praying for them (the dead)? But this is only about those who died in faith” [6, p. 455].
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Martyr Uar
Saint Huar lived at the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries and was a Roman military leader in Egypt. He was also a secret Christian. At that time, publicly professing the Christian faith was life-threatening. At night, he actively helped his fellow believers who were imprisoned. The saint of God bandaged their wounds, brought them food, consoled them and encouraged them.
One day, while present at the execution of Christians, Saint War openly declared his faith. For this he was executed along with other martyrs. His body was picked up and kept in her house by the pious widow Cleopatra. A few years later, after the end of the persecution of Christians, she transported the relics to Palestine and placed them in her family crypt in a cave. Later, Cleopatra built a temple in honor of Saint Huar. Martyr Uar is revered in the Orthodox and Catholic churches. His memorial day is October 19.
How to alleviate the plight of the unbaptized?
This means the afterlife. How can we help them if there is no prayer for the unbaptized dead before God as such?
Remember in home prayer. When we read the morning rule, at the end there are two prayers: for the living and for the dead. We list the names of relatives. For the living we ask for help here, for the dead - forgiveness of their sins and eternal life. For unbaptized deceased loved ones, one should ask for relief in the afterlife.
Martyr Uar as the intercessor of the unbaptized dead
According to legend, in Cleopatra’s family crypt the relics of Saint Huar lay next to the bodies of her non-Christian relatives. One day the saint appeared to Cleopatra and said that for her good deeds he had begged for the souls of these people. Their sins were forgiven by God through his prayers. Thus, among believers, the image of Saint Uar as a prayer book for the souls of the unbaptized departed emerged.
There is even a special canon in honor of this saint, supposedly intended for church commemoration of unbaptized people. However, Patriarch Alexy II in 2003 noted the widespread popular veneration of the martyr. At the same time, His Holiness confirmed that home prayer to Uaru for the unbaptized dead is permitted. However, the patriarch emphasized that church commemoration is permissible only in relation to baptized people.
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church also added:
“People with little church life get the impression that it is not necessary to accept Holy Baptism or be a member of the Church, it is enough just to pray to the martyr Uar. Such an attitude towards the veneration of the holy martyr Huar is unacceptable and contradicts our church teaching.”
So, violation of church canons is unacceptable. But the home petition to the martyr Uar to alleviate the lot of unbaptized souls is blessed. Cell prayer to Saint War for suicides, who are also deprived of church commemoration, is also allowed.
If the child died unbaptized
Another story from life. The young couple did not have children for a long time. Finally the wife became pregnant. There was no limit to the joy.
The time to give birth approached, and the expectant mother had a bad feeling. She was sure that she would not return from the maternity hospital. My husband consoled me, saying that it was all fears before childbirth.
The birth was difficult, the baby got stuck in the birth canal. The doctors decided to have a caesarean section. Before they had time, the newborn girl suffocated. Never having seen this world.
What is her still very young and believing mother worried about? About the fact that she couldn’t baptize her daughter. They buried her, but she was not baptized.
Is there a prayer for deceased unbaptized babies? Can we remember them in church? It’s not their fault that the parents didn’t have time to baptize. Alas, you cannot pray for unbaptized children in church. You can remember them in home prayer, but no more. Likewise, a cross is not placed on such graves due to the fact that the child was not born spiritually for eternal life.
Prayer to Saint Huar
Troparion to the Martyr Uar of Egypt, tone 4
Through the army of the saints, the passion-bearer of the lawfully suffering, / in vain, you showed your courageous strength. / And you rushed to the passion of your will, / and died lustfully for Christ, / Who accepted honor for you Years of your suffering, Ware, // pray for our souls to be saved.
Translation: Seeing the army of holy passion-bearers suffering under the law, you courageously showed your strength and voluntarily rushed to suffer, and wished to die for Christ, having accepted the reward of the victory of your martyrdom, Uar, pray for the salvation of our souls.
Kontakion to the Martyr Uar of Egypt, tone 4
Following Christ, martyr Ware,/ having drunk the cup,/ and wearing a crown of torment,/ and rejoicing with the Angels // pray unceasingly for our souls.
Translation: Having followed Christ, martyr Uar, having drunk His cup, you were crowned with the crown of martyrdom and rejoice with the Angels, pray unceasingly for our souls.
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Text of the appeal
Oh, holy, venerable martyr Uare! We kindle with zeal for the Lord Christ, you confessed the Heavenly King before the tormentor, and you suffered zealously for Him, and now the Church honors you, as one who is 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, and in the Highest you rejoice, and see the Holy Trinity clearly, and enjoy the light of the Beginning Radiance.
Remember also our relatives in languor, who died in wickedness, accept our petition, and just as Cleopatrin freed the unfaithful family from eternal torment with your prayers, so remember the people who were buried against God, who died unbaptized, trying to ask for deliverance from eternal darkness, so that all with one mouth and one Let us praise the Most Merciful Creator with our hearts forever and ever. Amen.
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How are the unbaptized buried?
So, we found out whether there is prayer for the unbaptized dead. The text is given above. How are they buried? Is it really outside the cemetery gates?
Previously, they were buried in the same way as suicides - behind the cemetery fence. Now times have changed, the unbaptized are buried in the cemetery. But with some caveats:
- There is no funeral service for them.
- They are not given crosses.
- A priest is not invited to the grave of an unbaptized person to perform a requiem service or litia.
That is, a person came to the grave of an unbaptized relative - it is quite acceptable to pray on his own and remember him. But you cannot go into church, give notes and light candles for this soul.
In Russia, the tradition of leaving a glass of vodka and a piece of black bread at the grave has taken root. This tradition is, to put it mildly, strange. Baptized people are not remembered this way, and there is no need for unbaptized people. This is disrespect for the deceased, no matter what Russian tradition says.
Optina elders about the unbaptized and suicides
The Optina elder Leo (Leonid) had a disciple, Pavel. Paul's father committed suicide, and his believing son was very worried. The elder consoled him and taught him how to pray for his father.
The text of the prayer of the Optina elders for the unbaptized dead:
Seek, O Lord, the lost soul of Your servant (name): if it is possible, have mercy. Your destinies are unsearchable. Do not make this my prayer a sin, but Thy holy will be done.
Thus we see that it is not a sin to pray for them at home. The Lord is merciful, and by His mercy is able to alleviate the fate of those who died unbaptized.
