Daily prayer for the departed. Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased. Prayer to the Mother of God

22.10.2019

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Saint John Chrysostom

First word.

The words about the Priesthood were written by St. John Chrysostom for the following circumstances: in 374 A.D., when he lived with his friend and peer Basil away from worldly affairs, the bishops gathered in Antioch intended to install both of them as bishops, about which rumor reached them; St. John, representing the high importance of the presbytery and episcopal service and considering himself unprepared for the proper performance of the duties of the shepherd of the Church of Christ, hid secretly from everyone and even from his partner, who was elevated to the rank of bishop (probably Rafana of Syria, near Antioch); but soon after seeing St. John, expressed his friendly reproaches to him for deviating from the priesthood, to which the proposed six words about the Priesthood serve as a brilliant answer. Thus, the writing of these words should be attributed to the years after 374, but not later than 386, in which St. John had already been ordained as a presbyter.

I had many friends, sincere and faithful, who knew and strictly observed the laws of friendship; but out of many, one surpassed all the others in love for me and managed to get ahead of them in this as much as they were people indifferent to me. He was always my inseparable companion: we studied the same sciences and had the same teachers; with the same desire and zeal they practiced eloquence and had the same desires, stemming from the same activities. And not only at the time when we went to the teachers, but also after leaving school, when we had to discuss which path of life was best for us to choose, and then we found ourselves agreeing in our thoughts.

2. Besides these, other reasons have kept our unanimity inseparable and firm; for we could not exalt one another over the celebrity of the fatherland; It was not that I abounded in wealth, and he lived in extreme poverty, but the measure of our property was as equal as our feelings. And our origins were equal, and everything contributed to our harmony.

3. But when it was time for him, the blessed one, to begin the monastic life and true wisdom, then our balance was upset; his cup, as lighter, was lifted up, and I, still bound by worldly aspirations, humiliated my cup and tilted it down, weighing it down with youthful dreams. Although our friendship remained as strong as before, the community was dissolved; because it was impossible to live together doing different things. When I, too, was somewhat freed from the storm of life, he received me with open arms; but even then we could not maintain the previous equality; being ahead of me in time and showing great jealousy, he again stood above me and reached great heights.

4. However, as a kind man who valued our friendship dearly, he, having abandoned all others, shared all his time with me, which he had previously desired, but encountered an obstacle to this in my carelessness. Those who were attached to the court and pursued stage amusements could not often spend time with a person who was attached to books and never went out into the square. But when, after previous obstacles, he attracted me to the same life as him, then he expressed the desire that he had long kept within himself, and no longer left me for the slightest part of the day, never ceasing to convince that each of us should leave our home and we both had one common dwelling, which he convinced me of, and it was even close to being fulfilled.

5. But my mother’s constant admonitions prevented me from giving him this pleasure, or better yet, accepting this gift from him. When my intention became known to her, then she took me by the hand and led me into her inner dwelling, sat me down by the bed on which she gave birth to me, and began to shed sources of tears and utter words that were more sorrowful than tears. Sobbing, she told me this: “My son, I was honored to enjoy cohabitation with your virtuous father for a short time; God wanted it that way. His death, which soon followed the illnesses of your birth, brought you orphanhood, and me premature widowhood and the sorrows of widowhood, which only those who have experienced them can know well. No words can describe the storm and the excitement to which a girl who has recently left her father’s house, still inexperienced in business, is exposed, and is suddenly struck by unbearable grief and forced to take on worries that exceed both her age and nature. She, of course, must correct the negligence of servants, notice their misdeeds, destroy the machinations of relatives, courageously endure the oppression of those collecting public duties and their strict demands when paying taxes. If after death the husband leaves a child, then at least it was a daughter, and she will cause a lot of worries to the mother, however, not associated with costs and fear, and the son exposes her to countless fears every day and even greater worries. I'm not talking about the monetary costs that she must spend if she wants to give him a good upbringing.

However, none of this forced me to enter into a second marriage and bring another spouse into your father’s house; but in the midst of confusion and anxiety I endured and did not escape from the cruel cave of widowhood; Firstly, I was supported by help from above, and then considerable consolation in these sorrows was given to me by the fact that I constantly looked at your face and saw in it a living and truest image of the deceased. Therefore, when you were still a baby and barely able to babble, when children are especially pleasant to their parents, you brought me a lot of joy. You cannot say and reproach me for the fact that, courageously enduring widowhood, I squandered your father’s property on the needs of widowhood, as I know many unfortunate orphans suffered. I kept all this property intact and did not spare the expenses required for your best upbringing, using my own money for this, with which I left my father’s house.

Do not think that I am saying this now as a reproach to you; but for all this I ask you for one mercy: do not subject me to a second widowhood and do not rekindle grief that has already calmed down; wait for my demise. Maybe in a little while I will die. The young hope to reach a ripe old age, but we who are old expect nothing more than death. When you commit me to the earth and join me to the bones of your father, then undertake long journeys and cross the seas as you wish; then no one will interfere; and while I am still breathing, endure cohabitation with me; Do not anger God in vain and in vain by subjecting me to such disasters, who have not done you any harm. If you can accuse me of involving you in everyday worries and forcing you to worry about your affairs, then run from me as from ill-wishers and enemies, not ashamed of the laws of nature, education, habit, or anything else; if I do everything to give you complete peace of mind throughout your life, then, if nothing else, at least let these bonds keep you with me. Although you say that you have different friends, none of them will give you such peace of mind; because there is no one who cares about your well-being as much as I do."

Then, seeing his readiness and thinking that I would harm the entire church community if, due to my weakness, I deprived the flock of Christ of a beautiful young man who was capable of presiding over the people, I did not reveal to him my opinion about this, although I had never hidden it from him before. not a single thought of mine; but having said that the meeting about this should be postponed until another time, since now there is no need to rush, he soon convinced him not to worry about it and firmly rely on me, as unanimous with him, if something like this really happens to us.

After some time, when the one who was supposed to ordain us arrived, and meanwhile I disappeared, my friend, who did not know any of this, is removed under some other pretext and accepts this yoke, hoping from my promises to him that I will certainly follow him, or better yet, thinking that he was following me. Some of those present there, seeing him complaining about the fact that they had taken him, increased their bewilderment, crying out: “It will be unfair when the one whom everyone considered a more courageous person - meaning me - with great humility submitted to the judgment of the fathers, this more prudent and the modest one will resist and be vain, stubborn, refuse and contradict." He obeyed these words; when he heard that I had run away, he came to me with great sorrow, sat down next to me and wanted to say something, but from emotional excitement he could not to express in words the grief I was experiencing, as soon as I tried to speak, I stopped, because sadness interrupted his speech before it escaped from his lips. Seeing him in tears and in great embarrassment, and knowing the reason for this, I expressed my great pleasure with laughter and, taking it. hand, hastened to kiss him, and praised God that my cunning had achieved the end that was good and what I had always desired, and he, seeing my pleasure and admiration and learning that even earlier this cunning had been used on him, made him even more so. was embarrassed and sad.

7. When the excitement of his soul subsided a little, he said: if you have already despised me and do not pay any attention to me - I don’t know, however, why - at least you should take care of your honor; and now you have opened your mouth to everyone; everyone says that you refused this ministry out of vanity, and there is no one who would defend you from such a charge. But I can’t even go out into the square: so many come up to me and reproach me every day. Friends, seeing me somewhere in the city, take me aside and mostly shower me with reproaches. “You,” they say, knowing his thoughts - for he did not hide from you anything that concerned him - “you should not hide them, but would tell us, and of course we would take measures to catch him.” But I blush and I am ashamed to tell them that I did not know your long-standing intention, so that they would not think that our friendship was hypocritical. If this is so - as in fact it is, which you will not renounce after your present act with me - then. from strangers who know us at all, we need to hide our unkind attitude. I don’t dare tell them the truth about how things happened between us; therefore I am forced to remain silent, lower my eyes to the ground, shy away and avoid those I meet. (in the insincerity of friendship), then they will certainly reproach me for lying.

They will never agree to believe me in comparing you and Vasily with others who should not know your secrets. However, I don’t care much about this: that’s what you wanted; but how can we bear the shame of other accusations? Some attribute to you pride, others - ambition; and those of the accusers who are even more merciless condemn us for both together and add that we have insulted the voters themselves, about whom they say: “they justly suffered this, even if they were subjected to greater dishonor from us, for leaving such many and so respectable men, they chose young men who, so to speak, were still immersed in everyday worries yesterday and for a short time assumed a sedate appearance, put on a gray dress and pretended to be humble, and suddenly elevated them to such a dignity that they had even dreamed of didn't dream. Those who continue their asceticism from the very first age to old age remain among the subordinates; and they are governed by their children, who have not even heard of the laws that should guide management." They constantly pester me with such and even greater reproaches, and I don’t know how I can defend myself against this; I ask you, tell me. I think That you did not simply and not without reason take flight and openly declare hostility to such great men, but of course decided to do this for some deliberate and definite purpose, from this I conclude that you are ready to speak for justification.

Tell me what just cause we can present to our accusers. And that you treated me unfairly, for this I do not blame you, neither for your deception, nor for your betrayal, nor for the favor that you enjoyed from me in all the previous times. I, so to speak, brought my soul and gave it into your hands, and you treated me so cunningly, as if you had to beware of some kind of trouble. If you recognized this intention (of being elected as a bishop) as useful, then you should not deprive yourself of the benefit from it; and if harmful, then it was necessary to protect me from harm, whom, according to you, you always preferred to everyone. And you did everything to get me caught, and did not omit any deceit or hypocrisy against someone who was accustomed to speak and act with you simply and without deceit. However, as I already said, I don’t blame you at all for this, and I don’t blame you for the loneliness in which you left me, interrupting those meetings from which we often received both pleasure and important benefit; but I leave all this and endure it silently and meekly, not because, however, your behavior towards me was meek, but because from the very day when I entered into friendship with you, I set myself a rule - never to bring you to the point of need make excuses for what you would like to upset me with. That you have caused me no small harm, you yourself know this, if you remember what strangers have always said about us and we about ourselves, namely, that it is very useful for us to be unanimous and protect ourselves with mutual love.

Everyone else even said that our unanimity would bring considerable benefit to many others, although I, for my part, never thought that I could bring benefit to others, but I said that from this at least we would receive that considerable benefit that we would be unapproachable for those who wanted attack us. I never stopped reminding you of this. Now is a difficult time; there are many ill-wishers; sincere love has disappeared; its place was taken by destructive hatred; we walk in the midst of snares, and we walk through the fences of the city (Sirach. IX, 18); There are many people who are ready to rejoice in the misfortunes that befall us; they surround us from everywhere; and there are no one or very few condolences. Be careful that we, being separated, someday do not incur great ridicule and even greater harm. Brother from brother we help, like a city that is strong, and like a kingdom that is founded (Prov. XVIII, 19). Do not break this unity, do not destroy this stronghold. I have continually told you this and Furthermore, not suspecting anything and considering you to be completely sane in relation to me, and only out of an excess of feelings wanting to offer healing to someone who is healthy; but I did not know how it turns out that I was giving medicine to a sick person; and thus, unfortunate me, I achieved nothing, and no benefit came for me from such care.

You suddenly rejected all this and did not think that you had launched me, like an unladen ship, into the boundless sea, and did not imagine those fierce waves with which I must fight. If it happens that slander or ridicule or some other kind of insult and hostility attacks me from somewhere (and this should often happen), then who will I resort to? To whom shall I convey my despondency? Who will want to help me, repel the insulters and force them not to insult me anymore, and console me and strengthen me to endure the indecencies of others? There is no one, since you have become far from this cruel struggle and cannot even hear my voice. Do you know how much evil you have done? Do you admit, at least after defeat, what death blow did you hurt me? But let's leave it at that; it is impossible to correct what has been done, and to find a way out of a hopeless situation. But what do we tell outsiders? How will we defend ourselves against their accusations?

8. Chrysostom. “Be calm,” I answered, “not only am I ready to give an account of this, but also of what you forgive me for, I will try to justify myself as much as I can.” And if you like, this is where I will first begin my defense. I would be very foolish and ungrateful if, caring about the opinions of strangers and taking all measures to stop their reproaches to us, I could not assure of my innocence the one who is most kind to me and who spares me so much that he does not want to blame even for what, according to him, I am guilty of before him, and without caring about himself, he still continues to care about me - if he showed more inattention in relation to such a person than how much he showed concern for me. So, how did I offend you? From here I intend to set sail into the sea of protection. Was it because I used cunning in front of you and hid my intention? But this served to benefit both you, when you were deceived, and those to whom I betrayed you through concealment. If concealment in all respects is evil and should never be used even for good, then I am ready to accept the punishment you want, or better, since you will never agree to punish me, I will punish myself the way judges punish criminals convicted accusers. If it is not always harmful, but becomes bad or good according to the intention of the actors, then leave the blame for being deceived, and prove that this trick was used for evil; and until this is proven, not only should one not reproach and accuse, but it would be fair if those who wish to be grateful even praised the one who used the trick.

A cunning, well-timed and done with good intentions, brings such benefits that many were often punished for not using it. Remember, if you wish, the most distinguished of military leaders, dating back to ancient times, and you will see that their trophies were mostly the result of cunning, and such are more glorified than those who won by open force. The latter gain the upper hand with a great waste of money and people, so that no benefit remains for them from the victory, but the victors suffer no less than the vanquished both from the destruction of the army and from the depletion of the treasury; Moreover, they cannot fully enjoy the glory of victory, for not a small part of it sometimes belongs to the vanquished, who are conquered only with their bodies, overcoming with their souls, and if it were possible for them not to fall from the blows and the death that befell them did not strike them down, they would never have lost courage. And the one who wins by cunning exposes his enemies not only to disaster, but also to ridicule.

There, both (victors and vanquished) equally receive praise for their courage; but here - regarding prudence it is not so, but the trophy belongs entirely to the winners and, what is no less important, they bring to the city the joy of an impeccable victory. An abundance of money and a multitude of people are not the same as the prudence of the soul; those are spent when someone constantly uses them in war, and those who used them are deprived of them; and prudence, the more one uses it in action, the more it usually increases. And not only in war, but also in peacetime, one can find great and necessary benefits from cunning, and not only in public affairs, but also in domestic ones, from a husband to his wife and from a wife to her husband, from a father to his son and from friend to friend and even among children to father. So Saul’s daughter could not otherwise have snatched her husband from the hands of Saul if she had not used cunning in relation to her father, and her brother (Jonathan), wanting to save the one she saved from a new danger, used the same means as the wife (David’s ) (1 Kings, chapters XIX and XX).

Vasily said: all this does not apply to me; I am not an enemy or adversary and not one of those who want to cause offense, but quite the opposite; always trusting all my thoughts to your discretion, I did as you ordered.

9. Chrysostom. But, most honorable and kind, this is why I said in advance that it is useful to use cunning not only in war and against enemies, but also in times of peace and in relation to those who are kind to you. That this is really useful not only to those who use cunning, but also to those in relation to whom it is used, for this, go to one of the doctors and ask how they heal the sick, and you will hear from them that they are not always satisfied with one with their art, but sometimes they also use cunning and with its help restore the health of the sick. When the stubbornness of the sick and the cruelty of the disease itself invalidate the advice of doctors; then, of necessity, doctors resort to cunning so that, as on stage, the truth can be hidden. If you want, I will tell you one of the many tricks that I have heard doctors play. One person suddenly developed a severe fever and the fever increased; The patient rejected all means that could extinguish the fire, but desired and strongly insisted, begging everyone who came to him to bring him a lot of wine and let him quench his painful thirst. But whoever agreed to give him this pleasure would not only increase the fever, but would also drive the unfortunate man into insanity.

Then, when art was powerless and no longer had the means, but was completely rejected, the cunning used showed such power, as you will immediately hear from me. The doctor takes a clay vessel, as soon as it is taken out of the oven, immerses it in wine, and then, taking it out empty, fills it with water; He orders the room in which the sick man was lying to be made dark with many curtains, so that the light would not expose the tricks, and gives the sick man a drink from a vessel, as if filled with wine. He, before he took the vessel in his hands, suddenly seduced by the smell of wine, did not want to take apart what was given to him; but, assured by the sense of smell, deceived by the darkness and urged strong desire, drank what was given to him with great desire; and, having had his fill, immediately received relief from the fever and escaped the threatening danger. Do you see the benefit of cunning? But if we were to count all the tricks of doctors, there would be no end to the word. And it can be pointed out that not only those who heal the body, but also those who care about the healing of mental illnesses often use such medicine. So the blessed one (Paul) led many thousands of Jews to Christ (Acts XXI, 20-26). With this intention, he circumcised Timothy, while he wrote to the Galatians that Christ benefits those who are circumcised in nothing (Acts XVI, 3; Gal. V, 2).

For this reason he was under the law, although he considered justification from the law through faith in Christ to be vanity (Phil. III, 7-9). The power of such cunning is great, as long as it is not used for malicious purposes; or better said, it should not be called cunning, but a certain forethought, prudence and art, which helps to find many ways out of hopeless situations and correct mental shortcomings. So I will not call Phinehas a murderer, although he pierced two people with one blow (Num. XXV, 8); also Elijah - for a hundred (killed) soldiers with their commanders, and for the abundant flow of blood shed by him during the killing of the demonic priests (2 Kings I; 3 Kings XVIII). If we lose sight of this, and if someone looks at the deeds alone, without taking into account the intentions of those who acted, he can accuse Abraham of infanticide, and accuse his grandson and descendant of crime and deceit; because one (Jacob) took possession of the birthright (of his brother), and the other (Moses) transferred the Egyptian treasures to the Israeli army (Gen. XXVII. Exod. XII, 35, 36). But no, no; We will not allow such insolence! Not only do we not blame them, but we glorify them for it; because God himself praised them for it. The one who uses this means maliciously should rightly be called a deceiver, and not the one who does so with common sense. It is often necessary to use cunning in order to achieve the greatest benefit with this art; and those who strive on the straight path often cause great harm to those from whom they did not hide their intentions.

Note.

Anthusa, mother of St. John Chrysostom, widowed in the twentieth year of her life.

The words about the Priesthood were written by St. John Chrysostom for the following circumstances: in 374 A.D., when he lived with his friend and peer Basil away from worldly affairs, the bishops gathered in Antioch intended to install both of them as bishops, about which rumor reached them; St. John, representing the high importance of the presbytery and episcopal service and considering himself unprepared for the proper performance of the duties of the shepherd of the Church of Christ, hid secretly from everyone and even from his partner, who was elevated to the rank of bishop (probably Rafana of Syria, near Antioch); but soon after seeing St. John, expressed his friendly reproaches to him for evading holy orders, to which the proposed six words about the Priesthood serve as a brilliant answer. Thus, the writing of these words must be attributed to the years after 374, but not later than 386, in which St. John had already been ordained as a presbyter.

WORD ONE.

M I had a FEW friends, sincere and faithful, who knew and strictly observed the laws of friendship; but out of many, one surpassed all the others in love for me and managed to get ahead of them in this as much as they were people indifferent to me. He was always my inseparable companion: we studied the same sciences and had the same teachers; they practiced eloquence with the same eagerness and zeal and had the same desires stemming from the same activities. And not only at the time when we went to the teachers, but also after leaving school, when we had to discuss which path of life was best for us to choose, and then we found ourselves agreeing in our thoughts.

2. Besides these, other reasons have kept our unanimity inseparable and firm; for we could not extol one another over the celebrity of the fatherland; It was not that I abounded in wealth, and he lived in extreme poverty, but the measure of our property was as equal as our feelings. And our origins were equal, and everything contributed to our harmony.

4. However, as a kind man who valued our friendship dearly, he, having abandoned all others, shared all his time with me, which he had previously desired, but encountered an obstacle to this in my carelessness. Those who were attached to the court and pursued stage amusements could not often spend time with a person who was attached to books and never went out into the square. But when, after previous obstacles, he attracted me to the same life as him, then he expressed the desire that he had long kept within himself, and no longer left me for the slightest part of the day, never ceasing to convince that each of us should leave our home and we both had one common home, which he convinced me of, and it was even close to being fulfilled.

5. But my mother’s constant admonitions prevented me from giving him this pleasure, or better yet, accepting this gift from him. When my intention became known to her, then she, taking me by the hand and leading me into her inner dwelling, sat me down by the bed on which she gave birth to me, and began to shed sources of tears and utter words that were more sorrowful than tears. Sobbing, she told me this: “My son, I was honored to enjoy cohabitation with your virtuous father for a short time; it was God’s will. His death, which soon followed the illnesses of your birth, brought you orphanhood, and for me premature widowhood and the sorrows of widowhood, which Only those who have experienced them can know well. No words can describe the storm and the excitement to which a girl who has recently left her father’s house, still inexperienced in business, is suddenly struck by unbearable grief and forced to take on worries that exceed both her age and her nature. She, of course, must correct the negligence of the servants, notice their misdeeds, destroy the machinations of relatives, courageously endure the oppression of those collecting public duties and their strict demands when paying taxes. If after death the husband leaves a child, then at least it was a daughter, and she. will cause a lot of worries to the mother, however, not associated with costs and fear, and the son exposes her to countless fears every day and even greater worries. I'm not talking about the monetary costs that she must spend if she wants to give him a good upbringing. However, none of this forced me to enter into a second marriage and bring another spouse into your father’s house; but in the midst of confusion and anxiety I endured and did not escape from the cruel cave of widowhood; Firstly, I was supported by help from above, and then considerable consolation in these sorrows was given to me by the fact that I constantly looked at your face and saw in it a living and truest image of the deceased. Therefore, when you were still a baby and barely able to babble, when children are especially pleasant to their parents, you brought me a lot of joy. You cannot say and reproach me for the fact that, courageously enduring widowhood, I squandered your father’s property on the needs of widowhood, as I know many unfortunate orphans suffered. I kept all this property intact and together did not spare the expenses required for the best education of you, using my own money for this, with which I left my father’s house. Do not think that I am saying this now as a reproach to you; but for all this I ask you for one mercy: do not subject me to a second widowhood and do not rekindle grief that has already calmed down; wait for my demise. Maybe in a little while I will die. The young hope to reach a ripe old age, but we who are old expect nothing more than death. When you commit me to the earth and join me to the bones of your father, then undertake long journeys and cross the seas that you want; then no one will interfere; and while I am still breathing, bear with me; Do not anger God in vain and in vain by subjecting me to such disasters, who have not done you any harm. If you can accuse me of involving you in everyday worries and forcing you to worry about your affairs, then run from me as from ill-wishers and enemies, without being ashamed of the laws of nature, or upbringing, or habit, or anything else; if I do everything to give you complete peace of mind throughout your life, then, if nothing else, at least let these bonds keep you with me. Although you say that you have many friends, none of them will give you such peace of mind; because there is no one who cares about your well-being as much as I do."

6. This and even more than this my mother told me, and I conveyed it to my noble friend; but not only was he not convinced by these words, but with even greater effort he tried to convince me to fulfill my previous intention. When we were in this state, and often he begged, and I did not agree, suddenly the rumor that arose outraged both of us; a rumor spread that they intended to elevate us to the rank of bishopric. As soon as I heard this news, fear and bewilderment overwhelmed me: the fear that they would take me against my will; bewilderment because, often thinking about where people got such an assumption about me, and delving deeper into myself, I did not find anything in myself worthy of such an honor. And the noble (my friend), having come to me and privately conveying this news to me, as if I had not heard it, asked me in the present case, as before, to act and think in the same way, assuring that he, for his part, is ready to follow follow me, no matter what path I choose, whether to run away or be chosen. Then, seeing his readiness and thinking that I would harm the entire church community if, due to my weakness, I deprived the flock of Christ of a beautiful young man capable of presiding over the people, I did not reveal to him my opinion about this, although I had never hidden it from him before. not a single thought of mine; but, saying that the meeting about this should be postponed until another time, since now there is no need to rush, he soon convinced him not to worry about it and firmly rely on me, as unanimous with him, if something like this really happens to us. After some time, when the one who was supposed to ordain us arrived, and meanwhile I disappeared, my friend, who did not know any of this, is removed under some other pretext and accepts this yoke, hoping from my promises to him that I will certainly follow him, or better yet, thinking that he was following me. Some of those present there, seeing him complaining about the fact that they had taken him, increased their bewilderment, crying out: “It will be unjust when the one whom everyone considered a more courageous person - meaning me - with great humility submitted to the court of the fathers, this more prudent and the humble will resist and be vain, stubborn, refuse and contradict.” He obeyed these words; when he heard that I had run away, he came to me with great sorrow, sat down next to me and wanted to say something, but from emotional excitement he could not express in words the grief he was experiencing, as soon as he tried to speak, he stopped; because sadness interrupted his speech before it escaped from his lips. Seeing him in tears and in great embarrassment, and knowing the reason for this, I expressed my great pleasure with laughter and, taking his hand, hastened to kiss him, and praised God that my cunning had achieved the end of the good and the one that I had always desired. He, seeing my pleasure and admiration and learning that even earlier this trick had been used on my part with him, was even more embarrassed and grieved.

“If no one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless he is born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5), and he who does not eat the flesh of the Lord and drink his blood is deprived of eternal life (6:53), and all this is done by no one else , as soon as with these sacred hands, that is, the hands of the priest, then how, without their mediation, will it be possible for anyone to avoid the fire of Gehenna, or to receive the crowns prepared for them.”
“The responsibilities of the priesthood are more important than any other position.”
Saint John Chrysostom.

I. Introduction.
Saint John Chrysostom, along with Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian, is deservedly called by the Church an ecumenical teacher. Like the great Cappodocians, Saint John made an enormous contribution not only to dogmatics, but also to liturgics, asceticism, and moral theology. Each of his creations gem in the treasury of Orthodoxy. But, perhaps, no church science owes its formation to him as much as Pastoral Theology. Indeed, in “Six Words about the Priesthood” the saint, who was not without reason nicknamed Chrysostom, clearly and clearly depicts what a priest should be. “Tales on the Priesthood” have not lost their relevance to this day, more than sixteen centuries after it was written.

II. Serve, manage, teach.
Saint John Chrysostom says that since every priest is the successor of the Apostle Peter, who received from the Savior His sheep, acquired by Him with His Blood, the priesthood is “as much higher than (any) power as the spirit is superior to the flesh.” That is why the saint refused to be ordained a bishop for so long, which is why he suffered reproaches from his friend Vasily. Justifying his position, he describes the image of a shepherd that every priest must conform to.
First, the Saint compares the clergyman to a shepherd who tends the flock entrusted to him and protects it from predators and robbers. But the priest, in the words of the saint, “does not fight against wolves, fears not robbers, and does not care about preventing infection from the flock.” To the question: “Who is he at war with and with whom is he fighting?” he answers: “Listen to blessed Paul, who says: our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and powers and rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12).” Continuing this comparison, St. John Chrysostom says that when treating sick sheep, the shepherd can “with full power force them to accept medicine if they do not voluntarily want it; when they need to be cauterized and cut off, they can easily tie them up and not let them go for a long time, if it is useful, and give one food instead of another, and keep from drinking, and everything else ... ". Making it clear that the priest has every right to treat the spiritual illnesses of parishioners by imposing any obedience on them or depriving them of the opportunity to partake of the Holy Mysteries. But, according to the Holy Father, any medicine must be given very thoughtfully, without haste, so as not to make a mistake about what kind of disease the person is suffering from. Moreover, according to him, “it is not the one who offers healing, but the one who suffers from the disease who has the power,” since “the sinner must be corrected not by violence, but by persuasion.” “God rewards those who abstain from vices of their own free will, and not under compulsion,” notes the Saint.
However, the duties include not only the shepherding and healing of the “sheep of words,” but also “the joining of the members who have separated from it to the church.” If “the sheep stray from the straight path and, having moved away from good pasture, wander through barren and rocky places, then he should only cry out louder (preach more actively - author’s note) in order to again gather those who have separated and join them to the flock; and if a person strays from the path of the right faith, then the shepherd will have a lot of work, effort, and patience.” For this, the priest “needs a courageous soul, so as not to weaken, so as not to despair of the salvation of those who are in error, so as to continually think and say: if God will give them repentance into the mind of truth, and they will arise from the devil’s snare (2 Tim. 2:25-26) ".
Discussing the greatness of the divine service, St. John Chrysostom says that since “the sacred service is performed on earth, but according to the heavenly order,” the one performing it must be “as pure as if he were standing in heaven itself in the midst of the powers there.” He further exclaims: “Whoever considers how important it is that a person, still clothed in flesh and blood, can be present near the blessed and immortal Nature, he will clearly see what honor the grace of the Spirit has bestowed upon the priests.”
The enormous responsibility of the priesthood is also shown by the fact that priests “have been placed in charge of heavenly things, and have received authority which God did not give to angels or archangels; for it was not said to them: if you bind them on earth, they will be bound in heaven; And if you let go on earth, it will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18).” The power of priests is superior to any power, “as much as heaven is superior to earth.” The saint says that the Son entrusted to the priests everything he received from the Father. After all, only through them do we get the opportunity to enter eternal life: “If no one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless he is born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5), and he who does not eat the flesh of the Lord and drink His blood will lose eternal life ( 6:53), and all this is done by no one other than these sacred hands, that is, the hands of the priest, then how, without their mediation, will it be possible for anyone to avoid the fire of Gehenna, or to receive the crowns prepared for them.” Therefore, we “must not only fear them more than rulers and kings, but also honor our fathers more.”
A priest must correspond to such a high service: according to the saint, only that person who can say, following the Apostle Paul, that he himself would like to be excommunicated from Christ for his brothers, relatives to him in the flesh (Rom. 9:3), is worthy of the priesthood . John Chrysostom does not want to become a priest because he knows “his soul is feeble and weak.” He is afraid that he will not be able to cope with the monsters that will torment his soul. He calls the passions “monsters”: “anger, despondency, envy, enmity, slander, condemnation, deception, hypocrisy, intrigues, indignation at innocent people, pleasure at the ill-being of employees, sadness at their prosperity, desire for praise, addiction to honors (it is more harms the human soul of all things), teaching with gratification, ungrateful caresses, low people-pleasing, contempt for the poor, helpfulness to the rich, unreasonable and harmful preferences, favors dangerous both for those who give and for those who receive them, slavish fear, befitting only the most despicable slaves, lack of boldness, a sedate appearance of humility, but without true humility, evasive denunciations and punishments." Only strong man, because they are “excessive before insignificant people, and silent before strong people.”
Saint John says that it is those who accept the priesthood, “without knowing their own souls in advance and without looking at the difficulty of this matter,” who become the cause of trouble in the churches. “Why, tell me, in your opinion, is there such turmoil in the churches? - he asks Vasily and immediately answers: “I think, from nothing other than the fact that the elections and appointments of primates are carried out indiscriminately and as it happens.”
The priest is always in full view of his flock, therefore his soul “must shine with beauty on all sides, so that it can delight and enlighten the souls of those who look at him.” After all, “the sins of insignificant people, committed as if in darkness, destroy only those who sin; and the sins of a significant and well-known person cause general harm to everyone, making the fallen more careless about good deeds, and disposing those who are attentive to themselves to pride.” Thus, according to the saint, for the priesthood “such souls must be chosen as, by the grace of God, the bodies of the holy youths were once found in the cave of Babylon (Dan. 3:22-46).” Because “the all-consuming flame of envy surrounds the priests, rising from all sides, rushing at them, and penetrating into their lives more persistently than fire did into the bodies of the youths.”
Further, St. John compares the priest with a doctor and says that, unlike a doctor, who has in his arsenal “different medicines and various instruments, and types of food,” the priest “is given one type and method of healing - teaching by word.” The word is the priest’s only and most effective tool, and “if it does not have any effect, then everything else is in vain.” The saint notes that “the best order of life can be promoted by the life of another, disposing to competition; but when the soul suffers from a disease consisting of wrong dogmas, then the word is very useful, not only for protecting one’s own, but also for fighting strangers.”
To protect his flock, the priest needs to be “both an archer and a slinger, a leader of a regiment and a commander of a detachment, a warrior and a military leader, a footman and a horseman, fighting at sea and under walls.” He must know all the tricks of the devil in order to build impregnable walls that protect believers from his wiles. “What good is it if he fights well against the pagans, but is devastated by the Jews? Or does he overcome both, and is plundered by the Manichaeans? Or after defeating these, those who spread the doctrine of fate will begin to kill the sheep that are inside it? ... If the shepherd does not know how to well repel all these heresies, then the wolf can devour many sheep through one,” says the saint.
Realizing at the same time that it is impossible to demand from every priest “the grace of speech of Isocrates, the strength of Demosthenes, the importance of Thucydides and the height of Plato,” the Saint says: “Let someone be meager in words and the composition of his speech simple and inexperienced, only let him will not be ignorant in the knowledge and correct understanding of dogmas." Because if a priest is defeated in a dispute, then his flock “will blame this defeat not on his weakness, but on the instability of the teaching itself; through the inexperience of one, many people will suffer extreme destruction.”
According to St. John Chrysostom, a priest must have a soul “courageous, far superior to our weakness, so that he can distract the people from this obscene and useless pleasure and accustom them to listening to more useful things so that the people follow and obey him, and not be guided by whims.” people." And he “must treat his flock as a father would treat his young children; just as we do not turn away from these when they insult, or hit, or cry, and even when they laugh and caress us, we do not really care about it, so priests should neither be puffed up by the praises of the people, nor be upset by the censures if they will be unfounded."
The priest is responsible for his flock before the Lord, responsible with his own soul. “If he who tempts only one, and even the smallest thing, does not eat, let a millstone of the donkey be crushed on his neck and drown in the abyss of the sea, and if all those who wound the conscience of the brothers sin against Christ Himself (Matt. 17:6; 1 Cor. 8:12); what will they ever suffer and what punishment will they suffer who have destroyed not one, two or three, but so many?” - notes the Saint.
St. John Chrysostom, throughout the entire “Six Words on the Priesthood,” never tires of repeating, emphasizing the full height of the priestly calling: “The soul of a priest should shine like the light that illuminates the universe,” since “priests are the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13).”

III. Conclusion.
It should be noted that due to limitations in the size of the abstract, it was not possible to cover all aspects of pastoral ministry described by St. John Chrysostom. But I would like to hope that the author managed to touch upon exactly those touches to the portrait of the priest that are most relevant in our time. After all, if we do not have such priests as the Saint described, the earthly Church will lose its strength, like salt that has ceased to be salty, and it will be trampled underfoot by enemies.

Bibliography
Sources:
St. John Chrysostom. Complete collection creations in twelve volumes, volume one. Publishing house SPbDA, 1895.

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased

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The death of a person is a tragic event, perhaps occurring after a long illness, or a sudden death, but for loved ones it is always a tragedy and grief. If you passed away close person, then it is necessary to read a memorial prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased.

Prayer for deceased parents

The parents who gave us life always leave their children unexpectedly. To help the soul of a parent (father, mother) find peace, one should turn to God for help. You can read prayer texts up to 40 days after the death of your parents, and after 40 days, as well as on all memorial dates: 1 year from the date of death of the mother (father), 2 years, etc.

Prayer for the deceased up to 40 days

During the first 40 days after death, it is very important to read prayer texts as often as possible, in church, at home with a candle in front of the icon. You should order a magpie in the temple on the day of death; the duration of the magpie is 40 days. Pray and ask for forgiveness of the sins of the newly deceased.

A short prayer for the dead

A memorial book is a book that can be purchased at a church and the names of all deceased relatives can be written down. In Orthodoxy, there is a custom to keep memorial books with the names of the deceased, reading them by name during commemoration. Short prayer it is read for the deceased in the cemetery, at home, in church, at any time the soul desires.

How to pray in a cemetery and behave near a grave? The duty of relatives is to keep the grave clean: the burial place, according to church canons, is considered holy. Arriving at the cemetery, you need to light a candle and read a prayer for the deceased, honoring his memory. It is prohibited to drink alcohol or use foul language in the cemetery on Memorial Day or any other day.

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

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

Orthodox prayers for the repose of the soul of the deceased

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

Prayer for the 9th day for the deceased

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer for the deceased after 40 days

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

The words of the prayer are:

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

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

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

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

Short prayer

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

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

Prayer for a deceased father

The prayer for the deceased father sounds like this:

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

Prayer for the deceased mother (mother)

The prayer for the deceased mother is as follows:

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

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

Widow's prayer for her deceased husband

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

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

Prayers for deceased children

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

It sounds like this:

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

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

The prayer for the deceased grandmother is as follows:

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

Prayer to Archangel Michael for the unbaptized departed

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

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

The prayer text reads as follows:

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

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

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

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

What prayers are ordered in the church for the deceased?

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

To do this you need:

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

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