The whole ritual of an Orthodox funeral. Burial of the dead according to the tradition of the Orthodox Church Where is the best place to bury the dead

Most striking is the trepidation with which the relatives and friends of the deceased try to fulfill all the Shariah prescriptions and bury their loved one as a real Muslim. Starting from the dying state and within a year after the funeral, relatives will diligently perform certain rituals. Many of them may seem unusual to an ignorant person, but for true Muslims, rituals are important and sacred. The funeral itself takes place in several stages.

Funeral preparation

The Qur'an calls to prepare for death throughout life, so that at the end of it, with a light heart, to accept such a difficult test. Special rituals prescribed in the Sharia begin to be performed while the sick person is still alive. First of all, they invite an imam - a Muslim priest, so that “Kalimat-shahadat” is read over the deathbed. In addition to reading a prayer, do the following:

The dying person is laid on his back with his feet towards Mecca, which personifies the path of the soul to the holy place.

It is necessary to help the sufferer cope with thirst by giving a sip of cold water. If possible, pomegranate juice or Zam-Zam, sacred water, is dripped into the mouth.

Crying loudly is forbidden so that the dying person can concentrate on his last test and not grieve for the worldly. Therefore, compassionate women may not be allowed to go to bed or even taken out of the house.

Immediately after death, the eyes of the deceased are closed, arms and legs are straightened, and the chin is tied. The body is covered with a cloth, a heavy object is placed on the stomach.

Muslim funerals should be held as soon as possible, preferably on the same day. Therefore, usually the followers of Islam are not taken to the morgue, but are immediately prepared for burial.

Ablution and washing (taharat and ghusl)

Islam has a strict attitude towards cleanliness. If the cleansing rites are not observed, the body of the deceased is considered defiled, and the soul is not ready to meet with Allah. Taharat is a washing, cleansing of the material body, while gusul is more of a ritual washing.

First, Gassala is chosen - a responsible person who will conduct the rites of ablution and washing. It must be a close relative, usually one of the elders. At the same time, women wash women, men wash men, but a wife can wash her husband. At least three more people will help Gassal conduct cleansing rites. If it is not possible for the deceased to be washed by a person of his gender, instead of washing with water, the Tayammum rite is performed - cleansing with earth or sand. Taharat takes place in a special room in a cemetery or at a mosque. Incense is lit in the room before the start of ablution. Gassal washes his hands three times and puts on gloves. Then he covers the lower part of the deceased with a cloth and performs the purification procedure. Then follows the washing (ghusl). The body of the deceased is washed 3 times: with water with cedar powder, camphor and pure water. All parts of the body are washed and wiped in turn, the head and beard are washed with soap.

Wrapping in a shroud (kafan)

According to Muslim customs, men and women are buried barefoot, dressed in a simple shirt (kamisa) and wrapped in several pieces of linen. A rich and respected Muslim who has not left behind debts is wrapped in an expensive cloth. But not in silk: a Muslim man, even during his lifetime, is forbidden to wear silk.

A man's shroud is a shirt, a piece of cloth to envelop the bottom of the body, and a large piece of cloth to envelop the whole body with the head on all sides.

The female shroud consists of the same shirt, only to the knees, a piece of fabric for the lower part, a large piece of fabric to envelop the body from all sides, as well as a piece for hair and another for the chest. Newborns and very young children are completely wrapped in one cut. According to Muslim customs, the closest relatives dress the deceased in a shroud, usually those who took part in the ablution.

Burial (daphne)

Muslim burials take place only in the cemetery. Cremation is a big ban, it is equated to burning in hell. If a Muslim cremated the body of a relative, this means that he doomed his loved one to hellish torment. They lower the deceased into the grave with their feet down, while holding a veil over the women: even after death, no one should see her body. The imam throws a handful of earth into the grave, pronounces the sura. Then the burial place is poured with water, the earth is thrown seven times. After the funeral of a Muslim, everyone leaves, but one person remains to read prayers for the soul of the deceased. By the way, since Muslims are buried without a coffin, after the funeral, wild animals can smell the smell and dig up the grave. This must not be allowed: to desecrate a grave and a dead body is a terrible sin. The Muslim people found a way out in burnt bricks. They strengthen the grave with it so that it cannot be excavated, and the burnt smell repels animals.

What We Do Wrong During a Funeral

A funeral is a place where the spirit of the deceased is present, where the living and the afterlife come into contact. At the funeral, you should be extremely circumspect and careful. No wonder they say that pregnant women should not go to funerals. It is easy to drag an unborn soul into the afterlife.

Funeral.
According to Christian rules, the deceased should be buried in a coffin. In it, he will rest (be stored) until the next resurrection. The grave of the deceased must be kept clean, respectful and tidy. After all, even the Mother of God was placed in a coffin, and the coffin was left in the grave until the day when the Lord called His Mother to Himself.

The clothes in which a person died should not be given to one's own or to strangers. Basically they burn it. If relatives are against this and want to wash clothes and lay them down, then this is their right. But it should be remembered that these clothes are by no means worn for 40 days.

WARNING: FUNERAL...

The cemetery is one of the dangerous places, this place is often damaged.

And often it happens unconsciously.
Magicians recommend keeping in mind a few practical tips and warnings, then you will be reliably protected

• A woman came to a healer and said that after she threw out the bed of the deceased (sister) on the advice of a neighbor, serious problems began in her family. She shouldn't have done that.

• If you see the deceased in a coffin, do not automatically touch your body - tumors may appear that will be difficult to cure.

• If you meet someone you know at a funeral, greet them with a nod of your head, not a touch or a handshake.

• While there is a dead person in the house, you should not wash the floors and sweep them, you can thus call trouble on the whole family.

• Some recommend putting needles crosswise on his lips to save the body of the deceased. It won't help save the body. But these needles can fall into bad hands and will be used to induce damage. It is better to put a bunch of sage grass in the coffin.

• For candles, you need to use any new candlesticks. It is especially not recommended to use the dishes from which you eat, even used empty canning jars, for funeral candles. It is better to buy new ones, and after using them, get rid of them.

• Never put photographs in the coffin. If you follow the advice, “so that he himself is not” and bury a photo of the whole family with the deceased, then soon all the captured relatives run the risk of following the deceased.

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FUNERAL SIGNS AND RITUALS.

Many beliefs and rituals are associated with the death and subsequent burial of the dead. Some of them have survived to this day. But do we suspect their true meaning?
According to Christian custom, the dead man should lie in the grave with his head to the west and his feet to the east. So, according to legend, the body of Christ was buried.
Even in relatively recent times, there was the concept of a "Christian" death. It meant obligatory repentance before death. In addition, cemeteries were arranged at church parishes. That is, only members of this parish could be buried in such a churchyard.

If a person died "without repentance" - say, took his own life, became a victim of murder or an accident, or simply did not belong to a particular parish, then a special burial procedure was often established for such deceased. For example, in large cities they were buried twice a year, on the feast of the Intercession of the Virgin and on the seventh Thursday after Easter. Special places called Wretched Houses, pitiful, buffaloes, pustules or skulnitsy . There they set up a barn and arranged a huge common grave in it. The bodies of those who died a sudden or violent death were brought here - of course, provided that there was no one who could take care of their burial. And at that time, when there was no telephone, telegraph and other means of communication, the death of a person on the road could mean that relatives would never hear about him again. As for the wanderers, the beggars, the executed, they automatically fell into the category of "clients" of the Wretched Houses. Suicides and robbers were also sent here.
During the reign of Peter the Great, anatomized corpses from hospitals began to be brought to skudelnitsa. By the way, both illegitimate and orphans from the shelters kept at the Wretched Houses were buried there - such was the practice then ... The guard guarded the dead, called "Holy man" .
In Moscow, there were several similar "depositories": for example, at the Church of John the Warrior, on the street, which was called Bozhedomkoy , at the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God on Mogiltsy and at the Intercession Monastery on Wretched Houses. On the appointed days, a religious procession with a memorial service was held here. The burial of "those who died without repentance" was carried out at the expense of pilgrims.
Such a nightmarish practice was stopped only at the end of the 18th century, after Moscow was subjected to a plague epidemic and there was a danger of infection spreading through unburied corpses ... Cemeteries appeared in the cities, and the burial order at church parishes was abolished. There were also many customs, signs and rituals, concerning the farewell of the deceased on his last journey. Among the Russian peasants, the deceased was laid on a bench, with his head in "red corner" where the icons hung, they covered it with a white canvas (shroud), folded their hands on their chest, while the dead man had to “hold” a white handkerchief in his right hand. All this was done so that he could appear before God in a proper form. It was believed that if the dead man's eyes remain open, then supposedly this is for the imminent death of one of his relatives. Therefore, they always tried to close the eyes of the dead - in the old days, copper nickels were placed on them for this.
While the body was in the house, a knife was thrown into a tub of water - this allegedly prevented the spirit of the deceased from entering the room. Until the very funeral, they did not lend anything to anyone - not even salt. Windows and doors were kept tightly closed. While the dead man was in the house, pregnant women could not cross his threshold - this could have a bad effect on the child ... It was customary to close the mirrors in the house so that the dead man would not be reflected in them ...
It was supposed to put underwear, a belt, a hat, bast shoes and small coins in the coffin. It was believed that things could be useful to the deceased in the next world, and the money would serve as payment for transportation to the kingdom of the dead ... True, at the beginning of the 19th century. this custom took on a different meaning. If during the funeral they accidentally dug up a coffin with previously buried remains, then it was supposed to throw money into the grave - a “contribution” for a new “neighbor”. If a child died, they always put a belt on him so that he could collect fruits in his bosom in the Garden of Eden ...
When the coffin was taken out, it was supposed to touch the threshold of the hut and the hallway three times in order to receive a blessing from the deceased. At the same time, some old woman showered the coffin and those accompanying with grains. If the head of the family - the owner or mistress - died, then all the gates and doors in the house were tied with a red thread - so that the household would not leave after the owner.

They buried on the third day, when the soul had to finally fly away from the body. This custom has been preserved even now, as well as the one that orders all those present to throw a handful of earth on the coffin lowered into the grave. The earth is a symbol of purification, in ancient times it was believed that it accepts all the filth that a person has accumulated in his life. In addition, among the pagans, this rite restored the connection of the newly deceased with the whole family.
In Rus', it has long been believed that if it rains during the funeral, the soul of the deceased will fly safely to heaven. Like, if the rain cries for the dead, then he was a good person ...
Modern commemoration was once called a feast. It was a special ritual designed to facilitate the transition to another world. For the feast, special funeral dishes were prepared. Kutya, which is a steeply boiled rice with raisins. Kutia is supposed to be treated at the cemetery immediately after burial. Russian commemoration also cannot do without pancakes - pagan symbols of the Sun.
And today, during the commemoration, they put on the table a glass of vodka, covered with a crust of bread - for the deceased. There is also a belief: if some food fell from the table at the commemoration, then it cannot be picked up - this is a sin.
On the forties, honey and water were placed in front of the icons - so that the life of the deceased in the next world would be sweeter. Sometimes a arshin-long staircase was baked from wheat flour - to help the deceased ascend to heaven ... Alas, now this custom is no longer observed.

The world is changing, and so are we. Many return to the Christian faith for consolation and hope. It has become customary to celebrate Christian holidays.
Christmas, Epiphany, the Holy Trinity, Parental Days... However, either through ignorance or for other reasons, old traditions are often replaced by new ones.

Unfortunately, there are no issues today that are more shrouded in all sorts of conjectures and prejudices than issues related to the burial of the dead and their commemoration.
What will the omniscient old women not say!

But there is the corresponding Orthodox literature, which is not difficult to acquire. For example, in all Orthodox parishes of our city,
brochure "Orthodox commemoration of the dead", in which you can find answers to many questions.
The main thing that we SHOULD understand is that deceased loved ones first of all need
in prayers for them. Thank God, in our time there is a place to pray. In each district,
Orthodox parishes were opened, new churches were being built.

Here is what is said about the memorial meal in the brochure "Orthodox commemoration
deceased:

In the Orthodox tradition, eating food is a continuation of worship. Since early Christian times, relatives and acquaintances of the deceased have gathered together on special days of commemoration in order to ask the Lord in joint prayer for a better fate for the soul of the deceased in the afterlife.

After visiting the church and the cemetery, the relatives of the deceased arranged a memorial meal, to which not only relatives were invited, but mainly the needy: the poor and the needy.
That is, a commemoration is a kind of almsgiving for those who have gathered.

The first course is kutya - boiled wheat grains with honey or boiled rice with raisins, which are consecrated at a memorial service in the temple

There should be no alcohol on the memorial table. The custom of drinking alcohol is an echo of pagan feasts.
Firstly, Orthodox commemoration is not only (and not the main thing) food, but also prayer, and prayer and a drunken mind are incompatible things.
Secondly, on the days of commemoration, we intercede before the Lord for the improvement of the afterlife of the deceased, for the forgiveness of his earthly sins. But will the Chief Justice listen to the words of drunk intercessors?
Thirdly, "drinking is the joy of the soul." And after drinking a glass, our mind dissipates, switches to other topics, grief for the deceased leaves our hearts, and quite often it happens that by the end of the commemoration, many people forget why they have gathered - the commemoration ends with the usual feast with a discussion of everyday problems and political news, and sometimes worldly songs.

And at this time, the languishing soul of the deceased waits in vain for prayer support from their loved ones, And for this sin of mercilessness towards the deceased, the Lord will exact from them at His judgment. What, in comparison with this, is the condemnation from the neighbors for the lack of alcohol on the memorial table?

Instead of the common atheistic phrase "Let the earth rest in peace to him," pray briefly:
“God rest, Lord, the soul of Your newly-departed servant (name), and forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.”
This prayer must be performed before proceeding to the next dish.

There is no need to remove the forks from the table - there is no point in this.

There is no need to put a cutlery in honor of the deceased, or even worse - to put vodka in a glass with a piece of bread in front of the portrait. All this is the sin of paganism.

Especially a lot of gossip is caused by the curtain of mirrors, supposedly in order to avoid the reflection of the coffin with the deceased in them and thereby protect themselves from the appearance of another deceased in the house. The absurdity of this opinion is that the coffin can be reflected in any shiny object, but you cannot cover everything in the house.

But the main thing is that our life and death does not depend on any signs, but is in the hands of God.

If the commemoration takes place on fast days, then the food should be fast.

If the commemoration fell on the time of Great Lent, then there are no commemorations on weekdays. They are transferred to the next (forward) Saturday or Sunday ...
If the memorial days fell on the 1st, 4th and 7th weeks of Great Lent (the strictest weeks), then the closest relatives are invited to the commemoration.

Memorial days that fell on Bright Week (the first week after Easter) and on Monday of the second Easter week are transferred to Radonitsa - Tuesday of the second week after Easter (Parents' Day).

Commemorations of the 3rd, 9th and 40th days are arranged for relatives, relatives, friends and acquaintances of the deceased. At such a commemoration, in order to honor the deceased, you can come without an invitation. On other days of commemoration, only the closest relatives gather.
It is useful these days to distribute alms to the poor and needy.

Sooner or later everyone comes to the end of life. The souls of people go to the court of God, go through ordeals and then, by the definition of the omniscient God, they get what they deserve.
Bodily death, which became the law for all people after the fall of the forefathers of Adam and Eve, frightens with its uncertainty. People die in different ways - some in carelessness and carelessness, not thinking about what awaits them beyond the grave, others - consciously, with a sense of the greatness of the approaching moment, use the means that the Orthodox Church offers the dying: she guides her children to the afterlife The sacraments of Repentance, Communion and Unction, and in moments of separation of the soul from the body, he performs a canon for the exodus of the soul (departure prayer).

At the moment of death, a person experiences a feeling of languor. When leaving the body, the soul meets the Guardian Angel, given to it in Baptism, and evil spirits - demons. The appearance of demons is so terrible that at their sight the soul is restless and trembling.

According to the Church, the human body is the temple of the soul, sanctified by the grace of the Sacraments. The image of the burial of the dead, given in the Gospel, has been preserved since the Old Testament times in the Orthodox rite and is expressed in washing the body, dressing it, and placing it in a coffin.

Washing the body with water represents the future resurrection and standing before God in purity and purity.

The body of a Christian is dressed in new clean clothes of light shades. The deceased must certainly have a pectoral cross. The washed and clothed body is placed on the prepared table, face up, towards the east. The mouth of the deceased must be closed, hands folded crosswise (right hand over left) as a sign of faith in the Crucified Christ. The icon of the Savior or the Crucifixion is placed in the hands.

The forehead of the deceased is decorated with a chaplet, which symbolizes the crown of the Kingdom of Heaven. The body is covered with a sheet or a special burial shroud depicting the Crucifixion - as evidence of the faith of the Church that the deceased is under the protection of Christ.

The coffin is usually placed in the middle of the room in front of the icons. Candles are lit around him. If possible, they put four candlesticks: one at the head, the other at the feet, and two on both sides of the coffin.

It is impossible to put any objects, money, food in the coffin, since such customs are remnants of paganism.

You can follow the listed rules only if the body was not given to the morgue. According to existing Russian standards, without giving the deceased for an autopsy, it is impossible to obtain death certificates. Orthodox people have to put up with this, but every effort should be made to have time to prepare the body properly after issuing it from the morgue.

It is very good to order all the days preceding the burial for the deceased funeral services in one or more temples. At a time when the body lies lifeless and dead, the soul goes through terrible trials - ordeals, and therefore has a great need for the help of the Church. Memorial services facilitate the transition to another life.

Commemoration at the Divine Liturgy (Church note)

Those who have Christian names are remembered for health, and only those baptized in the Orthodox Church are remembered for repose.

Notes can be submitted to the liturgy:

At the proskomidia - the first part of the liturgy, when for each name indicated in the note, particles are taken out of special prosphora, which are subsequently lowered into the Blood of Christ with a prayer for the forgiveness of sins

The body of the deceased is carried by his relatives and friends, dressed in mourning clothes. Since ancient times, Christians who participated in the funeral procession carried lighted candles.
The body of the deceased is placed in the middle of the temple with his face open and turned to the east, and lamps are placed near the coffin.
After reading the Gospel, the priest reads aloud a permissive prayer, asking for permission for the sins that the deceased forgot to confess due to weakness of memory. However, this prayer does not absolve sins that are consciously hidden.

For a more visual confirmation of those close to the deceased in his forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church, the priest puts a scroll with a permissive prayer in his right hand. (Here it is necessary to refute the superstition widespread among the people that this prayer, called "roadway", serves the deceased as an indispensable pass to the Kingdom of Heaven. The fate of each person is in the hands of God, and nothing material has an impact on God).

Return from the burial of Christ (Nikolai Ge, 1859)

After the permissive prayer, the last kiss of the deceased begins as a sign of our unity in love for him, which does not cease beyond the grave. It is performed by singing touching songs:
"Seeing me lying mute and lifeless, weep for me, all brethren, and relatives, and acquaintances. Yesterday I talked with you, and suddenly the terrible hour of death overtook me; but come, all who love me, and kiss me with the last kiss. I no longer I will live with you or talk about something; I go to the Judge, where there is no partiality; there the slave and the lord stand together, the king and the warrior, the rich and the poor in equal dignity; each of his deeds will be glorified or ashamed. But I ask and implore everyone: unceasingly pray for me to Christ God, that I may not be raised up for my sins into a place of torment, but that I may dwell in the light of life.

When saying goodbye to the deceased, you need to kiss the icon lying in the coffin and the rim on the forehead. At the same time, one must mentally or aloud ask forgiveness from the person lying in the coffin for all the wrongs that were admitted to him during his lifetime, and forgive him for what he himself was guilty of.

Above the coffin is proclaimed "Eternal Memory". The priest cruciformly ground the body of the deceased with the words: "The Lord's land and its fulfillment, the universe and all who live on it."

The ceremony of committing the earth can be performed both in the temple and in the cemetery. After that, the coffin is closed with a lid and it is not allowed to open it again under any pretext.

Those who deliberately took their own lives are deprived of the church funeral service. From them it is necessary to distinguish people who have taken their own lives by negligence, who are not recognized as suicides.
In the Orthodox Church, it is customary to refer to suicides those who died during robbery and died from their wounds and injuries.
Cremation, that is, the burning of the bodies of the deceased Orthodox Christians, has never been a tradition. Now, however, the cremation of the Orthodox has become commonplace, but undesirable.

Some priests do this. All requiems and funerals are performed in the same way, except for burial and prayer with a halo. The latter are not invested in the coffin, but remain with relatives. The priest performs a symbolic commemoration by sprinkling earth on a clean sheet of paper. The earth is wrapped in the same paper and, together with a prayer and a whisk, is kept by relatives. During cremation, no shrines should be left in the coffin.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus Carrying the Body of Christ
(Ivanov A.A., 1850s)

When the ashes are buried in the grave, the earth wrapped in paper, the prayer and the whisk in one package are placed there, so that everything is put to decay along with the ashes. Leaving the ashes outside the earth is contrary to all the traditions of the Orthodox Church and the meaning of burial.

The funeral rite is a reflection not only of the everyday side of its bearers, but also of the archaic worldview. The funeral rite, once, probably, no less complex in structure than the wedding rite, now appears in a greatly reduced form. This is also evidenced by conversations with informants recorded at the end of the eighties (for example, with Fedorova M.N., a native of the village of Dorozhnovo, Okulovsky district, who at the time of recording lived in the village of Kulotino in the same area, or with Vlasova A. Ya., a native of the village Gary, Starorussky district, who lived at the time of recording in the village of Dubki of the named district).

A glass of water was placed in the head of the dying person so that the soul would wash and go.

Previously, relatives came to say goodbye as soon as a person dies, or even to a dying person.

As soon as a person dies, they open the doors, everyone goes out on the porch to see off the soul - the deceased lies in the house, and the soul leaves, they see her off on the street. When the soul is escorted, the eldest woman in the house laments (“howls in a voice”). They began to lament even before washing.

They lamented as soon as a person dies, even before they were washed, they went out into the street, stood facing in the direction where they would be taken to bury, and lamented: “Goodbye, go with God.”

Burial of Christ (approaching guards visible in the background)
Lorenzo Lotto, 1516

The study of the hymn showed that the Russian village of the Soviet era retained the improvisational culture of performance, when the folklore text is, as it were, created anew every time on the basis of the established tradition. The genre of lamentations is central to the rite, despite the destructive changes that have occurred to it, it still performs its everyday function. The reckoning continues to preserve cultural memory, but its artistic merit fades significantly, a number of obligatory moments disappear (for example, detailed commentary on what is happening at the funeral). The genre is getting more and more clichéd. This is due, first of all, to the loss of a direct relationship to the semantic side of pagan symbolism. It was not possible to identify the entire cycle of lamentations of the funeral rite, which (as, for example, in a wedding) would accompany the entire rite, thematically delimiting certain stages of it. Apparently, we are dealing with a clear fading of folklore memory. It is difficult to say at what stage of historical development such a reduction began. But there is no doubt that the cultural policy of the state, on the one hand, and the intensive transformation of Russia from an agrarian country into an industrial and, consequently, urban one, had a strong effect here. Nevertheless, the archaic aspects of the consciousness of the village man in the funeral rite have been preserved quite well. For example, it is known that death in the Russian folklore tradition has always been perceived as an enemy. This was preserved in the texts recorded at the turn of the 70s - mid-80s. In lamentations, death is called a "villain", a "murderer", who does not make concessions, does not heed prayers and requests. The archive materials contain records that talk about various kinds of signs associated with the arrival of death in a house or family. For example, a cuckoo, sitting on an outbuilding, foreshadowed death; a bird knocking on a window; a dog howling downwards ("a dog's howl - to eternal rest"); a horse walking towards people who are seeing off the deceased, and so on. To make sure of the death of a person, a mirror was brought to his lips, if it did not fog up, then the person died. In order not to be afraid of the deceased, who could in any way remind of himself (for example, often dream or even come to the house; appear in some other form, for example, in zoomorphic, most often - birds), one had to hold on to the stove, look into it or into the cellar, and on the fortieth day hang the horse's bridle on the wall.

The dead sleeps, remaining a man (the deceased is a calm person), however, if the deceased's eyes were open, they were closed and copper nickels were placed over the eyelids. It is quite possible that this was due to a kind of ransom from death, because it was believed that the deceased was looking for one of the living people or even animals left in the house, wanting to take them with him. In such cases, they usually said: "He looks - he will watch someone." Coins (pyataks) were then left in the coffin. It is interesting that the ransom in this rite also manifested itself in a different way, for example, if the body of a drowned person could not be found for a long time, then there was a custom to throw silver money into the water in order to redeem it from the water.

The body of the deceased was laid on a bench, his hands and feet were tied, as it was believed that "evil spirits" could twist them, bringing pain to the deceased person. After two hours, the body was washed (for two hours the deceased "rested"). Any person could wash the deceased, but preference was given to an outsider. The idea, preserved in the memory of informants, that this ritual was supposed to be performed by old maids, dates back to the last century. In the Okulovsky district, a ditty was recorded:

Don't go, girlfriend, get married
For these robbers
Better buy by the tub,
We will wash the dead.
(Recorded from M. N. Fedorova in 1988)

The custom has been preserved to pay for washing with something from the things of the deceased. They washed the deceased from the pot with warm water and soap, then the pot was then thrown into the river along with water, a custom in which, undoubtedly, a pagan attitude is visible. There was another option, when the water remaining after the procedure was poured into a place where no one walks, and nothing is planted, since this water is "dead" - it could destroy, kill the earth. In the Starorussky district, it was believed that for washing the deceased, sins were forgiven: "If you wash forty people, you will remove forty sins." The deceased was dressed by the same person who washed. They dressed in everything new so that “there” he “looked good” (according to Vlasova A. Ya.), because the deceased went to live “eternally”. Mortal clothing was not only bequeathed, but also prepared in advance, thus fulfilling the last wish of a person. Sewing clothes is also a ritual: when it was sewn, the knots did not make and did not tear them off, like threads. They sewed in one seam, with a needle forward, the seams were not turned inside out, the buttons were not sewn on. N.V. Andreeva from the Okulovsky district noted that in the past they most often sewed a jacket and a skirt. With a high degree of certainty, we can say that this is a later custom, perhaps dating back to the Soviet era, since according to ethnographers, it is known that a shirt was a common "mortal" clothing, both for men and women. Those items with which the deceased did not part during his lifetime were also placed in the coffin. The coffin was made of spruce or pine boards. It was impossible, for example, to make a "domovina" from aspen, since it was believed that the aspen was a cursed tree, because, according to legend, Judas hanged himself on it, and from this it trembles. The shavings left from the manufacture were placed at the bottom of the coffin or, in some cases, in a pillow on which the head of the deceased was located. It was impossible to burn wood chips and shavings, because, as they believed in the Okulovsky district, the deceased would be hot from this. The coffin - domina was always made in accordance with the growth of the deceased. It was believed that the deceased would take someone away if the coffin was larger (Okulovsky district, Fedorova M.N.). The house with the body was placed so that the deceased was facing the icon, that is, the red corner (Okulovsky district), but in the Starorussky district it is noted as the most common option when the deceased lies with his head in the red corner, and with his feet towards the door.

Sorokoust about repose

This type of commemoration of the dead can be ordered at any hour - there are no restrictions on this either. During Great Lent, when a full liturgy is performed much less frequently, in a number of churches commemoration is practiced this way - in the altar, during the entire fast, all the names in the notes are read and, if they serve the liturgy, then they take out the particles. It is only necessary to remember that people baptized in the Orthodox faith can participate in these commemorations, as well as in the notes submitted for the proskomedia, it is allowed to enter the names of only the baptized deceased.

Outside the window of the room in which the deceased was located, they hung a linen towel or a piece of white cloth. On the forehead of the deceased they put "wreaths" or "forgiveness letters", which contained a prayer for the remission of sins. A handkerchief was given in the right hand, and a handkerchief in the left. In the Starorussky district, it was believed that it was needed in order to wipe off sweat during the Last Judgment, as well as to wipe away tears if a person who had passed into the world of their ancestors would cry when meeting with loved ones in the “other world”. These meetings took place, according to the respondents, for forty days. The informants of the Okulovsky district interestingly interpreted the function of the pectoral cross, which was supplied to the deceased. So, M. N. Fedorova said that it serves as a "pass" and that before entering the gates of another world, it was necessary to show the cross, while the deceased had to buy a new cross. This custom differed from that adopted in the Starorussky district, where the deceased was buried with the same cross that a person wore during his lifetime. The funeral took place on the third day. Spruce branches were scattered from the house to the road, along which the procession moved, so that the other person leaving for the world would “walk” along the “clean road”, since the spruce was considered a clean tree in these places. When they returned from the cemetery, the branches were removed and then burned, probably destroying the traces of the deceased in this way so that he would not return and take away any of the surviving relatives.

Transfer of the body of Christ to the tomb
(Antonio Chiseri, 1883) - historical realism of the 19th century.

Preserved quite a lot of various signs associated with the administration of the funeral rite. Often these signs were in the nature of a talisman. So, for example, they dug a grave on the day of the funeral early in the morning, and the place was chosen better, because they believed that if the deceased did not like the place, then he would take one more of his relatives within forty days. And if there is still a dead person, then "we must expect a third" (according to M. N. Fedorova from the Okulovsky district). The collapse of the grave walls also indicated that a new hole would soon have to be dug. In general, the custom has been preserved in everything to please the dead. The custom was also preserved in the surveyed areas not to sweep the floors while the deceased was in the house, because, according to a sign, it was possible to "sweep" one of the living relatives. In addition, mirrors were hung in the house with a dark cloth so that evil spirits would not spoil the deceased. The coffin with the body was carried to the cemetery on towels, it was considered "more respectful" to carry it than to carry it. They finally said goodbye to the deceased at the cemetery, while kissing on the forehead or on the icon that lay on his chest. The tears of the parting man should not fall on the deceased, as he would then lie wet and offended. In such cases, they usually said: "Step back, step back, don't shed tears there." And all those present wished that the earth was rest in peace. Before the coffin was lowered into the grave, relatives threw a penny there (probably silver), which meant that they bought themselves a place next to the deceased, and everyone else threw copper, while saying: "Here's your share - do not ask for more ". It was believed that the deceased needed the money in order to pay for transportation across a river or lake to the next world. It is known that the image of a river and a crossing is a traditional image not only for Russian, but also for world culture.

Funeral items and things of the deceased also had their own fate. After the fortieth day, relatives could distribute the personal belongings of the deceased to any people, not necessarily close relatives. And those objects and things that were involved in the funeral rite (for example, towels on which the coffin was carried) were either lowered into the grave and covered with earth, or burned to avoid the bad influence of the deceased on living people. Everything was done in such a way that nothing disturbed the soul of the deceased and somehow kept it in the world of living people. Much was done to ensure that the deceased would not return for someone, would not "see someone". As mentioned above, it was believed that the open eyes of the deceased are a sign that they are looking for a new victim.

According to tradition, while the ceremony was taking place at the cemetery, preparations were made for the wake in the house of the deceased. One of the relatives usually stayed at home and prepared a memorial meal, washed the floor. The commemoration took place not only immediately after the funeral, but also on the ninth and fortieth day, then a year later. The deceased relatives were also commemorated on Parental Saturdays - the days established by Christian tradition. On memorial days, people necessarily visited the graves of relatives, bringing food and wine with them in order to invite the deceased to a ritual meal. Thus, the custom was preserved, which remained from the ancient funeral rite, which provided for both coaxing the souls of the dead and demonstrating the power of life. In the modern funeral rite, the contours of the old, still pagan rite are visible, but it is also noticeable that the magical content of the ritual action has largely been erased.

Signs after the funeral and during them have been observed for more than one hundred years. It is believed that a neglectful attitude towards them can threaten with unpleasant consequences, up to inflicting damage on oneself.

In the article:

Signs after the funeral, before and during the burial

There are many signs that prescribe to the relatives of the deceased and everyone else who came to see him off on his last journey, how to behave at a funeral, and what not to do. Some of them were lost in the past and have not survived to this day, but many of the signs associated with the funeral are observed to this day.

Failure to comply with most superstitions and signs threatens with serious consequences - from illness to death. The energy of death is very heavy, and it does not forgive mistakes. Therefore, try to remember and observe signs during the funeral.

In the past, everyone knew and observed. Modern people think little about how to properly organize the burial and what to do in general. It is difficult to find a representative of today's youth who would have such knowledge, so older people usually follow what happens during the burial. But this does not mean that you do not need to learn from this experience.

Funeral superstitions - in the home

Even during the existence of numerous ritual offices, a large part of the organizational issues lies with the relatives of the deceased person. There are many points to be taken into account.

The dead cannot be left alone, not only in the house, but even in the room. Someone must always be near the coffin. There are many reasons for this. Items associated with the deceased have great magical power. Sometimes they are sought to be stolen by those who need these things for rituals. Care must be taken not to let this fall into the wrong hands. The church believes that the soul of the deceased needs prayer support, so you need to read the psalms and. Besides, leaving unattended is disrespectful.

There is another reason for this. The eyes of the deceased may open, and the one on whom his gaze falls will soon die. In order to prevent this, there should be someone near the coffin who will close the eyes of the dead if they open.

You may be interested in the article: signs if.

Immediately after death, all mirror surfaces should be hung with an opaque cloth. This is necessary so that the soul of the deceased does not fall into the mirror world instead of the afterlife. For forty days they do not open mirrors, because all this time the spirit is in its native places.

The piece of furniture on which the coffin stood should be turned upside down when it is taken to the cemetery. You can put it back only after a day has passed. If you ignore such a sign, the deceased may return in the form of a spirit. In order to prevent the accumulation of negative energy of death, an ax should be placed in place of the coffin.

Photographs to the deceased are not placed in any case, otherwise those depicted on it will die. So you can damage and kill the enemy from the world. However, this does not apply to photographs of the deceased (for example, the parents of the deceased).

The water used to wash the deceased is poured out in deserted places. So you will not allow it to be used in magic, because such water is not used for good deeds. Everything that was connected with the dead - a comb, soap used for washing, tourniquets, for tying hands and similar things - is placed in the coffin. They use such things only to induce damage.

When the legs of the deceased are warm until the very burial, this is a harbinger of the imminent death of someone living in the house. To avoid this, the dead man should be appeased by putting bread and salt in the coffin.

As long as there is a deceased in the housing, you can’t sweep it away, so you can “sweep out” everyone who lives here in the cemetery. But when they take him away to bury, there should be a person who will sweep and wash the floor in order to drive death out of the house. Tools for such cleaning are immediately taken out of the room and thrown away somewhere, they cannot be stored and used.

Be sure to leave a new handkerchief in the coffin so that the deceased has something to wipe sweat during the trial. Glasses, prostheses and similar things also put inside the coffin - personal items must go to another world with the owner.

If a funeral is taking place near you, and one of your family members is sleeping, be sure to wake it up, because the soul of the deceased can get into a sleeping person. Not all the dead calmly accept that they no longer live, and try to stay in the world of the living. You should especially worry about children and keep them awake during the funeral. And if your child is eating at this time, put water under the cradle.

Dogs and cats are not allowed in the room where the coffin is located. They can disturb his spirit. Jumped into the coffin. Howls and meows frighten the dead.

Near the threshold of the house with the deceased, spruce branches are placed so that relatives and friends who came to honor the memory do not take death to their home.

You can not sleep in a room with the deceased. If this happens, in the morning you need to eat noodles for breakfast.

Only widows wash the dead. Wash and dress in clean clothes before the body cools down. But after such a lesson, you can do a ceremony so that your hands never freeze. To do this, a small fire is lit from the chips and other wooden remains from which the coffin was made, and all participants in the washing warm their hands over it.

Why you can't look through the window at a funeral

If a funeral is taking place near you, you can’t look out the window, otherwise you will follow. There is such a sign, but few people know for sure why it is impossible to look through the window at the funeral. It is believed that for some time the soul of the deceased is next to the body, which, as you know, is in the coffin during the funeral. She feels discomfort from staring at her through the window pane, and even if a good and gentle person is buried in every sense, his spirit can avenge such impoliteness.

It is known how the spirit of the deceased can take revenge - drag it with it to the world of the dead. Old people say that if you look out the window at a funeral or a dead person in general, you can get seriously ill. This disease can be fatal. This belief is especially true for children, whose energy protection is weaker than that of adults. The vengeful spirit will be able to cope with the child much faster.

If a glance at the deceased was accidental, which is not at all uncommon, in the old days they immediately looked away and made the sign of the cross three times, and also mentally wished the Kingdom of Heaven to the deceased and prayed for his soul. If you have a desire to look at the funeral procession, you need to go out the door of the apartment or the gate and look from the street. Many have such a desire, and there is nothing wrong in sympathy even with a stranger.

Bad omens at funerals - on the street and in the cemetery

Under no circumstances should you cross the path of the funeral procession. As a rule, those who do not comply with this rule are in for a serious illness. It's hard to let that happen.

Some believe that if you cross the road of the funeral procession, you can die for the same reasons for which the one who was buried died.

If the grave is dug too large, it may threaten the death of another family member. A similar meaning is attached to the coffin lid forgotten in the house. This should not be allowed.

You can not carry the coffin to relatives. This should be done by friends, colleagues, neighbors or people from the ritual agency - anyone but relatives. Otherwise, the deceased can take them with him. The people who carry the coffin must tie a new towel around their hand.

Have you ever wondered why everyone who came to the funeral throws a handful of earth on the coffin? So that the ghost could not come at night.

Close the lid of the coffin is possible only in the cemetery. If this is done at home, death will come to the family of the deceased and to those who board up the coffin.

When the coffin is carried out, you can’t look into the windows - it doesn’t matter if it’s your own or someone else’s, otherwise you will attract death to this house. In order for none of the relatives of the deceased to die soon, they do not turn back.

You can not go in front of the coffin - this is to death.

If, when digging a grave, they stumble upon what is left of the old one - bones, for example, this portends the deceased a good life in the next world and means that his spirit will not disturb the living.

Before the coffin is lowered into the ground, coins are thrown there to buy a place in the next world.

Signs and superstitions at the funeral - after burial

During the commemoration, as a rule, they put a photo of the deceased, and next to it - a glass of vodka (sometimes with water) and a piece of bread. Anyone who drinks this vodka or eats the dead man's bread will fall ill and die. Even animals are not allowed.

After you return from the funeral, be sure to warm your hands with live fire or wash them in hot water. So you protect yourself from an early death. Many instead touch the stove or light candles to burn whatever they can get at the funeral.

You can’t cry too much for the dead, otherwise he will drown in your tears in the next world.

Every person has favorite places. Leave water there, because the soul is among the living for some time, and from time to time it needs water. Let it stand for forty days, top up from time to time. The relatives of the deceased cannot drink the same amount, and the lamp should also burn.

You should leave the cemetery without looking back. On the way out, wipe your feet.

The image that stood in front of the deceased must be floated on the water. They go to the river and put it on the water to float. You can’t store it, throw it away either, water is the only way to get rid of the icon so that it doesn’t bring trouble. In all other cases, take the icons to the church, they will decide what to do with them.

Funerals in many people cause feelings of fear and anxiety. And this is not surprising. Indeed, in this rite of farewell to the dead there is not only sad, but also something mysterious, and even mystical. Knowledgeable people argue that one awkward movement during the ritual can doom the soul of the deceased to eternal suffering, as well as invite trouble to the living. Whether this is actually the case is unknown. But in any case, everyone should know what to do at the funeral. And, most importantly, how to do it right, so that in the future you don’t write off your problems and failures as mistakes made at that moment.

Why are funerals held?

The rite of farewell to the dead has long been held all over the world. It is intended to express tribute and reverence to the people who were comprehended by death. Despite the significant differences between the funeral rituals of different cultures and religions, they are all considered sacred and retain the main principle: relatives, friends and acquaintances of the deceased gather all together to say goodbye to him forever and take him on his last journey.

Funerals also carry a powerful informational message. They remind those present that their existence on earth is short-lived, and sooner or later death will come for everyone. This makes many seriously think about their lives and reconsider their views.

Thus, this rite is an important part of our culture and a real parting word to the right life.

Orthodox funeral

The Orthodox Church looks at death as a transition from earthly life to eternal life. And to get to heaven, a person must undergo special training. This preparation consists of several stages:

1. Unction. Before death, the priest must conduct the sacrament of unction.
2. Absolution. A dying person must confess his sins to a clergyman and ask for forgiveness from God and loved ones.
3. Participle. The priest must commune the dying before death.
4. Canon reading. The clergyman must read a prayer parting word to the dying before death. It can also be done by relatives or friends.
5. Washing and dressing. After the dying person has given up his spirit, he must be washed with clean water and wiped dry so that he appears clean before God. Also, the deceased is dressed in elegant clothes and covered with a shroud.
6. Deadly lithium. 1-1.5 hours before the removal of the coffin from the house, the clergyman sprinkles the coffin and the body with holy water and conducts a funeral service with censing.
7. Funeral service. Before burial, the priest reads a series of prayers and hymns. Only after completing all these stages, it is believed that the deceased will be able to gain eternal life in another world.

Funeral rules

During the preparation of the body, burial, and in a certain period after the funeral, a number of rules apply, the violation of which, according to the Orthodox Church, is fraught with serious consequences. Here are some of them:

1. The funeral is best done on the third day after the death of a person.
2. You can not bury the dead on Sunday and New Year.
3. Immediately after death, all the mirrors in the house must be curtained, and the clock must be stopped. In this state, they must be 40 days.
4. Never leave the deceased alone in the room for a minute.
5. It is forbidden to take the deceased out of the house before noon and after sunset.
6. Pregnant women and children are not advised to participate in the ceremony.
7. From the moment of death until the burial, the relatives of the deceased must continuously read the Psalter.
8. You can wash the body of the deceased only during daylight hours.
9. Pregnant women and those who are menstruating may not bathe the deceased.
10. Funeral clothes should be elegant and light, shroud - white. If an unmarried girl dies, she is dressed in a wedding dress.
11. In the house where the person died, a candle or lamp should be lit until the end of the funeral. It is better to use a glass of wheat as a candlestick.
12. You can not wash, sweep and sweep dust if there is a dead person in the house.
13. It is not recommended to keep animals in the same room as the coffin.
14. In the presence of the deceased, they greet not with a voice, but with a nod of the head.
15. The eyes and mouth of the deceased must be closed. For this purpose, the lower jaw is tied with a handkerchief, and coins are placed on the eyes.
16. A chaplet, a long paper or fabric strip with prayers and images of saints, is placed on the forehead of the deceased.
17. Be sure to wear a pectoral cross on the deceased.
18. Together with the body, all his personal belongings are placed in the coffin: prostheses, glasses, watches, etc.
19. The hands of the deceased must be folded on the chest with a cross. And put the right one on top of the left.
20. The feet and hands of the deceased must be bound. Before burial, the strings are removed and placed in the coffin.
21. Cotton pads should be placed under the head, shoulders and legs of the deceased in the coffin.
22. The heads of dead women should be covered with a scarf. Also, all women present at the funeral must have a headdress.
23. It is forbidden to put fresh flowers in the coffin, only artificial or dried ones.
24. The coffin with the dead is taken out of the house feet first and accompanied by church hymns.
25. When taking the coffin out of the house, it is necessary to say: “The dead person is one of the houses out” and close the people in the house or apartment for a few minutes.
26. After the removal of the coffin, all floors must be washed.
27. Blood relatives cannot carry the coffin and lid.
28. From the beginning of the ritual until the moment of burial, the left hand of the deceased should have a cross, and an icon on his chest, laid face to body. For women, the image of the Mother of God is placed on the chest, for men - the image of Christ the Savior.
29. You can go around the coffin with the deceased only at the head, bowing to him at the same time.
30. During the funeral, 4 lighted candles should stand around the coffin: at the head, at the feet and on the hands.
31. The funeral procession should go in strict sequence: a cross, an icon of Christ the Savior, a priest with a candle and a censer, a coffin with the deceased, relatives, other participants with flowers and wreaths.
32. Everyone who meets the funeral procession must cross himself. Men are additionally required to remove their headgear.
33. Saying goodbye to the deceased, it is necessary to kiss the halo on his forehead and the icon on his chest. If the coffin is closed, they are applied to the cross on the lid.
34. All those participating in the funeral procession must throw a handful of earth into the grave.
35. On the day of burial, one should not visit the graves of other relatives or acquaintances.
36. It is not recommended to look at the coffin with the deceased from the windows of a house or apartment.
37. After the funeral, the relatives of the deceased should present cakes, sweets and handkerchiefs to those present.
38. The chairs on which the coffin stood should be placed upside down during the day.
39. At the commemoration, only vodka is served from alcohol. You need to drink it without clinking glasses.
40. During the commemoration, a glass of vodka is poured for the deceased and covered with a slice of bread. After the commemoration, a glass of bread costs another 40 days.
41. Kutya must be present on the memorial table. This is where the memorial service begins.
42. Before entering your home after a funeral, you must clean your shoes and hold your hands over the flame of a candle.
43. After the funeral, guests cannot be visited during the day.
44. The next morning after the burial, relatives and friends should take breakfast to the grave.
45. Within a week from the date of death, nothing should be taken out of the house of the deceased. Things of the deceased can be distributed no earlier than 40 days after burial.
46. 6 weeks after the funeral in the house where the deceased lived, there should be a glass of water and a plate of food on the windowsill.
47. On the graves of young men and women near the head, it is recommended to plant viburnum.
48. One can only speak well of a dead person.
49. For the dead, you can’t cry and kill yourself a lot.

Signs and superstitions

There are many signs and superstitions associated with funerals. All of them are designed to protect relatives, friends and acquaintances who came to say goodbye to the deceased, and to explain to them how to behave correctly during the ceremony, so as not to damage themselves. The most common of these are the following beliefs:

• If during the funeral the eyes of the deceased open, then the one on whom his gaze falls will follow him into the next world.
• If you hold on to the legs of the deceased, the fear of him will go away.
• If you put a willow, consecrated in the church on Palm Sunday, under the deceased, it will drive away evil spirits.
• If wheat, which was used with a glass as a candlestick at a funeral, is fed to a bird, it will die.
• If you cross the road to the funeral procession, you can get seriously ill.
• If you move all the fingers of the deceased’s right hand over the tumor, while reading “Our Father” 3 times and spitting over the left shoulder after each time, you can completely recover from it.
• If, having seen the deceased in the coffin, touch yourself, then a tumor may develop at the place of contact.
• If other people's things get into the coffin and are buried with the body, then trouble will happen to the owners of these things.
• If you bury a photograph of a living person along with the deceased, this person may get sick and die.
• If a pregnant woman attends a funeral, she will give birth to a sick child.
• If you step on a towel that priests place near the coffin during the ritual, you can get sick.
• If you drink water from a glass for the deceased or eat his food, a significant deterioration in health will follow.
• If someone dies along the street and a vegetable garden is planted before his funeral, there will be no harvest.
• If the funeral is postponed for a week or more, the deceased will take one of his relatives with him.
• If someone died in the neighborhood, you need to replace the drinking water that was in dishes or bottles so as not to get sick.
• If the water used to wash the deceased is spilled in the house, the inhabitants of this house may die.
• If, during the removal of the coffin with the deceased from the house, the threshold or jamb is touched, his soul can return to the house and bring trouble.
• If on the 40th day after death a commemoration is not arranged, the soul of the deceased will suffer.
• If you sleep when a coffin is being carried along the street, you can go to the next world for the deceased.
• If the legs of the deceased are warm, he calls someone to follow him.

Despite the fact that the time of witches and sorcerers is far behind, some still practice black rituals. And funerals are still a favorite event for them. They will certainly take the opportunity to perform a magical rite or get the necessary props for it.

During the rite of farewell and burial, these people can do the following actions:

• lie down on the place where the person died;
• ask for the sheet on which the deceased lay;
• steal the strings from the arms and legs of the deceased;
• prick the lips of the deceased with needles and then quietly pick them up;
• change the personal belongings of the deceased;
• pour yourself grain from a candlestick;
• take away the water or soap with which the deceased was washed;
• go out behind the coffin with your back forward;
• standing near the coffin with the deceased, tying knots on rags;
• take the earth from the grave and put it in your bosom;
• sprinkle some of those present with salt;
• put other people's things in the coffin;
• to bury things or objects in the grave;
• pick up a glass of vodka of the deceased or water from the windowsill, etc.

All these actions are aimed at connecting living people with the dead and dooming them to illness and death. Therefore, you need to be attentive to strangers at the funeral, not allow strangers to the coffin and root out suspicious manipulations and theft.

It is also necessary to know that if buried objects were found during the care of the grave, they must be burned. At the same time, it is forbidden to touch them with bare hands!

How to behave at a funeral

Today funeral agents are in charge. They know exactly all the rules of the ceremony and always tell those present in time how to behave and what to do.

As for the rest: signs and magical rites, everything here depends on you. You decide whether or not to follow the advice, avoid suspicious people at the funeral, or pay no attention to anyone. But in any case, during the funeral, it is necessary to behave with restraint and caution, and to have only positive feelings for the deceased.

Let such events bypass you and do not give rise to fears and doubts. Be healthy!