www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Funeral Cards

Dear Friends,

I've noticed on more than one occasion some of the "funeral cards" I have kept from attending a visitation.

One in particular is the obvious Eastern Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. On the back it has the name of the reposed soul with dates of birth and death as well as a common prayer.

The front of the card is the Icon itself but at the bottom are the words

MATER PERPETUI SUCCURSUS
ora pro nobis

I'm wondering why this would be written in Latin considering the Icon card as well as (in this case) the deceased are both Eastern.


Brad

I suspect someone very long ago (like the 1970's) bought thousands and thousands of these cards and wants to use them up. I know the card you mean from my childhood & remember the Latin script on the front and saw them used at Ukrainian Catholic funerals. They were produced by a RC press and very cheap.
Even as late as the 1970's little icon cards were limited and expensive. Probably, an Eastern Catholic parish or a particular funeral home bought a very large supply of these cards in the 1970's and are still using them until they run out.

As a funeral director, I can tell you that much of our supply of holy cards used at both Catholic and Orthodox funerals is printed in Italy. Paging through the usual catalogues shows that's the origin of most cards for the past couple generations. That may explain the Latin inscription under Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Somehow our native artists seem to be beyond using anything traditional or producing anything with religious art as Eastern Catholics and Orthodox Christians would like. I'd bet if you looked closely at the card in question it would say "printed in Italy" in very fine print on the reverse.

BOB

As you can imagine, in my profession, I go to a LOT of funerals. I recieved this card just this week.

[img]http://us.a2.yahoofs.com/users/43def777z1fb41dda/906cre2/__sr_/a40fre2.jpg?phgYsQFBoZz5_i0q[/img]


Alexandr

This one in particular bear the words PEKA GERMANY.

Thanks to all for your responses.

Brad

WOW Brad - all the ones we get over here are either Italian or Irish

Brad:

My suppliers must only buy from the Italians. In my experience I've never seen any printed in Germany.

BOB

I think I missed something here. Alexander I hope you will fill in the blanks...

'Cause everyone likes Latin, yo!

Seriously, ask the Finns. And they're primarily Lutheran and Orthodox!

Logos Teen

Brad,

As Bob and others have pointed out, there is a dearth of (if any) suppliers for memorial cards particularly directed at those of Eastern heritage. (It's too bad that there isn't a trade group for those funeral directors who regularly serve our comunities - because there are many such. It might encourage someone to undertake printing and selling such. While the market is definitely smaller, and the range of choices available might therefore be more limited, it seems likely that one could at least break even on such a venture.)

As to the particular fact that the Icon was titled in a Western fashion, I think that is less a surprise. I'm actually more surprised that no one has pointed out that Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Our Lady of Perpetual Succor in much of the Latin world outside North America) is probably the most common Eastern icon venerated in the West. The (Latin) Redemptorists have particularly promoted her veneration under this title in response to a mid-19th century papal mandate and the only basilica (Redemptorist-staffed) in the Latin Archdiocese of Boston [themissionchurch.com] is accorded to her patronage. (I have included a link to the basilica/Mission Church to afford my brother, James, a moment of nostalgia . )

Many years,

Neil

There are cards that are entirely Eastern in their iconography and they can be had from the same suppliers. I think it might take a little effort on the part of families to educate their professional so that he knows that they do not want a card with Latin on it. These cards, though many are printed in Italy, have some rather good iconography and they come in assorted sets. I've seen Our Lady of Perpetual Help without Latin inscriptions and also OL of Kazan in some of these sets.

On the other hand, I've also had families bring the cards they wanted printed to me. It might also be something to do in advanced planning. Go to your professional and tell him to start looking for the right cards. It might surprise many people but my colleagues and I are dedicated to doing it "your way" and not offending you or your religious heritage in the process of serving you.

BOB