www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Orthodox Funeral Traditions

Dear Friends,

I came across some information on funeral traditions in Russia.

For one thing, the Psalter is said as much as possible following the repose of a relative or friend - for 40 days.

The reposed are commemorated at the end of each Stasis of each Kathisma. The 17th Kathisma especially is said on the 3rd, 9th and 40th days.

The lampada is lit and even brought to the cemetery when one goes there to pray for the dead.

An Akathist, or other prayer is said while there.

The Cross that serves as the grave-marker indicates two things: The base indicates where the body lies - the top of the Cross indicates where the soul is.

The Russian Orthodox Church today dissuades its flock from former funerary practices conducted during the communist yoke.

For example, one does not "die" but has "reposed in the Lord." The former suggests there is no Resurrection on the last day.

It dissuades people from using the familiar "May the earth be light for you" again an atheistic expression.

And it dissuades people from serving spirits at the Trapeza or lunch afterwards. And from the pagan practice of placing a glass of vodka with a floating piece of bread-toast in it before a picture of the reposed.

The 17th Kathisma should be read at the beginning of the Trapeza or Trizna/lunch and it should be dedicated to prayer, not gorging oneself.

Just wanted to share this.

Alex

Dear Alex:

Is serving a lunch after a funeral an old custom or recent invention?

I seem to remember reading in Massey's book on Peter the Great, that when one of Peter's foreign friends died his family laid out a sumptuous repast in his memory.

The Russians were surprised by the custom but nonetheless engorged themselves on the food and wine.

When in Rome...

defreitas

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Glory to Him Forever!

I know I've raised this issue before...but I still have questions regarding it. The "baptism for the dead" idea. I've found web sites trying to show me that the early church practiced this rite.

I personally don't see why it would be wrong to practice it for the departed as long as it is done during the 40 days after death, since the final judgement on the soul isn't before the 40 days. And of course, 1 Cor. 15:29 mentions it.

Awaiting correction if necessary ,

Adam

I believe there is also a custom of the body being raped in a special iconographic shroud. I have seen them offered on the internet.
I am also to understand that an icon is placed in the casket with the body and it is venerated in place of actually touching the corpse. Does anyone know if this is still the practice?

Dmitri

Dear Defreitas,

The practice of serving the lunch following a funeral was always a tradition in East Slavic countries and was originally intended to feed the poor, many of whom came to participate in funerals which were open to the public in any event.

The poor often hired themselves out to read the Psalter over the reposed continuously and all night until the funeral on the third day. The lunch was therefore intended as an exercise in Christian charity - and common courtesy.

Massie's reference in Peter the Great had to do with the German practice of having a repast BEFORE the funeral and with cold meats etc.

The idea of eating before a funeral would have been a surprise for the Russian Orthodox, but since the funeral in question was that of a Lutheran officer in Peter's army, the Russians gorged themselves in fine fashion . At least the Russians know how to live it up!

The Russians were also shocked to discover the Germans' love for green salad - that was looked down in Russia as "Travychka" or "grass."

Alex

Dear Dmitri,

Yes, you are quite right on both counts.

The same articles I read that gave the information I recount here also mentioned the special shroud. (Where can one get one?)

In addition, an icon is often placed in such a way to allow people to kiss it rather than the reposed for the "Final Kiss."

We did this for an uncle etc.

The simple wooden coffin itself has the words of the Trisagion prayer carved around it.

St Theophilus, the Fool for Christ of Kyiv, had his coffin in his monastic cell with him.

He used to keep food for the poor in it, including "kvas."

I wonder if the poor who received help from him would have taken it so readily if they knew where he kept it . . .

Some people are superstitious about things, but not me. NO, NO, I'm NOT . . . really!

Alex

Many ROCOR oriented Eastern supply shops have the shroud. It is usually very cheap...

Dmitri

My OCS professor related to me once that when his father died, members of the parish kept vigil in the Church while the body lay in state. They read the Psalter continuously, unless there was another service. We went through a psalter i recently acquired, and he told me how one reads the Psalter for such a vigil.

The notes in the back of the Holy Transfiguration Monastery's Psalter of the Seventy explain the reading of the psalter for the dead and the prayer to be said for the repose of the departed at the end of each Kathisma. The family and friends of the departed kept vigil at the death-bed throughout the day and night after death reciting the Kathisma. In our day and age that is often difficult with coroners, nursing home staff, preparations at the funeral home, etc.

At the recent repose of one of the grand dames of our Ukrainian parish we did this: read a few kathisma at the nursing home after repose, and after the body was prepared at the funeral home we read some more before the beginning of the Parastas.

Also for those familiar with the Erie Old Believer prayer book ("Old Orthodox Prayer Book") there are two marvellous Canons for the departed that could be used in any private commemoration for the departed.

The burial shrouds can be obtained at a variety of places that sell Orthodox church supplies.

Dear Friends,

Yes, this is especially topical for me since two friends have recently reposed and I want to do the Psalter for them.

Sometimes the nitty-gritty details can be the most interesting, no?

Holy Transfiguration Monastery's Psalter instructs Psalts to read the prayer for the dead in the back of the book at the end of each THIRD Stasis of each Kathisma.

The Russian practice is to read it at EACH Glory be of each Stasis. The Russian practice is fine for me.

There is also the Akathist for the Reposed in Jordanville's Akafistnyk that one could also read on any visit to a cemetery. Of course, Kathisma 17 is the Psalm of choice for praying for the dead.

I once read a priest describe it as an ode to God's Divine Law and that only Christ kept it whole and completely. Therefore, by reciting it for the reposed we ask that God impute the righteousness of Christ to the soul and forgive his or her failings and sins in life.

I also read the beautiful Irish tradition concerning the scapular.

The Irish wore the Carmelite scapular in life - indeed it was a badge of their Catholicism during the Penal times.

But when they reposed in the Lord, the Irish were dressed in the full monastic habit of Mount Carmel. They often kept a monastic habit in the house for anyone who might die and if they didn't have one, they would ask for one from a neighbour who had one and would then later buy another to replace it for him or her.

I wonder if the shroud the Orthodox East uses has any connection whatever to the Schema since it seems to resemble it.

I'm probably stretching things though . . .

Alex

Dearest brother in Christ, Alex,

The shroud is like the cloth that one would place of the holy relics of the saints, in-as-much as the body of each of us is a relic - created by God in God's own image.

The shrouds described in the postings are not such an old thing. They were often bought in the holy land and placed on the stone of anointing and in the Holy Grave in the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem. At one time, they were often embroidered. Also they are simply covering, not real shrouds in which the body is wrapped.

We should also remember the Russian tradition of the headband with the words of the thrice holy and the deesis icon. Today, this is printed on the same sheet as the absolution prayer, which is cut of and placed in the hands of the departed after the priest has read it.

The priestless Old Believers are zealous in keeping to the tradition of placing the departed in a new white shift, similar to a baptismal robe. A new cross is placed around the neck and a lestovka in the hand. This stresses how death is a great leveller. Rich and poor, young or old appear the same as they go to, and are lowered into the grave.

A monk should be buried wrapped in his mantia. We wear our shroud throughut the monastic life. This should not only be our shroud but our coffin also. A very sobering thought as we stand folded in the mantia in prayer and worship.

Spasi Khristos -
Mark, monk and sinner.

Bless me a sinner, Father Mark!

You positively move me to tears!

Are you yourself a member of priestless Old Believers? If that is none of my business, please forgive me.

Kissing your right hand, I again implore your blessing,

Alex

I'm firmly priestly, but have a great deal of respect for the Bezpopovtsy. They are firm defenders of many of the Traditions of the Ancient piety which the popovtsy have forgotten. They are an inspiration for us all.

May the All-Merciful Lord bless you.

Spasi Khristos -
Mark, monk and sinner.

Bless me a sinner, Father Mark!

Yes, I should have realized that if you are a "Father" then you must be priestly - in more ways than one!

I read about the bezpopovtsy in the Vyg Community.

The book had an icon of about six "saints of the Vyg Community."

I take it that they declare their own saints and honoured them liturgically?

Kissing your right hand, I again implore your blessing,

Alex

To my knowledge, the Vyg community, and the various concords originating in them honoured their saints in paraliturgical ways, although they may have resorted to the general menaion, as the Belayakrinitsa calendar instructs for the Hieromartyr Avvakum - if I remember correctly. I'm not totally sure about this. The Bezpopovtsy love pilgrimages to the graves of the departed righteous ones, honouring them as shrines - taking soil from the graves as relics and for the healing of the sick and burning candles as they asked the praviedny to pray for them

They have iconography of their 'saints', but usually in the form of liubky - popular broadshheets. Whilst many were printed throughout Russia, the Vyg communities produced them by hand in their scriptoria. Popular themes were the Vyg fathers, especially the Denisovy, the choir of the Fathers and Mothers of the Vyg settlements in supplication before the Lord, or the Virgin and child. Also there were liubky in a form resembling the tree of Jesee, but a spiritual genealogy of the blossoms and fruits of the Vyg desert.

The case of the martyrs was simpler for the Vygovtsy. Their deaths were considered their glorification and their path to the choir of the saints.

Spasi Khristos -
Mark, monk and sinner.