First of all, it must be said that the expression “may the earth rest in peace” has not atheistic roots, but pagan ones. This expression comes from ancient Rome. In Latin it will sound like this - “Sit tibi terra levis”. The ancient Roman poet Marcus Valerius Martial has the following verses: “Sit tibi terra levis, molliquetegaris harena, Ne tua non possint eruere ossa canes.” (May the earth rest in peace to you, And softly cover the sand so that dogs can dig up your bones) Some philologists believe that this expression was a funeral curse addressed to the deceased. However, we have no reason to say so, because this expression was used even before Martial. On ancient Roman tombstones you can often see the following letters - S·T·T·L - this is an epitaph from - “Sit tibi terra levis” (may the earth rest in peace). There were options: T·L·S - “Terra levis sit” (May the earth rest in peace) or S·E·T·L - “Sit ei terra levis” (May the earth rest in peace). Currently, a similar epitaph can be found in English-speaking countries, where tombstones often have the inscription - R.I.P. (Rest In Peace) - rest in peace.
That is, the expression “may the earth rest in peace” is much older than atheism and carries precisely religious connotations, not atheistic ones. Is it possible for a Christian to use this expression? Definitely not, because Christianity is fundamentally different from pagan ideas about the afterlife of the soul. We do not believe that the soul is in the earth along with the decaying body. We believe that, having died, the soul of a person goes to God for a private trial, which decides where it will await the general resurrection on the eve of Heaven or on the eve of hell. The pagans had a completely different idea. They wanted “the earth to rest in peace,” meaning that it would not put pressure on a person’s bones and would not cause discomfort to the deceased. By the way, hence the pagan fears of “disturbing the dead” and myths about rebel skeletons, etc. That is, all this points to the pagan belief that the soul can reside next to its body or even in the body itself. That's why there are such wishes.
I also often hear people use the expression “may the earth rest in peace,” but I have never seen a person who would put exactly the ancient pagan content into this expression. Mostly among people untrained in faith, the expression “may the earth rest in peace” is used as a synonym for the words “Kingdom of Heaven.” You can often hear these expressions in conjunction. Here you need to have reasoning and a sense of spiritual tact. If you heard a grief-stricken person say at a wake “may the earth rest in peace,” then this probably won’t be the most best moment to reason with him or lead discussions. Wait for the time and when the opportunity presents itself, very carefully tell the person that Orthodox Christians do not use such an expression. PS. The photo shows a fragment of an ancient Roman tombstone with the inscription “Sit tibi terra levis”.
Kingdom (kingdom) of heaven to whom. Outdated High Expression used when wishing the deceased afterlife in Paradise. - Our wife Avdotya Petrovna died... Terenty, looking at the image, crossed himself. - The kingdom of heaven to her!(M. Gorky. Three).
Phrasebook Russian literary language. - M.: Astrel, AST. A. I. Fedorov. 2008.
Kingdom (kingdom) of heaven- to whom. Razg. Outdated Wishing the deceased an afterlife in paradise (used when mentioning the deceased). FSRY, 512; BTS, 1457; Versh. 4, 113…
Kingdom of heaven- This article is about the phrase; About the film, see: Kingdom of Heaven (film). Kingdom of Heaven (also: Kingdom of Heaven, Hebrew מלכות השמים, Malkuth haShamayim, Greek ή βασιλεία τών ουρανών) is a Semitic expression in which “heaven” replaces the name of God... ... Wikipedia
Kingdom of heaven- this is an article about the phrase. about the film, see "Kingdom of Heaven" "Kingdom of Heaven" (Kingdom of Heaven, Greek ή βασιλεία τών ουρανών) is a Semitic expression in which heaven replaces the divine name (Luke 15:18). Known from the Gospel of Matthew, ... ... Wikipedia
may the kingdom of heaven be upon him( !}- Wed. I had an uncle, may he rest in heaven! I add the latter only because this is already customary when talking about the dead... Grigorovich. My uncle Bandurin. Wed. All like a father's father, if he is remembered otherwise, may he rest in heaven... Pride... Michelson's Large Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary
Kingdom of heaven- The expression kingdom of heaven is especially common in the Gospel of Matthew. In other Gospels and Epistles it is replaced by the expression Kingdom of God, kingdom of Christ, or simply the word: kingdom. It seems to have a threefold meaning and of course... Bible. Old and New Testaments. Synodal translation. Biblical encyclopedia arch. Nikifor.
May the kingdom of heaven be upon him!- The kingdom of heaven to him! Wed. I had an uncle, may he rest in heaven! I add the latter only because this is already customary when talking about the dead... Grigorovich. My uncle Bandurin. Wed. Look like your parent's father, don't be the same... ... Michelson's Large Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary (original spelling)
Kingdom of heaven- See Kingdom of Heaven (KINGDOM) ... Large dictionary of Russian sayings
KINGDOM- (kingdom) of heaven to whom. Razg. Outdated Wishing the deceased an afterlife in paradise (used when mentioning the deceased). FSRY, 512; BTS, 1457; Versh. 4, 113. Repose into the kingdom of heaven. Book Die. Mokienko 1990, 98 ... Large dictionary of Russian sayings
Kingdom of God- (The Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven) is depicted by the Gospel, in contrast to Jewish ideas about the kingdom of the Messiah, as an internal, spiritually moral kingdom, for entry into which purely moral conditions of repentance and faith are required... encyclopedic Dictionary F. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron
kingdom- (kingdom), Kingdom of God rule of men or God A. Themes in the Bible KINGDOM as a theme: second Kings: 2 Kings 5:12 third Kings: 1 Kings 4:21 B. Earthly kingdoms 1. Basic kingdoms biblical history Kingdom of Bashan: Numbers 32:33 Kingdom of the Amorites:… … Bible: Topical Dictionary
Hello! Please tell me how to start the wake correctly, should someone say a prayer? Who and which one? usually someone makes a speech first, ending with the words “Heaven rest in peace” or “May he rest in peace.” Then everyone drinks, always snacking on a pancake. Then 2-3 more speeches, then for the health of the relatives, I drink compote (which everyone had with the pancake, already eaten) and leave. Almost everyone has the same procedure. But still, what is the right way to conduct this event in a Christian way?
Thanks in advance for your answer!
Asked by: Moscow region
Answers:
Dear reader!
This whole “procedure,” as you argue, has nothing to do with how the commemoration of a deceased Orthodox Christian is carried out.Since early Christian times, relatives and acquaintances of the deceased in special days commemorations gathered together in order to ask the Lord in joint prayer for the repose of the deceased and the granting of the Kingdom of Heaven to him. After visiting the church and cemetery, the relatives of the deceased arranged a memorial meal, to which not only relatives were invited, but mainly those in need: the poor and needy, i.e., a funeral service is a kind of Christian almsgiving for those gathered. Ancient Christian funeral meals gradually transformed into modern commemorations, which are held on the 3rd day after death (funeral day), 9th, 40th days and on other days memorable for the deceased (six months and a year after death, birthday and day Angel of the deceased).
Unfortunately, modern commemorations bear little resemblance to Orthodox funeral meals and are more like pagan funeral feasts that were held by the ancient Slavs before their enlightenment with light Christian faith. In those ancient times, it was believed that the richer and more magnificent the funeral for the deceased, the more fun he would live in the next world. In order to actually help a soul that has gone to the Lord, you need to organize a memorial meal in a dignified, Orthodox manner:
1. Before the meal, one of your loved ones reads kathisma 17 from the Psalter. Kathisma is read in front of a lit lamp or candle.
2. Immediately before eating, read “Our Father...”.
3. The first dish is kolivo or kutya - boiled wheat grains with honey or boiled rice with raisins, which are blessed at a memorial service in the temple. Grains serve as a symbol of resurrection: in order to bear fruit, they must end up in the ground and decay. Likewise, the body of the deceased is consigned to the earth in order to decay and, during the general resurrection, to rise incorruptible for future life. Honey (or raisins) signifies the spiritual sweetness of blessings eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus, kutya is a visible expression of the confidence of the living in the immortality of the departed, in their resurrection and blessed, through the Lord Jesus Christ, eternal life.
4. There should be no alcohol at the funeral table. The custom of drinking alcohol is an echo of pagan funeral feasts. Firstly, Orthodox funerals are 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 remembrance, we intercede with the Lord for the improvement of the afterlife fate of the deceased, for the forgiveness of his earthly sins. But will the Supreme Judge listen to the words of drunken intercessors? Thirdly, “drinking is the joy of the soul” and after drinking a glass, our mind scatters, switches to other topics, grief for the deceased leaves our hearts and quite often it happens that by the end of the wake many people forget why they have gathered - the wake ends an ordinary feast with a discussion of everyday problems and political news, and sometimes even worldly songs. And at this time, the languishing soul of the deceased waits in vain for prayerful support from his loved ones. Eliminate alcohol from the funeral dinner. And instead of the common atheistic phrase: “May he rest in peace,” pray briefly: “Rest in peace, Lord, the soul of Your newly departed servant (name of the rivers), and forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.” This prayer must be performed before starting the next dish.
5. There is no need to remove forks from the table - this makes no sense. There is no need to put it in honor of the deceased cutlery or even worse - put vodka in a glass with a piece of bread in front of the portrait. All this is the sin of paganism.
6. If funeral services take place on fasting days, then the food should be lean.
7. If the commemoration took place during Lent, then weekdays the commemoration is not performed, but is postponed to the next (forward) Saturday or Sunday, the so-called counter commemoration. This is done because only on these days (Saturday and Sunday) are the Divine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great performed, and during the proskomedia, particles are taken out for the dead and requiem services are performed. If the memorial days fell on the 1st, 4th and 7th weeks of Lent (the strictest weeks), then only the closest relatives are invited to the funeral.
8. Memorial days, falling 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, but on the days of remembrance it is useful to read the Easter canon.
9. The memorial meal ends with a general prayer of gratitude: “We thank You, Christ our God...” and “It is worthy to eat...”.
10. Funeral services on the 3rd, 9th and 40th days are organized for relatives, relatives, friends and acquaintances of the deceased. You can come to such funerals to honor the deceased without an invitation. On other days of remembrance, only the closest relatives gather.
And the most important thing. On this day you should visit the temple, if possible, and offer a memorial. Prayer is the most valuable thing we can give to the soul of our loved one after death.
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During Lent, there are Saturday days of special prayer commemoration of the dead - Parental Saturdays of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of the Holy Pentecost.
Christian love prompts us to pray for the dead, by which we are all mutually united in Jesus Christ and constitute spiritual wealth. The deceased are our neighbors whom the Lord commands to love as ourselves. God does not say: love your neighbors while they live.
On Holy Pentecost - the days of Great Lent, the feat of spirituality, the feat of repentance and charity to others - the Church calls on believers to be in the closest union of Christian love and peace not only with the living, but also with the dead, to perform prayerful commemorations of those who have departed from this life on designated days. In addition, the Saturdays of these weeks are designated by the Church for the remembrance of the dead for another reason that on the weekdays of Great Lent no funeral commemorations are performed (this includes funeral litanies, litias, memorial services, commemorations of the 3rd, 9th and 40th days by death, sorokousty), since there is no full liturgy every day, the celebration of which is associated with the commemoration of the dead. In order not to deprive the dead of the saving intercession of the Church on the days of the Holy Pentecost, the indicated Saturdays are allocated.
In pre-revolutionary times, each family had a list of the names of all deceased members of a given clan - “Pomyannik”. Thus, they even prayed for those whom the oldest living family members did not remember. Now this tradition has been lost by most families, and even when making a memorial, many believers do not know how to properly remember their deceased loved ones.
Priest Andrey Bezruchko, rector of the St. Nicholas Church in Voskresensk, clergyman of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the village of Voskresensk, answered questions regarding the commemoration of the departed.
Why does the Orthodox Church introduce special days of remembrance - parental Saturdays, since commemoration, therefore, is performed at the liturgy?
The fact is that liturgies are not celebrated in parish churches every day; there is no such thing, speaking modern language, technical feasibility. In order to perform the liturgy, it is necessary that in addition to the priest there are chanters, sextons and, of course, praying people. Therefore, during the week, not every church holds a service, namely, a liturgy. But on Sunday, liturgies are celebrated in every functioning church. This is not enough to commemorate the dead, because this day occurs only once a week. Therefore, for special commemoration, parental Saturdays and days of remembrance of the dead are set aside, on which special prayer about the deceased.
During Lent, the full liturgy cannot be celebrated during the week, therefore, there cannot be commemoration of the dead on these days. From Monday to Friday (weekdays) of Lent, the full liturgy is not celebrated in any church - it is not required, it is performed on Wednesdays and Fridays or on big holidays Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. At this liturgy there is no commemoration of health or repose, because the days of fasting are days of repentance, days of special prayer, when a person goes deep within himself and the church structure of the service itself does not leave time for long remembrances of the deceased, except for a short funeral litia, which is scheduled after the 1st hour. And, therefore, in Great Lent the 2nd, 3rd, 4th Saturdays are designated, which are called the days of remembrance of the dead - on these days special time is allocated for prayer for the departed. The day before, the 17th Kathisma is read (this is when they pray for the departed). It talks about reward to the righteous and sinners from God, about their answer to God for their deeds, and therefore, this Kathisma in the Psalter is the most appropriate on this day and the Church Charter determines it to be read on the eve of Saturday. And already on Saturday itself, the day of remembrance of the dead, a liturgy and requiem service are performed, like a funeral prayer, where the dead are remembered.
When are parental Saturdays on the calendar, and what other ones? Orthodox Church Are there special days for remembering the dead?
- Parents' Saturdays are called a few days in church calendar: Myasopustnaya, Troitskaya And Dmitrievskaya parent Saturdays. The remaining days in the Church calendar are days of remembrance of the dead. Although, on all these days they remember the parents of the deceased, and close and acquaintances of Orthodox Christians, Orthodox killed warriors, but the names differ in the structure of the service itself, that is, in the name of the days of remembrance of the dead, it determines the very structure of this funeral prayer taking place. For example, if it is parental Saturday, Trinity Saturday, Meat Saturday and Demetrius Saturday, then on these days the service is more filled than on other days of remembrance of the dead, with lengthy prayers, including troparia, stichera, and canons.
In addition to the usual days of remembrance of the dead: three parental Saturdays, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th Saturdays in Lent, there are other days of remembrance of the dead - Radonitsa (Tuesday of the second week after Easter), since during Easter week itself there are no large funeral prayers, there is only a secret prayer that takes place in the altar, and there is no general funeral prayer. They are transferred to Radonitsa, although the service performed on this day is not so abundantly filled with funeral prayers.
The days of remembrance of the dead are September 11, on the day of the beheading of the head of John the Baptist the remembrance of the dead is also performed, the date came historically - on this day it is customary to commemorate Orthodox soldiers who died in Patriotic War 1812, on this day they commemorated and so this day remained for remembrance, and not only of deceased soldiers.
Also today, on May 9, deceased soldiers in the Great Patriotic War are commemorated. On this day, warriors are remembered, although other deceased relatives can also be remembered.
Another day of remembrance of the dead is the day of remembrance of the dead who died during the years of persecution for the faith of Christ, repressed people in the 30s, in godless times. Among the millions of those shot there were many Orthodox Christians, all of them are remembered in a special prayer on the day of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia - this is the last Sunday of January (after January 25). On this day, after prayerfully commemorating the saints, we ask for the repose of the souls of the departed.
There are other days of remembrance of the dead; they are not on the church calendar, but with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch they are celebrated. For example: about those killed in road accidents, about the deceased liquidators of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, etc.
- What should I do in parent's Saturday a believer in order to remember deceased loved ones?
First of all, prayer for them, prayer in church, prayer at home, because there are people who, for good reason, cannot attend church on this day. Therefore, they can pray fervently and heartily at home for their departed relatives - in private home prayer. In the usual Prayer Book there is a “Prayer for the Dead.” The day before, you can give notes with the names of the deceased to those who go to the temple on this day. You can visit a church shop the day before and pass a note so that they will remember you on this day and light a candle, because a burning candle is like a symbol of combustion human soul during prayer. We pray for the departed, and they feel our prayer and their afterlife becomes better from our prayer, becomes blissful. Of course, this depends on the strength of our prayer, and although we cannot make such a prayer as the saints did, so that overnight, through our prayer, the departed would immediately be in heaven, but to the best of our ability in prayers we remember them, make their afterlife easier .
- In the “Prayer for the Dead” there are words “Rest, O Lord, the souls of your departed servants: your parents...” , what words should be spoken if the parents of the person praying are alive?
You can say ancestors, these include grandfathers, great-grandfathers, all deceased members of the clan, which is why Saturday is called parental Saturday, because we pray for the deceased of our clan.
- How to write names correctly in notes if the names of those being remembered are Yuri, Svetlana and Eduard?
All names in the notes must be given in church spelling, for example, George, not Yuri, Fotinia, not Svetlana. Some people pronounce the name on Greek, they can calmly pronounce it in Russian; for some names there is no barrier between languages. But, nevertheless, you need to be guided by the local charter: if they are accepted in the temple with that name, apply, if not, then it’s okay if you correct the name.
But there is rare names, which have no interpretation in church calendar, for example, Eleanor, Edward, Rubin, etc... Therefore, you should write the name given at Baptism, and if it is unknown, resolve this issue with the priest.
- Should a person think about the afterlife on Parents’ Saturday or on All Souls’ Day?
A person needs to think about the afterlife not only on this day, but every day of his life. The Proverbs of Solomon says: “In all your deeds remember your end, and you will never sin...”- this is the path to a sinless human life. If we think that we have to appear before God and give an answer for our deeds, then we will try to spend every day of our lives piously and commit fewer sins.
On the days of remembrance of the dead, you need to think about both your afterlife and the afterlife of your deceased relatives. Of course, all these thoughts normal person who understands his spiritual path, follows it, strives to climb the hierarchical ladder of virtue.
- What is the point of a funeral meal?
Those present, eating at the meal, remember their departed relatives, for whom this meal is being prepared. This important point because there is a saying “The well-fed cannot understand the hungry.” When we are full, we don’t think that there are people who are hungry and need to be fed. Often, when there is a funeral, many people come there to eat - there is no opportunity to eat at home. Therefore, being present at this meal, they will remember our deceased relative with prayer. The meal itself is alms done for deceased relatives, because the expenses spent on it are a sacrifice.
Question about those present. This should not be a circle of people who interest us for profitable purposes in order to benefit from them. Therefore, we should invite poor people to the funeral who need to be fed.
Of course, the main thing in commemoration is prayer, but, nevertheless, the memorial meal is a continuation of this prayer. The meal in the church charter is a continuation of the divine service, its an integral part of. Therefore, by attending a funeral meal, a person is attending a divine service.
- Are funerals allowed with the consumption of alcoholic beverages?
The church charter does not prohibit the consumption of alcoholic beverages at a funeral meal. But sometimes wakes turn into drunkenness, and from commemoration into sin. Therefore, everything should be in moderation. Drinking alcoholic beverages is possible, but I advise those who abstain not to drink, and for those who want to drink, do not remember with alcohol, but remember with a meal, and wash it down with alcohol, so that they do not raise their glasses in memory of a deceased friend.
Is it right to leave candy, cigarettes (if the deceased was a smoker) or even glasses of alcohol in the cemetery?
Some people think that if the deceased smoked during his lifetime, then after his death cigarettes should be brought to the grave, then, following this logic, if a person liked to drive a car, then he needs to bring a car to the cemetery. What else did you love? Dance - let's dance on the grave. Thus, we return to paganism, then there was a funeral feast (rite), whatever happened there. We must understand that if a person had some kind of earthly addiction, it remains on earth, but this does not exist in eternal life. Of course, it is inappropriate to put cigarettes or glasses of alcohol. You can leave sweets or cookies, but not on the grave, but on a table or bench, so that a person will come and remember this person. And scold, for example, children for that. It’s not worth it for them to collect sweets - they are put there to remember.
The grave must be kept clean, and nothing needs to be placed on the grave itself. In the absence of a person, birds sit there and shit, and it turns out that the grave is well-groomed, the fence is painted, and the birds or dogs disturb the order - scatter candy wrappers, etc.
The best way out: distribute candies and sweets to those who need them as alms.
- How to speak correctly"Rest in peace"or?
An Orthodox Christian will always say: "Rest in peace", and the atheist says: "May he rest in peace", because he does not believe in the Kingdom of Heaven, but, although, wanting something good, let him still say so to his relative. But an Orthodox Christian needs to say correctly: "Rest in peace".
- Which people should not be commemorated in the temple?
- Suicides and unbaptized people are not commemorated in the church. by name. In common prayer, when we come to church to pray, we can present any petitions to the Lord God in our hearts, in our minds. Of course, when a person has deceased who have not been baptized, or deceased who have committed suicide, one cannot forbid turning to the Lord in mental prayer - the Lord himself knows whom and how to determine in the afterlife.
There are cases when suicides are blessed to have a funeral service in absentia. And when the funeral service is performed in absentia, the Diocesan Administration, after commemorating the deceased, says that commemoration in the church of this person is at the discretion of the rector of this church.
In the Church Charter there is an expression for resolving controversial issues “If the abbot pleases”, and this is understood in such a way that if the abbot allows it, you can submit notes, if not, then the priest is guided by the statutory principles.
- Is it possible to remember them with home prayer?
No one limits prayer, although one must understand that the Lord himself will judge Last Judgment. At home we can pray about everything, not only about people, but also about the arrangement in the family and affairs.
- If a person dies during Lent, how can he be commemorated during the week?
During Lent there are some deviations from the rules of ordinary commemoration. The church charter says that if a person dies during Lent, then during the week, neither on the 9th nor on the 40th day, they are not remembered, but a commemoration is held, either on the proper Saturday following this day or on the previous Sunday . For example, if you need to celebrate 9 days on Tuesday, then it is better to collect the commemoration on the previous Sunday.
I QUOTE: “First of all, it must be said that the expression “may the earth rest in peace” has not atheistic roots, but pagan ones. This expression originates from ancient Rome. In Latin it will sound like this - “Sit tibi terra levis.” From the ancient Roman poet Mark Valery Martial has the following verses: “Sit tibi terra levis, molliquetegaris harena, Ne tua non possint eruere ossa canes.” (May the earth rest in peace to you, And softly cover the sand so that dogs can dig up your bones)
Some philologists believe that this expression was a funeral curse addressed to the deceased. However, we have no reason to say so, because this expression was used even before Martial. On ancient Roman tombstones you can often see the following letters - S·T·T·L - this is an epitaph from - “Sit tibi terra levis” (may the earth rest in peace). There were options: T·L·S - “Terra levis sit” (May the earth rest in peace) or S·E·T·L - “Sit ei terra levis” (May the earth rest in peace). Currently, a similar epitaph can be found in English-speaking countries, where tombstones often have the inscription - R.I.P. (Rest In Peace) - rest in peace.
That is, the expression “may the earth rest in peace” is much older than atheism and carries precisely religious connotations, not atheistic ones. Is it possible for a Christian to use this expression? Definitely not, because Christianity is fundamentally different from pagan ideas about the afterlife of the soul. We do not believe that the soul is in the earth along with the decaying body. We believe that, having died, the soul of a person goes to God for a private trial, which decides where it will await the general resurrection on the eve of Heaven or on the eve of hell. The pagans had a completely different idea. They wanted “the earth to rest in peace,” meaning that it would not put pressure on a person’s bones and would not cause discomfort to the deceased. By the way, hence the pagan fears of “disturbing the dead” and myths about rebel skeletons, etc. That is, all this points to the pagan belief that the soul can reside next to its body or even in the body itself. That's why there are such wishes.
I also often hear people use the expression “may the earth rest in peace,” but I have never seen a person who would put exactly the ancient pagan content into this expression. Mostly among people untrained in faith, the expression “may the earth rest in peace” is used as a synonym for the words “Kingdom of Heaven.” You can often hear these expressions in conjunction.
Here you need to have reasoning and a sense of spiritual tact. If you heard a grief-stricken person say at a wake, “may the world rest in peace,” then this probably would not be the best time to reason with him or have a discussion. Wait for the time and when the opportunity presents itself, very carefully tell the person that Orthodox Christians do not use such an expression." /end quote/
