Slavs and other peoples always consider mirrors as a kind of line between the worlds: ours and the otherworldly. Almost everyone knows that if a person dies in the house, all the mirrors must be covered. For what purpose is this done, what is the reflective surface used to cover, how long should it be closed? In this article we will examine the topic “Mirrors and Funerals” and provide answers to many questions.
Many people still try to observe old village signs, especially if they are associated with death. When a person dies in the house, mirrors and other reflective surfaces, including TV screens and monitors, are immediately covered with a towel, tablecloth, sheet or any other fabric.
According to other signs, they are turned towards the wall or taken out of the room in which the deceased is located; all the water in the house is also poured out.
These actions are explained very logically: the reflection of the deceased visually looks like “doubling”; the illusion created may result in the imminent death of another member of the household.
Some Slavic signs (in particular, among the Serbs) say that the one who looks first in the mirror after the funeral will also die. To prevent this from happening, after the funeral they bring the cat to the mirror first.
The sign of covering mirrors during a funeral is not a church custom, but rather a superstitious custom based on observations and many years of experience. The soul of a person who has just died, leaving the body, rushes upward and may accidentally fall into a mirror corridor, which becomes a kind of trap for it: it is impossible to find a way out of there. Once in “mirror captivity,” the soul will not be able to ascend to the Kingdom of God and will frighten the people living in the house; in addition, it can negatively affect their health, even leading to fatal diseases.
According to another version - demons, evil spirits can “use” the reflection of the deceased, because it is not without reason that mirrors are attributes of black magicians and sorcerers. There is also an opinion according to which the simultaneous reflection of the deceased and the living in one mirror surface leads to another death.
Superstitious people do not recommend looking in the mirror after midnight, especially not standing between two mirrors that are reflected in each other and form an endless corridor connecting our reality with the other world. It is believed that people who perform this ritual in Good Friday, can see their death or the devil himself in the twilight of mirror reflections.
In villages to this day, babies are not held up to the mirror until they are baptized, in some places - up to a year. Some say that if this is done, the child may be very frightened when he sees his reflection, or will begin to speak very late; more frightening explanations are: arrest in development or even death.
According to Christian beliefs, the soul stays on Earth for 40 days, in the house, near its family and friends, so it is recommended not to open mirrors before the end of this period.
Modern people very often cannot stand it and remove the covers from the mirrors after the 9th day.
The sign may not be observed in cases where a person was sick, was treated in a hospital and died there.
There are a whole host of other superstitions; Whether to believe in them or not - everyone decides for himself, but you still shouldn’t joke with signs associated with death, mirrors and funerals.
I was told that after the death of someone close to me, it is necessary to cover all the mirrors. Why cover mirrors and for how long? Tell me, please, how long does mourning last for the death of a mother?We do not have any church instructions regarding covering mirrors, but this tradition is very stable and is followed everywhere. The mirror was perceived in the popular consciousness as magic item, revealing a certain incomprehensible side of existence - a looking glass, a window through which you can look into the other world.
Explanations for hanging mirrors from the point of view of modern consciousness are ridiculously naive. Mirrors are closed so that the soul of the deceased, when it sees itself, is not afraid. Another interpretation is so that the deceased does not frighten his relatives. There is even a belief that if a person sees a deceased person in the mirror, he will soon die.
From what has been said it is clear that hanging mirrors should be considered as a simple superstition that has no meaning either for the dead or for the living. Many people think so, but they hang mirrors just in case.
Much more important is the question of the duration of mourning. Mourning is a secular word, not an ecclesiastical one. It denotes a time of special remembrance of the deceased a loved one, which has certain attributes: color of clothing, behavior, etc.
In the church, the meaning of this time of remembrance deepens much more. After all, memories alone are not enough, therefore Orthodox Christians, remembering the deceased, try to actively help him decide on his eternal life. This is expressed in the prayers of the Church for the departed.
The pious tradition of the Church establishes forty days (Sorokoust) of special commemoration of the departed, during which the Divine Liturgy is served for them, prayers are offered and alms are given. All this frees the deceased from the bonds of sin and transfers the soul of the deceased to a better state of afterlife existence.
Especially beneficial influence The fate of the deceased is influenced by the offering of a bloodless sacrifice for their salvation, or the performance of the Divine Liturgy. At the Liturgy, through the immersion of particles taken from the prosphora into the mysterious Blood of Christ, the sins of the living and the dead are washed away.
St. John Chrysostom speaks about prayer and alms for the dead: “There is, truly there is an opportunity to alleviate his punishment if we wish. So, if we make frequent prayers for him, if we give alms, then although he himself was unworthy, God will hear us... This is in accordance with God’s love for mankind. Many benefited from alms done for them by others. If they were not completely pardoned, they at least received some consolation.”
The Holy Scripture presents examples of prayerful remembrance of the departed and charity in their memory - to ask for forgiveness of sins. In the Old Testament Church there was a custom of breaking bread over the dead and at their graves distributing bread to the poor (Tob. 4:17). There was a custom on the occasion of the death of their neighbors to impose a fast on themselves: when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead buried King Saul and his sons, they “took their bones and buried them under an oak tree in Jabez, and fasted for seven days” (l Kings 31:13), which , of course, was combined with the appropriate prayers.
However, the most significant difference between mourning and Christian remembrance is that mourning is an inescapable, hopeless grief for neighbors who have lost their existence, swallowed up by the coffin, senselessly destroyed by death. Christian remembrance is a prayerful memory of a person who has just been born into eternal, blessed life in Christ Jesus. Hieromonk Seraphim (Kalugin), Astrakhan. 09/16/2005
Mirrors are an object that has always been shrouded in superstition and required special treatment. The presence of a mirror at an event such as a funeral requires compliance with certain rules. Even if you don’t believe in omens yourself, there will definitely be someone at the funeral who will care. To avoid embarrassing those present, follow accepted traditions.
If death comes to the house, all reflective surfaces should be tightly covered. This is especially true for mirrors: an object that has always been associated with otherworldly forces. Turn away the mirror front surface against the wall, wrap it up thick fabric or take it out of the house. This is done even if the person died not at home, but, for example, in a hospital.
How long should mirrors be hung after a funeral? When the deceased is buried, mirrors can be opened after the funeral. But some prefer to wait 9 or even 40 days. It all depends on the decision of a particular family and its members. Remember that when the funeral has passed, you can already open the mirrors.
Surely you have wondered why mirrors are covered at funerals: this action, it would seem, makes no sense. But this is what our ancestors did for a long time. Since ancient times, mirrors have been considered unique portals to another world. It is believed that during a funeral the soul of the deceased is still among people, so it can penetrate the mirror and get lost there. Another version says that the soul may accidentally see its reflection and become frightened, or the image of the deceased may be noticed in the reflection of the mirror by family members. But there is a simpler explanation: closed mirrors simply symbolize mourning.
It has long been customary to cover all reflective surfaces in a house where there is a deceased person. Superstitious people perceive the mirror as a kind of portal - the border between two worlds. There are a number of signs that explain why it is necessary to close all the mirrors in the house after the death of a person.
At funerals, all reflective surfaces are required to be covered. The interpretation of superstitions is as follows:
Old-timers give their interpretation of the sign. Mirrors are curtained because during the service they reflect the cross in reverse projection.
Please note: in temples and churches there are no objects in which reflections can be seen. It is believed that such a surface takes away all grace, which means that prayer will not have true power.
Some signs warn the living against using a mirror in the house of the deceased. According to interpretations, this can bring serious troubles to the person watching, even death.
People with an unstable psyche and a rich imagination should not look in the mirror. If you look first at the reflection of the deceased, and then directly at the deceased, you might think that he is smiling.
A more down-to-earth point of view says that when a person dies, his family does not have the time or desire to use a mirror. When there is a deceased person in the house, reflective surfaces are covered so that they do not attract attention.
To cover all reflective surfaces in the deceased's home, use a thick, opaque fabric. The best option There will be black matter, however, this will not be found in every home.
Sometimes they are covered with sheets or blankets. It is acceptable to use tablecloths and bedspreads.
Usually the veiling procedure begins immediately after the news of death. If a person died in a hospital from a long illness, this sign can be ignored.
The fabric can be removed after a certain time. Signs speak of the following dates:
Not a single belief establishes the exact time. Everyone follows the interpretation that is closest to themselves.
