Funeral on the 5th day after death. The actual burial ritual. Important rules to follow when burying a relative

We are so accustomed to the fact that funerals take place on the third day that the slightest change in this custom raises many questions. But research into this issue leads us to unexpected conclusions.

Of course, we do not have church or state regulations that would regulate the order and timing of funerals. There is no such regulation in general Christian institutions. Therefore, we can use the available indications of death in chronicles and other sources. We can glean some information from the memoirs of Western travelers who described the customs of the Muscovites. But even if the day of death is indicated, only in a few cases do we have information about the time of the funeral itself. For the period XI-XVII centuries. there are just over forty of them. The appearance of this date was associated with some delay in the funeral due to the movement of the body, unrest, or other circumstances. Sometimes the date of the funeral was highlighted to add more detail to the story. But even from very limited material certain conclusions can be drawn. In most cases, the funeral took place shortly after the time of death, within a day, or the next day after death.

In other cases, the lengthening of time before burial is associated with the movement of the deceased to their burial place. Although other reasons for postponing the funeral are known. In 1473, the funeral of Prince Yuri Vasilyevich was postponed due to the absence of the grand ducal family in Moscow. Yuri Vasilyevich died on September 12, Saturday. The Grand Duke returned to Moscow on September 16, Wednesday. On the same day, immediately after the arrival of the Grand Duke, the burial took place. In 1175, the day after the murder, the body of Andrei Bogolyubsky was placed in the church, where it lay for two days and two nights, since the unrest in the city did not allow burial.

“And so he laid him in the porch, covering him with a cloak, and the body lay there for two days and two nights. On the third day, the Kozmodemyansk abbot Arseny came and said: “Although we have been waiting for the senior abbots for a long time, how long will this prince lie like this? Open the church for me, I will sing him and put him in a coffin. And when this turmoil subsides, they will come from Vladimir and transfer the prince there.” And the Bogolyubsky kliroshans came, took his body, brought him into the church and put it in a stone coffin, singing funeral songs over him with Abbot Arseny together.” (The story of the murder of Andrei Bogolyubsky).

In the tradition of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, the speedy burial of the deceased was considered important. So Theodosius of Pechersk, early in the morning of May 3, 1074, just before his death, considered it necessary to indicate to the brethren of the monastery: “Bury my body at night,” which was done by the monks. And in the Patericon of this monastery there are several stories about miracles associated with the time of the funeral. The first story talks about Athanasius the Recluse. Athanasius himself was a monk of strict life, but he fell ill and died. His body was washed and prepared for burial, but since he was very poor, the monks neglected to bury him, leaving him to lie in his cell. So the deceased lay there for two days without burial. At night, the abbot of the monastery had an apparition - he heard a voice that said: “The man of God Athanasius has been lying unburied for two days, and you don’t care about it.” As soon as morning came, the abbot and his brethren hurried to the deceased to correct their mistake and perform his burial, but suddenly they saw him resurrected.

In another story, about St. Mark the caveman, two cases are told when this holy ascetic did not have time to make a place for the burial of the deceased brethren of the monastery on the day of their death. In the first case, the grave was so narrow and unexpanded that it did not allow either adjusting the clothes of the deceased or pouring oil. Then Mark said to the dead man: “Since this grave is small, brother, sprinkle it yourself: take the oil and pour it on yourself.” The dead man, having risen a little, stretched out his hand, took the oil and poured it in a cross shape on his chest and face, then he gave the vessel and straightened his clothes in front of everyone, lay down and died again. The next time, the same monk Mark, not having time to finish his work, asked the dead man to rise again and live another day.

Then the other brother, after a long illness, died. One of his friends wiped his body with a sponge and went into the cave to see the grave where his friend’s body would lie, and he asked the blessed one about it. The Monk Mark answered him: “Brother, go tell your brother: “Wait until tomorrow, I will dig a grave for you, then you will retire from life.” The brother who came said to him: “Father Marco, I have already wiped his dead body with a sponge, who do you tell me to tell?” Mark said again: “You see, the grave is not finished. And as I command you, go and tell the deceased: “The sinful Marco says to you: brother, live another day, and tomorrow you will go to our beloved Lord. When I have prepared a place to put you, I will send for you.”

The monk’s brother, who came, listened to him, and when he came to the monastery, he found the brethren performing the usual singing over the deceased. He, standing before the dead man, said: “Marco tells you that the grave has not yet been prepared for you, brother, wait until tomorrow.” Everyone was surprised at these words. But as soon as the brother who came had spoken them in front of everyone, the dead man immediately opened his eyes and his soul returned to him, all that day and all night he stayed with his eyes open, but did not say anything to anyone.

The next day, the brother who went to Mark went to the cave to find out if the place was ready. The blessed one said to him: “Go and tell the deceased: “Marco tells you - leave this temporary life and move on to the eternal, now the place is ready to receive your body, surrender your spirit to God, and your body will be laid here, in the cave, with holy fathers." The brother came and told all this to the man who had come to life, and he, in front of everyone who came to visit him, immediately closed his eyes and gave up his ghost. And they laid him honestly, in the place designated for him in the cave. And everyone marveled at such a miracle: how, at one word of the blessed one, the dead man came to life and, at his command, died again.

We find a similar plot in the “Tale of Princes” - a work of the second half of the 12th century. According to this text, after the death of Prince Davyd Svyatoslavich, he was moved to the Church of Boris and Gleb, built by him. The bishop performed the burial service for the prince, but his coffin was not yet ready. The bishop then said: “The sun is already setting; tomorrow we will bury him.” Hearing these words, those sitting with the prince left and, returning back to the church, told the bishop: “The sun does not set, but stands in one place.” The bishop marveled and praised God. When the stone was leveled and the prince was placed in a coffin, then the sun set.

As we can see, these miracles are performed in order to observe the daily period between death and burial. At the same time, the period itself is perceived as a certain norm, and cases of a long gap between death and funeral are perceived as deviations from this norm. It remains to ask the question on what this norm could be based. It must be said that quick funerals are inherent in various religious traditions. This reflected both the archaic fear of death and a dead person, as well as basic precautionary measures, especially in hot countries where the body of the deceased quickly began to decompose. But for a Christian there is a model that sets a guideline in the life of a believer - this is the earthly life of Jesus Christ. The death of the Lord on the Cross is a key event in world history and the orientation towards it can be traced in many works of both general Christian and ancient Russian literature. The burial of Christ's body took place in accordance with the requirements of the Jewish religion, on the day of his death, that is, less than 24 hours later. It is possible that it is precisely the orientation towards this significant pattern that causes the perception of a short burial period, within 24 hours, as the norm.
The creator of the new tradition of a three-day period between death and burial is Peter the Great. On January 28, 1704, the emperor issued a decree on the procedure for burying the dead. It said:

“The dead of all ranks, male and female, who are to be buried in holy churches, should not be buried until three days, but taken out of their houses to the church, and on the third day they should be buried as usual.”

This decree prescribes not to bury the dead before the third day. This requires finding the body of the deceased during the interval before the funeral in the temple. As you can see, Peter I legally introduces a new norm, departing from the previous custom, to bury the body within 24 hours after death. The decree itself does not explain in any way the reasons for its appearance. But we can say that the tsar did not strive to observe the traditions of Russian Orthodoxy. The purpose of this decree was different. It is possible that later stages of lawmaking will help to find out the reasons for this innovation of Peter I. In the “Code on Criminal and Correctional Punishments” - the first criminal code of the Russian Empire, signed by Emperor Nicholas I in 1845, in Article 1081, a three-day period between death and funeral is also introduced as mandatory. The text of the article explains the reason for such strict regulation of the funeral period. If a person is buried before three days and: “... it subsequently turns out that the person buried in this way was in a lethargic sleep or in a fit of stupor, mistaken for death, and died from premature burial, then the person guilty of this is sentenced...” and further cited list of punishments.

The explanation for the norm of burial on the third day is the fear of burying a person who is still alive. It seems that it will be fruitful to compare this fact with the observations of the French researcher Philippe Ariès. He notes that already from the second half of the 17th century, and especially in the 18th - first half of the 19th century in Western Europe, minds were seized by, according to his definition, “general panic,” “the fear of being buried alive, of waking up from a long sleep at the bottom of the grave.” Many stories about revived dead people begin to spread in society. These fears have also penetrated into Russia. It is known that the fear of being buried alive haunted N.V. Gogol. “Imaginary death” as a literary motif is used in such widely known and seemingly distant works from our topic as the fairy tale “The Sleeping Princess” by V.A. Zhukovsky, “The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights” by A.S. Pushkin and others. Lethargy has become a “common place” of culture.

The above text of the “Code of Punishments” allows us to assert that it was this phobia that swept across Europe that became the reason for the strict regulation of the funeral period in Russian legislation in the mid-19th century. The period of three days goes back, of course, to the above-mentioned Decree of Peter I of January 28, 1704. But it is possible that this decree itself was caused by the same reasons. And the three-day period before the funeral was aimed at clearly seeing that the person had died. By the third day, irreversible changes in the body of the deceased will be clearly visible. And it is precisely this fact that irrefutably indicates actual death. And here the decree of Peter I was almost a century ahead of the appearance of morgues, special storage facilities where the bodies of the deceased remained until decomposition began. Thus, the church performed not only the functions of modern registry offices, but also morgues.

However, by the end of the 19th century, fears of imaginary death faded away, but the process of sacralization of the three-day funeral period went so far that it became the generally accepted norm.

Below you will find signs that people who have buried a loved one need to know - when they can open a mirror after the funeral, do cleaning and repairs, and watch TV. There are many restrictions and prohibitions that were invented by our ancestors, for the most part, back in pre-Christian times.

When to open the mirror

It is a well-known fact that after a person’s death, all reflective surfaces are supposed to be covered. These are not only mirrors, but also televisions, computer monitors and other things in which you can see your reflection. This is done so that the reflection of the deceased does not remain in the house, and his ghost does not appear alive.

There will be a lot of decisions about when you can open a mirror after a funeral. One at a time, this can be done immediately after returning from the cemetery and funeral. According to other beliefs, this is done after three days, or no earlier than the ninth day after death. But these are all modern traditions. In villages, curtains are still removed from mirrors only on the 41st day, when the fate of the soul of the deceased has already been decided.

Signs are based on the path of the deceased. So, after three days after death, his guardian angel takes him to inspect paradise. For 9 days he will appear before the Lord and go to inspect hell. On the 40th day, the soul is given a final verdict on where it will reside. Since only the first three days after death the soul is among the living, the mirrors can be opened after it leaves it. That is, on the fourth day. Previously, it was believed that during all 40 days the soul could visit relatives from time to time. That’s why they didn’t open the mirrors all this time.

Sometimes mirrors are not covered at all. For example, when a person died in a hospital, and his body is taken to the cemetery from the morgue, and not from home. It is not right. A person’s soul will still return home and stay near loved ones during their lifetime. Sometimes only those mirrors that are located where the deceased is located are covered. It is also incorrect, because the soul will wander through all the rooms of the house.

Some Slavic superstitions claim that whoever looks first into a mirror opened after a funeral will soon die. To prevent this, the cat is brought to the mirror first. She is not afraid of this sign.

Is it possible to watch TV

For obvious reasons, there are no old signs on this matter, but as mentioned above, televisions are supposed to be covered, just like mirrors. You can open them at the same time as the mirrors. That is, either after the funeral, or after the third, ninth or fortieth day.

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The Church does not prohibit watching TV, but recommends abstaining from entertainment at least nine days. You can watch news and educational programs, but it’s better to postpone watching movies and talk shows. You cannot turn on the TV in a house where a dead person is lying. Wait until the funeral is over. If the deceased was not close to you, the restriction does not apply to you.

These rules also apply to listening to music. The exception is church hymns. If you wish, you can listen to classical music. By the way, the funeral orchestra is a Soviet innovation. In the old days, they were accompanied by prayers and religious chants.

Should I keep photos of the dead?

The answer is yes. Photos are memories of a dear person, a memory for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. By destroying photographs of the deceased, you allow his descendants to never know about him.

But still the image of the dead man is connected with world of the dead. Psychics can determine from a photo whether a person is alive or not. Therefore, you should not look at photographs of the deceased too often. You also can’t overdo it with their quantity on the walls, shelves and tables. Do not hang near portraits of living people; separate living and dead energies. The best place to store it is a photo album.

Photographs taken during the funeral carry much more negativity. It's best not to do them. But, if there are already photos, it is better to destroy them. It doesn’t matter what is depicted there - a coffin, a cemetery, the funeral process, they are a strong source of necrotic energy.

When to clean the apartment

While the deceased is in the house, you cannot clean or take out the trash. Otherwise, another person in this house may die. According to legend, the person who cleans will sweep or wash it out of the home.

You need to clean it up immediately after removing the coffin. The floors are swept and washed after the deceased at a time when those mourning their last journey have already left for the cemetery. They do this to immediately sweep death, illness, and grief out of the house.

Moreover, such light cleaning cannot be done by the blood relatives of the deceased. It is better for them to have less contact with the emanations of death, so that the deceased does not take his loved ones with him. Even pregnant women do not clean up after the deceased. Usually one of the family friends is asked to sweep and mop the floor. Only he must remain in the apartment after the coffin is removed. After this, the person joins the mourners at the wake, but is not present at the cemetery.

Some things are especially strongly imbued with the energy of death. So, the stools or table on which the coffin stood are taken outside for several days and left there with their legs up. This is done in order to get rid of this energy. The apartment has a balcony.

Be sure to take away from the house everything connected with the mournful ritual. These are the remains of fabric for upholstering the coffin, wood chips from it, as well as other ritual paraphernalia, except for a portrait with a black ribbon, a glass of water and a piece of bread. All flowers brought by mourners are supposed to be left at the grave - they are intended for the deceased.

The instrument used to take measurements for the coffin is also not left in the house; it brings death to another resident within a year. Nothing is taken from the coffin. The ropes that tied the hands of the deceased, the pennies that lay in front of the eyes - all this should remain in the coffin. The candles are taken to the cemetery, as is the grain in which they stood. It is also impossible to keep an icon that stood in front of the coffin. They float it down the river or take it to church.

When can you clean up after a funeral, if the question is general cleaning or putting the deceased’s room in order? At any time, but after the funeral or removal of the coffin. If you open mirrors at the same time, they should also be washed. If you decide to keep them closed for 3, 9 or 40 days, save that for later.

Is it possible to make repairs

Repairs can be done after a funeral, but only once it goes away 40 days after death. The soul of the deceased visits from time to time to see how loved ones live. She would like to see a familiar environment; changes can anger the spirit.

After 40 days, at a minimum, you will have to replace the bed on which the deceased slept, as well as the bed (sofa, floor or staircase covering, chair, etc.) that became the deathbed. The bed of a dead person cannot be used by his bloodline. It can be given away or sold. There is no need to install a new bed; use the freed up space as you see fit.

The place of death will continue to exude necrotic energy for several years. Therefore, it is necessary to replace everything that came into contact with the dying person, be it the floor covering where he fell, or furniture and bedding. As a rule, such things are thrown away or burned. In the villages they do things a little differently - they take them to the chicken coop for three so that the rooster “sinks away all the negativity.”

Personal belongings of the deceased, as a rule, are distributed to the poor or sold. This doesn't just apply to clothes. Your favorite cup or plate, ashtray, anti-stress toy - you shouldn’t keep it all. Although many leave it in memory of the deceased.

What else should you not do after the funeral?

You cannot do laundry in a house where a person has died. This ban applies as long as there is a coffin in the house. That is, after the funeral you can start putting your clothes in order.

Is it possible to swim after a funeral? Superstitions recommend doing this at the same time you decide to remove the fabric from reflective surfaces. That is, immediately after the funeral, three, nine or forty days. In the old days, people washed only on the 41st day after death.

Among the things you should not do after a funeral are noisy holidays. It is not advisable to hold celebrations within 40 days. Birthday celebration It’s better to reschedule or cancel altogether. But you can celebrate it modestly, with your family, without loud music or noise.

The nine-day, or better yet, forty-day ban also applies to weddings, but here everything depends on the emotional state of the relatives of the deceased. In addition, a wedding is a pre-arranged event associated with high costs. If you are having a wedding before forty days have passed since the death of a relative, during the celebration you need to mention this and pay tribute to the memory of the deceased. Weddings are allowed at any time.

Many people believe that travel and traveling are among the things that should not be done after the funeral of a loved one. This is not true. They will help to distract you, but while traveling you should avoid various entertainment activities. Don't forget to remember the deceased and pray for his soul during the holidays.

In addition, the relatives of the deceased are not allowed to sew or cut their hair for forty days. If there is a need to repair clothes, you will have to do it. But tailoring which is not urgent should be postponed. The same goes for haircuts. Do bangs interfere with your daily activities? Get rid of it. But if it’s about changing your image, do it after forty days.

The same amount of time for the family of the deceased you can't drink alcohol. Perhaps the ban is due to the fact that grief is an accomplice of alcoholism. But funeral signs also prohibit drinking at funerals. The reason is that alcoholism is a sin. Relatives can pray for a sinful person for forty days. If they sin during this time, it will only complicate his afterlife.

After the funeral they go only to the wake, and from there they go home. You can’t go to visit, otherwise death will come to that house. You can go on a visit or on business only the day after the funeral and wake. Funerals are also the ninth and fortieth day, and after them this prohibition also applies. You also cannot go to celebrations that take place in public places - birthdays, weddings.

They don’t go from wake to wake. If two deceased people are commemorated on the same day, choose the one who is closer to you. But you can say goodbye to several dead people, support relatives, and express grief. During funerals, they do not visit the graves of relatives and friends. This time you came to only one deceased person, and visiting others will be considered disrespectful.

Church opinion

There are many beliefs that are supposed to be observed after a funeral. This will help protect against necrotic energy, diseases and other troubles. In addition, some signs are aimed at improving the afterlife of the deceased and cleansing him from sins.

An Orthodox funeral is preparation for burial, the burial itself, and commemoration of the deceased according to the canons of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Earthly life in Christianity is understood as a preparation for resurrection and eternal life, in which the soul and body will abide, which after the resurrection will rise incorruptible. Therefore, death is the sleep of the body or the dormition in Church Slavonic. A deceased person is understood as deceased, that is, asleep. The body falls asleep and rests, and the soul goes towards God. Hence the word “deceased” - a person who is at peace after the troubles of earthly life. The body and soul of a person will be resurrected, so it is necessary to provide him with a worthy burial.

Orthodox traditions and customs at funerals

The consequence of this attitude towards the body of the deceased is the Orthodox Christian traditions of burial and commemoration. A brief description of how an Orthodox funeral is conducted, what day an Orthodox funeral is held, and what the Orthodox traditions of the funeral rite are are given below.

Rules for Orthodox funerals

The rules of Orthodox funerals are compliance with the canonical stages of the Orthodox rite. It is imperative to use ritual items for Orthodox funerals, prescribed by the canon.

• ablution
• vestments
• entombment
• cross, shroud, icon
• funeral prayers for the deceased - memorial services
• funeral lithium
• funeral service
• burial
• commemoration (remembrance)

Stages of the Orthodox funeral rite

Ablution

Ablution is a rite of purification. The body of the deceased appears before the Lord pure and immaculate.

vestment

The deceased is dressed in clean clothes, a cross is put on him, covered with a white shroud, sprinkled with holy water, and placed in a coffin, which is placed with the head facing the icons.

Entombment

Close the deceased’s eyes, close his lips, and place his hands with the enclosed icon or cross in a cross shape.

Funeral vigil

Before the body is removed, funeral prayers are performed for the deceased - memorial services. You need to start after placing the clothed body on the table, then in the church. Before removing the body, a funeral litany is read.

Funeral service in the temple

The funeral service ends with a funeral litia.

Burial

When lowered into the ground, the clergyman reads the litiya, then sprinkles earth on the shroud of the deceased, after which a lid is placed on the coffin. If the clergyman is not at the funeral, the ceremony of interment is performed in the church, and the mourners are given earth, which they sprinkle on the body before closing the coffin.

After closing the coffin and lowering it into the ground, the priest pours oil on the coffin, sprinkles it with ashes and grains of wheat, then with earth. Those saying goodbye throw a handful of earth into the grave. Committing the body to the earth symbolizes the hope of resurrection - the body will sprout like a grain thrown into the ground.

Grave cross

A cross is placed at the head of the grave as a confession of faith in the Lord, who on the cross conquered death and called all living to follow his path.

Burial time

3rd day after death.

Wake

This is a ritual of remembering a person and his good deeds, as well as praying for the repose of his soul. Funeral services are held three times: on the day of burial, on the 3rd day after death, on the 9th (nine) and on the 40th (fortie).

Funeral service on the day of burial

It is held immediately after the burial in remembrance of the Resurrection of Christ on the third day after his execution. For the first two days after death, the soul of the deceased remains on earth and carries on a conversation with himself, family and friends.

Everyone who accompanied the deceased to the cemetery is invited to the memorial meal, as well as those who were unable to attend. Before the start of the funeral, a relative of the deceased stands in front of the images with a burning lamp and reads the 17th kathisma of the Psalter, after which everyone reads the prayer “Our Father.” When starting the meal, everyone makes the sign of the cross. During the remembrance they talk about the deceased.

Funeral table menu

The first dish is kutia - a mixture of whole grains of rice (or wheat), raisins and honey. Grains are a symbol of the Resurrection (the body of the deceased will sprout like a grain). Kutya is consecrated in the church at a memorial service. Each participant in the ritual eats this dish. In addition to kutya, they eat pancakes and drink jelly and sato (water with honey). In Lent the memorial meal is lenten, in the meat-eating meal it is lenten.

Devyatiny

These commemorations are sent to the glory of the angels, who ask the Lord to have mercy on the deceased. On the ninth day after repose, the soul of the deceased appears before the Lord for worship, therefore the ritual and prayers of the 9th day help the soul pass this test with dignity. On nine days a memorial service is served, and the relatives of the deceased are invited to the meal. After the second commemoration, from the 9th to the 40th day, the soul of the deceased goes to hell and realizes the sins he has committed.

Forties

Held in honor of the Ascension of the Lord on the 40th day after the Resurrection. On this day, the fate of the deceased is decided, whom the Lord judges according to earthly affairs and the achievements of the soul, after which he assigns him a place according to his deserts in anticipation of the Last Judgment. The deceased is remembered on this day so that his soul appears before the Lord and receives the promised bliss in heaven. The purpose of the fortieth day is to try to atone for the sins of the deceased.

The purpose of the fortieth day is to try to atone for the sins of the deceased.

After the forties, the deceased is commemorated on birthdays, deaths and name days.

The attitude of the Orthodox Church towards cremation

The Orthodox Church has a negative attitude towards cremation, since after the resurrection the body must rise before the incorruptible Lord, and burying the body in the ground expresses for Christians the hope of resurrection. That is why the Christian Church has adopted and preserves the custom of not destroying the body (burning), but burying it in the ground - like a grain is sown in the ground so that it comes to life and sprouts. The church allows cremation only in cases where there is no other option. A blessing for cremation must be obtained from a priest, describing the circumstances of the case. It is not permitted to bring an urn with ashes to church after cremation for the funeral service. If a person is cremated, it is possible to order only a shortened funeral service for him - an absentee funeral service.

After the death of a person, people close to him have reasonable questions: “On what day is the deceased buried? When will the funeral be held?

According to Orthodox traditions, burial should be done on the 3rd day after death. In this case, they count from the day the person died - even if it happened late in the evening, until 24.00 hours. People often make the mistake of starting the funeral day report from the day after death.

Incorrect calculation: for example, July 5 is the day of death, according to calculations it turns out July 8 is the day of burial (5+3) - this is incorrect.

Number three is special for Christians

To the question of why people are buried 3 days after death, there are several answers to this question:

• According to church canons, the soul of a person continues to remain next to the body of the deceased for 3 days after death. During this period, the first stage of separation of the soul from the body is completed. The body will be directed downward, and the soul will be directed upward, accompanied by a guardian angel, to the Kingdom of Heaven. On the 3rd day, all the threads supporting the body and soul break.
• Associated with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. After his crucifixion, the rebirth occurred precisely on the 3rd day.
• Number 3 is special. Associated with the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son (Christ), Holy Spirit.

The Church commemorates the deceased on the 3rd day after his death in honor of the image of the Holy Trinity.

Tretina is the third day after death

In the Orthodox religion, the 3rd day after death is called “Tretina”.

3rd day after death in the Orthodox religion

On Tretina, farewells are held for the deceased. On this day, anyone who was dear to the deceased or simply knew him comes to see him off on his last journey.

On Tretina, the largest number of visits occurs to the house where the body of the deceased is located.

Farewell takes place before the coffin is lowered into the ground. After the burial, a memorial dinner is organized on the same day.

Let's try to highlight a number of questions that arise when organizing a funeral, united by a common question - on what day should the deceased be buried.

As was said above, the connection between body and soul is broken only on the 3rd day. If a person is buried on the 2nd day, then the connection between soul and body will be forcibly severed and it will have nowhere to go.

A funeral on the 2nd day is still possible.

But this is due to natural phenomena. Particularly in very hot areas of the Earth, where the body will simply begin to decompose.

It is possible to hold a funeral on the 4th day. There may be features in a person’s death: an accident, in a hospital.

It is possible to hold a funeral even after the 4th day, taking into account the characteristics of the person’s death.

You can bury on your birthday

There are not many such cases, but they still occur. When asked whether it is possible to bury a deceased person on his birthday, the church does not prohibit holding a funeral on the birthday of the deceased.

For the first three years after death, close people of the deceased must come to the grave on the day of birth and death to remember him.

There are days when Orthodox Christians are not buried

In the Orthodox faith there are prohibitions when funeral services and burials are not held according to church canons. Here is a list of days on which people do not bury:

Feast of the Week

in Christianity, the period including Easter Sunday and the six following days

• Easter,
• Nativity,
• Feast of the Week.

You can bury on Sunday

Many people have faced this dilemma: if the 3rd day after a person’s death falls on a Sunday, can they be buried on Sunday?

There is an opinion among so-called “knowledgeable people” that a person should not be buried on Sunday. Explaining this by saying that it is “Christ’s day off.”

To this question, why people are not buried on Sunday, the answer is this: the official Church has never prohibited holding funerals on Sunday.

Orthodox funerals

Let's try to answer the question “why people are buried” not from the point of view of physiology, but from the point of view of religion.

Commitment to the earth is a special, and, unfortunately, necessary rite in Orthodoxy.

According to the Orthodox Church, life on earth is a preparation for eternal life.

Deceased people are called “deceased,” that is, asleep. Decent attention to the body of the deceased corresponds to one of the rules of the Christian faith - “The Dogma of the General Resurrection of People and the Future Life.”

Orthodoxy teaches that after a person dies, he does not go “nowhere.” The body falls asleep, and the soul goes to the Almighty, to His high court.

Only close relatives can bring red roses to funerals. Numerous rites of preparation for burial and the burial itself largely overlap with the rite of “baptism.” This suggests that “baptism” is a rebirth from earthly sins to repentance and acceptance of God within oneself.

Death is the leaving of earthly life, sinful life, to eternal life, life with God.

The ritual of preparing the body of the deceased for burial has developed since ancient times and includes:

• washing the body;
• dressing the body in clothes;
• position in the coffin.

Preparation for burial

Orthodox funerals begin with washing the body of the deceased. The ablution procedure can be carried out either by close relatives of the deceased or by hired specialists.

Having completed the ablution, the body of the deceased is dressed in clean clothes in light colors.

The clothing of the deceased is important. According to legend, light clothing is a symbol of purity, transformation, readiness to appear before God.

This is where the tradition of dressing the dead in costumes came from.

The meaning of preparation for burial is the cleansing of the deceased so that he is ready for a new eternal life in heaven.

Burial

Having completed all ritual procedures, the coffin with the deceased is lowered into the grave.