In the Orthodox Church there is a good custom of reading the Psalter in memory of the deceased. The reading of the Psalter for the dead has its origin in the most remote antiquity. Serving as a prayer to the Lord for the dead, it brings them great comfort both in itself, as a reading of the word of God, and as testifying to the love of their living brethren for them. It also brings them great benefit, for it is accepted by the Lord as a pleasant propitiatory sacrifice for the cleansing of the sins of those who are commemorated - just as any prayer, any good deed is accepted by Him.

Psalms should be read with tenderness and contrition of the heart, without haste, delving into what is being read with attention. Reading the Psalter by the commemorators themselves brings the greatest benefit: it testifies to the great degree of love and zeal for the commemorated of their living brethren, who themselves personally want to work in their memory, and not replace themselves in labor with others. The feat of reading will be accepted by the Lord not only as a sacrifice for those who are commemorated, but as a sacrifice for those who bring it themselves, those who labor in reading. Any pious believer who has the skills of error-free reading can read the Psalter.

In the Apostolic decrees, it is commanded to perform psalmody, readings and prayers for the dead on the third, ninth and fortieth days. But for the most part, the custom was established to read psalms for the dead for three days or all forty days.

The Psalter is divided into 20 sections − kathisma, each of which is divided into three "Glory". Before the reading of the first kathisma, the preparatory prayers are said, set before the beginning of the reading of the Psalter. At the end of the reading of the Psalter, prayers are said, laid down after reading several kathismas or the entire Psalter. The reading of each kathisma begins with a prayer:

Come, let us worship our King God.
Come, let us bow down and bow down to Christ, our King God.
Come, let us worship and bow down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.

(When reading a kathisma for each “Glory” (which reads as “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, And now and forever and forever and ever Amen”), it is pronounced:

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, And now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God!(thrice.)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Then a prayer request is read for the deceased:

Remember, Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the life of the eternal reposed of your servant, our brother[NAME] and as a Good and Humanitarian, forgive sins, and consume iniquity, weaken, leave and forgive all his voluntary sins and involuntary, deliver him eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal good, prepared for those who love You: even more sin, but do not depart from You, and unquestionably in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Your God in the Trinity glorified, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until the last breath of confession. Be merciful to him the same, and faith, even in Thee instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as if Generous rest: there is no man who lives and does not sin. But Thou art One, apart from all sin, and Thy truth, truth forever, and Thou art the One God of mercies and generosity, and love of mankind, and to Thee we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Then the reading of the kathisma psalms continues. At the end of the kathisma it reads:

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.(Read three times, with the sign of the cross and a bow from the waist.)

Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Lord, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Your name's sake.

Lord have mercy.(thrice)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen

Our Father, Who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven and on earth. Give us our daily bread today; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Also, the troparia at the beginning of the “Following the Exodus of the Soul”:

From the spirits of the righteous who have died, the soul of Your servant, Savior, rest in peace, keeping me in a blessed life, even with You, Humane.
In Thy rest, O Lord: where all Thy saints rest, rest also the soul of Thy servant, for Thou alone art the Lover of mankind.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit:
You are the God who descended into hell and loosed the bonds of the fettered, Thyself and the soul of Thy servant rest.
And now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, pray that his soul be saved.
Lord have mercy.(40 times)

Then the prayer laid down at the end of the kathisma is read.

About the psalter

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding.
Psalter, psalm 3, 5

Among the books of Holy Scripture, the book of Psalter occupies a special place. Written long before the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is the only one of the books of the Old Testament that has completely entered the liturgical charter of the Christian Church and occupies a prominent place in it.

The Psalter consists of one hundred and fifty prayer hymns addressed to God. In ancient times, most of these chants were performed in the temple to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument like a harp. It was called the Psalter. From him these hymns were called psalms. The most famous author of these prayers is King David. He owns most of the psalms, so their collection is also called the Psalter of David.

All books included in the canon of the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament are revered as inspired by God, that is, written by pious men under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and are useful for reading. But the book of Psalms is worthy of special veneration, for, according to St. Athanasius the Great, "like a garden, it contains the plantings of all the other books of Holy Scripture." It miraculously combines the doctrine of a pious life, and reminders of the law given by God, and the history of the people of God, and prophecies about the Messiah and his Kingdom, and mysterious indications of the Trinity of God, the mystery of whose existence was hidden from the Old Testament man until the time.

The psalms that prophesy about the promised Savior are striking in the accuracy and clarity of their revelations. “... They pierced my hands and my feet ... They divide my robes among themselves and cast lots for my clothes” - sounds in a psalm written a thousand years before the death of Christ on the Cross. “Those who crucified Him divided His clothes, casting lots,” we read in the Gospel.

But the most important and most valuable thing is that it describes and depicts the movements of the human soul, yearning for God. The shackles of sin, like a stone, pull a person to the bottom, into the darkness of hell, but he, overcoming this weight, rushes to the mountain peaks, towards the divine light.

The Holy Spirit, through the lips of the authors of the psalms, said everything that our heart experiences at different moments of life, said it in a way that we could not say. “In the words of this book, all human life, all states of the soul, all movements of thought are measured and embraced, so that nothing more can be found in a person than what is depicted in it,” says St. Athanasius.

The Psalter can be likened to a mirror in which a person cognizes himself, cognizes the movements of his soul. The Psalms, judging by what the soul of a person suffers, teach him how to act in order to heal his weakness.

The one who trusts in God and lives, keeping His commandments, will remain forever, will find salvation and bliss already in earthly life. This is one of the most important spiritual testaments of the Psalter, which helps a person survive the most difficult moments of his life.

Not surprisingly, the favorite book of ancient Christians was the Psalter. They accompanied their whole lives with psalmody, inspiring themselves to the exploits of piety. The psalm was on the lips of both the martyr going to his death and the hermit who retired from the world. Yes, and in everyday life, Christians did not leave the Psalter. “A farmer,” writes Blessed Jerome, following the plow, he sings “Alleluia”; the reaper, covered with sweat, sings psalms, and the vinedresser, cutting off the vine branches with a crooked knife, sings from David.

In the ancient Church there was a custom to memorize all the psalms by heart, so loved and revered this book. Already in apostolic times, the Psalter was especially widely used in Christian worship. In the modern liturgical charter of the Orthodox Church, the Psalter is divided into 20 sections - kathisma. The Psalms are read in the temple daily at every morning and evening service. During the week, the book of Psalms is read in full, and Great Lent is read twice during the week.

As already mentioned, in ancient times, in the Old Testament Church, during worship and prayer, musical instruments were used: percussion - cymbals, wind - pipes and strings - a psalter. But in the Orthodox Church there is no instrumental music, the voice of man-made instruments is not heard. In an Orthodox church, only the voice of a man sounds - this Divine instrument, renewed by the Holy Spirit and bringing to God a “new song”. His vocal cords are the sweetest strings to God's ears, his tongue is the best cymbal. When a person sings or reads psalms, he becomes a mysterious harp, the strings of which are touched by the skillful fingers of the Holy Spirit. And this person can, together with King David, exclaim to God: “How sweet are your words to my throat. More than honey to my lips."

In the Orthodox Church there is a good custom of reading the Psalter in memory of the deceased. The reading of the Psalter for the dead has its origin in the most remote antiquity. Serving as a prayer to the Lord for the dead, it brings them great comfort both in itself, as a reading of the word of God, and as testifying to the love of their living brethren for them. It also brings them great benefit, for it is accepted by the Lord as a pleasant propitiatory sacrifice to cleanse the sins of those who are commemorated - just as any prayer, any good deed is accepted by Him in general.

Psalms should be read with tenderness and contrition of the heart, without haste, delving into what is being read with attention. Reading the Psalter by the commemorators themselves brings the greatest benefit: it testifies to the great degree of love and zeal for the commemorated of their living brethren, who themselves personally want to work in their memory, and not replace themselves in labor with others. The feat of reading will be accepted by the Lord not only as a sacrifice for those who are commemorated, but as a sacrifice for those who bring it themselves, those who labor in reading. Any pious believer who has the skills of error-free reading can read the Psalter.

In the Apostolic decrees, it is commanded to perform psalmody, readings and prayers for the dead on the third, ninth and fortieth days. But for the most part, the custom was established to read psalms for the dead for three days or all forty days. The three-day reading of the Psalter with prayers, which constitute a special burial rite, for the most part coincides with the time during which the body of the deceased remains in the house.

Order reading of the Undead Psalter in Jerusalem

Psalter consists of 20 sections - kathisma, each of which is divided into three " Glory". Before the reading of the first kathisma, the preparatory prayers are said, set before the beginning of the reading of the Psalter. At the end of the reading of the Psalter, prayers are said, laid down after reading several kathismas or the entire Psalter. The reading of each kathisma begins with a prayer:

Come, let us worship our King God.

Come, let us bow down and bow down to Christ, our King God.

Come, let us worship and bow down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.

(When reading a kathisma for each “Glory” (which reads as “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, And now and forever and forever and ever Amen”), it is pronounced:

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, And now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God! (thrice.),

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

(Then a prayer petition is read for the deceased “Remember, Lord our God ...”, located at the end of the “Following the Exodus of the Soul”, and the name of the deceased is commemorated on it with the addition (until the fortieth day from the date of death) of the word “newly reposed):

Remember, Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the belly of your eternally reposed servant, our brother [name] and like a good and philanthropist, forgive sins, and consumed injustice, weaken, leave and forgive all his voluntary sins and involuntary, deliver him eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal good, prepared for those who love You: if you sin, but do not depart from You, and unquestionably in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Your God in the Trinity glorified, faith, and Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to him the same, and faith, even in Thee instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as if Generous rest: there is no man who lives and does not sin. But Thou art One, apart from all sin, and Thy truth, truth forever, and Thou art the One God of mercies and generosity, and love of mankind, and to Thee we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Then the reading of the kathisma psalms continues). At the end of the kathisma it reads:

Trisagion

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.(Read three times, with the sign of the cross and a bow from the waist.)

Prayer to the Holy Trinity

Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Lord, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Your name's sake.

Lord have mercy.(thrice);

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen

Lord's Prayer

Our Father, Who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven and on earth. Give us our daily bread today; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one

Tropari

(located at the beginning of the Soul Exodus Follow-up)

From the spirits of the righteous who have died, the soul of Your servant, Savior, give rest, keeping me in a blessed life, even with You, Humane

In Thy rest, Lord: where all Thy saints rest, rest also the soul of Thy servant, for Thou alone art the Lover of mankind

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit:

You are the God who descended into hell and loosed the bonds of the fettered, Thyself and the soul of Thy servant rest

And now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, pray that his soul be saved.

Lord have mercy (40 times)

(Then the prayer laid down at the end of the kathisma is read.)

Why read the psalms

Most often among Christians, the Psalter is read when a person has died. To make it clearer, consider an example of how to read the Psalter for the dead.

This custom of reading psalms about the dead goes, like the entire religious rite of human burial, from ancient times. Sometimes there are even special people who read these psalms, they are invited to the house where the person died and continuously, for 40 days, read the psalms at the request of the relatives of the deceased.

When the Psalter is read about the dead, in addition to all prayers and reading kathisma, a special prayer is also used - “Glory”, which mentions the names of all the dead associated with the person who died.

The reading of the Psalter for the departed gives remembrance and consolation to relatives. These special psalms testify to the love, respect of relatives for the deceased and for God, because only by reading these songs, you get closer to our creator.

And how to read the Psalter about health? We will answer that this reading is similar to psalms for the dead, that is, psalms about health are also read. Most often, these psalms go together. That is, we have already mentioned that when a kathisma is read, a prayer for “Glory” is going on, then the names of the deceased and the names of living people are listed, basically it goes in turn: one name is the deceased person, the second is the living one.

I would also like to highlight some rules or tips for those who want to read the psalms.

• In order to know how to read the Psalter correctly, you must always have a candle or lamp with you (this is for prayer at home).
• Psalms read only aloud or in a low voice.
• Do not forget about the correct stress in words, because not pronouncing a sacred sentence correctly is equated with sin, be careful.
• Psalms can be read both sitting and standing. Basically, they are read while sitting, and while standing, the names of the dead and the living are pronounced, after prayers and on "Glory".
• Please note that the psalms are read not only aloud, but also monotonously, without any expression of their emotions there - this is not a literary work, but a serious religious text.
• If you do not understand the meaning of the psalms, do not be especially discouraged, because this is the essence - you develop in spiritual understanding in stages. Growing up spiritually, the meaning of the psalms will also be revealed.

We continue the theme of commemoration of loved ones. The loss is especially hard because it seems irreversible. But, as Christians, people must remember that there is an unseen world where souls will meet in due time. In the meantime, it is necessary to read prayers for the deceased - up to 40 days there is a special order.

What to read

In order to better understand the meaning of memorial actions, one must be aware of what exactly happens to the soul of a deceased person after his death. It is believed that before 40 days, its future has not yet been determined. That is why prayer during this period should be intensified. Indeed, beyond the line that is crossed after the separation of the soul from the body, a person can no longer influence his future, has no opportunity to repent. All this must be done during the earthly journey. Relatives can help, by this they develop their spirituality.

The first step is to order the following prayers for the deceased:

• at home, the Canon is read for one who died - daily, only up to 40 days.
• funeral service;
• proskomidia (magpie) - you can serve immediately, you do not need to wait 3 days;
• indestructible Psalter.

All this is done immediately after death, but in any case before 40 days. The priest must be brought to the house for the funeral service, or the body of the deceased must be delivered to the temple. Previously, he was left in the church at night, one of his relatives read psalms all night. In the period up to 3 days, the deceased is still near the body. Therefore, one cannot be very hurt, cry, so as not to detain the soul.

• The frequency for most prayers is arbitrary, the more the better. Only a funeral service is held once. Here you can order everything else for any period.
• Up to 40 days, the deceased person is called the newly deceased, then - the deceased.

The best thing to do in this situation is to read prayers. Of course, many things distract us, but only communion with the Lord can give peace to the soul. In the Orthodox denomination, the departed members of the church are very much taken care of. They are considered alive, therefore they are commemorated at the main service - the Liturgy. In it, a bloodless sacrifice is offered to God, including for those who have already passed from life into death. According to the teachings of the church, these people are waiting for the general resurrection and judgment.

Orthodox traditions

Already the first Christians realized the importance of the period, which lasts up to 40 days after death. The first permissive (farewell) prayers are attributed to Theodosius of the Caves, today it is accepted to put them in the hand of the deceased. The famous John of Damascus wrote many poems (stichir), which today are part of the funeral service. There is also a special rank that is read directly over the dying.

If the death is not sudden, be sure to invite a priest! He will conduct confession, communion, read the necessary prayers for this particular occasion. This is necessary for the soul in order to more easily enter a new world for itself.

For 40 days, the deceased relatives should read the Psalter every day, you can choose, but usually this is the 17th kathisma. It is necessary to print the version with accents and Russian font. In the prayers that alternate with the Psalms, the necessary name is substituted.

• The condition for church commemoration is the fact of the baptism of the deceased in the Orthodox Church. Even if he was not churched, notes should be accepted. It is believed that before the general judgment everyone has a chance for God's mercy.
• It is forbidden to file notes for suicides. But for them you can put candles and pray at home.

For the funeral service in church shops, a special set is sold, you must purchase it. The priest, as a rule, needs to be delivered. Judge for yourself whether it is convenient to ride the subway in vestments, with a censer, and how long it will take, because a priest is needed in more than one place. Prayers for the deceased can be read not only by relatives. No wonder it is customary to distribute alms for the deceased. Beggars should be called by name, ask for their prayers. The more of them, the better.

Often people who stand directly on the porch of the church building have the blessing of the rector for this. They really have a dire need and realize the importance of such prayers. Those behind the gate may turn out to be only annoying beggars, but they should not be denied alms either.

No one can look into the heart of a person, except the Lord, what if your alms will turn someone's soul upside down? And a person for the rest of his life, and not just up to 40 days, will pray for your deceased dad (grandfather, brother). Don't pass by.

What to read on your own

Even in such, or rather, especially in such a difficult situation, one should adhere to ordinary prayers. Also at home, special attention should be paid to texts from the Psalms. The apostles also advised them to accompany the souls of dead Christians into eternity. The Word of God is that living water that will give peace to the dead, and will have a beneficial effect on those who remain on earth.

It may be difficult to read the entire kathisma - you can agree with someone and read at the same time (each in his own house) or in turn. The main thing is that the prayer sounds. The Lord accepts her as a sacrifice pleasing to Himself more than a hard coin. He needs a soul, zeal, not money. The same can be said about the deceased, who travels for 40 days both in heavenly abodes and in hell. Imagine what it's like for him there. And prayer is like a fresh breeze that lifts you up.

What kind of psalm to read is not so important, the main thing is to put all your best wishes, feelings for the deceased, to forgive him all insults from the heart. After all, those who are still alive will not stay here forever. Through the prayers of our holy fathers, may the Lord have mercy and save our deceased parents, brothers and loved ones!

Prayer for the deceased up to 40 days - read the text

Remember, Lord our God, in faith and hope of the belly of the eternal newly-departed Thy servant (or Thy servant), name , and as good and a philanthropist, forgive sins and consume iniquities, weaken, leave and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, raising him to Your holy second coming into the communion of Your eternal blessings, even for the sake of the One faith in Thee, the true God and the Lover of mankind. Like you are the resurrection and the belly, and rest to your servant, name, Christ our God. And we send glory to You, with Your Father without beginning and with the Most Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever, amen.

Prayer for the deceased up to 40 days - text was last modified: July 8th, 2017 by Bogolub

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Usually, before the end, a person is not able to take care of himself, therefore the duty of every believer is to do everything so that the transition to another world is formed for the dying person in a Christian way. Relatives of the dying person should show him all their love and warm participation, forgiving and forgetting mutual insults and quarrels. Not concealing an imminent death, but helping to prepare for the great transition to the afterlife - this is the main duty of relatives.
Earthly affairs, worries and addictions of the dying remain here. With all thoughts rushing towards the future eternal life, with repentance, contrition for the sins committed, but also with firm hope in the mercy of God, the intercession of the Mother of God, the Guardian Angel and all the saints, the dying person must prepare to appear before the Judge and our Savior. In this most important matter, a conversation with a priest is indispensable, which should end with the Sacraments of Repentance, Consecration of the Unction (Unction) and Holy Communion, for which it is necessary to invite a priest to the dying.

In moments of separation of the soul from the body, one reads Canon of Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos on behalf of a man with a soul separated and unable to speak *. It is read from the face of a man who is separated from his soul and unable to speak. The lips of the dying are silent, but the Church on his behalf depicts all the weakness of the sinner, ready to leave the world, and entrusts him to the Most Pure Virgin, whose help is called upon in the verses of the departing canon. This canon ends with the priest's prayer for the release of the soul of the dying from all bonds, for liberation from any oath, for the forgiveness of sins and repose in the abodes of the saints.
If a person suffers long and hard and cannot die, then another canon is read over him on the exodus of the soul, called The canon that was washed to separate the soul from the body, when a person suffers for a long time **. The great suffering of the dying awakens to intensify the prayer for his peaceful death. The soul of a priest long suffering through the mouth prayerfully seeks help from the earthly and heavenly Church. The canon ends with two priestly prayers.
Both canons on the outcome of the soul in the absence of a priest can and should be read at the bedside of a dying layman, with the omission of prayers meant to be read only by a priest.

After the departure of the soul from the body

After the soul of a Christian, admonished and comforted by the prayers of the Church, has left the mortal body, the love of the brethren and the care of the Church does not end.
Immediately after washing the body of the deceased and dressing him in funeral clothes, the deceased is read Following on the outcome of the soul from the body*, and then, as continuously as possible, the Psalter is read according to a special order.
The follow-up to the exodus of the soul from the body is much shorter than the usual memorial service. The Holy Church, considering it necessary to lift up the first prayer for the deceased almost immediately after the departure of the soul from the body, at the same time enters into the position of those around the deathbed, who in the last hours, and sometimes even days, have experienced much mental suffering and physical labor. And the Church, as a loving, caring mother, reduces the first necessary, urgent prayer at the tomb as much as possible.
The prayer that ends the Follow-up can also be read separately:
"Remember, Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the life of the eternal reposed Thy servant (the reposed Thy servant), our brother (our sister) (Name), and as a Good and Humanitarian, forgive sins and consume iniquity, weaken, leave and forgive all his (her) sins and involuntary sins, deliver him (s) eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him (her) communion and enjoyment of your eternal good, prepared for those who love You: even if you sin, but do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Your God in the Trinity glorified, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity Orthodox even until the last breath of confession . The same, be merciful to that (then) be, and faith, even in Thee, instead of deeds, and with Your saints, like Generous, rest in peace: there is no man who will live and not sin, but You are One besides all sin and the truth is Your truth forever, and you are the only God of mercy and generosity, and love of mankind, and we send glory to you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen."
If for some reason the Follow-up on the Exodus of the Soul cannot be performed by the priest, it must certainly be read by the reader of the Psalter before reading the Psalter itself (as indicated in the old manuals on reading the Psalter over the body of the deceased).
Canon for the deceased, which is part of the Follow-up on the exodus of the soul from the body, it is advisable to read daily until the burial of the deceased. (In some prayer books, the Canon for the reposed is called the "Canon of the One Departed".) In addition, this canon is read each time after reading the entire Psalter over the deceased.
Following the departure of the soul from the body is only the beginning of a whole series of prayers and chants, which continues near the coffin of the deceased almost continuously until the burial itself. Immediately after the end of the Follow-up on the exodus of the soul from the body, reading begins at the tomb of the deceased Holy Scripture: at the tomb of a priest - the Holy Gospel, at the tomb of a layman - Psalter.

Reading the Psalter for the deceased

In the Orthodox Church, there is a good custom of uninterrupted reading of the Psalter over the body of the deceased (except for the time when memorial services or funeral litias are performed at the tomb) before his burial and in memory after his burial.
The reading of the Psalter for the dead has its origin in the most remote antiquity. Serving as a prayer to the Lord for the dead, it brings them great comfort both in itself, as a reading of the word of God, and as testifying to the love of their living brethren for them. It also brings them great benefit, for it is accepted by the Lord as a pleasant propitiatory sacrifice for the cleansing of the sins of those who are commemorated - just as any prayer, any good deed is accepted by Him.
The reading of the Psalter begins at the end of the "Following the Exodus of the Soul." Psalms should be read with tenderness and contrition of the heart, without haste, delving into what is being read with attention. The reading of the Psalter by the commemorators themselves brings the greatest benefit: it testifies to the great degree of love and zeal for the commemorated of their living brethren, who themselves personally they want to work in memory of them, and not replace themselves in work with others. The feat of reading will be accepted by the Lord not only as a sacrifice for those who are commemorated, but as a sacrifice for those who bring it themselves, those who labor in reading. Any pious believer who has the skills of error-free reading can read the Psalter.
The position of the reader of the Psalter is the position of the one who prays. Therefore, it is more fitting for the reader of the Psalter to stand as a person praying (at the feet of the coffin of the deceased), if a special extreme does not force him to sit down. Negligence in this matter, as in the observance of other pious customs, is offensive both to the sacred rite, blessed by the Holy Church, and to the word of God, which, in case of carelessness, is read as if inconsistent with the intention and feeling of the praying Christian.
When reading the word of God over the body of the deceased, relatives and friends of the deceased should be present. If it is impossible and not always convenient for households and relatives to continuously participate in prayer and the reading of the Psalter, then at least from time to time they need to join their prayer to the prayer of the reader; it is especially appropriate to do this during the reading of the prayer for the dead between the psalms.
In the Apostolic decrees, it is commanded to perform psalmody, readings and prayers for the dead on the third, ninth and fortieth days. But for the most part, the custom was established to read psalms for the dead for three days or all forty days. The three-day reading of the Psalter with prayers, which constitute a special burial rite, for the most part coincides with the time during which the body of the deceased remains in the house.
The following is an excerpt from the chapter "Reading the Psalter for the Dead" from the book of Bishop Athanasius (Sakharov) " On the commemoration of the dead according to the charter of the Orthodox Church".
If the reading of the psalter is done only for the sake of commemoration, especially at the grave of the deceased, then there is no need to read the troparia and prayers assigned for the usual cell rule according to the kathisma. It would be more appropriate in all cases and after each glory and after the kathisma to read a special memorial prayer. Regarding the formula for commemoration when reading the psalter, there is no monotony. Various prayers are used in different places, sometimes arbitrarily composed. The practice of ancient Rus' consecrated the use in this case of that funeral troparion, with which the cell reading of the funeral canons should end: Remember, O Lord, the soul of your departed servant*, and during reading it is assumed five bows, and the troparion itself is read three times. According to the same old practice, the reading of the psalter for the repose is preceded by the reading of the canon for the dead many or for the one who died**, after which the reading of the psalter begins. After reading all the psalms, the funeral canon is read again, after which the reading of the first kathisma begins again. This order continues throughout the reading of the psalter for the dead.

memorial service

There is a misconception that it is impossible to perform memorial services for the deceased before his funeral. On the contrary, it is very good to order memorial services for the deceased in one or more churches on all the days preceding the burial.
According to the teachings of the Church, the soul of a person goes through terrible ordeals at a time when his body lies lifeless and dead, and, no doubt, at this time the soul of the deceased has a great need for the help of the Church. A memorial service helps to facilitate the soul's transition to another life.
The beginning of memorial services goes back to the very first times of Christianity. Translated from Greek, the word "requiem" means "all-night singing." Persecuted by Jews and pagans, Christians could pray and make a bloodless sacrifice without interference and anxiety only in the most secluded places and at night. And only at night could they clean up and escort the bodies of the holy martyrs to eternal rest. It was done like this: they secretly carried away the tormented, disfigured body of some sufferer for Christ somewhere to a distant cave or to the most secluded and safe house; here, throughout the night, they sang psalms over him, then gave him a reverent kiss, and by morning they buried him in the ground. Subsequently, in the same way, they saw off to eternal rest those who, although they did not suffer for Christ, devoted their whole lives to serving Him. Such an all-night psalmody over the deceased was called a memorial service, that is, an all-night vigil. Hence the prayers and psalmody over the deceased or in his memory and received the name panikhida.
The essence of the requiem lies in the prayerful commemoration of our deceased fathers and brothers, who, although they died faithful to Christ, did not completely renounce the weaknesses of fallen human nature and took their weaknesses and infirmities with them to the grave.
While performing a memorial service, the Holy Church focuses all our attention on how the souls of the departed ascend from the earth to the Judgment of God, how they stand at this Judgment with fear and trembling, confessing their deeds before the Lord, not daring to anticipate from the all-just Lord the mysteries of His judgment over our souls. deceased.
The hymns of the memorial service not only bring relief to the soul of the deceased, they are also comforting for those who pray.

Funeral service and burial

The burial of the deceased Christian takes place on the third day after his death, (in this case, the day of death is always included in the count of days, even if death occurred a few minutes before midnight). Under emergency circumstances - wars, epidemics, natural disasters - burial is allowed even earlier than the third day.
The Gospel describes the rite of the burial of the Lord Jesus Christ, which consisted in washing His Most Pure Body, putting on special clothes and being placed in a tomb. The same actions are supposed to be performed on Christians at the present time.
The washing of the body represents the purity and innocence of the righteous in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is performed by one of the relatives of the deceased with the reading of the Trisagion prayer: "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us". The deceased is freed from clothes, his jaw is tied up and placed on a bench or on the floor, spreading a cloth. For ablution, a sponge, warm water and soap are used, rubbing all parts of the body three times with cross-shaped movements, starting from the head. (The clothes in which a person died, and everything that was used in his ablution, it is customary to burn.)
The washed and clothed body, on which there must be a cross (if preserved, a baptismal one), is placed face up on the table. The mouth of the deceased must be closed, eyes closed, arms folded crosswise on the chest, right over left. The head of a Christian is covered with a large scarf that completely covers her hair, and its ends can not be tied, but simply folded crosswise. The Crucifixion is put into the hands (there is a special type of funeral type of the Crucifixion) or an icon - Christ, the Mother of God or the heavenly patron. (You should not wear a tie on a deceased Orthodox Christian.) If the body is transferred to the morgue, then all the same, even before the funeral services arrive, the deceased must be washed and clothed, and when issuing the body from the morgue, put a whisk and Crucifixion in the coffin.
Shortly before the removal of the coffin from the house (or the issuance of the body in the morgue), over the body of the deceased, "Following the outcome of the soul from the body" is read again. The coffin is taken out of the house feet first with the singing of the Trisagion. The coffin is carried by relatives and friends, dressed in mourning clothes. Since ancient times, Christians who participated in the funeral procession carried lighted candles. The orchestra at the funeral of Orthodox Christians is inappropriate.
According to the charter, when the body is brought into the temple, the bell must ring with a special funeral ringing, which announces to the living that they have one less brother.
In the temple, the body of the deceased is placed on a special stand with their feet to the altar, and candlesticks with lighted candles are placed crosswise near the coffin. The lid of the coffin is left in the porch or in the yard. It is allowed to bring wreaths and fresh flowers into the church. All worshipers have burning candles in their hands. A memorial kutya is placed on a separately prepared table near the coffin, with a candle in the middle.
Don't forget to bring your death certificate to the temple. If, for some reason, the delivery of the coffin to the temple is delayed, be sure to notify the priest and ask for a postponement of the funeral.

funeral service
In common parlance, the funeral service, due to the abundance of hymns, is called "Following the deathly worldly bodies." It is in many ways reminiscent of a memorial service, since it includes many hymns and prayers that are common with the following of a memorial service, differing only in the reading of the Holy Scriptures, the singing of funeral stichera, farewell to the deceased and the burial of the body to the earth.
At the end of the funeral service, after reading the Apostle and the Gospel, the priest reads a prayer of permissiveness. With this prayer, the deceased is allowed (liberated) from the prohibitions and sins that burdened him, in which he repented or which he could not remember at confession, and the deceased is released into the afterlife reconciled with God and neighbors. In order for the forgiveness of sins given to the deceased to be more tangible and comforting for all those who mourn and cry, the text of this prayer immediately after reading it is put into the right hand of the deceased by his relatives or friends.
After the permissive prayer, accompanied by the singing of the stichera "Come, let us give the last kiss, brethren, to the dead, giving thanks to God..." farewell to the deceased takes place. Relatives and friends of the deceased go around the coffin with the body, with a bow ask for forgiveness for involuntary insults, kiss the icon on the chest of the deceased and the rim on the forehead. In the event that the funeral service takes place with the coffin closed, they kiss the cross on the lid of the coffin or the priest's hand. Then the face of the deceased is covered with a veil, and the priest sprinkles earth on the body of the deceased crosswise, saying: “The land of the Lord, and the fulfillment of it, the universe and all who live in it” (Ps. 23, 1). At the end of the funeral, the body of the deceased with the singing of the Trisagion is escorted to the cemetery.
The deceased is usually lowered into the grave facing the east. When the coffin is lowered into the grave, the "Trisagion" is sung - the singing of the angelic song "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us"; an eight-pointed cross is placed above the grave mound - a symbol of our salvation. The cross can be made of any material, but it must be of the correct shape. He is placed at the feet of the deceased, with a crucifix to the face of the deceased.

About the funeral in the morgue
Before performing the funeral of the deceased in the mortuary, make sure that the funeral will not be held by a false priest and that he has permission to perform the funeral.
The Orthodox Church recognizes the afterlife, therefore, it believes that a person does not die, but falls asleep. Only the body becomes dead, but the soul continues to live. In the first 40 days, its further path is determined. Prayers that are sung during the funeral help with this. The priest calls on relatives not with despair and despondency, but with good deeds and turning to God to save the soul of a person. For 40 days she rushes between earth and heaven, so the funeral service must be done as early as possible, on the third day after death. If the ceremony is performed by a false priest or a priest who does not have the blessing (permission of the metropolitan), the funeral service is considered invalid.

For every believing Christian, reading the Psalter for the dead is a tribute to the memory of those who left this world. According to tradition, the Psalter is read continuously over the body of the deceased from the moment of his death until burial.

The Psalter is a book that is part of the Holy Scriptures. There are only 150 psalms. Most of them are written by the biblical King David, the rest are written by other ancient Israeli rulers.

What is a kathisma?

The Psalter itself is divided into twenty chapters or kathisma. Kathismas represent several psalms gathered together (usually three or four), separated by three "Glories". In other words, after reading, for example, two psalms, the reader encounters the word "Glory" in the text. This means that in this place one should say: “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”, then other prayers are read in succession and at the end it is said “And now, and forever, and forever and ever. Amen".

The well-known Bishop Athanasius believed that during the reading of the Psalter for the deceased, after each "Glory" and "Now" one should say a special prayer for the dead and make five bows to the earth. Before and after reading the Psalter for the Dead, it is necessary to read the Canon for the dead.

The Psalter divided into kathismas is much easier to read, and the reading of the book itself can last only five hours. It is advisable to read the Psalter for the Dead continuously, especially before burial. This can be done by close people of the deceased, those who are able to do it.

In the text itself, one can feel the hope of a person in God's mercy. Thoughtful reading and listening to the Psalter consoles loved ones and relatives of the deceased.

It is not only allowed, but also encouraged to read the Psalter for the dead up to 40 days. It is often practiced to read the Psalter forty days before the date of death, and then the reading is repeated for another forty days. As a result, eighty days pass.

Seventeenth kathisma

This book has long been included in the list of liturgical books, since almost half of the text of the All-night Vigil service and the Liturgy consists of its passages. The Psalter for the Dead can be read while sitting, but not lying down. The Holy Fathers believe that prayers uttered without the burden of the body do not bear worthy fruits. Only sick and weak people are allowed to read the Psalter, the Gospel, and so on lying down.

People who are far from the church, but who want to become true believers in the future, often ask: what Psalter is read for the dead at home? Indeed, it happens that the clergy give their blessing to read not the entire Psalter, but one of its kathisma. This is the seventeenth kathisma. She was chosen because the content of the Divine text is most suitable for expressing the feelings of the deceased himself.

The seventeenth kathisma is not only the longest of all, but also the most beautiful. The reader has a difficult and honorable responsibility to remember the deceased, to work for him before God, which is why the Psalter, read for the departed, brings great benefit to the soul of the one who reads it.

How did the tradition of commemorating the dead come about?

The story, after which the tradition of commemorating the dead appeared, is recorded in the Old Testament, in the second book of Maccabees. After Abraham showed deep devotion to God, the Almighty promised the Jewish people that they would come out victorious in all wars, even if the number of enemies exceeded several times, but only if they kept His Covenant.

Indeed, as long as the people kept the Divine covenant written on the tablets, no one could defeat him in battle. However, the Old Testament commander Judas once suffered a crushing defeat on the battlefield. This happened for the first time and the remaining soldiers, led by the commander, were at a loss, realizing that the Almighty had refused His word. The alarmed warriors decided to examine the bodies of their dead friends in order to send some of their clothes to relatives and friends. On some they found pagan amulets and other signs of idol worship. This opened their eyes to the wrath of God.

Judas gathered the surviving soldiers, and they all stood up for prayer, first thanking the Creator for not hiding the truth from them. In an appeal to God, the pious warriors asked for forgiveness for the dead brothers who had departed from His covenant. The Lord accepted their prayer and highly appreciated the act of Judas.

There are several other Old Testament stories in which ancient people showed concern for the dead.

Why should one read the Psalter?

Even before the Lord Jesus Christ revealed himself to people and before the appearance of the New Testament, pious Old Testament people read the Psalter. who wrote it was a humble man with a meek heart, which was unusual in those cruel times.

Through his psalms or, in modern terms, songs, he showed the highest qualities of a person, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. The collection of psalms, read for the soul of the deceased, protects it from persecuted evil spirits.

How to read the Psalter?

Usually they read it, which causes some bewilderment and inconvenience. The reader may not fully understand the meaning of words and expressions. There are two opinions on this.

Another opinion is a thoughtful reading of the psalms, with an extract of incomprehensible words and with a translation into Russian.

Of course, conscious reading is a priority, but the first option is acceptable. If you wish, you can find explanations for the collection of psalms both on the Internet and in books devoted to this topic, which are many in church shops.

It is useful to study the Holy Scriptures, both New Testament and Old Testament. The fiftieth psalm, most often used during Divine services, has its own explanation, which can be found in the Second Book of Kings. David wrote this penitential psalm in heavy contrition, so it is useful to know it by heart for the repentance of the soul.

If the Psalter is read in front of the coffin of the deceased, then the reader should stand at his feet with a burning candle. While reading the words of Scripture, it is necessary to pronounce them with reverence, since casually spoken words are an insult to both the sacred rite and the Word of God.