Did you know?… The importance of Praying for the Dead?
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Did you know?… The Importance
Did you know?…
The Importance of
Praying for the Dead?
Why pray for the dead?
Because: ~We love them, and do not stop loving them after they die.
~To God, all live, and life after death is a mystery, of which many things have not been revealed to us.
~We will not forget those we love, whether living or dead.
~From Apostolic times, Christians have prayed for their reposed loved ones.
Just as we love and respect our living brethren, so do we love and respect those who have departed this life. We express our love for our departed friends and relatives through prayer. Just as we pray for the living that the Grace of God may be upon them, so do we pray for the dead that they may become worthy of the vision of God.
At death no man leaves the world to appear before God free of sin, perfect, holy, so that he does not need the mercy and Grace of God. The Holy Church is composed not only of the living, earthly members but also of the faithful departed. All of us, living and dead, are members of one Church and are bound together by one Faith, by common love, we are unworthy sons and daughters of the merciful God. It is therefore our duty to ask God, each of us separately, and all together as we are one Church, to be merciful toward the sinful soul of our departed brethren.
When should we pray for the dead?
If we love someone we think of them often. We pray every day for our loved ones, whether they are alive or dead, and the Church has many appointed days when we serve services for our reposed loved ones.
How can we pray for the dead?
With love, and hope in the resurrection. We may pray the “Prayer for every departed person,” which is in any Orthodox Psalter (book of Psalms), or pray more simply, by saying:
“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on thy servant(s)…”
It is common, and very helpful to pray this prayer with prostrations.
The Holy Orthodox Christian Church, like a concerned mother, daily, at every divine service, offers up prayers for all her children who have departed for the land of eternity.
~Quotes from the Holy Bible:
Judas Maccabaeus offered sacrifices and prayers for his fallen soldiers with the future resurrection of the dead in mind. As he said:
“…It was a holy and godly purpose. Thus he made atonement for the fallen, so as to set them free from their transgressions.”
(2 Maccabees 12:45)
(“It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins.”)
The Apostle Paul, who prayed for his departed friend Onesiphorus.
(2 Timothy 1:16-18)
As he writes: “The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day.” (On Judgment Day)
“..and pray for one another…fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
(James 5:16)
~Quotes from the Holy Fathers
"Then we will need many prayers, many helpers, many good deeds, a great intercession from angels on the journey through the spaces of the air. If when traveling in a foreign land or a strange city we are in need of a guide, how much more necessary for us are guides and helpers to guide us past the invisible dignities and powers and world-rulers of this air, (demons) who are called persecutors and publicans and tax-collectors."
“Not by weeping, but by prayer and almsgiving are the dead relieved."
"Wash away, O Lord, the sins of all those here commemorated, by Thy Precious Blood, through the prayers of all Thy saints."
(St. John Chrysostom)
“All such ones, we affirm, are helped by the prayers and Liturgies performed for them, with the cooperation of the Divine Goodness and Love for mankind… And so, we entreat God and believe to deliver the departed (from eternal torment)… and that fire which have been proclaimed to be forever."
(St. Basil the Great)
"The Holy Sacrifice (Eucharist) of Christ, our saving Victim, brings great benefits to souls even after death, provided their sins (are such as) can be pardoned in the life to come."
(St. Gregory Dialogos)
"The sinners and those imprisoned after death in Hades benefit from these prayers (for the reposed) on the one hand because they have not been definitively condemned and do not yet have the final decision of the tribunal, on the other hand because they have not yet fallen into hell, which will happen after the Second Coming of Christ. If this is effective for sinners, much more do the memorial services and prayers benefit those who have repented but did not have time to be purified completely and therefore illuminated. If these have very small or light sins, they are restored to the inheritance of the righteous or remain where they are, that is to say in Hades, and “their troubles are lightened and they return towards more honourable hopes.”
(St. Mark of Ephesus)
Reached capacity:
The Importance of
Praying for the Dead?
Why pray for the dead?
Because: ~We love them, and do not stop loving them after they die.
~To God, all live, and life after death is a mystery, of which many things have not been revealed to us.
~We will not forget those we love, whether living or dead.
~From Apostolic times, Christians have prayed for their reposed loved ones.
Just as we love and respect our living brethren, so do we love and respect those who have departed this life. We express our love for our departed friends and relatives through prayer. Just as we pray for the living that the Grace of God may be upon them, so do we pray for the dead that they may become worthy of the vision of God.
At death no man leaves the world to appear before God free of sin, perfect, holy, so that he does not need the mercy and Grace of God. The Holy Church is composed not only of the living, earthly members but also of the faithful departed. All of us, living and dead, are members of one Church and are bound together by one Faith, by common love, we are unworthy sons and daughters of the merciful God. It is therefore our duty to ask God, each of us separately, and all together as we are one Church, to be merciful toward the sinful soul of our departed brethren.
When should we pray for the dead?
If we love someone we think of them often. We pray every day for our loved ones, whether they are alive or dead, and the Church has many appointed days when we serve services for our reposed loved ones.
How can we pray for the dead?
With love, and hope in the resurrection. We may pray the “Prayer for every departed person,” which is in any Orthodox Psalter (book of Psalms), or pray more simply, by saying:
“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on thy servant(s)…”
It is common, and very helpful to pray this prayer with prostrations.
The Holy Orthodox Christian Church, like a concerned mother, daily, at every divine service, offers up prayers for all her children who have departed for the land of eternity.
~Quotes from the Holy Bible:
Judas Maccabaeus offered sacrifices and prayers for his fallen soldiers with the future resurrection of the dead in mind. As he said:
“…It was a holy and godly purpose. Thus he made atonement for the fallen, so as to set them free from their transgressions.”
(2 Maccabees 12:45)
(“It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins.”)
The Apostle Paul, who prayed for his departed friend Onesiphorus.
(2 Timothy 1:16-18)
As he writes: “The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day.” (On Judgment Day)
“..and pray for one another…fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
(James 5:16)
~Quotes from the Holy Fathers
"Then we will need many prayers, many helpers, many good deeds, a great intercession from angels on the journey through the spaces of the air. If when traveling in a foreign land or a strange city we are in need of a guide, how much more necessary for us are guides and helpers to guide us past the invisible dignities and powers and world-rulers of this air, (demons) who are called persecutors and publicans and tax-collectors."
“Not by weeping, but by prayer and almsgiving are the dead relieved."
"Wash away, O Lord, the sins of all those here commemorated, by Thy Precious Blood, through the prayers of all Thy saints."
(St. John Chrysostom)
“All such ones, we affirm, are helped by the prayers and Liturgies performed for them, with the cooperation of the Divine Goodness and Love for mankind… And so, we entreat God and believe to deliver the departed (from eternal torment)… and that fire which have been proclaimed to be forever."
(St. Basil the Great)
"The Holy Sacrifice (Eucharist) of Christ, our saving Victim, brings great benefits to souls even after death, provided their sins (are such as) can be pardoned in the life to come."
(St. Gregory Dialogos)
"The sinners and those imprisoned after death in Hades benefit from these prayers (for the reposed) on the one hand because they have not been definitively condemned and do not yet have the final decision of the tribunal, on the other hand because they have not yet fallen into hell, which will happen after the Second Coming of Christ. If this is effective for sinners, much more do the memorial services and prayers benefit those who have repented but did not have time to be purified completely and therefore illuminated. If these have very small or light sins, they are restored to the inheritance of the righteous or remain where they are, that is to say in Hades, and “their troubles are lightened and they return towards more honourable hopes.”
(St. Mark of Ephesus)
Reached capacity:
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