Instruction

The moment when the soul of a person parted with the body, according to the ideas of the people, required the strictest observance of special rituals. Otherwise, the soul could not find peace and was doomed to eternal wanderings. Mandatory elements of the funeral rite were the farewell of the dying to his relatives, confession, lighting a candle. Death without a candle and without repentance was considered the most terrible punishment for a person. In this case, the deceased could turn into a ghoul.

When they were collected on their last journey, they sewed for him forward with a needle, i.e. so that the point of the needle looks in the opposite direction from the sewer. The washed and dressed dead man was laid on a bench with his feet to the door. In this case, the man had to lie to the right of the door along the floor boards, and the woman - to the left and across the boards.

The time the deceased was in the house, as well as the period until the fortieth day, i.e. until the final migration of the soul to another world, was considered very dangerous. At this time, it was as if the doors to the other world were opening, and the deceased could look out and drag someone close with him. To prevent him from doing this, his eyes were covered with nickels. In addition, the dead man was tied up so that he would not leave the grave and go in search of his home. Until now, there is a custom to hang mirrors with black cloth in the house where the deceased lies. This is done so that the deceased cannot see anyone and take them with him, and also so that the living do not see the reflection of the coffin and are not afraid of it.

The body was placed in the coffin just before being taken out of the house. In ancient times, it was considered the last dwelling of the deceased and was made from a single tree trunk with a small window. Later, the coffin began to be knocked together, using for this. A pillow was placed under the head of the deceased, stuffed with shavings left after the manufacture of the coffin.

The deceased was carried out through the back door or even through the window so that he could not find his way back and return to the house. The deceased was carried feet first so that he could not see the way back. At the same time, in no case should relatives carry the coffin, so that a new trouble does not happen in the family. If the deceased was still carried out through the front door, then they hit the threshold three times so that the deceased would say goodbye to his home and never return to it. Following the funeral procession was a woman who swept the floor with a bath broom, spraying water to wash away the dead. After the removal of the deceased, the floor was washed with spring water.

The coffin was carried on hands or on towels. If the cemetery was far from home, then the coffin was carried on a sleigh at any time of the year. The funeral rite had to be completed before sunset in order to avoid the intervention of evil spirits. Money was thrown into the grave so that the deceased could buy a place for himself, clothes, grain, which was sprinkled on the coffin when taken out of the house. Funerals were held at the grave. Violation of the traditions of the funeral rite threatened the return of the deceased or death to the house.

Advice 2: What is the danger of a house built on the site of a former cemetery

Despite the fact that in big cities they strive to build up every piece of land, you still should not start building on the site of a cemetery, because this can end badly for both workers and future residents of the built house, as well as their families.

Modern cities are growing rapidly, their population is increasing and, as a result of this, new residential buildings are being built in areas not yet occupied by buildings. Now it is no longer a rarity that some time ago it might have seemed unthinkable - this is a residential building built on the site of a former cemetery.

Why you should not build a house where there was a cemetery

The graveyard is the resting place of the dead, who during their lifetime were respected people and someone's relatives and loved ones. At the very least, it is unethical to build any structure - especially a residential building - on human bones. Even if the developer is far from mystical and does not believe that by his actions he is able to disturb the spirit of those who have long been in the world of the dead, it would still be more correct to honor the memory of these people and not start something so large-scale where their remains lie . In fact, building on the place where your ancestors sleep forever is nothing but vandalism and disrespect for their physical body.

If, despite all the warnings, it is still decided to build residential areas on the site of the old cemetery, then the people who settled in them or those who, for one reason or another, happen to visit there, will inevitably be influenced by negative energy. In principle, even without being, any person at different periods of his life can feel a sharpening of his intuition and notice some signs. It is possible that if at such a moment of opening the “third eye” he will be in a house built on the site of an abandoned cemetery, then he may hear or see something inexplicable from the point of view of materialism. There are data from statistical reports, according to which residents of such houses are much more likely than those who live in buildings without such a gloomy history to become patients in psychiatric hospitals; who knows what exactly became the catalyst for the clouding of the minds of each of them.

How to live in a house built on the site of a cemetery

Any person with psychic abilities almost immediately reads the energy of the other world, being in one of these houses. Willy-nilly, the disturbed spirit of those who rested in the cemetery, on which the foundation of such a house was subsequently laid, will have a strong influence on the people living in it. The influence can manifest itself in different ways, but in the vast majority of cases, the life of those who moved into an apartment in such a house does not change for the better.

People living in a house built on the burial site often get sick, and these can be both chronic low-grade diseases and rapidly developing ones, for example, oncology; moreover, among them there are many people with diseases not of the body, but of the spirit. In such houses, animals feel very bad, they behave strangely and are obviously constantly afraid. Finally, according to statistics, among the residents of these houses there are many who become alcoholics, drug addicts or suddenly commit suicide.

A lot of oddities happen at the stage of building a house on the site of a former churchyard. Often, workers are injured or even killed under strange circumstances.

Sources:

• MEMORY FIELD

Popular beliefs explain the smile of the deceased in the coffin in different ways. Some people say that this portends trouble, others, on the contrary, consider the smile on the face of a deceased person a good sign. In any case, this phenomenon is quite rare and unusual.

Why is he smiling

Pathologists do not see anything supernatural in the smile of the deceased. It is believed that some people have pinched facial nerves and death cramps, frozen on the face, relatives take for a smile. It is sometimes very difficult for make-up artists to give the deceased a peaceful look, so sometimes the expression on the face of the deceased can inspire truly mystical horror.

By the way, enterprising employees of funeral agencies already offer such a service, which is called: "Creating a smile on the face of the deceased." For an additional fee, a smiling relative will lie down, bringing peace to the souls of inconsolable relatives like: “Everything is fine with me, I feel good there.” When creating a smile, the pathologist uses 33 muscles on the face of the deceased. The smile is recreated literally in detail. For this purpose, intravital photographs of the deceased are used. Make-up artists use Botox, braces, air makeup and muscle bonding. Apparently, relatives feel calmer, seeing a smiling loved one.

True, sometimes the services of specialists are not required - everything happens by itself. And the sinister grin of some of the dead scares all the people present at the farewell ceremony.

Why the dead man smiles in the coffin: a mystical version

There is a popular belief that says that if the deceased smiles in the coffin, then this portends six more deaths in the family. Why exactly six is ​​unclear. However, it is worth noting that earlier families in Russia were large. Women gave birth at 10–15. Infant mortality was high, and it was easy to die from the common cold. In short, life expectancy and the level of medicine in those days left much to be desired. If six people die in a modern family, then, most likely, there will simply be no one left.

I can say as a very close relative of the man lying in the coffin with a half smile: No one died after this funeral. Five years have passed and everyone is alive, so you should not take such signs to heart and wait for inevitable death.

However, it is also worth noting that there is an alternative interpretation, which is no less common among the people. It is believed that if the deceased smiles in the coffin, then he has already managed to fulfill everything that was intended for him in earthly life and goes to God with a clear conscience and an open heart. In favor of such an interpretation is an incredible incident that occurred on July 1, 2009, when Father Joseph of Vatopedi, one of the most famous elders of our time, the author of many spiritual books, died.

An incredible event happened - an hour and a half after his death, he smiled. The most surprising thing is that the elder experienced heart problems and died with a serious expression on his face, and an hour and a half later, the monks were surprised to find a reverent smile on his face, which by no means resembles involuntary muscle contraction.

No one has figured out the nature of this phenomenon yet. In some cases, stories about facial muscle contraction do not stand up to scrutiny. In addition, many relatives noticed a phenomenon that is really impossible to explain. While the deceased lies in the coffin, there may be a smile or a smirk on his face, which disappears without a trace at the moment when the lid is about to be closed.

Should I be afraid

It all depends on what feelings relatives and close people experienced during the funeral, when they looked at the smiling dead. For me, it made me happy. I looked at the peaceful face of a loved one and sincerely believed that all the torment was over, and he had found the long-awaited peace.

If someone was frightened by the smile of a dead man, and then he began to dream or often appear in a dream, then you need to go to church and talk with your spiritual mentor.

Related videos

Sources:

• In Novosibirsk, the dead began to make smiles for money
• The smile of an Athos elder

Death is perhaps one of the most mysterious and frightening phenomena. It will inevitably affect every person. Even those who are skeptical about ghosts and other unknown things believe in it. Therefore, seeing off a person to another world has long been overgrown with a mass of beliefs and signs. Many of them are explained quite simply - a tribute to a person who has ended his life. The origin of others is mysterious and incomprehensible and is rooted in ancient, already forgotten traditions.

Signs at the funeral. What Not to Do

1. In the house where the deceased is located, it is supposed to hang all the mirrors. Otherwise, the soul will get lost in them, and the reflection of the deceased will appear alive, frightening them.
2. You can not stay overnight in the room where the coffin is located. If someone had to do this, in the morning such a person must be fed noodles.
3. Animals are not allowed in the house with the deceased. A dog can howl, which will frighten the soul of the deceased, and a cat can jump into the coffin, which is a bad omen.
4. It is impossible to sweep and take out garbage from the dwelling with the deceased - to the death of everyone living in the house. All this is done after the removal of the body.
5. Coins are placed on the eyes of the deceased - it is believed that if the dead man opens his eyes, he will certainly look out for the one who will soon leave after him.
6. You can’t put anything someone else’s in the coffin, and you can’t take anything that is already there back.
7. You can not photograph the deceased and shoot on video.
8. The coffin is not made to size - another dead man will appear in the house.

Meet the funeral - a sign, interpreted differently. Some say that this portends misfortune, others, on the contrary, consider the funeral procession a sign of happiness in the future, but this day does not bode well. As a sign of respect for the deceased, it is forbidden to cross the street in front of the procession (to the growth on the bones or unfortunately) and go towards. You have to stop and wait. Men should take off their hats. It is also forbidden to overtake the procession by car.

Funeral of a child: signs

The greatest tragedy is when a child dies. Some signs are also associated with the funeral of prematurely departed children:

• going to the funeral of a baby, you should buy a toy and sweets or a wreath with a toy;
• if the child has not been baptized, it is better to bury him at night, otherwise you can get sick. There is a belief that unbaptized children turn into evil spirits.

Notes related to memorials

1. It is forbidden to clink glasses at the commemoration - it is believed that this will transfer trouble from one house to another.
2. You can’t give tables and chairs to the wake - you can invite a funeral to your house.
3. Returning from the funeral, you need to warm your hands over the stove or a lit candle - it is believed that this will not allow death to be brought into the house.
4. After the grave is buried, one should drink for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
5. Returning to the house from where the deceased was taken out, it is necessary to put a glass of water by the window - the soul will drink from it for 40 days.
6. It is impossible to laugh and sing at the wake - grief will come to the house. You can’t get drunk - children will become alcoholics.

Signs related to the funeral for pregnant women

Many are interested in the question: is it possible for pregnant women to go to the cemetery?

Also available for pregnant women bad omens at a funeral. If possible, it is best to avoid such activities during pregnancy altogether. It is believed that the child may be born sick or dead.

If a woman came to a funeral, she should leave the house before the coffin with the deceased is carried out. It is forbidden to attend the funeral and burial.

It is not allowed to look at the deceased - it is believed that he can take the unborn child with him.

Funeral signs - superstitions, traditions, rituals

The funeral of a person is a rite of burial of the deceased, symbolizing farewell and the end of earthly life and the beginning of a new, eternal one. The entire funeral ritual among the Slavs has both Christian and pagan roots, closely intertwined and no longer separable due to centuries-old foundations.

Orthodox funerals in Russia, perhaps, most fully combined pre-Christian burial traditions and religious rules and burial procedures, traditions after the funeral.

This is due to the relative tolerance of Orthodoxy towards pagan survivals, the presence of many social and historical features in various parts of the country.

Tradition, burial of the deceased in every culture and religion is accompanied by a certain ceremony and rituals. The mysterious and mystical transition from the realm of the living to the realm of the dead is beyond the scope of human understanding, so people, depending on the religious worldview, historical and cultural features, have developed a whole system of rules and traditions for funerals. They should help the deceased to get used to the new world - after all, the vast majority of religions and beliefs proceed from the fact that death means only the end of the earthly period of existence.

The ritual ceremony is performed primarily to help the deceased, although at present many mistakenly consider the observed customs of burial and commemoration as a desire to support loved ones and relatives, share the bitterness of loss with them, and show a sense of respect for the deceased.

Stages of the funeral, Orthodox funeral traditions in Russia include the following main events and rituals, which together represent a sequential burial procedure;

• Preparation;
• wires;
• funeral service;
• burial;
• remembrance.

Everyone has to bury loved ones. It is important to observe the funeral ritual. Russian Orthodox traditions have long been established (including those not currently used or used in remote areas by the Orthodox). There is a mandatory minimum that a person involved in the burial procedure needs to know.

An Orthodox person should know the minimum necessary for the proper construction of a funeral.

Such information is especially important for believers. Many people come to God in adulthood and do not know some of the customs, attaching importance to superstitions that are not related to religion and, thereby, not helping the soul of the deceased to enter the afterlife. For non-believers, the observance of traditions is important out of a sense of respect for the deceased and those who gathered to see him off.

Preparation for burial

Preparation is the pre-burial stage of the funeral, which includes several component ritual events. When preparing the body for burial, some pagan customs are also observed. Death in Christianity is considered as the beginning of the road to a new life, so the deceased must be prepared and collected for the road. The preparation of the body of the deceased for the unearthly path has both a religious and mystical content, and a sanitary and hygienic component.

body washing

The deceased must appear before the Creator clean both spiritually and bodily.

The mystical component of the rite is that the body was to be washed by certain people - the washers.

They could not be closely related to the deceased, so that tears would not fall on the body. Mourning for the deceased is not compatible with the Christian understanding of death as a transition to eternal life and a meeting with God. There is a belief that a mother's tear burns a dead child. The washers were chosen from among the old virgins and widows who are clean and do not commit bodily sins. For work, linen and clothes of the deceased were relied upon as a reward.

The body was washed on the floor at the threshold of the house, the deceased was located with his feet to the stove. Warm water, comb and soap were used. It was believed that otherworldly dead forces pass to the things used when washing, so it was necessary to get rid of them as soon as possible. Pots containing water for washing, combs, soap residues were thrown into the ravine, carried out to the crossroads, beyond the field. The used water was considered dead and poured out in the far corner of the yard, where people did not go and nothing landed.

All these traditions are a reflection of the mystical component of the pagan understanding of death and fear of the other world.

Compliance with such rituals was necessary so that the dead would not come from the other world and take their loved ones with them. The Christian meaning lies in the need to purify before God not only spiritual, but also bodily. Modern washing in the morgue has a purely sanitary and hygienic content.

Deceased's vestments

Now it is traditional to dress the deceased man in a dark suit and white shirt, women in light colors. However, in the era of Ancient Rus' and the Middle Ages, everyone was buried in white. This tradition combined both Christian ideas about the purity of the soul and the traditional white robes adopted in Rus'.

Traditionally, the deceased is dressed in white.

The best clothes of the deceased are chosen for burial, special funeral sets or new suits and dresses are often purchased, which also symbolizes the purity of a person before God. Feet are shod in white slippers without hard soles - a familiar symbol of funeral accessories. It is forbidden to use clothes of relatives or other people. The head of women is covered with a scarf, which is combined with Christian and cultural traditions, a wreath is put on a man with a prayer.

Separate traditions are observed in relation to deceased young girls and boys who did not have time to marry.

The death of a young person is always an exceptional event. Premature death at the most active age causes particular regret and sadness. Unmarried girls, both in the old days and now, are buried in white, and often in wedding dresses, and put a veil in the coffin. The funeral of the bride may be accompanied by some wedding customs - drinking champagne, singing wedding songs.

For dead young people who did not have time to marry, wedding rings are put on the ring finger of the right hand. The dressing of young people takes place in the same way as in preparation for the wedding ceremony. Similar traditions exist not only in the Orthodox world.

Position in the coffin

After washing and dressing, the deceased is placed on a bench facing the icons, spreading straw or something soft. Silence must be observed in the house, telephones, audio-video equipment must be turned off. Mirrors, glass surfaces other than windows (cabinet and sideboard doors, interior doors, etc.) must be covered with white paper or cloth, photographs and paintings removed or hung.

The coffin (the obsolete name domina - from the word "house") is considered as the last earthly refuge of a person. This element is given much attention in the funeral procedure.

In ancient times, coffins could be made whole from a tree trunk. In its usual form, this ritual object is made of boards, modern materials (chipboard, plastic, etc.), metals can only be used for decoration and decoration (zinc coffins are an exception in certain cases). For the manufacture of any type of wood except aspen can be used. Inside the coffin is lined with soft material. Expensive coffins can be polished, trimmed with valuable materials and upholstered in a soft finish. The body is placed on a white cover - a sheet or cloth. A small pillow is placed under the head. A prepared coffin can be regarded as an imitation of a bed, the deceased is laid down in such a way that it is “comfortable”. Sometimes women during their lifetime prepare a pillow for themselves in the coffin, stuffed with their own hair.

The coffin in the Christian tradition is an imitation of a bed

The baptized are buried with a pectoral cross. An icon is placed in the coffin, a chaplet on the forehead and “manuscript” - a written or printed prayer that absolves sins. It is put into the right hand of the deceased, A candle is placed on the chest in crossed arms. The deceased can put things that he constantly used or especially valued during his lifetime. It has become common to be buried with cell phones.

Previously, mittens were worn to transfer the body to the coffin, the house was constantly fumigated with incense. Until the removal of the coffin, you can not throw garbage out of the house - this custom is observed in our time.

Seeing the deceased

Seeing off the deceased is also a symbiosis of Orthodox rites, mystical beliefs and traditions and takes place in several stages. Currently, modern traditions are closely intertwined with established old customs, which include:

• the establishment of a portrait and awards of the deceased at the coffin, their demonstration in the funeral procession;
• farewell speeches;
• placement of photographs on grave monuments and crosses;
• funeral music, singing, fireworks;
• condolences through the media, etc.

Farewell to the deceased

The coffin is placed in the room on a table covered with cloth, or on stools with their feet towards the door. The cover is located vertically with a narrow part to the floor in the corridor, often on the landing. For 3 days, the coffin with the body of the deceased must remain in the house.

Relatives, friends, acquaintances and neighbors come to visit the deceased. The doors don't close. At night, relatives and friends should gather around the coffin - to say goodbye to the deceased, to remember his worldly life, the events in which the deceased was a participant.

Previously, relatives or specially invited persons (not necessarily priests) read the psalter over the coffin without fail. Now the observance of this tradition is at the discretion of the next of kin. Above the deceased one should read the canon “Following the Exodus of the Soul from the Body”.

If there are images in the house, it is necessary to put a glass of water in front of them, covered with a piece of bread. Water and bread can be placed on the windowsill. It is believed that the soul of the deceased does not immediately leave the earth. The food and drink on display can reflect both pagan sacrifice to the spirit of the deceased, and Christian ideas about the stay of the soul on earth after death for 40 days - a vivid example of the interweaving of pagan and Christian rites. At the head of the coffin, on a table or other elevation, a candle is lit, and a lamp should be lit in front of the images. Candles can be installed in the corners of the domino.

A portrait with a black ribbon is set at the head of the coffin, awards are placed on a pillow at the feet. Wreaths are lined up along the walls of the room, a wreath from relatives is placed at the feet between the coffin and the pillow with awards. People who come to say goodbye usually do not take off their shoes. It is required to stand or sit near the coffin for a while, for a long time or during the night only relatives gather at the deceased. Chairs or benches should be placed along the coffin in the room with the deceased. Farewell is carried out until the removal of the body.

At present, the tradition of a three-day farewell is not observed in megacities and large cities, but in small towns and rural areas it has been preserved everywhere.

Compliance with the three-day farewell is at the discretion of the relatives and depends on the actual circumstances in which the burial takes place.

Often the body for burial is taken from the mortuary already prepared, the procession immediately goes to the church or to the cemetery. The clergy do not insist on the exact observance of all this does not affect.

Removal of the body and funeral procession

The removal of the body is appointed no earlier than 12 - 13 hours and with the expectation that the burial occurs before sunset. Usually they try to carry out the removal before 14 - 00. They take out the deceased with their feet forward, without touching the threshold and door jambs, which should protect against the return of the dead. There is another special protective rite - replacing the place of the deceased. It is necessary to sit for some time on the table or stools on which the coffin was located, and then turn them upside down for a day.

Removal of the body begins at 12 - 13 hours

Before the removal, those who came to say goodbye and see off on their last journey line up along the route of the procession. Initially, wreaths, a portrait of the deceased, a pillow with orders and medals, and a coffin lid are taken out of the house. After 10-15 minutes, they take out the coffin and carry it to the hearse, relatives go out behind the coffin. In front of the hearse, the coffin is placed on stools for several minutes and left open to give the opportunity to say goodbye to those people who have not been at home and are not going to the funeral service and the cemetery.

In a hearse, the coffin is placed on a special pedestal with the head forward, wreaths are laid.

A specific custom during the removal is the mourning of the deceased, and more often non-relatives or close people mourn. Lamentations over the coffin and tears, according to tradition, should characterize the personality of the deceased. The better the relationship with others and respect from society, the more crying. In the old days, there were special mourners who were specially invited to the ceremony. Folklore has also preserved funeral lamentations - songs-lamentations that were sung in a hoarse howling voice.

The funeral procession from the door of the house to the hearse is built in the following order:

• orchestra;
• master of ceremonies;
• a man carrying a portrait;
• people carrying pillows with awards of the deceased;
• people with wreaths;
• people carrying a coffin lid;
• carrying the coffin;
• close relatives;
• others who say goodbye.

There was an interesting ritual of the first meeting, personifying the unity of earthly and unearthly life. The rite consisted in the fact that the first person met by the procession was given bread, which he wrapped in a towel. The gifted had to pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased. It was assumed that the deceased should be the first to meet in the other world the person who was presented with bread. Along the way, the procession with the coffin scattered grain for the birds. The presence of birds was considered a good sign, sometimes they were identified with the souls of the dead.

The funeral procession, according to church canons, could only stop in the church and near the cemetery. Often, traffic slowed down or stopped when passing some places and objects memorable for the deceased or significant: near the house of a recently deceased neighbor or relative, at crossroads, at crosses, etc. As they passed through such places, some of the mourners could be weeded out.

This custom is to some extent combined with the traditions associated with the 40-day stay of the soul of the deceased on earth. During this period, the soul visits the most significant places for a person in earthly life.

The coffin is not allowed to be carried by the next of kin. Most often, porters are either specially invited people, or friends, colleagues and distant relatives. The ceremony of carrying the coffin is very different from the one that existed before. What remains in common is that the farther the coffin is carried on the hands, the more respected position the deceased occupied. On the way to the coffin, fresh flowers are scattered - carnations for the deceased man and roses for women and girls.

funeral service

The deceased is buried on the 3rd day after death, except for the days of Holy Pascha and the Nativity of Christ. The ceremony is performed only once, in contrast to memorial services, which can be served both before burial and repeatedly after. Only baptized people are allowed to perform the funeral service. Those who have renounced the faith or excommunicated from the church, suicides, cannot be reprimanded. In absolutely exceptional cases, the latter can be buried with the blessing of the bishop.

Suicides are not buried in church

To perform the ceremony, the coffin with the deceased is brought into the church and placed with his head to the altar. Those gathered are nearby, holding burning church candles in their hands. The priest proclaims the Eternal Memory and reads a prayer of permissiveness, with which the unfulfilled oaths lying on the deceased and the sins committed by him during his lifetime are released. Permissive prayer does not forgive sins that the deceased did not consciously want to repent of, only those recognized at confession or about which the deceased did not report due to ignorance or forgetfulness can be forgiven.

A leaflet with the words of a prayer is put into the hands of the deceased.

At the end of the prayer, those gathered put out the candles and walk around the coffin, kiss the chaplet on the forehead and the icon on the chest, and ask for forgiveness from the deceased. After the farewell is over, the body is covered with a shroud. The coffin is closed with a lid, after the funeral it can no longer be opened. With the singing of the Trisagion, the deceased is carried out of the temple, the procession moves to the burial place. There is a procedure if it is not possible to deliver the deceased to the temple or invite the clergyman home.

burial

The burial must be completed before sunset. By the time the body is delivered to the burial site, the grave must be ready. If the burial is carried out without a funeral service, the coffin is closed at the dug grave, after giving the audience the opportunity to finally say goodbye to the deceased. Over the open coffin, the last speeches are made, the merits and good deeds of the deceased are remembered. The coffin is lowered into the grave on long towels. Those gathered take turns throwing a handful of earth on the lid of the coffin, the relatives are the first to pass. You can briefly pray to yourself with the words: God rest the soul of your newly-departed servant (name), and forgive him all his sins, free and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven. This prayer is also performed at a memorial dinner before a new dish.

May be accompanied by a number of customs and ritual actions:

1. Together with the coffin, church candles that burned in the temple during the funeral ceremony are lowered into the grave.
2. Small coins are thrown into the grave. This custom is interpreted as the purchase by the dead of a place in the cemetery from the "owner" of the underworld or a place in the next world, payment for passage to another world.
3. After instillation, a tear handkerchief is left on the grave.

These customs have pagan roots, but do not contradict Orthodox canons.

A temporary Orthodox cross or obelisk, another sign with a photograph of the deceased, name and dates of life is installed on the grave hill. A permanent monument can be installed no earlier than the next year after the burial. The grave is usually buried by working cemeteries - diggers. After the burial, the custom prescribes to treat the workers with traditional funeral dishes and vodka for the repose of the soul. Leftover food is scattered on the grave to attract birds.

The funeral of military personnel, participants in the war and hostilities, employees of law enforcement agencies is accompanied by a salute from small arms.

In the old days, there was an interesting ritual - hidden alms. For 40 days after the burial, relatives secretly laid out alms for poor neighbors on the windows and on the porch - bread, eggs, pancakes, pieces of canvas, etc. The gifted had to pray for the deceased, while it was believed that they took part of the sins to themselves. The distribution of alms is also associated with the customs of distributing tearful handkerchiefs, pies, and sweets. in some places, new wooden spoons were distributed so that the deceased was remembered every time they ate. Wealthy relatives could make large donations for a new bell (it was believed that the bell could rescue a sinful soul from hell). There was a custom to give a neighbor a rooster so that he would sing for the sins of the deceased.

Remembrance

The funeral ends with a memorial dinner, to which everyone is invited. The commemoration serves not only to remind the deceased, but also personifies the continuation of life. The memorial meal has certain features in the choice and sequence of dishes. The basis, the head of nutrition in Russian traditions was bread, flour products. Wake begins and ends with pancakes or pancakes with honey, kutya. Kutya, depending on local characteristics, is prepared from wheat grains boiled in honey, rice with sugar and raisins.

Meat soup or soup is served on the first course. For the second, porridge (barley, millet) or potatoes with meat are prepared. Separate appetizers can be served with fish, jelly. On fasting days, meat is replaced with fish and mushrooms. A sweet third is required. According to old traditions, the third should be oatmeal jelly, but nowadays it is replaced with compote. Separate snacks can be fried fish, jelly. At the wake, they are treated to vodka, women can be offered wine.

Mandatory attribute are pies with meat, cabbage, sweets. Pies are distributed to those present so that they treat them to their household.

Wakes are held on the 9th and 40th day. Day 9 means an appeal to 9 angelic ranks, which act as those asking God for indulgence and pardon for a sinful soul. From the 9th day after the funeral to the 40th, the soul is doomed to wander through the ordeals, representing visits to various places where sins were committed. Angels must help the soul overcome sinful obstacles on the way to another world. The Creator does not initially assign the soul to either hell or heaven. Within 40 days, the deceased atones for his sins, an assessment of the deed good and evil is carried out. The wake is held in the form of a memorial meal. At the time of the commemoration, the house is cleaned in the same way as during the farewell to the deceased within 3 days after death.

Day 40 is the last day of the soul's stay in this world. On this day, the Supreme Court is held, the soul returns for a while to its former home and remains there until the farewell - commemoration. If the farewell is not arranged, the deceased will suffer. On the 40th day, the further extraterrestrial life of a person is determined. There is a custom for 40 days to hang a towel in the corner of the house. The soul, returning home after ordeals, wipes itself with a towel and rests.

Sweet pies are an obligatory dish of the funeral table

Prayer is able to alleviate the fate of a sinful soul in extraterrestrial life, so the relatives of the deceased order a funeral service (mass) in the church with the remembrance of the deceased for 6 weeks after death - magpie. Instead of Mass, you can order a reading of Magpie to a reader who reads the canon for 40 days in the house of the deceased. The names of the dead are recorded in the annual commemoration - synodic.

Mourning for the head of the family is observed for a longer time than for the elderly. Externally, mourning is expressed in wearing dark clothes.

Women wear a black headscarf for 40 days after the funeral. During the period of mourning, they often visit the deceased at the cemetery, go to church, refuse entertainment and celebrations. Longer periods of mourning characterize the severity of the loss. Mothers of dead children and young widows observe mourning for up to a year or more. With regard to deceased elderly parents, spouse in old age, mourning can be reduced to 6 weeks. Men adhere to the mourning form of clothing to participate in funeral rites; on other days, mourning is not outwardly expressed.

Every person faces a funeral sooner or later, so there are many superstitions and customs regarding this event. According to signs, relatives should not carry the coffin with the dead. The eyes of the deceased are closed and their hands and feet are tied. In the house where the grief happened, mirrors and all reflective surfaces are curtained. A coffin that falls during a funeral is considered a bad omen, as is a collapsed grave.

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Signs and superstitions associated with a deceased person

When a person dies, many strangers come to his house who knew the deceased, and not all of them are friendly towards the family of the deceased.

If someone puts a personal item of a living relative, his photograph or biomaterial into the coffin of the deceased, the person may become seriously ill in the near future and leave for the next world after the deceased.

According to superstition, relatives sit with the dead at night to close their eyes if they suddenly open. They must be closed from the moment of cardiac arrest. It is believed that a person who sees a dead person in a coffin with his eyes open and looks into them will die in the near future. If the deceased's eyes are not closed, soft hands and body are not frozen, another death will occur in the house.

If a person seems to be smiling in a coffin and has a happy expression on his face, he looks joyful - it is believed that the person wanted death and feels great relief, so there is no need to cry and kill yourself in connection with the tragedy that has happened. If the deceased's mouth is open, you should not try to close it - you can try to tie up the jaw with a bandage, and if the body is already stiff, you should leave everything as it is.

The clergy explain the sign that you can not leave the dead alone in the house, the fact that prayers must be read over the newly deceased all the time (especially at night), so that the soul can go through ordeals and go to the Kingdom of Heaven 40 days after death. For the same reason, one should not sleep near the coffin in order to alleviate the fate of the newly deceased.

Actions of relatives after death

After the death of the deceased's heart, you must immediately wash and change into fresh clothes so that he appears clean before the Lord. Unmarried girls are usually dressed in a wedding dress. Be sure to put a cross on the deceased. The body can only be washed by women who have become widows.

After the death of a person, windows and doors in the house are opened, including the gate, so that those who wish can enter and say goodbye to the deceased, as well as to facilitate the departure of the soul of the deceased .

Immediately after this, the clock should be stopped in the house and the mirror surfaces should be hung. In this state, they must be for 40 days. In the room where the deceased lies, you should not greet with words, but simply nod your head to the person who has come. You can go around the coffin with the dead only at its head, while bowing to the deceased. Friends bring a bouquet with an even number of flowers to wish prosperity in the next world.

On the threshold of the house, relatives should put a few spruce branches so that people who come to say goodbye to the deceased do not carry trouble into their house.

Pets should not be allowed into the room where the coffin with the deceased is located, so as not to frighten his soul. Household members should not start cleaning, taking out the trash, washing the floor or sweeping, even if one of the relatives spilled or spilled something through negligence, until the body is taken out of the house.

While the corpse lies in the room, there should be a glass of clean water on the windowsill: it is believed that in this way the soul of the deceased person is cleansed.



Why do they tie the hands and feet of the deceased?

According to folk signs, the hands and feet of the deceased are tied a few hours after death in order to "tie" the soul to a lifeless body and so that it does not wander around this world in the form of a ghost. Before the very burial, the fetters must be untied in order to free the soul of the deceased.

There is also a logical explanation for tying the legs and arms of the deceased: the body cools down after death, rigor mortis sets in, and the muscles can contract, so the limbs will freeze in unnatural positions, which does not correspond to the correct position of the body of the deceased during the funeral procession.

According to tradition, the hands of the deceased should be folded on the chest. A wax candle is inserted into them. The legs should be extended and pressed against each other.



How to take the coffin out of the house?

It is forbidden to take out the coffin before noon and after sunset.

It is important to know: you should take out the coffin with the deceased feet first so that the deceased does not find his way back home. They do this through the back door, and if there is only one exit in the house, you should hit the coffin on the threshold three times to enable the deceased to say goodbye to his home. While the corpse is near the house, you need to lock the door and say: "Get out of the house, dead man, go alone and don't come back!"

The deceased does not let him into the house - you need to sprinkle water on the floor, and after removing the body, thoroughly wash the floor with clean water. The chairs or table on which the coffin stood should be turned upside down and left in this position for a whole day.

The coffin with the body is brought into the temple for the funeral with feet forward and placed facing the altar (head to the west, feet to the east).

What dates are not allowed for funerals?

It is impossible to hold a funeral at the Baptism of the Lord, on the Nativity of Christ. It is not recommended to arrange a burial ceremony on December 31, so that the next year does not begin with a new tragedy.

WITH beliefs say that a funeral held on Sunday will entail three deaths that will occur in the next seven days.

It is impossible to postpone the funeral ceremony for too long: it is believed that the deceased can take one more person with him. Do not hold a funeral at sunset: you should bury the dead during the day.

Signs at a funeral

Funeral-related bad omens:

• If the dug grave does not match the size of the coffin, according to folk signs, the earth does not accept the dead.
• If the deceased lies in a coffin that is larger than the deceased, in the family where the tragedy happened, death will knock again.
• If the grave collapsed during the funeral- this is a bad sign, promising another death that will happen in the coming days.

What not to do during your stay in the cemetery, as well as after the burial rite:

• Cross the road of the funeral procession (otherwise trouble will happen).
• Walk ahead of the coffin with the dead - otherwise it will lead to death.
• Remove the pillow or any belongings of the deceased from the coffin. Otherwise, the person who took the item will fall ill with an incurable disease.
• The first to look in the mirror after the funeral (first you need to bring the cat to the mirror surface).
• Turn around after the end of the funeral, leaving the cemetery.

The coffin lid is not brought into the house, otherwise there will be another tragedy in the family. Relatives should not carry the coffin, so that they do not suffer the same fate. According to signs, the deceased should be carried out by people who were not related to him, but during his lifetime treated him with respect and goodwill. You need to tie an embroidered towel on each sleeve. It is believed that in this way the deceased thanks for the last time for the service rendered to him.

If you happen to stumble or fall during the funeral procession, the sign promises a person negativity and even death. Dropping the coffin is a bad sign. All who witnessed this incident will soon face tragedy in their families. To avoid a sad fate, you need to pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased and put a candle in the temple.

It is impossible to leave after the funeral things that were in any way in contact with the dead man: a comb, measurements for the coffin, fetters that tied hands and feet, a candle and an icon that was in the hands of the deceased. They should be buried together with the deceased in the same coffin so that evil people cannot use items to inflict damage and terrible diseases on the relatives of the deceased.

A new handkerchief is also placed in the coffin so that the deceased has something to wipe the sweat from his forehead during God's Judgment. Relatives usually place an ax in the grave to cut off the connection of the deceased with this world.

If someone becomes ill during the funeral, according to folk signs, this person is possessed by demons. If the candle goes out during the funeral, in the near future a great tragedy will happen to a person, which can end in death.

During the burial, everyone present at the funeral must throw a handful of earth on the coffin.

Pregnant women are not allowed to attend funerals. It is believed that the dead take the energy of the child in the womb, and he can be born dead.

Activities after the funeral

Relatives should not visit anyone after the end of the funeral procession, so as not to bring misfortune to someone else's house.

Arriving home, you should light a wax candle and warm your hands near it in order to drive away evil spirits from yourself. Everyone who was at the cemetery should thoroughly wipe their feet, or better, wash their shoes and pour dirty water over the threshold in order to ward off trouble from their home.

How to behave at the wake?

Relatives must call all the people present at the funeral procession to a memorial dinner, while no one has the right to refuse the commemoration.

Lunch usually starts with wheat porridge (kutya). During the commemoration, you need to pour vodka into a glass and cover with a piece of black bread. This glass should stand for 40 days in the house where the person died. Pies, pancakes, borscht and sweets are put on the table. Each of those present at the end of the memorial dinner takes a handful of sweets and cookies to remember the deceased at home.

Bread and other pastries should not be cut with a knife, they should be broken off with your hands. The crumbs from the funeral table cannot be thrown away - they are collected and taken to the grave the next morning.

Only good things can be said about the deceased, and if there is nothing to remember, one should remain silent. It is impossible to cry strongly at the wake, so that the soul of the deceased is not tormented. For the same reason, a commemoration is also arranged on the 40th day after death (for the repose of the soul in the afterlife).

If someone starts laughing or singing songs during the commemoration, it means that this person will shed a lot of tears in the near future, and he will suffer a tragic fate.

Other signs

If someone remains indebted to the deceased, the debt should be repaid to the relatives of the deceased, so that no one in the debtor's family dies.

It is impossible for anyone to sleep in the house, past which the funeral procession passes, so that the deceased does not take the sleeping person with him. Look through the window at the funeral- doom yourself to a tragic death.

If it rains during the burial, according to folk signs, the heavens mourn the deceased. He was a good man, and even nature is sad about him. Thunder is thundering and lightning is flashing - another funeral procession will soon take place.

The next morning after the burial, relatives should take breakfast to the deceased at the grave. Things of the deceased cannot be distributed within 40 days after death, and when the specified period has passed, you need to give clothes and other items left after the deceased to loved ones and those in need. The bed and linen on which the person died are burned away from home.

If nettles or thistles have grown on the grave of a recently buried person, folk signs say that he has gone to hell. It is believed that lilies or roses usually grow on the graves of the righteous.

Below you will find signs that people who have buried a loved one need to know - when you can open the mirror after the funeral, do cleaning and repairs, 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

A well-known fact - after the death of a person, it is supposed to close all reflective surfaces. These are not only mirrors, but also TVs, 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 is not alive.

About when you can open the mirror after the funeral, it will take a lot. One at a time, you can do it right away after returning from the cemetery and commemoration. According to other beliefs, this is done after three days, or not earlier than the ninth day after death. But these are all modern traditions. In the villages to this day they remove the curtains from the 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, the 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 the final verdict on where it will stay. Since only the first three days after death the soul is among the living, you can open the mirrors after it leaves it. That is, on the fourth day. It used to be that all 40 days the soul can visit relatives from time to time. Therefore, they did not open the mirrors all this time.

Sometimes the mirrors do not hang 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. The soul of a person will still return home and stay near people close to him during his lifetime. Sometimes only those mirrors that are located where the deceased is located are closed. It is also not true, because the soul will wander through all the rooms of the house.

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

Can I watch TV

For obvious reasons, there are no old signs about this, but as mentioned above, TVs are supposed to be closed, like mirrors. You can open them simultaneously with 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 to refrain from entertainment at least nine days. You can watch news, educational programs, but it is better to postpone watching movies and talk shows. You can not turn on the TV in the house where the deceased lies. Wait until the funeral is over. If the deceased was not a person 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 have such a desire, 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.

Do you keep photos of the dead?

The answer is positive. 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 deceased is associated with world of the dead. Psychics can tell from a photo whether a person is alive or not. Therefore, it is not worth looking at photographs of the deceased too often. You can also not overdo it with their number on the walls, shelves and tables. Do not hang near portraits of living people, separate living and dead energies. The best place for storage is a photo album.

Much more negative are the photographs taken during the funeral. 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, a funeral process, they are a strong source of necrotic energy.

When to clean the apartment

While there is a dead person in the house, cleaning and taking out the trash is not allowed. Otherwise, another person in this house may die. According to legend, the cleaner will sweep or wash him out of the dwelling.

You need to clean up immediately after the removal of the coffin. For the deceased, they sweep and wash the floors at a time when the mourners on their last journey have already left for the cemetery. This is done to immediately sweep away death, illness, grief from the house.

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

Some things are especially strongly saturated with the energy of death. So, the stools or table on which the coffin stood are taken out into the street 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 everything from the house that is connected with the mournful ceremony. These are the remnants of fabric for upholstery of the coffin, 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 the mourners are supposed to be left on the grave - they are intended for the deceased.

They also do not leave in the house the tool that was used to take measurements for the coffin, it brings death to another tenant during the year. Nothing is taken from the coffin. The ropes with which they tied the hands of the deceased, the pennies that lay in front of their eyes - all this should remain in the coffin. Candles are taken to the cemetery, as well as the grain in which they stood. It is also impossible to store the icon that stood in front of the coffin. She is allowed down the river or taken to the church.

When is it possible to clean up after the funeral, if the question is general cleaning or tidying up the room of the deceased? At any time, but after the commemoration or the removal of the coffin. If at the same time you open the mirrors, 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

Repair after the funeral can be done, but only as it passes 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 the familiar environment, changes can anger the spirit.

After 40 days, at least, it will be necessary to replace the bed on which the deceased slept, as well as the bed (sofa, floor or staircase covering, armchair, etc.) that has become a deathbed. The bed of a dead person must not be used by his bloodline. It can be given away or sold. Putting a new bed is optional, use the freed space as you see fit.

The place of death will exude necrotic energy for several more years. Therefore, it is supposed to replace everything that came into contact with the dying, be it the floor covering where he fell, or furniture and bed linen. As a rule, such things are thrown away or burned. In the villages, they act a little differently - they take them to the chicken coop for three, so that the rooster "sings all the negativity."

Deceased's personal belongings, as a rule, distribute to the poor or sell. This doesn't just apply to clothes. Favorite cup or plate, ashtray, anti-stress toy - you should not keep it all. Although many leave in memory of the deceased.

What else not to do after the funeral

In the house where the person died, you can not do laundry. This prohibition is valid while the coffin is in the house. That is, after the funeral, you can start putting your clothes in order.

Can I swim after the funeral? Beliefs recommend doing this at the same time when you decide to remove the fabric from reflective surfaces. That is, immediately after the commemoration, in three, nine or forty days. In the old days, they washed only on the 41st day after death.

Among the things not to do after the funeral are noisy holidays. It is undesirable to arrange celebrations within 40 days. Birthday celebration better to reschedule or cancel altogether. But you can celebrate it modestly, in the family circle, without loud music and noise.

The nine-day, and preferably forty-day ban also applies to the wedding, 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 getting married earlier than 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 believe that among the things not to do after the funeral of a loved one are trips and travel. This is not true. They will help to distract, but during the trip it is worth giving up various entertainment activities. Do not forget to remember the deceased and pray for his soul during the holidays.

In addition, the relatives of the deceased cannot sew and have their hair cut for forty days. If there is a need to repair clothes, you will have to do this. But tailoring, which is not urgent, should be postponed. The same goes for haircuts. Bangs interfere with daily activities? Get rid of her. But if it's about changing your image, do it in 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 forbid drinking at the wake. The reason is that alcoholism is a sin. For forty days, relatives can pray for a sinful person. If at this time they sin, it will only complicate his afterlife.

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

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

Church opinion

There are many beliefs that are supposed to be observed after the 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 his cleansing from sins.