The 9th day is considered after death or funeral. Funeral home "Grail"

The value of any life largely correlates with the fact that it ends sooner or later. According to Orthodox tradition, after the funeral the soul of the deceased awaits a transition to another world. It is believed that the future fate of a person depends not only on the acts he committed during his lifetime, but also on how his relatives and friends remember him. Special meaning for self-determination of the soul in the afterlife have 9 and 40 days after death. So how should they be celebrated?

General rules for funerals

Orthodox Christians organize funerals to pay tribute to a deceased relative. People remember the good deeds performed by a person during his lifetime, celebrate him positive traits. At a wake, you should never make a scandal, argue or quarrel. Negative emotions relatives and friends, as they say, can complicate the path of the soul of the deceased to a better world.

For the same reason, sobs, despair and loud regrets about the departure of a loved one are inappropriate. In the Orthodox tradition, death is considered an inevitable and natural outcome of life; it is not a tragedy at all. Believers believe that a good person should not fear God's judgment. Therefore, at a wake it is customary to behave calmly, restrainedly and kindly.

A shared meal brings together relatives, friends and colleagues of the deceased. It is not allowed to send out invitations to funerals. It is believed that everyone to whom this is important should inquire about the place and time of this event themselves. But it is not forbidden to casually mention in a conversation the efforts that relatives are busy with regarding the organization of a funeral meal. This will tell the person that he should come if he himself considers it necessary to attend this event.

Despite Russian table traditions, Orthodox funerals do not involve the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Although this rule is often violated, because the popular ideas about a worthy send-off of the deceased to another world in this matter do not coincide with religious canons. But in any case, the wake should not turn into a banal drinking session, because this is a sacred event, and not a reason for fun and dancing.

As a rule, it is customary to dress modestly at a wake, in dark-colored clothing. Scarves are required for women. If the deceased was an elderly person, then the relatives of the deceased mourn for 40 days from the moment of his death. Young people who tragically passed away - husbands, wives, children - are mourned for up to 1 year, all this time adhering to dark tones in clothing.

9 days - the ordeal of the soul begins

According to religious canons, on the ninth day after death, the so-called ordeal of the soul begins, when it overcomes various obstacles created by sins. Angels help the deceased in this. As a result, the good deeds a person has done during his lifetime must outweigh his bad deeds.

The funeral, organized on the 9th day, is designed to help the soul of the deceased overcome all obstacles on the way to eternal life. Therefore, on this date, relatives order a funeral prayer service in the church, light candles in front of the icons and read prayers so that the Almighty will accept the soul of the deceased into His Kingdom. And in the house you can light a lamp in memory of the departed person.

On this day, relatives and everyone who feels the need to visit the grave and bring flowers there. It is believed that for a person whose soul has begun the stage of repentance and cleansing from sins, it is important how the living remember him and whether they pray for him.

An obligatory dish during a funeral meal is kutia. This is porridge, which is prepared from whole wheat grains (less often from barley, rice or other cereals) with the addition of nuts, raisins or other sweets, the dish is poured with honey or honey syrup. As a rule, kutya is served at the very beginning of the wake.

The list of treats offered to guests on day 9 varies depending on the region of Russia. But there are also general points. Immediately after kutya, the first course is served - soup or cabbage soup. The second can be meat or lean, it all depends on what time the commemoration occurred. In addition, fish dishes and jelly are often on the table. And the meal ends with pancakes or pancakes.

Drinks that are traditionally drunk at funerals include compote, kvass and jelly. The owners can also prepare various porridges, pies, cabbage rolls, stuffed pepper, vegetable salads. In addition, there are usually apples and other fruits on the table.

On the 9th day after the death of a relative, it is customary to give alms to people in churches and cemeteries with a request to pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased. Treats left over from the wake are also distributed.

40 days - final goodbye

Very important milestone in farewell to the deceased are 40 days after his death. It is at this time that the human soul is believed to finally leave our mortal world. For the Orthodox this is significant date, which separates earthly life from eternal.

After 40 days, the soul can last time to visit places that are important to her, to see relatives and friends, and then in Heaven she is accepted final decision about the further fate of the deceased. Therefore, these commemorations are very important, because the kind words spoken by people about the deceased will certainly be taken into account by the High Court.

You should definitely order this day funeral service in church, pray for the soul of the deceased. During the funeral meal, it is forbidden not only to consume alcoholic drinks, but also sing songs and have fun. The meal, as a rule, differs little from the 9-day funeral, except that instead of the first course, a variety of salads are served. Kutya and rich pancakes or pancakes are obligatory dishes of this meal.

At the table for 40 days, it is customary to remember not only the deceased, but also other relatives who have left the world of the living in the foreseeable past. Guests take turns delivering funeral speeches. And the person who is given the floor must stand up. Then the deceased should be honored with a minute of silence.

For 40 days, the things of the deceased should be distributed to those who need them. At the same time, people are asked to remember the deceased with a kind word. Relatives keep only photographs and other items that are valuable as a memory of a loved one. If no one took one of the deceased’s things, then it should not be thrown away, but should be taken to a temple or given to charity.

There is such a tradition: commemorate of a deceased person on the third, ninth and fortieth days after death. These days who goes at the cemetery Yes, he distributes candy and baked goods among the neighbors “for the kingdom of heaven,” who organizes feasts, and who visits the church to light a candle for the repose or even order a funeral service. Why exactly these days, has anyone wondered? Not many people who. It’s how it is here: everyone says what’s necessary, so we do it. But I’m still in favor of doing it once, consciously, with understanding.

How to count memorial days?

First of all, memorial days need to be counted correctly. Otherwise, it turns out to be some kind of confusion: some remember on the third day, others after three days, and some even count from the funeral. I'll tell you how to do it correctly: wake days They count not from the next day after death, but from the same day. That is, the day of death is included. Well, for example, if a person died on the 5th, we consider 3 days - fifth, sixth, seventh - that means the seventh is the third day. Also, from the day of death both 9 and 40 days.

Meaning3, 9, 40 daysin Orthodoxy

In Orthodox sources, namely in the Apostolic Rules, there are instructions to perform thirds, nines and forties for the deceased - that is, to remember the dead on these very three days. And their meaning is described as follows:

The clergy say this: there is no more just court than the Court of the Lord, therefore, before appearing before it, everyone has a chance to say goodbye to their worldly life and find out what Heaven and Hell are. These days are allotted to the soul so that we can rethink our life, understand whether it was worth doing the actions that we did, and what is in store after death for our worldly pleasures. But it’s true, it’s fair.

But to be honest, the Bible barely describes the afterlife. And what is said in the Apostolic Canons is neither evidence nor refutation in Scripture itself. There are many interpretations as to why 3, 9 and 40 days , but nothing specific is said...

And you know what else? It turns out that traditionremember the deadat those same three memorial day dates back to the times when Christianity was not accepted in Rus'. Maybe this is the answer?.. But I will tell you about this in my next publication.

When a loved one has not yet crossed the threshold of eternity, his relatives try in every possible way to show signs of attention and offer all possible help. This reveals the duty of fulfilling love for one’s neighbor, which is a mandatory responsibility in the Christian faith. But man is not eternal. There comes a moment for everyone. However, this transition from one state of personality to another should not be marked by leaving behind the memory of. A person is alive as long as he is remembered. It is a religious duty to organize memorial dinners in memory of all who knew the latter during his lifetime.

The semantic meaning of 9 days after the death of a person

According to Orthodox doctrine, the human soul is immortal. This is confirmed by practice in the Christian tradition. Church Tradition teaches that for the first three days after death, the soul remains on earth in those places that were especially loved by it. Then she ascends to God. The Lord shows the soul the heavenly abodes in which the righteous are blissful.

The personal self-consciousness of the soul is touched, it marvels at what it sees, and the bitterness from leaving the earth is no longer so strong. This happens over six days. Then the angels ascend the soul again to worship God. It turns out that this is the ninth day, on which the soul sees its Creator for the second time. In memory of this, the Church establishes a wake, at which it is customary to gather in a narrow family circle. Commemoration is ordered in churches, prayers are offered to God for the pardon of the deceased. There is a statement that there is no one who has lived and not. Also semantic meaning the number nine is the Church's memory of the corresponding number angelic ranks. It is the angels who accompany the soul, showing it all the beauties of paradise.

The fortieth day is the time of private judgment of the soul

After nine days, the soul is shown the hellish abodes. She observes all the horror of incorrigible sinners, feels fear and awe of what she sees. Then for a day he again ascends to God for worship, only this time it also happens private court over the soul. This date is always considered the most important in the afterlife of the deceased. There is no tradition of transfer, no matter what day they fall on.

The soul is judged for all the deeds a person has done during his lifetime. And after this, the place of her stay until the second coming of Christ is determined. It is especially important these days to pray and give alms in memory of a relative or friend who has left this world. A person asks God for mercy, the opportunity to grant a blessed fate to a deceased person.

The number 40 has its own meaning. Also in Old Testament it was prescribed to preserve the memory of the deceased for 40 days. In New Testament times, semantic analogies can be drawn with the Ascension of Christ. So, it was on the 40th day after His resurrection that the Lord ascended to heaven. This date is also a memory of the fact that the human soul, after death, again goes to its Heavenly Father.

In general, holding a wake is an act of mercy towards living people. Lunch is offered as alms in memory of, and other rituals are performed that testify to a person’s faith in the immortality of the soul. This is also the hope for the salvation of each individual person.

It is believed that for the first 9 days after death, the spiritual shell of the deceased is still tied to mortal life and can feel the grief of loved ones. This connection is finally broken only at the forties, which determine the subtle essence’s place of permanent residence in the afterlife. Understanding the difficulties that the soul goes through after leaving the body is very important for those remaining on earth, because all this time the spirit of the deceased needs proper support.

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What does the 9th day after death mean in Christianity?

The entire period of the inextricable posthumous connection of the soul of the deceased with the world of the living is divided into three segments: 3, 9 and 40 days from death. The spirit spends the first period of time almost all the time near the house where it left the body, or not far from the coffin. He hears all the words and thoughts addressed to him through people’s conversations about the deceased, and draws the first conclusions about the sinfulness of his earthly existence.

From the first minute of existence outside the body, his Guardian Angel is next to the deceased, accompanied by whom the soul visits memorable places of its life and says goodbye to loved ones. He sees all the preparations for the funeral and, according to esotericists, can even correct events by appearing in dreams to relatives.

From the third day until the fortieth, the human soul moves in strict accordance with the algorithm of the posthumous program, which is the same for everyone. Symbolically, the beginning of the journey of the deceased is considered the moment the coffin is lowered into the grave. But even if on the third day the body has not yet been transferred to the earth, the soul still loses its attachment to it and passes into another dimension.

On the path to Eternity, the deceased faces 20 trials (ordeals), during which demonic forces question the soul about all its sins committed in human form. If for at least half of the mentioned bad deeds there are not as many good deeds, the journey ends with the sinner’s immediate descent into hell. If the judgments are completed successfully, the spirit of the deceased is allowed to meet with God, and he is allowed to stay in the Gardens of Eden among the righteous for six days.

Passing the milestone of the ninth day is considered the most important thing that happens to the soul in its intermediate state. Having bowed to God for the second time, the human essence is conveyed by angels to the Valhallas of the opposite hypostasis - to hell. The prayers of relatives and the memorial service, which is served in the church on this day for the deceased, help the soul in its difficult 39-day journey through the levels of the underworld and are an absentee request to the Lord to have mercy on the sinner.

The absence of a wake and memorial service on the 9th day after death means that the person neglected life as God’s gift and passed through it aimlessly, or did a lot of evil and turned people against him. In Orthodoxy, both are considered grave sins that require justification before the throne of the Lord on the fortieth day from the date of repose.

Features of organizing the wake of the ninth day

The customs of Christianity take into account all the difficulties that the soul will have to face at the crossroads between heaven and hell. Each ritual action, from the church ceremony to the eating of food at the funeral table, is accompanied by special prayers and words that send a positive message to the energy space where the subtle essence is located.

The closest relatives of the deceased who are organizing the burial and commemoration must comply with certain rules conducting rituals and understanding the sacred meaning of the actions performed, otherwise they will not bring any benefit to the soul of the deceased.

Funeral service in the church

The morning of the 9th day after the death of a baptized person for the relatives of the deceased begins in the church, because with the onset of dawn the soul appears before the eyes of the Lord and it requires powerful energy recharge in order to cope with subsequent trials. Human and angelic prayers are heard in unison during the service. The more of these voices there are, the easier it will be for the soul of the deceased.

The prayer, read only on the occasion of the ninth day, should be learned by heart and read several times: when placing a candle in a tetrapod (a special candlestick in front of a table with funeral dishes), leaving the service and coming home.

A note is written in advance with the name of the deceased. It should be placed on the table next to the brought products. If the event does not overlap fast days, then put in the commemoration basket:

various sweets;
meat;
fish;
milk;
eggs;
cheeses and sausages;
bread and cereal products.

In the post the list of allowed Orthodox person fewer products:

cereals;
flour;
vegetables and fruits;
mushrooms.

Before you place the memorial you brought on the table and buy candles, you need to agree with the server about holding a memorial service. This is especially true for small chapels, where the priest is alone and needs time to prepare.

Funeral dinner and associated signs

In the old days, only those who were directly involved in preparing the deceased for burial were deliberately invited to commemorate the “nine”: they washed the corpse, made a “domina” (coffin), and installed a cross on the grave. The rest of the “guests” came uninvited, and it was impossible to refuse anyone - neither an enemy nor a stranger. IN modern world people themselves do not go to such events, for fear of being an unexpected burden, so it would not be a departure from tradition to call all your friends in advance and notify them of the place and time of the funeral.

Wherever a funeral dinner is served, enough food is prepared to accommodate maximum amount of people. Elderly guests and children are seated at the table first; the hosts eat last. Before the appearance of the main dish - the funeral kutia - a lithium is required. It can be carried out by any of those present, organizing a general reading of the Lord’s Prayer or the Ninetieth Psalm.

What, according to the canons of the church, is welcomed at the funeral table:

borsch;
cabbage rolls;
peppers stuffed with vegetables or meat;
cutlets;
roast;
stewed or fried mushrooms;
pies made from unleavened dough (snacks) and sweet;
mixed vegetable salads;
potatoes or porridge;
fried or stewed fish;
simple sandwiches with sausage and cheese.

Compote or jelly, funeral kalevo made from pearl barley or rice, and inexpensive sweets must be present.

Kutya, symbolizing the resurrection and the sweetness of being in paradise, should be consecrated in the church during a memorial service.

But here’s what you can’t submit for “nineties”:

any alcohol;
coffee;
store-bought juices;
seafood delicacies (shrimp, squid, oysters);
complex “holiday” salads;
whole roasted poultry or pigs;
expensive sweets in elegant boxes;
pastries or cakes.

Culinary delights, like drinking alcohol at a wake, are considered a sin of gluttony, falling on the shoulders of the soul of the deceased, which only worsens his situation. The food left over after the funeral is not thrown away, but taken to church or distributed to the poor. Candies, fruits and other sweets, in addition, are given to children to commemorate their souls.

Rules and traditions associated with the date

Most of the rules of conduct during a wake now apply only to the relatives of the deceased, although previously everyone who came followed them. This applies in particular to appearance women who are required to wear headscarves indoors with their hair completely hidden under them. Men should not be in the house with their heads covered.

Guests decide for themselves whether to go to the cemetery on this day or not. It is not customary to bring flowers to the house of the deceased after others have arrived from the burial site - and wreaths and flowers should be left at the grave.

A few more Christian signs regarding visiting a grave on the 9th day after a person’s death:

eating and drinking alcohol in a cemetery contradicts the canons of Orthodoxy;
You cannot pour vodka on a grave mound or leave alcohol in a shot glass;
money, food, alcohol are not given to the priest at the cemetery - you can invite the priest home or do everything necessary actions in advance;
when leaving the cemetery, you can light a lamp on the grave, leave a glass of water with a piece of bread or a saucer with kutya;
on the way back, it is advisable to give the beggars a feasible contribution and distribute some sweets to the children you meet, while saying: “Remember the servant of God (name)”;
both in the cemetery and at home we need to talk about the deceased more often kind words, remember his good deeds and positive personal qualities.

When guests arrive, the house is cleaned in strict accordance with the occasion. You can place a portrait of the deceased with a lamp lit in front of him on a small table, and cover the extra pieces of furniture with black crepe. Hanging mirrors in the house after a funeral is considered controversial. The need for such an action is not commented on by the church and refers to the ancestral traditions of the ancient Slavs, who consider the mirror surface to be an entrance to another world.

The custom of “seating the deceased” at the funeral table, accepted by some families, is also not condemned by Christianity. To do this, diners vacate a place of honor at the head of the table and place a full cutlery with food there.

How to calculate the day of a funeral?

When calculating the date on which the day of remembrance of the deceased will fall, one should also take into account the day of death itself, which lasts until midnight. Example: if a person died on March 10 at 23:00, then the “nine” falls on March 18, and not 19, as would happen if 9 were added to 10. But if death occurred a few minutes after midnight, then the count would have been carried out from the newly arrived date.

If a Christian believer dies on a weekday during Lent, the ninth day of commemoration is moved to the next Saturday or Sunday. However, if a person did not fast during his lifetime, this rule can be neglected.

It is impossible to celebrate nine days before. The soul of the deceased, being in heaven, does not yet need the support that it will need later.

Many people paying tribute modern traditions and fearing condemnation from others after death loved one They are immersed in worries about maintaining the external surroundings and do not think at all about the spiritual component of the rituals. It should be remembered that for the deceased it is not the richly laid table that is important, but the prayer read together over the food. And the danger for a soul who has set off on a difficult journey lies not in the small number of guests at the funeral, but in the absence of kind words from those who came to honor his memory.

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Instructions

Count nine days from and including the day of the person's death. Even if it is late in the evening (before 12 o'clock at night), the funeral ninth day is calculated, including. For example: a person died on January 2. In this case, the ninth day falls on January 10, and not on the 11th, as would happen with mathematical addition (2 + 9 = 11).

On the ninth day, have a frugal party with pies. Try to avoid alcohol. In a table conversation, be sure to remember everything good deeds and good deeds of the deceased. Traditionally it is believed that the soul of the deceased prepares for forty days. afterlife. The ninth day is the last, when the soul is shown the tabernacles of heaven, after which, until the fortieth day, it remains in hell, observing the suffering of sinners and hoping to avoid this fate. Therefore, every kind word about him will be counted towards him.

Go to church, light a candle, pray for the souls of God's servant (name). Give the poor alms and (they can be replaced with cookies) with a request to remember the name of the deceased in prayers. After you go, leave alms there too. Many people sprinkle millet and crumbled eggs (for birds) right on the graves, and put bags of cookies and caramels on the fence.

Remove the curtains from the mirrors in all rooms except the room of the deceased if you adhere to this tradition. Please note that nothing is said about the need to cover mirrors in the house; this custom comes from the old Russian belief that the soul can get lost in mirrors and not find a way out to the next world.

Sources:

Days of commemoration: 3, 9, 40 days.
fortieth day after death how to count

According to the traditions of Christianity, the main wake for the deceased is held on the day of the funeral, on 9 and 40 days. Most often, commemorations come down to a memorial meal, but one should not think that people gather simply to eat; this event aims to pay tribute to the memory of the deceased and pray for the repose of his soul.

Instructions

Christians mean that during the funeral meal those gathered pray to the souls of the deceased. Absolutely everything matters during the time, including the menu. The approximate plan for the funeral is as follows.
Before sitting down at the table, read the Lord's Prayer. Throughout the wake, remember the deceased, but memories of some bad deeds of the deceased are not acceptable. Laughter, funny songs or foul language are not allowed at the table.

Serve kutia (rice or wheat porridge with honey and raisins) as the first dish. It is best to light it during the funeral service, or at least sprinkle it with holy water. This dish is a symbol of eternal life, since a person, like a grain, will sprout (reborn) in Christ.
There is no need to rely on the rule: the more food on the table, the better, this is not true. Quite the contrary, food should be simple and modest. The important thing is that people gather together to remember the deceased; food is just a symbol.

Please note that if the day of the funeral falls on a weekday during Lent, reschedule the event for the weekend. Also remember that men should have their heads uncovered, while women, on the contrary, should have their hair tied up and wearing headscarves.

If on the day of the funeral everyone who was at the cemetery is invited, then for 9 days only relatives and closest friends of the deceased are invited.
Remember that you cannot drink alcohol during meals; it is not recommended to even put wine on the table. Also, do not put on the table a photograph of the deceased with a glass of vodka covered with bread, all these customs are simply relics of the past and Orthodox faith are not supported.

Also, on memorial days, it is very good to give to the poor, so that people who need food and are closer to God pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased.

In addition to the meal, they order a prayer service for the repose of the deceased; to do this, simply submit a note with the name of the deceased (in genitive case) to the kiosk.
You can commemorate not only on the 3rd, 9th and 40th day, there is a custom for the deceased on, on his birthday and on the day of the Angel; on these days people also go to the cemetery and go to church.

Sources:

what to do for 9 days

There are a number of enduring traditions associated with death and funerals. Funerals on days 9 and 40 are among them. This tradition is strictly observed even by people who have no relation to religion and do not go into the meaning of the custom.

Wake on the ninth day

According to beliefs, for the first three days the soul is next to the body and cannot yet leave it. But on the fourth day, as a rule, she goes on a short journey. From 4 to 9 days after the shower, he visits the houses of his family and friends, and is near his closest friends. That is why after 9 people who knew the deceased best and valued him most, arrange to say goodbye, which from now on leaves them.

According to Christian dogmas, from the 3rd to the 9th day after death, angels show the soul of the deceased the chambers of God, allow him to enter heaven and see the pleasures prepared for those who lived righteous life. By the ninth day, a person either forgets all the sorrow and pain that he experienced while living in an earthly body, or understands that he lived his life incorrectly, and cannot enjoy the beauty of paradise and peace after death. Gathering at this time, the closest friends and relatives of the deceased remember him with kind words, pray for him, ask for his soul to go to heaven, and the angels see this.

Why do people celebrate forties?

After the 9th day, according to some ideas, the soul goes to travel and visits distant relatives, friends, acquaintances, those places that were important to a person during life. So she travels until day 40, trying to do everything, after which she leaves the world. On forties, i.e. the wake is on the 40th day, everyone who wants to say goodbye to him comes, including those who knew him not for too long or not too closely. At this time, the soul is seen off forever, they say goodbye to it, and this must be done piously and calmly, so that the deceased can go to another, perhaps more happy world.

According to Christian views, from day 9 to 40, the soul of the deceased atones for all sins committed. It is also during this time that angels take her through hell to show her what happens to the unrepentant. After all this, on the 40th day, the soul appears before the Lord, and then its further fate is determined - to be in heaven or hell. That is why for Christians the commemoration of the fortieth day is extremely important: on this day everyone who knew the deceased remembers him and talks about how a good man he was trying to atone for his sins. According to legend, having seen this and realizing how many people are grieving, the Lord will have mercy on the soul and will not judge it too harshly, after which he will allow it to enter heaven.

According to Orthodox beliefs, man is not given the ability to comprehend what happens beyond life and death. However, the Church has always kept and keeps various kinds of symbols and some facts by which, albeit indirectly, it is still possible to judge the afterlife journey of people’s souls. So, for example, not everyone knows what the 9th and 40th days after death mean, and why appropriate memorial rites need to be held at this time.

According to the ideas of Orthodox Christians, during life a person resides in the material world. After death, his soul passes into another, more elevated, unknowable spiritual world. Here you can meet, for example, your guardian angel, the souls of previously departed relatives and friends, etc.

What happens on the third day

It is traditionally believed that in the first three days after death, the soul, not yet accustomed to its new state, remains next to the body. In addition, she visits those places that were dear to the person during life, as well as those people to whom the deceased was attached. After the third day, the human soul gradually begins to move away from the mortal material world.

That is why the dead should be buried only on the third day after death, but not earlier. This rule, of course, is not strict. However, according to Orthodox believers, it is still worth observing it.

From the very moment of death, the soul is accompanied by the guardian angel of the deceased. Until the ninth day, he shows the departed person the palaces of heaven.

What does 9 days after death mean?

On the ninth day, a new, important stage in posthumous history deceased. At this time, his soul begins its ascent to Paradise. However, on the way there, according to church beliefs, she encounters many obstacles, which are very difficult to overcome without support. According to Orthodox Christians, on the way to heaven the soul is met by various kinds of dark forces that remind it of its sins. At the same time, their main task is to detain the soul of the deceased on the path to bliss. It is believed that absolutely all the dead go through such a test. After all, according to church tradition, there are simply no sinless people.

The prayers of relatives and friends should help the soul overcome all obstacles and achieve bliss. It is for this reason that funeral services are held on the ninth day after death. In this case, the ritual is supposed to guide the soul, to give it strength for the long and difficult path of ordeal.

What happens on the fortieth day

So, we found out what 9 days after death means. But why is the wake also held on the fortieth day? This tradition, of course, is also associated with traditional Orthodox ideas. On the 40th day, the soul that has overcome all obstacles, as the Church teaches, appears before the Lord. This important point in church literature it is called the Private Court. The deceased must decide for himself whether he can live in heaven with God or not. And therefore, precisely on this day, his soul needs special support from the friends and relatives remaining in the material world.

On the 40th day, according to church Orthodox traditions, a person is remembered for the last time as newly deceased. From this day on, the deceased becomes entirely part of spiritual world. His ascent to God ends.

3, 9 and 40 days after death: the legend of Christ

Thus, according to church beliefs, on the third day the human soul begins to move away from the material world. At 9 her ordeal and path to the Lord begin. On the 40th, she appears before God and becomes part of the spiritual world. This is precisely the explanation that the Church gives for the tradition of holding commemorations on the 9th and 40th days officially.

However, there is another reason why the deceased is remembered on these days. According to legend, Christ rose again after the crucifixion on the third day. On the 40th, he ascended to heaven, appearing before his disciples for the last time.

Death is something that unites absolutely all living beings on earth. Even in ancient times, Plato said that after the death of the body, “the inner part of a living being,” as he called the soul, leaves its physical shell. Various religious denominations and traditions treated farewell to the dead with special trepidation. This event has always been filled with special symbolic content and ritual sacraments. This article will cover the path human soul after death, through the prism of the Christian worldview.

Death as the beginning of the life of the soul in the afterlife

To answer the question indicated in the topic of the article, it is necessary to briefly talk about the Christian concept of the afterlife and answer the question: what happens to the soul in the first 40 days after death. Christians believe that after death the soul flies away from the body and in the first 3 days visits all the people who were dear to the deceased. On the 3rd day, the soul goes to the throne of God to be presented before the Judgment. Depending on what kind of life a person lived: honest or dishonest, his soul will be sent either to heaven or to hell. This is the time when it is important to special attention and pray with trepidation for the soul of the deceased, so that his path “on the other side of life” would be less harsh.

In the period from the 3rd to the 9th day, the human soul rises to the Kingdom of Heaven along with the Angels, where at the Gates of Paradise he remains in bliss, forgetting all the pain and anxiety of earthly life. On the 9th day, Angels bring the soul of the deceased again to the throne of God, where he appears absolutely alone for the first time before the face of the Almighty.

The last stage of the soul's journey in the afterlife is the period from the 9th to the 40th day. This is the time of the ordeal of the soul, when heavenly angels lead the deceased to the abyss of hell and he observes the suffering of sinners. All repressed fears break out at this moment from the depths of the soul and come to life in this world cursed by heaven. The human soul meets its shadow sides in the name of atonement for sins.

And on the very last day, the 40th, the soul of a person ascends for the last time to the throne of God and already hears the final decision regarding its future fate. In the Orthodox Tradition, the soul has 2 ways: either to remain in the fiery hyena of hell, atonement for its earthly sins, or to ascend to the throne of God in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and pass through the gates of heaven into eternal life.

Why is it important to celebrate the 9th day after a person’s death on time?

It becomes obvious that the 9th day after a person’s death is a turning point in his journey. This is the time when his soul encounters real spiritual trials, which should either cleanse him of his sins or denigrate him even more. It is on this day that the attention and prayer of loved ones and relatives for the soul of the deceased is a serious support for him in that inaccessible world. In this regard, the postponement of the event to an earlier or late date unacceptable.