Clothing of the Deceased #
To clothe the deceased, new garments are used, resembling those typically worn during church services. For men: underpants, shirt, belt, and kaftan (a long outer garment); for women: a long shirt, sarafan (traditional jumper dress), povoinik (a married woman’s headdress), and a headscarf. Soft slippers are placed on the feet.
First, a savan (burial shroud) is placed in the coffin. The savan is made as follows: a piece of white linen, twice the height of the deceased and about one meter wide, is folded in half and sewn along one long edge, forming a kind of long cloak with a hood reaching down to the heels. The portion that will cover the head is stitched along the fold with strong thread. When this thread is drawn tight, the hood of the savan gathers in such a way that the edges frame the deceased’s face. These edges are usually trimmed with lace or braid. In earlier times, according to the Trebnik (Book of Needs), it was customary to embroider small crosses along the edges with thread.
The hands of the deceased are placed crosswise on the chest (the right hand over the left), and the fingers of both hands are arranged in the traditional Old Rite form used for making the sign of the cross. A new lestovka (a traditional prayer rope) is placed between the middle and ring fingers of the left hand in the customary manner used for prayer.
The edges of the savan are neatly arranged around the face and chest. Beginning at the chest, the entire body is covered.
After this, a narrow white ribbon about five meters long is taken and passed under the head of the deceased. The two long ends are wrapped around the body three times in such a way that three crosses are formed on the front — just as with Lazarus in the Old Testament Church, a custom preserved by the Christian Church.
The crosses are formed: the first on the chest where the hands are folded, the second over the thighs, and the third over the knees. The remaining length of the ribbon is wrapped around the legs of the deceased.
A headband (venchik) bearing three crosses and the prayer “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us” is placed on the forehead. The venchik is a sign of our faith in the Holy Trinity and our hope for reward in the life to come for having fulfilled the commandments of God. This element of the Christian burial rite reminds us of the words of the Apostle:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day — and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.”
(2 Timothy 4:7–8)