The “Singing-Off” (Funeral Service) #
“We believe in the resurrection, but as for those who do not believe—woe unto them, for they have been grievously deceived.”
(Prayers at the Burial)
The aim of the funeral rite is to warm the soul, separated from the body, with prayer; to comfort the grieving loved ones with the hope of a just reward for the righteous; and to summon all to follow the path of salvation. Among the people, this funeral service is called otpevanie (literally: singing off). The burial is conducted by a priest over the body of the departed. If, for any reason, the casket with the deceased cannot be brought to the church, the prayers may be read in absentia.
At the beginning of the funeral, Psalm 118 (“Blessed are the undefiled in the way”) is read. This psalm is an integral part of all prayers for the departed: memorial services (panikhidas), parental Saturdays, and the funeral itself. St. Athanasius the Great beautifully explains why:
“The Prophet David describes the life of the saints—their struggles, sorrows, labors; the assaults of demons, the thousands of thoughts they suggest (sinful temptations), their snares, and other devices meant to entrap. But he also shows how the saints conquer: through the Law, the words of God, patience, and help from on high. And finally, he tells us what follows these labors: rewards, crowns, and the recompense of God.”
The stikhera (hymns) by St. John of Damascus are moving and instructive. The hymnographer lays bare the vanity of worldly life but simultaneously reveals the light of the life to come, glorifying the saving path to it shown by the Lord. He paints a sorrowful picture of death and decay, and yet affirms that for the believer in Christ, death is but a sleep. Every line calls us to repentance and stirs hope in the unaging blessedness of the kingdom of the righteous.
Between the psalms and stikhera, the priest or deacon frequently censes the departed, the entire church, and those gathered in prayer. The incense is offered to God along with our petitions and is a sign of the life lived in right faith and piety.
“Remember, O Lord our God, Thy departed servant, and deliver him from the stench of sin, with the fragrance of Thy goodness, mercy, and love for mankind; and vouchsafe him, on the day of judgment…”
(Prayer at the Memorial Litany)
St. Symeon of Thessalonica gives the following interpretation of the petitions of the memorial litany:
“The deacon loudly says: ‘Again and again, in peace let us pray to the Lord,’ teaching us through this death to seek reconciliation—for we too shall die—and to be reconciled with one another, and to pray for the departed, that by our prayer we might help him in some small measure, that he may have peace with us now that he is reconciled with God.
Then, we pray for the repose of the soul of the departed, for the forgiveness of all his sins, and that the Lord might place his soul in the dwellings of the righteous—and all sing with one voice the saving prayer: Lord, have mercy.
The deacon also calls upon everyone to entreat Christ for His mercy toward the one who has reposed—for the Heavenly Kingdom and for the forgiveness of sins.
The priest, having first offered a prayer silently and reverently to God—calling Him the God of spirits (that is, of angels and souls) and of all flesh (that is, of those clothed in flesh)—entreats Him to grant rest to the soul of the departed in a place of peace, where all sorrow and sighing have fled away, and to forgive all sins committed in deed, word, or thought. For none is without sin, save He alone who, being without sin, became man.
He is righteous, and His words are truth, for He Himself is Truth and said: I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). Therefore, the priest, proclaiming this aloud, addresses God: For Thou art the resurrection and the life and the repose of Thy departed servant, O Christ our God.
For we believe that the departed still lives (in soul), shall rise again (at the general resurrection of the dead), and shall find rest (with body and soul united) in the Lord.”
As though steps in the ascent toward perfection, the Beatitudes are set before us: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the pure in heart,” and so on.
“The saints,” writes St. Symeon of Thessalonica, “attain blessedness gradually. Having become poor for Christ’s sake, they show themselves to be meek; having become meek and passionless, they hunger for righteousness; from righteousness, they progress to mercy; from mercy—to purity of soul; from purity of soul—to love for their neighbor and concern for his peace. Then they are lifted to a more perfect love—the love of God. And being zealous for His truth and righteousness, they endure persecution, suffer even more, are subjected to reproach, and are cast out for the sake of piety and faith. They bear slander for the Lord’s sake, and in suffering, they rejoice… because great is their reward in heaven (Luke 6:23).”
The following readings from the Apostle and the Gospel strengthen us in the hope of the resurrection and affirm the inevitability of a righteous and impartial judgment upon every man.