The Custom of Washing the Body #
Before the dressing and placement of the body in the coffin, it is customary to wash the body of the deceased with water. According to ancient Church tradition, women are to wash a woman, and men—a man.
The deceased is freed from all clothing, the jaw is bound with a cloth, and the body is laid facing the icons in a flat and spacious place—on a wide bench or on the floor, where a cloth capable of absorbing water has been laid in advance. The vessels used for this are typically made of clay or another material that breaks easily.
The washing is performed by dipping a sponge into water and wiping all parts of the body in the form of a cross, three times each. During the washing, both those performing the task and all present recite the prayer three times: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.”
First, the face and entire head are washed, followed by the chest and upper abdomen, then the arms. Next, the deceased is turned onto his right side, and the back is washed. After this, the unclean parts of the body are cleaned, and finally the legs.
If the departed received Holy Communion or was anointed with holy oil (Holy Unction) on the day of death or shortly before dying, then only the lower part of the body is washed.
Once the water has drained and the body is dry, it is placed onto a clean sheet. All that remains from the washing—including the clothes in which the person died—is to be burned, the washing vessels broken, and the remaining water poured out in a deserted or unfrequented place. This is done to eliminate any possibility of such items or water being used by ungodly people for purposes of sorcery.