Why are 9 and 40 days after celebrated? Important days after death

The Christian Church has traditionally accepted the commemoration of the dead on the third, ninth, fortieth day and anniversary. She also gave an interpretation of these terms in Christian categories and images.

According to the teachings of the church, for two days the soul is somewhere near the body it loves, near its home, wandering, accompanied by angels, through earthly places dear to it. And on the third day she must worship the Lord. In the next six days - until nineteen days - the soul is shown the heavenly abodes. And in the next thirty - different sections of the underworld. After this, the Lord places her in heaven or hell.

For the first two days, the soul of the deceased is still on earth, passing along with the Angel accompanying it through those places that attract it with memories of earthly joys and sorrows, evil and good deeds. The soul that loves the body sometimes wanders around the house in which the body is placed, and thus spends two days like a bird looking for a nest. A virtuous soul walks through those places in which it used to do the truth.

Ninth day. The commemoration of the deceased on this day is in honor of the nine ranks of angels, who, as servants of the King of Heaven and representatives to Him for us, petition for pardon for the deceased.

After the third day, the soul, accompanied by an Angel, enters the heavenly abodes and contemplates their indescribable beauty. She remains in this state for six days. During this time, the soul forgets the sorrow that it felt while in the body and after leaving it. But if she is guilty of sins, then at the sight of the pleasure of the saints she begins to grieve and reproach herself: “Woe is me! How much I have become fussy in this world! I spent most of my life in carelessness and did not serve God as I should, so that I too would be worthy of this grace and glory. Alas for me, poor one!” On the ninth day, the Lord commands the Angels to again present the soul to Him for worship. The soul stands before the throne of the Most High with fear and trembling. But even at this time, the Holy Church again prays for the deceased, asking the merciful Judge to place the soul of her child with the saints.

Fortieth day. The forty-day period is very significant in the history and tradition of the Church as the time necessary for preparation and acceptance of the special Divine gift of the gracious help of the Heavenly Father. The Prophet Moses was honored to talk with God on Mount Sinai and receive the tablets of the law from Him only after a forty-day fast. The Israelites reached the promised land after forty years of wandering. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself ascended into heaven on the fortieth day after His resurrection. Taking all this as a basis, the Church established commemoration on the fortieth day after death, so that the soul of the deceased would ascend the holy mountain of Heavenly Sinai, be rewarded with the sight of God, achieve the bliss promised to it and settle in the heavenly villages with the righteous.

After the second worship of the Lord, the Angels take the soul to hell, and it contemplates the cruel torment of unrepentant sinners. On the fortieth day, the soul ascends for the third time to worship God, and then its fate is decided - according to earthly affairs, it is assigned a place to stay until the Last Judgment. That is why church prayers and commemorations on this day are so timely. They atone for the sins of the deceased and ask for his soul to be placed in paradise with the saints.

Anniversary. The Church commemorates the deceased on the anniversary of their death. The basis for this establishment is obvious. It is known that the largest liturgical cycle is the annual circle, after which all the fixed holidays are repeated again. The anniversary of the death of a loved one is always marked with at least a heartfelt remembrance by loving family and friends. For an Orthodox believer, this is a birthday for a new, eternal life.

“The dead hope to receive help through us: for the time of doing has flown away from them; souls cry out every minute,” stated St. Augustine in his “Sermon on Piety and Remembrance of the Dead.”

We know: with the death of even those closest to us in this earthly life, all threads and bonds of sensory connections with them are severed. Death creates a great gulf between the living and the dead. But it only separates them sensually, physically, and not at all spiritually: the spiritual connection and communication does not stop and is not interrupted between those who continue to live in this world and those who have moved to the next world. We think about them, even talk to them mentally. We want to help them. But how? The priest will definitely answer this question: “Prayer.” Within forty days the fate of the soul has not yet been decided.

The wake (9 days) is the next obligatory stage after the burial. Although it originated in the Christian religion, everyone adheres to this tradition. So how to spend a wake for 9 days? What are the features of the ritual?

Memorial service

If the deceased was a Christian, then you definitely need to go to church. It is believed that

at this time the soul can still visit the places of its earthly habitat. She completes the work that a person did not have time to do during his lifetime. He says goodbye to someone, asks for forgiveness from someone. A prayer service held at this time according to all church traditions helps to calm the soul and unite it with God.

It is advisable that the wake (9 days) and relatives begin with an appeal to the Lord. In a short prayer, you should ask the Almighty to forgive all the sins of the deceased and place him in the Kingdom of Heaven. This has always been part of the ritual. In the temple they light candles for the remembrance of the soul. There is a special place for this. If you don’t know, then consult a temple minister. But usually you can determine it yourself. The platform for has a rectangular shape (all others are round). Nearby there is a printed text of the prayer. Don't be lazy, read it.

What do 9 days of commemoration mean?

In Christianity, the path of the soul to the Lord is described in sufficient detail. So, in the first days, the Angels show her what life is like in Paradise. The ninth is the time, so to speak, of the exam. The soul appears before the Lord, who determines its future fate. It is believed that sinners are afraid and tormented, finally realizing how mediocre they are

wasted their energy. The righteous may also suffer from not knowing whether their path in life will be approved by the Lord. Help for the soul of the deceased is extremely necessary during this period. Relatives with their prayers can help her cleanse herself and receive a “pass” to Paradise.

In Christian traditions, 9 days of commemoration are considered very important, since this is the last duty, the final stage of the earthly existence of the soul. After the Lord assigns her to Heaven or Hell, the living will be practically unable to help her. The clergy say that 9 days is almost a holiday! Because at this time the soul finds its shelter. It is imperative to pray that her stay in that world will be comfortable.

Funeral dinner

A trip to the cemetery is mainly for those closest to you. And those who want to express their respect to the deceased and his family members are invited to see him off modestly. The first, second and compote are prepared. IN

In Christianity, neither all kinds of snacks and salads, nor alcohol are accepted. Traditions with a hundred grams and a piece of bread arose in very difficult times, when there was no other way to relieve stress. Nowadays there is no need to drink alcohol at funerals, and it is not encouraged.

Of the “excesses,” only baking is allowed. So, they usually make pies or buns and serve them to the table. Everything should take place calmly and modestly. This is not an indicator of poverty. Rather, this demonstrates the recognition of the frailty of everything physical before the spiritual. At the table, everyone is given the floor to express their grief, share the confidence that the soul will go to Heaven, and simply remember the person who recently left this world.

Funeral feast

But not everyone has lunch these days. Some people don’t have enough time, others don’t want the extra hassle. The Church does not insist on strict adherence to this particular tradition.

It is quite permissible to replace a shared meal with a treat. What it is? You need to prepare such food that it is appropriate and convenient to serve to people without an invitation to the house, and so hold the funeral for 9 days. What are they giving away? Usually cookies and sweets. The easiest option is to buy what you need in a store. It is recommended to bake pies or cookies yourself. It is believed that by such actions you express greater respect to the deceased. You can distribute what you have prepared at work, in the yard to grandmothers and children.

How to calculate the required period?

People often get confused with this. It is best to contact Father, who will help you figure out the deadlines and tell you on what day to celebrate what. Due to its importance to the soul, you need to know exactly when to hold a wake for 9 days. How to count on your own? The first day is the day the person died. It is from this that we must count. From the moment of death, the soul begins its journey through the Kingdom of Angels. She needs help on the ninth day (and before that). Do not miss any deadlines, even if the death occurred before midnight. The first day is the date of death. The third, ninth and fortieth days are then important. You need to calculate them immediately and write them down so as not to forget. These are the dates that definitely need to be celebrated.

Who is invited to the funeral?

Family members and friends are the people who should definitely participate in the sad meal. They themselves know this. Souls demand to meet and support

each other in grief. But a wake 9 days after death is an event to which people come without an invitation. It is not customary to drive away someone who wanted to take part in it, even if they are complete strangers. The logic is this: the more people pray for the salvation of the soul of the deceased, the easier it is for it to get to Heaven. Therefore, driving someone away is unacceptable, even sinful.

Try to treat as many people as possible. And if it is not necessary to invite everyone to the funeral dinner, then you can give out sweets to everyone you meet on this day. Strictly speaking, it is not accepted to invite people to the event. People themselves should ask when it will take place (and in general, whether it is planned or not). For convenience, organizers most often take responsibility themselves and call everyone who has expressed a desire to remember the deceased.

Is it necessary to go to the cemetery?

Strictly speaking, a 9-day funeral does not include such a trip in the list of essential events. The Church believes that the graveyard contains mortal remains that have no special significance. Going to church and praying are welcome. But usually people themselves want to visit the final resting place of a dear person. They bring flowers and sweets there. Thus, as it were, a tribute is paid to the deceased. But this is more important for

living than for the deceased.

Under no circumstances should you bring alcohol to the cemetery. This is strictly prohibited by the Church! If you decide that you definitely need to visit the cemetery on this day, then take care of the appropriate clothing. Outfits should be modest and not flashy. The presence of mourning symbols is also desirable. Women tie mourning scarves. Men can wear dark jackets. If it’s hot, black scarves are tied to the left forearm.

How to prepare a house for a funeral?

On this day, lamps are lit and a photograph of the deceased with a mourning ribbon is placed in a prominent place. There is no need to cover mirrors anymore. This is done only while the body is in the house. Naturally, on this day it is not customary to turn on music or watch funny films and programs.

You can place a glass of water and bread in front of the icon as a sign of help to a soul traveling through an as yet unknown world. It is desirable that an atmosphere of severity reign in the house. If you invite people to dinner, then worry about their comfort. Usually carpets are removed from the floor so that you can walk around the house in shoes. You also need to place a small vase or plate near the photograph of the deceased. This is where the money will be put. This is done when a lot of people come, including strangers to the household. They may express a desire to donate some amount to the monument. And giving money to relatives is not always convenient.

The theme of the afterlife will remain relevant until we know exactly what is on the other side of death. For now, we can only study religious theories, make assumptions and rely on the stories of people who experienced temporary cardiac arrest.

What happens to the soul after physical death

According to Christian doctrine, when a person dies, his soul is separated from the physical body, marking the end of his earthly journey. It is believed that during the first two days the spirit of the deceased is on Earth. During the first day, the incorporeal shell is in confusion, not realizing what is happening. Epiphany comes only on the second day, when farewell to loved ones and places to which a person was attached during life takes place. Relatives and friends of the deceased may even feel his presence at some point.

On the third day, the body is interred, performing a certain ritual. The funeral ceremony helps the soul to finally break the connection with the body and ascend to the Kingdom of Heaven. The most important stage of burial is the funeral service. The funeral rite is intended to help the soul cleanse itself of sins committed by a person during life, find peace and calmly depart to another world.

The meaning of 9 days after death

So, from days 3 to 9, the soul “gets acquainted” with the afterlife. The next milestone she passes comes on the ninth day after her death. An important stage begins, called God's judgment, when the question of the soul's stay in Paradise is decided. On this day, relatives and friends should remember the deceased and provide him with all possible support. The bright memory of caring people should help the soul at the righteous Judgment. Therefore, on nineteenth day it is customary to pray for the deceased, remember him and say only good things about him. You can also additionally order a magpie for the repose of one, three or seven churches.

After the 9th day, the most difficult period begins, as the soul goes through ordeals, learning sins. She will face 20 trials, which she will only be able to pass if during her lifetime the person was righteous and kept the commandments and Law of God. Only in this case she will not be sentenced to imprisonment there.

The meaning of 40 days after death

Until the 40th day, the soul is between heaven and earth, because its fate has not yet been decided. At this stage, you can help her by reading the Psalter for the deceased daily. The forty-day mark becomes decisive, when the question arises of where the soul will remain until the Last Judgment. The moment comes when she will have to “account” for her earthly existence to the fullest extent of the Law of God. After this, she has two options left: go to the light or be cast into Hell until the Second Coming. Only the Righteous Judge has the right to decide what the afterlife of each soul will be like.

For Christians, this memorial day is of great importance. Relatives and friends again gather to honor the memory of the deceased and alleviate his suffering in the other world. It is forbidden to remember the deceased with bad words, use foul language and abuse alcohol. It is believed that on this day the spirit can descend to Earth for the last time and say goodbye to those who were especially dear to him.

No matter how much people want it, everything has its beginning and its end, and human life is no exception. The great creation and gift of the Lord are given as an earthly path, the end of which, unfortunately, we await. When a person dies and his body is buried, on certain days his relatives must perform special rites of remembrance, namely on the third, ninth and fortieth days.

During this period, according to church laws, the soul of the deceased completes its journey on Earth, and in order for it to be able to do this easily and naturally, it is necessary to adhere to the traditions established over time, among which the most important is the ninth day. So what does 9 days after death mean? And why are they so important?

How to count 9 days from the date of death

After death, the soul spends 9 days looking for its way to a new world, because the person’s body no longer exists. During this period, it is important for the relatives of the deceased not only to be faithful to the traditions of the church, but to try through pain and suffering to let go of the soul of their loved one, otherwise it will not be able to find peace for a long time (or never).

After all, if she is kept in this world by something unfinished, not done, unsaid, and she can no longer put an end to it, then it is her relatives who need to take care of her peace of mind. And the ninth day is the best time for this.

The ninth day is very important for the soul of a deceased person, but the third and fortieth days are no less important, as the beginning and end of the “heavenly path.” And it is on the correct actions of loved ones that the soul’s path to eternity depends.

Soul after death: 3, 9, 40 days

After death, a person’s soul finds its “new home,” but this does not mean that it forgets the old one, as well as the people living in it. This invisible force becomes your faith and hope on the path of life in gratitude for the peace you received and the acquisition of eternal life.

Day three

• Funerals for the deceased on this day are performed in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• For the first two days, the soul, together with the Angel who accompanies it, walks through its favorite places, remembering its joys and sorrows, sits near its home, like a bird that, having built a nest, is forced to leave it forever.
• On the third day, the Lord allows her to ascend to heaven to worship him and appear before the face of the Just One.

Ninth day

• This is a time of remembrance in honor of the nine angelic ranks, who are the servants of the King of Heaven and our defenders at the court of God and can ask for mercy.
• On the fourth day, the soul, together with the Angel, enters the gates of heaven and can see all the beauty there. She spends six days like this. During this time, she forgets all the sorrow that she felt while in the body, and if she was sinful, she begins to reproach herself.
• On the 9th day, the Lord commands the Angels to bring the soul to him for worship. And already there, with fear and trembling, she will appear before the throne of the Almighty. And it is on this day that the church prays for God’s mercy towards the deceased.

Fortieth day

• After the second ascension of the soul to the Lord, the Angels take it to hell, where it can see the cruel torment of sinners who did not want to repent.
• And on the 40th day the soul ascends to God for the third time, and then its further fate is decided - according to its earthly affairs, it is assigned a place to stay until the Last Judgment.
• It is at this hour that the prayers of family and friends will be very necessary, since with their help the sins of the deceased are atoned for, which gives him the right to go to heaven.

It is also worth remembering the anniversary of a person’s death. On this day he should also be commemorated in church. If this is not possible, then a heartfelt commemoration by family, friends and relatives will be enough. For a believer, this is a birthday for a new eternal life.

9 days after death in Orthodoxy

Devyatiny after death is the very day of remembrance of the dead, because the body no earlier than this day turns to dust, and only the soul remains. The Church prays to God to include the deceased among the nine ranks of angels, who, in turn, will ask the Lord to accept the newly deceased, forgive him all his sins and grant him a new life next to them.

In Orthodoxy, this day is rightfully considered the main day among the rituals of repose. A person's soul in heaven is the work of his family on earth, and it must be done honestly and faithfully.

9 days after death: traditions

On this day, the relatives of the deceased attend church, where it is necessary to offer prayers for the repose of the soul. At home they cook kutya:

• Wheat seeds are boiled and mixed with something sweet, often sugar or honey.
• The dish should be quite sweet and pleasant to the taste.

The meaning of this tradition is very old:

1. Seeds are life itself, because when planted in the ground, they give rise to a new plant. It is believed that this is how future resurrection occurs.
2. And sugar and honey symbolize the belief of the living that the soul will find a sweet life in the afterlife.

What happens to the soul 9 days after death

The path of a person’s soul after death, what is it? The question is interesting and important for any believer. This path is laid out even during earthly life, since a person after death comes to God with all his “baggage,” which contains all his joys, troubles, fears, aspirations and hopes.

And when on the ninth day the soul appears before the Almighty, this “burden” no longer seems as unbearable to it as during life, but very important, because looking at it, the Lord decides the further path, at the end of which we await the long-awaited resurrection. Therefore, on the 9th day, remembering the deceased, relatives should behave calmly and humbly, quietly remembering only the best about the deceased.

Knowing what happens on the 9th day after death, now in the most terrible moments of life, when a loved one dies, think about whether his soul will be able to find eternal peace after numerous earthly sufferings. And maybe you, with your prayers, and not your tears, will help her with this.

After all, the prayers of loved ones, like no other, are capable of great miracles. And then the answer to the question “Why are 9 days celebrated after death” will seem to you not just a beautiful legend, but will mean something more.

May the Lord protect you!

9 days after death is a period during which the soul experiences many events and changes. What happens after the burial?

First 3 days

In the first 3 days, the soul is where it is important for it to be. For example, if a person was very attached to his body during life, he will be nearby. In the case where some people meant a lot to the deceased, he will spend his last time on Earth next to them. In fact, many documentaries talk about how some souls don't know what to do. Some start riding the subway and keeping an eye on relatives, others are trying to secure the future of their children. Everyone, if possible, tries to complete earthly affairs or look at something that is very significant for the last time.

Worship God

Worship is performed repeatedly: on the day of death, then on the third day, on the 9th day after the funeral, 40 days after repose, and also immediately before the Last Judgment. People who go to hell perform worship even after the judgment.

From 3 to 9 days

After 3 and up to 9 days after death, the soul explores the beauty of paradise. She sees the abode that is prepared for her. However, people who were vain, did mortal things and walked in evil ways will not enter heaven.

ordeals

9 days after death, the ordeal begins. They last up to 40 days. After death, we are surrounded by our sins. Each of our bad deeds has its own “guardian” - a demon. When the soul leaves the body, these demons surround it. There are so many lawlessnesses and troubles that they cannot be counted. These are all the sins a person committed during his lifetime. Some people think that after death the soul ascends upward and nothing can stop it. But this is not so, because it is the forces of evil that own the space between earth and sky. The Mother of God prayed not to see evil demons after death when she was preparing for the Rapture. Therefore, the Lord personally came to guide Her soul. This is noted on the icon of Rapture. As is clear, demons come not only to “ordinary” people, but also to selected dying people.

9 days after death: before and after

Until the ninth day there is a period of feeding and formation of the “body of eternity”. Relatives and clergy begin to carry out memorial procedures. Until the 9th day, the soul sees the delights of heaven, and after that - the torment and horrors of hell. On day 40 a place is assigned. Over the course of nine days, the deceased gradually ceases to hear relatives and friends, and he can no longer see them. He can make all contacts only by using his senses of smell and touch.

Why are these days celebrated?

After death, the soul travels for 9 days and finds out possible places of its stay. Until the very end, she does not know what fate is in store for her. She is shown both the beauties and delights of heavenly life (for a much shorter period of time) and the terrible events that occur in hell. During this time, relatives can pray earnestly and ask for a better fate until the Last Judgment occurs on the soul of the deceased. The correct behavior of loved ones can help the soul get to heaven. Therefore, it is very important not to be lazy, but to go to church and order prayer services. You also need to devote time to this activity yourself. And it needs to be done correctly. You can get clarification from your clergyman.