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Религии с верой в суд в будущем или воскресение мертвых или чистилище часто предлагают молитвы от имени мертвых к Богу. [1]

Буддизм [ править ]

Для большинства похорон, которые следуют традиции китайского буддизма, общие практики включают повторение имени Амитабхи или чтение буддийских писаний, таких как Сутра Великих обетов Бодхисаттвы Кшитигарбхи , Амитабха Сутра , Алмазная сутра или сочетание классических буддийских писаний, таких как как Великая Мантра Сострадания , Сутра Сердца , Мантра Возрождения Чистой Земли Амитабха и Сапта Атитабуддха Карасания Дхарани (или Ци Фо Мие Зуй Чжэнь Янь七佛 滅罪 真言). [2] [3]

Другие практики включают в себя рицу подношение прибежища , буддисты Чистой Земли ньянфо или повторение Дхарани Возрождения Чистой Земли, а тибетские буддисты многократно повторяют Ом мани падме хум . [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] Молитвы, такие как Намо Ратнасихин Татхагата, предназначены для животных. [11] [12]

Христианство [ править ]

Новый Завет [ править ]

Отрывок из Нового Завета, который некоторые считают молитвой за умерших, находится во 2 Тимофею 1: 16–18 , где говорится следующее:

Да помилует Господь дом Онисифора , потому что он часто освежал меня и не стеснялся моей цепи, но когда он был в Риме, он искал меня прилежно и нашел меня (дарует ему Господь найти Господа милость в тот день); и как много он служил в Эфесе, вы очень хорошо знаете.

Как и в стихах из 2-й Маккавейской, эти стихи отражают глубокое желание, чтобы Бог милостиво поступил с умершими «в тот день» (возможно, в Судный день , см. Также последние времена ). Не говорится, что Онисифор, за которого молился Святой Павел или автор послания, был мертв, хотя некоторые ученые делают это заключение, основываясь на том, как это относится к нему только в прошедшем времени, и молятся о нынешних благословениях для его семьи. , но для него только «в тот день». А ближе к концу того же письма, во 2 Тимофею 4:19 , мы находим приветствие «Приске и Акиле и дому Онисифора», которое отличает ситуацию Онисифора от ситуации еще живых Приски и Акилы .

Традиция [ править ]

Молитва за умерших хорошо известна в раннем христианстве как среди выдающихся отцов церкви, так и среди христианского сообщества в целом. В восточном православии христиане молятся за «души, ушедшие с верой, но не успевшие принести плодов, достойных покаяния». [13] В католической церкви помощь, которую умершие получают посредством молитвы от своего имени, связана с процессом очищения, известным как чистилище . [14] [15] Хотя молитва за умерших продолжается как в этих традициях, так и в традициях Восточного Православия и Ассирийской церкви Востока , многиеПротестантские группы отвергают эту практику.

На могиле христианина Аберция из Иерополя во Фригии (вторая половина II века) есть надпись: «Пусть каждый друг, наблюдающий за этим, молится за меня», то есть Аберций, который повсюду говорит от первого лица. [1]

Надписи в римских катакомбах также свидетельствуют об этой практике, поскольку встречаются такие фразы, как:

  • Да живи ты среди святых (3 век); [1]
  • Да освежит Бог душу. . . ; [1]
  • Мир им . [1]

Среди церковных писателей Тертуллиан († 230) первым упомянул молитвы за умерших: «Вдова, которая не молится за своего умершего мужа, почти развелась с ним». Этот отрывок встречается в одном из его поздних произведений, датируемых началом 3 века. Последующие авторы аналогичным образом упоминают эту практику как распространенную, а не как незаконную или даже спорную (пока Арий не оспорил ее в конце 4-го века). Самый известный пример - это молитва святого Августина за его мать Монику в конце 9-й книги его « Признаний» , написанная около 398 г. [1]

Важным элементом христианских литургий как на Востоке, так и на Западе были диптихи , или списки имен живых и мертвых, поминаемых во время Евхаристии . Включение в эти списки означало подтверждение своей ортодоксальности, и из практики выросла официальная канонизация святых; с другой стороны, удаление имени было осуждением. [1]

В середине III века св. Киприан запретил совершать приношение или публичную молитву за умершего мирянина, который нарушил церковное правило, назначив священнослужителя-попечителя по своей воле: «Он не должен быть назван в молитвы священников, которые приложили все усилия, чтобы удержать духовенство от алтаря ». [1]

Хотя, как правило, невозможно назвать даты точных слов, использованных в древних литургиях, тем не менее, повсеместное распространение этих диптихов и определенных молитв за умерших во всех частях христианской церкви , на Востоке и на Западе, в IV и V века показывают, насколько примитивными были такие молитвы. В молитвах за усопших говорится об отдыхе и свободе от боли и печали. [1] Отрывок из литургии святого Иакова гласит:

Помни, Господи, Бог духов и всякой плоти, тех, кого мы вспомнили и тех, кого мы не вспомнили, людей истинной веры, от праведного Авеля до сегодняшнего дня; Ты сам даешь им покой там, в земле живых, в царстве твоем, в радостях рая , в лоне Авраама , Исаака и Иакова , наших святых отцов , откуда бежали боль, печаль и вздохи, где свет лица твоего посещает их и всегда светит им. [1]

Публичные молитвы возносились только за тех, кто, как считалось, умер как верные члены Церкви. Но святая Перпетуя , принявшая мученическую смерть в 202 г., считала, что в видении воодушевилась молиться за своего брата, который умер на восьмом году жизни, почти наверняка некрещеный; и более позднее видение убедило ее, что ее молитва была услышана, и он был переведен из наказания. Святой Августин счел необходимым указать, что повествование не было каноническим Писанием, и утверждал, что ребенок, возможно, был крещен. [1]

Восточное христианство [ править ]

Богословие [ править ]

Восточные и восточные православные не верят в возможность изменения ситуации для душ умерших по молитвам живых и отвергают термин « чистилище ». Молитва за умерших поощряется верой в то, что она полезна для них, хотя то, как молитвы верных помогают усопшим, не разъясняется. Восточный ортодокс просто считает , что традиция учит , что молитвы должны быть сделаны для мертвых. [16] [17]

Святой Василий Великий (379 г. н. Э.) Пишет в своей Третьей преклоненной молитве в день Пятидесятницы : «О Христос, Бог наш ... (Который) в этот всесовершенный и спасительный праздник милостиво благоволил принять умилостивительные молитвы за заключенных в тюрьму. Аид, обещая нам, удерживаемым в рабстве, великую надежду на освобождение от мерзостей, которые мешают нам и мешают им, ... ниспослать Твоё утешение ... и утвердить их души в обителях Праведников; и милостиво сподобиться мир им и прощение; ибо не восхвалят Тебя мертвые, Господи, и пребывающие в аду не осмелятся исповедовать Тебя. Но мы, живые, благословим Тебя, и будем молиться, и приносить Тебе умилостивление. молитвы и жертвы за их души ». [18]

Святой Григорий Диалог († 604 г.) в своих знаменитых Диалогах (написанных в 593 г.) учит, что «Святая Жертва (Евхаристия) Христа, наша спасительная жертва, приносит огромные блага душам даже после смерти, если их грехи (таковы) может быть помилован в жизни грядущей ". [19] Однако святой Григорий продолжает, что церковная практика молитв за умерших не должна служить оправданием для того, чтобы жить на земле благочестивой жизнью. «Более безопасный курс, естественно, - делать для себя в течение жизни то, что, как мы надеемся, другие сделают для нас после смерти». [20] Отец Серафим Роуз († 1982) говорит: «Молитва Церкви не может спасти никого, кто не желает спасения или никогда не боролся ( подвиг) за это сам при жизни » [21].

Восточно-православная практика [ править ]

Различные молитвы за усопших имеют своей целью молиться об упокоении усопших, утешать живых и напоминать оставшимся об их собственной смертности. По этой причине поминальные службы вызывают умиление. [22]

Молитвы Церкви за умерших начинаются в момент смерти, когда священник ведет Молитвы при уходе души , состоящие из особого канона и молитв об освобождении души. Затем тело омывают, одевают и кладут в гроб, после чего священник начинает Первую панихиду (молебен по усопшим). После Первой панихиды семья и друзья начинают читать вслух Псалтирь рядом с гробом. Это чтение продолжается и завершается до следующего утра, когда обычно проводятся похороны, до времени ортроса .

Orthodox Christians offer particularly fervent prayers for the departed on the first 40 days after death. Traditionally, in addition to the service on the day of death, the memorial service is performed at the request of the relatives of an individual departed person on the following occasions:

  • Third day after death[23]
  • Ninth day
  • Fortieth day
  • First anniversary of death
  • Third anniversary (some will request a memorial every year on the anniversary of death)

In addition to Panikhidas for individuals, there are also several days during the year that are set aside as special general commemorations of the dead, when all departed Orthodox Christians will be prayed for together (this is especially to benefit those who have no one on earth to pray for them). The majority of these general commemorations fall on the various "Soul Saturdays" throughout the year (mostly during Great Lent). On these days, in addition to the normal Panikhida, there are special additions to Vespers and Matins, and there will be propers for the departed added to the Divine Liturgy. These days of general memorial are:

  • Meatfare Saturday (two Saturdays before Great Lent begins); in some traditions families and friends will offer Panikhidas for their loved ones during the week, culminating in the general commemoration on Saturday
  • The second Saturday of Great Lent
  • The third Saturday of Great Lent
  • The fourth Saturday of Great Lent
  • Radonitsa (the second Tuesday after Easter)
  • The Saturday before Pentecost; in some traditions families and friends will offer Panikhidas for their loved ones during the week, culminating in the general commemoration on Saturday
  • Demetrius Saturday (the Saturday before the feast of Saint Demetrius, October 26). In the Bulgarian Orthodox Church there is a commemoration of the dead on the Saturday before the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, November 8, instead of the Demetrius Soul Saturday.

The most important form of prayer for the dead occurs in the Divine Liturgy. Particles are cut from the prosphoron during the Proskomedie at the beginning of the Liturgy. These particles are placed beneath the Lamb (Host) on the diskos, where they remain throughout the Liturgy. After the Communion of the faithful, the deacon brushes these particles into the chalice, saying, "Wash away, O Lord, the sins of all those here commemorated, by Thy Precious Blood, through the prayers of all thy saints." Of this action, Saint Mark of Ephesus says, "We can do nothing better or greater for the dead than to pray for them, offering commemoration for them at the Liturgy. Of this they are always in need. ...The body feels nothing then: it does not see its close ones who have assembled, does not smell the fragrance of the flowers, does not hear the funeral orations. But the soul senses the prayers offered for it and is grateful to those who make them and is spiritually close to them."[24]

Normally, candidates for sainthood, prior to their Glorification (Canonization) as a saint, will be commemorated by serving Panikhidas. Then, on the eve of their Glorification will be served an especially solemn Requiem, known as the "Last Panikhida".

Catholic Church[edit]

In the West there is ample evidence of the custom of praying for the dead in the inscriptions of the catacombs, with their constant prayers for the peace and refreshment of the souls of the departed and in the early liturgies, which commonly contain commemorations of the dead; and Tertullian, Cyprian and other early Western Fathers witness to the regular practice of praying for the dead among the early Christians.[25]

However, in the case of martyred Christians, it was felt that it was inappropriate to pray "for" the martyrs, since they were believed to be in no need of such prayers, having instantly passed to the Beatific Vision of Heaven. Theoretically, too, prayer for those in hell (understood as the abode of the eternally lost) would be useless, but since there is no certainty that any particular person is in hell understood in that sense, prayers were and are offered for all the dead, except for those believed to be in heaven who are prayed to, not for. Thus, prayers were and are offered for all those in Hades, the abode of the dead who are not known to be in heaven, sometimes rendered as "hell".[26] With the development of the doctrine of purgatory, the dead prayed for were spoken of as being in purgatory and, in view of the certainty that by the process of purification and with the help of the prayers of the faithful they were destined for heaven, they were referred to as the "holy souls".

Limits were placed on public offering of Mass for the unbaptised, non-Catholics, and notorious sinners, but prayers and even Mass in private could be said for them. The present Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church states that, unless the person concerned gave some signs of repentance before death, no form of funeral Mass may be offered for notorious apostates, heretics and schismatics; for those who for anti-Christian motives chose that their bodies be cremated; and for other manifest sinners to whom a Church funeral could not be granted without public scandal to the faithful.[27]

On the other hand, "provided their own minister is not available, baptised persons belonging to a non-catholic Church or ecclesial community may, in accordance with the prudent judgement of the local Ordinary, be allowed Church funeral rites, unless it is established that they did not wish this."[28]

During the slaughter of the First World War, Pope Benedict XV on 10 August 1915 allowed all priests everywhere to say three Masses on All Souls' Day. The two extra Masses were in no way to benefit the priest himself: one was to be offered for all the faithful departed, the other for the Pope's intentions, which at that time were presumed to be for all the victims of that war. The permission remains.

Each Eucharistic Prayer, including the Roman Canon of the Order of Mass, has a prayer for the departed.

In Communio Sanctorum, the Lutheran and Catholic Churches in Germany agreed that prayer for the dead "corresponds to the communion in which we are bound together in Christ ... with those who have already died to pray for them and to commend them ... to the mercy of God."[29] Likewise, in the United States, the Evangelical Lutheran Church and Catholic Church formulated a statement The Hope of Eternal Life, which affirmed that "there is communion among the living and the dead across the divide of death. ...Prayerful commendation of the dead to God is salutary within a funeral liturgy. ...Insofar as the resurrection of the dead and the general final judgment are future events, it is appropriate to pray for God's mercy for each person, entrusting that one to God's mercy."[29]

Lutheran Church[edit]

To console women whose children were not born and baptized, Martin Luther wrote in 1542: "In summary, see to it that above all else you are a true Christian and that you teach a heartfelt yearning and praying to God in true faith, be it in this or in any other trouble. Then do not be dismayed about your child or yourself. Know that your prayer is pleasing to God and that God will do everything much better than you can comprehend or desire. 'Call upon me,' he says in Psalm 50. 'In the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.' For this reason, we ought not to condemn such infants. Believers and Christians have devoted their longing and yearning and praying for them."[30] In the same year 1542 he stated in his Preface to the Burial Hymns: "Accordingly, we have removed from our churches and completely abolished the popish abominations, such as vigils, Masses for the dead, processions, purgatory, and all other hocus-pocus on behalf of the dead".[31][32]

The Lutheran Reformers de-emphasized prayer for the dead, because they believed that the practice had led to many abuses and even to false doctrine, in particular the doctrine of purgatory and of the Mass as a propitiatory sacrifice for the departed. But they recognized that the early Church had practiced prayer for the dead, and accepted it in principle. Thus in the 1580 Book of Concord, the Lutheran Church taught:

"... we know that the ancients speak of prayer for the dead, which we do not prohibit; but we disapprove of the application ex opere operato of the Lord's Supper on behalf of the dead."[33]

The largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, "remembers the faithful departed in the Prayers of the People every Sunday, including those who have recently died and those commemorated on the church calendar of saints".[34] In Funeral rites of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, "deceased are prayed for" using "commendations: 'keep our sister/brother ... in the company of all your saints. And at the last ... raise her/him up to share with all the faithful the endless joy and peace won through the glorious resurrection of Christ our Lord.'"[34] The response for these prayers for the dead in this Lutheran liturgy is the prayer of Eternal Rest: "Rest eternal grant him/her, O Lord; and let light perpetual shine upon him/her".[34]

On the other hand, the edition of Luther's Small Catechism widely used among communicants of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod recommends:

For whom should we pray?...We should pray for ourselves and for all other people, even for our enemies, but not for the souls of the dead.[35]

This question and answer do not appear in Luther's original text, but reflect the views of the twentieth-century Lutherans who added this explanation to the catechism. Similarly, the conservative Lutheran denomination WELS teaches:

Lutherans do not pray for the souls of the departed. When a person dies his soul goes to either heaven or hell. There is no second chance after death. The Bible tells us, "Man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment" (Hebrew 9:27, see also Luke 16:19-31). It would do no good to pray for someone who has died.[36]

Anglicanism[edit]

The Church of England's 1549 Book of the Common Prayer still had prayer for the dead, as (in the Communion Service): "We commend into thy mercy all other thy servants, which are departed hence from us with the sign of faith and now do rest in the sleep of peace: grant unto them, we beseech thee, thy mercy and everlasting peace."[1] But since 1552 the Book of Common Prayer has no express prayers for the dead, and the practice is denounced in the Homily "On Prayer" (part 3).[37] Nonjurors included prayers for the dead, a practice that spread within the Church of England in the mid-nineteenth century, and was authorized in 1900 for forces serving in South Africa and since then in other forms of service. Many jurisdictions and parishes of the Anglo-Catholic tradition continue to practice prayer for the dead, including offering the Sunday liturgy for the peace of named departed Christians and keeping All Souls' Day.

The Episcopal Church's 1979 Book of Common Prayer includes prayers for the dead. The prayers during the Sunday Eucharistic Liturgy include intercessions for the repose of the faithful departed. Furthermore, most of the prayers in the burial rite are for the deceased, including the opening collect:

O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered: Accept our prayers on behalf of thy servant N., and grant him an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of thy saints; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.[38]

According to the Catechism in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, "We pray for (the dead), because we still hold them in our love, and because we trust that in God's presence those who have chosen to serve him will grow in his love, until they see him as he is."[39] Although this statement indicates that prayer is typically made for those who are known to have been members of the Church ("those who have chosen to serve him"), prayer is also offered for those whose faith was uncertain or unknown – authorized options in the Prayer Book burial rite allow for prayers that thus entrust the deceased to the mercy of God while retaining integrity about what was known of the deceased's religious life. For example, following the intercessions, there are two options for a concluding prayer: the first begins, "Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to you our brother (sister) N., who was reborn by water and the Spirit in Holy Baptism . . ."; the second, however, would be appropriate for one whose faith and standing before God is not known:

Father of all, we pray to you for N., and for all those whom we love but see no longer. Grant to them eternal rest. Let light perpetual shine upon them. May his soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.[40]

Methodist Church[edit]

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, stated that: "I believe it to be a duty to observe, to pray for the Faithful Departed".[41] He "taught the propriety of Praying for the Dead, practised it himself, provided Forms that others might."[42] Two such prayers in the Forms are "O grant that we, with those who are already dead in Thy faith and fear, may together partake of a joyful resurrection" and also, "By Thy infinite mercies, vouchsafe to bring us, with those that are dead in Thee, to rejoice together before Thee."[42] As such, many Methodists pray "for those who sleep."[43] Shane Raynor, a Methodist writer, explains the practice saying that it is "appropriate to pray for others in the community, even across time and space", referencing the doctrine of Communion of Saints being a "community made up of all past, present, and future Christians".[44] In a joint statement with the Catholic Church in England and Wales, the Methodist Church of Great Britain affirmed that "Methodists who pray for the dead thereby commend them to the continuing mercy of God."[45]

Moravian Church[edit]

In its Easter liturgy, the Moravian Church prays for those "departed in the faith of Christ" and "give[s] thanks for their holy departure".[46]

Irvingian Churches[edit]

The New Apostolic Church, the largest of the Irvingian Churches, practices prayer for the dead. Divine Services for the faithful departed take place thrice a year; additionally, "New Apostolic Christians also pray that souls who have died in an unredeemed state may find salvation in Christ."[47]

Other churches[edit]

Prayer for the dead is not practiced by members of Baptist and nondenominational Christian churches.[25] For example, members of the Baptist churches hold that "dead men receive no benefit from the prayers, sacrifices, &c. of the living."[48]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[edit]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a number of sacred ordinances and rituals that are performed for the dead. Among these are baptism for the dead and the sealing of the dead to families.[citation needed] These practices are based upon multiple New Testament scriptures, some of which are 1 Corinthians 15:29-32 and Matthew 16:19.

Hinduism[edit]

In Hinduism there are funeral speeches with prayers for the dead.[49][50][51] Many of these funeral speeches are read out from the Mahabharata, usually in Sanskrit. Family members will pray around the body as soon as possible after death. People try to avoid touching the corpse as it is considered polluting.

Islam[edit]

See also: Islamic funeral

In Islam, Muslims of their community gather to their collective prayers for the forgiveness of the dead, a prayer is recited and this prayer is known as the Salat al-Janazah (Janazah prayer). Like Eid prayer, the Janazah prayer incorporates an additional (four) Takbirs, the Arabic name for the phrase Allahu Akbar, but there is no Ruku' (bowing) and Sujud (prostrating). Supplication for the deceased and mankind is recited. In extraordinary circumstances, the prayer can be postponed and prayed at a later time as was done in the Battle of Uhud.

Dogma states it is obligatory for every Muslim adult male to perform the funeral prayer upon the death of any Muslim, but the dogma embraces the practical in that it qualifies: when Janazah is performed by the few it alleviates that obligation for all.

In addition, "Peace be upon him" (sometimes abbreviated in writing as PBUH) is a constantly repeated prayer for dead people such as prophet Mohammed.

Judaism[edit]

Main article: Yizkor

Prayers for the dead form part of the Jewish services. The prayers offered on behalf of the deceased consist of: Recitation of Psalms; Reciting a thrice daily communal prayer in Aramaic which is known as Kaddish. Kaddish actually means "Sanctification" (or "Prayer of Making Holy") which is a prayer "In Praise of God"; or other special remembrances known as Yizkor; and also a Hazkara which is said either on the annual commemoration known as the Yahrzeit as well on Jewish holidays. The form in use in England contains the following passage: "Have mercy upon him; pardon all his transgressions. ...Shelter his soul in the shadow of Thy wings. Make known to him the path of life."[1]

El Maleh Rachamim is the actual Jewish prayer for the dead, although less well known than the Mourner's Kaddish. While the Kaddish does not mention death but rather affirms the steadfast faith of the mourners in God's goodness, El Maleh Rachamim is a prayer for the rest of the departed. There are various translations for the original Hebrew which vary significantly. One version reads:

God, filled with mercy, dwelling in the heavens' heights, bring proper rest beneath the wings of your Shechinah, amid the ranks of the holy and the pure, illuminating like the brilliance of the skies the souls of our beloved and our blameless who went to their eternal place of rest. May You who are the source of mercy shelter them beneath Your wings eternally, and bind their souls among the living, that they may rest in peace. And let us say: Amen.[This quote needs a citation]

A record of Jewish prayer and offering of sacrifice for the dead at the time of the Maccabees is seen being referred to in 2 Maccabees, a book written in Greek, which, though not accepted as part of the Jewish Bible, is regarded as canonical by Eastern Christianity and the Roman Catholic Church:

But under the tunic of each of the dead they found amulets sacred to the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. So it was clear to all that this was why these men had been slain. They all therefore praised the ways of the Lord, the just judge who brings to light the things that are hidden. Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out. The noble Judas warned the soldiers to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen. He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin.[52]

Jacques Le Goff, French historian and agnostic, concluded: "At the time of Judas Maccabeus – around 170 B.C., a surprisingly innovative period – prayer for the dead was not practiced, but that a century later it was practiced by certain Jews.”[53]

This extract does not explain on what grounds Le Goff argued that prayer for the dead was not in use in the first half of the 2nd century BC. The account of the action of Judas Maccabaeus was written midway through the second half of the same century, in about 124 B.C.,[54] and in the view of Philip Schaff its mention of prayer for the dead "seems to imply habit".[55]

Baháʼí Faith[edit]

Followers of the Baháʼí Faith believe that the soul continues to progress toward God in the afterlife. In fact, the Baháʼí definition of heaven and hell are nearness and remoteness from God in the afterlife, respectively. The belief is that souls continue their journeys through can be aided in their progress by the saying of prayers for the departed. Here is a sample of one such prayer:

O my God! O Thou forgiver of sins, bestower of gifts, dispeller of afflictions!

Verily, I beseech thee to forgive the sins of such as have abandoned the physical garment and have ascended to the spiritual world.

O my Lord! Purify them from trespasses, dispel their sorrows, and change their darkness into light. Cause them to enter the garden of happiness, cleanse them with the most pure water, and grant them to behold Thy splendors on the loftiest mount.

- ʻAbdu'l-Bahá

The Prayer for the Dead is a particular prayer for the departed, said at Baháʼí funerals before internment.[56][57][58]

Taoism[edit]

Taoists chant Qinghuahao (青華誥) or Jiukujing (救苦經).[59][60][61]

Other religions[edit]

Many spiritual traditions have prayers for the dead as part of their liturgy, whether these prayers are salutational, to welcome the spirits of the deceased, or to remember their names.[citation needed]

African Traditional and Diasporic traditions often have incorporated ancestral veneration practices. In orisha based traditions, the mojuba is the praise chant which praises Olodumare, the orishas, the religious lineage, the blood lineage of ancestors, and the various other beings of the universe.[citation needed]

Zoroastrians chant prayers for the dead in their funeral ceremonies, asking God to forgive the deceased.[62]

See also[edit]

  • All Souls' Day
  • Baptism for the dead
  • Book of the Dead
  • Intercession of saints
  • Requiem
  • Saturday of Souls
  • Veneration of the dead
  • Veneration of the saints

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Burrows, Winfrid Oldfield (1911). "Prayers for the Dead". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 22 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 262–263.
  2. ^ Lu, Jun Hong (2018). Buddhism : your questions answered : frequently asked questions about practising Buddhism. Guan Yin Tang Culture Centre (First ed.). Sydney NSW. ISBN 978-0-9872230-5-0. OCLC 1047728511.
  3. ^ Lu, Jun Hong (22 April 2018). A Guide to Reciting the Combination of Buddhist Scriptures. Sydney, Australia. ISBN 978-1-925798-33-3.
  4. ^ 與生死有關--超度佛事的功德(下) Archived 2012-04-26 at the Wayback Machine
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  8. ^ 慈濟大學-實驗動物中心-第三章第四節動物之安樂死與屍體之處置 Archived 2013-11-01 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "寵物死了怎麼辦？ @ 小行者的部落格:: 痞客邦PIXNET ::". Archived from the original on 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2013-10-30.
  10. ^ 金丹大法 Archived 2012-09-10 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ 多尊佛名號功德/ 海濤法師開示節錄 Archived 2013-11-01 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ "護生手冊". Archived from the original on 2013-05-15. Retrieved 2013-10-30.
  13. ^ The Longer Catechism of the Orthodox, Catholic, Eastern Church Archived 2007-07-03 at the Wayback Machine, 376
  14. ^ Le Goff, Jacques. The birth of purgatory. University of Chicago Press. 1984.
  15. ^ Catechism of the Catholic Church Archived 2007-11-02 at the Wayback Machine, 1032
  16. ^ "Of course we do not understand exactly how such prayer benefits the departed. Yet equally, when we intercede for people still alive, we cannot explain how these intercessions assist them. We know from our personal experience that prayer for others is effective, and so we continue to practice it." (Kallistos Ware, The Inner Kingdom (St Vladimir's Seminary Press 2000, p. 36), ISBN 978-0-88141-209-3.
  17. ^ Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church (Penguin Books, 1964, ISBN 0-14-020592-6), p. 259
  18. ^ Isabel F. Hapgood, Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, Englewood, New Jersey, 1975, 5th edition), p. 255.
  19. ^ Dialogues IV, 57.
  20. ^ Id. IV, 60.
  21. ^ Fr. Seraphim Rose, The Soul After Death (Saint Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, Platina, California, ISBN 0-938635-14-X), p. 191.
  22. ^ For instance, the Panikhida does not have the chanting of "God is the Lord..." as the Moleben does; but instead, the "Alleluia" is chanted, reminiscent of the "Alleluia" that is chanted at Lenten services.
  23. ^ In calculating the number of days, the actual day of death is counted as the first day. According to St. Macarius the Great, the reason for these days is as follows: from the third day to the ninth day after death, the departed is soul is shown the mansions of Paradise (the funeral is normally performed on the third day); from the ninth to the fortieth days, the soul is shown the torments of hell; and on the fortieth day, the soul stands before the throne of God to undergo the Particular Judgement and is assigned the place where it will await the Second Coming. For this reason, the fortieth day is considered to be the most important. In some traditions, there is also a commemoration at six months.
  24. ^ Quoted in Seraphim Rose, The Soul After Death, p. 192, op. cit.
  25. ^ a b Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford University Press 2005 ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3), article "dead, prayer for the"
  26. ^ "Catechism of the Catholic Church, 633". Archived from the original on 2019-11-17. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  27. ^ "canons 1184-1185". Archived from the original on 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-04-27.
  28. ^ "canon 1183 §3". Archived from the original on 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-04-27.
  29. ^ a b Gould, James B. (4 August 2016). Understanding Prayer for the Dead: Its Foundation in History and Logic. Wipf and Stock Publishers. pp. 57–58. ISBN 9781620329887.
  30. ^ Martin Luther's Basic Theological Writings (Fortress Press 2012) Archived 2016-03-23 at the Wayback Machine ISBN 978-0-80069883-6; cf. Elisa Erikson Barrett, What Was Lost: A Christian Journey through Miscarriage (Westminster John Knox Press 2010, p. 70) ISBN 978-1-61164074-8
  31. ^ Luther's Works 53:325
  32. ^ Garces-Foley, Kathleen, Death and Religion in a Changing World Archived 2015-02-03 at the Wayback Machine, p129
  33. ^ "Defense of the Augsburg Confession - Book of Concord". bookofconcord.org. Archived from the original on 2015-10-26. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  34. ^ a b c Gould, James B. (4 August 2016). Understanding Prayer for the Dead: Its Foundation in History and Logic. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 50. ISBN 9781532606014.
  35. ^ Question 201 of Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation (Concordia Publishing House, 1991 edition) The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
  36. ^ "Prayer for the Dead". WELS Topical Q&A. Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Archived from the original on 2 January 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  37. ^ "Neither let us dreame any more, that the soules of the dead are any thing at all holpen by our prayers: But as the Scripture teacheth us, let us thinke that the soule of man passing out of the body, goeth straight wayes either to heaven, or else to hell, whereof the one needeth no prayer, and the other is without redemption." (An Homilie or Sermon concerning Prayer Archived 2008-05-14 at the Wayback Machine, part 3)
  38. ^ The Book of Common Prayer. 1979. p. 470.
  39. ^ The Book of Common Prayer. 1979. p. 862.
  40. ^ The Book of Common Prayer. 1979. p. 498.
  41. ^ Walker, Walter James (1885). Chapters on the Early Registers of Halifax Parish Church. Whitley & Booth. p. 20. The opinion of the Rev. John Wesley may be worth citing. "I believe it to be a duty to observe, to pray for the Faithful Departed."
  42. ^ a b Holden, Harrington William (1872). John Wesley in Company with High Churchmen. London: J. Hodges. p. 84. Wesley taught the propriety of Praying for the Dead, practised it himself, provided Forms that others might. These forms, for daily use, he put fort, not tentatively or apologetically, but as considering such prayer a settled matter of Christian practice, with all who believe that the Faithful, living and dead, are one Body in Christ in equal need and like expectation of those blessings which they will together enjoy, when both see Him in His Kingdom. Two or three examples, out of many, may be given: 'O grant that we, with those who are already dead in Thy faith and fear, may together partake of a joyful resurrection.'
  43. ^ Holden, Harrington William (1872). John Wesley in Company with High Churchmen. London: J. Hodges. p. 84. The Prayers passed through many editions, and were in common use among thousands of Methodists of every degree, who, without scruple or doubtfulness prayed for those who sleep in Jesus every day that they prayed to the common Father of all.
  44. ^ Raynor, Shane (14 October 2015). "Should Christians pray for the dead?". Ministry Matters. The United Methodist Publishing House. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  45. ^ Gould, James B. (4 August 2016). Understanding Prayer for the Dead: Its Foundation in History and Logic. Wipf and Stock Publishers. pp. 57–58. ISBN 9781620329887. The Roman Catholic and English Methodist churches both pray for the dead. Their consensus statement confirms that "over the centuries in the Catholic tradition praying for the dead has developed into a variety of practices, especially through the Mass. ...The Methodist church ... has prayers for the dead. ...Methodists who pray for the dead thereby commend them to the continuing mercy of God.
  46. ^ Garbett, John (1827). The Nullity of the Roman Faith. John Murray. p. 299.
  47. ^ "12.1.13 Divine services for the departed". The Catechism of the New Apostolic Church. New Apostolic Church. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  48. ^ Crosby, Thomas (1738). The History of the English Baptists. Church History Research & Archives. p. 38. That dead men receive no benefit from the prayers, ſacrifices, &c. of the living.
  49. ^ "Funerals". Archived from the original on 2011-06-13. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
  50. ^ "RITUALS". Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
  51. ^ "Kamat's Potpourri: FAQ on Hindu Funerals". Archived from the original on 2010-12-25. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
  52. ^ "2 Maccabees 12:40-46". Archived from the original on 2010-09-30. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
  53. ^ Le Goff, Jacques (1984). The Birth of Purgatory. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. p. 45. ISBN 9780226470832. Archived from the original on 2014-07-04. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  54. ^ Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985.
  55. ^ "Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Volume II: Ante-Nicene Christianity. A.D. 100-325, "§156. Between Death and Resurrection."". Archived from the original on 2013-12-05. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  56. ^ "Prayer for the Dead". Archived from the original on 2011-05-06. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
  57. ^ "Compilation: Baháʼí Burial". Archived from the original on 2009-11-24. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
  58. ^ Bahá'u'lláh (189x). The Kitáb-i-Íqán (1989 pocket-size ed.). US Baháʼí Publishing Trust. pp. 101–102. Archived from the original on 2015-01-08. Retrieved 2011-04-10 – via Bahá’í Reference Library.
  59. ^ "救苦朝科". Archived from the original on 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2014-12-20.
  60. ^ 論道教太乙救苦天尊的信仰 Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine
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  62. ^ "The Funeral Ceremonies of the Parsees". Archived from the original on 2005-02-07. Retrieved 2011-04-10.

External links[edit]

  • Prayers for the Dead article in Catholic Encyclopedia
  • Papal Document Promulgating the Simplification of Indulgences from the Vatican website, with resulting Manual of Indulgence
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20100715181550/http://www.ritualwell.org/lifecycles/death/funeralburial/21%20El%20Maley%20Rahamim.xml
  • http://www.hinduism.co.za/funerals.htm#