The Order of the Funeral of the Dead
At the Funeral Home
In the presence of the body, and vested in rason and epitrachelion, the deacon incenses the casket, and they begin:
Deacon: Bless Master.
Priest: Blessed is our God at all times, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
And the reader continues:
Reader: Holy God, Holy Mighty One. Holy Immortal One! Have mercy on us (three times).
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive us our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, look upon us and heal our infirmities for your name's sake.
Lord, have mercy (three times).
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
And the priest continues:
Priest: For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
And the reader sings the following troparia:
(Tone 4)
With the just who have reposed in your peace, grant rest, O Savior, to the soul of your servant and bestow upon it the blessed life which is from You, O Lover of Mankind!
Grant rest within your peace, O Lord, to the soul of your servant.
Within your peace where all your saints repose, grant rest, O Lord, to the soul of your servant for You alone are the Lover of Mankind.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
O Savior, You are our God! You descended into Hades to deliver those who were bound there in suffering; grant rest also to the soul of this your departed servant.
Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
O Mother of God, the only Virgin immaculate and pure, in virginity you have given birth to Christ our God; intercede with Him for the salvation of the soul of this your departed servant.
And the deacon sings the litany:
Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, in your great mercy: we pray to You, hear us and have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Again, let us pray for the repose of the soul of the departed servant of God N., and that to him (her) may be remitted every transgression, both deliberate and indeliberate.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: That the Lord God may grant his (her) soul to rest where the just repose.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Let us ask the mercies of God, the kingdom of heaven and the forgiveness of his (her) through Christ our immortal king and God.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who has destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the soul of your servant N., who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him (her) every sin he (she) has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin: You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servant N., O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Since it is customary to spend much time at the funeral home, it seemed better to anticipate the Idiomela of St. John of Damascus which canonically are to be said after the 9th Ode of the Canon of the funeral service and also to recite at this time the Litany of the Resurrection.
The troparia of St. John of Damascus are sung:
(Tone 1)
What pleasure is there in our life that is not mixed with sorrow? What glory on earth that lasts? All are more fleeting than shadows, and more deceitful than a dream! In one moment death takes all away. But, You O Christ, in the light of your face, in the beauty of your holiness, give peace to our brother (sister) You have chosen, for You are the Lover of Mankind.
(Tone 2)
What struggle my soul will have to sustain when its time will come to be separated from my body! What suffering I shall have to endure alone! No one will be at hand to have mercy on me. If I turn my eyes even to angels, I will be pleading in vain. If I stretch out my hands to my fellow men, I will find no one to help. Beloved Brethren, let us then consider how short is our life and look up to Christ who alone grants mercy and peace.
(Tone 3)
All human things are vain since they cannot survive the grave: will riches survive, or glory attend us beyond the tomb? No! When death approaches, all these vanish. Let us then cry out to Christ, our immortal King, that He may give rest to him (her) who has departed from us, and place him (her) in the joy of heaven.
(Tone 4)
Where are the affections of the world? Where are the vain dreams of delight? Where is gold or silver? Where is the multitude of servants and attendants? All is dust and ashes, or a shadow that passes away. Brethren, let us then pray to Christ our Immortal King and say: "O Lord, grant your blessings to your departed servant, and give rest to his (her) soul in your everlasting happiness of heaven."
(Tone 5)
Let us call to mind the words of the Prophet who said: "I am dust and ashes." Let us also look at the graves, and at the bones they contain. Is there a difference between king and beggar? Where is the rich and where the poor? Where is the just and where the sinner? O Lord our God, give rest to the soul of your servant and number him (her) among the just.
(Tone 6)
O Lord my God, You have endowed me with two elements -- one visible and the other invisible. You have formed my body from clay, and breathed into me a soul from your divine breath. O Christ our God, give rest to the soul of your servant in the Kingdom of those who live forever and in the company of the just.
(Tone 7)
In the beginning You made man in your image and likeness. You placed him in paradise and gave him power over the whole creation. But he was deceived by the devil and transgressed your command by tasting of the forbidden fruit. You sentenced him to return to that dust from which he had been taken: wherefore we pray to You, O our God, to grant peace and rest to the soul of your departed servant.
(Tone 8)
I weep and lament when I consider death, and when I think of those who are laid in the grave. Where is now that moving beauty created in the likeness of God? Where is the glorious form? Oh, wonder: what happened that we are now delivered up to corruption? And how did death come into our life? God alone by his will and command has power to grant peace and rest to our souls.
And the troparion:
(Tone 8)
O Christ, with the saints grant rest to the soul of your servant that he (she) may repose in a place where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing but everlasting life.
And the deacon begins:
Deacon: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For the peace from on high, and for the salvation of souls, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, may grant us triumph and victory over the temptations of our visible and invisible enemies, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That He may crush beneath our feet the prince of darkness and his powers, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That He may raise us with Him, and make us rise from the tomb of our sins and offenses, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That He may purify us, and make us shine with the glory of his holy resurrection, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That we may deserve the grace of entering into the chamber of his divine wedding-feast, and rejoice beyond words, together with his heavenly attendants and the hosts of the saints glorified through Him in the Church Triumphant in heaven, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That we may be delivered from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by your grace.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Let us remember the all-holy, spotless, most highly blessed, and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, and all the saints, and commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ God.
All: To You, O Lord!
Priest: For You are our Light and our Resurrection, O Christ God; and we send up glory to You, and to Your eternal Father and to Your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
And the priest says the apolysis:
Priest: Glory to You, O Christ, our God and our hope, glory to You!
Priest: O Christ our true God, who has dominion over the living and the dead, deign, through the intercession of your all-immaculate Mother, of our venerable and God-bearing fathers, and of all your saints, to establish in the mansions of the just the soul of your departed servant N. (All: Amen), to number him (her) among the saints (All: Amen), and to have mercy on us (All: Amen), for You are gracious and the Lover of Mankind.
All: Amen.
Priest: May the memory of N., who is worthy of praise, remain with us forever.
All: May the memory of N., who is worthy of praise, remain with us forever.
Together: May the memory of N., who is worthy of praise, remain with us forever.
Priest: Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
All: Amen.
In the Church
When the body is brought to the church, the priest vested in rasson and epitrachelion and, preceded by the cross bearer and candle-bearers, comes to the church door. While incensing, he and the deacon lead the procession into the church while singing:
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy on us.
The bier is places in its proper place with the body of the deceased facing the congregation; candles are lighted around it.
The deacon intones:
Deacon: Bless, Master.
Priest: Blessed is our God at all times, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Meanwhile the reader begins Psalm 90:
-He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High abides in the shadow of God of heaven
-He will say to the Lord: "My wall, my refuge, my God in whom I will trust!"
-He it is who will save you from the hunter's snare, and from the deadly pestilence.
-With his pinions, He will overshadow you and beneath his wings you shall rest secure.
-As a shield, his truth shall cover you: you shall not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
-Nor the thing that lurks about in darkness, nor the pestilence or demon of the noon.
-Though a thousand may be falling at your side, and ten thousand at your right, no harm will come to you.
-But you with your eyes shall observe, and see the retribution of the wicked.
-Because you have said: "O Lord, You are my hope!" and You have taken the Most High as your refuge,
-No evil shall come close to You, nor shall any scourge approach your dwelling.
-For He will command the Angels to watch over all your ways.
-In their hands they shall carry you lest you stumble with your foot against a stone.
-Upon the asp and the viper You shall tread; the lion and the dragon You shall trample.
-Because he trusted Me, I will save him; l will protect him, for he knew my Name;
-He will call on Me, and I will answer him, I am with him at the time of distress; I will deliver him and give him glory,
-With length of days I will feed him, and my salvation I will let him see.
(Tone 2)
All: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Reader: -Blessed are those You have chosen and drawn near, to dwell in your courts, O Lord, and be filled with the good things of your house.
All: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Reader: Their souls shall abide in abundance, and their generation shall inherit the earth.
All: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Reader: Their memory will remain forever and ever.
All: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And the evlogitaria of the dead are sung in Tone 5.
All: Blessed are You, O Lord: teach me your statutes!
Reader: The choirs of saints have discovered the Fountain of Life and the Gate of Paradise; may I also, through repentance find the way to You, O Lord. I am a lost sheep: O Savior, call me back to your fold and save me.
All: Blessed are You, O Lord: teach me your statutes!
Reader: O Lord, who with your own hand have fashioned me from nothingness, and adorned me with your divine image, and who, when I transgressed your commandment, did cast me down into the dust whereof I had been made: deign, O Lord, to restore me to your likeness, that my original beauty may be renewed in me.
All: Blessed are You, O Lord: teach me your statutes!
Reader: O Lord, I am the image of your ineffable glory, even though I bear the wounds of sin. Look with compassion on your creature, O Lord, and purify me in your mercy. In your loving kindness cleanse me, restoring to me the right of those who dwell in paradise for which I long.
All: Blessed are You, O Lord: teach me your statutes !
Reader: O saints in heaven, who preached the Lamb of God and like lambs were led to the slaughter and thus passed on to eternal and everlasting life; O martyrs and saints of God, pray without cease that our sins may be forgiven us.
All: Blessed are You, O Lord: teach me your statutes!
Reader: Grant rest, O Lord, to your servant, and appoint his (her) place in paradise where choirs of saints and righteous ones shine forth like stars in heaven. O Lord, grant rest to your departed servant and forgive him (her) all his (her) sins.
All: Blessed are You, O Lord: teach me your statutes !
Reader: Let us listen to this admonition of Christ: "All you who in this life have walked the narrow road in sorrow and pain, and taken up your cross as a yoke, and followed Me faithfully come now, enter the rewards of heaven and receive the crowns I have prepared for you."
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Reader: With devotion, let us praise the threefold splendor of God, and let us say: "Holy are You, Eternal Father, and Holy is your Coeternal Son and Holy your Divine Spirit! Enlighten us who adore You with faith, and deliver us from everlasting fire.
All: Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: Hail, immaculate Mother of God, who, for the restoration of mankind, have brought forth God in the flesh. Through this same God, the human race has found salvation, blessed Mother of God; may we also through you find paradise.
Reader: Alleluia ! Alleluia ! Alleluia ! Glory to You, O God !
All: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory to You, O God!
Reader: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory to You, our God and our hope, glory to You!
On Sundays and during the paschal season, the ordinary evlogitaria are replaced by the evlogitaria of the Resurrection in Tone 5:
All: Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me your statutes!
Reader: The hosts of angels were amazed when they beheld you, O Savior, among the dead destroying the power of death, raising up Adam with you and releasing all from Hades.
All: Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me your statutes!
Reader: The radiant angel standing by the grave cries out to the ointment-bearing women: "Why, O women disciples, do you lament and mingle your tears with the spices? Look upon the grave and rejoice, for the Savior is risen from the dead."
All: Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me your statutes!
Reader: The ointment-bearing women came to your grave with ointment, and they heard the angel say to them, "Why are you counting the living with the dead? Indeed, He is God. He is risen from the dead."
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Reader: We worship the Father and his Son and his Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, one in substance and we sing with the Seraphim, Holy, holy, holy are You, O Lord.
All: Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: O Virgin, you bore the Giver of Life, You redeemed Adam from his sin and granted joy to Eve instead of sadness. As for the God Man who was incarnate of You, He has restored to life those who had strayed away from it.
Reader: Alleluia ! Alleluia ! Alleluia ! Glory to You, O God !
All: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory to You, O God!
Reader: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory to You, our God and our hope, glory to You!
The deacon incenses while singing:
Deacon: Again and again in peace, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Again, let us pray for the repose of the soul of the departed servant of God N., that to him (her) may be remitted every transgression both deliberate and indeliberate.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: That the Lord God may establish his (her) soul where the just repose.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Let us ask the mercies of God, the kingdom of heaven and the forgiveness of his (her) through Christ our immortal king and God.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Priest: For You are the resurrection and the life and the Repose of your departed servant N., O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, and to your Eternal Father, and to your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
And the reader intones the following troparia:
(Fifth Tone)
O Lord, grant to this your servant to rest with the righteous ones and to dwell in your courts, as it is written. Since You are a merciful God, forgive his (her) sins both deliberate and indeliberate, and all his (her) transgressions he (she) committed by thought, word or deed, knowingly or unknowingly, for You are the Lover of Mankind.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Forgive all the transgressions he (she) committed by thought, word or deed, knowingly or unknowingly. For You are the Lover of Mankind.
All: Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
O Christ our God, who shone upon the world by taking flesh from the Virgin: though her also make us to be children of light, and have mercy on us.
And the reader says Psalm 50:
-O God, have mercy on me in the greatness of your love.
-In the abundance of your tender mercies, wipe out my offense.
-Wash me thoroughly from my malice and cleanse me from my sin,
-For I am well aware of my malice and my sin is before me always.
-It is You alone I have offended, I have done what is evil in your sight,
-Wherefore You are just in your deeds and triumphant in your judgment.
-Behold, I was born in iniquities and in sins my mother conceived me.
-But You are the Lover of Truth, You have shown me the depths and secrets of your wisdom.
-Wash me with hyssop and I shall be pure, cleanse me and I shall be whiter than snow;
-Let me hear sounds of joy and feasting: the bones that were afflicted shall rejoice.
-Turn your face away from my offenses and wipe off all my sins.
-A spotless heart create in me, O God, a steadfast spirit renew in my breast.
-Cast me not afar from your face, take not your blessed Spirit out of me.
-Restore to me the joy of your salvation and let your guiding Spirit dwell in me.
-I will teach your ways to the sinners and the wicked shall return to You.
-Deliver me from blood-guilt, O God, my saving God, and my tongue will joyfully sing your justice.
-O Lord, You shall open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise.
-Had You desired sacrifice, I would have offered it, but You will not be satisfied with whole-burnt offerings.
-Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a crushed and humbled heart God will not spurn.
-In your kindness, O Lord, be bountiful to Sion; may the walls of Jerusalem be restored.
-Then will You delight in just oblation, in sacrifice and whole-burnt offerings.
-Then shall they offer calves upon your altar.
THE CANON
The First Ode
As many of the following Odes are sung as circumstances require.
(Tone 6)
All: Holy Martyrs, intercede for us.
Reader: In their heavenly mansions the noble martyrs pray to You, O Christ, and beseech You without cease that your departed servant may participate in your eternal blessings.
All: Within your peace give rest, O Lord, to the soul of your servant!
Reader: O Savior, after You had made all things in perfection, You fashioned me a man and put me in the world a being made of grandeur and weakness. Wherefore give rest to the soul of this your servant.
All: Glory be to the rather and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Reader: O Savior, You created me at the beginning to be a citizen of paradise and a tiller of the earth. But when I transgressed your commandment You expelled me. Wherefore give rest to the soul of this your servant.
All: Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: O Most immaculate Mother of God, He who from the beginning formed Eve, our first mother, from the rib of Adam, took flesh in your very womb and overcame in this way the power of death.
The Third Ode
All: Holy Martyrs, intercede for us !
Reader: O Giver of Life, your martyrs have fought the good fight and are now adorned with crowns of victory. By their prayers may they obtain everlasting deliverance for this faithful departed.
All: Within your peace give rest, O Lord, to the soul of your servant !
Reader: O Lord, from old You have instructed me through many signs and wonders; yet I erred and was lost. But You were again moved by compassion for me, and emptied yourself that You might seek me, find me, and save me.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Reader: O Good Lord, purify by faith and your grace this your departed servant who left the transient and corruptible things of this world, and make him (her) worthy to dwell in the joy of your eternal tabernacle of heaven.
All: Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: O Most immaculate Mother of God, no one is free from blemish like you, for you alone did bear in your womb the One who is God from all eternity and who destroyed the power of death.
The deacon incenses while singing:
Deacom: Again and again, in peace let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Again, let us pray for the repose of the soul of the departed servant of God N., that to him (her) may be remitted every transgression both deliberate and indeliberate, and that the Lord God may establish his (her) soul where the just repose.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Let us ask the mercies of God, the kingdom of heaven and the forgiveness of his (her) through Christ our immortal king and God.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Priest: For You are the Resurrection and the life and the Repose of your departed servant N., O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, and to your eternal Father, and to your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
And the Kathisma in Tone 6:
Reader: Indeed all is vanity! Life is like a shadow and a dream, and every earth-born creature disturbs itself in vain, as the Scriptures say, for even if we were to gain the whole world, we still would lie down in the grave where kings and beggars dwell together. Therefore, O Christ our God, give rest to the soul of your departed servant, for You are the Lover of Mankind.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: O Most holy Mother of God, forsake me not in the day of my life, and do not let me put my confidence in human strength; but you yourself protect me and have mercy on me.
The Fourth Ode
All: Holy Martyrs, intercede for us.
Reader: O Lord, You have displayed supreme wisdom and great love in the distinction of your graces, when You placed the martyrs among the choirs of angels.
All: Within your peace give rest, O Lord, to the soul of your servant.
Reader: Grant, O Christ, that he (she) who has gone from this life to You, may be received in your unspeakable glory where happiness reigns and the sound of pure joy is always heard.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Reader: O Most merciful Christ, receive this your departed servant whom You have removed from this world. Make him (her) a child of light and dispel the darkness of his (her) sins for he (she) sings a hymn of praise to your divine power.
All: Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: The Lord has chosen You, O Beauty of Jacob, as a pure vessel, a temple undefiled, a most holy ark, a Virgin of perfection.
The Fifth Ode
All: Holy martyrs, intercede for us.
Reader: The martyrs were offered to our glorious God as a holy sacrifice and as first-fruits of our human nature. They are interceding for our salvation constantly.
All: Within your peace give rest, O Lord, to the soul of your servant.
Reader: O Lord, bring this your departed servant to the heavenly abodes, to your mansion of grace and grant him (her) forgiveness of his (her) sins.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Reader: O You, our Lord, who alone are the author of life, merciful and immortal, the unsearchable depth of goodness: make of this your departed servant a partaker of your kingdom.
All: Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: O sovereign Lady, you are the Mother of God. Christ, the power and glory of the world, was born of you and became the salvation of those who had perished. He also delivered from the gates of Hades all those who sang to you a hymn of praise.
The Sixth Ode
All: Holy martyrs, intercede for us.
Reader: Christ, by your crucifixion, You joined to yourself the holy martyrs who are imitators of your passion. Wherefore we pray to You to grant rest to the soul of this your departed servant.
All: Within your peace give rest, O Lord, to the soul of your servant.
Reader: O Savior, when You will come back in the clouds of heaven, terrible in the glory of your unspeakable power to judge the world, grant that this your faithful departed servant whom You have taken from this world may meet your coming with a radiant face.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Reader: O Master, You are the fountain of life; You are the divine and mighty deliverer of those who are bound in Hades. Make this your faithful servant who has left this life to dwell in the delights of paradise.
All: Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: O Virgin Mother of God, when we transgressed the commandments of God, we were returned to dust. But through you, we have shaken off the corruption of death and have been raised from earth to heaven.
The deacon incenses while singing:
Deacon: Again and again, in peace let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Again, let us pray for the repose of the soul of the departed servant of God N., that to him (her) may be remitted every transgression, both deliberate and indeliberate.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: That the Lord God may establish his (her) soul where the just repose.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Let us ask the mercies of God, the kingdom of heaven and the forgiveness of his (her) through Christ our immortal king and God.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Priest: For You are the Resurrection and the Life and the Repose of your departed servant N., O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, and to your Eternal Father, and to your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
And the troparion in Tone 8:
O Christ, with the saints, grant rest to the soul of your servant, that he (she) may repose in a place where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing, but everlasting life.
And the ikos:
You are the only immortal one, O Creator and Maker of man. We are mortals: out of the earth we were fashioned and to the same earth we shall return, as You have said and ordered, O my Maker: "Dust you are," said You, "and to dust you shall return." We all go down to the dust and we sing to You: Alleluia!
The Seventh Ode
All: Holy martyrs, intercede for us.
Reader: The martyrs who were redeemed from the first transgression by your blood, and later were cleansed of their sins by their own, clearly represented your sacrifice, O Christ. Blessed are You, O God of our Fathers.
All: Within your peace give rest, O Lord, to the soul of your servant.
Reader: O Word of God and principle of life, You have destroyed the terror of death. Receive now, O Christ, this your departed servant who passed away in the faith and who sings to You a hymn of praise saying: "Blessed are You, O God of our Fathers."
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Reader: O Master who gave a spirit to man by your divine breath, O our very God; make this your departed servant worthy of your heavenly kingdom that he (she) may sing to You: "Blessed are You, O God of our Fathers."
All: Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: O most immaculate Mother of God, you became more exalted than all beings when you conceived in your womb God who broke the gates of Hades and destroyed its very foundations. Therefore we the faithful sing to you a hymn of praise, O most pure Mother of God.
The Eighth Ode
All: Holy Martyrs, intercede for us!
Reader: O Martyrs, victorious in Christ, valiant in battle and adorned with the crown of victory, you cried out: "We exalt You, O Christ, forever."
All: Within your peace give rest, O Lord, to the soul of your servant.
Reader: O Master, Christ our God, in your tender mercy receive those who have run their course and are now in your hands, and give them repose that they may exalt You forever.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Reader: Deign, O Savior, to justify by faith and grace all the departed, and receive them in the land of the meek, that they may exalt You forever.
All: Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: We all bless you, O most blessed Mother of God. You brought forth the blessed Word of God who became flesh for our sake. Wherefore we exalt Him forever.
The Ninth Ode
All: Holy martyrs, intercede for us!
Reader: O good Lord Jesus Christ, the grace of hope strengthened the choirs of martyrs and inflamed them with your love, which carried them to your eternal and undisturbed rest; grant that this your departed servant may partake of this same rest.
All: Within your peace give rest, O Lord, to the soul of your servant.
Reader: O Christ our God, grant that this faithful departed may obtain the glory of your divine radiance, and give him (her) repose in the bosom of Abraham and the everlasting beatitude of heaven, for You alone are merciful.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Reader: You alone are kind, O Lord; You are compassionate, loving and merciful, and of endless goodness. To this your departed servant whom You have removed from this abode of sorrow and from the shadow of death, grant the favor of living in the light of your divine face.
All: Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: O pure Virgin Mother of God, we acknowledge you as a holy tabernacle, the ark of the law and a table laden with grace: through your intercession, remission of sins was granted to those justified by the blood of Christ incarnate in your womb, O most pure Virgin Mother of God.
The deacon incenses while singing:
Deacon: Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Again, let us pray for the repose of the soul of the departed servant of God N., that to him (her) may be remitted every transgression, both deliberate and indeliberate.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: That the Lord God may establish his (her) soul where the just repose.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Let us ask the mercies of God, the kingdom of heaven and the forgiveness of his (her) through Christ our immortal king and God.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Priest: For You are the Resurrection and the Life and the Repose of your departed servant N., O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, and to your Eternal Father, and to your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Here are sung the Idiomela of St John of Damascus.
Then the Beatitudes in Tone 6:
Remember us, O Lord, when You come into your kingdom.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
O Christ who made the Thief to be a citizen of paradise when upon the cross he cried out to You: "Remember me!" enable me, unworthy though I am, to make a like repentance.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.
O Lord of life and death, grant repose with the saints to your servant N. whom You have borne away from this uncertain life while he (she) was crying out to You: "Remember me when You come into your kingdom!"
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
O Master of our lives and bodies in whose hands is our breath, O Consoler of the afflicted, grant to your servant N., whom You have borne away that he (she) may rest in the city of the just.
Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
May Christ grant rest to you in the city of the living; may He open to you the gates of paradise and make you a citizen of his kingdom; may He remit your sins, for He loves you greatly.
Blessed are you when men reproach you and persecute you, and, speaking falsely, say all manner of evil against you for my sake.
Let us go forth and look upon the graves: man is but bare bones, food for worms, and evil stench: here we learn what riches truly are, and beauty, strength, and comeliness!
Rejoice and exult, because your reward is great in heaven.
Let us listen to the voice of the Almighty: "Woe to those who wish to behold the fearful day of the Lord, for it is a day of gloom, and all things shall be tried by fire."
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
I adore God the Father because He is eternal, and God the Son because He is begotten of the Father, and God the Holy Spirit because He proceeds from the Father and is resplendent with the Father and the Son.
-Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
O Virgin, how did you, give forth from your breast, this abundance of milk? How did you sustain the Sustainer of creation, of whom it is written that He made water gush from the rock, a stream to quench the thirst of the people?
And the prokimenon is intoned in Tone 3:
The reader: Blessed is the way whereupon you walk today: for a place of rest is prepared for you.
All: Blessed is the way whereupon you walk today: for a place of rest is prepared for you.
Reader: To You, O Lord, I call: "O my Rock, be not deaf to me."
All: Blessed is the way whereupon you walk today: for a place of rest is prepared for you.
The reader: Blessed is the way whereupon you walk today.
All: For a place of rest is prepared for you.
Deacon: Wisdom!
The reader: The reading is from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians.
Deacon: Let us be attentive!
Reader: Brethren, we would not have you ignorant concerning those who are asleep, lest you should grieve, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so with Him God will bring those also who have fallen asleep through Jesus. For this we say to you in the word of the Lord, that we who live, who survive until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself with cry of command, with voice of archangel, and with trumpet of God will descend from heaven; and the dead in Christ will rise up first. Then we who live, who survive, shall be caught up together with them in clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall ever be with the Lord.
Priest: Peace to you, reader.
Reader: And to your spirit.
All: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!.
The reader: Blessed are those You have chosen and drawn near, to dwell in your courts, O Lord.
All: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
The deacon incenses while singing:
Deacon: Wisdom! Let us stand to hear the Holy Gospel.
Priest: Peace to all!
All: And to your spirit.
Deacon: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the Evangelist.
Priest: Let us be attentive!
Deacon: (John 5:24-30) At that time, the Lord Jesus said to the multitude of the Jews: "Amen, amen, I say to you, he who hears my word, and believes Him who sent Me, has life everlasting, and does not come to judgment, but has passed from death to life. Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is here, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall live. For as the Father has life in Himself, even so He has given to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He has granted Him power to render judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not wonder at this for the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear the voice of the Son of God. And they who have done good shall come forth unto resurrection of life; but they who have done evil unto resurrection of judgment . Of myself I can do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just because I seek not my own will, but the will of Him who sent me."
All: Glory to You, O Lord! Glory to You!
And the deacon intones:
Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, in your great mercy: we pray to You, hear us and have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Again let us pray for the repose of the soul of the departed servant of God N., that to him (her) may be remitted every transgression, both deliberate and indeliberate.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: That the Lord God may establish his (her) soul where the just repose.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Let us ask the mercies of God, the kingdom of heaven and the forgiveness of his (her) through Christ our immortal king and God.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Priest: For You are the Resurrection and the Life and the Repose of your departed servant N., O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, and to your Eternal Father, and to your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord!
All: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who has destroyed death, overcome the devil, and have given life to the world: grant O Lord, to the soul of your servant N., who has left this life, to rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and Lover of Mankind, forgive him (her) every sin he (she) has committed by thought or word or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin: You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the Repose of your departed servant N., O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: Glory be to You, O Christ, our God and our hope, Glory to you:
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen. Lord, have mercy (three times). Give the blessing, Father, in the name of the Lord.
And the priest says the apolysis:
Priest: Christ our true God who has dominion over the living and the dead, deign, through the intercession of your all-immaculate Mother, of our venerable and God-bearing Fathers, and of all your saints, to establish in the mansions of the just the soul of-your departed servant N., to number him (her) among the saints, and to have mercy on us, for You are gracious and the Lover of Mankind.
All: Amen.
The priest: May the memory of N. who is worthy of praise, remain with us forever.
All: May the memory of N. who is worthy of praise, remain with us forever.
Together: May the memory of N. who is worthy of praise, remain with us forever.
If the practice of giving the dead the last kiss of peace is in use. the people one by one and pay their respects while the following is being read or sung in Tone 2:
Reader: Come brethren, let us give a last kiss to him (her) who is dead, and let us give thanks to God. He (she) has left his (her) own people and is now in the grave. No longer is his (her) mind concerned with passing things, or with the flesh so weak. We his (her) relatives and friends are cut away from him (her): let us ask the Lord to give him (her) rest.
Reader: Every sinful connection with life and vanity is now dissolved. The spirit has forsaken its mansion, the clay has lost its figure, the vessel is broken and has lost speech, motion, life and all the senses. Let us bid him (her) our farewell and ask the Lord to grant him (her) eternal repose.
Reader: Our life indeed is but a fragile flower, a vapor, a drop of dew in the morning. Let us then approach and contemplate the grave: where now is the graceful form? Where is youth? Where are the bright eyes? Where is the moving beauty of the face? All has withered as the grass of the field and has vanished. Come, brethren, let us fall on our knees in humble prayer before Christ.
Reader: When our soul is separated from our body, what fight and struggle, what lamentation and wailing! Hades and perdition become dear and frightful realities. Life is a passing shadow, a dream and vain imagination. Let us, therefore, O Brethren, detach ourselves from the vanity of this world that we may inherit the Kingdom of heaven.
Reader: When the dreadful angels have torn our spirit from our body, then kindred and acquaintance are no longer remembered. The future judgment alone engages our attention; the vain pursuits and fruitless labors of life are at an end. Let us now supplicate Christ our Judge and beseech Him to forgive the sins of the departed.
Reader: Come, Brethren, let us consider the dust and ashes of which we were formed. What is the reality of our present life and what shall we become tomorrow? In death where is the poor and where the rich? Where is the slave and where the master? They are all ashes. The beauty of the countenance has withered and the strength of youth has been cut down by death.
Reader: Vain and perishing indeed are the pleasures and honors of this life. We shall all die because we are destined to decay: kings and princes, rich and poor and all human beings. Those who had been among the powerful of this world now are stretched lifeless in the graves. Let us pray to the Lord our God that He may give rest to their souls.
Reader: Behold, brethren, all the members of the body are now motionless while yesterday they were full of vigor. They are now powerless: the eyes are closed, the feet bound, the hands stilled, the hearing extinct and the tongue locked in silence: the whole human being is delivered up to the grave. All human things are indeed vanity.
And the following Theotokion is sung:
Reader: Mother of the Sun without setting, O Mother of God, we pray to you: save those who put their trust in you. We beseech you to intercede with your Son that He may grant to the soul of the departed one to rest with the souls of the just in heaven. O immaculate Mother of God, grant him (her) also that he (she) may enjoy the eternal inheritance of heaven in the courts where the just repose.
(Sixth Tone)
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Let us listen to the words of farewell of our beloved departed: "O you my brethren and beloved ones, my acquaintances and relatives, when you see me lying voiceless and deprived of breath, you may well weep for me: for yesterday I spoke with you, and suddenly the terrible hour of death fell upon me. Come you all who love me, and greet me with a final kiss, for never shall I walk with you or talk to you again: I go before the Judge where there is no respect of persons, where slave and master stand together, king and soldier, rich and poor, in equal worthiness, for each is glorified or shamed according to his deeds. But I beg you all, and entreat you unceasingly, to pray Christ God for me, that I be not sent to the place of torment on account of my sins, but that He may appoint my lot where the light of life is shining."
Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
Through the prayers of your Mother, O Christ our God, give rest to the soul of this your departed servant; and through the intercession of your Forerunner, John the Baptist, of your Prophets, Apostles, Pontiffs and all your saints. Amen.
Then the priest and deacon lead the procession out of the church, incensing while singing:
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One! Have mercy on us.
At the Cemetery
After the casket is placed in the grave, the priest takes some earth and, throwing it crosswise on the coffin, says:
Priest: The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, the world and all those who inhabit it. Remember, O man, that you are dust and into the dust you shall return!
And the following troparia are sung:
(Tone 4)
With the just who have reposed in your peace, grant rest, O Savior, to the soul of your servant and bestow upon it the blessed life which is from You, O Lover of Mankind!
Grant rest within your peace, O Lord, to the soul of your servant.
Within your peace where all your saints repose, grant rest, O Lord, to the soul of your servant for You alone are the Lover of Mankind.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
O Savior, You are our God! You descended into Hades to deliver those who were bound there in suffering; grant rest also to the soul of this your departed servant.
Now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
O Mother of God, the only Virgin immaculate and pure, in virginity you have given birth to Christ our God; intercede with Him for the salvation of the soul of this your departed servant.
The deacon incenses while singing:
Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, in your great mercy: we pray to You, hear us and have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Again let us pray for the repose of the soul of the departed servant of God N., and that to him (her) may be remitted every transgression, both deliberate and indeliberate.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: That the Lord God may establish his (her) soul where the just repose.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Let us ask the mercies of God, the kingdom of heaven and the forgiveness of his (her) through Christ our immortal king and God.
All: Lord, have mercy (three times).
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who has destroyed death, overcome the devil, and have given life to the world: grant O Lord, to the soul of your servant N., who has left this life, to rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and Lover of Mankind, forgive him (her) every sin he (she) has committed by thought or word or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin: You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the Repose of your departed servant N., O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: Glory be to You, O Christ, our God and our hope, Glory to you:
Reader: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen. Lord, have mercy (three times). Give the blessing, Father, in the name of the Lord.
And the priest says the apolysis:
Priest: Christ our true God who has dominion over the living and the dead, deign, through the intercession of your all-immaculate Mother, of our venerable and God-bearing Fathers, and of all your saints, to establish in the mansions of the just the soul of-your departed servant N., to number him (her) among the saints, and to have mercy on us, for You are gracious and the Lover of Mankind.
All: Amen.
The priest: May the memory of N., who is worthy of praise, remain with us forever.
All: May the memory of N., who is worthy of praise, remain with us forever.
Together: May the memory of N., who is worthy of praise, remain with us forever.
Priest: Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
All: Amen.
The body is laid in the grave in anticipation of the Resurrection.
THE TRISAGION PRAYERS OF MERCY FOR THE DEPARTED
If this service is performed in conjunction with the Divine Liturgy, after the prayer behind the ambon and Blessed be the name of the Lord . . ., the clergy take their places on the solea; and the service begins immediately with the chanting of the troparia for the departed. If this service is performed apart from the Divine Liturgy, the priest is vested in exorasson, epitrachelion and phelonion, and the deacon is vested in sticharion and orarion. The service begins with the deacon lifting his orarion and saying:
Deacon: Bless master.
PRIEST: Blessed is our God, always, now and forever and ever.
Reader: Amen.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy onus. (thrice)
Glory and Both now . . . All-holy Trinity . . . Lord, have mercy (thrice) . . . Glory and Both now . . . Our Father . . .
PRIEST: For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
CHOIR: Amen.
Then the following troparia for the departed are chanted in tone 4:
With the spirits of the righteous made perfect, give rest to the soul(s) of thy servant(s), O Saviour, and preserve it (them) in that life of blessedness which is with thee, O thou who lovest mankind.
In the place of thy rest, O Lord, where all thy saints repose, give rest also to the soul(s) of thy servant(s), for thou only lovest mankind.l
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou art our God, who descended into Hades and loosed the bonds of those who were there; thyself give rest also to the soul(s) of thy servant(s).
Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Virgin, alone pure and immaculate, who without seed didst give birth to God,' intercede for the salvation of his (her, their) soul(s).
The deacon intones the petitions of the ektenia for the departed while he censes.3
Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we pray thee, hearken and have mercy.
CHOIR: Lord, have mercy. (thrice) (Usual Service) (Souls Saturday)
DEACON: Again we pray for the repose of the soul(s) of the ser- repose of all pious Orthodox Christian(s) of God, NN., departed this tians who have fallen asleep in the life; aDd that thou wilt pardon his hope of the resurrection unto life (her, their) every transgression, everlasting, kings, patriarchs, bishboth voluntary and involuntary. ops, priests, deacons, hieromonks, hierodeacons, monks, nuns, parents,
1. In some te~cb, for thou only art immortal.
2. In some te~ctll, who didst inexpressibly give birth to God.
3. The petitions of this elctenia are omitted when the service i's for a baptized infant or a chilt of pre-confession age (generally acceptet as through ap d~). In that case, immetiately after the troparia, the appropriab prayer for the tepartet is sait (cf. page 461 ) .
The Trisagion Prayers of Mercy for the Departed 461
forebearers, grandparents, greatgrandparents, children, spouses, youths, brethren, and all our kinsmen, from the beginning until the end of time; and that thou wilt pardon their every transgression, both voluntary and involuntary.
CHOIR: Lord, have mercy. (thrice)
DEACON: That the Lord God will establish his (her, thcil ~ soul(s) where the just repose, the mercies of God, the kingdom of heaven and forgiveness of his (her, thcir ~ sins, let us ask of Christ, our immortal King and our God.
CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.
THE PRAYER FOR THE DEPARTED~
The deacon gives away the censer, lifts his orarion and says:
DEACON: Let us pray to the Lord. CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.
(Usual Service) (Souls Saturday) (For an Infant or Child ecR18~T: O God of spirib PRI~ST: O God of spirits rrl~sT: O Lord, who ant of aU flesh, who hast and of all flesh, who hast watchest over little trampled down death trampled down teath children in this present and mate powerleu the and made powerless the life and in the life which devil and given life to devil and given life to thy is to come because of thy world: Do thou, world: Do thou, thyself their simplicity of mind thyself O Lord, give rat O Lord, give rest to the and innocence, satisfying
to the soul (s ) of thy souls of thy departed them in Abraham's departed servant(s), N servants, all pious Ortho- bosom and bringing them (NN.), in a place of do~ Christians who to brightly radiant places brightness, a place of have fallen asleep in the where the spirits of the verdure, a place of Lord from all the ends righteous dwell: Receive repose, whence aU dck- of the world, kings, in peace the soul of thy
4. If three or more bishops and/or priests are concelebrating, the Protos says the proper prayer and the exclamation For thou art the Resurrection. Then each of the others, from senior to junior, repeats the exclamation, the deacon saying before each Let us pray to the Lord.
e~, sorrow and sighing patriarchs, bishops, servant, the child, N., have fled away. Pardon priests, deacons, hiero- for thou thyself hast every dn which he (she, monks hierodeacons, said: Suffer the little they) hath (have) com- monks, nuns, parents, children to come unto mitted, whether by forebearers, uand- me, for of such is the word or deed or thought; parents, great-grand- kingdom of heaven. for thou art good and parents, children,
lovest mankind, for spouses, youths, brethren there is no man who and all our kinsmen, in liveth and dnneth not, a place of brightness, a for thou only art beyond place of verdure, a place sin, and thy righteous- of repose, whence aU neu is to aU eternity, sickness, sorrow ant and thy word is truth.6 sighing have fled away. Pardon every sin which they bave committed, whether by word or deed or thought; for thou art good and lovest manI~ind, for there is no man who liveth and sinnetb not, for thou only art beyond sin, and thy righteousness is to all eternity, and thy word is truth.~
PRIEST: For thou art the Resurrection and the Life and the Repose of thy departed servant(s) N. (NN.), O Christ our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory, together with thine unoriginate Father and thine all-holy and good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
CHOIR: Amen.
If the service is being performed in conjunction with the Divine Liturgy, the following dismissal is omitted, and the priest immediately says, May thy (your) memory be eternal, O our ever-memorable brother (sister, brethren) who art (are) worthy of blessedness and Memory eternal is chanted. The clergy then enter the sanctuary, and the Divine Liturgy concludes as usual. If the service is being performed apart from the Divine Liturgy, it concludes with the dismissal and what follows.
! S In somo ta~, and thy law is truth. I
The Dismissal
PRIEST: Glory to thee, O Christ our God and our Hope, glory to thee.
CHOIR: Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages Amen.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Father, bless.
PRIEST: May the immortal King, who hath dominion over the living and the dead, and who rose again from the dead, Christ our true God, through the intercessions of his all-immaculate and all-blameless holy Mother; of the holy, glorious and all-laudable apostles; of our venerable and God-bearing fathers; of the holy and glorious forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; of the holy and righteous friend of Christ, Lazarus of four-days, and of all the saints, establish the soul of his servant(s) N. (NN.) departed this life, in the dwelling-place of the righteous, give him (her, them) rest in the bosom of Abraham, and number him (her, them) among the righteous, and have mercy on us, and save us, for he is good and loves mankind.
PRIEST: May thy (your) memory be eternal, O our ever-memorable brother (sister, brethren) who are all worthy of blessedness.
The priest, standing at his place, may cense while all chant:
ALL: Memory eternal. ( thrice )
Then the priest says:
PRIEST: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on w, and save us.
CHOIR: Amen.
464 THE LITURGIKON Trisagion Prayers of Mercy during the Paschal Season
Anniversary memorials for the departed may not be said during Bright Week or on the Leave-taking of Pascha. If, however, one of the faithful departs this life during Bright Week or on the Leave-taking of Pascha, prayers of mercy are said according to the following order:
Immediately after Blessed is our God . . . ,the Paschal troparion is chanted thrice, followed by Jesus, having risen from the grave as he foretold, hath given unto us life eternal and great mercy. Then the usual ektenia and prayer for the departed is said, and the service continues as usual through Memory eternal. instead of Through the prayers of our holy fathers . . . ,the service ends with the Paschal dialogue between the priest and the congregation and the chanting of the Paschal troparion.
During the remainder of the Paschal season, the trisagion prayers Oe mercy are celebrated following the usual order, except that, instead of saying Holy God...,the Paschal troparion Christ is risen from the dead . . is chanted thrice; and, instead of Through the prayers of our holy fathers . . ., the service ends with the Paschal dialogue between the priest and the congregation and the chanting of the Paschal troparion.
40