Burial Customs (Teachings of the Orthodox Church)

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You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;' but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. 'It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,' but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery. 'Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,' but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't make one hair white or black. But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one. 'You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'* But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you. 'You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor,* and hate your enemy.*' But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven.

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	Burial Customs (Teachings of the Orthodox Church)

QUESTION:

I attended an Orthodox funeral Today. I noticed that the deceased person had a piece of paper on his forehead with lettering on it. The deceased person also had some type of prayer written on it. After the priest blessed and annointed the body, he folded up the paper prayer and put it in the deceased's left hand. What do these two customs mean during a funeral ceremony?

ANSWER:

The paper band on the forehead signifies a crown of glory or victory; just as a runner in the ancient Olympics received a crown of victory for completing the race successfully, so too the departed are crowned in victory for completing life's ourse. The lettering is usually the prayer, "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us."

The prayer written on the piece of paper you observed in the casket is knownas the "Prayer of Absolution." The priest reads this prayer at theend of the funeral service, during which he proclaims that the sins of the departedare forgiven.

These two customs are not universal among all Orthodox Christians, however. In some places, depending on the origins of the parish, they are observed; in others they are not. In every instance, however, the Prayer of Absolution is read, either from the separate sheet sometimes placed in the coffin or from the service book.

Published in January 2011.

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