Prayer for the deceased son is important not only for the soul who has departed to another world, but also for his parents who continue to live. Such prayer helps in sorrow. It keeps people from despair and contributes to humility with the loss of a dear person.
Memorial prayers in Orthodoxy are given special significance. When a person prays for the souls of those who left this mortal world, he contributes to their eternal rest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
When do they pray for the deceased?
It is possible and necessary to recall a person who has departed to another world, according to the Orthodox tradition, at any time, regardless of calendar dates. In order to come to the temple, put a candle in front of the image and remember the dead person in his prayer, one does not need to wait for certain days.
But, of course, there are generally accepted customs prescribing obligatory commemoration. The most important daily prayer for the deceased is up to 40 days. The son, or rather his soul, during this time needs to find peace, see Heaven and appear before the Lord. Accordingly, you must definitely pray for the deceased child on the third, ninth and fortieth days after death.
Of course, no one knows what awaits a person beyond the threshold of this world. However, in the Orthodox tradition it is generally accepted that for the first three days the soul of the deceased is in close proximity to the body or is in places that are expensive in life. After three days, the spirit of the deceased departs into another world. Until the ninth day, the soul surveys the paradise, and after that it prepares to appear before the Lord, which happens on the fortieth day.
Third day after death
The first commemoration in the church occurs on the third day after the death of a person is not accidental. Of course, this tradition is associated with the Holy Trinity and the date of the resurrection of Jesus. However, the belief that the human soul, accompanied by an angel, visits places that are dear to life or lives near the body, arose much earlier than Orthodoxy appeared.
Farewell to places dear during life lasts two days, and on the third the Lord calls upon the spirit of the deceased. However, if a person died suddenly, not realizing this, then his soul can rush about on the earth without receiving the call to Heaven.
Therefore, it is extremely important to independently pray to God for mercy for the spirit of the deceased, starting not from the third day, but from the moment of death. Often the concept of sudden death is associated with accidents, accidents and other similar circumstances. However, a person’s soul may be unprepared for the transition to another world and as a result of death in a dream, even if the deceased was ill for a long time. It is also important how the deceased himself related to the approaching demise. If a person did not believe in the possibility of a fatal outcome, then his spirit will rush about among the living, not finding a way to the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, an independent prayer for the deceased son should be read immediately after his death. You do not need to wait for the third day.
Prayer on the third day after death
Prayer for the deceased son, strong and sincere, is certainly read in its own words. Not a single prayer book will express what is happening in the soul of parents who have survived their own children better than they do. However, in moments of deepest grief, not everyone is able to gather their thoughts, even to pray. In this case, ready-made texts are useful. When choosing them, you need to pay attention to two points - simplicity in pronunciation and comprehensibility of the meaning of words.
You can pray for the deceased son of the Lord as follows:
"Lord Jesus! Our Savior is all-merciful! May all who mourn and seek comfort be under your protection. Consider the great sorrows and grant comfort, fill the soul with light sadness and take away the longing, Lord. Do not leave the slave (the name of the deceased) without his mercy, do not let his spirit not find Your Kingdom and remain unrepentant. Send their angel to him, so that along the way he would help and show the way to the soul of the slave (name of the deceased). Allow him to your kingdom, do not leave without great mercy. Amen".
Ninth day after death
The ninth day in the Christian tradition is inextricably linked with the number of angelic ranks. It is also believed that on this day the servants of the Lord come to him to ask for mercy for the soul of the deceased. They also ask for the forgiveness of sins committed by the deceased during his lifetime.
Accordingly, at this time, prayer for the deceased son is especially important. The soul of the deceased, wandering through paradise, was deprived of sorrows, but starting from the moment when the angels of the Lord go to ask for her, she is overcome by sorrows and fears.
Prayer on the ninth day after death
Of particular importance during this time period is the mother’s prayer for the deceased son. Who, if not the mother, with her requests to the Almighty and the Virgin, can ease the ordeal of the soul of the deceased, languishing in anticipation of the Last Judgment?
Of course, there are no restrictions on what an independent memorial prayer should be at this time. When choosing a text, one must proceed from influx, from what the heart prompts.
You can pray for the soul of the deceased Lord on the ninth day after his death as follows:
“Lord Jesus, I pray you with trepidation in my heart for great mercy to the soul of a slave (name of the deceased). Do not judge him severely, for he was not sinful from evil, but from ignorance and the machinations of demons. Grant, Lord, your mercy to the soul of my son (name of the deceased). Amen"
How to pray to the Virgin?
In former times, mothers often prayed for the dead sons not of Jesus, but of the Virgin. It was believed that the Blessed Mother of God, by the power of prayer, would intercession before the Throne of the Lord.
A prayer for the deceased son, addressed to the Mother of God, can be this:
“The Virgin, the Most Holy Virgin, the intercessor before the gaze of the Lord and the comforter in the tribulations and sorrows of the earth! I pray you for my son, a slave (name of the deceased). I ask you to intercede, crouch down to the Lord, implore him for great forgiveness for a restless soul.
I ask you, Blessed Mother of God and mercy for myself. Dry my eyes, consolation in the sorrows of the fierce. Send a bright memory, take away despair and do not let me fall into despondency. Amen"
The fortieth day after death
It is believed that exactly forty days are necessary for the soul of the deceased in order to be ready to receive the mercy and grace of the Lord and admission to the kingdom of heaven. According to church doctrine, on the fortieth day the spirit of the deceased appears before the eyes of the Lord for the last, third time. In other words, on the fortieth day, it is decided whether the soul will gain the kingdom of heaven or will be devoted to eternal torment.
After this period, the clergy classify the deceased as memorable. This means that a person must always be remembered, without observing any specific dates.
Prayer on the fortieth day after death
As a rule, on this day the relatives of the deceased visit the temple, light a candle for the repose, and give the priest a note asking them to remember their loved one. But going to church does not at all cancel independent prayer. Moreover, the soul of the deceased needs prayer support, because it faces a terrible test.
A prayer for a deceased son after 40 days past the day of his death may be as follows:
“Our Father, Almighty Heaven! Remember and look upon the spirit of your servant who has reposed (name of the deceased). Have mercy and forgive him all the liberties that were in life. Forgive all his sins and accept your soul in your kingdom. Show mercy and do not let his soul perish in a hellish flame, do not allow the torment of eternal fierce. Amen"
Are short prayers strong? How to pray for a baby shower?
As a rule, a short independent prayer is read for the deceased son after 40 days. After this period, the purpose of the prayers is to remember the person, not a request for the salvation of his soul. However, such a pattern does not mean at all that prayer before this time cannot be short.
Often, short prayers for the deceased son are more effective than reading long texts. Of course, the soul of the deceased cannot tell which prayer makes it easier. What exactly helps to overcome all ordeals and find eternal peace can be understood from our own feelings. Hearing prayer brings peace to one who asks the Lord for mercy. And such a feeling comes only after sincere prayer, filled with unconditional faith and read with absolute hope in the mercy of God. What words are spoken at the same time, and how long the reading lasts, does not matter.
Short prayers for the soul of the deceased may be:
“Lord the Merciful! Peace be upon the soul of your servant who has reposed (name of the deceased). Amen"
“Merciful God, do not leave the soul of a slave (the name of the deceased) without forgiveness and joy, because there is no one who does not sin. Amen"
“Heavenly Father, accept your kingdom and admit to all good slave (name of the deceased). Amen"
You can pray for a baby shower like this:
“Father Merciful, accept the soul of a pure slave (name of the deceased child). As you bestowed, so you called, do not leave without your mercy. I ask you, Lord, for comfort for yourself. Do not allow longing, grant sadness to a bright and eternal memory. Amen"
Parents often ask themselves if they can pray for the repose of the soul of a child who has not been baptized. As a rule, at the same time, the parents of the reposed themselves did not receive baptism and never thought about religion before the tragedy.
There is no consensus among priests on this issue. However, "the ways of the Lord are inscrutable." This common phrase applies to all life circumstances without exception, even to the saddest. If people did not go through the sacrament of baptism, this does not mean that they cannot pray to the Lord.