Funerals and burial ceremony in Georgia – emotionality of these hard days very affects on the person, that’s why we try to perform all rules and rituals thoroughtly.
Ecclesiastically the deceased needs care from the day of death, that should be expressed through the execution of the determined rules and.
These are:
Wash and dress with clean clothes of body of the decease – through the wash of the deceased we express our desire, that at the time of second coming he/she with his/her sole and meat will present purified toward God.
Build a rule for the deceased – It happens at the day of bury or at the previous evening. During the building a rule the priest opens the way to the eternal life for the deceased, grants the last forgive of the sins and through the prays and psalms mediates toward God.
If the deceased was an ecclesial or a parish, it is better, all rules to be performed by his/her spiritual confessor.
Read of the psalms – for the deceased family members and relatives should read hymns from St. David foreteller’s “psalms” which is sold in the church. It will give a great relief to the soul of the deceased. It will be better to read more many times as possible until the carry out of the deceased.
Light of the candle and stand of the lamp at the head of the deceased – light of the candle and stand of the lamp at the head of the deceased confirms, that this person was a Christian and trusted to the eternal light – existence of the Kingdom.
Wine, oil and wheat at the head of the deceased – wine and oil are pure tributes. The wheat indicates that life of the person has a certain fruit and also we should trust easter of the deceased: the wheat must be seeded , to grow out after that.
Go at the grave on the third day after bury– is a common funeral ritual in Georgia that indicates – before going to the grave the patron through the priest will execute a requiem for the soul of the deceased in the charch or at home. On the third day angels will bring the soul in the sky and represent toward God. After that during six days will see the views of the Kingdom.
Ninth day after death– on that day the soul secondly will be represented at the judgement of God, resulted of what he/she will be brought in the hell, where will be able to see all kind of horror. That’s why the soul of the deceased needs help and assistance, that is possible through the requiem executed by the priest. On that day is allowed go at the grave of the deceased, where once again we will mention the deceased person and ask to God his forgiveness.
Fortieth day after death – on this day will be a personal judgement of the newly deceased person. Angels will submit his/her kind actions, that has made during the life, also the kindnesses, that are done by others on his/her name, especially during forty days after his/her death; Fallen souls will submit his/her sinful life. Our God Jesus Christ will judge the soul and gives a temporary place until second coming at the earth.
Light of the candle– one of the forms for remind the deceased is a light of the candle, for what in the church is allotted the place with the image of the Savior’s crucifixion. Light of the candles for the deceased also is possible at home, at the icons and at the table made on his name.
We can also help to the soul of the deceased through the charity– allot of the altar, give of clothes of the deceased, financial donation for necessitous people.
