Panakhida Question

[ufonium2]

The talk of which prayers are appropriate to say for John Paul II got me thinking: What are the guidelines for Panakhida services? Can they be held for heterodox? I've seen it done, but I've seen a lot of things done that I doubt are strictly canonical.

 

[Julio]

According to the strict rule, the Service of Burial, the Pannikhida, the Litany for the Departed, and all other public prayers for the dead may be offered only for Orthodox Christians, who alone are organically united the visible One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. There is, however, in some Slavonic Trebniki (but not at all in Greek Evkhologia) a "Service for the Repose of Non Orthodox", which is basically the service of burial with no commemoration of the departed by name; even those prayers that would require the mention of the departed one's name (i. e., "O God of spirits and of all flesh", and the exclamation "Give rest, O Lord" before the Memory Eternal") are omitted. This service is chiefly used for catechumens, who can be buried at an Orthodox cemetery, and who are actually somehow connected to the Church. (Note, incidentally, that even they are not commemorated by name at the Litany of the Catechumens.) I have also heard of parishes using it for inquirers and others connected to the parish and who don't go to any other Church; this is undoubtedly according to the spirit of the Service.

Of course, we may pray privately for any departed person whom we wish to commemorate. The more ancient form of prayer for the dead, the reading of the Psalter for their eternal repose, may be done at home on their behalf and is certainly most appropriate.

 

[Wiffey]

Most of my family is either Catholic or Jewish. When my grandfather and cousin each died (both RC), my priest did include their names in the commemoration & prayers for the dead. This was a great mercy both to them and to me. When my other grandfather (Jewish) passed on, it could not be done because he was not Baptized...I was brokenhearted. And while my Catholic relatives were prayed for immediately following their passing, they are not commemorated at the Saturday of Souls.

Personally, I believe that everyone needs our prayers when they die, and I dearly wish there was a service for the non-Orthodox departed. I feel very disconnected when I cannot pray publicly for the people I loved...I no longer go the services on the Saturday of Souls.

An aside: in practice (not in faith), my Dad is the finest Christian I know. He is Jewish, but does not attend a synagogue because he objects profoundly to some of the ethnocentrism that makes non-Jews and converts second class citizens. He is now a Unitarian. He volunteers in a soup kitchen and is a literacy volunteer, and gives a great deal to charity. He has never been unkind to a single person that I know of. I may not agree with some of his liberal views, but he is deeply moral and lives out his beliefs in the way he treats others. The idea that I would not be allowed to commemorate him...

God makes no second class human beings. We are all icons of Christ, even if we do not see that. We should pray for our brothers: that we do not is a grave sin IMHO. It comes from an insularity and tribalism that is ugly. If we truly had love for others, we would be praying for everyone. That we do not makes us appear petty and hard of heart.

 

[Matrona]

My priest commemorates all non-Orthodox on Saturdays of Souls, Wiffey. He's only able to do them once in awhile, but if you gave me the first names of the people you would like commemorated I will add them to my list for next year.

 

[Wiffey]

My priest commemorates all non-Orthodox on Saturdays of Souls, Wiffey. He's only able to do them once in awhile, but if you gave me the first names of the people you would like commemorated I will add them to my list for next year.

Thanks! I will take you up on your kind offer before the next Saturday of Souls.

 

[Grand_Duchess-Elizaveta]

Does anyone know (I'm sure Julio does ) why it is that traditionally only Orthodox Christians are prayed for during a liturgy? I assume the answer to that would also apply to why a Panakhida is not traditionally done for heterodox, either. I've never been able to figure out why we exclude the people that need prayer the most (those not in the Church).

 

[Matrona]

Thanks! I will take you up on your kind offer before the next Saturday of Souls.

Not a problem. My priest may not be able to this Saturday but I know another priest who I could ask. I'll ask the other priest tonight if he will celebrate Soul Saturday this week. If nothing else, I'll hang on to your list until next year because even though my priest has a lot on his plate he always makes sure to celebrate at least one Soul Saturday liturgy per season for us.

 

[Wiffey]

Matrona...sent list via PM...


THANKYOU.

 

[Fotina]

Does anyone know (I'm sure Julio does ) why it is that traditionally only Orthodox Christians are prayed for during a liturgy? I assume the answer to that would also apply to why a Panakhida is not traditionally done for heterodox, either. I've never been able to figure out why we exclude the people that need prayer the most (those not in the Church).

We pray for the whole world in the Litanies of the DL.

 

[Greg the byzantine]

Can anyone tell me if a panikhida is the same as the Greek Mnymoseno......... Just wondering?

 

[Grand_Duchess-Elizaveta]

We pray for the whole world in the Litanies of the DL.

True, but I was wondering why we are not suppose to mention the non-Orthodox by name. As some have mentioned already, many of us have families and/or spouses that are not Orthodox.

 

[Julio]

Greg> Yes, the Pannikhida is the same thing as the Mnemosyno. Note, by the way, that Pannikhida is itself a Slavicized Greek word (pannucίV, -ίdoV)!

As for GDE's question, I simply wanted to pass on an e-mail that I read today on another list, written by Gregory Orloff, a man of profound piety and good sense:

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Deacon Paul is right. Traditionally, the liturgical funerary acclamation "Eternal memory!" is used only for Orthodox Christians who have died.

Many people misunderstand this phrase. It is not a call for the dead to remain alive forever in *our* memory, but rather a prayer that he, she or they will remain alive forever in *God's* memory, as Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko explains in his four-volume series of books, "The Orthodox Faith" (Volume 2: Worship, "The Sacraments," "Funeral"):

"It has to be noted here that this song, contrary to the common understanding of it, is the supplication that God would remember the dead, for in the Bible it is God's 'eternal memory' which keeps man alive. *Sheol* or *Hades* or the *Pit,* the biblical realm of the dead also called *Abaddon,* is the condition of forsakenness and forgottenness by God. It is the situation of non-life since in such a condition no one can praise the Lord; and the praise of the Lord is the only content and purpose of man's life; it is the very reason for his existence. Thus, this most famous and final of the Orthodox funeral hymns is the prayer that the departed be eternally alive in the 'eternal rest' of the 'eternal memory' of God -- all of which is made possible and actual by the resurrection of Jesus Christ which is the destruction of the Pit of Death by the splendor of Divine Righteousness and Life (see Psalm 88, Hosea 13:14, 1 Corinthians 15; Ephesians 4:9; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Peter 3)."

As Saint Theophanes the Recluse noted, it is not possible for us to have communion in death with those with whom we did not have it in life. For this reason, we do not commemorate by name those who are not or were not Orthodox Christians in the public prayers of the Church, or in the proskomide of the Divine Liturgy, though we are certainly encouraged to remember them in our personal prayers, offerings of candles and vigil lamp oil, and alms, asking God to grant them a just reward on Judgment Day, since Saint Paul the Apostle tells us that he will judge those outside the Church on the basis of the "law written on their hearts," even though they did not have "the law" of the Church's Orthodox Christianity (Romans 2:14-16).

"Lord, have mercy!" is always appropriate in any situation, heterodox or Orthodox. But traditionally, "Eternal memory!" is reserved for Orthodox Christians, as its use in the Sunday of Orthodoxy service (as contrasted with the mention of the heterodox heresiarchs) demonstrates.

With prayers and good will,

Gregory Orloff

 

[Greg the byzantine]

thank you, Julio.

 

[Julio]

thank you, Julio.

Ah, you're welcome. Just living up to my rep as "Greek grammar geek" -- and please, do note the alliteration!

 

[Grand_Duchess-Elizaveta]

As Saint Theophanes the Recluse noted, it is not possible for us to have communion in death with those with whom we did not have it in life. For this reason, we do not commemorate by name those who are not or were not Orthodox Christians in the public prayers of the Church, or in the proskomide of the Divine Liturgy, though we are certainly encouraged to remember them in our personal prayers, offerings of candles and vigil lamp oil, and alms, asking God to grant them a just reward on Judgment Day, since Saint Paul the Apostle tells us that he will judge those outside the Church on the basis of the "law written on their hearts," even though they did not have "the law" of the Church's Orthodox Christianity (Romans 2:14-16).

Wow, do you have any idea which of St. Theophan's writings this comes from? Does this fly in the face of the expression "We know where the Church is, but we don't know where it isn't"? It seems this (from St. Theophan) would be saying that the Church is of one Communion, and those with whom we do not share Communion are not of the Church, whether visible or invisible. Are you in agreement with this, Julio? I'm just honestly curious. I've always had a little trouble understanding the "We don't know the boundairies of the invisible Church" concept. Thanks for the quote.

 

[Wiffey]

The bottom line for me is that we have an obligation to pray for the departed, particularly loved ones. I see it as part of my duty to my family to pray for them, particularly those who were not particularly devout. My priest told me that we must always hope, and that it is good to pray for others.

To me, not even bothering to pray for a departed loved one means that either there is no hope (which does not fit in with the idea of a merciful God), or that we don't really care because they didn't go to our Church (which just seems repulsive to me). Neither explanation really pleases me.

One thing I can say, if (hopefully in the VERY far distant future) I am told that I cannot pray for my parents, it will be the last time I go to my church.
For serious.

 

[twin]

Dear Wiffey,
I don't think anyone meant to say that we can not pray for non Orthodox reposed. That simply would not be true. Most of my relatives are not Orthodox and we all pray for them every day, but just not in church, formally, although we can of course pray for them in church in our minds. I just found a prayer for non orthodox on another Orthodox list, that I've been trying to find in English for years. Here it is.
A prayer to the Holy Martyr Varus for the repose of the non-Orthodox:


O holy, wondrous Martyr Varus, who, burning with zeal for the Heavenly King, didst confess Him before thy torturers and didst greatly suffer for Him! Now the Church doth venerate thee, as one glorified with the glory of heaven by Christ the Lord, Who granted thee the abundant grace to approach Him boldly. And now, standing before Him together with the Angels, rejoicing on high, beholding the Most Holy Trinity clearly, and enjoying the Uncreated Light, remember the suffering of our relatives who have died outside the Faith, and accept our pleas, and as thou didst intercede for the unbelieving ancestors of Cleopatra and didst free them from eternal suffering, remember those who have died unbaptized and have been buried in an ungodly manner, and pray earnestly that they may be delivered from eternal darkness, that we may all, with one mouth and one heart, praise the Most Merciful Creator unto the ages of ages. Amen.
if you go online to the monachos list, there is a good discussion of the matter there. Especially good is Mat. Eufrosinia's response, who has been a nun for 23 years and whom i know personally.

 

[twin]

Here are two of her quotes that you might find useful.

Greetings, everyone, and congratulations on St. Theodore's Saturday!
I agree completely with everything Fr. Raphael has written. When the Church prays liturgically, as in a memorial service, we are praying for those that have witnessed that they are members of the Church. The Lord doesn't force anyone into the Church, and I feel it would be wrong to declare someone a member of the Church if they don't have the possibility of confirming that. Of course we not only can but must pray for the non-Orthodox in our personal, private prayers, and Fr. Raphael makes the important point that this is a different type of prayer, rather than inferior type. The akathist for the departed is a beautiful example of this sort of prayer. Lighting a candle is also an act of personal devotion and can be done for anyone.
I would also like to share something that my first spiritual father, Metropolitan Philaret once told us about interceding before God for the non-Orthodox. Apparently Alexandra Tolstoy, the daughter of the famous writer Leo Tolstoy, who had been anathematised by the Church and died unreconciled to Orthodoxy, once approached Metropolitan Anastasy to ask what she might do to beg God's mercy for the soul of her unfortunate father, as she knew that he couldn't be commemorated at the Liturgy. Along with urging personal prayer Metropolitan Anastasy suggested that she do as much charitable work as possible in his memory. This lead to the formation of the Tolstoy Foundation. This is something else, yet another form of prayer, that we can perform for and in the name of our beloved non-Orthodox friends and relatives who have already departed this life.

Greetings, everyone, and congratulations on St. Theodore's Saturday!
I agree completely with everything Fr. Raphael has written. When the Church prays liturgically, as in a memorial service, we are praying for those that have witnessed that they are members of the Church. The Lord doesn't force anyone into the Church, and I feel it would be wrong to declare someone a member of the Church if they don't have the possibility of confirming that. Of course we not only can but must pray for the non-Orthodox in our personal, private prayers, and Fr. Raphael makes the important point that this is a different type of prayer, rather than inferior type. The akathist for the departed is a beautiful example of this sort of prayer. Lighting a candle is also an act of personal devotion and can be done for anyone.
I would also like to share something that my first spiritual father, Metropolitan Philaret once told us about interceding before God for the non-Orthodox. Apparently Alexandra Tolstoy, the daughter of the famous writer Leo Tolstoy, who had been anathematised by the Church and died unreconciled to Orthodoxy, once approached Metropolitan Anastasy to ask what she might do to beg God's mercy for the soul of her unfortunate father, as she knew that he couldn't be commemorated at the Liturgy. Along with urging personal prayer Metropolitan Anastasy suggested that she do as much charitable work as possible in his memory. This lead to the formation of the Tolstoy Foundation. This is something else, yet another form of prayer, that we can perform for and in the name of our beloved non-Orthodox friends and relatives who have already departed this life.

 

[twin]

Sorry, I posted the same post twice. here is the other one.


Again, I have to agree with Fr. Raphael. Not holding a memorial service for someone that was not a member of the Church is in no sense a condemnation of that person, or a statement as to whether or not he can/will be saved. And of course we can and must pray for our non-Orthodox friends. But we can't say that they're something that they weren't, i.e. Orthodox Christians; it wouldn't be honest. That in no way means that we mustn't beseech God's mercy or doubt that the Lord will hear these prayers.

 

[Grand_Duchess-Elizaveta]

Thanks, Twin. Those letters were quite helpful. And I agree with you that no one is saying we shouldn't pray for non-Orthodox in our own prayer time. The subject here is whether or not they can be prayed for by name by the priest during a service of any sort.