Witchcraft and the newly departed

[Porkchop_1020]

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[ArmyMatt]

step one is to talk to your priest, and I would keep in mind there is an Akathist to St Varus, who intercedes for those who die outside the Church.

 

[All4Christ]

Here is the text of the Canon of Supplication to the St Varus

http://www.stvladimiraami.org/sheetmusic/canonstvarus.pdf

 

[Porkchop_1020]

step one is to talk to your priest, and I would keep in mind there is an Akathist to St Varus, who intercedes for those who die outside the Church.

So it would be an appropriate thing to ask?

I'm not sure I gather the importance of the akathist reference (had to Google the term for starters), is that what Orthodox sing at funerals? Sorry to sound dumb, but this is new to me.

 

[E.C.]

So it would be an appropriate thing to ask?

Certainly. Family is always family after all. Just because someone died outside of the Church does not mean we can not pray for them.

 

[ikonographics]

Of course we should pray for them. The only thing we can't do is commemorate them in the Divine Liturgy.

 

[All4Christ]

So it would be an appropriate thing to ask?

I'm not sure I gather the importance of the akathist reference (had to Google the term for starters), is that what Orthodox sing at funerals? Sorry to sound dumb, but this is new to me.

Yes, it is definitely appropriate to ask for prayer. We prayed for my grandfather after he passed despite him not part of the Church. We even had a small panikhida / memorial service outside of the liturgy - there is a version that can be used for non-Orthodox. I still pray for him on a regular basis.

This akathist to is more of an additional prayer that (in this case) is set up specifically set up for those who have died outside the Church. That's not to say it is the only prayer you can say, but it is one specifically written for a similar situation.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Sure you can ask. And an Akathist is a long prayer that you can do whenever. I mentioned Varus because he is known to pray for those that die outside of the Church

 

[ikonographics]

And today's post in Mystagogy: http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2015/09/praying-for-reposed-non-christians-and.html

 

[Porkchop_1020]

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[buzuxi02]

It can be. Depends on the circumstances, it can be. It runs the entire gamut from treating it as a silly superstition to being an evil and dangerous thing that opens yourself up to demons. Also we really really hate cremation. So pray for him and anytime you think of him.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Yes, witchcraft is evil. Just keep praying for him. If it really weighs on you, you can ask Father to do a Trisagion for him

 

[~Anastasia~]

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Hi Porkchop! I just saw you were a new member. I wanted to welcome you to CF, and to TAW. I hope you received the answers you were looking for. You are new to the Church as well? We are glad to have you, and Welcome Home!