The death of a person is accompanied by certain traditions. People who have lost a loved one or acquaintance are often faced with dates following the funeral: 3 days, 9 days, 40 days. There is a desire to gather in a close circle and... But how to count 9 days after death?

Detailed countdown

The day of death is considered the first day. To calculate 9 days, you need to add the number 8. For example, the 5th of the month. The 9th day falls on the 13th. Before midnight is the first day, even if death occurred a few minutes before 24 hours. Special Remembrance occurs on the 9th day because the soul is in heaven.

Carefully, without breaking the silence, acquaintances meet at the same table and talk about a person who is in another world. Lay people, attending memorial dinners, often forget about the mission entrusted to them and, instead of intense prayer, begin to talk about their own affairs.

From the 3rd to the 9th day the soul is given a place in heaven. There she rests and prepares for serious tests that come after 9 days. You can help her with frank prayer and conversation about the good deeds of the deceased person. You should not remember wrongdoings that cause resentment or bitterness.

Sincere prayer can support both the soul of the deceased and the one praying. Sacred words help reduce the pain of loss and calm worry and anxiety. By pronouncing phrases, a lay person gradually begins to think without sadness. You should not give in to vanity on this day, spend time in humility.

The person dies and the body is buried. It is the responsibility of relatives to observe the rituals of remembrance. In ancient times, meals were held to which the homeless and beggars were invited. Nowadays such traditions are not performed, and those who knew the deceased sit at the table.

Alms are distributed at the cemetery or in the church. Particularly needy parishioners welcome alms. With an open heart and pure thoughts, they will pray for the repose of the soul, calling the name and reading necessary prayers. By giving away a package, you simultaneously help those who ask for help and remember a loved one.

According to Scripture, the soul of a deceased person is busy searching for a path. She does not know what is in store for her and what trials she will have to endure for her sins. But there is no other way out and everything that has already been done cannot be corrected. Relatives can help the soul with prayers and pleasant memories. It’s not for nothing that they say: “They either say good things about a dead person or nothing.”

On the ninth day, the deceased forgets about grief and pain. He begins to sincerely repent for the sins he has committed and the prayer of his family is a great support for him. The soul located in Paradise understands that the time is approaching to answer for the wrongdoings committed, but what has been done cannot be erased from the former life.

A special prayer joins the soul to the number of angels. The closest people who have passed on to another world become guardian angels, protecting the living person for a long time. Often deceased mother protects the child, appearing to him in a dream. By giving advice, she often prevents an accident.

Important points on day 9

• Relatives and friends are encouraged to attend church. A small prayer and a candle for repose are the main details of this day.
• Visiting the grave of the deceased is not just a tribute to tradition. At the cemetery, a person begins to correlate his actions and evaluate his life. Along with memories comes awareness and understanding.
• Caramel and cookies are placed on the grave, millet is scattered and eggs are crumbled.
• On the 9th day, mirrors are opened, with the exception of the room of the deceased.
• Alms and small offerings of cookies and sweets are given.

The church orders a prayer service for the deceased. It is not always possible to read near the icon, because not all churches hold daily services. Reading the sacred word at home is also powerful. The main thing is that the spoken word is sincere and open. If you are in a hurry and fussiness is associated with funeral dinner, postpone prayer until the evening, when you can retire.

It’s not just relatives who read the prayer. The more appeals, the more likely a positive decision by the heavenly court. Relatives and acquaintances, uniting, beg for mercy for the soul. Therefore, it is important not only how to count 9 days after death, but also the behavior of relatives on this day.

Everything about nine days after death: what this period means, what customs are and what the relatives of the deceased should do. Based on beliefs and religious scriptures, failure to follow traditions will deprive the deceased of heavenly life after death and a grave sin will fall on the relatives.

In the article:

9 days after death - the meaning of the date in Orthodoxy

Orthodox Christians usually designate the third, ninth and fortieth day after the death of a person. There is an anniversary, or in some regions, six months, of the death. These are the days of a person’s post-death, each one has a sacred meaning. Relatives should know and observe the traditions and customs associated with commemoration.

The ordeal of the soul of Blessed Fedora, a fragment of a painting in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra

In nine days, the soul completes the path begun during life, seeks its way to new world. If the third day is considered the beginning of the afterlife, and the fortieth the end, the ninth is the only important stage of the posthumous journey.

Number 9 is one of the sacred numbers. IN angelic hierarchy There are nine orders of angels. The ninth day after death is celebrated in honor of the deceased, and in their honor - angels will be protectors on Heavenly Court. They act as lawyers, asking God for mercy for each person.

After death and until the third day, the soul of the deceased is not far from the living. She is accompanied by a guardian angel. On the fourth day, an angel escorts the deceased through the gates of heaven. Until the ninth day, the deceased is busy exploring Paradise. Not yet knowing the verdict that God will pronounce on the fortieth day, the soul learns what awaits it in Heaven or Hell. In Eden, a person will find rest from the pain that was in earthly life and the torments of conscience for the sins committed.

On the ninth day, the Lord commands the angels to bring the deceased to his throne. This is the day on which a person first appears before the Almighty with fear and trembling. After a conversation with God, the spirit will go to Hell - until the fortieth day. After completing the journey through the afterlife, the soul awaits the Heavenly Court.

From the ninth to the fortieth day, the ordeal of the soul occurs. Together with the guardian angel, the spirit overcomes trials that represent sinful temptations. If the soul passes the tests, the good half will overcome the evil one, and all lifetime sins will be forgiven at the Heavenly Court.

Nine days after death - meaning for the deceased

Souls contain everything that is in heaven. (Balmont K.D.)

The meaning of tithing after death is important for the soul of the deceased. At this time, the spirit is busy searching for a path to follow. Some believe in . Judging by the literature about reincarnation, in the period from the third day to the fortieth the soul is busy revising and analyzing life mistakes. There is a theory that the soul itself makes a decision about what its subsequent incarnation will be.

If guided Christian sources, the righteous are destined for Paradise, and the sinners are destined for torment in Hell. The soul of the deceased on the ninth day is still busy searching for a continuation of the path. At this time, the relatives of the deceased should try to release him. It is impossible to completely forget about pain and suffering - any loss is saturated with these feelings. But calming the souls of the living will bring meaning to the deceased: it is better to bring benefit through prayers, not tears. The person will find peace, stop worrying about the living and go where he belongs.

IN Orthodox tradition They believe that from the fourth to the ninth days the soul is shown Heaven, and then, from the ninth to the fortieth days, Hell. On nine days, the deceased completely forgets about all the sorrow that he felt during earthly life, and does not remember physical pain. Sinful souls at this time begin to experience true repentance. The prayers of family and friends are important at this moment - the deceased will need the support of relatives.

At this time, the spirit appears before God for the first time. It is customary to order prayer services, arrange funeral services, read prayers, and help the deceased pass afterlife tests in other ways. During church services, you should ask for your soul to join the ranks of the angels. A relative can become a personal guardian angel. Pagans believe that deceased ancestors are nearby and ready to help.

The custom of commemoration on the 9th day after death

An obligatory component of any funeral - kutya, a traditional ritual dish without which holidays are incomplete. For a funeral meal, the food is supposed to be prepared from wheat and sugar or honey. Kutya is made from rice. This is not just a sweet dish for a feast, but with a sacred meaning.

Seeds signify the birth of a new life, symbolize the resurrection of a person in the afterlife, possibly in the next incarnation. Sugar, honey or jam symbolize the sweetness of life after death. Ready dish It’s worth consecrating in church, if possible. It is considered sufficient to sprinkle the kutya with holy water.

Mandatory drink at the funeral table - compote or jelly, sometimes kvass is served. They serve any porridge except kutya. Pancakes are prepared for funerals, and less often there are pies with sweet filling. Fish dishes not prohibited: sandwiches with sprats, pies, herring, cold appetizers. Roast and noodles with poultry, cutlets are found on funeral tables. The first dish is borscht.

The wake on the 9th day after death is uninvited. It is not customary to invite guests; people come to remember the deceased themselves. Any person who wishes to remember the deceased can come. According to tradition, relatives must be present, the people who washed the deceased, made the coffin and dug the grave. In the old days, this was done by neighbors, family friends and colleagues, but now people from the funeral home do it, so the tradition has lost its meaning.

The feast on a sad occasion begins with the reading of the “Our Father” prayer. You can read aloud, repeating after the relatives of the deceased, pray in a whisper or silently. After the prayer, the first dish is served - kutia.

Regarding foods and drinks that need to be placed on the table: there are few rules, but they are easy to remember. Alcohol is prohibited: vodka is served at most wakes, but this should not be done. Drunkenness is a crime, and at a wake, indulging in sin can seriously harm the soul of the deceased. Signs about cemeteries do not advise bringing alcohol to graves.

You can't overdo it with dishes. 9 days after the death of a person - preparation for the Heavenly Court and consideration of the lifetime sins of the deceased. Gluttony is one of the offenses, so do not sin in honor of the deceased - this will negatively affect his posthumous existence. The table should be modest, without frills. The fact of eating does not matter. It is important that people gathered to remember the deceased and support relatives.

Despite the desire to save funeral table from luxury, it is difficult to calculate the number of products so that there is nothing left. It’s impossible to predict the number of guests at Deviny - people come uninvited, at will. If there are any food left after the funeral feast, they are distributed to the poor: they cannot be thrown away.

It is forbidden to laugh, have fun, or have choral singing at the table. You cannot remember bad deeds, negative addictions and habits, or character traits of the deceased. Before the fortieth day, a decision will be made whether the soul will be in Heaven or Hell. Negative memories expressed out loud will tip the scales towards a terrible verdict.

It has great importance appearance people who are going to honor the memory of the deceased. Women are supposed to cover their heads with scarves when collecting their hair. Men are not allowed to wear hats in the memorial room; they must be removed upon entry. Nowadays, relatives cover their heads during funerals with black mourning scarves.

What do the relatives of the deceased do for 9 days after death?

What is done on destinies after death is the work of relatives, which will benefit the deceased in afterlife. It is not only his actions that determine where the soul of the deceased will end up - in Heaven or Hell. What does the ninth day after death mean? During this period, people and angels unite to help the deceased get to Paradise. Can't be treated memorial days as a formality: this is the time when the living are able to help the soul in the afterlife.

For a believer, going to church on the 9th day after the death of a loved one is mandatory. You need to order a prayer service and light a candle for the repose. Be sure to pray near the icons for the mercy of God and the help of angels at the Heavenly Court. You can ask for a relative of the deceased at home, but a funeral service is ordered with a trip to church.

Prayers for the repose of the soul, so that God will be merciful and allow one to be in Paradise, can be read by everyone. How more people pray for the soul of the deceased, the higher the likelihood of a positive verdict at the Heavenly Court. You can turn to God, and to angels, and to Saints.

Closer to noon, you need to visit the grave: clean up the mess, remove the trash, bring flowers and wreaths, light a candle in the lamp. You can invite a priest to lithium- a service held over the grave. If this is not possible, you can read the prayer yourself. You must refrain from talking about extraneous topics. When visiting a grave, it is better to remember the deceased - out loud or mentally.

It is forbidden to arrange a funeral in a cemetery - it is prohibited ancient signs about the funeral. Priests do not recommend doing this either. It is forbidden to leave alcohol in a glass near the grave; you cannot pour alcohol on the mound. You can leave “lunch” - sweets and other treats. Most often they bring what is given at the wake. Sweets and baked goods are distributed to strangers at the cemetery to remember the deceased.

X good or nothing

At wakes and in conversations one is supposed to remember good actions deceased. During this period, God is attentive to all the bad deeds of the deceased and must hear that the living have a positive opinion of this person. A bad word spoken at the wrong time or a negative memory will ruin everything.

On this day you need to give alms to the poor, but money or food does not matter.

In the house, as in the cemetery, you should light a lamp in honor of the deceased, put a glass of water and bread. These signs of attention are located near the portrait of the deceased with a black mourning ribbon. On the ninth day, you can remove the curtains from the mirrors in all rooms except the bedroom.

How is nine counted after death?

According to medical statistics, most deaths occur between 3 and 4 am. This time is called time "between the wolf and the fox".

Even in works of scientific content related to the exact sciences, it is easy to find disagreements in theories and exceptions to accepted rules, and in matters of faith and religion, there are more than enough differences in interpretations and explanations of traditions.

Thus, finding the only correct remembrance of 9 and 40 days after death simply does not exist. Below you will find the answers given various representatives spiritual world, and Interesting Facts and very important tips.

Version of Representatives of the Sretensky Monastery.

Why is the 9th day celebrated after death?

On the ninth day, the deceased is remembered in order to honor the 9 orders of angels, who, being servants of the King of Heaven and our representatives to Him, intercede with Him for pardon of the deceased person.

It is believed that from the third to the ninth day, the soul of the deceased remains in heavenly abodes, Where's she:

1.Forgets her past sorrow that she had to leave her body and the ordinary world.

2. Realizes that she served God so little while on earth, she reproaches herself for this and grieves.

On the ninth day, the Lord sends Angels to bring the soul to worship. Before the throne of the Lord God, the soul trembles and is in great fear.

At this time, the Holy Church, in prayers for the deceased, asks the Almighty to make a decision to accept the soul of her child.

From days 9 to 40, the soul goes to hell, where it observes the torment of sinners who do not deserve forgiveness, and trembles with fear.

That is why it is so important to spend the ninth day in remembrance and prayers for the deceased.

Why is the 40th day after death celebrated?

The history and tradition of the Church say that 40 days is the period necessary for the soul to prepare to accept help and the Divine gift from the Heavenly Father.

The number 40 appears repeatedly in church traditions:

*After a 40-day fast, the Prophet Moses talked with the Lord on Mount Sinai and received the tablets of the law.

*On the 40th day, Jesus Christ ascended to heaven after His Resurrection.

*The Israelites wandered for 40 years before reaching the promised land.

Church representatives took all the facts described above into account and decided to hold a memorial on the 40th day after death. With their prayers they help the soul to ascend the holy mountain of Heavenly Sinai and see the Lord God, achieve bliss and find itself in the company of the righteous in heavenly villages.

In 9 days, after worshiping the Lord, the Angels show the soul hell, in which the souls of unrepentant sinners suffer in torment. On the 40th day, coming to the Lord for the third time (the first time the soul comes on the 3rd day), the soul receives a sentence: a place is assigned in which it will remain until the Last Judgment.

This is precisely why church commemorations and prayers are so important on this day; they help to atone for sins and allow the purified soul to enter Paradise with the saints.

How to calculate 9 days from the date of death:

People often make the mistake of starting the countdown from the day after death. In fact, the countdown time should be the day on which the deceased left this world, even if this happened late in the evening (before 12:00).

Thus, if a person died on December 2, then December 10 will become ninth day after death. Adding numbers mathematically (December 2 + 9 days = December 11) and starting counting from the next day after death is incorrect.

On the ninth day you can remove the veils from the mirrors.

On the ninth day after the death of the deceased, you can remove the veils from the mirrors in the house (in all except the bedroom of the deceased). It is noteworthy that hanging mirrors is a non-Orthodox tradition. These are echoes of an old Russian belief, which says that in the mirrors the soul of the deceased can get lost and not find the way to the next world.

On the ninth day, the wake should be modest.

Alcohol at a feast is optional, and according to the popular opinion of primordially religious people, it is a completely unnecessary attribute. In table conversation one should remember good deeds and good deeds of the deceased. It is believed that every good word spoken about the deceased will be credited to him.

Hegumen Fedor (Yablokov) about the commemoration: Remembrance must be prayerful. This is often forgotten, reducing wakes to a feast, and wakes without sincere commemoration of the deceased have no meaning.

Drinking at funerals and wakes is not only unnecessary, but also harmful for the deceased. There should be no alcohol on the table at all, or a minimal amount. Taking alcohol or drugs in these cases is not a tradition, it is an attempt by a godless person to hide, to escape from reality.

There is no need to fill the entire table with dishes; the table should be modest.

When gathering for a wake, people gather for prayer, for prayerful remembrance of the deceased, and not for the purpose of organizing a holiday of gluttony. An obligatory dish according to tradition is kutya, over which a special prayer must be read.

For 40 days, you must avoid any mourning events; you can come to the memorial in any strict, non-seductive clothing.

Archimandrite Augustine (Pidanov) on traditions and superstitions: Nowadays, you can often come across superstitions skillfully disguised as traditions.

Superstition is indifference, vanity, and a meaningless attitude towards faith. Firstly, some superstitions contradict the concepts and traditions of faith, and secondly, some superstitions simply do not leave time for faith in our lives.

For example, at first glance, there is nothing wrong with a person covering a mirror. But a person burdens all his thoughts with the need to remember to cover the mirrors, not finding time to pray for the souls of loved ones. There shouldn't be any booze on the table, and don't be afraid that anyone will judge you.

Everything depends only on you, whether you organize a wake for the deceased or a drinking party for the sake of relatives and friends.

Archimandrite Augustine (Pidanov) about the funeral service: The funeral service is nothing more than a prayer service, approved by the church as a farewell and farewell to guide people to another world.

Many people mistake a funeral service for a ritual or tradition. In the process of carrying out the ritual, people try to make the incomprehensible understandable, but in fact, behind the form of the funeral service there is much more important and greater value both for the soul of the deceased and for the living. D

To find answers to questions related to leading Christians to last way, you should contact the clergy directly. Only in this way can you avoid mistakes and conduct a funeral service, bringing the greatest benefit to the soul of the deceased, without wasting time on superstitions.

In countries where historically there are long-standing and strong Christian traditions, everyone knows that after the death of a person, the third day after the sad event, the ninth day and the fortieth day are of particular importance. Almost everyone knows, but many cannot say for what reasons these dates - 3 days, 9 days and 40 days - are so important. What happens, according to traditional ideas, to a person’s soul until the ninth day after his departure from earthly life?

Path of the soul
Christian ideas about the afterlife human soul may vary depending on a particular denomination. And if in the Orthodox and Catholic picture the afterlife and there are still few differences in the fate of the soul, but in various Protestant movements the range of opinions is very large - from almost complete identity with Catholicism to moving far from tradition, up to a complete denial of the existence of hell as a place of eternal torment for the souls of sinners. Therefore more interesting Orthodox version what happens to the soul in the first nine days after the beginning of another, afterlife.

Patristic tradition (that is, the recognized corpus of works of the Fathers of the Church) says that after the death of a person, for almost three days, his soul has almost complete freedom.

She not only has all the “baggage” from earthly life, that is, hopes, attachments, fullness of memory, fears, shame, the desire to complete some unfinished business, and so on, but she is also capable of being anywhere. It is generally accepted that on these three days the soul is either next to the body, or, if a person died away from home and family, next to his loved ones, or in those places that for some reason were especially dear or noteworthy for this person. On the third tribute, the soul loses complete freedom of its behavior and is taken by angels to Heaven to worship the Lord there. That is why on the third day, according to tradition, it is necessary to hold a memorial service and thus finally say goodbye to the soul of the deceased.

Having worshiped God, the soul goes on a kind of “tour” through paradise: it is shown the Kingdom of Heaven, it gets an idea of ​​what paradise is, it sees the unity of righteous souls with the Lord, which is the goal of human existence, it meets the souls of saints, and the like. This “survey” journey of the soul through paradise lasts six days. And here, if you believe the Fathers of the Church, the first torment of the soul begins: seeing the heavenly pleasure of the saints, she understands that, due to her sins, she is unworthy to share their fate and is tormented by doubts and fear that she will not go to heaven. On the ninth day, the angels again take the soul to God so that it can glorify His Love for the saints, which it has just been able to observe in person.

What is important these days for the living?
However, according to the Orthodox worldview, one should not perceive the nine days after death as an exclusively otherworldly matter, which does not seem to concern the surviving relatives of the deceased. On the contrary, it is precisely forty days after the death of a person that for his family and friends is the time of greatest rapprochement between the earthly world and the Kingdom of Heaven. Because it is precisely during this period that the living can and must make every effort to contribute to the best possible fate of the soul of the deceased, that is, its salvation. To do this, you need to constantly pray, hoping for God’s mercy and forgiveness of your soul’s sins. This is important from the point of view of determining the fate of a person’s soul, that is, where it will wait Last Judgment, in heaven or hell. At the Last Judgment, the fate of each soul will be decided finally, so those of them who were placed in hell have hope that prayers for it will be heard, it will be forgiven (if they pray for a person, even though he committed many sins, which means there was something good in him) and will be awarded a place in heaven.

The ninth day after the death of a person is, no matter how strange it may sound, almost a holiday in Orthodoxy. People believe that for the last six days the soul of the deceased has been in heaven, albeit as a guest, and can now adequately praise the Creator.

Moreover, it is believed that if a person led a righteous life and his good deeds If he has won the favor of the Lord through love for his neighbors and repentance for his own sins, then his posthumous fate can be decided after nine days. Therefore, on this day a person’s loved ones should, firstly, pray especially earnestly for his soul, and secondly, spend funeral meal. The wake on the ninth day, from the point of view of tradition, should be “uninvited” - that is, no one needs to be specially invited to it. Those who wish the soul of the deceased all the best should come without reminders themselves.

However, in reality, funerals are almost always specially invited, and if more people are expected than the home can accommodate, then they are held in restaurants or similar establishments. The wake on the ninth day is a calm remembrance of the deceased, which should not turn into either an ordinary party or mourning gatherings. It is noteworthy that the Christian concept of the special significance of three, nine and forty days after the death of a person has been adopted by modern occult teachings. But they gave these dates a different meaning: according to one version, the ninth day is designated by the fact that during this period the body supposedly decomposes; according to another, at this point, the body dies, after the physical, mental and astral, which can appear as a ghost.

In countries where historically long and strong Christian traditions have developed, everyone knows that after death of a person The third day after the sad event, the ninth day and the fortieth day are of particular importance. Almost everyone knows, but many cannot say for what reasons these dates - 3 days, 9 days and 40 days - are so important. What happens, according to traditional ideas, to a person’s soul until the ninth day after his departure from earthly life?

Path of the soul

Christian ideas about the posthumous path of the human soul may vary depending on a particular denomination. And if in the Orthodox and Catholic picture of the afterlife and the fate of the soul in it there are still few differences, then in various Protestant movements the range of opinions is very large - from almost complete identity with Catholicism to leaving far from tradition, up to complete denial of the existence of hell as places of eternal torment for the souls of sinners. Therefore, the Orthodox version of what happens to the soul in the first nine days after the beginning of another, afterlife, is more interesting.

Patristic tradition (that is, the recognized corpus of works of the Fathers of the Church) says that after the death of a person, for almost three days, his soul has almost complete freedom. She not only has all the “baggage” from earthly life, that is, hopes, attachments, fullness of memory, fears, shame, the desire to complete some unfinished business, and so on, but she is also capable of being anywhere. It is generally accepted that on these three days the soul is either next to the body, or, if a person died away from home and family, next to his loved ones, or in those places that for some reason were especially dear or noteworthy for that particular person. person. On the third tribute, the soul loses complete freedom of its behavior and is taken by angels to Heaven to worship the Lord there. That is why on the third day, according to tradition, it is necessary to hold a memorial service and thus finally say goodbye to the soul of the deceased.

Having worshiped God, the soul goes on a kind of “tour” through paradise: it is shown the Kingdom of Heaven, it gets an idea of ​​what paradise is, it sees the unity of righteous souls with the Lord, which is the goal of human existence, it meets the souls of saints, and the like. This “survey” journey of the soul through paradise lasts six days. And here, if you believe the Fathers of the Church, the first torment of the soul begins: seeing the heavenly pleasure of the saints, she understands that, due to her sins, she is unworthy to share their fate and is tormented by doubts and fear that she will not go to heaven. On the ninth day, the angels again take the soul to God so that it can glorify His Love for the saints, which it has just been able to observe in person.

What is important these days for the living?

However, according to the Orthodox worldview, one should not perceive the nine days after death as an exclusively otherworldly matter, which does not seem to concern the surviving relatives of the deceased. On the contrary, it is precisely forty days after the death of a person that for his family and friends is the time of greatest rapprochement between the earthly world and the Kingdom of Heaven. Because it is precisely during this period that the living can and must make every effort to contribute to the best possible fate of the soul of the deceased, that is, its salvation. To do this, you need to constantly pray, hoping for God’s mercy and forgiveness of your soul’s sins. This is important from the point of view of determining the fate of a person’s soul, that is, where it will await the Last Judgment, in heaven or hell. At the Last Judgment, the fate of each soul will be decided finally, so those of them who were placed in hell have hope that prayers for it will be heard, it will be forgiven (if they pray for a person, even though he committed many sins, which means there was something good in him) and will be awarded a place in heaven.

Ninth day after death of a person is in Orthodoxy, no matter how strange it may sound, almost festive. People believe that for the last six days the soul of the deceased has been in heaven, albeit as a guest, and can now adequately praise the Creator. Moreover, it is believed that if a person led a righteous life and gained the favor of the Lord with his good deeds, love for his neighbors and repentance for his own sins, then his posthumous fate can be decided after nine days. Therefore, on this day a person’s loved ones should, firstly, pray especially earnestly for his soul, and secondly, hold a memorial meal. Wake on the ninth day, from the point of view of tradition, they should be “uninvited” - that is, no one needs to be specially invited to them. Those who wish the soul of the deceased all the best should come without reminders themselves.

However, in reality, funerals are almost always specially invited, and if more people are expected than the home can accommodate, then they are held in restaurants or similar establishments. Wake on the ninth day, this is a calm remembrance of the deceased, which should not turn into either an ordinary party or mourning gatherings. It is noteworthy that the Christian concept of the special significance of three, nine and forty days after the death of a person has been adopted by modern occult teachings. But they gave these dates a different meaning: according to one version, the ninth day is designated by the fact that during this period the body supposedly decomposes; according to another, at this milestone, one of the bodies dies, after the physical, mental and astral, which can appear as a ghost. 40 days after death: the last milestone

In the Orthodox tradition, the third, ninth and fortieth days after the death of a person are specific value for his soul. But it is the fortieth day that has special significance: for believers, this is the milestone that finally separates earthly life from eternal life. That's why 40 days after death, from a religious point of view, the date is even more tragic than the fact of physical death itself.

The struggle for the soul between hell and heaven

According to Orthodox ideas, which originate from the holy cases described in the Lives, from the theological works of the Fathers of the Church and from canonical services, the human soul from the ninth to the fortieth days passes through a series of obstacles called aerial ordeals. From the moment of death until the third day, a person’s soul remains on earth and can be close to his loved ones or travel anywhere. From the third to the ninth days, she remains in paradise, where she is given the opportunity to appreciate the benefits that the Lord gives to souls in the Kingdom of Heaven as a reward for a righteous or holy life.

The ordeals begin on the ninth day and represent such obstacles in which nothing depends on the human soul itself. A person changes the ratio of his good and evil thoughts, words and actions only in earthly life; after death he is no longer able to add or subtract anything. Ordeals are, in fact, “judicial competitions” between representatives of hell (demons) and heaven (angels), which have an analogy in the debate between a prosecutor and a lawyer. There are twenty ordeals in total, and they represent one or another sinful passions to which all people are susceptible. During each of the ordeals, demons present a list of a person’s sins associated with a given passion, and angels announce a list of his good deeds. It is generally accepted that if the list of sins for each ordeal turns out to be more substantial than the list of good deeds, then the person’s soul goes to hell if, by God’s mercy, good deeds do not multiply. If there are more good deeds, the soul moves on to the next ordeal, as in the case if there are equal numbers of sins and good deeds.

The final decision of fate

The doctrine of aerial ordeals is not canonical, that is, it is not included in the main doctrinal code of Orthodoxy. However, the authority of patristic literature has led to the fact that for many centuries such ideas about the posthumous path of the soul are actually the only ones within the framework of this religious denomination. Period from ninth to fortieth day after death a person is considered the most important, and the fortieth day itself is perhaps the most tragic date even in comparison with death itself. The fact is that, according to Orthodox beliefs, on the fortieth day, after going through the ordeal and seeing all the horrors and torments that await sinners in hell, the soul of a person appears directly before God for the third time (the first time - on the third day, the second time - on the ninth day). And it is at this moment that the fate of the soul is decided - where it will remain until the Last Judgment, in hell or in the Kingdom of Heaven.

It is believed that by that time the soul had already passed all possible tests, which were supposed to determine whether a person could earthly life deserve salvation. The soul had already seen heaven and could feel how worthy or unworthy it was to share the fate of the righteous and saints. She has already gone through ordeals and understands how numerous and serious her sins are. By this point, she must completely repent and trust only in God's mercy. That is why the fortieth day after death is perceived by the Church and the loved ones of the deceased as a key milestone, after which the soul goes either to heaven or to hell. It is necessary to pray earnestly for the soul of the deceased, based on at least three motives. Firstly, prayer can influence the Lord’s decision regarding the fate of the soul: attention is drawn both to the very fact of the indifference of those close to a person, and to the possible intercession before God of the saints to whom they pray. Secondly, if a soul is nevertheless sent to hell, this does not mean final death for it: the fate of all people will be finally decided during the Last Judgment, which means there is still an opportunity to change the decision through prayers. Thirdly, if a person’s soul has found the Kingdom of Heaven, it is necessary to adequately thank God for the mercy He has shown.