Death, funeral, deceased - all this is not only a sad and tragic event, but also a special world associated with the deepest experiences of a person, with his fears and fears, with a world where he comes into contact with the frightening side of existence. Signs and beliefs associated with the deceased helped our ancestors build their relationships with this area of life, regulating behavior and protecting themselves from everything “dark”.
1. The room where the deceased is lying is not swept until it is removed (sweep away the dirty linen of the deceased - take everyone out of the house, that is, all family members will die).
2. You can’t sleep next to a dead person - you need to protect him so that the devils don’t steal him.
3. All personal belongings (combs, toothbrushes, etc.) of the deceased should be burned, but in no case in a home oven, preferably in the forest on a fire.
4. The deceased must spend the night at home for two nights, and on the third day they are buried.
5. If there is a deceased person in the house, before the funeral you should not use sharp metal objects (knives, needles, nails, blades, axes, etc.) and keep them in an open place.
6. If a dead person is looking with one eye, he is looking for someone to take with him. If he looks with his left eye, he looks out for a woman, if with his right eye, he looks for a man.
7. If a dead person’s eyes open, this foreshadows another dead person in the house soon, because the dead person is looking for someone to take with him.
8. If a person dies with his eyes open, it means that there will be another dead person in this house.
9. Mirrors in a house where there is a deceased person are covered so that he cannot look at them.
10. When a dead person is taken out, you must temporarily lock the residents in the house and say: “The dead man is out of the house!”
11. When a dead person is taken out of the house, they sprinkle livestock after him so that no one else dies in the house.
12. The measure of the deceased is placed with him in the grave.
13. The image that stood in front of the deceased must be lowered into the water.
14. While the deceased is in the house, a cup of water should be placed on the windowsill (to “wash the soul”).
15. The deceased must be washed and ritualized while he is still warm, and it is better to do this while the person is still alive and breathing, otherwise he will appear unclean before the court of God.
16. Widows always wash the deceased.
17. The deceased must close his eyes so that death does not come to the living from the other world.
18. After removing the deceased, the broom is thrown away along with the garbage and wood chips from the coffin.
19. After the funeral, they look into the oven so as not to be afraid.
20. After the deceased has been washed, given rites and placed in a coffin, everyone involved in this warms their hands over the fire, which is made from chips and shavings remaining from the hewn coffin: they do this so that their hands are not afraid of either cold or frost.
21. In case of epidemics, endemic and contagious diseases, the deceased is carried forward head first.
22. The deceased’s most beloved thing is placed in the coffin.
23. The straw on which the deceased lay was burned outside the gates of the house so that death would not come again.
24. The shavings from the coffin are not burned, but floated on water.
25. Anyone who stays overnight with the deceased should be given noodles for dinner.
26. The deceased will not find peace if he leaves behind hidden any metal things that belonged to him.
27. In order not to be afraid of the dead man, they grab him by the legs.
28. In order not to be afraid of the deceased, you need to pull a thread from the shroud during the funeral.
Signs foreshadowing imminent death
In Russia, it is customary to associate the souls of the dead with birds and animals. It is believed that the soul of a close relative is able to reincarnate into a bird or an animal, which, as it were, warns the living members of its family about impending trouble. If a bird sits down and knocks on the window, it means expect bad news about the death or serious illness of a person close to you. Also, people in Russia believe that after death, the soul of the deceased can enter the body of a dog or cat and come to their home to be with their family for at least a little longer.
If there is a seriously ill person in the house and during his lifetime his facial features began to sharpen and his nose became cold, then this means that he will soon die. It is believed that Death has come very close to him and is pulling him by the nose into the other world.
A sharp improvement in the dying person’s well-being is also considered a bad sign. As they say: “Before death, the patient felt better.” There are many cases where a practically dying person, literally the day before his death, felt relief, he even gained an appetite, and he began to move around the house on his own. However, at night he became very ill and died.
Another one that foreshadows imminent death: if a dying person suddenly begins to tremble, then it is believed that Death itself begins to look into his eyes.
If the patient begins to gather the sheets into a fist or make movements as if he were collecting something from his body (people say “picking”), then these signs also foreshadow his imminent death.
Signs associated with funerals
If it’s in the house, then all the mirrors there need to be covered right away. It is believed that the soul of the deceased can accidentally fall into a looking glass from which there is no way out. The mirrors are kept hung for forty days. After this period, the soul of the deceased finally passes into the afterlife and the mirrors can already be opened. There are many chilling stories that tell of what can happen if this ritual is not followed. Oddly enough, even hardened atheists for the most part still hang up mirrors if someone close to them dies in their house.
In the room where the coffin with the body of the deceased stands, all doors and windows are closed and pets are not allowed into this room. If a cat jumps on a coffin with a body, then this is considered a very bad sign, and a dog, with its barking and howling, can scare the soul of the deceased, which remains next to its lifeless body for three days after death.
For forty days after death, a cup of water is placed in the house of the deceased, and a cotton towel is hung outside. It is believed that the soul comes into the house, drinks water and wipes itself with a towel. There are many cases when water in a cup, left overnight, miraculously disappeared.
It is considered a very bad sign if your eye suddenly opens slightly. People say that soon there will be another death in this family. It’s as if a dead man is looking for a fellow traveler to the next world.
Signs associated with the coffin and belongings of the deceased
You cannot nail the coffin lid in the house. This may foreshadow another death. After the coffin has been taken out of the house, it is necessary to sweep and wash the floors; after washing, it is better to throw away the broom, rags and bucket. It is believed that in this way, death is washed away from all corners. This superstition is firmly connected with another sign: when someone goes on a business trip or travel, it is recommended, on the contrary, not to wash or sweep the floors for 24 hours.
If it turns out that the coffin turned out to be too big for the deceased, then we should expect another death soon.
Relatives accidentally bought extra items for the funeral ritual - this is also a very bad omen. Under no circumstances should such things be left at home - they must be placed in the coffin of the deceased so that he takes them with him to the grave.
Signs associated with the cemetery and grave
It happens that the coffin does not fit into the dug grave. This sign suggests that someone else will die soon. They also say: “the earth does not accept him.” There was a case when the deceased bequeathed to bury him next to his parents, but, for a number of reasons, the relatives were unable to fulfill this last wish of the deceased loved one. He was buried in a new cemetery, where graves were dug using special equipment. When the funeral procession arrived at the cemetery, it turned out that the grave was too small for the coffin, and the gravediggers had to expand it manually. The relatives of the deceased then discussed this incident for a long time and blamed themselves for not being able to fulfill the last will of their deceased relative.
It is also bad if the grave begins to collapse. This could also mean another death in the house. 
What to do if you meet a funeral procession
If you are walking down the street and encounter a funeral procession, you should absolutely not cross its path. You also cannot drive a hearse by car. Taxi drivers and professional drivers really believe in this sign.
You cannot watch the funeral from the window. If a coffin is being carried past the windows, then it is best to wake up all members of the household who are sleeping at that moment. It is believed that the deceased can take with him all those who are sleeping at that moment.
Signs at funerals have existed for centuries. For example, if a spider falls on a very ill person while sleeping, it is believed that he will soon die. They say that negligence towards superstitions is fraught with a bad end, even leading to damage to the person who did not observe them. In fact, traditions and signs about funerals reflect those rules that are recommended to be strictly and impeccably followed.
Of course, there are also cases when a person is simply unfamiliar with the signs, and therefore, out of simple ignorance, does not follow them. But if you are still familiar with superstitions, perhaps you shouldn’t violate customs and traditions. After all, death carries negative energy that does not forgive mistakes, so there are many things that cannot be done. There are a lot of funeral omens and superstitions. So what exactly are they? How to behave correctly?
Superstitions before burial
Nowadays, there are a huge number of different ritual offices. For money, employees of such organizations take care of all organizational issues. But, as a rule, most of the matters related to the burial of the deceased are taken on by relatives. In this case, there are many things to consider.
According to the signs, during a funeral the deceased should not be allowed to be alone, either in the house or in the room. Every second, minute, all these days, someone must be present with him. There are many reasons for this superstition. Those objects that are directly connected with the deceased person have simply enormous magical powers. There are cases when such things were stolen by those who used these objects at the time of performing any magical rituals.
Church
The Church is of the opinion that the soul of the deceased needs prayer support, which means that it is important to read prayers and psalms near the coffin. Orthodox Christians must especially adhere to this.
Following the signs about funerals, leaving the deceased alone is simply disrespectful. There is another point why you should not leave a dead person alone. The eyes of the dead can sometimes open, and the one on whom the dead gaze falls will soon leave this world.
Folk signs
A folk sign says that on the day of death it is important to cover the mirrors with an impenetrable cloth so that the soul does not get lost and penetrate into the mirror world. It is forbidden to open mirrors to loved ones for 40 days, because until the soul finds peace, it often visits its favorite places.
It is very important to place the furniture where the coffin stood upside down immediately after the deceased is taken to the burial ground. It is allowed to return to its original position only after a day. If you simply simply forget about this belief, you can provoke the appearance of a spirit.
It is also worth remembering that, following the signs about the dead and funerals, it is forbidden to hide photographs in the coffin where living people are present. The water that was used to wash the deceased is poured into a deserted place, and the objects are hidden in the coffin.
If the dead person's limbs are warm until the burial, there will be another death in the house. To avoid this, you need to appease the dead man with bread and salt.
You cannot sweep while the deceased is at home, because in this way you can send the entire family that lives in this room to the next world. As soon as the deceased is taken to the cemetery for burial, it is important to immediately sweep and do a general cleaning in the house, thereby driving out death. Items used for this cleaning should be thrown away.
We must also remember that the dead person should definitely put a handkerchief in the coffin. At the time of the trial, he will wipe his sweat with it. You also need to leave his personal belongings with the dead person: glasses, a cane. In general, what was vital for him.
You should not allow pets into the room in which the dead person is located, because they can easily disturb the peace of the spirit. It is considered a very bad omen if a cat jumps into the coffin. According to legend, spruce branches should be placed at the threshold of the house in which the dead person lies, so that those who come to say goodbye do not carry death on their shoes. It is also forbidden to sleep in the same room as a deceased person. This is a bad omen at a funeral. But if this does happen, you should eat noodles immediately after waking up.
Only widows are allowed to wash the dead. The procedure can be carried out once the body has completely cooled down. But after completion, it is allowed to perform a ritual, after which the limbs of the deceased do not freeze: a fire is lit from various remains of the coffin, over which the widows must warm their hands.
The deceased must be covered with a special blanket called a “veil”.
Don't invite death out of stupidity!
Eyewitnesses of the funeral rite are prohibited from observing the funeral process through the window. By violating the signs associated with a funeral, you can bring about a bad end, even another death. In fact, few people are familiar with this folk superstition. It is believed that after death the soul of the dead person is close to his body. She is very uncomfortable from the gaze through the window, therefore, when angry, she can take the person away.
The older generation believes that if you just glance at a deceased person or at a funeral through a window, you can become fatally ill. This belief concerns children most of all, because their energy protection is much weaker than that of adults, so an evil spirit can easily overcome a child.
If you look at a dead person in this way by chance, you need to look away and cross yourself three times, after which you wish the deceased the Kingdom of Heaven and pray. Of course, many people have a desire to watch the funeral process. To do this, you just need to leave your house and take a look from the street (!).
If you bother to meet the funeral cortege, this means that dramatic changes will occur in your life.
The deceased is carried to the cemetery
Bad omens at funerals state that a delayed funeral is a very bad sign. Everything should have its time!
It is considered a very bad omen if you see a funeral cortege on the street and deliberately cross the road in front of it. A person who violates this belief can become very seriously ill, even death. Old people also believe that someone who crosses the path of a dead person can go to the cemetery for the same reason as the dead person himself.
If the deceased is immersed in a very deeply dug grave, trouble is expected. Signs associated with funerals say that this is fraught with the death of a family member of the deceased. The same outcome can happen if you forget a coffin lid in the house. We must try to prevent this from happening.
You cannot carry the coffin to the loved ones of the deceased. Anyone should do this, but not relatives, because the deceased will take them into his world. Those who bear the coffin must tie a new towel on their wrist.
Funeral signs - superstitions, traditions, rituals
Superstitions at funerals. TOP 5!
What Russians shouldn't do at a funeral
Rules of conduct at a funeral
Probably everyone knows this funeral tradition: during the burial, everyone present must throw a small handful of earth on the coffin. Why is this being done? Everything is very simple. By observing this belief, the dead man’s path into this world is closed, and he will not be able to “walk” at night.
The lid of the coffin is closed during the funeral procession only in the cemetery. It is very important to observe this sign so that the deceased does not take the souls of those who live in this house and nail down the coffin. While the coffin is being taken out of the room, no one is allowed to look out the window, so as not to lure death back into the house.
You cannot turn back during the procession. It is forbidden to walk in front of the coffin: this is also a kind of inviting death.
If, while digging a grave, remains or anything else left over from an old burial is found, this foretells a calm afterlife for the deceased. Do not forget that before lowering the coffin into the grave, you need to throw some coins into it. This is done to buy a place in another world.
Weather at the time of burial
If it rains during a funeral, this is a very good omen. This weather phenomenon means that the soul of the deceased will quickly find its peace.
You shouldn’t even look for more positive signs during the funeral procession. On the contrary: there are many different prohibitions associated with this ceremony, which should not be violated! For example, pregnant women should not follow a hearse. In general, the presence of pregnant women at a burial is unsafe, because there is a high risk of pregnancy loss.
You need to wear black clothes to the farewell ceremony. It is believed that dark shades can hide from death.
Bad omens at a funeral. The coffin fell
This sign is considered the most terrible and dangerous. It is believed that if a coffin falls at a funeral, you should wait for another death to come to the house within 3 months. There is only one way to avoid dire consequences.
If the coffin falls during the funeral procession, the next day the relatives of the deceased must bake pancakes. It is important to do this all together; even a purely symbolic presence is allowed. Next, the family visits the cemetery, looks for 3 graves with their name and reads the Lord’s Prayer.
At the end of the process, the baked pancakes are distributed near the church, not forgetting to give alms beforehand.
Important note: absolute silence must be maintained during the entire ceremony.
Beliefs after burial
Many mistakes are made at funerals. There are a lot of things to adhere to in this case! Signs say that when remembering a loved one, you need to put his photo, and place a glass of liquid and a small piece of bread nearby. If a living person takes this food, he will follow the deceased. Dead human food should not be given to pets.
Having returned from the funeral procession, you should immediately warm your hands with fire or simply wash them thoroughly in hot water. Thus, the living will protect themselves from imminent death. Some people warm their hands on a stove or a lit candle for this purpose.
You cannot cry for the deceased. Signs during a funeral say that the deceased may choke in tears. During their lifetime, all people have a place that they really love to visit. So after death it is necessary to leave water on it. According to customs, it should stand for exactly 40 days.
About icons after burial
The image that was in front of the deceased before his burial must be washed off with clean water. To do this, they go to a pond and release it so that it can swim. Throwing away the icon is strictly prohibited, as is storing it. Only water will help get rid of it without bad consequences. If this is not possible, you can take the icon to the church, and there they will decide what to do with it.
Accessories that are not useful are placed in a coffin or simply left in the cemetery. If you didn’t manage to do it on time, remember: you should take it at any time, the main thing is not to delay it too much. Of course, putting all his favorite things in the coffin with the deceased is simply unrealistic. They attract the soul of the deceased, who, in turn, frightens the living. Therefore, observing funeral signs, it is worth distributing the dead person’s favorite belongings to the poor. It is worth giving them the personal belongings of the deceased (mug, spoon, etc.).
The bed on which the person died must be immediately thrown out of the house. The same should be done with bed linen. Some people simply burn these items away from home.
Events after the funeral are prohibited
Customs say that after a funeral procession it is forbidden to visit living people. Thus, you can bring death into the house. Those close to the deceased must observe a year of mourning. You cannot have a wedding at this time: it is considered a very bad omen. For example, Tsar Nicholas the second married just a few days after the death of his father. Everyone knows what happened next, or rather, the history of this family. It is also not recommended to celebrate a birthday after a funeral.
Signs after the funeral say:
- the very first pancake with jelly at a funeral should be given to the dead as a treat;
- It is forbidden to clink glasses during the procession, because in this way the trouble moves;
- there is only one candle on the table during the funeral;
- You can’t rejoice at a wake or sing songs - you’re inviting trouble. You need to behave calmly.
In fact, the signs at the funeral of a loved one are not as terrible as they are made out to be. If you violated them unintentionally, you should apologize for your negligence and ask for help from God or the deceased himself.
Whether you believe in the signs associated with funerals or not is up to you. The main thing is to remember: each of us will go towards God at the time that has already been assigned to us, but not before it.
Signs after and during funerals have been observed for hundreds of years. It is believed that neglecting them can lead to unpleasant consequences, even causing damage to oneself.
In the article:
Signs after the funeral, before and during burial
There are many signs that prescribe to the relatives of the deceased and everyone else who came to see him off on his last journey, how to behave at the funeral, and what not to do. Some of them were lost in the past and have not survived to this day, but many signs associated with funerals are observed to this day.
Failure to comply with most superstitions and signs can lead to serious consequences - from illness to death. The energy of death is very heavy, and it does not forgive mistakes. Therefore, try to remember and follow the signs during the funeral.
In the past, everyone knew and followed. Modern people think little about how to properly organize a burial and what to do in general. It is difficult to find a representative of modern youth who would have such knowledge, so what happens during the burial is usually monitored by older people. But this does not mean that you do not need to adopt this experience.
Superstitions associated with funerals - in the house
Even during the existence of numerous funeral parlors, a considerable part of organizational issues lies with the relatives of the deceased person. There are many points to consider.
The deceased should not be left alone, not only in the house, but even in the room. Someone should always be near the coffin. There are many reasons for this. Items associated with the deceased have great magical power. Sometimes those who need these things for rituals try to steal them. Care should be taken to ensure that it does not fall into the wrong hands. The Church believes that the soul of the deceased needs prayer support, so you need to read the psalms and. In addition, leaving it unattended is disrespectful.
There is another reason for this. The dead person's eyes may open, and the one on whom his gaze falls will soon die. In order to prevent this, there must be someone near the coffin who will close the eyes of the dead person in case they open.
You might be interested in the article: signs if.
Immediately after death, all mirror surfaces should be covered with an opaque cloth. This is necessary so that the soul of the deceased does not fall into the mirror world instead of the afterlife. The mirrors are not opened for forty days, because all this time the spirit is in its native places.
The piece of furniture on which the coffin rested should be turned upside down when it is taken to the cemetery. You can put it back only after a day has passed. If you ignore such a sign, the deceased may return as a spirit. To prevent the accumulation of negative energy of death, an ax should be placed in the place of the coffin.
Under no circumstances should photographs be placed with the deceased, otherwise those depicted on them will die. This way you can cause damage and drive the enemy away from the world. However, this does not apply to photographs of those who have already died (for example, the parents of the deceased).
The water used to wash the deceased is poured out in deserted places. This way you will prevent its use in magic, because such water is not used for good deeds. Everything that was associated with the dead - a comb, soap used for washing, tourniquets, for tying hands and similar things - is placed in the coffin. They use such things only to cause damage.
When the deceased's legs feel warm until the burial, this is a harbinger of the imminent death of someone living in the house. To avoid this, the dead person should be appeased by placing bread and salt in the coffin.
While there is a deceased person in the house, you cannot sweep it away, so you can “sweep out” everyone who lives here into the cemetery. But when he is taken away to be buried, a person must remain who will sweep and wash the floor in order to drive death out of the home. Tools for such cleaning are immediately taken out of the room and thrown away somewhere; they cannot be stored or used.
You should definitely leave a new handkerchief in the coffin so that the deceased has something to wipe away sweat during the trial. Glasses, dentures and similar things should also be placed inside the coffin - personal items should go to another world along with the owner.
If a funeral is taking place near you and one of your family members is sleeping, be sure to wake them up, because the soul of the deceased can enter the sleeping person. Not all dead people calmly accept the fact that they can no longer live and try to remain in the world of the living. You should especially worry about children and keep them awake during the funeral. And if your baby is eating at this time, put water under the cradle.
Dogs and cats are not allowed into the room where the coffin is located. They may disturb his spirit. Jumped into a coffin. Howls and meows frighten the dead.
Fir branches are placed near the threshold of the house with the deceased so that relatives and friends who came to honor the memory do not carry death into their home.
You cannot sleep in a room with a deceased person. If this happens, you need to eat noodles for breakfast in the morning.
Only widows wash the dead. You need to wash and put on clean clothes before the body cools down. But after such an activity, you can do a ritual so that your hands never freeze. To do this, a small fire is lit from the wood chips and other wooden remains from which the coffin was made, and all participants in the washing warm their hands over it.
Why you can't watch a funeral through a window
If a funeral is taking place near you, you cannot look out the window, otherwise you will follow. There is such a sign, but few people know exactly why you can’t look through the window at a funeral. It is believed that for some time the soul of the deceased remains next to the body, which, as is known, is in the coffin during the funeral. She experiences discomfort from staring closely through the window glass, and even if a person who is good and kind in every sense is buried, his spirit can take revenge for such impoliteness.
It is known how the spirit of the deceased can take revenge - dragging it with it to the world of the dead. Old people claim that if you look out the window at a funeral or a deceased person in general, you can get seriously ill. This disease can be fatal. This belief especially concerns children, whose energy protection is weaker than that of adults. A vengeful spirit will be able to deal with a child much faster.
If a glance at the deceased was accidental, which is not at all uncommon, in the old days they immediately looked away and made the sign of the cross three times, and also mentally wished the Kingdom of Heaven to the deceased and prayed for his soul. If you want to watch the funeral procession, you need to go outside your apartment door or gate and watch from the street. Many people have such a desire, and there is nothing wrong with sympathizing with even a stranger.
Bad omens at funerals - on the street and in the cemetery
Under no circumstances should you cross the path of a funeral procession. As a rule, those who do not follow this rule will face a serious illness. It’s difficult to allow something like this to happen.
Some believe that if you cross the path of a funeral procession, you can die for the same reasons that the one who was buried died.
If the grave is dug too large, this could threaten the death of another family member. A similar meaning is attached to a coffin lid forgotten in the house. This should not be allowed.
Relatives cannot carry the coffin. This should be done by friends, colleagues, neighbors or people from the funeral agency - anyone except relatives. Otherwise, the deceased can take them with him. People who carry the coffin must tie a new towel on their arm.
Have you ever wondered why everyone who comes to a funeral throws a handful of earth on the coffin? To prevent the ghost from coming at night.
You can only close the coffin lid in a cemetery. If you do this at home, death will come to the family of the deceased and to those who nail the coffin.
When they take out the coffin, you cannot look into the windows - it doesn’t matter whether it’s yours or someone else’s, otherwise you will attract death into this house. To ensure that none of the relatives of the deceased die soon, they do not look back.
You cannot walk in front of the coffin - this will lead to death.
If, when digging a grave, they come across what is left of the old one - bones, for example, this foretells the deceased a good life in the next world and means that his spirit will not disturb the living.
Before the coffin is lowered into the ground, coins are thrown in to buy a place in the next world.
Signs and superstitions at funerals - after burial
During a wake, as a rule, they place a photo of the deceased, and next to him - a glass of vodka (sometimes with water) and a piece of bread. Anyone who drinks this vodka or eats the bread of the dead will get sick and die. You can't even give it to animals.
After you return from the funeral, be sure to warm your hands with live fire or wash them in hot water. This way you will protect yourself from an early death. Many people instead touch the stove or light candles to burn away whatever they might have picked up at the funeral.
You cannot cry too much for the deceased, otherwise he will drown in your tears in the next world.
Every person has favorite places. Leave water there, because the soul remains among the living for some time, and from time to time it needs water. Let it sit for forty days, top up from time to time. The relatives of the deceased should not drink the same amount, and the lamp should also be lit.
You should leave the cemetery without looking back. On the way out they wipe their feet.
The image that stood in front of the deceased must be floated on water. They go to the river and put it on the water so that it floats. You can’t store it, you can’t throw it away either, water is the only way to get rid of the icon without it causing trouble. In all other cases, take the icons to the church, they will decide what to do with them.
One of the most mysterious and incomprehensible events for humanity is death. We can only speculate about what happens to a person beyond this line. Fear of the unknown is a natural reaction that forces even the most notorious atheist, albeit to a minimal extent, to adhere to certain rules of conduct during the process, before and after the funeral. The traditions that are observed during this ritual are among the most revered in the world. Not everyone knows how to behave correctly if such grief occurs in a family. Our editors often receive requests to clarify certain issues. We will try to answer the most popular of them from ethical and religious points of view.
First, here are the most common ones: superstitions associated with funerals:
Close windows and doors in the house;
Put food, money and things (lately mobile phones) in the coffin;
Place a pancake on the face of the deceased, and then eat it, believing that this eliminates the sins of the deceased;
To believe that a person who returns to the house after removing the body and before returning from the cemetery will certainly die soon;
At a wake, place a glass of vodka and bread “for the deceased”;
Save this “funeral glass” until the fortieth day;
Pouring vodka on a grave mound;
Before lowering the coffin, throw metal money into the grave to “buy back the land”;
Attach metal glasses to the monument for commemoration with vodka;
Kiss your fingers and apply them to the edge of the grave;
Say: “May you rest in peace”;
Scatter bread crumbs over the grave;
Scatter fir branches along the road to the cemetery;
Believe that the soul of the deceased can take the form of a bird or a bee;
To believe that if the deceased is not inveterate, then his soul remains on earth as a ghost;
To believe that a person who accidentally stands between the coffin and the altar during a funeral service will certainly die soon;
Believe that burial soil, which is given at an absentee funeral service, cannot be kept at home for more than one day;
Believe that cremation can cause illness in the children or grandchildren of the person being cremated;
Commemorate only with light (white) alcoholic drinks: vodka, if wine, then only white;
In honor of the soul, be sure to cook only those dishes that the deceased loved;
At funerals, eat only with spoons (it’s a sin to eat with forks).
The custom of not serving knives and forks at the table at funerals, apparently one of the modern superstitious customs, was born in Soviet canteens, where these cutlery were not accepted and where funerals were held. And only then, from the absence, a “theory” was born: so as not to inject the deceased. It is believed that this “tradition” appeared in the mid-19th century among merchants. People, inflamed by “funeral” alcohol, moved at the table to the issue of dividing up the inheritance, and cutting and stabbing objects, i.e. forks and knives led to serious injuries, so they were removed from funeral service.
Believe that if the deceased has a long coffin, it means a new deceased.
To believe that the deceased hears until the priest says over him: “Eternal memory...”.
Distribute soap at funerals so that the deceased can wash himself in the next world.
Distribute handkerchiefs to all those present at the wake (it is believed that by wiping ourselves with a handkerchief, we remember the deceased).
Cut all the “loops” on the deceased, including the trouser belt, the collar of the tie and the lace of the body cross.
To believe that if something falls from the table during a funeral dinner, then picking it up is a sin.
Bury children with their belts “so that they can gather the fruits of paradise in their bosoms.”
After the funeral, do not clean the house for 40 days.
After the funeral, do not turn off the lights in the house for 40 days;
After the funeral, do not sleep on the bed of the deceased for 40 days;
Hanging mirrors in a house where there is a deceased person;
Is it possible to watch TV after the funeral?
Many people adhere to this rule: as long as the deceased is in the house, it is necessary to cover surfaces that can reflect something, for example, mirrors, a TV. This superstition has nothing to do with Orthodox beliefs, but relates to paganism. It is believed that after death, a person’s soul can be drawn into a mirror and unable to get out of there, it will wander forever, never finding peace for itself. After the deceased is taken out of the room, the cloths can be removed, but some keep them closed for 9 or even 40 days.
Other sources claim that hanging mirrors is generally a fairly understandable custom. When someone died in the house, the coffin with his body was placed in the largest room. The psalter was constantly read at the coffin of the deceased, and worshipers could enter at any time and pray near the coffin. Accordingly, everything in the room was arranged so that everything around was conducive to prayer. Mirrors, book spines, figurines or dishes in the sideboard, vases and other small things distract the eye, and therefore do not contribute to the mood. So in the room where the psalter is read, they began to hide everything extraneous from view with draperies. The Psalter has not been read for a long time, but mirrors are hung in all rooms, even for up to 40 days. A normal custom that has turned into superstition.
By the way, watching TV after the funeral of the deceased is a separate issue. What matters is not just the fact that you watch TV, but what exactly you watch. Watching entertainment programs and entertaining films is prohibited. Most often, an interval of 9 days is maintained. In addition, out of respect for the deceased, you should not play it at high volume. Watching the news, for example, is not prohibited.
Is it possible to celebrate a birthday after a funeral?
This issue is resolved only by how important the memory and repose of the deceased person is for those celebrating. The Church does not set an exact time frame for mourning days, but in the first days after the incident it still recommends paying more attention to prayers and commemorations of the deceased.
Norms of ethics also do not provide contrary recommendations on this issue. There is no need to have a noisy celebration. If you still want to somehow celebrate the holiday (especially if the birthday boy is a child), you can arrange it quietly and in a family way, without loud music and a noisy party. Honoring the memory of a departed loved one is one of the hallmarks of a civilized society.
Is it possible to have sex after a funeral?
The Orthodox Church answers this question in the following way: mourning for a deceased relative is a time when all the relatives’ attention should be directed to prayers.
Ethical considerations also recommend showing respect for memory and abandoning this idea. It is quite possible that a person grieving a loss will simply not have the time for such pleasures. Along with this, again, there are no clear time limits for the ban on sex, therefore, as soon as the heart comes to terms with the loss and the feeling of grief has dulled, you can distract yourself in a similar way. Each person sets the boundaries of what is permitted for himself independently.
Is it possible to drink after a funeral?
According to church ministers, drinking alcoholic beverages, even for the purpose of commemorating the deceased, is unacceptable and even harmful to the soul of the person commemorated.
In pre-Soviet times, it was not customary to drink at funerals. The main and most beneficial memorial is prayer. There is no point in alcoholic commemoration. The only thing that needs to be consumed after the funeral during the wake is kutia. Everything else is not necessary.
As you know, alcohol is an enemy not only of spiritual and physical health, but also of common sense. Often, during a memorial ceremony, due to the fault of extra degrees, disputes begin, and sometimes even fights between guests, which, for ethical reasons, is completely inappropriate at such an event.
Is it possible to listen to music after a funeral?
This question is often asked by people who are experiencing the loss of a loved one. Here, as with watching TV, everything depends not on the fact of listening to music, but on the nature of listening and the semantic content.
It is better to exclude everything that can be called entertainment music during mourning. Listening to peaceful, calm (preferably classical) music is allowed. You shouldn't turn it on loud either.
It is also often practiced to listen to the deceased person’s favorite compositions. For ethical reasons, this is also a kind of tribute to memory. A funeral orchestra often plays at funerals. These are rather echoes of Soviet times. From the point of view of religion, the most correct thing to do is to sing and listen to prayer chants.
Is it possible to have a wedding immediately after a funeral?
There are also cases when a loved one leaves his family forever at the moment when she is preparing to marry off or marry one of her representatives. Most often, pre-wedding efforts entail spending a lot of money and, for purely rational reasons, the wedding is not cancelled, but at the celebration itself they mention the death of a loved one and pay tribute to his memory. There is nothing reprehensible in this; it all depends on the emotional state of the couple.
Orthodox tradition allows weddings even before 40 days. If we touch on the topic of a secular wedding, this is a worldly event, and like all others, it can be equated to entertainment events. You can celebrate a wedding, but without any frills. Or reschedule it at least within 9 days.
Is it possible to go on vacation after the funeral?
There is no ban on travel after a funeral. On the contrary, if a person who has lost a loved one suffers greatly about this, a trip may well be able to distract him from mourning thoughts and direct him in the right direction. Besides, everyone's vacation is different.
It is better to cancel everything that has to do with entertainment events (going to discos, bars, entertainment concerts).
From the point of view of Orthodoxy, vacation is also not a form of disrespectful behavior towards the deceased. It is important to remember to behave appropriately and remember the departed person with prayer and kind words.
Is it possible to make repairs after a funeral?
Signs that do not relate to Orthodoxy say that repairs in the house where the deceased lived cannot be done within 40 days. No changes can be made to the interior. In addition, all belongings of the deceased must be thrown away after 40 days.
There are also superstitions that say that blood relatives should not sleep on the bed on which a person died.
From an ethical point of view, repairs will only refresh the state of those grieving. It will help you get rid of things that remind you of the person. Although many, in memory of a departed loved one, strive to keep something that belonged to him. According to signs, this is again not worth doing. Therefore, repair will be a good solution in all cases.
Is it possible to wash immediately or the day after the funeral?
There is such a sign that says that as long as the deceased is in the house, until he is buried, you cannot wash, so you throw mud at him. Some people follow the rule even longer. This superstition has nothing in common with Orthodox teaching. But walking dirty for 9 or even 40 days is very difficult and completely unhygienic and unaesthetic, so you should think twice before blindly following all the rules and signs you overheard somewhere. Beliefs are beliefs, but common sense should not be neglected.
Is it possible to get a haircut after a funeral?
The Orthodox Church does not know this superstition in its history, but people believe and actively believe the sign that you cannot cut your hair after a funeral.
From an aesthetic point of view, there are no reasons to ban this procedure. So, if necessary or desired, you can safely go to the hairdresser and get a haircut.
In general, with regard to signs and all kinds of superstitions regarding death, they often even contradict the canons of Orthodoxy. The Church considers superstitions to be sinful echoes of the pagan past.
Is it possible to clean up after a funeral?
While the deceased is in the house, you cannot clean or take out the trash. According to legends, it is believed that the rest of the family members will die. When the deceased is removed from the house, the floor must be thoroughly washed. Blood relatives are prohibited from doing this. The Orthodox Church also denies this point and considers it superstition. From an ethical standpoint, there is nothing reprehensible in cleaning up after a funeral.
Should the children of the deceased participate in the coffin carrying?
Some believe that the children of the deceased, as the closest relatives after the spouse, do not participate in carrying the coffin, so as not to lose the prayerful mood and concentration at such an important moment of their life. It's a delusion. It all depends on the specific situation. When leaving, relatives take soil from the grave with them so as not to be afraid of the deceased. Returning home, they put the earth in a washstand and wash themselves with water from this earth. The custom of washing oneself after returning from a funeral is certainly observed today in the urban environment.
Can pregnant women visit cemeteries?
There is also a belief that pregnant women should not go to the cemetery. In fact, some women are very emotional, and a visit to a cemetery, and often the accompanying hysteria, has a harmful effect on the child.
Distributing clothes and belongings of the deceased after the funeral: is it possible?
Many people believe that the clothes of the deceased cannot be distributed within the first forty days. But this is superstition. It is better to distribute the clothes of the deceased (as alms for him), or personal belongings as souvenirs to loved ones, immediately after his death or immediately after his death. Moreover, it is in the first forty days that it is necessary to intensively do alms and distribute the things of the deceased in order to appease God - the Righteous Judge, who will carry out a preliminary judgment on the soul on the fortieth day. Friends, in memory of a friend, may be left with books or some souvenirs reminiscent of the deceased. Moreover, if there was a will or will of the newly deceased, this needs to be done as soon as possible. The deceased is considered newly deceased until the fortieth day. When a wife buries her husband, in order to remarry, she must unbutton the bottom button of the deceased’s shirt. When someone dies, a “travel” bundle is collected for him: an onion, an iron cup, millet or rice, a wooden spoon, thread and a needle. All this is given to those in need so that it will be useful to the deceased in the next world.
What should be placed in the coffin of the deceased? Established superstitions and church recommendations.
One of the most common superstitions is that a handkerchief must be placed in the hand of the deceased and a cross in his left hand: “In the next world God will scold him, but he will wipe away his tears with a handkerchief and cross himself with his right hand.” While reading the psalter, a sieve is placed under the book to “sift out” the sins of the deceased. Some, when reading the Psalter for a deceased person, place bread and water. This custom is folk, dating back to paganism, and has no basis in the canons and traditions of the Church. Therefore, you should not put water and bread when reading the Psalter for the deceased. Some people place a stick or twig in the coffin of the deceased. This custom, like most church beliefs, comes from ignorance. In past times, in order to make a coffin according to a person’s height, the deceased was measured with a “smerk”, that is, the length of the “smerk” corresponded to the height of the deceased. This “darkness” was placed in the coffin with the deceased. “Smerok” does not have any religious symbols, so there is no need to put any sticks in the coffin.
How should a funeral meal end?
There is a custom to end the funeral meal by eating jelly with milk. Some priests currently recommend replacing cow's milk with soy milk on fasting days. (However, this conflicts with the fact that soy products cannot be used because they are all genetically modified).
Another superstition: Superstitions watch with which foot the priest enters the house where the deceased is: if with the right, then good, if with the left, then bad. While the deceased is lying in the house, they throw a knife into a tub of drinking water so that the deceased does not drink water from this tub at night. During the time that the deceased is in the house, they do not lend any food, and also do not give fire to anyone in the house.
If the owner or mistress of the house dies: If the owner or mistress dies, then all doors and exits are tied with red lace or thread so that the household does not follow the owner.
Superstitions about the coffin and stools: When the coffin is taken out for farewell, it is placed on stools. As soon as it is lifted, you need to quickly grab them and turn them upside down. - “so that another coffin does not lie on these stools.” The stools on which the coffin stood can only be corrected by touching the seat to the ground, this again makes the stools suitable for use, or, on the contrary, depending on the region, they rush to sit on this chair so that “all troubles die.”
Caring for a loved one even after death: In some places, after a funeral, for three nights in a row, a wax candle is lit in the house where the deceased lay, two loaves of bread and two apples are placed, a mug of water or a glass of vodka is placed on each fire for the soul of the deceased, so that the deceased can come to his home and eat for three days.
How not to scare away your guardian angel?
In some places it is believed that after the death of a person, his guardian angel remains in the house of the deceased for another forty days, and therefore, during this period, peasants in many places did not sit under the shrine (the angel resides there). And on the fortieth day, one or two women traditionally saw off the angel (according to other beliefs, the soul of the deceased) with bread, salt and beer. (It was not possible to find out the type of beer).
Superstitions about whether it is necessary to leave a deceased person alone in a room, at least for a moment: A dead person is never left alone: neither when he is lying down, nor when he is dying. This custom is explained by the fact that on the right side of the body those worthy of God stand invisibly, and on the left are devils “and pull the soul: this one for himself, and this one for himself.” The presence of living people helps the righteous to “draw” the soul of the deceased. Tears, if shed over the deceased, interfere with calm care and make it “difficult” to die. Those who succumb to uncontrollable grief in such circumstances are said to “cry back the dying.” They are predicted to pay for such selfishness in the future - they will lose speech, or hearing, or another gift, or some other misfortune will befall them. Therefore, sometimes the so-called mourners are invited for a fee, and they cry for all their relatives. Some mourners are real professional artists.
A guardian angel watches over a person from heaven, from the “window of God’s mansion,” which people see as a star, and writes down every earthly deed of the person entrusted to him in the heavenly book; when a person dies, the heavenly window slams shut and people can see a star falling “from the heights of heaven onto the chest of the earth” - this is an angel flying for the soul of the deceased. Hence the belief - if you see a falling star and, before it goes out, you make a wish, it will certainly come true, since the angel on this path does not refuse anyone anything and will fulfill the wish, or, according to another belief, will convey the request to the Lord . A nice superstition, if only you could replace making a wish to an angel star with a prayer.
Old beliefs about the death of sorcerers: Sorcerers are believed to die, always in terrible agony, so in the past in villages they used to remove the roof of a house to make it easier for the soul to part with the body. After death, the sorcerer “did not give rest” until he, like the drowned, was nailed to the ground with an aspen stake.
About funeral services for suicides: It happens that a priest refuses to perform a Church commemoration and burial according to the rites of the Orthodox Church due to the fact that the deceased was a suicide. Here we must remember that deliberate suicides, murdered robbers or those killed in a duel are deprived of Christian burial. One should distinguish from them people who took their own lives due to negligence (unintentional fall from a height, drowning in water, poisoning with stale food, violation of safety regulations at work, etc.). This also includes suicide committed as a result of a mental disorder, under the influence of large doses of alcohol, and so on. But the duty of love allows close relatives to ask God for the forgiveness of such a person in home prayer.
Priests comment on the funeral service for suicides in this way: “Suicide is the unauthorized taking of one’s life in a state of despair, extreme despondency, wounded pride, loss of all meaning in life. The common spiritual basis for all manifestations of this mortal sin is unbelief and lack of hope in God. A person commits suicide in a state of severe spiritual illness. Such a high manifestation of love for God and people, when a person sacrifices his life for faith, fatherland, people, has nothing to do with this. “This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:12-14). The holy martyrs sacrificed their lives with great love and devotion to God. History knows many examples when Christians had a choice, but chose death. The Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer was taken in chains to Rome to be devoured to wild animals. On the way to the capital of the empire, he learned that Roman Christians intended to seek the abolition of the royal sentence on the death penalty. In the letter he asked not to do this. The words of his letter are known, which expressed his great desire to become a sacrifice for the sake of Jesus Christ: “I am His wheat and will be ground with the teeth of beasts, so that I may be His pure bread.” He gave up the chance to stay alive. Out of the fullness of faith, he wanted to leave this life and unite with Christ. During the persecution, chaste girls were in a very difficult situation, who, out of love for Christ, chose the path of a pure and virgin life. The persecutors, directed by the devil, sought to strike them at the very heart of their feat - to dishonor them. The persecutors wanted to plunge them into the very mud in which they themselves lived (the pagan world at that time was greatly corrupted). Nikephoros Callistus tells about two Antiochian virgins who, on the advice of their mother, threw themselves into the water to avoid shame. Other examples have come down to us. One cannot help but see in these actions manifestations of sacrifice for the sake of moral purity, and not despair and disbelief. Not all of them are canonized. In glorifying some of them, the Church took into account the holiness of their previous lives.”
Celebrating a memorial service for a deceased baby: Some ask to serve a memorial service for a deceased baby. There is no need to serve a memorial service for the baby; it is enough to remember him at the liturgy. A memorial service is served for the forgiveness of the sins of the deceased, but the baby does not yet have sins. During the Divine Liturgy, at the proskomedia, a sacrifice is made for everyone, including the saints, therefore during the liturgy it is necessary to remember the dead babies.
Many pagan-Soviet superstitions exist in cemeteries: You can’t say “thank you”, you can say “thank you”. You can’t say “goodbye,” otherwise you’ll soon “see each other,” you have to say “goodbye,” although in this case, no matter how much you say goodbye, the date is still guaranteed.
There are still many superstitions associated with human funerals, but many of them were generated either from ancient traditions and distorted, or created based on ethical considerations, or taken from religious beliefs.
Whether you adhere to these standards or not depends only on you and your loved ones.
