Funeral Home & Directors Sydney

After the death, a priest should be immediately called to lead prayers over the deceased’s body for the release of the soul. You should also immediately call Orthodox Funerals to collect and care for the deceased person.

Burial has been traditional way of disposing the deceased for thousands of years. The Old Testament and New Testament discuss burials and there are many references to burials being performed and the holy obligation of providing a burial for the deceased, as seen with the burial of Jesus Christ himself in the tomb.

Orthodox Christians believe the body is a gift from God. Orthodox Christians believe the body must now and always be treated with dignity and respect, and that the body does not belong to us; but is the essence of the Holy Spirit wherein the soul resides during our earthly journey. Hence the Orthodox Church doctrine maintains that the body is equally as valuable on earth as is the soul in eternity.

Eastern Orthodox tradition tells us that when we are resurrected upon the Second Coming of Christ, we will be resurrected in our physical bodies as was Jesus. Orthodox Christians believe that as Jesus was buried after being crucified (and not cremated as many were at that time) that they too are to be buried following the example of Jesus Christ.

The Orthodox Church does not allow for a funeral service to be conducted by an Orthodox Priest in an Orthodox Church for a person being cremated. There are (have been) exceptions where the Orthodox Christian met an unexpected tragic death wherein the deceased’s remains were compromised by acts or actions beyond ones control.

In summation, the Orthodox Church does not recognise or accept cremation as a means of disposition of a departed Orthodox Christian; for the Orthodox Church’s belief is that the body and soul will be reunited at the Last Judgment.

Once the deceased’s requirements have been met and funeral arrangements organised, the deceased is transported to the church for the funeral service. Traditionally, the procession is led by the cross, where the priest walks in front of the coffin with the censer and leads the processors in the singing of the hymn Trisagion. Even if there will not be a traditional procession, the Trisagion should be recited at the viewing, before the deceased is brought to the cemetery graveside for the funeral service.

Once at the church, the coffin is opened. Near the head of the coffin should be placed a bowl of koliva, a dish of boiled wheat with honey, with a lit candle on top, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life and the sweetness of Heaven. A crown or wreath with the Trisagion printed on it is placed on the head and a small icon of Christ, the deceased’s patron saint, or a cross is placed in the deceased’s hand or in the casket. Lit candles should be distributed to all present and should remain lit throughout the funeral service.

Mourners and worshipers should stand throughout the funeral service, during which the priest will lead the Divine Liturgy, say prayers, lead the Dismissal, and recite “Memory Eternal.” Holy Communion may also be offered. After the service, mourners are encouraged to approach the casket and “say goodbye” to the deceased, and may kiss the icon or cross in the casket. After all mourners have had a chance to “say goodbye,” the casket is closed and removed from the church to the cemetery. At this point, the Trisagion should again be sung.