LIFE, DEATHRESURRECTION

IN BYZANTINE

SPIRITUALITY

Spirituality of Memorial Services• Salvation of the Reposed

– Prayers for the Repose

• Salvation of the Bereaved– Console & Comfort those

Mourning

• Salvation of the World– Proclamation of God’s love & mercy for all– Evangelisation

Byzantine Practice

• At Death we call the Presbyter

• For the Last Rites• =• Confession• Holy Communion• Office of the Departure of the

Soul from the Body

Requiem Services• Funeral Service

– Not a Mass– The Order of Burial

• 1 version for Laity, Deacons, & Minor Orders• 1 version for Bishops & Presbyters• 1 version for monastics

• Parastas– A Memorial Service– An abridged version of the Order of Burial

• Panakhyda– An abridged version of the Parastas– Just the last section

Prayer for the Reposed• A Memorial Service

– Whether a Parastas or a Panakhyda is done:

– Immediately after the person has reposed

• On the:– 3d Day– 9th day– 40th day– The Anniversaries– The semi-anniversaries

Byzantine Doctrinal Theology

• Both Kataphatic• But especially Apophatic

• We don’t NEED to know everything

• Not everything has to be dogmatically defined to the last detail

• What has been revealed to us, this we know• What has not been revealed, we can live with not

knowing

What we know & What we Don’tIn the Byzantine Churches

• Very little actual Official Dogma about the After life

• What we know for sure:– Basically what is in the Bible– Cf. old Latin Church dictum: re the 4 Last

Things• Death• Judgment• Heaven• Hell

The Dream of St Macarios: a Midrash

• Guardian angel takes the soul• Present in places of good works• On the 3d day• See Heaven• On the 9th Day• See Hell• On the 40th

• The Particular Judgment

Byz. Midrash: After life states

• Heaven• Paradise• Hades• Gehenna

• The Particular Judgment, awaiting…• The Final Judgment

– The 2d and Glorious Coming – Resurrection and the Kingdom

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• Aren’t you worshipping Idols?

• Why do they look so Weird?

• What good are they?

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• Aren’t you worshipping Idols?

• Why do they look so Weird?

• What good are they?

txt

• Aren’t you worshipping Idols?

• Why do they look so Weird?

• What good are they?

txt

• Aren’t you worshipping Idols?

• Why do they look so Weird?

• What good are they?

THE THEOTOKOS

The Gospels in Colour Healing the Soul