LIFE DEATH RESURRECTION IN BYZANTINE SPIRITUALITY Spirituality of

LIFE, DEATH RESURRECTION 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: – – – 3 d Day 9 th day 40 th 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’t In 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 3 d day See Heaven On the 9 th Day See Hell On the 40 th The Particular Judgment

Byz. Midrash: After life states • • Heaven Paradise Hades Gehenna • • The Particular Judgment, awaiting… The Final Judgment – – The 2 d and Glorious Coming Resurrection and the Kingdom

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