This morning I had a great breakfast with Fr. Greg and returned to the church to find the other furnace in the church on the fritz. We have three hot air furnaces that heat the church. One went down earlier in the week and was repaired. We were waiting on the electrician to come and wire the thing up. While waiting for him, the other one went down and will be down until next week. So if you are coming to church here this weekend bring a hat. Ahhh the things they don’t teach in seminary… LOL
Orthodox Funeral Service Part II
In the last post the pre-funeral liturgies were covered. In this post I would like to look at the actual Funeral Liturgy and some of the symbolism of the things used in the liturgy itself.
After the final litany comes the prayer of forgiveness. This prayer is said by the priest and before the people come up for the final goodbye. A very moving prayer and speaks of the joy that we can all look forward too.
O Most merciful master, Lord Jesus Christ our God, you gave the keys of the kingdom of heaven to your holy disciples and apostles. Then after your third-day resurrection, by your grace, you gave them the power to retain and forgive sins of men, that they be retained in heaven just as they were retained on earth and likewise that they be forgiven in heaven as they were forgiven on earth.
Through your unspeakable love for mankind, you made us worthy, though we are your humble and unworthy servants, to be inheritors of this same your most holy gift and grace. You yourself, most good king, through me your humble and unworthy servant, forgive your servant (N) whatever he has transgressed in this earthly life. Forgive him all which he has done in word deed or thought, releasing him from every form of ban placed on him through his actions of anger or through some other motives or if he is under the ban of a hierarch or some other, due to the envy and though the work of the Devil.
Graciously grant, most good and merciful one, that his soul be established with the saints who from the ages have been pleasing to you and that his body be returned to the elements from which you made it. For you are blessed and glorified to all ages. Amen.
After this prayer, the priest invites the people to come up and say their last goodbye and then the final prayer is said.
The priest holds his hand over the departed and says the following prayer:
May the Lord, Jesus Christ our God, who gave to his holy disciples and apostles the divine command to retain and forgive the sins of those fallen and to us who have received the power to do likewise from them, forgive you all which you have transgressed in this earthly life, voluntarily and involuntarily committed, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
For you are the resurrection, the life and the repose of your servant (N) who has fallen asleep, O Christ God, and we offer glory to you, together with your Father who is without beginning and your all-holy, good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Then the priest pours olive oil and wine, in the sign of the cross, over the body saying:
Purify me with hyssop until I am clean; wash me until I am whiter than snow.
The wine symbolizes the blood which circulates in our veins and the oil, the announcement of the resurrection.
After this the top of the casket is closed and removed the cemetery for burial.
The symbolism of some of the items used at the funeral:
Candles used around the coffin signify the light which Christ has brought into the world through his Gospel which will guide both the living and the dead until the end of the world.
Incense is used as an offering to God in behalf of the soul of the departed.
Earth is scattered over the casket in the sign of the cross and symbolizes that man is earth and will return to earth.
Ashes from the censer are emptied into the grave as a reminder that man is “earth and ashes.”
Boiled Wheat and Loves of Bread as used in the memorial service because wheat symbolizes resurrection. As a grain of wheat must be buried so that it can bring forth fruit, so a man must be buried in order to be resurrected for eternity.
Next up will be the memorial services in another post.
Festivus
Okay, how many of us remember the “Seinfeld” episode Festivus for the Rest of Us? It was just on not that long ago. Well it would seem that Festivus is taking hold and catching. Who would have thought. Thanks to Yahoo for the news.
Missionary Blogger
Orthodox Missionary John Burnett from Uganda has a blog about various topics check it out here. Send John an e-mail and thank him for his service to the church. John is a missionary with the Orthodox Christian Mission Center.
Romania’s Communist Past
Thanks to Missionary Floyd Frantz for this information.
Dear Friends of the St. Dimitrie Program,
Often times, we all get pretty bleak about the situation here in Romania. Well, I guess that it is normal, given that we focus so much on the negative side of life, the “hard side” so to speak.
Well, today I got in a little early, and our President, Mr. Traian Basescu was making a speech on national television, and on all the Romanian stations. I could sense that it was something special. It was. He was blowing the whistle on the old hard line Communist’s who are still in the government. Everyone knows about them, its just that they are never confronted in public, by one of their peers.
Now, before you read the article, consider that many people consider the Romanian “revolution” in 1989 to be not much more than the manipulation of the people by the Communists (mostly by the secret service) to stay in power. Knowing that Communism and the Soviet Union was rapidly falling the revolution was probably a manipulation of the secret police to control the change of power in the government. There has been quite a lot written about it. Then, when the Romanian army, (not the people, as many believe) shot Ceausescu and his wife at a firing squad affair, the “Communist Party” disbanded. Well, not really. They simply put on different hats and formed the political parties that are now in Romania. About 1 billion usd in gold bullion that came up missing during that time has also never been accounted for.
In reading the article, you will notice that both the far right, (ultra-nationalists) and the left (Social Democratic Party) are represented by former Communists. That is how they have kept control of the government, money, and generally, the people here in Romania since 1989, after the Revolution. And these guys are still in power, one of them has been president twice since 1989 and is now a senator.
I don’t usually write about all the political scandals over here, there are too many to note. But this one is worth mentioning because this fellow, Traian Basescu, is really trying to do something to help his country. And, in the last few years things have gotten better. It’s a “progress rather than perfection” type of thing, but Romania is improving.
Anyway, the link to read the BBC article is: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/6190931.stm you might need to copy and paste it into your browser.
I am doing a “copy and paste” of a second, related article, in case the link does not work in your program. I hope you enjoy reading the article.
Have a good one,
In His Love,
One day at a time,
Floyd
By DPADec 18, 2006, 17:32 GMTBucharest – A Romanian parliamentary session aimed at making the first official condemnation of the communist era was disrupted Monday by an ultra-nationalist writer and lawmaker who lambasted President Traian Basescu as well as guest Michael I, the country’s former king. Senator Corneliu Vadim Tudor and colleagues from the Romania Mare (Greater Romania) party heckled, whistled and booed Basescu during his early afternoon speech.The parliamentary session was held to discuss a report commissioned by the president which condemns the 1945-1989 communist era as ‘criminal and illegitimate.’
Tudor, the one-time writer-in-residence of former dictator Nicolai Ceausescu, is angered at his portrayal in the report, in which he is charged with helping the communist regime.
The report and the official condemnation has also provoked the ire of the opposition Socialist (PSD) party, whose honorary chairman Ion Iliescu is also named as having aided communism. Iliescu, Romanian president from 1990 to 1996, and again from 2000 to 2004, gained power following the ouster of Ceausescu.
Tudor on Monday described the report as ‘anti-Romanian and criminal,’ saying Basescu was a ‘worm’ in comparison to Ceausescu. He accused Michael I meanwhile of having ‘brought the Russians into the country’ via his 1944 break with Nazi Germany.
Tudor’s Romania Mare party is seen by many in the country as being largely made up of officers from the former communist-era security police.
Orthodox Funeral Service
I have been wanting to write something about the funeral service since the funeral last week. So I thought today would be a good day. The Funeral Service is actually a series of services that begins with the Office of the Parting of the Soul from the Body. This takes place with family and friends gathered around the person who is gravely ill. There is a slightly different office when the person has been suffering for a prolonged period of time and the people pray for a merciful parting.
Office of the Burial of the dead. This begins with the wake service. Usually held in the funeral home but as of late here in the village we have been having the wake services in the church. The priest and chanter will come into the wake and begin the wake service like the liturgical services usually begin. “Blessed is our God now and always and forever and ever.” Then the prayers begin including the Troparion:
Among the righteous spirits departed this life, O Savior, rest the soul of your servant, bringing it to that blessed life with you, O lover of mankind.
Followed by the Litany of the dead and the prayer of the priest:
O God of spirits and of all bodies, who trampled down death and overcame the devil and bestowed life on your world, yourself O Lord rest the soul of your servant (N) who has fallen asleep, in a place of light, in a place of green pastures, in a place of rest from where pain, sorrow and sighing have been driven away. Forgive him every transgression committed in word, in deed, or in thought, for you are good O God and the lover of mankind. For there is no man born who does not transgress and you alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting and your word is true.
For you are the resurrection, the life and the repose of your servant (N) who has fallen asleep, O Christ God, and we offer glory to you, together with your Father who is without beginning and your all-holy, good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Another litany, followed by a reading from the Gospel depending on the day of the week. Then another Litany and the dismissal. Usually during the litanies the incense is used. However I have found this can lead to some unwanted guests at the wake service in the funeral home as the Fire Department shows up so I usually don’t use it at the funeral home. In the church I will use the incense during the wake service.
At the conclusion of all of the services for the dead we sing Memory Eternal three times while ringing the bell.
The concludes the wake service next the funeral service itself, and then the memorial services that are conducted for the departed.
Christmas Shopping
So yesterday I was able to finish my Christmas Shopping. This is far in advance for me as I am usually running around on Christmas Eve finishing up. Now I just need to start wrapping everything. Nothing on the schedule for today so maybe I can get it done.
The other day as I was working in the church I noticed that one of the furnaces was on the fritz. I need to call the repair man and have them come and give us the annual gouging on the cost. Maybe we need to just light a fire in a 55 gal. drum in the middle of the church for heat. I once went to this little church in Romania and the heat was a fire place. There was this guy in the church and his job was to keep the fire going. Could be a good alternative. Oh well thankfully we have not really used the heat that much this season. Maybe we can squeak by with a small heating bill this year.
Coat of Arms
I have recently had a coat of arms designed. I have to give a very large shout out to Deb Simmons at DKS Designs. She did a great job capturing both my English and Scottish background as well as displaying my arms in the correct ecclesiastical way for an Orthodox Priest. Thanks Deb. The hat on top of the Mantle is the hat an Orthodox Priest of my rank would wear. Below the shield is the motto I have chosen. On the arms it is in Romanian to denote that I am a Romanian Orthodox Priest. Translated it means “Be Not Afraid” I choose this motto because as Christians we cannot be afraid to step out and do what needs to be done. The lion’s head and the diamonds are taken from the arms of the Ships that bear the name Preble.
Old Friends
Today I had lunch with an old friend. After graduation from High School I enlisted in the Army and ended up at Fort Polk, LA. I met this guy named Dave who was also from Massachusetts. We were together there for three years and had some great experiences. We went our separate ways, and now almost 20 years latter we had lunch together. He is still in the Army and just came back from a year in Afghanistan. It was so great to see him. We shared stories and laughed a lot. Great day!
Weekend
Although is is Tuesday I am finally getting around to posting the weekend activities. What a weekend it was. Saturday night I attended a wonderful concert at a Synagogue in Hingham, Massachusetts. At the invitation of my Sister-in-law. Five cantors from various places came together for this concert. The first half was all religious music and the second half was filled with show tunes. Great singing and the people were very warm and welcoming. We could learn much from them and from their attitude. At the beginning of the concert they lite the candle for the second day of Hanukkah. Great little ceremony and man can the people sing.
Sunday was the usual except we had 64 people in church, a new record. A memorial service for a parishioner who fell asleep in the Lord 40 days ago, then off to bless the food for the family Christmas party, quick trip to the cemetery to bless the grave, then back to the hall to the Christmas party and the visit of Santa. What can I say.
All would have been fine except at 5:15am the fire alarm pager went off for a 3 alarm fire that I responded too. I got back to the church at 8am to get ready for Liturgy. I was exhausted by days end, but the final episode of Survivor was one so I got 40 winks and then watch the show. Good ending to a great weekend.