Saturday
is the day which the Church has set aside for the commemoration of faithful
Orthodox Christians departed this life in the hope of resurrection to eternal
life. Since the Divine Liturgy cannot be served on weekdays during Great Lent,
the second, third, and fourth Saturdays of the Fast are appointed as Soul
Saturdays when the departed are remembered at Liturgy.
In
addition to the Liturgy, kollyva (wheat or rice cooked with honey and mixed
with raisins, figs, nuts, sesame, etc.) is blessed in church on these
Saturdays. The kollyva reminds us of the Lord’s words, “Unless a grain of wheat
falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much
fruit” (John 12:24).The kollyva symbolizes the future resurrection of all the
dead. As Saint Simeon of Thessalonica (September 15) says, man is also a seed
which is planted in the ground after death, and will be raised up again by
God’s power. Saint Paul also speaks of this (I Cor. 15:35-49).
It is
customary to give alms in memory of the dead in addition to the prayers we
offer for their souls. The angel who spoke to Cornelius testifies to the
efficacy of almsgiving, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial
before God” (Acts 10:4).
Memorial
services for the dead may be traced back to ancient times. Chapter 8 of the
Apostolic Constitutions recommends memorial services with Psalms for the dead.
It also contains a beautiful prayer for the departed, asking that their
voluntary and involuntary sins be pardoned, that they be given rest with the
Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles in a place where sorrow, suffering, and
sighing have fled away (Isaiah 35:10). Saint John Chrysostom mentions the
service for the dead in one of his homilies on Philippians, and says that it
was established by the Apostles. Saint Cyprian of Carthage (Letter 37) also
speaks of our duty to remember the martyrs.
The holy
Fathers also testify to the benefit of offering prayers, memorial services,
Liturgies, and alms for the dead (Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Cyril of
Jerusalem, Saint John of Damascus, etc.). Although both the righteous and those
who have not repented and corrected themselves may receive benefit and
consolation from the Church’s prayer, it has not been revealed to what extent
the unrighteous can receive this solace. It is not possible, however, for the
Church’s prayer to transfer a soul from a state of evil and condemnation to a
state of holiness and blessedness. Saint Basil the Great points out that the
time for repentance and forgiveness of sins is during the present life, while
the future life is a time for righteous judgment and retribution (Moralia 1).
Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Gregory the Theologian, and other patristic
writers concur with Saint Basil’s statement.
By
praying for others, we bring benefit to them, and also to ourselves, because
“God is not so unjust as to forget your work and the love which you showed for
His sake in serving the saints...” (Heb. 6:10).
Source: https://oca.org/saints/lives/2018/03/03/11-2nd-saturday-of-great-lent-memorial-saturday
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