The Rite of Burial of the Most Holy Theotokos includes both sad chants dedicated to the dormition (death) of the Virgin Mary, and liturgical texts that give a person hope for the fulfillment of the promise of the Mother of God herself about the intercession of mankind before God until the end of time.
Celebrating the service of the Burial of the Mother of God is a pious custom that has entered into the liturgical life of the Church. In the Typikon (the main book reflecting the liturgical charter of the Church) the very following of the rite of the Burial of the Mother of God and instructions for its performance in Orthodox churches No. However, the Typicon’s silence about this service is not a serious obstacle to the performance of worship, because such an action manifests a person’s special love for the Mother of God and veneration for the zealous intercessor of Christians.
The first manuscripts with the rite of the Burial of the Blessed Virgin Mary date back to approximately the 15th - 16th centuries. According to established pious custom, this rite is performed in Jerusalem at the tomb of the Mother of God on the morning before the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. Historically, in other Churches of the Orthodox East, this service was performed in conjunction with festive service Dormition of the Virgin Mary (August 28, new style), that is, on the Feast of the Dormition itself. However, the Charter of the Great Church of Constantinople prohibits such a combination of the rite of the Burial of the Most Holy Theotokos with the festive service of the Dormition. In Rus', the practice of performing the festive Assumption service in combination with an all-night vigil (on the eve of the Assumption) with a separate part of the service from the rite of Burial has been preserved. In this case, the rite of burial falls on August 27th. This practice takes place in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and in the Kostroma Epiphany Monastery.
In most churches of the Russian Orthodox Church, the rite of the Burial of the Most Holy Theotokos is customary to be performed in the coming days after the Dormition feast. Most often, this service is performed on the third day after the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. If we take into account that the daily circle of worship begins on the eve of the evening of the celebrated event, then the all-night vigil itself with the rite of Burial takes place on the second day in the evening after the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary - August 29th.
The practice of performing the rite of the Burial of the Mother of God on the third day after the Assumption has become firmly established in Russia since mid-19th century, when this service began to be celebrated in exactly this sequence in Gethsemane at the Trinity-Sergei Lavra.
However, it is worth considering that sometimes the third day of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary coincides with Sunday. In this case, the rite of the Burial of the Mother of God is not performed together with the festive Sunday service, but is transferred to the fourth day after the Dormition (accordingly, the all-night vigil, celebrated the night before, is held on the third day). This happened in 2015. The Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God fell on Friday, August 28th, so the third day coincides with Sunday. But on the eve of Sunday, a festive Sunday service is held on Saturday evening. Therefore, the liturgical Charter recommends postponing the service of the Burial of the Most Holy Theotokos to the 4th day after the Dormition (August 31st Monday). Accordingly, the rite of burial itself is served in 2015 on August 30th in the evening.
It is also worth noting that, with the blessing of the parish rector, due to any valid reasons, the rite of the Burial of the Mother of God can be served on other days after the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.
In some places, as a special celebration of the holiday, a separate burial service for the Mother of God is performed. It is celebrated especially solemnly in Jerusalem, in Gethsemane (at the site of the supposed burial of the Mother of God). This service for the burial of the Mother of God in one of the Greek publications (Jerusalem, 1885) is called “The Sacred Follow-up to the Repose Holy Lady ours and the Ever-Virgin Mary.” In manuscripts (Greek and Slavic) the service was opened no earlier than the 15th century. The service is performed in the likeness of the Matins of Great Saturday and the main part of it (“Praises” or “Immaculate”) is a skillful imitation of the Great Saturday “Praises”. In the 16th century it was widespread in Rus' (then this service was almost forgotten).
In the 19th century, the funeral rite for the Assumption was performed in a few places: in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral, in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, in the Kostroma Epiphany Monastery and in the Gethsemane monastery of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. In the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra it did not constitute a separate service, but was performed at the all-night vigil of the holiday before the polyeleos (Immaculate with choruses, divided into 3 sections).
Currently, in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, the full rite of burial of the Mother of God is performed at Matins on August 17/30 according to the rite of Gethsemane with some changes. At the festive all-night vigil before the polyeleos, there is a special chant of the first stichera and verses of the three articles of the rite of the “Burial of the Mother of God” in front of the icon of the Dormition.
With the blessing of St. Philaret of Moscow, in the Gethsemane monastery of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, in addition to the Assumption, the feast of the resurrection and ascension of the Mother of God into heaven was established (August 17/30). The day before, at the all-night vigil, the Jerusalem Follow-up took place. In the Trinity-Sergius Lavra (according to the handwritten Charter of the Lavra of 1645), this rite was performed in ancient times at the vigil of the holiday after the 6th song. In Jerusalem, in Gethsemane, this burial service is performed by the patriarch on the eve of the holiday - on the morning of August 14/27.
“Praise, or sacred following at the holy repose of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary” - this is the title under which this rite was first published in Moscow in 1872, performed in Jerusalem, Gethsemane and Athos. It was transferred from Greek language Professor Kholmogorov in 1846; the necessary corrections were made by Saint Philaret of Moscow. The same “Following” took place in the Gethsemane monastery. Currently, the Jerusalem “Followment to the Repose of the Most Holy Theotokos,” or “Praise,” has again become widespread in many cathedral and parish churches. This service is usually performed on the second or third day of the holiday.
The full rite of burial of the Mother of God according to the Jerusalem tradition is placed in the “Service for the Dormition” (ed. Moscow Patriarchate, 1950, 167) in the form of an all-night vigil (Great Vespers and Matins), at which polyeleos and magnification are not sung. IN " Liturgical instructions for 1950" 168 the "Rite of Burial" is placed, but instead of Great Vespers before Matins, the sequence of Small Compline is indicated (similar to the service on Great Friday). The sequence of Matins and “Praise” in the “Liturgical Instructions” are printed in full (according to the Jerusalem Study).
Features of the funeral service
In the stichera on “Lord, I cried,” the last five stichera are taken from the Jerusalem sequence. The stichera for “Glory” “To you, clothed with light, like a robe” was composed in imitation of a similar stichera on Great Friday at Vespers. Entrance with censer. Proverbs of the holiday. Litiya (festival stichera).
“Glory”: “When you descended to death, Immortal Mother of the Belly.” “And now: “The sacred disciple carried the body of the Mother of God to Gethsemane.”
When singing troparions from the altar through the Royal Doors, the icon of the Assumption or the shroud is carried to the middle of the temple and placed on the lectern or on the tomb (if it is a shroud). Incense is performed on the shroud, the entire temple and the people.
After the troparions, “Immaculate” is sung with choruses, divided into three sections. Between the articles there is a litany and a small incense (of the shroud, iconostasis and people).
At the end of the third article, special troparia “for the Immaculate Ones” are sung: “The Council of Angels was surprised, in vain you were counted among the dead” with the refrain: “Blessed Lady, enlighten me with the light of Your Son.”
After the small litanies there are sedate ones, the first antiphon of the 4th voice “From my youth.” Polyeleos and magnification are not sung. Next is the Gospel and the usual sequence of Matins of the holiday. After the Gospel, everyone venerates the icon or shroud, and the abbot anoints the believers with consecrated oil.
Before the great doxology on “Glory, even now,” the Royal Doors open and the clergy go out to the middle of the temple to the shroud.
After the great doxology, while singing the final “Holy God” (as when carrying out the Cross), the clergy raises the shroud, and a procession of the cross takes place around the temple, during which the troparion of the holiday is sung and the trezvon is performed. At the end procession the shroud rests on the middle of the temple. Next - the litany and other sequences of Matins.
On August 28 (15th century), the Orthodox Church celebrates the twelfth feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the days of its celebration, the rite of Burial of the Mother of God is performed in many churches. Today we will talk about the history of this following, about the modern practice of its implementation.
According to legend, which goes back to the testimony of Dionysius the Areopagite, the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, after Her death, was buried by the apostles in Gethsemane. Where Her righteous parents and Joseph the Betrothed rested. Three days after the funeral, the Apostle Thomas arrived in Jerusalem. He grieved greatly that he could not say goodbye to the Mother of God. The apostles took pity on him and rolled away the stone from the grave cave. But, to their amazement, the body of the Virgin Mary was not in the cave. The Lord resurrected His Mother and took Her with Her most holy body to Himself, placing her above all the angels.
On the day of the Feast of the Assumption, a solemn all-night vigil is held in Orthodox churches. IN modern practice The celebration of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is often associated with the rite of the Burial of the Mother of God. This service is in one of the Greek publications of the late 19th century. is called “Sacred observance of the repose of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.” It is found in manuscripts - Greek and Slavic - no earlier than the 15th century, compiled by Greek songwriters, among whom is the great rhetorician Emmanuel. The Rite of Burial is of Jerusalem (Gethsemane) origin and is an imitation of the Rite of Matins on Holy Saturday.
On the Holy Land
In the courtyard of the Gethsemane Monastery in Jerusalem, located opposite the doors of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, the Shroud with the image of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is kept. Since the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, prayers, akathists and vespers are served before her daily. On August 25 (according to the New Age) at two o'clock in the morning the rector of the Gethsemane monastery performs Divine Liturgy. At the end of the Liturgy, the rector, in full vestments, performs a short prayer service before the Shroud. Then the Shroud is solemnly transferred to Gethsemane. The religious procession is usually accompanied by a gathering of large number pilgrims. In Gethsemane, where the procession arrives at sunrise, the Shroud is placed in a stone cave on the bed of the Mother of God.
On the morning of August 27, the service of the Burial of the Mother of God itself is performed, consisting of the singing of the 17th kathisma with refrains - praises similar to those of Holy Saturday. The service is performed by the Patriarch.
Russian tradition
In Rus', the rite of Burial became widespread already in the 16th century, but then was almost forgotten. During the Synodal period, the funeral rite for the Assumption was performed in Russia in a few places: in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral, in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, in the Kostroma Epiphany Monastery, in the Gethsemane monastery near the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Moreover, in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra this rite did not constitute a separate service, but was performed at the all-night vigil of the holiday before the polyeleos, just as in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. And in the Gethsemane monastery, with the blessing of St. Philaret of Moscow, the burial rite was served according to the Jerusalem tradition - on the eve of the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God.
Order of rites
Currently, in parish practice, the rite of Burial is performed either on the eve of the Feast of the Dormition, on August 27 at Matins, which corresponds to the Jerusalem tradition, or at a festive all-night vigil, or on one of the next days of the post-feast period, usually in the evening of August 29 or 30.
The service on this day begins with an all-night vigil. On “God is the Lord...” when singing special troparia from the Jerusalem sequence “The noble face of the disciple”, “Glory” - “When you descended to death, the immortal Mother of the Belly”, “And now” - “As a sacred disciple in Gethsemane bearing the body of the Mother of God... ”, sung in a chant similar to “Noble Joseph...”, the clergy comes out to the Shroud. At this time, the articles “blameless” are read. Before the first article, a full incense is performed, before the second - a small one, after the third article, special troparia are sung: “The Archangel Cathedral was surprised, in vain you were imputed to the dead ...” with the refrain “Blessed Lady, enlighten me with the light of Your Son.” At this time, censing of the entire temple is performed. Then the small litany, the antiphon of the fourth tone: “From my youth...”, the prokeimenon and the Gospel. Then the stichera of the holiday is sung, the litany and exclamation are pronounced, and the canons from the Menaion are read.
No anointing is performed at this time. The clergy goes to the altar, and at the great doxology they again come out to the Shroud. Three times censing is performed around the Shroud, three prostrations and the encircling of the Shroud around the temple in a procession of the cross. The Primate, in full vestments, walks with the Gospel under the Shroud. At this time, the choir sings “Holy God...”. After the encircling, the Shroud is placed in its place during the singing of the troparion of the holiday. Then censing around the Shroud and anointing with oil, litanies and dismissal are performed.
Behind last decade The rite of the Burial of the Mother of God became very popular with the Russian people. In our church it is celebrated annually on one of the closest days after the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This year it will take place on the evening of August 28th.
The rite of burial of the Mother of God in the temple of the Moscow Theological Academy
By blessing His Holiness Patriarch, the rite of burial of the Mother of God is performed in the temple of the Moscow Theological Academy on the day of the holiday in the evening (although according to the Charter it is supposed to be on the third day). The service begins with an all-night vigil. (First, festive Vespers, and then Matins). On “God is the Lord...” while singing (in Bulgarian chant) special troparions from the Jerusalem “Followment” - “The face of the noble disciple...”, “Glory”: “When you descended to death, Immortal Mother of the Belly”, “And now”: “The sacred disciple, bearing the body of the Mother of God in Gethsemane...”, sung in a chant similar to “Blessed Joseph...”, the clergy goes to the shroud, and “Immaculate” is sung in 3 articles. Before the 1st article, a full censing is performed, before the 2nd and 3rd - a small one. After the 3rd article, special troparia are sung: “The Council of Angels was surprised, in vain you were imputed to the dead ...” with the refrain “Blessed Lady, enlighten me with the light of Your Son.” At this time, censing of the entire temple is performed. Then - the small litany, the antiphon of the 4th tone: “From my youth...” (polyeleos and magnification are not sung), the prokeimenon “I will remember your name..." and the Gospel of Luke, ch. 4th. Then - “Glory”: “Through the prayers of the Mother of God...”, “And now” - the same, “Have mercy on me, O God...” and the stichera of the holiday. Next - “Save, O God, Thy people...”, an exclamation and both canons of the holiday, read from the Menaion. They are also placed in the Jerusalem “Succession”.
At this time they do not anoint. The clergy goes to the altar, and again comes out to the shroud for the great doxology. Incense is performed (three times) around the shroud, prostration to the ground, and the shroud is carried around the temple. The Primate walks with the Gospel under the shroud in full vestment. At this time, the choir sings “Holy God...”. After encircling, the shroud is placed in its place during the singing of the troparion of the holiday (“Wisdom, forgive” is not said). Incense is performed (three times) around the shroud and anointing with oil. Then - litanies and dismissal.
The rite of burial of the Mother of God in ancient worship
In some places, as a special celebration of the holiday, a separate burial service for the Mother of God is performed. It is celebrated with particular solemnity in Jerusalem, in Gethsemane (at the site of the supposed burial of the Mother of God). This service of the burial of the Mother of God in one of the Greek publications late XIX century (Jerusalem, 1885) is called “Sacred observance of the repose of our Most Holy Lady and Ever-Virgin Mary.” It was discovered in manuscripts (Greek and Slavic) no earlier than the 15th century and was compiled by several Greek hymns of relatively late times, among whom is the name of the great rhetorician Emmanuel. The service is performed in the likeness of the Matins service on Great Saturday, and the main part of it - the “Praises”, or “Immaculates” - is a very skillful imitation of the Great Saturday “Praises”. In the 16th century it was widespread in Rus'. Then this service was almost forgotten.
During the synodal period (in the 19th century), the rite of burial of the Mother of God was performed in a few places: in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral; in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, in the Kostroma Epiphany Monastery and in the Gethsemane monastery (near the Trinity-Sergius Lavra).
In the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra it did not constitute a separate service, but was performed (“Immaculate” with choruses, divided into three sections) at the all-night vigil of the holiday before the polyeleos.
In the Gethsemane skete near the Trinity-Sergius Lavra under Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, in addition to the Assumption, the feast of the Resurrection and Assumption of the Mother of God into Heaven (with the body) was celebrated on August 17; the day before, at the all-night vigil, the Jerusalem Follow-up took place.
In the Trinity-Sergius Lavra (according to the handwritten Charter of the Lavra of 1645), this rite in ancient times was performed at the all-night vigil of the holiday (after the 6th song of the canon): the articles were read, then the antiphon, prokeimenon and Gospel followed.
In Jerusalem, in Gethsemane, this burial service is performed by the patriarch even today - on the eve of the holiday, on the morning of August 14.
Currently, the Jerusalem “Followment to the Repose of the Most Holy Theotokos,” or “Praise,” has again become widespread in many cathedral and parish churches. This service is usually performed on the 2nd or 3rd day of the holiday.
The full rite of burial of the Mother of God according to the Jerusalem “Sequence” is placed in the book “ Church service on the Dormition of the Mother of God,” in the form of an all-night vigil (Great Vespers and Matins), at which only polyeleos and magnification are not sung. The “Liturgical Instructions for 1950” also contains the “Rite of Funeral”, but instead of Great Vespers, it contains the succession of Little Compline (similar to the service of Great Saturday) and after it - Matins with “Praises” (according to the Jerusalem “Sequence”).
Features of the all-night vigil with burial rites
Exclamation: “Glory to the Holy Ones...”, Psalm 103, “Blessed is the man...”. “Lord, I cried” - 8 stichera: 3 from the Menaion and 5 from the Jerusalem “Consequence”. “Glory, even now” is the stichera of the holiday. (If the burial takes place on Saturday, then on “Glory” - the stichera of the holiday, on “And now” - the dogmatist of the current voice). Entrance. Prokeimenon, tone 2: “Rise, O Lord, into Thy rest...” Verse: “The Lord swears to David...” There are three parimia, which were read on the holiday itself. On the lithium there are 6 stichera (from the Menaion). On the poem there are 4 stichera with their own verses (from the Menaion). At the blessing of the loaves - the troparion of the holiday (three times).
Schema-Archimandrite John (Maslov). Lectures on liturgics.
How is the Rite of Burial of the Mother of God performed? Read about it in our article! Here you will find the complete sequence of this service in churches.
How is the Rite of Burial of the Mother of God performed?
The rite is performed especially solemnly in Jerusalem, in Gethsemane (at the site of the supposed burial of the Mother of God). This service for the burial of the Mother of God in one of the Greek publications (Jerusalem, 1885) is called “Sacred observance of the repose of our Most Holy Lady and Ever-Virgin Mary.” In manuscripts (Greek and Slavic) the service was opened no earlier than the 15th century. The service is performed in the likeness of the Matins of Great Saturday and the main part of it (“Praises”, or “Immaculate”) is a skillful imitation of the Great Saturday “Praises”. In the 16th century it was widespread in Rus' (then this service was almost forgotten).
In the 19th century, the funeral rite for the Assumption was performed in a few places: in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral, in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, in the Kostroma Epiphany Monastery and in the Gethsemane monastery of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. In the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra it did not constitute a separate service, but was performed at the all-night vigil of the holiday before the polyeleos (Immaculate with choruses, divided into 3 sections).
Currently, in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, the full rite of burial of the Mother of God is performed at Matins on August 17/30 according to the rite of Gethsemane with some changes. At the festive all-night vigil before the polyeleos, there is a special chant of the first stichera and verses of the three articles of the rite of the “Burial of the Mother of God” in front of the icon of the Dormition.
With the blessing of St. Philaret of Moscow, in the Gethsemane monastery of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, in addition to the Assumption, the feast of the resurrection and ascension of the Mother of God into heaven was established (August 17/30). The day before, at the all-night vigil, the Jerusalem Follow-up took place. In the Trinity-Sergius Lavra (according to the handwritten charter of the Lavra of 1645), this rite was performed in ancient times at the vigil of the holiday after the 6th song. In Jerusalem, in Gethsemane, this burial service is performed by the patriarch on the eve of the holiday - on the morning of August 14/27.
“Praise, or sacred following at the holy repose of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary” - this is the title under which this rite was first published in Moscow in 1872, performed in Jerusalem, Gethsemane and Athos. It was translated from Greek by Professor Kholmogorov in 1846; the necessary corrections were made by Saint Philaret of Moscow. The same “Following” took place in the Gethsemane monastery. Currently, the Jerusalem “Followment to the Repose of the Most Holy Theotokos,” or “Praise,” has again become widespread in many cathedral and parish churches. This service is usually performed on the second or third day of the holiday.
The full rite of burial of the Mother of God according to the Jerusalem tradition is placed in the “Service for the Dormition” (published by the Moscow Patriarchate, 1950) in the form of an all-night vigil (Great Vespers and Matins), at which polyeleos and magnification are not sung. The “Liturgical Instructions for 1950” contains the “Rite of Burial,” but instead of Great Vespers before Matins, it indicates the succession of Little Compline (similar to the service on Great Friday). The sequence of Matins and “Praise” in the “Liturgical Instructions” are printed in full (according to the Jerusalem sequence).
Features of the funeral service
In the stichera on “Lord, I cried,” the last five stichera are taken from the Jerusalem sequence. The stichera on “Glory” “To you, clothed with light, like a robe” was composed in imitation of a similar stichera on Great Friday at Vespers. Entrance with censer. Proverbs of the holiday. Litiya (festival stichera). At Matins on “God is the Lord” there are special troparia from the Jerusalem succession (similar to: “The noble Joseph”): “The face of the noble disciple.” “Glory”: “When you descended to death, Immortal Mother of the Belly.” “And now: “As a sacred disciple in Gethsemane, bearing the body of the Mother of God.”
When singing troparions from the altar through the Royal Doors, the icon of the Assumption or the shroud is carried to the middle of the temple and placed on the lectern or on the tomb (if it is a shroud). Incense is performed on the shroud, the entire temple and the people. After the troparions, “Immaculate” is sung with choruses, divided into three sections. Between the articles there is a litany and a small incense (of the shroud, iconostasis and people). At the end of the third article, special troparia are sung “for the Immaculate Ones”: “The Council of Angels was amazed, in vain you were counted among the dead” with the refrain: “Blessed Lady, enlighten me with the light of Your Son.”
After the small litany - sedate, the first antiphon of the 4th tone “From my youth”. Polyeleos and magnification are not sung. Next is the Gospel and the usual sequence of Matins of the holiday. After the Gospel, everyone venerates the icon or shroud, and the abbot anoints the believers with consecrated oil. Before the great doxology on “Glory, even now,” the Royal Doors open and the clergy go out to the middle of the temple to the shroud.
After the great doxology, while singing the final “Holy God” (as when carrying out the Cross), the clergy raises the shroud, and a procession of the cross takes place around the temple, during which the troparion of the holiday is sung and the trezvon is performed. At the end of the religious procession, the shroud is placed in the middle of the temple. Next are the litanies and other sequences of Matins.
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