The tradition of commemorating the dead has existed since ancient times. In the Christian church, remembrance consists of reciting special prayers on certain days. Even convinced materialists who do not believe in an afterlife observe certain rituals, such as visiting a cemetery.
In the modern world, two kinds of memorial traditions can be distinguished. Some customs are associated with world monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam), while others are much older than these religions. It is noteworthy that even atheists adhere to the ancient, pagan traditions - to arrange a memorial meal on the day of the funeral, and later on the anniversary of death. Neglecting these traditions is considered disrespectful to the memory of the deceased.
Christian tradition
It is customary for Christians to commemorate the dead on the third, ninth and fortieth day after death, as well as on its anniversary. On these days, relatives of the deceased visit his grave, where they pray for the soul of the deceased and perform a litiya. A short rite of the litiya can be performed by a layman; a priest is invited to perform the full rite.
The tradition of commemorating the dead on these days is associated with the Christian idea of the posthumous existence of the soul. It is believed that the soul is on earth until the third day, and then ascends to Heaven. This period is associated with the three-day resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Until the ninth day, the soul contemplates the beauty of Paradise and rejoices in future bliss if it is a righteous soul, or grieves if the sins of this person are heavy. On the ninth day, the soul appears before the throne of the Most High.
On the fortieth day, the soul again appears to worship God, and at this moment its fate is determined until the Last Judgment. The commemoration of the deceased is also performed on the anniversary of his death, because this is the day of his birth to a new, eternal life.
Pre-Christian tradition
Among the pre-Christian traditions of commemorating the dead, the main place is occupied by commemoration - a feast that is arranged after the funeral. The peculiarity of this event is that anyone can come to it, even if a stranger comes, they accept him and do not ask who he is and who is the deceased person.
To a certain extent, commemorations fulfill a psychotherapeutic function: while preparing a feast, grief-stricken people engage in vigorous activity, which to some extent distracts them from difficult experiences. But the main meaning of the commemoration is much deeper.
For ancient man, food was more than a supplement for nutrients. A reverent attitude towards the fire on which it was cooked was transferred to the food, and the fire, the hearth, was the center of the dwelling and the tribal community, cementing it. Therefore, a joint meal cemented the unity of the clan, even making a stranger a relative.
Death was perceived as a violation of the unity of the clan - after all, it pulled a person out of the clan community. This unity was to be immediately restored with the help of a joint meal, at which it was believed that the deceased was invisibly present. So there were funeral feasts - funeral feasts, which are still preserved in the form of commemoration. Even in the modern world, at funerals, they sometimes put a glass of wine or vodka on the table and put a piece of bread that no one touches - a "treat" for the deceased. This is the original meaning of the tradition of commemorating the dead.
