The Christian understanding of death shows more optimism than other denominations. Christians have prayers for the dead. If it were not possible to influence what will become of a person after his death, the Church would not have established them. Praying for the repose of loved ones, remembering them in church, a person not only invisibly helps the departed, but also consoles himself in communion with the Lord.
On the Christian understanding of death
In modern society, death is perceived rather unambiguously - it is always a mourning event and a great test for the relatives and friends of the one who died. Meanwhile, in many religions, the attitude towards death is not tragic, but serious. Death is not a tragedy, but a person's transition to another world.
A person's life after death does not end, only the earthly shell - the body - comes to an end, but the soul continues to live. Moreover, many saints are convinced that death is a joyful event: the Lord takes the soul to Himself at the optimal moment for it, when it is already clear that a person has attained inner holiness; when God realizes that his earthly existence will definitely not get better, therefore he takes his soul in order to prevent the commission of even greater sins.
Death in Christianity is not grief, but just one of the events. The grief of loved ones for the dead is a normal state, but distressing grief is grief for oneself and distrust of God's Providence.
Prayer for peace: who needs it and why
If death is not a tragedy, then is it necessary to pray for those who have gone to another world? Often people do not know how to help the soul of departed loved ones, what duty they must fulfill before the dead. The simplest thing that even an ignorant person can do in memory of the departed is to remember them in prayer to the Lord, to light a candle in the church for repose. Prayers for repose have a special meaning for the soul.
Prayer for the departed is an integral part of the spiritual life of a Christian. Rather, it is not a duty, but his natural need. On the one hand, everything in the universe, including the death of loved ones, occurs according to the Good Providence of God, on the other hand, a person in a secret dialogue with the Lord can always ask him about his departed relatives and friends, and his prayers will be heard.
Saints with the gift of insight cited many examples of mothers who prayed for the souls of their sons who lived a dissolute life. Or widows who asked the Lord to have mercy on the souls of their departed husbands. Sincere prayers are able to calm the soul of the deceased - that is why in the Orthodox tradition they are called "for repose", "for repose".
Of course, by praying sincerely for loved ones, a person not only helps the souls of the departed, but also consoles himself. According to the teachings of the holy fathers, prayer is nothing more than the contact of the soul with the Lord. Praying for the departed, touching the soul with God, a person receives peace, since he understands that everything that happens to him is a part of the inexplicable Divine Providence. And even the death of loved ones is not a sad event, but a part of the Wisdom of God.
Prayer for repose is to some extent the continuation of the life of the dead. After all, they have already lost the opportunity to act and cannot independently turn to God for help, and their loved ones give them this opportunity, praying and doing good deeds in memory of the departed.
