Visiting and Praying for the reposed outside the Church

[orthonorm]

Not sure if this question goes here or in faith issues, but anyhow:

Quick background. One of the reason I am convinced of the truth of the Orthodox faith is because of the radical alteration the Church helped worked in my relationship with my departed mother. Not to put it lightly, but the changed that occurred was surprising to me and to nearly everyone I knew, due our past.

OK. Since that moment of clarity I had regarding my relationship with my mother who passed away some 18 years ago, I've visited her grave since.

I am planning going this weekend to my mother's grave.

Until now, I've not held to a very elaborate prayer rule when visiting.

I was wondering if there are prayers specifically for those departed outside the Church. She was received into the RCC shortly before she died.

My prayer book is Orthodox Daily Prayers and has not explicitly about praying for the those departed outside the Church.

I was going to ask my Priest about this the other night after Bible study but my excruciating abdominal pain caused me to forget and I won't be able to reach him nor my sponsor before Saturday.

So any suggestions for a prayer at her gravesite? Or otherwise?

Thank you very much. In these "practical matters", OC.net is a wonderful resources to have.
 

[IXOYE]

I found this online:

Prayer to the Holy Martyr Varus for the repose of the non-Orthodox:


"O Holy, wondrous Martyr Varus, who, burning with zeal for the Heavenly King, didst confess Him before thy torturers and didst greatly suffer for Him!

Now the Church doth venerate thee, as one glorified with the glory of heaven
by Christ the Lord, Who granted thee the abundant grace to approach Him boldly. And now, standing before Him together with the Angels, rejoicing on high, beholding the Most Holy Trinity clearly, and enjoying the Uncreated
Light, remember the suffering of our relatives who have died outside the Faith, and accept our pleas, and as thou didst intercede for the unbelieving ancestors of Cleopatra and didst free them from eternal suffering, remember
those who have died unbaptized and have been buried in an ungodly manner, and pray earnestly that they may be delivered from eternal darkness, that we may all, with one mouth and one heart, praise the Most Merciful Creator unto
the ages of ages.

Amen."

The Holy Martyr Varus is commemorated on October 19. The Life recounts how after his martyrdom his relics were taken by Cleopatra & placed within a church. There she continually prayed for his intercessions. At one point when her son died & she challenged the saint why he had let this happen after all her efforts for the saint, he replied that he continually prayed for her unbelieving ancestors, "with whom", the Life says, "you buried me."

[Japheth]

"Have mercy, O Lord, if it be possible on the souls of Thy departed servants (names), who have departed into eternal life in separation from Thy Holy Orthodox Church: unsearchable are Thy decrees. Do not account this, my prayer as a sin, but may Thy holy will be done."

http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/commemoration.aspx

[orthonorm]

"Have mercy, O Lord, if it be possible on the souls of Thy departed servants (names), who have departed into eternal life in separation from Thy Holy Orthodox Church: unsearchable are Thy decrees. Do not account this, my prayer as a sin, but may Thy holy will be done."

http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/commemoration.aspx

Welcome and what a lovely and helpful first post!

[orthonorm]

I found this online:

Prayer to the Holy Martyr Varus for the repose of the non-Orthodox:


"O Holy, wondrous Martyr Varus, who, burning with zeal for the Heavenly King, didst confess Him before thy torturers and didst greatly suffer for Him!

Now the Church doth venerate thee, as one glorified with the glory of heaven
by Christ the Lord, Who granted thee the abundant grace to approach Him boldly. And now, standing before Him together with the Angels, rejoicing on high, beholding the Most Holy Trinity clearly, and enjoying the Uncreated
Light, remember the suffering of our relatives who have died outside the Faith, and accept our pleas, and as thou didst intercede for the unbelieving ancestors of Cleopatra and didst free them from eternal suffering, remember
those who have died unbaptized and have been buried in an ungodly manner, and pray earnestly that they may be delivered from eternal darkness, that we may all, with one mouth and one heart, praise the Most Merciful Creator unto
the ages of ages.

Amen."

The Holy Martyr Varus is commemorated on October 19. The Life recounts how after his martyrdom his relics were taken by Cleopatra & placed within a church. There she continually prayed for his intercessions. At one point when her son died & she challenged the saint why he had let this happen after all her efforts for the saint, he replied that he continually prayed for her unbelieving ancestors, "with whom", the Life says, "you buried me."

Thank you. I think it will be interesting to see the range of answers given.

Very helpful and instructive as well as I never hear of the Holy Martyr Varus before.

[Benjamin the Red]

I found this online:

Prayer to the Holy Martyr Varus for the repose of the non-Orthodox:


"O Holy, wondrous Martyr Varus, who, burning with zeal for the Heavenly King, didst confess Him before thy torturers and didst greatly suffer for Him!

Now the Church doth venerate thee, as one glorified with the glory of heaven
by Christ the Lord, Who granted thee the abundant grace to approach Him boldly. And now, standing before Him together with the Angels, rejoicing on high, beholding the Most Holy Trinity clearly, and enjoying the Uncreated
Light, remember the suffering of our relatives who have died outside the Faith, and accept our pleas, and as thou didst intercede for the unbelieving ancestors of Cleopatra and didst free them from eternal suffering, remember
those who have died unbaptized and have been buried in an ungodly manner, and pray earnestly that they may be delivered from eternal darkness, that we may all, with one mouth and one heart, praise the Most Merciful Creator unto
the ages of ages.

Amen."

The Holy Martyr Varus is commemorated on October 19. The Life recounts how after his martyrdom his relics were taken by Cleopatra & placed within a church. There she continually prayed for his intercessions. At one point when her son died & she challenged the saint why he had let this happen after all her efforts for the saint, he replied that he continually prayed for her unbelieving ancestors, "with whom", the Life says, "you buried me."

Thank you. I think it will be interesting to see the range of answers given.

Very helpful and instructive as well as I never hear of the Holy Martyr Varus before.

I just learned of him a few days ago myself. a small group of us got together and prayed for a friend of one of ours who had died. She was Muslim. The prayers to St. Varus are quite beautiful.

[Shanghaiski]

On a prayer rope, one could say, "Lord Jesus Christ, grant rest to the soul of Thy departed servant N."

[tuesdayschild]

I've used the akathist that Schultz linked to here:

http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,26471.msg430999.html#msg430999

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