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Author Topic: Do OO Hold Funeral Services For Individuals Who Have Taken Their Own Lives?  (Read 188 times) Average Rating: 0
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Severian
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« on: July 15, 2012, 05:01:14 PM »

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« Last Edit: July 15, 2012, 05:02:07 PM by Severian » Logged

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Salpy
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« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2012, 08:16:48 PM »

Some years ago there was a homeless guy who used to hang around our church.  He was very obviously not in his right mind and sometimes his behavior was bizarre.  As I recall, people helped him out as they could.  One day we found out that the police had arrested him for some reason and that he had hanged himself in his prison cell.  My priest gave him a funeral.

I have no idea what the official rules are with regard to suicide.  The impression I have is that if there is evidence the person was mentally unstable when he committed suicide, he will have a funeral.
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DavidI
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« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2012, 09:10:27 PM »

While I'm not familiar with the other Oriental Orthodox jurisdictions, in the Coptic Church, there is some discretion made in regards to mental fitness. HG. Bishop Youseff's full answer can be found here: http://www.suscopts.org/q&a/index.php?qid=1541&catid=689 but here's a short quote:

Quote
Suicide is seriously denounced in the church. In these horrific situations, the grief stricken family naturally needs special comfort through intense prayer and closure, which only the church can provide through the traditional funeral and burial services. The church uses wisdom, discretion, and compassion to first determine the cause of death. If it is known and documented that the person who committed suicide was mentally ill, the church will pray over the person in the common tradition of the prayers on the reposed. If in fact, it is determined that it was indeed suicide, the church may refuse the customary prayers for the reposed.
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