Memorials

The Church has always believed and taught that death only ends our lives on earth, but life continues in heaven. “But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” (Luke 20:37-38). Just as we continuously pray for the well-being and salvation of the living, we do not cease to pray for those who have died. Christ proclaimed, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25), affirming that death is merely a temporary separation.

Christians pray for the repose of the souls of the departed as an expression of faith in the resurrection and the belief that in death our relationship with Christ continues. Prayers for the dead cannot change the outcome of God’s judgment because once death comes our destiny cannot change (Hebrews 9:7). However we can never limit God’s power as it is expressed in the Epistle of St. James where he says “The prayer of a righteous man has power in its effects” (James 5:16).

Our prayers for the dead express reverence and love, sustaining the memory of our loved ones within our community, and reaffirming our faith in the resurrection of the body and soul for eternal life. During every Divine Liturgy, as the Clergy prepares the Holy Gifts, they commemorate both the living and the departed, uniting the entirety of the Church within the chalice. Although we can freely pray for everyone, commemorating people by name in a liturgical context is specifically for baptized Orthodox Christians.

Arranging Memorial Services

To arrange a memorial service for a loved one, please contact the Cathedral Office via email or by calling (404-633-5870) using the guidelines below.

1. NAMES

  • Please provide the baptismal/chrismation names of the Orthodox Christians for whom the memorial service is intended and to indicate the number of months/years of the deceased.

2. KOLLYVA

  • Indicate if you will provide kollyva (boiled wheat) or if you need assistance obtaining it. Please ensure that the kollyva arrive before start of the Divine Liturgy.

  • NOTE: Please refrain from bringing a framed photograph or large flower arrangements for the service.

3. DONATION

  • A donation may be made in memory of your loved one in whom the memorial service is being conducted.

4. DATE

When discussing possible dates please consider the following:

  • Memorial services are usually offered after a person’s death:

    • On or closest to the 40th day

    • The 3rd, 6th, and 9th months

    • The 1-year anniversary and subsequent annual anniversaries

  • These are not strict obligations, but a traditional timeline for families to follow. It is common practice to select a day with a regularly scheduled Divine Liturgy that is nearest to the precise commemoration date.

  • Memorial services are usually conducted just before the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, following the distribution of Holy Communion in the presence of the congregation.

  • Memorial services may not be chanted from the Saturday of Lazarus through the Sunday of Thomas, on any Feastday of the Lord or any Feastday of the Theotokos. Other dates may not be available throughout the year.