Panihyra: Detailed Analysistranslated

A panihyra is a prayer service for the departed lasting approximately 25-30 minutes. The Church commemorates the departed daily during the Divine Liturgy, but there may be a need to pray separately. One can pray with one's own words or use the traditional prayers that have been used for centuries. The value of the panihyra lies in the fact that its text is not only a prayer for the departed but also a source of comfort and consolation for those who have lost loved ones. Our material is about how the panihyra is structured.

The text of the panihyra:

With the priest

For reading by the laity

Panihyra as a Guide in Grief

When a close person dies, it can be unclear how to support oneself and loved ones. Let us look at the panihyra: it is structured as an ideal guide on what to do if a close person has died.

Pray. Our prayer is not only for the departed but also for ourselves: it is an opportunity to draw closer to God and to resemble the angels (initial invocation by the priest).

Remember that the Lord is with us. No matter what happens, we are assured: the Lord will not abandon us. He will protect the departed from the attacks of the demons and will rest them by His side, while He will comfort us to endure the grief and fulfill what is required in life (Psalm 90).

In prayer, formulate the main points: that the Lord may forgive our loved ones all their sins…