“It is therefore a good and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, so they may be set loose from their sins”

Praying for the dead..to what end? Are the dead in need of prayers? Why? Its almost as if they were in purgatory which would be the only plausible reason to pray for them...but correct me if I am wrong, the Orthodox do not believe in Purgatory...color me confused.

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Please respect this Group as a safe haven.

Just honestly trying to understand the purpose of praying for the dead from an orthodox perspective. I am Catholic myself.

Christianity.

Not being harsh or demeaning in having to say that.

Orthodox are admonished to 'judge not'. So we understand and receive what we believe and leave other traditions of faith to themselves.

Once a being reposes/departs, the soul enters into a state according to their acceptance of Christ as Saviour or not. Other factors are in consideration. We do the best we can with what we have knowledge of as far as our Faith practice goes.

Praying for the reposed is recorded in the OT.

Prayers cannot 'save' a soul that has been translated. Only asking that they receive mercy and God's Love no matter where they find themselves.

God is in Heaven and His Presence also in the place 'not the Heavenly realm'.

He is everywhere and fillest all things.

There is no place or state of being where He isn't.

I only know what I know, believe and have experienced during my lifetime. I'm 'lay person'/ekklesia limited of course, and my answers are not based in seminary theological study.

Let me try to put it in an analogy form, dumbing it down for myself...

"the soul enters into a state according to their acceptance of Christ as Saviour or not. "

I take that to mean if you are going to "heaven" your "room" may be from one star to five diamond? "There are many rooms in my Fathers house"

"Only asking that they receive mercy and God's Love no matter where they find themselves."

Basically asking that "room service" be excellent and perhaps give said soul an "upgrade"?

Am I getting close?

A soul that finds itself unrepentant in the place/state of 'not eternal bliss', is still afforded prayers for continued 'mercy'.

Those who receive the state of 'rest' in Christ, also continue to be afforded prayers that any 'sins' of commission or omission not confessed before dying are considered in a merciful way.

As I said, our belief is that 'God' is present in Heaven and also in 'not Heaven', and is experienced by them who are in those two very different states.

Heaven and 'hell' are not necessarily geographical places, but states of being.

I'm quite comfortable with my Tradition of Faith. One either accepts, embraces and partakes of Christianity--or not.

I am not equipped to offer deeper theological answers like I said.

We do not believe that prayers from the beings here on earth will 'save' an 'unsaved'/unrepentant soul contrary to what some may infer.