Armenian All Saints Church and Community Center
FUNERAL REQUEST
The loss of a loved one is an immeasurably difficult experience and our church is prepared to do whatever it can to support you and your family. More importantly, it is a time when we join in solemn prayer to give thanks for the life of your loved one and ask for the Lord’s mercy so that their soul may be guided to the Eternal Kingdom of God.
The sacrament of a funeral in the Armenian Church consists of three parts.
The first part is called the wake, when the Priest performs prayers in the house/funeral home/Church a day before the funeral, to prepare the deceased person spiritually and the mourning family members physically for the next day.
The second part is the Church service, where prayers are offered in the Church over the deceased person's casket, asking God to forgive their sins and accept their souls.
The third and last part is the cemetery service, where the soil is blessed and sprinkled, and through prayers, the coffin is sealed in accordance with the Divine command "you are soil, to the soil you will return.” (Genesis 3:19)
After the Funeral, it is traditional to share a repast/hokejash in memory of the deceased in the Church hall or any place of the family's choosing.
A newly deceased person's memorial service could be done on the 7th day, 40th day, and 1st year of passing at the end of the Sunday Service during the requiem.
