Funeral Hymns and Beauty

"lead me back to be refashioned into that ancient beauty of Your likeness."

There's so much that Orthodox funeral rites (in this case the funeral rites of the Byzantine Orthodox Rite) actually say about life and our relationship with God. Metropolitan Anthony Bloom mentions that encountering God is both beautiful and terrifying, salvation and also judgement. Beauty is beheld and our fallen state is put under direct light, we are made aware simultaneously of the distortions we have inflicted on ourselves and the immense beauty that is the masterwork of God in us.

Which is why Liturgy done beautifully brings us to the Kingdom. Remember us O Lord.

http://youtu.be/9SNIuHcg_zA

Evlogetaria for the Dead, Tone 5

Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me Your statutes.

The choir of the saints has found the fountain of life and the door of

Paradise. May I also find the way through repentance, the sheep that

was lost am I, call me up to You, O Savior, and save me.

Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me Your statutes.

You who did fashion me of old out of nothingness, and with Your

Image Divine did honor me; but because of the transgressions of Your

commandments, did return me again to the earth from whence I was

taken; lead me back to be refashioned into that ancient beauty of Your

likeness.

Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me Your statutes.

I am the image of Your unutterable glory, though I bear the scars of

my stumblings. Have compassion upon me, the works of Your hands,

O sovereign Lord, and cleanse me through Your loving-kindness; and

the homeland of my heart’s desire bestow on me, by making me a

citizen of Paradise.

Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me Your statutes.

Give rest O God to the souls of Your servants, and appoint for them a

place in Paradise; where the choirs of the saints, O Lord, and the just

will shine forth like stars; to Your servants that are sleeping now give

rest, overlooking all their offenses.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

The Triune radiance of the One Godhead with reverent songs

acclaiming, let us cry; Holy are You, O eternal Father, and Son also

eternal, and Spirit Divine; shine with Your light on us who with faith

adore You, and from the fire eternal rescue us.

Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Hail, O gracious Lady, who in the flesh bears God for the salvation of

all; and through whom the human race has found salvation; through

You may we find Paradise, Theotokos, our Lady pure and blessed.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia; Glory to You, our God. (3x)