Encountering the Divine Liturgy Part 18: The Litany of the Departed: A Prayer of Ecclesial Memory and Eschatological Hope

 

Introduction: The Church as One Body, Living and Departed
The Litany of the Departed is an intercessory prayer offered by the Church for those who have "fallen asleep in the Lord." Rooted in the Church's unbroken memory of the dead and her profound faith in the resurrection, this litany is a powerful expression of the communion of saints—the unity of the Church militant on earth and the Church triumphant in Christ.
As St. Paul affirms, "Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s" (Romans 14:8). In praying for the departed, the Church does not pray as if they were absent or forgotten, but as members still present within the Body of Christ, journeying toward the fulfillment of all things in the Kingdom.


Form and Placement of the Litany
In many traditional Orthodox settings, the Litany of the Departed may occur in one of two main places during the Divine Liturgy:
Before the dismissal of the catechumens, as a separate litany following the Litany of Fervent Supplication.


After the Gospel reading and before the Cherubic Hymn, especially during liturgies for the departed or memorial Saturdays.

The form of the litany includes petitions such as:
“Again we pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God…”


“That the Lord God will place their souls where the righteous rest…”


“That they will be granted mercy, life everlasting, and a good defense before the dread Judgment Seat of Christ…”

The responses by the choir or people remain “Kyrie eleison” (Lord, have mercy), emphasizing God’s mercy as the final hope of all.


Theological Foundations
1. The Communion of Saints
The Church does not believe death severs a believer from the Body of Christ. As Christ says, "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to Him" (Luke 20:38). The departed continue to exist in the life of God, and we continue to commune with them in prayer and love. The Litany of the Departed is the Church's living bond with her faithful who have fallen asleep, acknowledging that they are still part of the ecclesial family.
2. The Reality of Particular Judgment
While final judgment will occur at the end of time, Orthodox theology affirms a particular judgment at the time of death. The prayers in the litany, such as “a good defense before the dread Judgment Seat of Christ,” reflect this awareness. The Church does not presume the fate of any soul but entrusts them to the mercy of Christ, praying that they be granted peace and rest in His presence.
3. Resurrection and Eschatological Expectation
The Litany of the Departed looks beyond death toward the resurrection of the dead and life of the world to come. It is eschatological—full of hope in the Second Coming of Christ and the renewal of all things. As St. Paul wrote, “We do not grieve as those who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). The prayers for rest and peace are not expressions of finality, but of confident waiting for the general resurrection.


Patristic Commentary
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
“We mention those who have fallen asleep, first the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs… then all who have died in the hope of resurrection… we pray for them, though they are not with us in the body, that God may be merciful to them.”
— Catechetical Lecture XXIII, 9
St. John Chrysostom
“Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation?”
— Homily on Philippians 3
Chrysostom affirms that almsgiving, prayers, and the Eucharistic offering made in memory of the departed have real spiritual benefit for the souls of the faithful who have fallen asleep.


Spiritual and Pastoral Meaning
The Litany of the Departed gives the faithful a way to process grief liturgically. Rather than being left to mourn in isolation, the Church absorbs the sorrow of her children into her sacred rhythm of prayer, memory, and resurrectional hope. These prayers are acts of love, offered not out of desperation but from trust in God's mercy.
It also teaches the living to reflect on their mortality and prepare for their own death, as the Church asks repeatedly in the liturgy:
“A Christian ending to our life: painless, blameless, and peaceful, and a good defense before the dread Judgment Seat of Christ, let us ask of the Lord.”

Conclusion: Memory Eternal and the Hope of Glory
In the Litany of the Departed, the Church bears witness to the truth that death is not the end, but a transition to the age to come. Through intercession, she affirms the unbroken communion of love between the living and the dead in Christ. She stands at the graves of her children—not in despair—but in faith, praying: “May their memory be eternal,” knowing that their names are inscribed in the Book of Life.
This litany is not only prayer for the departed, but prayer with them, as the Church on earth and the Church in heaven together await the final trumpet and the joyful cry:

“Christ is risen, trampling down death by death!”