When a loved one dies, everyone wants to help his soul rest in peace, and not get stuck between heaven and earth, tied to things, places and unresolved grievances. On this subject, there are concepts more in the esoteric sphere. However, there are ideas about special actions in Orthodox culture. Washing the floors after removing the coffin with the deceased also makes sense from a hygienic point of view.
Wash the floors after the deceased: the essence and history of the ancient Orthodox ritual
Initially, there were pagan traditions, in accordance with which it was necessary to remove traces of the deceased from the premises. The root cause of this is fear. There was a belief that the deceased could remain where the coffin stood if the cleaning was not done. But even greater fear was caused by the presence of the deceased, who had bad intentions. Despite family ties with the deceased, his body is associated with negative energy, and therefore, on a subconscious level, residents are restless, even if nothing threatens them. People believed that otherworldly creatures, invisible substances, could come from the afterlife, and therefore sought to protect themselves.
The Orthodox have the same dogma - it is necessary to clean the room after the deceased.
In this case, it is not pagan beliefs that are taken as the basis, but the process of the soul’s transition from a bodily form to another world. She remains close to the physical shell for up to 40 days. Methods previously used to clean the home:
- they sprayed and drove in nails: the floors were not washed, but partially sprinkled, mainly near the threshold (thanks to this, the opportunity for the spirit to return was blocked), an additional nail was driven in here, these actions were repeated near each threshold along the route of the funeral procession, right up to the cemetery;
- swept away traces of the funeral procession: many traditions were abolished, previously there was no opportunity to wash the floors, because they were earthen, so they tried to sweep away litter and negative energy with a broom, which was left at the doorstep of the house when the deceased had already been taken out, this is a symbol of a closed door for the soul the deceased, and it was necessary to take into account the direction of cleaning - from the room to the door and beyond.
IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE COMBINATION OF WATER AND METAL IS A COMBINATION OF MATERIALS THAT PROVIDES RELIABLE PROTECTION AGAINST NEGATIVITY.
They used to drive nails into thresholds
When to open the mirror
It is a well-known fact that after a person’s death, all reflective surfaces are supposed to be covered. These are not only mirrors, but also televisions, computer monitors and other things in which you can see your reflection. This is done so that the reflection of the deceased does not remain in the house, and his ghost does not appear alive.
There will be a lot of decisions about when you can open a mirror after a funeral. One at a time, this can be done immediately after returning from the cemetery and the wake. According to other beliefs, this is done three days later, or not earlier than the ninth day after death. But these are all modern traditions. In villages to this day, curtains are removed from mirrors only on the 41st day, when the fate of the soul of the deceased has already been decided.
Signs are based on the path of the deceased. So, after three days after death, his guardian angel takes him to inspect paradise. For 9 days he will appear before the Lord and go to inspect hell. On the 40th day, the soul is given a final verdict on where it will reside. Since only the first three days after death the soul is among the living, the mirrors can be opened after it leaves it.
That is, on the fourth day. Previously, it was believed that during all 40 days the soul could visit relatives from time to time. That’s why they didn’t open the mirrors all this time.
Sometimes mirrors are not covered at all. For example, when a person died in a hospital, and his body is taken to the cemetery from the morgue, and not from home. It is not right. A person’s soul will still return home and stay near loved ones during their lifetime. Sometimes only those mirrors that are located where the deceased is located are covered. It is also incorrect, because the soul will wander through all the rooms of the house.
Some Slavic superstitions claim that whoever looks first into a mirror opened after a funeral will soon die. To prevent this, the cat is brought to the mirror first. She is not afraid of this sign.
Why is it necessary to wash the floors in the house where the deceased is located?
The body of a dead person has always been associated with negative energy. It is necessary to remove all traces of his presence in the house/apartment, but you should understand why this is necessary. Thus, man is created in the image and likeness of God, and death has nothing to do with light energy, although it is a part of life. Accordingly, all the processes that develop in the body - the decomposition of tissues - are negative in nature and do not mean Divine creation, but symbolize a sign of the sin of a person who has tasted the forbidden fruit and known death.
IF YOU WASH THE FLOORS PROPERLY, YOU CAN HELP QUICKLY GET RID OF NEGATIVE MEMORIES ABOUT THE FUNERAL, THIS IS ALSO A SYMBOL OF FAREWELL TO THE DECEASED.
Farewell to the deceased
Should I keep photos of the dead?
The answer is yes. Photos are memories of a dear person, a memory for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. By destroying photographs of the deceased, you allow his descendants to never know about him.
But still, the image of a dead person is connected with the world of the dead. Psychics can determine from a photo whether a person is alive or not. Therefore, you should not look at photographs of the deceased too often. You also can’t overdo it with their quantity on the walls, shelves and tables. Do not hang near portraits of living people; separate living and dead energies. The best place to store it is a photo album.
Photographs taken during the funeral carry much more negativity.
It's best not to do them. But, if there are already photos, it is better to destroy them. It doesn’t matter what is depicted there - a coffin, a cemetery, the funeral process, they are a strong source of necrotic energy.
Cleaning procedure after removing the deceased from the house
Whether to take beliefs seriously is up to everyone to decide for themselves, but it is unlikely that anyone will want to conduct experiments to check whether they correspond to reality, and therefore people adhere to customs after the funeral. The process of cleaning after removing the deceased consists of several stages, the actions are performed sequentially. Necessary:
- remove all household members, especially pregnant women, the elderly and children: the relatives of the deceased have an invisible connection with him, and therefore they are most susceptible to the effects of negativity, it is not recommended for any of the relatives to carry out the ritual of washing the floor, for this they invite a good friend, but it is also impossible to call a stranger, he may have bad intentions towards the deceased and his family;
- free up space from things associated with the deceased and the funeral: it is recommended to take the attributes that were used when the coffin with the body was in the house outside the home, since they also absorbed negative energy, these could be flowers given to the deceased, a piece of fabric (a blanket used to cover a coffin), etc.;
- pieces of furniture: the table and stools on which the coffin stood must be turned over, some leave them at home, others take them outside the home, but the latter are right, because it is better to keep absolutely all things, even indirectly (through wood) in contact with the deceased, away from family members and their homes;
- the floor is washed with salt water from the threshold to the place where the coffin is located: the direction of cleaning also plays a role, you need to wash the floor moving towards the place where the coffin was located, it is believed that this will help the soul of the deceased to forget the way back, the function of salt in this case is to destroy the negative energy;
- cover mirrors and reflective glass with black cloth: the mirror surface has always been of great importance in esotericism, through it souls can pass from one world to another, so that this does not happen to the deceased, and his ethereal shell does not get lost on the way, you need to cover the mirrors, and also surfaces in which reflection is visible, the canvas is removed after 40 days;
- wash the room: after removing the deceased, you need to clean everything, but when deciding how to properly wash the floors after removing the deceased, you must not forget about the other areas of the house; the more thoroughly the floor is wiped, the less the risk of negative energy returning, you need to do this away from the walls , corners to the place where the coffin stood;
- do not pour it into the bathroom, take it outside: you cannot get rid of dirty water in the usual way - through the sewer; it is considered safer to pour it outside the home, but only where no one goes, otherwise it can harm people;
- leave the premises and join the funeral procession: after cleaning, you can continue the procession next to the coffin with everyone.
CLEANING SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT WITH SPRING OR HOLY WATER, IT CLEANS THE HOUSING BETTER THAN OTHER WAYS.
Moving from the threshold to the place where the coffin stood
Is it possible for a person’s relatives to wash a deceased person?
Washing is a mandatory ritual for the transition of the soul to another dimension, which is performed by family members. This tradition stipulates that the ablution will be performed by relatives, friends or special people, for example, morgue employees. There are no strict recommendations in this regard; each family adheres to traditions that existed generations earlier.
Tips for ablution:
- people of the same sex should wash the deceased;
- ablution is carried out voluntarily, at the request of the assistants;
- children, expectant mothers, and unmarried girls should refrain from the washing ritual;
- Relatives can be present without participating in ablution.
Is it possible for a person’s relatives to wash the deceased?
The organization of the burial is carried out according to the traditions of a particular family and denomination. As a rule, there are older relatives in the family who know how to conduct a funeral and how to resolve organizational issues related to obtaining documents and permits.
Employees of funeral agencies and other services set a sanitary and hygienic condition: the body must be clean for the funeral. If loved ones cannot recover from the shock, then the morgue or funeral service staff wash the body. Hygiene is important due to the rapid onset of tissue decomposition, and during funerals, wounds on the body sometimes bleed. If a person died from an infection, he is buried in a closed coffin; the same is done when there are terrible injuries and injuries.
Observations from eyewitnesses about the benefits of cleaning up after the deceased
Everyone who has come across this custom thinks about the fact that washing the floors after removing the deceased helps make the room cleaner and brighter. But there is still debate about whether such actions need to be carried out.
The priest told me that I should definitely wash the floors of the house after the deceased. I listened and asked a friend to help. Thanks to her, she didn’t refuse. What can I say, after the funeral I didn’t notice anything wrong. The husband says: those who wash the floor after a deceased person can protect themselves from negative energy. And then I find out that my friend’s family started getting sick. By an unfortunate coincidence - in the first year after they buried a close relative, and this event passed quickly for them, without customs - city people. So don’t believe in omens after this.
I didn’t know how to properly wash the floors after a deceased person, they helped us, we didn’t bother. I remember the neighbor’s grandmother, who was cleaning the room, kept saying that now happiness will not bypass us, but misfortune will pass by. After that, it was not scary to stay at home, I felt there as usual - good. But I remember that I didn’t want to be at my friend’s house before. Her brother died, they buried him. She offered to stay and spend the night, but I felt bad there. I asked later about the signs, the answer was surprising - they did not wash the floors after the deceased, they left all his things. My opinion is that this is bad, you can’t do this, now I’m convinced.
Question-answer section
What to do if you didn’t have time to wash the floors?
Expert opinion
Lavrova Tatyana
Rehabilitation specialist, psychologist
When, due to haste, it is not possible to clean the deceased’s home, this still needs to be done, for example, upon returning from the cemetery. It would be correct if a well-known person who has no family ties with the deceased takes on this responsibility, after which the rest can enter the house. It is necessary to sweep the room with a broom, making sure to cross the path back.
Sweeping the floor
How many days should mirrors be closed?
Expert opinion
Lavrova Tatyana
Rehabilitation specialist, psychologist
The soul is close to the body and loved ones for 40 days. Until the deadline expires, you need to keep the mirrors closed. It is important for a Christian to preserve his soul, but the church does not approve of such actions.
Mirror drapery
Is it possible to hire a cleaning company?
Expert opinion
Gennady Gennadievich Lopyrev
Director of a funeral agency
If a funeral was held when the body was significantly deteriorated, the cadaverous odor may remain in the room. This is sufficient reason to call the cleaning company's employees. But cleaning in this way must be done after the traditional washing of the floor after the deceased.
Professional cleaning
Detergent: can or cannot be used?
Expert opinion
Lavrova Tatyana
Rehabilitation specialist, psychologist
To rid family members of negative energy, it is enough to learn how to wash the floors after a deceased person in the house, and do it correctly - use clean water. Detergents are used at the second stage of cleaning. They are used when there are odors of decomposition in the apartment/house that cannot be removed by ventilation. Cleaning surfaces with detergents is an alternative when the stains are complex, but their use is not mandatory.
Detergents are used if necessary
What misfortunes can you bring about if you don't wash?
Expert opinion
Lantsova Kristina
Esotericist
Violating the cleaning rules after removing a dead person was fraught with trouble:
- poverty;
- illness;
- destruction of housing;
- nightmares at night;
- ridiculous death;
- causeless death of animals;
- death of one or more residents before the end of the first year after the death of a loved one.
The consequences are quite serious. Many people wash the floor after removing the deceased, just in case, to avoid possible troubles.
Bankruptcy
Who should be entrusted with cleaning the house?
Expert opinion
Lavrova Tatyana
Rehabilitation specialist, psychologist
General cleaning of the home where the coffin recently stood is carried out by relatives. But you can do anything after wiping the floor with a damp cloth. This work should not be done by relatives. You should find a stranger who is not suspicious and lives nearby. It would be ideal if she knows why the floors are washed after the deceased.
A stranger does the cleaning
Is it possible for relatives and pregnant women to wash the floors: a bad omen or prejudice?
Expert opinion
Lantsova Kristina
Esotericist
The ban on relatives and friends washing the floor of the house after the deceased is due to the fact that there was a strong connection between them and the deceased during life. They are too vulnerable during a funeral. Touching strong energy can cause negative consequences (troubles, illnesses). It is especially necessary for a pregnant woman to be careful, since she is carrying a small person inside her, and the child is even more susceptible to the effects of negative energy.
Pregnant women are not recommended to clean the house after the deceased
Is water poured into the bathroom if the deceased is taken out of the apartment?
Expert opinion
Lantsova Kristina
Esotericist
Getting “dead” water into the bathroom is unacceptable. There is contrary information that such an action will be allowed to be performed. But such statements are made only by those who do not have reliable information. What is written should not be taken for granted. Dead water entering your drain can cause harm to many people. But everyone can choose an option for themselves according to their conscience.
It is not advisable to drain water into the bathroom
Is it necessary to wash the house of the deceased if he was buried straight from the morgue?
Expert opinion
Lavrova Tatyana
Rehabilitation specialist, psychologist
The likelihood of a funeral procession leaving the morgue is slim, but it is possible. More often, another situation occurs: the deceased in a coffin is brought from the morgue prepared (after embalming). In this case, you also need to carry out the floor washing procedure.
Interment
Washing rules: from the threshold or to the threshold?
Expert opinion
Lantsova Kristina
Esotericist
There is only one correct option - from the threshold to the stool with the coffin. It seems to many that it is more logical to do the opposite - the disembodied spirit will leave the living faster. But if you do as was said initially (from the threshold), this will confuse the soul and prevent the return of the incorruptible shell.
You need to follow the direction
Clean the floors after removing the deceased from the house according to Orthodoxy - who should do this?
Expert opinion
Lavrova Tatyana
Rehabilitation specialist, psychologist
You should ask good friends for a favor. Main candidates: neighbor, friend. But close and distant relatives should not be allowed to perform the cleaning procedure. In addition, you need to make sure that the floor is not wiped by an unfamiliar woman. She may have bad intentions.
Neighbor Helper
Professional apartment cleaning
Cleaning of the apartment after the deceased is carried out by cleaning companies. Often people turn to such a service because they cannot bear such a load on their own.
Crews are disinfecting the entire home. They first examine the scene of death. If this happens on furniture, clean it.
They also do a good job of cleaning the area where the body lay before it was taken out of the house. Check the floors in the room if you cannot get rid of the unpleasant odor. Liquid often leaks from the dead, especially in the summer; it can get into the cracks, creating an unpleasant odor throughout the house.
If necessary, the cleaning company will disassemble the floor covering for deep cleaning.
Next, the entire apartment is disinfected. The cleaners wash the tiles and tiles and carry out a complete sanitary cleaning. They use soap and other professional products for this.
Professional cleaning of the apartment ends with removing the garbage and eliminating the cadaverous odor. The room is sprayed with deodorizing substances, eliminating pathogenic bacteria (in the air).
Personal protection and ventilation will not hurt
When tissue decomposition is already actively occurring, the body increasingly poses a danger to others. The smell is the least of the evils, but even in this case it is necessary to carry out a procedure for cleaning the floor after removing the deceased. It is allowed to open the windows to ventilate the room. The Russian Church determines the essence of the ritual, but the details are established by the clergy, taking into account Christian dogmas, rules and what is written in the Holy Scriptures.
THE WORK IS PERFORMED WITH GLOVES. THIS WILL ALLOW YOU TO MINIMIZE CONTACT WITH “DEAD” WATER.
Airing the apartment
The church’s opinion on cleaning: how it helps both the grieving and the deceased
The procedure for cleaning the floor of the deceased is welcomed by the church. But its basis is different. It is different from the vision of the pagans. Thus, washing the floor is a necessary part of saying goodbye, but not to the body of the deceased, but to his soul. It is believed that this will help to quickly forget the moments of the funeral.
Psychological moment
Some funeral signs
Not all actions that are usually recommended to be performed have a hidden meaning; many of them are pagan traditions. But there are also those that help overcome the pain of loss and protect against negative energy. This includes cleaning floors.
After cleaning, they place an ax in the place of the coffin so that there are no more deaths
It is believed that you can put any metal object, for example, a lock. It is left under the coffin while it is at home, or in the same place after the deceased is taken out. A metal object helps eliminate negative energy. The ax also contains a metal part. But it also has a cutting edge. Accordingly, it represents another symbol - it means that death will be separated from the house where the person died. It was believed that this would protect against the subsequent death of family members.
An ax on the spot where the coffin stood
Everything that was washed and washed with is thrown away
In esotericism, there is an opinion that objects retain the energy of the place where they are located and the people surrounding things. This explains why many people feel differently when surrounded by different products, textiles and furniture. Things are imprinted by the energy of those who made and used them. In the same way, negative energy upon contact with the deceased can influence the people who will live in this house after the funeral. It is necessary to remove objects that came into contact with the deceased.
Throw away all cleaning items
You can’t clean a house with a deceased person, you can sweep out another tenant
It is prohibited to perform any actions that help eliminate contamination in the room or cleanse negative energy until the deceased is removed. It is believed that washing the floors or working with a broom will contribute to the death of one more person living in the house. For this reason, cleaning is carried out, as soon as the deceased was taken out of the house, the funeral procession began.
Neutralization of odors
After a person dies, the processes of decomposition of all tissues begin. On the first day they are barely noticeable, but on the third day the smell is so strong that you have to cover your nose.
During funeral rituals, incense is used: incense, sandalwood. They remove the cadaverous smell quickly. They are lit and walked around the apartment.
After sanitization it disappears. To completely get rid of odors, try wiping the surfaces in your apartment with vinegar.
Fill a bucket with 5 liters of water, add 2 cups of vinegar. Wearing a respirator and rubber gloves, wash the furniture with a sponge soaked in the prepared solution. It wipes tiles and wooden floors.
After treatment, buy scented candles and light them when you are at home. When leaving, extinguish to prevent fire.
An air freshener will also help. You will have to use it for 10 days for the smell to completely disappear.
Cleaning premises after the death of a person is a responsible task. You will be living in this house, so you should quickly get rid of the unpleasant smell and wash all surfaces.
Comparison of traditions of cleaning the room after removing the dead in other religions and among atheists
Cleaning the floor is extremely important, even when the deceased did not believe in God. At the same time, the meaning of the custom remains the same, because joining the faith or its denial does not affect the Divine laws that have existed for a long time; they will continue to operate in the future. Sweeping or washing the floor after the deceased makes it easier to say goodbye and let go of memories of the death of the deceased.
A Muslim will not clean the floor after a funeral. This is due to the fact that those who profess Islam do not commemorate the dead and do not follow many other Christian customs. They do the cleaning, but later. It is believed that for the first 7 days after a tragic event, nothing should be taken out of the house.
What should you not do on the second day after the funeral?
Close people should bring clean water to the grave so that the soul of a loved one can drink enough. Alcoholic drinks are prohibited the day after the burial. Relatives must remember the person who left them, remember good moments, distribute food to those in need and leave the cemetery.
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