The stages of the soul after death and guard posts. The whole truth, according to
our church. Dear brothers, in the previous video, we talked about whether
the dead can see us, and we saw that the soul continues to live and possesses
consciousness. Today, we will talk about something very serious and deeply spiritual. What
happens to a person immediately after death? What stages does the soul go through, and
what are the so-called "posts"? The Church teaches us that at the moment when the soul
separates from the body, it does not remain alone. It is received by the angels of God.
St. Macarius of Egypt says that angels accompany the soul with peace
and the fear of God. A person does not leave the world alone. According to
church tradition, during the first three days, the soul remains close to the earth.
It sees the places where it lived. It remembers its life. That is why, often,
Shortly before death, people talk as if they see things and faces. Then
the soul is led to see places of light and joy, but also places of sorrow.
to understand spiritual reality. And then begins
the journey that the fathers call customs. So what are customs? They are not
places as we imagine them in human terms. They are spiritual tests. At each
custom, the category of sins that a person has committed in
Their life is examined. This is mentioned by many saints, such as St. Ignatius, Briatzandino, and the vision of Blessed Theodora. The 23 customs are as follows. First,
the customs of slander. Second, the customs of arrogance. Third, the customs of
envy. Fourth, the customs of lying. Fifth, the customs of anger and
rage. The customs of pride.
7. The tax for blasphemy. 8. The tax for idleness and foolishness. One
tax for usury and deception. 10. A tax for laziness and sleep.
11. A tax for greed. 12. A tax for drunkenness. 13th, payment for
forgetfulness. 14th, payment for witchcraft and divination. 15th, payment for
laziness. 16th, payment for idolatry. 17th, payment for
homosexuality. 18th, payment for philanthropy. 19th, payment for
Michia. 20th, payment for murder. 21st, price of theft. 22nd, the price of
fornication. and 23rd, the price of ruthlessness. At each price, demons
accuse the soul of its sins, and angels present
any repentance that souls have shown in life, confession, good
deeds, and God's mercy. And in the end, man does not save himself.
God saves us with His mercy. Bells do not exist to frighten us.
They exist to show us how serious our life is. Every deed matters.
Every word matters, but every repentance has enormous power. After
In this course, the soul enters a temporary state. The righteous
are in peace and light. The unrepentant are in sorrow, and all await
the resurrection of the dead and the Last Judgment. And here it seems that there is something very
comforting. The prayers of the living greatly help souls. That is why
We hold memorial services. That is why we pray, and our church
does not do so formally. It does so because it is truly obliged to do so. Therefore, the message is not one of
fear. It is one of haste. Let us live with repentance, with prayer, and with love. Because
God does not want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to be saved. And God is waiting for us
with open arms. But let us look a little deeper into what this journey of the soul means.
The holy fathers tell us that after death, a person can no longer
hide from himself. The conscience is completely enlightened. Everything comes
to light. St. John of Damascus asserts that then the soul
clearly understands what the state of its life was. What is justified here, there
appears as it really is. And all the little good deeds acquire great value.
The Fathers especially emphasize the period of 40 days after death.
During these days, the soul goes through all these stages and
prepares for its temporary state until the final judgment. Therefore,
There are special prayers in the church. On the third day, the tenth day,
and the fortieth day. This is no coincidence. They have a deep spiritual meaning. On the third day,
we remember Christ's resurrection and ask God to resurrect
the soul spiritually. On the tenth day, we pray together with the nine orders
of angels, and on the fortieth day, our Lord himself ascended into heaven, and
We ask that the soul also rest in the place it deserves. I will tell you
a story described by spiritual fathers. One priest
prayed fervently for a man who died suddenly. One night, he saw him in a dream, sad and troubled. He said to him, "Father,
Your prayers help me, but I need more." The priest intensified
his prayers and commemorations, and a few days later, he saw him again, bright and
peaceful. This shows how great the power of the church's prayers is.
But the Fathers tell us something else: even a small prayer can
bring great comfort to the soul. "Lord, have mercy," a candle, alms
in the name of the departed soul. Nothing is lost in vain. And something else very
important. Customs are not a mechanical process. It's not like
exams. It is a revelation of the spiritual state.
