Stencils for Koliva
A MEANINGFUL CUSTOM … Preparation of KOLIVA and Symbolism of the 3, 9 and 40 days Memorial Services
It is customary among Orthodox Christians to bring a tray of boiled wheat kernels to church for the memorial service. The wheat kernels express belief in everlasting life. Jesus said, "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24). Just as new life rises from the buried kernel of wheat, so we believe the one buried will rise one day to a new life with God. The wheat kernels are covered with sugar to express the bliss of eternal life with God in heaven.
FOCUS ON CHRIST
When Orthodox Christians pray for loved ones, they focus not only on the departed, but especially on Christ who "by his death trampled upon death and to those in the tombs bestowed life eternal."
Memorial prayer services which affirm the reality of physical death and also the reality of resurrection into life eternal play a vital role in the healing of grief.
On Memorial Saturdays the Church prays universally for all the departed.
THE MEANING OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH'S MEMORIAL SERVICES
BOILED WHEAT (KOLYVA)
The boiled wheat is offered because man is also a seed and like a fruit from the earth. Like a seed he is placed in the earth now, and he will be raised up and blossom forth again by God's power.
THIRD DAY SERVICE
The third day service is celebrated for the reason that the reposed one received his being through the Trinity, and having been translated, he hopes to be changed back to the ancient beauty in which man was first made before the fall, or one better [at the resurrection].
NINTH DAY SERVICE
The ninth day service is celebrated that his spirit may dwell together with the holy spirits, the angels, since it is immaterial as is their nature. They are ranked according to nine orders, and in three trinities they proclaim and praise God in Trinity.
40TH DAY SERVICE
The 40th day service is celebrated in the memory of the Savior..'s Ascension 40 days after His Resurrection and that the reposed one, when he is resurrected, may be taken up in the clouds to meet the Judge, our Savior and Master, and thus be with Him forever (1Thes. 4:17).
3RD, 6TH, 9TH, AND 12 MONTH SERVICES
Now the third, sixth, and ninth months are also celebrated--to proclaim the Trinity, the God of all and His glory, and on behalf of the deceased. For by the Trinity a man is fashioned, and when he is loosed from the body he returns to Him, and by the Trinity he hopes for the resurrection. And thus we also perform memorials at the end of the [first] year because we proclaim the Trinity, and the [12-month-] year is divided into four trinities. Additionally, the end of the year is celebrated because it is the consummation, and our God the Trinity is the Life of all and the cause of being, and He shall be the restoration of all and the renewal of human nature.
ANNUAL MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR THE DEAD
Each year [thereafter] the relatives observe the memorial of the departed to demonstrate that he lives and is immortal of soul and he shall be restored when the Creator raises up his body. And the offering of Boiled Wheat (Kolyva) bears witness that, as Christ died according to the flesh and was raised up and lives, thus, we too, as St. Paul says, “shall be raised up and live in Him.â€
(Excerpts from On The End of Our Life, by St. Symeon of Thessaloniki) Translated by George S. Gabriel
It is customary among Orthodox Christians to bring a tray of boiled wheat kernels to church for the memorial service. The wheat kernels express belief in everlasting life. Jesus said, "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24). Just as new life rises from the buried kernel of wheat, so we believe the one buried will rise one day to a new life with God. The wheat kernels are covered with sugar to express the bliss of eternal life with God in heaven.
FOCUS ON CHRIST
When Orthodox Christians pray for loved ones, they focus not only on the departed, but especially on Christ who "by his death trampled upon death and to those in the tombs bestowed life eternal."
Memorial prayer services which affirm the reality of physical death and also the reality of resurrection into life eternal play a vital role in the healing of grief.
On Memorial Saturdays the Church prays universally for all the departed.
THE MEANING OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH'S MEMORIAL SERVICES
BOILED WHEAT (KOLYVA)
The boiled wheat is offered because man is also a seed and like a fruit from the earth. Like a seed he is placed in the earth now, and he will be raised up and blossom forth again by God's power.
THIRD DAY SERVICE
The third day service is celebrated for the reason that the reposed one received his being through the Trinity, and having been translated, he hopes to be changed back to the ancient beauty in which man was first made before the fall, or one better [at the resurrection].
NINTH DAY SERVICE
The ninth day service is celebrated that his spirit may dwell together with the holy spirits, the angels, since it is immaterial as is their nature. They are ranked according to nine orders, and in three trinities they proclaim and praise God in Trinity.
40TH DAY SERVICE
The 40th day service is celebrated in the memory of the Savior..'s Ascension 40 days after His Resurrection and that the reposed one, when he is resurrected, may be taken up in the clouds to meet the Judge, our Savior and Master, and thus be with Him forever (1Thes. 4:17).
3RD, 6TH, 9TH, AND 12 MONTH SERVICES
Now the third, sixth, and ninth months are also celebrated--to proclaim the Trinity, the God of all and His glory, and on behalf of the deceased. For by the Trinity a man is fashioned, and when he is loosed from the body he returns to Him, and by the Trinity he hopes for the resurrection. And thus we also perform memorials at the end of the [first] year because we proclaim the Trinity, and the [12-month-] year is divided into four trinities. Additionally, the end of the year is celebrated because it is the consummation, and our God the Trinity is the Life of all and the cause of being, and He shall be the restoration of all and the renewal of human nature.
ANNUAL MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR THE DEAD
Each year [thereafter] the relatives observe the memorial of the departed to demonstrate that he lives and is immortal of soul and he shall be restored when the Creator raises up his body. And the offering of Boiled Wheat (Kolyva) bears witness that, as Christ died according to the flesh and was raised up and lives, thus, we too, as St. Paul says, “shall be raised up and live in Him.â€
(Excerpts from On The End of Our Life, by St. Symeon of Thessaloniki) Translated by George S. Gabriel
Stencils for Koliva
Panagia Glikofiloussa
A$26.00
A$26.00
St Paraskevi
A$25.00
A$25.00
St Nektarios
A$25.00
A$25.00
St John the Baptist
A$25.00
A$25.00
St Dimitrios
A$25.00
A$25.00
St Athanasios
A$25.00
A$25.00
Panagia Theotokos
A$25.00
A$25.00
