Commemoration of the Faithful Departed

Here's my rant from last year.

This year? Same old, same old. No Mass or prayer service, nadda. the priests just came over and blessed the graves. but, as has happened for the past 3 years, even though my grandmother and me waited patiently at my grandfather's grave (where we lighted some candles and burned some incense), the priest assigned to the area (which happened to be our Lord Bishop himself this year) somehow bypassed us.

Oh well. Pics are of the cemetery in less busy times. On All Souls, the place is crawling with people.

Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Te decet hymnus Deus, in Sion, et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem. Exaudi orationem meam; ad te omnis caro veniet. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.

(“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. A hymn becometh thee, O God, in Zion, and unto thee a vow shall be repaid in Jerusalem. Hear my prayer; unto thee all flesh shall come. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.”)

The columbarium. Until recently, there was a Mass on All Soul's here before the blessing of the graves. After that, there was a Liturgy of the Word, then a paraliturgy. Now, nothing. The priests just file in and the blessing begins without any fanfare.

A close-up. There's some wear and tear on the facade. This is an old photo. You won't believe what happened to it now. They've put in a horribly ugly looking blue metal roof that is totally not in keeping with the architecture. What a shame.

The inside. Most of the niches are already occupied. My granduncle is in here too. On the top right.
The is the central cross. I normally use it to navigate around. It's been painted white this year.
My grandfather's grave is in a direct line in front of this cross.

Absolve, Domine, animas omnium fidelium defunctorum ab omno vinculo delictorum et gratia tua illis succurente mereantur evadere judicium ultionis, et lucis æterne beatitudine perfrui.

(“Forgive, O Lord, the souls of all the faithful departed from all the chains of their sins and may they deserve to avoid the judgment of revenge by your fostering grace, and enjoy the everlasting blessedness of light.”)

Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex gloriæ, libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de poenis inferni et de profundo lacu. Libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum; sed signifer sanctus Michael repræsentet eas in lucem sanctam, quam olim Abrahæ promisisti et semini ejus.

(“Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, free the souls of all the faithful departed from infernal punishment and the deep pit. Free them from the mouth of the lion; do not let Tartarus swallow them, nor let them fall into darkness; but may the sign-bearer, Saint Michael, lead them into the holy light which you promised to Abraham and his seed.”)

This grave is on the Protestant side of the cemetery.

Memento mori

The memorial was erected by the Russian Government to honour their fallen comrades. I always light a candle when I pass this way for these men who died so far away from their family and homeland.

Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in æternum, quia pius es. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine; et lux perpetua luceat eis.

(“May everlasting light shine upon them, O Lord, with thy saints in eternity , for thou art merciful. Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and may everlasting light shine upon them.”)

And for me personally too, I pray:

Libera me, Domine, de morte æterna, in die illa tremenda, quando coeli movendi sunt et terra. Dum veneris judicare sæculum per ignem. Tremens factus sum ego et timeo, dum discussio venerit atque ventura ira. Dies iræ, dies illa, calamitatis et miseriæ, dies magna et amara valde. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine: et lux perpetua luceat eis.

("Free me, Lord, from eternal death upon that terrible day when heaven and earth shall be moved, when thou comest to judge the world with fire. I am afraid and trembling, on account of the coming judgment and wrath. That day is a day of wrath, of disaster and misery, a great and very bitter day. Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and may everlasting light shine upon them.")