What happens at an Eastern Orthodox funeral?
By Calla Editorial · Updated June 2026
Eastern Orthodox funerals are rich in ancient ritual — a vigil, the funeral service with open casket, and burial. Cremation is traditionally not permitted, and memorial prayers continue for years.
Eastern Orthodox funerals — Greek, Russian, Serbian, Antiochian and other jurisdictions — preserve some of the oldest continuous Christian burial rites. They are solemn, deeply scriptural, and centered on the hope of resurrection and prayer for the soul of the departed.
The vigil and prayers
After death, psalms and prayers are read, and a vigil may be kept. A Trisagion service — a short prayer service for the dead — is often held at the funeral home before the funeral itself. The body is traditionally buried, not cremated.
The funeral service
The funeral is held in the church, usually with an open casket. It includes hymns, psalms, readings, and prayers asking God to grant rest to the departed. At the close, mourners come forward for a last farewell, venerating the person with a kiss on an icon placed in the casket. The priest leads the body to the cemetery for burial.
Burial
Burial follows, with final prayers at the graveside. Because the Church honors the body as something to be resurrected, in-ground burial in a casket is the norm and cremation is traditionally not permitted.
Memorials over time
Prayer for the departed continues long after the funeral. Memorial services are held at the 3rd, 9th, and 40th days, at six months and a year, and on anniversaries. Families often prepare koliva, sweetened boiled wheat, as a symbol of resurrection — the seed that must die to bring forth new life.
Planning an Orthodox funeral
- Contact the parish priest first — Orthodox rites and timing are set by the Church.
- Plan for burial; ask the priest before considering cremation.
- Expect an open casket and a final veneration at the end of the service.
- Note the schedule of memorial services in the months and years that follow.
Practice varies by jurisdiction. The parish priest is the authority on what a particular family's funeral will involve.
Common questions
- Does the Orthodox Church allow cremation?
- Traditionally, no. The Eastern Orthodox Church has historically required burial and does not permit cremation, because the body is honored as a temple of the Holy Spirit awaiting resurrection. A priest may decline to serve a funeral if cremation is chosen. Policies can vary, so the parish priest is the authority for a given family's situation.
- Why is the casket open at an Orthodox funeral?
- An open casket is traditional. It allows mourners to say a final farewell and, at the end of the service, to come forward and venerate the deceased with a kiss on an icon or the person's forehead. This face-to-face goodbye is an important part of Orthodox grieving.
- What are Orthodox memorial services?
- Orthodox Christians hold memorial services (Panikhida or Trisagion) at intervals after death — commonly the 3rd, 9th, and 40th days, and then at the 6-month and one-year marks, with annual remembrances after that. Boiled wheat (koliva) is often prepared, symbolizing the resurrection.
Sources
Reviewed and maintained by Calla Editorial. This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. See our editorial standards.