Orthodox Talks in English - No. 30 - Did You Know That the Souls in Hades are in Urgent Need of Help for Their Release?

In Western society today there is an obvious tendency to think only about what is comfortable and fun, and to avoid what is uncomfortable and upsetting. Unfortunately, this tendency has made its way into the Orthodox Church, particularly in the West. Many Orthodox clergy have begun avoiding important topics such as the devil, Hell, judgement, the consequences of sin, etc. One of these topics is the Church's supposedly uncomfortable and upsetting teaching regarding Hades, the place where the souls of the departed go to dwell before the Last Judgement and the General Resurrection.

In this talk, Father Kosmas explains the purpose of serving memorial services for our departed loved ones, something which many clergy encourage but fail to fully explain. He explains that when a priest commemorates the names of the departed he is asking God to forgive them their sins, to grant them release from Hades, and to put them in Paradise with the saints.

The following questions are also discussed: is it "healthy" for an Orthodox Christian to think about hell? Is it proper for the Orthodox Church to use scare tactics? What did Billy Graham, a Protestant preacher, say about the toll houses? How do our personal sins affect the souls of our departed loved ones? Can a priest refuse to commemorate the name of a departed Orthodox Christian?

Other topics covered in this talk include: how a holy elder prayed for the lost soul of his unrepentant departed cousin; how one father blasphemed because his daughter had died; the "good obsession" of an elder who prayed for the release of all the souls that are in Hades; how people who have died without producing fruits of repentance are in need of help; and why one priest continually forgot to commemorate the souls of certain relatives.

Talk Duration: 205 minutes
Chanting Duration: 30 minutes

With the blessing of His Eminence Hilarion
Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York
First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

The content of this talk does not necessarily
reflect the official position of ROCOR.