One of the most profound and difficult moments in life is when a loved one dies.
Orthodox Christianity does not leave us in confusion or silence regarding death. Instead, through Holy Scripture, the teachings of the Holy Fathers, and the living tradition of the Church, Orthodoxy reveals what happens to the soul after the body dies.
The Orthodox Church offers both deep spiritual wisdom and loving guidance for the faithful, including specific prayers and commemorations on the 3rd, 9th, and 40th days after death. These days are not mere customs but reflect the reality of the soul’s journey toward eternity.
The Orthodox Understanding of Death
Death is not the end of existence but a separation. The soul departs from the body, and each continues on a path appointed by God.
According to Orthodox Christianity, the body returns to the earth from which it was formed, as we hear in the Scriptures:
For dust you are, and to dust you shall return. (Genesis 3:19, LXX)
The soul, however, does not cease to exist. It begins a journey in the spiritual realm, awaiting the final resurrection and judgment.
This period is not static but is full of spiritual significance, during which the soul encounters angels, is shown its life, and begins to taste either peace or torment depending on its state before God.

The Third Day: The First Encounter
The Orthodox Church prays for the departed on the third day after death in memory of Christ’s Resurrection on the third day and as a way of accompanying the soul to its first heavenly encounter.
The Church teaches that during the first two days after death, the soul may still remain close to the earth and its loved ones.
Then, on the third day, it is led by angels to begin its passage through what the Fathers describe as toll houses or spiritual checkpoints.
Saint Macarius of Egypt speaks of the soul’s journey as being guided by angels, and the Church understands that on this day the soul begins to be shown the state of its life, both its virtues and its sins.
This is why prayer on the third day is essential. It is a moment when the soul enters a new reality, and the prayers of the Church offer comfort and strength.
The Ninth Day: The Soul Before the Angels
The ninth day is dedicated to the angelic hosts, for it is on this day that the soul stands before the choirs of angels and begins to encounter the heavenly realities more fully.
In Orthodox tradition, we pray that the angels intercede and accompany the soul through this part of its journey. In many Orthodox prayers and services, angels are called upon to be companions and protectors.
The ninth day’s commemoration is a deep spiritual reality, asking that the holy angels stand with the soul as it is examined, as Saint Theophan the Recluse describes, according to the conscience enlightened by grace.
Psalm 90 teaches us: He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. (Psalm 90:11, LXX)
This scriptural promise is fulfilled spiritually on the ninth day as the soul experiences the presence of the angelic realm.
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The Fortieth Day: The Soul Stands Before God
The fortieth day is the most important in the early stages of the soul’s journey. It mirrors Christ’s Ascension into heaven on the fortieth day after His Resurrection.
According to the Fathers, on this day the soul is brought to stand before the throne of God to receive a foretaste of its eternal place, either in peace or in sorrow, depending on how it lived its life.
Saint John of Damascus writes in his funeral hymns: What is life? A shadow and a dream. Yet when we stand before Thee, O Christ, we shall know the truth.
The soul is not judged in full on the fortieth day. The Last Judgment has not yet come. But a temporary placement is revealed, and the prayers of the Church are offered with great intensity.
This is why the memorial on the 40th day is so sacred. It is not merely tradition. It is participation in the spiritual reality of the soul’s journey to eternity.
What the Church Does for the Departed
Orthodox Christianity teaches that the Church is one body. Death does not sever a soul from the Church.
The prayers offered during memorials, Divine Liturgies, and especially on the 3rd, 9th, and 40th days are powerful expressions of love and intercession.
Saint Mark of Ephesus writes:
The prayers of the Church are like wings which carry the soul upward, supporting it before the dread throne of God.
The faithful offer koliva, a dish made from wheat, as a sign of the Resurrection, for the Lord 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)
This act is not merely symbolic. It is a prayer made in love, tied to the unbroken bond of the living and the departed in Christ.
Toll Houses and the Particular Judgment
The toll houses are not official dogma, but they are taught by many saints and monastics as a way to describe the reality of spiritual warfare even after death.
The soul, passing through these toll houses, encounters accusations from demons about the sins committed during life.
The angels defend the soul by the mercy of God and the prayers of the Church.
Saint Athanasius and Saint John Climacus both mention these toll houses in their writings. While we must not imagine them too literally, they reflect the truth that each soul will give an account of its life.
This is taught clearly in Scripture:
It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)
The Orthodox Church, through its prayers and teachings, prepares the soul for this particular judgment, knowing that nothing is hidden from God and that His mercy is greater than our sins.
Why the Church Prays for the Dead
The Orthodox Church prays for the departed because love is stronger than death and does not cease at the grave. In the communion of saints, the Church on earth remains united with those who have fallen asleep in the Lord.
Through its prayers, the Church offers comfort, light, and help to the soul on its journey, invoking the mercy of God and the intercessions of the saints.
During the Divine Liturgy, we hear the Church cry out in love:
Again, we pray for the repose and eternal memory of the servants of God…
And again:
With the saints give rest, O Christ, to the souls of Thy servants, where there is no pain, nor sorrow, nor sighing, but life everlasting.
These are not mere liturgical phrases. They are the voice of the Church—alive, compassionate, and full of hope—pleading before God who is rich in mercy.
They reflect the deep Orthodox conviction that God hears the heartfelt prayers of His people and receives them as an offering of love on behalf of those who have departed this life in faith.
Through these sacred words, the Church surrounds each soul with spiritual strength, remembrance, and the light of Christ.
The Power of Forty Days
The number forty is deeply significant in Christianity.
- Christ fasted for forty days.
- Moses remained on Mount Sinai for forty days.
- The flood lasted forty days.
- The people of Israel wandered for forty years.
- And Christ ascended to heaven on the fortieth day after His Resurrection.
In Orthodoxy, the forty-day period after death is seen as a sacred time of transition. The soul is moving toward its temporary resting place, and the prayers of the Church uphold it.
On the fortieth day, the faithful gather to pray, offer memorials, and remember the person in love. This act is not superstition. It is rooted in the living presence of Christ, who promised:
He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live. (John 11:25)
Conclusion: Death Is Not the End
Orthodox Christianity does not treat death as the end of the story. It is a beginning, a transformation, a passage into eternity.
The soul is not abandoned but remembered, prayed for, and loved.
The 3rd, 9th, and 40th days after death are milestones on the soul’s journey, and the Church, full of compassion and divine wisdom, walks alongside each soul with prayer and hope.
We do not mourn as those who have no hope. We mourn in love, faith, and trust in the Lord, who conquered death and gave us eternal life.
How to Explain the Soul After Death to Children
Parents can tell children that when someone we love dies, their soul goes to be with God.
The Church prays for the person’s soul on special days—the third, ninth, and fortieth days—because we love them and want to help them on their journey.
Just like we pray for people when they are sick or sad, we pray after they die so their soul can be close to Jesus.
These prayers are like hugs for the soul from the people who love them. And God listens to our prayers because He loves us and the person who has gone to be with Him.
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