Chisinau mayor’s proposal is not something new, diocesan secretary

A service to remember all those who passed away is held in Church on Low Sunday and the priests go to graves to say prayers separately, when they are asked by the relatives who came to the cemetery, diocesan secretary of the Moldovan Metropolitan Church, archpriest Vadim Cheibas has told Info-Prim Neo. The Metropolitan Church was asked to comment on Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca’s proposal to replace the separate prayers at graves with a common service. “When the dead are remembered on Low Sunday, the day starts with a liturgy in Church. The liturgy includes a moment when the names of those who departed, written by the relatives, are read. After the liturgy, there is held a general requiem. This is not new. It has been done every time,” said Vadim Cheibas. He stated that it is something different when after this collective service in Church, the faithful go to cemeteries, to relatives’ graves, where another stage of remembrance takes place. The priest goes to every grave to say these prayers, within possibilities. The grave is a part of the cult and cannot be excluded. “We cannot deprive the faithful of private prayers if they want them,” said the secretary. According to Vadim Cheibas, the Church is for private prayers and for the service that is held to remember all the dead as well as for giving presents in memory of those who departed this life, including food. “It is more serious when the remembrance becomes debauchery and bout,” stated the archpriest. Dorin Chirtoaca said on Tuesday after Low Sunday that this holiday becomes a wild competition, when the people try to give as many presents as possible. He proposed holding a service in memory of all the dead so that the priests do not have to go to every grave.