PRAYER, HOPE AND PASTORAL CARE
Funerals at St. Nectarios
At the death of a loved one, the Church surrounds the family with prayer and proclaims the hope of Christ’s Resurrection.
First Steps After a Death
Contact the Parish Office or pastoral emergency number as soon as possible. The priest will pray with the family, coordinate with the funeral home and explain the Church’s funeral and burial practices.
Before announcing a date or time, the funeral home and family must confirm church and clergy availability with the parish.
Contact Information
Parish Office: (847) 358-5170
After-hours pastoral emergency: (312) 352-0702
The Orthodox Funeral
The services acknowledge grief while bearing witness to eternal life in Christ.
Trisagion
A brief prayer service is commonly offered at the wake or funeral home and may be repeated at other points.
Funeral Service
Prayers, hymns and Scripture ask God to grant rest to the departed and comfort those who mourn.
Final Farewell
The faithful offer a last farewell while entrusting the departed to the mercy and love of God.
Burial
At the graveside, the Church offers the Trisagion and commits the body to the earth in hope of the resurrection.
Memorial Services
Memorial prayers and kolyva continue the Church’s remembrance of the departed at appropriate times.
Pastoral Care
The priest and parish community remain available to accompany the family through grief and remembrance.
Important Church Practices
Orthodox Christian funerals are ordinarily offered for faithful members of the Church and are followed by burial. The Orthodox Church teaches respect for the body as an integral part of the human person and does not provide an Orthodox funeral for someone who has chosen cremation.
Individual circumstances should always be discussed directly and compassionately with the priest.
Scheduling
Funeral services are ordinarily not celebrated on Sundays or Holy Friday unless permission is granted by the Metropolitan. Other liturgical and parish scheduling considerations may apply.
Information the Parish May Request
Having this information available can help the priest and office assist the family.
- Full baptismal and legal name of the departed
- Date and place of death
- Funeral home contact information
- Desired wake, funeral and burial schedule
- Cemetery information
- Immediate family contact person
- Any questions about Church standing or special circumstances
We Are Here to Help
Please call the parish so clergy can begin supporting your family and coordinating arrangements.
