Panikhida

A Panikhida (also transliterated Parastas in some Slavic traditions) is a brief Orthodox memorial service for the dead. The traditional cycle observes a Panikhida on the ninth day after a death, on the fortieth day, and on the one-year anniversary, plus on appropriate Saturdays of the church year (the Saturdays of the Souls). The service includes chanted prayers for the repose of the deceased and the singing of "Memory Eternal." The fortieth-day Panikhida is particularly significant in Orthodox tradition, marking the moment when the bereaved family typically returns to ordinary life.