The rite of Litia performed by a layperson for the departed

To pray at the cemetery and at home on the birthday and death anniversary of the departed, or on any other day as desired

Introductory prayers: “Lord, have mercy” (12 times), “Glory… and now…”, “Come, let us worship”.

Psalm 90

He who lives in hope of the Most High rests under the shelter of the Heavenly God. He says to the Lord: “You are my refuge and my protection, my God, and I trust in You.” He will save you from the hunter’s net and from deadly pestilence. By His own shoulders He will shield you, and under the shadow of His wings you will rest securely. His righteousness will be your defence. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day. Nor the pestilence that works in darkness, nor the assaults of the spirit of evil at noon. A thousand may fall beside you, and ten thousand may stand against you, yet none shall approach you. With your own eyes you shall see and behold vengeance upon the lawless. For you said: “The Lord is my hope,” and you have chosen the Most High as your protector. Therefore disaster shall not come to you, nor shall pestilence draw near your dwelling. For He commands His angels to guard you on all your paths. On their hands they will lift you, lest your foot stumble upon a stone. You shall tread upon thistles and basil, and crush lion and serpent. For the Lord says: “Because he has placed his hope in Me, I will deliver him and protect him, for he knows My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will hear him; I will be with him in trouble, deliver him and glorify him. I will grant him a long life and give him My salvation.”

Glory… and now… Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, glory to You, God (three times).

Troparion, tone 4

With the spirits of the departed righteous, O Savior, receive the soul of Your servant, grant him rest and bring him into Your blessed life, O Lover of mankind.

In Your dwellings, O Lord, where all Your saints repose, grant rest also to the soul of Your servant, for You are the One Lover of mankind.

Glory… You are God, who descended into Hades and broke the chains of the bound, and You alone grant rest to the soul of Your servant.

And now… O One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who bore God without seed, pray for the salvation of his soul.

With the saints, O Christ, grant rest to the soul of Your servant, where there is no disease, no sorrow, no sighs, but eternal life.

You alone are the Immortal One, who created and ordered man; we are earthly, made from earth, and to earth we shall return. For so You commanded, my Creator, and said to me: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” To that place we all, men, shall go, singing over the tomb: “Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.”

More honorable than cherubim and incomparably more glorious than seraphim, who without corruption bore the Word of God, we venerate You as the true Theotokos.

Glory… and now… Lord, have mercy (three times), bless. By the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Grant eternal peace in blessed repose, O Lord, to Your departed servant (name), and grant him everlasting memory.

Eternal memory (three times).

May his soul dwell in bliss and his memory be passed from generation to generation.

(From Easter to Ascension, instead of “Eternal memory” we sing three times “Christ is risen from the dead…”.)

(Source: kyrios.org.ua)