Memorial services, also known as pannakhidas, are special prayer services offered for the departed. There are many forms, some of which take place just after a repose, but several times a year—especially around fasting periods—the Church holds general services to remember and pray for the departed.

One of the most common traditions associated with these services throughout Orthodox countries is the preparation of kolliva (kollyva, kutia or kutya), a dish of sweetened and spiced boiled wheat, which is shared by the faithful and eaten in church at the conclusion of the service. If you prepare kolliva to bring to the service, be sure you also bring a list of names of the departed whom you wish to be prayed for. (If your departed loved ones are not Orthodox, discuss this with your priest first; it is often up to the priest's discretion if he will include non-Orthodox names.)

Resources

• "Praying for the Dead" by Phyllis Onest
• Memorial coloring pages from Many Mercies
• Evlogetaria for the Dead from Many Mercies
• Letterpress Prayer Card for the Departed by Poustinia Press
• Kollyva recipe and instructions from Illumination Learning
• Kutya recipe from Lynn Visson
• Memorial Services from OrthodoxWiki
• Kollyva from OrthodoxWiki
• St. Theodore & the Miracle of the Boiled Wheat from OCA
• Radonitsa (Day of Rejoicing) from OrthodoxWiki
• Memorial Saturday of St. Demetrius from OCA

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