Panikhida vs Parastas: Understanding Russian Orthodox Memorial Services

Two Services, Different Scales

Both the Panikhida and the Parastas are memorial prayer services for the departed. The confusion between them is understandable — they share the same theological purpose and much of the same liturgical structure. The difference is scope and setting.

Panikhida is the shorter, more common memorial service. It lasts 20–30 minutes and can be served almost anywhere: at the church on a permitted day, at the cemetery, at the home of the bereaved, or at the funeral home before the body is transferred. Families request Panikhidas on the 3rd, 9th, and 40th days after death, on anniversaries, and on Soul Saturdays. It is the workhorse of Orthodox commemorative prayer.

Parastas is a more elaborate and solemn form of the Panikhida, essentially the memorial equivalent of an all-night vigil. It is typically served the evening before the funeral (during the overnight vigil when the body lies in the church) and on the evening before major Soul Saturdays. It lasts 45–60 minutes and includes additional hymns, more extensive Psalm readings, and a fuller canon.

In practical terms: if you are told "there will be a Panikhida on Tuesday," expect a brief memorial service. If the priest schedules a "Parastas" for the evening before the burial, expect a longer, more formal vigil.

When Each Service Is Held

The liturgical calendar determines when memorial services are appropriate — and when they are prohibited.

Panikhida scheduling:

• On the day of death (at bedside or place of death)
• On the 9th day, 40th day, and anniversaries
• On Soul Saturdays (Roditelskiye Subboty) — designated Saturdays for universal commemoration of the dead
• After a permitted weekday Divine Liturgy, by request
• Standard form not served on Sundays (the day of Resurrection) or on the twelve Great Feasts; during Bright Week (Easter Week), the priest uses the appropriate Paschal order

Parastas scheduling:

• The evening before the funeral (the overnight vigil with the body present)
• The evening before major Soul Saturdays
• Sometimes served as a solemn memorial at the one-year anniversary

What Happens During a Panikhida

The priest stands before the memorial table (a small stand with a cross, candles, and often the kutia) or, if a body is present, before the casket. The structure follows a condensed version of the funeral Matins:

1. The priest begins with the Trisagion prayers and Psalm 90.
2. A troparia (short hymn) for the departed is sung.
3. A litany (series of petitions) prays for the repose of the soul by name — the reader inserts the baptismal name of the deceased.
4. The kontakion "With the saints give rest" is sung.
5. The priest offers the final prayer and dismissal.
6. "Memory Eternal" (Vechnaya Pamyat) is sung three times to close.

The congregation holds lit candles throughout. At the conclusion, the kutia is blessed (if present) and mourners share a few spoonfuls.

Arranging a Panikhida

Contact the parish office at least several days before the desired date. Provide the baptismal (Christian) name of the deceased — this is the name used in all liturgical prayers, which may differ from their legal name. Confirm whether the date falls on a day when memorial services are permitted.

If a priest is not available — a common challenge in diaspora communities where parishes are spread thin — laypeople can read specific memorial prayers at home. The Church permits lay reading of psalms and the Trisagion for the dead, though the full Panikhida and its litanies require a priest.

Proskomidia: The Quiet Commemoration

Beyond the visible memorial services, the most spiritually significant act families can take is submitting the departed's name for Proskomidia. During the preparation of the Eucharistic bread before every Divine Liturgy, the priest removes a small particle from the loaf for each named departed soul. At the end of the Liturgy, these particles are dropped into the chalice with the prayer: "Wash away, O Lord, the sins of all those commemorated here by Thy precious blood."

Families can ask a parish to commemorate a deceased Orthodox Christian this way, and many families maintain the commemoration weekly or monthly for years. Some parishes offer perpetual Psalter commemoration, where the departed's name is read at every kathisma by the monastery or convent.

For a complete guide to arranging memorial services, understanding the Panikhida structure, and managing the 40-day commemorative calendar, see our Russian Orthodox Funeral Guide.