Praying for Our Departed — Committing Their Souls to the Mercy of God
The Memorial Service (ተዝካር — Tezkar) is a sacred rite of the Tigray Orthodox Tewahedo Church in which the community gathers to pray for the souls of the departed and to commit them into the mercy and love of God.
The Orthodox Church teaches that prayer for the departed is a profound act of love and faith — that the living and the departed are united in the Body of Christ, and that our prayers and the Holy Liturgy offered for the dead bring comfort, intercession, and the grace of God to their souls.
When a member of the community passes away, the church provides a full funeral service — prayers, Scripture readings, and the Holy Liturgy offered for the repose of the soul of the departed. The priest leads the family and community in committing their loved one into God's hands.
Tezkar is the Orthodox memorial service offered on specific days after the passing of a loved one — traditionally on the 3rd day, the 7th day, the 40th day, the 80th day, and the 1st year anniversary — echoing the resurrection of Christ on the third day and other sacred patterns in the faith.
Families may also request an annual memorial service on the anniversary of a loved one's passing — a beautiful act of continued love and intercession for the departed soul.
In the Orthodox Tewahedo tradition, specific days are set aside for memorial prayers and offering of the Holy Liturgy for the departed:
The memorial service includes prayers in Ge'ez and Tigrinya, readings from Holy Scripture, the chanting of sacred hymns, and the intercession of the community for the departed soul. The Divine Liturgy (Qidase) is often offered in memory of the deceased.
Our church provides compassionate pastoral care and support to bereaved families throughout this time of grief and remembrance.
We are here to support your family in this time of grief. Please contact us to arrange funeral prayers, Tezkar, or a memorial service for your loved one.
📍 114 Mills St, Altona North VIC 3025
📞 +61 0478 911 703
📧 info@stmarystotc.org.au
We are available to support families at any time. Please call for urgent pastoral care.