_Then the singers sing thrice,_ Everlasting remembrance. _And straightway the archpriest, if he happen to be there, or the priest, readeth the prayer of absolution with a loud voice._ The Lord Jesus Christ our God, who gave divine commandments unto his holy disciples and apostles to bind and loose the sins of the fallen, and from whom we have again received authority to do the like, forgive thee, O spiritual child, whatever thou hast done in the life that now is, voluntarily or involuntarily, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen. _And so, taking up the remains, we go forth to the grave, followed by all the people, and preceded by the priests, and singing_, Holy God.... O most holy Trinity.... Our Father.... _and the rest_. _And they lay the remains in the grave; and the archpriest, or the priest, taking earth upon a shovel, casteth it crosswise over the remains, saying,_ The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof, the world and all they that dwell therein. _And after this he poureth over the remains oil from the lamp, or scattereth ashes out of the censer, and so they fill up the grave as customarily, meantime singing the troparia_, With the spirits of the righteous.... _and all the rest. Vide page 138._ _And the dismissal._ [Illustration] _Chapter XVII._ THE ORDINANCE THAT IS OBSERVED CONCERNING THE CARRYING FORTH OF THEM THAT FALL ASLEEP IN HOLY PASCHA, AND IN ALL THE BRIGHT WEEK. It behoveth to know that if any pass away on holy pascha, or on any day whatever of the bright week until the sunday of Thomas, somewhat less of the customary song for them that have fallen asleep is sung, because of the majesty and honour of the joyful festival of the resurrection; for it is a festival of joy and gladness, and not of lamentation. And since all who die in hope of resurrection and eternal life are through the resurrection of Christ, removed from the griefs of this world to things that are joyful and glad, the church at the time when Christ is risen proclaimeth this by the resurrection song over them that have fallen asleep; and, by somewhat less song, ectenias and prayer for them that have fallen asleep, we are assured that he that dieth in penitence, if he have not yet made satisfaction concerning his iniquities, these are remitted to him by the prayers of the church, and that he is freed from their bond. _The priest then having come, with his clerks, to the house in which the body of the dead lieth, and put on him the epitrachelion and the phelonion, and censed the remains, beginneth as customarily,_ Blessed be our God.... _And the clerk singeth_, Christ is risen.... _in tone v. And the priest saith the customary verses, that is to say,_ Let God arise.... _and all the rest_.