What is Sorokoust and why order it in the temple?

Sorokoust is a prayerful commemoration that is performed in the church for 40 Divine Liturgies in a row.

For forty Liturgies in a row, at the proskomedia, a piece is removed from the prosphora with the commemoration of the name of a living or deceased person, and at the end of the Liturgy, with the prayer “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of those remembered here with Thy honest blood, the prayers of Thy saints,” the priest lowers this piece into the Chalice with the Blood of Christ. This happens forty times during the same number of Divine Liturgies.

Sorokousts can be “On health” or “On repose”.

Sorokoust for Health
Traditionally, magpies order “On Health” not only for improving the physical condition of relatives and friends. The concept of “health” also includes a person’s spiritual state, peace of mind and even material well-being. Such a prayer can also be a request to God to help change the intentions of the ill-wisher and return love and harmony to his heart.

Sorokoust about the Repose
Holy Scripture says that at the time of death, the human soul parts with the body and enters another world, where it appears before the Lord. Many trials await her, often very difficult. But living people can help the soul of the deceased go through these ordeals by praying for the deceased. One of the special memorial Orthodox prayers is the magpie for the repose.

Sorokoust has great spiritual power and is able to positively influence the fate of the newly deceased, so that his soul will receive the merciful verdict of God's judgment.