Why do you need to cover mirrors when a person dies? There is no need to hang mirrors in a house where someone has passed away.

It has long been customary to cover all reflective surfaces in a house where there is a deceased person. Superstitious people perceive the mirror as a kind of portal - the border between two worlds. There are a number of signs that explain why it is necessary to close all the mirrors in the house after the death of a person.

Why do they cover mirrors when a person dies?

At funerals, all reflective surfaces are required to be covered. The interpretation of superstitions is as follows:

• It is generally accepted that after the death of a person, his soul wanders the earth for 40 days, and then goes to another world and calms down. Once she gets into the Looking Glass through an uncurtained object, she will never find her way back.
• According to signs, Through the Looking Glass was considered the habitat of the devil. If it is not hung after a person's death, dark forces may try to drag his soul with them. This is especially true if the deceased during his lifetime was a bright, positive and very kind person.
• According to some versions, relatives cover mirrors, as the soul may be afraid of its reflection. This is due to the opinion that often people do not understand and do not accept the fact of their death.
• In reflective surfaces that are not covered in a timely manner, ghosts and apparitions can be seen in the future.

Old-timers give their interpretation of the sign. Mirrors are curtained because during the service they reflect the cross in reverse projection.

Please note: in temples and churches there are no objects in which reflections can be seen. It is believed that such a surface takes away all grace, which means that prayer will not have true power.

Some signs warn the living against using a mirror in the house of the deceased. According to interpretations, this can bring serious troubles to the person watching, even death.

People with an unstable psyche and a rich imagination should not look in the mirror. If you look first at the reflection of the deceased, and then directly at the deceased, you might think that he is smiling.

A more down-to-earth point of view says that when a person dies, his family does not have the time or desire to use a mirror. When there is a deceased person in the house, reflective surfaces are covered so that they do not attract attention.

What and how to close

To cover all reflective surfaces in the deceased's home, use a thick, opaque fabric. The best option would be black material, however, this is not found in every home.

Sometimes they are covered with sheets or blankets. It is acceptable to use tablecloths and bedspreads.

Usually the veiling procedure begins immediately after the news of death. If a person died in a hospital from a long illness, this sign can be ignored.

How many days to close

The fabric can be removed after a certain time. Signs speak of the following dates:

1. All reflective surfaces should be covered at all times while the deceased is in the home. Moreover, both the TV and the computer monitor should be covered. The fabric can be removed after the funeral, when the deceased is no longer in the room. You should first wash the room where the coffin stood.
2. According to other legends, the period for which mirrors are hung is at least 9 days. After this time, the soul leaves our world, and the saints lead it to the Lord. This means you can look at your reflection without fear.
3. Old-timers and especially religious people suggest removing covers from mirrors and reflective surfaces 40 days after death.

Not a single belief establishes the exact time. Everyone follows the interpretation that is closest to themselves.

The tradition of covering all mirror surfaces in the house where a person died goes back to ancient times. We inherited superstition from pagan beliefs; many do not even remember the essence, but continue to strictly observe the ritual.

Why do they hang it up?

Any person who has lost a relative experiences grief and is depressed. In this state, some sensitive natures notice a certain image in the depths of the mirrors, see shadows.

Previously, mirrors were covered with mercury, and it was believed that it absorbed people’s energy, including dying emotions. They can be transmitted to a living person if they touch such a surface. Now manufacturing technologies have changed, but the signs remain.

What do folk signs say?

There are a number of beliefs that justify total covering of all reflective surfaces:

1. Any mirror can open a portal to another world , summoning the souls of the dead and letting through evil spirits that can harm living people.
2. The soul leaving the body may become frightened by the sight of his own reflection.
3. The spirit will take a living person, if he sees an otherworldly guest.
4. The soul will forever remain in the mirror without entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Numerous reflections create a labyrinth with no exit, locking in dead energy.
5. Reflective surfaces double the grief.
6. Devils are capable of stealing a soul through reflection , and she won't go to heaven.
7. The one who looks in the mirror first after the funeral service will soon die or become seriously ill, so first you need to offer the cat, because it has nine lives.
8. Broken mirror within 40 days after death will bring another loss.

During mourning, one should not preen oneself; this is regarded as disdain for grief.

What the Church Says

The custom carries within itself a pure pagan rite ,having nothing to do with Orthodoxy, therefore, priests answer such questions evasively, recalling that this tradition is not spelled out in the canons of Orthodox rituals.

Some church ministers recommend covering mirrors on the ninth, fortieth day and while the deceased relative is in the house. According to the Christian religion, the soul remains on earth for 40 days, and then is “born” in heaven. At this time, prayers should be read and mourning should be observed.

To help the soul of the deceased withstand the tests and ascend to heaven, believers - relatives order a memorial service, litia, and magpie in the church for 40 days from the date of death. The countdown is from the date of death. Prayer is permitted for the baptized deceased.

How to observe this ritual

During the funeral everything that can reflect the image, is securely covered, the water splashes out. For the first 9 days the soul is next to the body, then it separates and leaves, at this moment dead energy disappears from the home. At this moment, open the TV and computer, since during a difficult period of life it is difficult to be in silence, you need to take a little break from gloomy thoughts.

According to the signs, it is necessary to wash the room where the coffin was located.

Opinions differ on the timing of the opening of mirrors. Some people think that waiting 9 days is enough; especially superstitious people wait 40 days. The choice remains with the mourning relatives. Admiring oneself and preening is considered a departure from mourning. Time should be devoted to prayer and reflection.

Deep grief after a loss puts a person in a slightly altered state. It is difficult for him to see the reflection of the room, especially if it includes a photograph of the deceased, candles, a wreath, a coffin. At this time, you should not observe your own darkened face, it worsens your well-being.

There was a widespread belief among the ancient Slavs that the mirror represented nothing more than a portal to another world. This item was considered as a symbol of the duality of our world and was a portal to something otherworldly and unknown, which is why cover mirrors when a person dies in the house.

It is believed that the soul of a deceased person can return to the body within three days and if it is reflected in the mirror at that moment, it will forever remain on the other side of it. Moreover, there is an opinion that if a living person looks in the mirror in the presence of a deceased person, then the soul of the deceased will take him with him, that is, this person will soon die too.

Mirrors have memory

It is also necessary to cover mirrors when a person dies in the house for other reasons. In the old days, mirrors were made by applying layer-by-layer mercury to a glass surface. When dying, a person emits strong brain alpha waves, the mirror, like a camera, absorbs all the images that the dying person imagines at that moment and creates a hologram; later, with a certain resonance, these images are reproduced again, giving rise to such phenomena as ghosts and ghosts.

Although today mirrors are made using a different technology that is less suitable for storing information, the custom of closing mirrors when a person dies in the house and turning them towards the wall remains. Usually, mirrors are allowed to be opened after forty days.

There were known cases when, after the death of a person, the mirror became cloudy or strange drawings appeared on it, then it was necessary to immediately destroy the mirror, because only after this the spirit of the deceased would be able to leave the labyrinths of the looking glass.

Prayer will have no true power

Often, when asked why cover mirrors when a person dies in the house, old-timers give the following answer. The mirror reflects everything in a reverse projection, so conducting a service with the mirror open is strictly prohibited. The cross in it will be reflected in reverse, which is blasphemy.

Please note that there are no mirrors in churches, and there are not many mirror surfaces, this is due to the fact that a mirror is capable of absorbing grace, and, therefore, prayer will not have true power.

Also, if you look at the reflection of a deceased person in a mirror and then look at the body itself, optical illusions often arise due to the back reflection. The dead person appears to be smiling or winking.

Mirrors take energy

Moreover, it is known that a mirror takes away energy. That is why patients should not look in the mirror, so as not to lose their last vitality. It is also prohibited to have a mirror in the bedroom. It can cause poor health after sleep, fatigue, depression, and in other cases can even cause death in sleep.

Children under one year old are not allowed to be brought to the mirror. The infant's fragile energy is absorbed into him, as a result of which the child's development can be greatly retarded.

There are also a number of beliefs that warn that the mirror should be used carefully and not always. For example:

• It is forbidden to look in the mirror during a thunderstorm or after midnight, as “you will see the devil.”
• You can't look in the mirror on Good Friday, you could be inviting disaster.
• The Slavs forbade women from frequently using a mirror during menstruation, pregnancy and the postpartum period.

In the 21st century, people have become skeptical about many beliefs and signs, but you can still often hear the question: why cover the mirrors when a person dies in the house? Consequently, people do not want to risk their fate in vain, since death is still a completely unexplored phenomenon, unlike many other things, and people are characterized by fear of everything unknown, so they still prefer to follow the knowledge passed down to us from our ancestors.

Every person on the planet knows that a mirror is an object that is used in everyday life. Some people claim that the mirror represents some kind of magical object. As a result of such reasoning, a large number of different traditions, beliefs, omens and even prohibitions are associated with it. One of the most common and considered that it is necessary to cover a mirror when a person dies? However, few people understand why such an act is necessary.

In ancient times, it was believed that a mirror was a kind of symbol that could double reality, and at the same time, the mirror was the border between two worlds, that is, the earthly and the otherworldly. It is precisely because of such statements and reflections that it is believed that if a person dies in the house, this item of daily use must be covered with thick fabric. Nowadays, people turn the mirror towards the wall or take it into another room. Special religious people who follow all the rules and signs sometimes even take this household item out of the house. Such acts are associated with the fact that in ancient times it was believed that it was possible to open the door to the other world if there was a dead person in the house. And to prevent this from happening, the mirror is covered with thick fabric. As you know, this tradition has survived to this day.

Based on various traditions, customs and beliefs, every person on the planet knows that during the first three days after a person’s death, his soul can return to his body. It is from this knowledge that it becomes clear why mirrors are covered when a person dies in the house. If the soul actually decides to return to its own worldly body, it can be reflected in the mirror and end up in a labyrinth between two worlds. Further, the soul will not be able to find peace, since it will be in a mirror trap. That is why it is believed that in such cases the human soul suffers, suffers and may not get out of the labyrinth at all. In ancient times, folk wisdom said that the human soul, which finds itself in a mirror labyrinth, will for a long time reflect various scenes from its own life in an object of daily use. Earlier and to this day, such a sign has been preserved that if a person sees a dead person in the mirror, therefore, in the near future he will meet him, that is, he will die.

If we turn to the knowledge that he has orthodox christian church, we can find out the fact that Church canons prohibit performing all kinds of rituals on dead people with an open mirror. Since the clergy claim that in the mirror the ritual will be displayed in reverse, and if the cross is displayed in the mirror in a different way, then this is obvious blasphemy. It is on this basis that every person can notice that in temples, churches and monasteries there is no mirror and, in principle, any mirror surfaces. Since church canons consider a mirror to be a direct portal to the other world. It is these objects that are capable of drawing into themselves prayers and prayers, as a result of which they will become unanswered and not a single shrine will respond to help a person if a song of praise is ascended near an open mirror.

Some modern residents of the metropolis are wondering Why do they cover mirrors when a small child is born? This is due to the fact that there is a folk superstition that says that a baby who is under one year old should not be brought to a mirror or other mirrored surfaces. This is due to the fact that the child may be afraid of his own reflection and in the future will not be able to sleep peacefully or will have various nightmares during sleep. Some experts in the field of studying the character of young children argue that if a child under one year old sees his own reflection in the mirror, then he will begin to talk very late. Church canons prohibit bringing an unbaptized baby to mirror surfaces, especially at night. This is due to the fact that an unbaptized child does not yet have a guardian angel who would protect his body and soul.

It is also important to note the fact that some experts in the field of studying other worlds argue that you need to look in the mirror only with a positive attitude. Because otherwise, this piece of furniture can double the negative emotions and other experiences that will be reflected in it. At the same time, you should never hover near a mirror for a long time, since it is believed that it will not reflect a person’s real appearance and, of course, will distort his inner essence.

Therefore, we can say that the death of a loved one is not the only reason when it is necessary to cover mirrors or be extremely careful with them. From time immemorial it was believed that It is necessary to cover mirrors not only at the moment when a person dies, but also during difficult and dangerous times, when a person faces great difficulties in life. Under no circumstances should you look at your own reflection in the mirror after midnight, or if there is a thunderstorm outside. Some folk superstitions also say that you should never look in the mirror on Good Friday, since various superstitions claim that in this case you can see the devil instead of your own reflection. Popular wisdom also prohibits pregnant or nursing mothers from looking in the mirror. In difficult difficult times in the Middle Ages, during military operations or any offensives, mirrors were hung up or taken to the basement so that they did not reflect the whole essence of what was happening.

A large number of people on the planet know what needs to be done when a person dies. First of all, everyone covers mirrors or any reflective surfaces in the house so that the person himself or the soul of the deceased cannot see anything unnecessary. Many people, of course, now consider such intentions to be just superstitions, but still listen to them, since their ancestors explained the world around them precisely by such actions, since there was no scientific knowledge. However, it is important to note the fact that The death of a person and his soul has not been thoroughly studied by science to this day, so you should not neglect popular advice and various superstitions.

Mirrors are a portal to another world

At one time, the ancient Slavs claimed that a mirror was a kind of open window into the other world. Consequently, we can say that previously such a piece of furniture was considered in the form of the duality of the world. This is where the symbolism comes from that the mirror is a portal to the other world. And therefore it was necessary to close it when a person died in the house.

Also, it is from the ancient Slavs that the belief comes that the human soul of a deceased person can return to its own body within three calendar days and be reflected in the mirror. It was from this time that the assertion began that the human soul can get stuck in a mirror maze. The Slavs also claimed that if there is a dead person in the house and a living person looks in the mirror, therefore, the dead soul will take the living person with it, thus it turns out that there will be two dead people in the house.

Mirrors have memory

According to popular beliefs and other scientific data, the mirror must be covered for a number of other reasons. In ancient times, mirrors were made from mercury. And as you know, during the death of a person, various brain waves come out of his body, as a result of which a mirror, like a camera, absorbs various images that are emitted by the brain waves of the deceased person before death. That is why in the future the mirror can create some kind of reflection. Some scientists have even found that, in this way, the mirror reproduces phenomena such as ghosts or ghosts. In order to avoid their occurrence in your home, it is necessary to cover mirrors when a person dies in the house.

Of course, it is indisputable that currently the mirror is made using a completely different technology, which is not capable of storing information. However, the tradition of hanging mirrors or turning them away is preserved to this day in every home. It is also important to recall the fact that the mirror is allowed to be opened after the death of a person only after 40 days.

There are many factors known in the world when, after the death of a person, the mirror became more cloudy or various drawings appeared on its edge. Popular wisdom and specialized scientists claim that when such acts occur, it is necessary to urgently destroy the mirror, but not in your own home. Thus, each person will be able to free the soul of the deceased, which is stuck in the mirror maze. And in order for the soul to go to the Almighty, a mirror with cracks or a cloudy mirror must be broken on an open surface outside the room.

Summarizing all of the above, it should be noted that the tradition of hanging mirrors has been kept in every person’s family for many centuries. And such superstitions should under no circumstances be neglected. Otherwise, the consequences can be disastrous. The soul of a deceased person can never find the desired peace. And a living person can bring various misfortunes upon his head if he does not hang up the mirror for 40 days after the death of a household member. Consequently, we can say that ancient superstitions and traditions always give modern man practical advice, thus protecting his existence from the interference of various evil forces.

It is important for every Orthodox believer to observe the church canons, which state that near a mirror one cannot offer thanksgiving or petitionary prayers and prayers directed to the Saints or the Almighty.

Even the church cannot give a definite answer to the question of when to remove the covers from mirrors after a funeral. This custom of covering reflective surfaces in the house where the deceased is located with impenetrable fabric originated a very long time ago. This is what the ancient Slavs did. But before you understand this issue, you need to find out why mirrors are covered.

A mirror is like a door to the other world

Since ancient times, people's relationship with mirrors has been special. In Rus', women were not allowed to spend long periods of time in front of the mirror during menstruation, pregnancy, and for some time after the birth of a child. Infants were also not brought to mirrors until they were baptized. It was believed that a child might become frightened by his own image and after that would not begin to speak for a long time. In some villages, children under 1 year of age were not shown their own reflection.

There was a belief that the child could die.

It is still customary to cover mirrors with impenetrable cloth when there is a deceased person in the house. Relatives of the deceased must certainly cover all reflective surfaces. This also includes the TV or computer screen. There are several reasons for performing this ritual:

• the soul of the deceased can be reflected and remain there forever, without finding peace in the next world;
• living people can see the reflection of the deceased, which will pull them along;
• It is believed that mirrors have memory, so if a dead person is reflected there, his spirit will regularly visit the house as a ghost.

It is noteworthy that there are no reflective surfaces in the church. This is explained by the fact that the mirror world displays everything in reverse, including crosses and icons. If you conduct a funeral service for a deceased person with an open mirror, then the prayer will not have the necessary power, since it will be reflected.

When to open the mirrors

It is necessary to cover mirrors in the house immediately after a person has died. But many are interested in the question of how many days after which mirrors can be opened. It is believed that the curtain can be removed immediately after the wake is over. But this opinion is wrong. At a funeral, only the body of the deceased person is buried, but his soul continues to remain in this world until the 40th day.

Covers from reflective surfaces can only be removed for 41 days.

After this period, the mirrors are opened. There is no point in keeping them closed longer. The reflection of the spirit of the deceased and its entry into the looking glass is the main reason why it is necessary to cover surfaces that can copy what is seen. Some people neglect this sign if a person dies in a hospital, and his body is taken to the cemetery directly from the morgue. This is also wrong, since the soul of the deceased can return home.

In addition to covering the reflective surfaces in the house where the body of the deceased is located, all the water in the containers is poured out. However, you should not go to the point of absurdity (pouring water from teapots and not looking in the mirror at all). You can take a look immediately after leaving the room where there is or has recently been a deceased person. Curtained objects should be treated calmly. When the time comes, you need to remove the covers. In this case, no special ritual should be performed. The fabric needs to be washed and the surface wiped clean from dust. To close or not is everyone's personal choice. Some consider this a banal superstition, but most still try not to neglect this ritual.