Editing Ossuary (section)

=== Eastern Orthodox ossuaries ===
[[Image:GreekOssuaries.JPG|thumb|right|190px|Contemporary [[Greece|Greek]] ossuaries made of wood and metal.]]

The use of ossuaries is a longstanding tradition in the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]. The remains of an Orthodox Christian are treated with special reverence, in conformity with the biblical teaching that the body of a believer is a "temple of the Holy Spirit",<ref>{{bibleverse|1|Corinthians|6:19|KJV}}</ref> having been [[sanctification|sanctified]] and [[Transfiguration (religion)|transfigured]] by [[Baptism]], [[Holy Communion]] and the participation in the [[Sacred Mysteries|mystical life]] of the Church.<ref>{{Citation
  | last = Ware
  | first = Timothy
  | author-link = Timothy Ware
  | title = The Orthodox Church
  | place = London
  | publisher = Penguin Books
  | orig-year = 1963
  | year = 1964
  | chapter = God and Man
  | page = [https://archive.org/details/orthodoxchurchac00ware/page/239 239]
  | isbn = 0-14-020592-6
  | chapter-url-access = registration
  | chapter-url = https://archive.org/details/orthodoxchurchac00ware/page/239
  }}</ref> In Orthodox [[monastery|monasteries]], when one of the brethren dies, his remains are buried (for details, see [[Christian burial]]) for one to three years, and then disinterred, cleaned and gathered into the monastery's [[charnel house]]. If there is reason to believe that the departed is a [[saint]], the remains may be placed in a [[reliquary]]; otherwise the bones are usually mingled together (skulls together in one place, [[long bone]]s in another, etc.). The remains of an [[abbot]] may be placed in a separate ossuary made out of wood or metal.

The use of ossuaries is also found among the [[laity]] in the [[Greek Orthodox Church]]. The departed will be buried for one to three years and then, often on the anniversary of death, the family will gather with the [[parish priest]] and celebrate a ''[[parastas]]'' (memorial service), after which the remains are disinterred, washed with wine, perfumed, and placed in a small ossuary of wood or metal, inscribed with the name of the departed, and placed in a room, often in or near the church, which is dedicated to this purpose.