The great value of our prayers for our departed.

 The venerable Saint Paisios the Athonite used to pray and commemorate the departed souls 

The Elder related:

“As soon as I went to live at the skete, old Thanassis, who worked for Philotheou  as a forester, found out about it and came to see me. He was a friend of mine, and he brought me some blessings, since it was early on then, and I didn’t have anything. “I thanked him, and I told him to write down the names of his departed relatives ,so  that I could commemorate them. Influenced by a Jehovah’s Witness, he replied, ‘When someone dies, there’s nothing else―after death everything’s lost.’ “Soon after that, he himself died. When I found out, I went to Philotheou and saw his grave. Every day I prayed from the heart that God would give rest to his soul. “About thirty days afterward, I found out that someone from Philotheou was looking for me.

He came to me all upset. It was one of the stewards of the monastery. ‘Father,’ he said to me, ‘old Thanassis, the one who just died, came to me and complained that I’ve forgotten him and haven’t done anything for him, and that you’re the only one who helps him with your prayers. And the truth is, I haven’t com-  His Life memorated him in my prayers. I’m in charge of things at the monastery now, and I have a lot of work. What can I do? I’ve had to put my prayer rule aside.’ ‘Well, now you’ll have to do even more.’” This event strengthened the Elder, so that he prayed even more for the souls of all the departed.

sourse :

Elder Paisios of Mount Athos

©2012 For the English Language by The Holy Monastery Saint Arsenios the Cappadocian

http://www.orthodoxpath.org/saints-and-elders-counsels/the-great-value-of-our-prayers-for-our-departed/