Memorial parents' day. Parents' Saturdays - what is it? Congratulations on Dmitrievskaya Saturday

Orthodox Christians commemorate those who have passed on to another world 7 times a year. These days are called memorial or parental Saturdays. You can remember those who have not been with you for a long time on any other days. However, these seven days are considered a special time when you can help your loved ones cleanse themselves by praying for them sincerely and with love. Orthodox parental Saturdays in 2016 fall mainly in February-March, and only one of them is celebrated in November.

Parents' days are called because all the deceased are considered to have gone to their parents and ancestors. Therefore, they remember all those who have passed away, but first of all, those closest to them.

There are two separate “ecumenical” Saturdays, when all Christians who have left this world are remembered, and memorial services are held in Orthodox churches. Most dates for parental Saturdays change from year to year and are associated with major holidays, this will be discussed below. Three Saturdays fall during the spring period, or more precisely during Easter Lent. On these memorial days, it is imperative to pray for those who are no longer alive in order to alleviate their sins and beg God to be merciful to their souls.

Parents' Saturdays calendar for 2016

March 5 – Meat-eating. This day precedes the start of the Maslenitsa festivities.
March 26 is the second week of Lent.
April 2 is the third week of Lent.
April 9 is the fourth week of Lent.
May 9 - Commemoration of warriors (fixed date).
May 10 - Radonitsa. 9th day after Easter. It falls on Tuesday, not Saturday, but within its meaning it belongs to the general cycle of memorial days.
June 18 – Trinity Saturday - the eve of the holiday.
November 5 is Dimitrievskaya Saturday, preceding the day of the martyr Dmitry Solonsky.

On each of the parents' Saturdays, memorial services are held in the church, i.e. services for the repose, at which parishioners pray that souls will rest, and that the Lord will be merciful to them, forgiving their sins. For this purpose, special prayer texts are read. On Meat Saturday, they especially try to remember those who left this world unexpectedly and were left without proper burial according to Christian traditions.

Trinity and Parents' Saturday

One of the memorial days falls on the Saturday before the Orthodox Trinity. As you can see, most parental Saturdays are associated with major Christian holidays. This memorial service differs from others in that you can even pray for sinners - criminals, suicides, etc. The holiday of Trinity symbolizes the descent of the Holy Spirit to earth so that all souls without exception are saved. It is believed that the conciliar prayer on this day for the dead has excessive power. During the service, the 17th kathisma is read, and prayers ask for peace for souls and merciful forgiveness for deceased relatives.

Radonitsa and parents' Saturday

Radonitsa is the name given to the day that falls on Tuesday (after Thomas Week). On this holiday, people remember Christ's descent into hell, the Resurrection and his victory over death. Radonitsa is associated directly with the triumph of life over death. It is customary to visit cemeteries; the resurrection of Christ is glorified at the graves.

Demetrius Memorial Saturday is named after the martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica and falls on the Saturday preceding November 8. Initially, on Dimitrievskaya Saturday, only those who died in the Battle of Kulikovo were commemorated, but over the years the tradition changed and they began to commemorate all those who died.

On the eve of the funeral Saturday, on Friday evening, great funeral services, also called “parastas”, are held in churches. On Saturday morning there are funeral liturgies, followed by general funeral services. You can submit notes to the funeral service with the names of deceased relatives or other close people, about their repose. It is also customary to bring food to temples “on the canon” (eve). This is a lean food, and Cahors is allowed from wines.

What you can and cannot do on Orthodox Parents' Saturday

On any of the parents' Saturdays in 2016, it is recommended to go to Orthodox church, pray sincerely for the granting of peace to the souls of the departed, as they say, for God everyone is alive! It is also good, in accordance with the ancient tradition, to bring food to the temple for remembrance. Previously, parishioners made a table at which they gathered together and remembered everyone - both their own and strangers. Now they simply bring food, and the ministers distribute food for remembrance to people in need. The church also advises submitting notes indicating the names of deceased loved ones for church mention in prayers.

Even if you didn’t manage to visit church on Orthodox Memorial Saturday, pray with an open heart at home. This will cleanse your heart of filth and ease the lot of the deceased, because they are no longer able to stand up for themselves, but you can help them find peace and grace. If you don’t know what to read, open Kathisma 17 (or Psalm 118), a funeral prayer for relatives, friends, and all Orthodox Christians.

It is believed that on parental Saturdays one should not clean, do laundry, or wash in the gardens. In most cases, these are superstitions that are not confirmed by the church: if business does not prevent you from visiting the temple and praying, then you can do it. For example, the warning about washing these days has been around for a long time. When, to carry out a simple procedure, as it seems to us now, we had to spend the whole day working: chopping wood, heating a bathhouse, applying water, it turned out that there was no time left for prayers and visiting the temple.

You can visit the graves and clean them up. First of all, responsibility for the condition of the tombstones lies with children whose parents have passed away. They simply have to make sure that parenting days do not go unnoticed in the whirlpool of daily hassle. When memorial days fall during the period of fasting, one should not commemorate with fasting foods, breaking the fast. Make do with dishes made from those foods that are allowed to be eaten these days.

You cannot grieve beyond measure these days: remembering does not mean being sad. After all, according to Christian beliefs, the soul is immortal, which means it simply passed into a world unknown to us. If a person led a righteous life, then his soul arrives in an eternal state of love, harmony, joy, the so-called paradise. If a person, on the contrary, has committed sinful acts, his soul languishes in a worse world and experiences endless torment.

A person can influence this fate only during his lifetime; after death, only a prayer read with extraordinary faith and love can save him from torment. Who, if not close people, can perform this prayer? That is why it is necessary to devote each of the parental Saturdays to prayer words spoken with a pure heart. Many are mistaken when they interpret remembrance as the need to drink a glass of alcohol in a cemetery - with such an act you will not ease the fate of the departed.

Don’t forget to remember your parents according to the Christian tradition so that their souls will become brighter!

. The deceased are remembered on the 9th day after it. In 2016, the holiday falls on May 1st. This is the first resurrection after the spring full moon. Consequently, believers will flock to cemeteries on May 10th. The custom was established after the baptism of Rus'. Let's find out how it happened.

History of parent's day

The second designation of parent's day is Radonitsa. The name is derived from Radunitsa. This is how they called one of the pagan Gods. He kept the souls of those who went to another world. In order to provide peace to their ancestors, the Slavs begged the spirit with sacrificial gifts. Since the 9th century, they were replaced with Easter attributes - Easter cakes, colored eggs, candles. Sorrow gave way to joy for the transition of the deceased to eternal life. Therefore, the date was tied to Easter. It symbolizes victory over death, because Jesus bled to death and was resurrected to ascend to Heaven.

Radunitsa was transformed into Radonitsa so that the words “genus” and “joy” could be read in the name of the holiday. By the way, historically Russians called family not only blood relatives, but all ancestors in general. Therefore, it is not contrary to tradition to bring Easter gifts to the graves of strangers.

Outside of Rus', the custom of commemorating the dead existed until the 9th century. Evidence of this is the records of St. Sava, dating back to the 5th century. The treatises of John Chrysostom also date back to the 4th-5th centuries. The Archbishop of Constantinople explained the essence and meaning of commemorating all the departed, not only relatives. Some Christians leave the earthly world, dying in the seas, impassable mountains, and on battlefields. How and where exactly a person disappeared often remains a mystery. Therefore, it is the job of the church and believers to count all types of unexpected, unexpected deaths in funeral prayers. By the way, they do this not only on Radonitsa. In the Orthodox tradition, many days are set aside for the veneration of the dead. It's time to get acquainted with them.

List of parenting days

The main Parents' Day - in 2016, as in any other year, falls on Tuesday of the second week after Easter. This is the 9th day from the Resurrection of Christ. However, believers are given the opportunity to remember their relatives every Saturday. The name of this day means “peace” in Hebrew. In Israel, the 6th day of the week is non-working. Time is devoted to rest and prayers for the dead.

There are 6 special Saturdays a year. They are also called parenting days. The dates on which they will fall in 2016 have already been determined:

Meat Saturday is scheduled for March 5th. The date is calculated by subtracting a week from . On this day, believers are allowed to enjoy meat dishes for the last time. Hence the name. In the Jerusalem Rule, written by Sava the Sanctified, it is not meat-free, but the Ecumenical Parental Saturday that appears. The same psalms are sung in churches on it as on Radonitsa.
The second parent's Saturday in 2016 falls on March 26th. The date falls on the 2nd week of Lent. During this period, it is not possible to perform private commemorations - for example, Sorokoustov. Therefore, in order not to deprive those who have left the earthly world of representation before the Lord, Saturday services and visits to graves are held.
The third parental Saturday is celebrated in the 3rd week of Lent. In 2016, the day falls on April 2nd.
The fourth Parents' Saturday falls on April 9th in 2016.
Trinity Saturday is no longer timed to coincide with Easter, but with the holiday. In 2016, the memorial day is set for June 18th. The dead are remembered because the descent of the Holy Spirit is the final stage of the salvation of mankind. Angels, that is, the souls of ancestors, also took part in this matter.
Dmitrovskaya Saturday is celebrated on November 5th, a week before the day of veneration of the Great Martyr Dmitry of Thessalonica. Dmitry Donskoy was named in his honor. He won on the Kulikovo field. After the battle, the prince named all the fallen soldiers on the day of his angel. Over time, they began to remember all the deceased Christians, and not just those who served.

Parents' Day Rules

All parenting days have the same rules. Believers attend churches, in particular funeral services. Christians take with them Lenten dishes. This is a sacrifice for the funeral table. Its contents are distributed to temple employees, those in need, and sent to orphanages. In addition to churches, believers also visit cemeteries. However, of all the memorial Saturdays, only Radonitsa is declared a day off in Russia, and even then not in all regions. Therefore, the highest attendance at cemeteries is recorded precisely on the 9th day after Easter.

About the holiday Radonitsa, video

According to the Orthodox church custom, it is customary to remember your deceased relatives on certain days of the year. These days are called parent's days or parent's Saturdays in 2016, although these dates do not always fall on a Saturday.

In addition, it is necessary to honor the memory of departed relatives on their birthday and on the day of death. Many people remember the deceased on the day of his angel (the saint in whose honor he was baptized).

As for parental Saturdays 2016, they are scheduled for certain days when general liturgies (funeral services) are read in churches, and every believer can join this prayer, remembering their relatives. During the year there are 9 such special memorial days, 6 of them always fall on Saturdays, they are called “Ecumenical Parental Saturdays”. Once we honor the memory of the deceased on Tuesday on Radonitsa, and May 9 and September 11 are reserved for commemorating deceased soldiers and can fall on any day of the week.

It should be noted that the days of special remembrance of the departed church calendar tied to the celebration of Easter, so their dates change every year. (Easter 2016, as we already wrote, is celebrated on May 1, 2016)

For 2016, parental Saturdays are scheduled for the following Orthodox days:

*March 26, 2016- Parental universal Saturday second week of Lent 2016;

* April 2, 2016- Parental Ecumenical Saturday of the third week of Lent;

* April 9, 2016- Parental Ecumenical Saturday of the fourth week of Lent;

* May 9, 2016, Monday is the day of remembrance of all those killed or tragically died during the Great Patriotic War;

* June 16, 2016- Semik (7th Thursday after Easter), when before the day of the Holy Trinity they commemorate those who died a violent death, as well as drowned people and suicides, children who died unbaptized. This commemoration is accepted in folk tradition, and not in the church;

* September 11, 2016, Sunday - Beheading of John the Baptist and Parents' Day in honor of the remembrance of Orthodox soldiers who died on the battlefield;

What you can and cannot do on Orthodox Parents' Saturday 2016

On any of the parent's Saturdays in 2016, it is recommended to go to an Orthodox church and sincerely pray for the granting of peace to the souls of the departed; as they say, everyone is alive for God! It is also good, in accordance with the ancient tradition, to bring food to the temple for remembrance. Previously, parishioners made a table at which they gathered together and remembered everyone - both their own and strangers. Now they simply bring food, and the ministers distribute food for remembrance to people in need. The church also advises submitting notes indicating the names of deceased loved ones for church mention in prayers.

How to remember those who have passed on to another world? Prayer for repose

It is no coincidence that the morning rule contains petitions not only for health, but also for peace. In addition, in the temple you can light candles and pray for people dear to us who have passed on to another world:

Give rest, O Lord, to the souls of your departed servants: my parents (their names), relatives, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.

You can remember not only in your prayers, but also in the prayers of the Church.

The only condition is that the deceased must belong to the Orthodox Church, that is, be baptized.

In the temple you can write simple and custom notes. This means that they will pray for the deceased during the Liturgy. Ordered notes are sometimes also called notes “for proskomedia.”

Proskomedia is part of the service before the Liturgy, when the priest in the altar prepares bread and wine for communion. He takes out particles from the prosphora and reads prayers for the deceased Orthodox Christians, whose names are indicated in the notes.

The priest asks that Christ wash away the sins of those remembered with His Blood.

There are also special services for prayer for those who have passed into eternity - memorial services. Together with the priest, his friends and relatives pray for the deceased. Such prayer is considered more effective.

Orthodoxy always Special attention devoted to remembering the dead. In morning prayers there is a special request for the repose of the deceased. The whole Church also prays for those who have passed into another world. For this purpose, there are funeral services - memorial services and special days - parental memorial Saturdays.

Why do we pray for the dead?

With God, everyone is alive - this phrase contains the essence of the Orthodox teaching about the afterlife. Physical death only marks a person’s transition to a new stage - eternity. And where we end up - in the Kingdom of Heaven or in hell - depends on us.

According to Christian teaching, after death each person faces a private trial. It determines the location of the soul of the deceased until the Second Coming of Christ. Therefore, the final decision about a person’s stay will be known only after the Last Judgment.

But does this change anything for the dead themselves, since they cannot express themselves in any way? - you ask. Yes, it does change. This means that the decision of the Supreme Judge - God - is influenced by the relatives and friends of those who have passed on to another world. How? With your prayers for the departed.

How to remember those who have passed on to another world?

Rest, O Lord, the souls of Your departed servants: my parents (their names), relatives, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven

You can remember not only in your prayers, but also in the prayers of the Church. The only condition is that the deceased must belong to the Orthodox Church, that is, be baptized.

In the temple you can write simple and custom notes. This means that they will pray for the deceased during the Liturgy. Ordered notes are sometimes also called notes “for proskomedia.”

Parents' memorial Saturdays in 2016

Services for the dead are performed almost all year round, but there are Orthodox calendar several special dates for commemoration. They are called parental Saturdays.

These days the Church prays collectively for the deceased Orthodox Christians. Among them, first of all, are our parents. It is the duty of every Christian to remember their fathers and mothers. After all, it was through these people that God gave us life.

In the Orthodox Church there are eight such special days to pray for the dead. Most of them have a transition date. For example, in the Orthodox calendar for 2016 the following days are marked:

Ecumenical Parents' Saturday (Meat and Fat) - March 5th.
Saturday of the 2nd week of Lent - March 26.
3rd week - April 2.
4th week - April 9.
Radonitsa - May 10.
Commemoration of deceased soldiers - May 9.
Trinity Saturday - June 18.
Dimitrievskaya Saturday - November 5th.

Ecumenical Parents' Saturdays

Only two have universal status:

meat-eating - before the beginning of Lent, on the eve of the week of the Last Judgment;
Trinity - before Pentecost.

The “universality” of these memorial days is indicated by the fact that they are common to everyone Orthodox churches. It is also on these dates that the Church prays for all the baptized departed. This is not necessarily just our family and friends. In general, the degree of relationship does not play any role here. This can be explained by the fact that in Christ all people are one. Therefore, it is no coincidence that Christians call everyone brothers and sisters.

It is noteworthy that meat-eating universal parental Saturday falls on the eve of the week of the Last Judgment. The Church remembers the Gospel parable about how Christ will come to judge humanity. By right hand the righteous will be on his left, and the sinners on his left. The saints will go to the Kingdom of Heaven, and those on the left will face hellish torment.

This passage from the New Testament reminds Christians to follow Christ and indirectly points to the importance of prayer for those who have passed on to another world. After all, before the Second Coming, the departed still have hope of salvation. But... only through the prayers of the living.

Parents' memorial Saturdays: features of services

Remembrance of the dead begins on Friday. In the evening, churches serve parastas - the funeral service for the dead. It resembles a memorial service, but the rite is supplemented by a full canon and the singing of the “immaculates.” This is the short name for Psalm 118, which begins with the words “Blessed are those who are blameless in the way, walking in the law of the Lord.” It is this psalm that has special significance in commemorating the dead. With the words of King David, we praise God and ask Him for help.

On Saturday morning they serve the Liturgy and the memorial service itself. At such a service, it is customary to write notes for the deceased with the names of the deceased.

How to prepare for a memorial service?

Usually food is brought to funeral services. Why? It's a kind of sacrifice. And it is believed that it is possible to help the soul of someone who has passed on to another world through prayer and donations.

Many people have a logical question: what products should they bring and in what quantities? It depends on the capabilities of each person. But they usually bring bread, it symbolizes Christ - the "Bread of Life" - and sugar- as a sign of a sweet stay in paradise.

There is also a tradition of cooking on parental memorial Saturdays. kolivo- boiled wheat or rice with honey. This dish carries a special meaning. In order for a grain to germinate and bear fruit, it must be planted in the ground. In order for a person to grow into eternal life, he also needs to go through physical death and burial.

Both donated food and making koliva are important. But the most valuable will be our participation in the memorial service and prayers for the departed. After all, this is a manifestation of love for dear people who have passed on to another world, an expression of gratitude to them.

More information about parental Saturdays and commemoration of the dead is described in this video:

Take it for yourself and tell your friends!

Parents' Day in 2016 - what date do we remember relatives?

According to established custom, Orthodox Christians visit cemeteries and graves of deceased relatives on the ninth day after Easter. (the church name for Parents' Day) involves “treating” the deceased. Relatives and friends of people who have left us leave Easter cakes, sweets, and dyes on the graves ( Easter eggs), sweets. Such customs help us not to forget about the blessed memory of our loved ones who have passed into oblivion.

Parents' Saturdays 2016

In addition to Radonitsa, which comes this year on May 1, Orthodox Christians should remember other important dates of the calendar. There are few of them: these are parental Saturdays and other dates. These days we also remember our parents and grandparents. Before Easter and Parents' Day 2016 in March, there are two such dates: the 5th and 26th. In April, the church remembers the departed on the 2nd and 9th, during Lent. On June 16, people mourn those who died violent deaths and suicides, and children who died unbaptized. On June 18, the traditional parental Saturday for Trinity begins. Parents' Saturday November 5 (Dmitrievskaya) is the last one in 2016.

Parents' Day 2016: what date?

On Parents' Day it is customary to go to the cemetery

In all churches on Radonitsa, solemn services are held in the morning and evening hours. Before visiting the graves of loved ones, their relatives go to the church to give the clergyman a paper with the name of the deceased person. During the service for the repose, all names from the notes handed over are read out. Communion before visiting graves is not necessary, but recommended. Arriving at the burial site, the relatives of the deceased remove leaves, weeds and debris from his grave, and plant plants.

Is it necessary to leave alcohol on graves?

The customs of drinking alcoholic beverages in a cemetery and remembering relatives with a glass of strong alcoholic drink belong to pagan traditions. True believers avoid drinking even after Easter, and never do it in a cemetery. Real care for a person after his death is to clean his grave, the area around it, build a bench and table next to the burial.

Parents' Day 2016: what date is this year

Signs and traditions for Parents' Day

Repentance at the graves of loved ones is needed by the living, not the dead. Remembering our loved ones, we try not to do things that others would not want to remember. According to tradition, the entire period from Easter Sunday to Radonitsa does not commemorate the dead. It is believed that the dead rejoice at the resurrection of Jesus, and they should not be bothered. 9 days after Easter, dead souls return to their homes, and relatives of the deceased visit their graves, praying for their repose. If there is no opportunity to visit the cemetery, on this day candles are lit for the repose of the departed people in the church. You can also pray at home, distribute sweets to people, asking them to remember the person who has passed into oblivion. Radonitsa's colored eggs are green and yellow. It is believed that it is obligatory to remember loved ones, because people who have forgotten about their departed relatives after their death will be forever forgotten themselves.

Bright Day of Remembrance

Now you know what date to go to the cemetery. Radonitsa - Parents' Day 2016 - a date dedicated to bright sorrow. It reminds us that life is short, and we should live it in such a way that our loved ones remember only good things about us. Memory often erases the unseemly actions of our closest people, but only after they have passed away. The peculiarity of our memory is to remind us only of bright moments from the lives of loved ones. Parents' days are a wonderful peaceful Orthodox tradition, observing which we involuntarily think only about goodness and the continuation of our lives in the hearts and prayers of our relatives. While we live in the memory of others, we truly remain with them.