Parents day

In the Orthodox Church, each day of the week has its own significance, every day is dedicated to the recollection of any great and significant events, festivals or saints. For example, Saturday is considered a day of commemoration of all the departed Christians, it is a day of peace, peace and prayer for the dead. In addition, there are special days of remembrance and prayers for the deceased relatives in the year - these are the parental days. They are so called, because in ancient times it was accepted to call all the dead ancestors parents.

Memorial paternal days:

1. The universal meat-eating parental Saturday - Saturday a week before the Great Lent, its name means that this is the last day when you can eat meat.
2. Parent's Universal Saturday is the second, third and fourth weeks of Lent.
3. Radonica - Tuesday is the ninth day after the bright holiday of Easter.
4. May 9 is the day of memory of all those who died tragically in the days of the Great Patriotic War.
5. The Trinity Universal Parent's Week is the Sabbath before the Holy Trinity.
6. September 11 (according to a new style) is the day of the Beheading of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John, the day of remembrance of all Orthodox soldiers who died in the battles for the Faith and the Fatherland. This day was established in 1769 by Catherine II during the war with the Poles and Turks.
7. Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday - Saturday a week before the feast in memory of the holy GreatMartyr Dmitry Solunsky, who was the Heavenly Patron of the Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy. After the victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, Prince Dmitry, by name, commemorated all those who died on the battlefield of the soldiers. Since then, this day is considered not only a day of memory of the soldiers who fell for the Fatherland, but also the commemoration day of all the departed Christians.

In memorial parental days, Orthodox Christians come to the temple for funeral services. It is also customary to bring various products, except meat, on the eve - a panihid table, it is considered alms for the dead. After the requiem all products are distributed to the poor and hungry, they are given to orphanages and nursing homes.

What is the date of the parental day?

The most famous memorial day for the majority of the population is Radonica. This is the only memorial that falls not on Saturday, but on working Tuesday - the ninth day after Easter. Radonica in 2013 will be on May 14. The name of this holiday and the fact that it goes right after the Bright Easter week, says that Christians do not grieve over the deceased relatives, but rather rejoice at their birth for another, eternal life. The joy of Christ's victory over death should supplant the sadness of separation from a loved one, so this day one should have fun (within reasonable limits, of course), and not cry and be sad.

Traditions and customs of the parental day

On this day it is customary to visit the cemetery, to put in order the graves of the deceased relatives. Before you go to the cemetery, one of the relatives of the deceased must come to the church to the beginning of the service and submit a note with the name the deceased, for commemoration in the altar. It is even better if the commemoration themselves on this day pass the sacrament.

The tradition of leaving different food (including a glass of vodka and a slice of bread) on the grave of the deceased has nothing to do with Orthodoxy, it is pagan customs. The main thing that you can do for the soul of a deceased relative is to pray for it. And the food is better distributed to the needy and starving. To drink alcohol at the cemetery is generally considered a great sin. Instead, it is necessary to pray fervently for the soul of the deceased, to tidy up on the grave, remembering the deceased or just shut up.