What is the date of the memorial day? Private parent days

The Orthodox calendar contains many dates and memorable events that cannot be classified as holidays, but, nevertheless, believers, paying tribute to traditions, strictly observe them.

These dates include parental Saturdays - days when one is supposed to visit the graves of deceased relatives, pray at home or in church and light a candle for the repose of their souls. Moreover, the term “parental” does not always mean that only parents should be respected. These could be any relatives, clan members, and even, alas, children who died untimely.

Almost all parental Saturdays are not tied to any specific date, because all except Dmitrievskaya and Victory Day depend on Easter, and Easter is a moving holiday. Therefore, all memorial days must be checked with the church calendar, because they are different every year. And only May 9 is the only day of remembrance with a fixed immutable date. Of course, it is not always Saturday, but memorial services are always held in churches on this day in honor of fallen soldiers, officers and civilians.

Dates of Parents' Saturdays and Memorial Days

2018

The dead are commemorated three times during Lent. So in 2018 it was

• February 10 – meat-free parent’s Saturday

Saturdays of Great Lent

• March, 3rd
• 10th of March
• March 17

Other days of remembrance

• May 9 (fixed date)
• April 17 (also not Saturday, but the day of remembrance on Radonitsa)
• May 26 – Trinity Saturday
• November 3 – Dimitreevskaya Saturday

2019

• March 4 (Ecumenical Meat Day)

Saturdays of Lent

• March 23
• 30th of March
• April 6

Other days of remembrance

• May 7 – Radonitsa
• May 9 is a permanent date
• June 15 – Trinity Saturday (Ecumenical Saturday)
• November 2 – Dimitrievskaya Saturday

2020

• February 24 – Ecumenical Meat Saturday

Days of remembrance for Lent

• March 14th
• 21 March
• March 28

Other parent Saturdays

• April 28 – Radonitsa (Ecumenical Saturday)
• May 9 is a traditional day of remembrance with a specific date
• June 6 – Trinity Saturday
• October 31 – Dimitrievskaya Parents' Saturday

Why is it commemorated on Saturdays?

By Old Testament Saturday was a day of festive rest, according to the New Testament - from a day of earthly rest, Saturday began to personify the day of joy in the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the day when sins are forgiven and remitted, and therefore Saturday has become the most suitable for commemorating the dead. Of course, these are not all Saturdays in a row, but only those that are associated with some historical events that took place in the chronicles.

Characteristics of all parental Saturdays

The tradition of “Saturday” commemorations has evolved over centuries. Each of them has a historical basis. Myasopustnaya and Trinity are called Ecumenical, and the rest are days of remembrance. Their difference lies in their historical basis. On Ecumenical Saturdays, not only relatives are remembered, but also all deceased Christians who died in different eras.

Meat Saturday

It dates back to the 1st century Christian era, when persecuted Christians still remembered their brothers who suffered for their faith - tortured, executed and not buried as expected. Meat Saturday falls before Sunday, when Orthodox Christians are reminded of it and falls a week before the start of Lent. According to legend, at the Last Judgment, every Christian will be rewarded for his earthly deeds, both the living and the dead, and the Church on this day patronizes all the deceased and prays for the salvation of their souls.

Trinity Saturday

This is also a fairly ancient custom that arose in the era of very early Christianity - in the apostolic age. All the departed children of God were remembered. Trinity Saturday falls on the eve of the Descent of the Holy Spirit to earth. It is believed that the economy of man, in which the deceased participate, has ended. This is perhaps the most revered Saturday in all Orthodox history. There are many legends and superstitions associated with it, and they all agree on one thing - we pray for the repose of the souls of the departed, and they help us, guide and protect us.

Dimitrievskaya Saturday

This is the last day of remembrance of the year and was established in the mid-16th century. Popular rumor firmly connected this day with the victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, awarding the merit of the memorial day to the noble prince Dmitry Donskoy, as if he had asked Sergius of Radonezh to hold a memorial service for the fallen soldiers.

Whether it is true or not is a moot point, but on this day they commemorate all the soldiers who have ever died on the battlefields, all who died for other reasons. In addition, it was installed on the eve of the day of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki, which became another reason to call the autumn parental Saturday of Demetrius.

Radonitsa

This is not Saturday, but Tuesday and is celebrated after Easter week. It turns out that on the 9th day. Easter is a holiday for the living, and one is not supposed to go to the cemetery, but it was also necessary for the dead to announce the resurrection of the Son of God. Therefore, on the 9th day, people went to the cemetery with good news - hence the name - Radonitsa. There is no funeral service for Radonitsa.

May 9 Victory Day

It's already recent history and the day of remembrance of fallen soldiers became quite recently, in 1994. The only day with a fixed immovable date, regardless of what day of the week it falls on. Funeral litias are always held in churches.

Parental Saturdays of Great Lent

These memorial days are not universal. The usual daily commemorations are not performed, but salvation is given to the dead on the second, third and fourth Saturdays of Great Lent.

This is not only a time of abstinence from modest food, but also a cleansing of the soul and thoughts, a time when one must pray even more diligently, a time of repentance and charity. Right now, during spiritual feat It is very important to be filled with love not only for those living today, but also for those who have left this world.

So they gradually took shape certain days, in which the dead should be remembered with prayer.

The deep meaning of parenting Saturdays

Worthy of remembering those who have passed on to another world is an expression of love and respect for loved ones. After all, we do not stop loving them even after death, this is the whole essence of Christian teaching - love for one's neighbor - and, first of all, for parents.

Respect for father and mother is formed from an early age, and a mature and mature person comes to understand and realize the fifth commandment - “Honor your father and mother.”

In other words, respect, honor and love your parents, and your children will respect and love you as well. Therefore, first of all, we should remember the deceased parents, and then all relatives and friends who went to the Kingdom of Heaven.

On universal Saturdays, all the dead are remembered - acquaintances, strangers, those who died on the battlefields or as a result of the elements or accidents, killed and even missing.

What to do on Parents' Saturdays

It is believed that first of all you need to visit the cemetery - this is not entirely correct. First of all, you need to visit the church, stand for the service, read a prayer, light a candle.

And for the souls of the deceased, this is much more important than visiting their last earthly refuge. But, of course, you cannot completely exclude visiting the cemetery - you need to tidy up the grave, sweep or weed, clean the fence and remember a loved one with a kind word.

The meal should be very modest, lean, and it is better to avoid alcohol. In churches, it is forbidden to have snacks and, especially, to drink any alcohol. The temple is a place of prayer and reunion with God.

If you can’t visit either a church or a cemetery, then you need to pray at home in front of an icon and a photograph of the deceased, but the main thing here is not the surroundings, but the sincerity of the prayer.

How to attend church on Parents' Saturdays

If you want to remember deceased relatives, then before the service you need to give the priest notes with the names of the deceased. Names are written as those given at baptism, always in full and in the genitive case. If this is your first time coming to such a service, then simply ask how and what to do, and either the parishioners or the ministers will definitely help you.

According to church traditions, the day begins on the evening before, so before parental Saturday a memorial service is held in the evening, and in the morning there is a liturgy for the repose. It is considered correct to bring any Lenten products to the temple - bread, cereals, wine. Of course, they should not be spoiled or broken.

Products are a kind of bloodless sacrifice that should be presented. After the service, the blessed food is distributed to everyone who needs it. When leaving the service, you can give alms to the poor or donate money to the needs of the temple. It is possible and useful to give unnecessary clothes and shoes for the beggars. And this is not only good for them, but also for you, your soul and your well-being.

We have all heard this expression - “parents' Saturday” more than once. Of course, the name itself seems to indicate that it should be somehow connected with parents or the older generation. But is it? And what should you do on this day?

To begin with, the main thing is that there is not just one parent’s Saturday a year, there are several of them. The first one is today February 10. However, first things first.

First, let’s talk about why Saturday was chosen for commemoration. This tradition dates back to biblical times, when this day was considered a day of rest. And peace is the best state for prayer and remembrance of those who are no longer with us.

The first and closest parental Saturday to us is called Meat-free universal Parent's Saturday– it falls two weeks before Lent. This year, we repeat, February 10.

Then, before Trinity, on the 49th day after Easter, it precedes the beginning Apostolic Fast Trinity Ecumenical Parents' Saturday(26 of May). Please note that both of these Saturdays, Meat Saturday and Trinity Saturday, are ecumenical. On such days, ecumenical memorial services are served in churches, and during the day they commemorate all deceased Orthodox Christians without exception.

During Great Lent (2nd, 3rd, 4th Saturdays, that is, this year, March 3, March 10 And March 17) these days are specially set for commemoration, since at this time the traditional daily commemorations of the deceased are canceled.

There are also so-called Saturdays of Small Fasts- This last Saturdays before the Nativity (November 28 - January 6), Petrovsky, or Apostolic (June 4 - July 11) and Assumption (August 14 - August 27) fasts. On these days, commemoration of the dead is also carried out traditionally.

In addition, commemoration of the deceased is performed on Dimitrievskaya (November 3), Intercession and Mikhailovskaya Saturdays, although this period is not marked as a funeral period. These are the so-called Private parenting days .

The departed are remembered on Radonitsa. In 2018 it falls on April 17. Please note - this is Tuesday. Radonitsa comes nine days after Easter. On Radonitsa it is also supposed to visit the graves of relatives and put them in order.

On the nearest Parents' Saturday, February 10, we traditionally visit churches and cemeteries. Moreover, the first is more important than the second. On this day, with the most sincere, brightest words, they pray for departed loved ones, asking for the peace of their souls in the next world. It is necessary to order special commemorations.

At the end of the service, which must be defended to the end, you need, if possible, to distribute alms to those who are in need, to whom you can help in some way. This is how they remember those who church rules they do not remember – including those who were not baptized and those who died voluntarily. When visiting the grave of deceased relatives, it is necessary to put it in order and pray.

According to tradition, on Ecumenical Parental Saturday, kutya, a dish made from honey and wheat, was placed on the table. Now, for obvious reasons, rice is used instead of wheat, which is cooked with the addition of honey and raisins. It is not difficult to prepare kutya according to the rules:

1. Wash the rice before cooking, cook the cereal until tender without pre-soaking. The grains of rice should be soft but crumbly.

2. Boil syrup from honey and sugar, add to rice (to taste).

3. Steam dried fruits, dry them, cut into small pieces and mix with rice.

4. Place the prepared kutya in a small bowl into a bowl. The top of the kutya can be decorated with nuts or raisins. Sometimes raisins are mixed inside, this is not forbidden. If you decide so, first fry the raisins with honey or sugar in butter in a frying pan.

But extra tears are not welcome on this day. Bright memory, the best memories and good words to the departed - best memory about them.

As for the implementation of other rules, most of which are simply traditional, it is believed that on this day you can do household chores, but not overwork yourself, you should help as much as possible more of people. But it’s not worth organizing a “wake” in the sense of a feast, and even with alcohol. As a last resort, it is permissible to drink a little wine, but strong drinks are prohibited.

TO THE POINT

Another day of remembrance is the seventh Thursday after Easter, the so-called Semik. Remembering those who went to Semik is pure folk tradition. On this day, those who died voluntarily and unbaptized are also remembered. Semik falls on May 24 this year.

Parents' Saturdays in 2019 are days of special remembrance of the deceased. At this time in Orthodox churches They perform a special commemoration of Christians who have passed away, and believers visit the graves of their relatives who have left this world in cemeteries. Parents' Saturdays church calendar throughout the year seven.

Special days of remembrance of the dead began to be called parental Saturdays because, first of all, they remembered their deceased parents, and then other deceased relatives and other close people. According to another version, the name was formed because it was once customary to call the deceased parents, that is, “those who went to their fathers.”

Ecumenical Parents' Saturdays

If we are talking about universal parental Saturday, it is understood that all baptized Christians are commemorated. Seven days before the start of Lent, Meat Ecumenical Saturday is celebrated. Meat Saturday is called Meat Saturday because it falls on the week of the same name, which is also called Little Maslenitsa. This is the first parents' Saturday in March.

On the eve of Pentecost, Trinity Day is celebrated Ecumenical Saturday . On Trinity Saturday, all baptized Christians are also remembered in prayers. On these days, special universal memorial services are held. They serve a memorial service “In memory of all Orthodox Christians who have departed from time immemorial, our fathers and brothers.”

Five other parenting Saturdays

Radonitsa or Radunitsa falls on the Tuesday after St. Thomas Week, that is, the second week after the Holy Week Christ's Resurrection. main topic this day is the victory of the risen Christ over death. On this day, according to tradition, believers visit the cemetery and glorify the risen Son of God at the graves of deceased relatives.

On May 9, the day of victory in the Great Patriotic War, a memorial service is held in churches for the many soldiers who gave their lives for the salvation of their Motherland. Many families have lost someone close to them in this terrible and long war. Therefore, on this day they remember all the fallen soldiers, thanks to whose feat the a great victory, and their loved ones who died during the war.

Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday is also associated with military actions that only took place several centuries earlier. It's about about the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380. Initially, on this day they commemorated soldiers who died during a large-scale battle.

Later, this day was transformed into the day of remembrance of all the dead, which is indicated in the Novgorod chronicle of the 15th century. It is known that in 1903, Emperor Nicholas II issued a decree ordering a memorial service to be held in memory of the soldiers who died for the Motherland “For the faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland, who laid down their lives on the battlefield.”

In 2019, Orthodox parental Saturdays are celebrated in the following order:

• March 16 - Meat Saturday
• March 23 - Saturday of the 2nd week of Lent
• March 30 - Saturday of the 3rd week of Lent
• April 6 - Saturday of the 4th week of Lent
• May 7, Tuesday - Radonitsa, church-wide commemoration of the dead
• May 9 - Commemoration of deceased soldiers
• May 26 - Trinity Saturday
• November 3 - Saturday Dimitrievskaya

Features of parenting Saturdays

On the days of universal parental Saturdays, memorial services and funeral services are held, during which believers read prayers for their deceased relatives and ask God for forgiveness of their sins. According to the charter, during the parental Saturdays of the second, third and fourth during Lent, funeral commemorations are not performed, that is: funeral litanies, litias, memorial services, commemorations of the 3rd, 9th and 40th days after death, magpies. These days are specially set aside for believers to pay tribute to loved ones.

On Friday evening, on the eve of parental Saturday, a great requiem service (parastas) is served in churches. For the funeral Divine Liturgy You can send notes with the names of your deceased relatives. On this day, according to ancient tradition, it is customary to bring Lenten foods and Cahors to the temple for the liturgy. Wine and Lenten products brought to the temple on Friday are called brought “on the eve.”

In former times it was customary for believing parishioners to bring Lenten dishes for a common table in the temple, where it was possible to remember dead relatives dear to the heart. This tradition has been preserved, only on a smaller scale.

Lenten products and Cahors are left on a special table in the temple. This food is used for the needs of the temple and for distribution to poor people who are under the care of one or another parish.

Often believers are faced with a choice - to visit the grave of a relative on Parental Saturday or come to church for a service. The clergy are more inclined to believe that sincere prayer, which can be performed during a special service, is much more important for the souls of your loved ones. Therefore, it is recommended to give preference to visiting the temple.

You can read a prayer for the departed: “Rest, O Lord, the souls of your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.”

How to spend All Souls' Day

Before going to the temple, write down on a piece of paper the names of all deceased relatives and other close people whom you would like to mention while reading the prayer. Previously in Christian families There was a very important tradition - from generation to generation, recording the names of all deceased relatives. This is how family memorials were formed, which were used during the reading of funeral prayers.

In days special commemoration it is very important for the deceased and to think about what death is, perhaps to rethink own life and relationships with loved ones, try to reconcile in all controversial issues.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh speaks very accurately and succinctly about the issue of the relationship between life and death. For fifteen years he worked as a military doctor, and after forty-six years he was a priest. Here is one of his quotes: “Russians believe in life, go into life. And this is one of the things that every priest and every person must repeat to himself and others: we must not prepare for death, we must prepare for eternal life.”

Children's prayer for deceased parents

Lord Jesus Christ our God! You are the keeper of the orphans, the refuge of the grieving and the comforter of the weeping. I come running to you, an orphan, groaning and crying, and I pray to you: hear my prayer and do not turn your face away from the sighs of my heart and from the tears of my eyes. I pray to You, merciful Lord, satisfy my grief over separation from my parent (my mother), (name) (or: with my parents who gave birth and raised me, their names) - his soul ( or: her, or: them), as having gone (or: gone) to You with true faith in You and with firm hope in Your love for mankind and mercy, accept into the Kingdom Yours Heavenly. I bow before Your holy will, which was taken away (or: taken away, or: taken away) from me, and I ask You not to take away from him (or: from her, or: from them) Your mercy and mercy. We know, Lord, that You are the Judge of this world, you punish the sins and wickedness of the fathers in children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even to the third and fourth generation: but you also have mercy on the fathers for the prayers and virtues of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. With contrition and tenderness of heart, I pray to Thee, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment the unforgettable deceased (unforgettable deceased) for me Thy servant (Thy servant), my parent (my mother) (name), but forgive him (her) all his sins ( her) voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance, created by him (her) in his (her) life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and love for mankind, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints, have mercy on him (her) and eternal save me from torment. You, merciful Father of fathers and children! Grant me, all the days of my life, until my last breath, not to cease to remember my deceased parent (my deceased mother) in my prayers, and to beg Thee, the righteous Judge, to order him in a place of light, in a place of coolness and in a place of peace, with all the saints, from nowhere all sickness, sorrow and sighing have fled. Merciful Lord! Accept this day for Thy servant (Your) (name) my warm prayer and give him (her) Your reward for the labors and cares of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as He taught (taught) me first of all to lead You, my Lord, in reverently pray to You, trust in You alone in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and keep Your commandments; for his (her) concern for my spiritual progress, for the warmth of his (her) prayer for me before You and for all the gifts he (she) asked me from You, reward him (her) with Your mercy. Your heavenly blessings and joys in Your eternal Kingdom. For You are the God of mercies and generosity and love for mankind, You are the peace and joy of Your faithful servants, and we send glory to You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

P.S. Death is an inevitability that each of us will face at one time or another. And a person’s position both in earthly life and after death depends on the correct attitude to this issue. Metropolitan Anthony reminds us that it is very important not to commit such a common sin as an indifferent or insincere attitude towards a dying relative with ostentatious care.

On the days of remembrance of the dead, you will mentally replay these moments again and again: when you could have spent a few more minutes with your loved one, and not referred to being busy and important daily matters, you could have given him more warmth, but did not.

These days are important both for the deceased, whom living relatives can help with their sincere prayers, and for the living themselves, who, preserving the memory of the family, can grow spiritually and care not only about earthly, but also about eternal life.

In the hearts of loved ones and relatives, the deceased always remain alive - to the same extent they are alive for God. Commemoration, which must be carried out on certain days, allows you to pay tribute to the deceased, ask for forgiveness of their souls - and simply remember the good things that were associated with them during life.

Dear site visitors, you will find memorial days for 2019 in new article: Parents' Saturdays 2019

Parental Saturdays in Orthodoxy

The commemoration of the dead in Christianity is carried out on days specially designated for this - parental Saturdays. These days are associated with the reading of prayers and holding services specifically for the deceased. Funeral services are held on these days by every church. Parents' days change from year to year in terms of dates; you should find out about them in advance.

Orthodox calendar with memorial dates for 2018

According to the Orthodox calendar, for 2018 these dates will be as follows. Ecumenical parental Saturdays, of which there are nine in total, are celebrated with an ecumenical memorial service; these days are suitable for commemorating each of the Christians who have died at any time. The most important days of remembrance are considered to be the following:

Correct behavior on funeral days

Reverence for ancestors and deceased loved ones is an integral part of every person’s emotional experience, and commemoration is usually carried out sincerely. But it is worth knowing that this matter has its own rules that must be followed in order to avoid mistakes that will cause outright harm.

All the canons of the day on which you decide to hold the commemoration must be fully complied with. For each of the memorial days there are private, own traditions, but there is also a general set of rules, norms of behavior for Orthodox man who remembers his loved ones on Parents' Day.

So, on this day you should visit the temple and pray, light a candle for the repose, you should also give alms, help those in need by giving them funeral products. It’s worth going to the cemetery, if possible, leaving gifts in the form of baked goods or sweets on the graves, and doing the cleaning. If conditions permit, cleaning the cemetery and decorating the grave on one of these days will be very helpful.

But at the same time, Orthodox commemoration excludes alcohol. Drinking alcohol is sinful, and it makes no sense to combine a known sin with the remembrance of loved ones; in addition, it is immoral. You cannot turn a funeral meal into a drinking binge. Foul language in the cemetery is also prohibited, those commemorating must be in a bright, calm state of mind, nothing should interfere with quiet reverence. Crying and grief are not an obligatory component of commemoration; fond memories and memories of pleasant moments associated with the deceased are best atmosphere for remembrance, because despondency is also a sin.

Sayings and signs on Parents' Saturdays

There are a number of signs and sayings associated with memorial days, and they all carry a certain folk wisdom. Correct words you can find a lot, just what the words are worth “While your parents are alive, honor them, but when they are dead, remember them.”. Folk sayings They teach us to remember the deceased with kindness, and not with evil, to say goodbye to the deceased and let them go.

As for signs, there are even more of them.

• On Trinity Saturday freshly cut aspen was brought into the house - it was believed that if its leaves did not lose during the night green color, then there will be no dead people in the house for a year. The black leaves in the morning indicated the opposite.
• On Dmitrievskaya Saturday observed the weather - it is believed that if this day is warm, with a thaw, then spring will be early, and if on the contrary, then spring will be delayed. Until this day, it was believed that winter had not yet come, the weather had not settled. It is also believed that rivers should freeze on this day.
• After the funeral meal, nothing can be removed from the table; everything is left overnight as is. Pancakes baked on this day are also associated with some signs - the first of them should be intended for the deceased, and if it fell on the floor, it was necessary to read a prayer for protection, since this could promise death in the family. A wedding on parent's Saturday is also a very bad omen.
• On any of your parents' Saturdays you can go to the cemetery to remember the deceased, and Christian tradition prohibits leaving alcohol on graves; it is believed that this can only aggravate the suffering of the soul, especially if during life the person was distinguished by such an addiction. Too lavish funerals with an abundance of food, frequent snacks on this day and alcohol consumption are also not welcome.