Every year in the Orthodox church calendar there are special days dedicated to the remembrance of the dead. They are called Parental Saturdays as a sign that it is for parents, as the main people in life, that we pray both when they are in good health and when they are no longer in this world. The first Parental Saturday is celebrated every year before the start of Lent. It is called "Meat-empty", and this year falls on February 10th.

Meatless Saturday- the oldest holiday of commemoration of all the dead Orthodox who were innocently killed and tortured for the true faith in Christ. February 10 is a day that recalls the Great Judgment, the time of meeting with God. The clergy give everyone a chance to purify and save their souls from terrible sins, to be honest and pure before themselves and our Lord.

The covenant of the Apostle James to pray for each other in the name of healing refers not so much to the body as to the soul. After all, it is she who is the focus of all human benefactors and reflects their emotional and physical state. It is we who can help our loved ones with prayers, having gathered together and offered up a single prayer to God.

Features and meaning

Ecumenical Saturday is called as a sign that on this day they pray and commemorate all, without exception, the deceased Orthodox.

Meatless Saturday is celebrated on the eve of Maslenitsa and a week before the start of Lent - from that day on, believers should already limit themselves in meat products in order to properly prepare for the long seven weeks of abstinence.

Parental Saturday is named because the mother and father are the closest relatives, and first of all it is customary to pray for the peace of their loved ones. On this day, the church allows you to pray for people whose lives were cut short of their own free will, and for those who have gone missing and are not buried. The church also commemorates all those who lived during the Last Judgment of Christ and those who defended it from the attacks of unbelievers.

What can and cannot be done on this day

The day should begin with a prayer for the dead. At home, at the icon or in the church, it is worth asking for the repose of the souls of those who are no longer with us. After the church, you need to go to the cemetery to clean up the grave and light a candle in honor of the remembrance of the deceased.

Many are sure that it is necessary to commemorate the dead with alcohol. The church has been arguing with such a tradition for a long time - the commemoration is associated with prayers and repentance before God, and not with libations.

Some argue that one cannot work on Ecumenical Parental Sabbaths. No, this is completely wrong. The Church, of course, prescribes believers to rest on holidays, but if work is extremely necessary and benefits you and your family, you should not deny yourself work.

On Ecumenical parental Saturday, it is customary to cook kutya and pies - the main dishes that commemorate the dead. Kutia is a symbol of a person who has left the world of the living. Grain for bread is put into the ground, it decays, yielding fruits that we reap for cooking. Similarly, a person must be buried in the earth so that the body decays, and the immortal soul ascends to the Kingdom of Heaven. Kutia also serves as a symbol of the burial of all those who, for various reasons, were not interred, and whose spirit rushes about, unable to leave this world.

On this day you can not be greedy. It is necessary to feed the poor and the needy or bring treats directly to the church so that the clergy already distribute food to the suffering. Sharing one's grief for the dead on the Ecumenical Parental Saturday is an obligatory ritual.

The main task of this day is to remind all people that there is a certain line between the world of the dead and the living. But just do not treat death as the end of everything, since this is only the beginning, the transition from material life to eternal life next to God.

It should always be remembered that only those who have managed to reconcile with people, including themselves, will be able to enter the gates of paradise. That is why it is necessary to read prayers, always remember those who are not with us, play in memory the most pleasant moments of their lives.

Any negativity towards the dead should be released from the soul so as not to accumulate even more sin, and thereby release the deceased into another world with peace.

Ecumenical Saturdays in 2018

The days of commemoration of the dead are set before important church holidays, so that believers, as it were, reunite with their dead relatives before great church dates and do not forget about those who need their prayers during idle time.

Saturdays of commemoration of the departed will take place during Great Lent:

• March 3 - Saturday 2 weeks (weeks) of Great Lent;
• March 10 - Saturday 3rd week of Great Lent;
• March 17 - Saturday 4th week of Great Lent.

Parent Saturday, which does not fall on Saturday, is celebrated after Easter - Radonitsa is celebrated on the ninth day (Tuesday, April 17, 2018). On this day, it is worth visiting the cemetery and remembering the dead, because it is forbidden to do it directly on Easter.

Also, a private Parents' Saturday is celebrated on the eve of May 9 - in churches they pray for those who died in the struggle for the Motherland.

Ecumenical Saturday will also be before the Trinity - this year it is May 26th. On Trinity parental Saturday, even those who committed one of the most powerful sins, suicide, are commemorated.

Also, a private Saturday is celebrated in November (3rd day) - Saturday is named after Dmitrievskaya and is dedicated to all the soldiers who fell in the struggle for their native land.

Prayer for all the dead

Remember, Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the belly of your eternally reposed servant, our brother (name), as Good and Humanitarian, forgive sins and consume iniquity, weaken, leave and forgive all his free and involuntary sins, deliver him eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal blessings, prepared for those who love You: if you sin, but do not depart from You, and unquestionably in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Your God in the Trinity glorious, faith, and Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to him the same, and even faith in Thee instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as if generously rest: there is no man who lives and does not sin. But Thou art One except for all sin, and Thy truth is truth forever, and Thou art the One God of mercies and generosity, and humanity, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

AT Orthodox calendar there is special days for the all-church commemoration of the departed. These days are called parent Saturdays. On February 18, 2017, the Universal Parental Meat-Pass Saturday is celebrated.

The rector of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl Bishop Pavel told about the holiday to the readers of Vesti.

What happens to the human soul after death

“By the grace of God, we, dear brothers and sisters, have come close to the beginning of Great Lent. The Lord, as He said at the Cupid to Moses, has no dead, and the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob is the God of the living, that is, those people who were born before us, live among us and will live after us - the Lord is One for all," the Metropolitan said.

He emphasized that the Holy Church does not forget a single person, no matter what his nature, origin, education, whatever he does, he still has a chance to have eternal life.

The first requirement is that a person must be baptized in the Holy Cathedral Apostolic Church, the Church that Christ founded, which he confirmed with His blood, which he provided with all the spiritual means necessary for our salvation.

The second quality that is essential for the salvation of a person's soul is the communion of the Mysteries of Christ, which is accompanied by repentance. A person must realize his ignorance, must realize that he himself without God cannot do anything. "And indeed it is. Powerful of the world This was thought that they could do everything - to live two or three periods of life (two or three centuries), but some are 50, some are 60, and some do not live up to this age. Everything is in the hands of the Lord. And as in the parable about the rich man and Lazarus, when the soul of Lazarus after death is taken by the Angels to the bosom of Abraham, and when the stingy rich man dies, he is buried, he goes to hell and there is an abyss between them," reminded Vladyka Pavel.

The third thing is necessary for our meeting to be with God and in God - it is not enough just to be baptized, it is not enough just to die, but you need to be in the Church of Christ after repentance and confession, to partake of the Mysteries of Christ (the Body and Blood of the Lord), having unhypocritically repented before the Judge Lord, Priest, Cross and Gospel. The Lord said, "Whoever eats My Body and drinks My Blood abides in Me and I in him."

“That is, the Lord has already given a guarantee of eternity in that the person who lives the life of the Church, if he communes worthily, and we all partake unworthily, but we believe in the mercy of God. Not a single person can be saved by his own deeds, only all-forgiving love God elevates us to the rank of holiness and makes us heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven. A person who partakes of the Body and Blood is united with Christ, he has hope for eternal life," said Metropolitan Pavel.

The time comes for our meeting with the Lord, when a sentence is brought to execution, a person is taken from the earth and after the fall returns to the earth, he receives the inheritance that he took for disobedience. The body becomes lifeless, dead, it becomes the property of worms and non-worms, as it is said in the funerary canon, it changes in an instant, and, unfortunately, even those who loved, hugged, kissed, are afraid at times to approach the coffin and take the hand, because that the fear of death overcomes every person.

"The path to ignorance, and many people think that our earthly life ended there. If there is a sunrise, there is also a day, if there is a day, there is an evening twilight, then night comes. And one thing changes another. So it is in life - if there is human life, there is death and again there is life," the rector of the Lavra noted.

Man received his body from God - from the earth you were taken to the earth you will return. Then comes the question of the spiritual. The Lord breathed into man the spirit of life, and we became like God. We are akin to God, therefore Christ, as God, leaves heaven, descends to earth and takes on human flesh in order to unite and unite with us in order to lead us into the first inheritance.

"We have sinned, we have lost this breath, this holiness of the Divine breath, and today a person in the Sacrament of Baptism is renewed by the Spirit in the Holy Church. And the soul goes to worship God. According to the teaching of the Church, according to church tradition - the first three days the soul is at the tomb, is in those places where she loved to be during her lifetime, and on the third day she goes to worship God, she sees Christ. She sees, if she lived piously, what she gained and, if she lived sinfully, what she lost. From the third to the ninth day, according to the human dimension, because God has no day, no night, no future, no past, there is only the present, these six days the soul bypasses the abode of Paradise.She sees, if she is honored, the Mother of God, the Saints, those holy people who lived here on earth, who were like us, but whether she wants to or not, she still sees Christ, her Creator, her God, her Creator,” Vladyka Pavel said.

Soul after death: 9 days

On the ninth day, the soul goes to worship God, if it has received joy, the forgiveness of sins, the prayerful intercession of relatives and friends, it bows to God and then the Guardian Angel leads on a long, difficult and terrible journey.

For a whole month, for thirty whole days, the soul goes through ordeals. She sees her sins, remembers, and if she does not remember, she will be reminded of what she has sinned.

"The devil will not allow it just like that, knowing that he is dying, but someone else has received salvation. He will remind himself that you are his fiend, you are his illegal inheritance, but bowed to him. As we see at the entrance to the Near Caves and on Mount Athos there is an image after the death of the ordeals of Theodora and life, the holiness of St. Basil the Blessed.It all begins with a small sin - disobedience and ends with sodomic, mortal sins - the sins of unforgiveness, unmercifulness ... At every air ordeal, at every stop, the human soul is tortured. It’s good if they pray for you, give alms, it’s good if your spiritual father bows his knees before the Lord for you at the proskomedia, liturgy, funeral service and asks God for the forgiveness of your sins. field," if you are a "hardened stone" - who will pray for you? tyred metropolitan.

Soul after death: 40 days

A person comes already on the fortieth day again to worship God. And he can compare what he has gained, what he has lost.

"It is difficult to judge and it is difficult to say about people who do not believe. But I will say this a brief history. An atheist comes to the Apostle Peter and says: "I am an atheist, I do not believe in God, but they say that He exists and I want to see Him." The apostle approached the Lord and said: "Lord, an atheist wants to see you." To which God replied: "You tell him that I'm gone." That's all. Hell has no bottom, a person descends into the underworld of the earth, which he has prepared for himself and cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, because he is not in this great and divine regiment, he has not been renewed from original sin. I will not list all the currents and religions that appear today, like weeds on an unplowed field, and drag more and more people away from Christ and the Holy Church,” said the rector of the Lavra.

And he warned: “It is even more terrible for those people who challenged and committed suicide. These are those who hung themselves, who got drunk with deadly poison, who threw themselves under a car, someone shot themselves ... Those who challenged God and did not want to continue to live in this world. All their earthly trials ended in cowardice, unwillingness to fight their own weaknesses and sin. Their result is very deplorable - they fall from temporary earthly trials into eternal torment. The Church does not pray for such people and there is no forgiveness for them. Because they neglected the image and love of God, their Savior and their Christ."

Universal parent Saturday-2017

"Dear brothers and sisters, on this day the Holy Church reminds us that the time will come for us to stand before God. Tikhon of Zadonsk says that the body must be resurrected and then united with the soul. As Adam once became a man, so now both the righteous and sinners will take on the image that was only changed, they will become immortal. Some for eternal life, others for torment and suffering," the metropolitan noted.

So this Saturday and beyond memorial days in Great Lent we have the opportunity to help our relatives and friends, to remember our parents, to remember our mentors.

"The Lord said:" Whatever you want to be treated, do it the same way. Or, passing by a tombstone, he will say: “Remember, Lord, this person who once did something in my life - he was a teacher, was a father, was a friend, mentor, maybe he gave a penny for food, or maybe showed the road that leads home, or maybe he took my hand and led me across the road so that I would not get into some kind of trouble, catastrophe, or maybe he did what forgiveness of sins has with his prayer and sigh before the Lord. Therefore, we must remember the dead, because our time will come to stand before God," urged Vladyka Pavel.

Meatfare Saturday-2017

Meat-Feast Saturday is called because the Sunday following it is called "Meat-Feast Week" - the day on which meat food is allowed for the last time before Lent. Sunday is also called Small Shrovetide, as it precedes Shrovetide week.

On this parental Saturday, they especially pray for those who were overtaken by untimely death in a foreign country, far from relatives, at sea, in the mountains, from hunger or infectious diseases, in battle, during natural disasters, who did not have time to repent before death and over whom no funeral rites were performed.

Parent Saturday: what not to do and how to spend

On the eve of parental Saturday, that is, on Friday evening, in Orthodox churches a great memorial service is served, which is also called the Greek word "parastas". And on Saturday morning they serve a divine liturgy for the dead, followed by a common memorial service.

On this day, one should commemorate their deceased parents in the church - people submit notes with the names of loved ones of the dead and pray for the repose of their souls in the afterlife.

It is impossible to grieve beyond measure these days: to remember does not mean to grieve. After all, according to Christian beliefs, the soul is immortal, which means that 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, committed sinful deeds, his soul languishes in a worse world and experiences endless torment.

Many people think that on this day you can not work or do household chores. However, that is not the case. The ban on cleaning the house on this day is nothing more than superstition. Of course, the day should start with visiting the temple, praying, visiting the cemetery, but after that, if necessary, you can also do the usual household chores.

Also on this day, it is customary to give alms to the poor with a request to pray for the dead.

After visiting the temples, the Orthodox go to the cemetery, read prayers for the repose of the souls of deceased relatives, put the graves in order.

The clergy believe that on this day it is more important to defend the service in the temple than to go to the cemetery, since our prayer is much more important for deceased relatives and close people than visiting the grave. But if it is not possible these days to visit the temple and the cemetery, you can pray for the repose of the deceased at home.

Parental Saturday: what to bring to church

According to the old church tradition, they bring to the temple lean foods and wine for the celebration of the liturgy, which are consecrated during the service, and then distributed to those who wish.

Please note that hard liquor, such as vodka or cognac, is not accepted as a donation.

Meatfare Saturday: what to eat

In the old days, it was customary to eat kutya on parental Saturdays - an obligatory dish of a funeral meal. Sweet porridge was usually prepared from whole grains of wheat or other cereals with the addition of honey, as well as raisins or nuts. But today, few people follow this custom.

Prayer for the dead

Children's prayer for deceased parents

Lord Jesus Christ our God! You are the guardian of the orphans, the grieving refuge and the weeping comforter. I resort to You, orphan, groaning and weeping, 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, quench my grief about separation from my parent (matter) my (-her) (name), his soul (her), as if departed (-s) to You with true faith in You and firm hope in Yours philanthropy and mercy, receive into Your Kingdom of Heaven. I bow before Your holy will, it has already been taken away from me, and I ask You, do not take away from him (her or them) Your mercy and mercy. We know, Lord, as You are the Judge of this world, punish the sins and wickedness of the fathers in children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even up to the third and fourth generation: but also have mercy on the fathers for the prayers and virtues of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. With contrition and tenderness of the heart, I pray to You, merciful Judge, do not punish with eternal punishment the deceased (s) unforgettable (s) for me, your slave (s) (s), my parent (mother) (s) (name), but forgive him (her) all his (her) sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, by knowledge and ignorance created by him (her) in his (her) life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and philanthropy, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints, have mercy on him (u) and deliver eternal torment. You, merciful Father of fathers and children! Grant me, all the days of my life, until my last breath, do not stop remembering the deceased parent (mother) of mine (her) in your prayers, and beseech Thee, the righteous Judge, and put him (th) in a place of light, in a place cool and in a place of peace, with all the saints, from nowhere any illness, sorrow and sighing will flee. Merciful Lord! Receive this day about Your servant (Your) (name) this warm prayer of mine and give him (her) Your recompense for the labors and cares of my upbringing in faith and Christian piety, as if he taught me first of all lead Thee, your Lord, pray to You in reverence, trust in You alone in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and keep Your Commandments; for the well-being of him (her) about my spiritual success, for the warmth that he (she) brings about me prayers before You and for all the gifts that he (she) asked me from You, reward him (her) with Your mercy, Your heavenly blessings and joys in your eternal kingdom. You are the God of mercies and generosity and philanthropy. 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 forever and forever and ever. Amen.

AT Orthodox faith There are special days when it is necessary to remember the dead relatives. These days, a divine service is always held in the church, to which people can come to pray for their loved ones. In the evening they arrange memorial meals, observing Orthodox traditions.

What is parental Saturday in Orthodoxy?

Two main Ecumenical Saturdays, when it is customary to commemorate all Christians who have been baptized: Meat and Trinity. They are necessarily accompanied by the holding of important services - ecumenical or universal requiems. There are other six parental Saturdays: Radonitsa, Dimitrievskaya, Commemoration of the Dead Soldiers and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of Great Lent. To understand what Meatless Parental Saturday means, it should be said that meat is banned on this day, and it is called parental because of the need to commemorate close relatives, in the list of which parents are in the first place.

By Orthodox rules these days it is allowed to pray for people who died a natural death, were killed and even went missing and were not interred. The Ecumenical Meatfare Parental Saturday is an ancient holiday when they remember all the dead Orthodox who suffered for their faith in the Lord. It is believed that the living have a chance to help the dead with their prayers.

It is important to understand what the Ecumenical Parental Saturday is and what to do and what not to do, since this day is very important for every Orthodox believer. In addition, many signs and ancient traditions are associated with it. Many are interested in why the dead are remembered on Saturday, and not on another day, and so, according to the Gospel, on this day of the week Jesus Christ was laid in the tomb and mourned.

Parent Saturday - what to do?

The most important thing on such days is attending a church service and the obligatory reading of prayers for deceased relatives. Finding out what needs to be done on parental Saturday, one should also mention the tradition of believers to visit the cemetery on this day to lay flowers on the graves. Priests believe that it is more important to defend the service than to go to the grave, but if you can’t do either one or the other, then you can just pray at home. A big parental Saturday is an occasion to gather in a quiet environment with loved ones and remember the dead.

What to do on parental Saturday in church?

The day before, a great memorial service is held in the temples, and in the morning a Divine Liturgy for the repose and a general memorial service are held. People who come to church have the opportunity to submit notes with the names of the dead and read. Many are interested in what to bring to church on parental Saturday, and so, according to the old church traditions you can take food from home, but only lean, and wine for the liturgy. After the consecration, the products are distributed to everyone. When leaving the church, it is necessary to give alms to the poor so that they pray for the departed.

How to remember on parental Saturday?

Increasingly, commemorations for modern people turn into a feast where people enjoy treats and speak different topics, but actually in Orthodox traditions at the memorial table it is necessary to pray. Before you sit down at the table, it is customary to make a lithium, or, in extreme cases, you should read the prayer “Living Help” and “Our Father”. Great parental Saturday - time to visit church service and pray, remembering loved ones. It is impossible to commemorate the dead with wine, since this drink is a symbol of earthly joy.

What to cook for the Universal parental Saturday?

On this day, relatives gather at the table to remember their relatives. They put it on the table, and the obligatory treat is kutya - a dish intended to commemorate the dead. It is considered a symbol of the burial of all people who were not interred, so their spirit rushes about and does not know how to leave the earth. If there is a meatless parental Saturday ahead, then be sure to prepare wheat grains, which should first be soaked for several hours. Dried fruits, nuts, seeds, poppy seeds, honey, syrup or marmalade are used as dressings.

What can not be done on parental Saturday?

Many of the prohibitions regarding this day are fictitious. Although there is a widespread opinion that on this day you can clean up and work, the main thing is to first visit the church and read prayers, and the rest of the time you can spend as you see fit. There are other prohibitions regarding this day:

1. The universe of parental Saturday implies a mandatory attendance at church, and there many begin to commemorate people by arranging snacks and drinking alcohol. The Church considers these traditions to be pagan and forbids them.
2. You can’t leave alcohol on the grave of deceased relatives, especially if they often drank during their lifetime, because this can only aggravate the situation of his soul.
3. Understanding what the Universal Parental Saturday is, what needs to be done on this day, and what is prohibited, it is worth pointing out that one cannot be sad, quarrel, swear and speak badly about the deceased.
4. You can not organize magnificent banquets and cook a lot of dishes. Only lean dishes should be on the table.
5. The memorial parental meat-fare Saturday prohibits the use of meat and meat products.

Prayers for Parents' Saturday

On this day, prayer appeals are mandatory, and you can ask for both close and distant relatives. They help souls find peace and find their way in another world. The living cannot help their deceased relatives in any other way. Prayer on parental Saturday for the departed helps sinners to cleanse themselves. You can ask for people who were killed, died in an accident, and so on, since all people are one before God.

Folk omens for parental Saturday

There are many superstitions associated with this day that have been formed over the years. Believe in them or not, the decision of each person.

1. Many signs and superstitions on parental Saturday are associated with a feast, so on this day you can’t clean up anything from the table and wash dishes after an evening meal, since it is believed that deceased relatives will come to eat at night.
2. On this day, it is customary to bake pancakes, and the first one was always laid separately for the dead. If the first pancake fell to the floor during frying, then before picking it up, it is necessary to read the prayer of protection. Otherwise, death may occur.
3. Marriage on this day prophesies trouble.
4. Finding out what the Universal Parental Sabbath is and what needs to be done, it should be mentioned that according to weather conditions on this day they judged what spring would be like. If the weather is clear, then spring will be fine. When there was thunder, they listened to the first peals, so if they were from the north side, then the spring will be cold, and if from the east, then warm and dry.

Ritual for money on parental Saturday

They are considered ideal times to turn to deceased relatives and ask them for help. There are simple conspiracies for the Universal parental Saturday to attract financial well-being. A simple ritual will help enlist the help of the spirits of the family, who will help throughout the year.

1. During the day, purchase sweets that you need to put in the begging basket in the church.
2. When you leave, buy six candles and put them behind the rest of your six relatives.
3. Putting each candle, ask the Lord for the repose of the soul of the deceased, calling his name.
4. After that, read the funeral prayer, followed by a conspiracy.

Universal parental (meatless) Saturday

DAYS OF SPECIAL REMEMBER OF THE DECENT

The hour is coming when the remains of the deceased are buried in the earth, where they will rest until the end of time and the general resurrection. But the love of the mother of the Church for her child, who has passed away from this life, does not dry out. On certain days, she prays for the deceased and brings a bloodless sacrifice for his repose. Special days of commemoration are the third, ninth and fortieth (while the day of death is considered the first). Commemoration these days is consecrated by an ancient church custom. It is consistent with the teaching of the Church about the state of the soul beyond the grave.

Third day. The commemoration of the deceased on the third day after death is performed in honor of the three-day resurrection of Jesus Christ and in the image of the Holy Trinity.

For the first two days, the soul of the deceased is still on earth, passing along with the Angel accompanying her to those places that attract her with memories of earthly joys and sorrows, evil and good deeds. The soul that loves the body sometimes wanders around the house where the body is laid, and thus spends two days like a bird looking for its nest. The virtuous soul, on the other hand, walks in those places where it used to do the right thing. On the third day, the Lord commands the soul to ascend to heaven to worship Him, the God of all. Therefore, the church commemoration of the soul, which appeared before the face of the Just, is very timely.

Ninth day. The commemoration of the deceased on this day is in honor of the nine orders of angels, who, as servants of the King of Heaven and intercessors to Him for us, intercede for mercy on the deceased.

After the third day, the soul, accompanied by an Angel, enters the heavenly abodes and contemplates their inexpressible beauty. She remains in this state for six days. For this time, the soul forgets the sorrow that it felt while in the body and after leaving it. But if she is guilty of sins, then at the sight of the enjoyment of the saints, she begins to grieve and reproach herself: “Alas for me! How busy I am in this world! I spent most of my life in carelessness and did not serve God as I should, so that I too would be worthy of this grace and glory. Alas, poor me!” On the ninth day, the Lord commands the Angels to again present the soul to Him for worship. With fear and trembling the soul stands before the throne of the Most High. But even at this time, the holy Church again prays for the deceased, asking the merciful Judge to place the soul of her child with the saints.

Fortieth day. The forty-day period is very significant in the history and tradition of the Church as the time necessary for preparation, for the acceptance of the special Divine gift of the grace-filled help of the Heavenly Father. The prophet Moses was honored to talk with God on Mount Sinai and receive the tablets of the law from Him only after a forty-day fast. The Israelites reached the promised land after forty years of wandering. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself ascended into heaven on the fortieth day after His resurrection. Taking all this as a basis, the Church established a commemoration on the fortieth day after death, so that the soul of the deceased ascended the holy mountain of Heavenly Sinai, was rewarded with the sight of God, achieved the blessedness promised to her and settled in heavenly villages with the righteous.

After the second worship of the Lord, the angels take the soul to hell, and she contemplates the cruel torments of unrepentant sinners. On the fortieth day, the soul ascends for the third time to worship God, and then its fate is decided - for earthly affairs, it is assigned a place of residence until the Last Judgment. That's why it's so timely church prayers and commemoration on this day. They blot out the sins of the deceased and ask his soul to be placed in paradise with the saints.

Anniversary. The Church commemorates the dead on the anniversary of their death. The basis for this establishment is obvious. It is known that the largest liturgical cycle is the annual circle, after which all fixed holidays are repeated again. The anniversary of the death of a loved one is always celebrated with at least a hearty commemoration of his loving relatives and friends. For an Orthodox believer, this is a birthday for a new, eternal life.

Ecumenical funeral service (PARENTAL SATURDAYS)

In addition to these days, the Church has established special days for the solemn, universal, ecumenical commemoration of all fathers and brothers in faith who have passed away from time immemorial, who have been honored with a Christian death, as well as those who, having been overtaken by sudden death, were not sent to the afterlife by the prayers of the Church. The requiems performed at the same time, indicated by the charter of the Ecumenical Church, are called ecumenical, and the days on which the commemoration is performed are called ecumenical parental Saturdays. In the circle of the liturgical year, such days of general remembrance are:

Saturday is meatless. Dedicating the Meat-Feast Week to the remembrance of the last Last Judgment of Christ, the Church, in view of this judgment, has established intercession not only for her living members, but also for all those who have died from time immemorial, who have lived in piety, of all genera, ranks and conditions, especially for those who died a sudden death. and pray to the Lord for mercy on them. The solemn all-church commemoration of the departed on this Saturday (as well as on Trinity Saturday) brings great benefit and help to our dead fathers and brothers, and at the same time serves as an expression of the fullness of the Church life that we live. For salvation is possible only in the Church - a community of believers, whose members are not only those who live, but also all who die in the faith. And communion with them through prayer, prayerful commemoration of them is the expression of our common unity in the Church of Christ.

Saturday Trinity. The commemoration of all the dead pious Christians was established on the Saturday before Pentecost due to the fact that the event of the descent of the Holy Spirit completed the economy of the salvation of man, and the departed also participate in this salvation. Therefore, the Church, sending up prayers on Pentecost for the revitalization of all living by the Holy Spirit, asks on the very day of the feast that for the departed the grace of the all-holy and all-sanctifying Spirit of the Comforter, which they were honored during their lifetime, would be a source of bliss, since by the Holy Spirit “every soul is alive.” ". Therefore, the eve of the holiday, Saturday, the Church dedicates to the remembrance of the dead, to prayer for them. St. Basil the Great, who compiled the touching prayers for the Vespers of Pentecost, says in them that the Lord, most of all, on this day deigns to accept prayers for the dead and even for "those who are held in hell."

Saturdays 2nd, 3rd and 4th week of Holy Forty Days. On Holy Forty Days - the days of Great Lent, spiritual feat, the feat of repentance and doing good to others - the Church calls on believers to be in the closest union of Christian love and peace not only with the living, but also with the dead, to make prayerful commemorations on the appointed days of those who have departed from this life. In addition, the Saturdays of these weeks are appointed by the Church to commemorate the dead also for the reason that no funeral commemorations are performed on the weekly days of Great Lent (this includes funeral litanies, litias, memorial services, commemorations of the 3rd, 9th and 40th days after death, forty-mouthed), since there is no daily full liturgy, with the celebration of which the commemoration of the dead is associated. In order not to deprive the dead of the saving intercession of the Church on the days of Holy Forty Days, the indicated Saturdays are singled out.

Radonitsa. The basis of the general commemoration of the dead, which takes place on Tuesday after St. Thomas' week (Sunday), is, on the one hand, the remembrance of the descent of Jesus Christ into hell and His victory over death, combined with St. Thomas Sunday, on the other hand, the permission of the church charter to perform the usual commemoration of the departed after Holy and Bright weeks, starting with Fomin Monday. On this day, believers come to the graves of their loved ones with the joyful news of the Resurrection of Christ. Hence the very day of commemoration is called Radonitsa (or Radunitsa).

Unfortunately, in Soviet time a custom was established to visit cemeteries not on Radonitsa, but on the first day of Easter. It is natural for a believer to visit the graves of his loved ones after an earnest prayer for their repose in the temple - after a memorial service served in the church. During the Easter week there are no requiems, for Easter is an all-encompassing joy for those who believe in the Resurrection of our Savior Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, during the entire Paschal week, litanies for the dead are not pronounced (although the usual commemoration is performed at the proskomedia), and memorial services are not served.

CHURCH FUNERAL SERVICES

It is necessary to commemorate the deceased in the Church as often as possible, not only on the designated special days of commemoration, but also on any other day. The main prayer for the repose of the departed Orthodox Christians is performed by the Church on Divine Liturgy offering a bloodless sacrifice to God for them. To do this, before the start of the liturgy (or the night before), a note with their names should be submitted to the church (only baptized Orthodox can be entered). On the proskomedia, particles for their repose will be taken out of the prosphora, which at the end of the liturgy will be lowered into the holy cup and washed with the Blood of the Son of God. Let us remember that this is the greatest good that we can give to those who are dear to us. Here is how the commemoration at the liturgy is spoken of in the Epistle of the Eastern Patriarchs: “We believe that the souls of people who have fallen into mortal sins and did not despair at death, but repented even before being separated from real life, only those who did not have time to bring any fruits of repentance (such fruits could be their prayers, tears, kneeling during prayer vigils, contrition, consolation of the poor and expression in deeds of love for God and neighbor), - the souls of such people descend into hell and suffer for what they have done sins of punishment, without losing, however, the hope of relief. They receive relief through the infinite goodness of God through the prayers of the priests and good works performed for the dead, and especially through the power of the bloodless sacrifice, which, in particular, the clergy brings for each Christian for his loved ones, and in general for everyone, the Catholic and Apostolic Church daily brings.

At the top of the note is usually placed an eight-pointed Orthodox cross. Then the type of commemoration is indicated - “On the repose”, after which the names of those commemorated in the genitive case are written in large, legible handwriting (to answer the question “who?”), With the clergy and monastics mentioned first, indicating the rank and degree of monasticism (for example, Metropolitan John, Schemagumen Savva, Archpriest Alexander, nun Rachel, Andrey, Nina).

All names must be given in church spelling (for example, Tatiana, Alexy) and in full (Michael, Lyubov, not Misha, Lyuba).

The number of names in the note does not matter; it is only necessary to take into account that the priest has the opportunity to read not very long notes more carefully. Therefore, it is better to submit several notes if you want to remember many of your loved ones.

By submitting notes, the parishioner makes a donation for the needs of the monastery or temple. To avoid confusion, remember that the difference in prices (registered or simple notes) only reflects the difference in the amount of the donation. Nor should you be embarrassed if you have not heard the names of your relatives mentioned in the litany. As mentioned above, the main commemoration takes place on the proskomedia, when particles are taken out of the prosphora. During the funeral litany, you can take out your commemoration book and pray for loved ones. Prayer will be more effective if the one who commemorates himself on that day partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ.

After the liturgy, you can serve a memorial service. A memorial service is served before the eve - a special table with the image of a crucifix and rows of candlesticks. Here you can also leave an offering for the needs of the temple in memory of the departed loved ones.

It is very important after death to order a magpie in the temple - an unceasing commemoration at the liturgy for forty days. At the end of the magpie, you can order again. There are also long periods of commemoration - six months, a year. Some monasteries accept notes for eternal (as long as the monastery stands) commemoration or for commemoration during the reading of the Psalter (this is an ancient Orthodox custom). The more churches that pray, the better for our neighbor!

It is very useful on the memorable days of the deceased to donate to the church, to give alms to the poor with a request to pray for him. On the eve, you can bring sacrificed food. You can’t just bring meat food and alcohol (except church wine) on the eve. The simplest type of sacrifice for the deceased is a candle that is placed on his repose.

Realizing that the most we can do for our deceased loved ones is to submit a note of commemoration at the liturgy, we should not forget to pray for them at home and do works of mercy.

REMEMBERING THE DEAD AT HOME PRAYER

Prayer for the departed is our main and invaluable help to those who have departed to another world. The deceased does not need, by and large, either a coffin, or a grave monument, and even more so a memorial table - all this is just a tribute to traditions, albeit very pious ones. But the eternally living soul of the deceased feels a great need for constant prayer, for she cannot do good deeds herself, with which she would be able to propitiate the Lord. home prayer for loved ones, including the dead, is the duty of every Orthodox. St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, says this about prayer for the departed: “If the all-pervading Wisdom of God does not forbid praying for the dead, does this not mean that it is still allowed to throw a rope, although not always reliable enough, but sometimes, and maybe often, salvific for souls who have fallen away from the shore of temporal life, but have not reached the eternal home? Salvatory for those souls who vacillate over the abyss between bodily death and the last judgment of Christ, either ascending by faith, or plunging into deeds unworthy of it, or exalted by grace, or descending with the remains of a damaged nature, or ascending by Divine desire, or becoming entangled in coarse, not yet completely stripped off the clothes of earthly thoughts ... "

The home prayer commemoration of the deceased Christian is very diverse. One should especially pray for the deceased in the first forty days after his death. As already indicated in the section “Reading the Psalter for the Dead”, during this period it is very useful to read about the deceased Psalter, at least one kathisma a day. You can also recommend reading an akathist for the repose of the dead. In general, the Church commands us to pray every day for the deceased parents, relatives, known and benefactors. For this, in the number of daily morning prayers the following short prayer is included:

Prayer for the dead

Give rest, O Lord, to 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.

It is more convenient to read the names from the commemorative book - a small book where the names of living and deceased relatives are recorded. There is a pious custom to keep family commemorations, reading which Orthodox people commemorate many generations of their deceased ancestors by name.

FUNERAL MEAL

The pious custom of commemorating the dead at a meal has been known for a very long time. But, unfortunately, many commemorations turn into an occasion for relatives to get together, discuss the news, eat tasty food, while Orthodox Christians should also pray for the dead at the memorial table.

Before the meal, one should perform a lithium - a short rite of memorial service, which can be performed by a layman. In extreme cases, you need to at least read the 90th psalm and the prayer "Our Father". The first dish that is eaten at the wake is kutya (kolyovo). These are boiled grains of cereals (wheat or rice) with honey and raisins. Grains are a symbol of resurrection, and honey is a sweetness enjoyed by the righteous in the Kingdom of God. According to the charter, kutya should be consecrated with a special rite during a memorial service; if this is not possible, it is necessary to sprinkle it with holy water.

Naturally, the desire of the owners to treat everyone who came to the commemoration to taste better. But you need to observe the fasts established by the Church, and eat the allowed food: on Wednesday, Friday, during long fasts - do not eat fast. If the memory of the deceased happens on a weekday of Great Lent, then the commemoration is transferred to the next Saturday or Sunday.

It is necessary to refrain from wine, especially from vodka, at the memorial meal! The dead are not commemorated with wine! Wine is a symbol of earthly joy, and a commemoration is an occasion for intense prayer for a person who may suffer greatly in the afterlife. You should not drink alcohol, even if the deceased himself liked to drink. It is known that "drunken" commemorations often turn into an ugly gathering, where the deceased is simply forgotten. At the table, you need to remember the deceased, his good qualities and deeds (hence the name - commemoration). The custom of leaving a glass of vodka and a piece of bread “for the deceased” at the table is a relic of paganism and should not be observed in Orthodox families.

On the contrary, there are pious practices worthy of emulation. In many Orthodox families, the poor and the poor, children and old women are the first to sit down at the memorial table. They can also distribute clothes and belongings of the deceased. Orthodox people can tell about numerous cases of certification from afterlife about the great help to the dead as a result of the creation of alms by their relatives. Moreover, the loss of loved ones prompts many people to take the first step towards God, to begin to live the life of an Orthodox Christian.

Thus, one now living archimandrite relates the following incident from his pastoral practice.

“It was in the difficult post-war years. Comes to me, the rector of the village church, a mother crying with grief, in which her eight-year-old son Misha drowned. And she says that Misha dreamed of her and complained about the cold - he was completely without clothes. I say to her: "Are any of his clothes left?" - "Oh sure". - "Give it to your friends Mishin, they will surely come in handy."

A few days later, she tells me that she again saw Misha in a dream: he was dressed in exactly the same clothes that were given to his friends. He thanked, but now complained of hunger. I advised to make a memorial meal for the village children - Misha's friends and acquaintances. No matter how difficult it is in difficult times, but what can you do for your beloved son! And the woman, than she could, treated the children.

She came for the third time. She thanked me very much: "Misha said in a dream that now he is warm and full, only my prayers are not enough." I taught her prayers and advised her not to leave works of mercy for the future. She became a zealous parishioner, always ready to respond to requests for help, to the best of her ability and ability she helped orphans, the poor and the poor.”

04 / 03 / 2005

Universal parent Saturday in

2018 - 10 February.

AT certain days year the Church creates a commemoration of all the deceased fathers and brothers in faith. The requiems performed at the same time, indicated by the charter, are called ecumenical, and the days on which the commemoration is performed are called ecumenical parental Saturdays.

The first ecumenical parental Saturday takes place on Meatfare Week, before the start of the carnival, which prepares believers for

GREAT POST.

On this day, memorial services are held in all churches according to a special charter, thousands of believers go to the temple to pray for the souls of the dead and light a candle for them, as well as serve a prayer service for them.

The Ecumenical Parental Saturday is always celebrated 7 days before the start of Lent. The fact is that the Sunday before Shrove Tuesday is dedicated to the Last Judgment: despite the fact that the festivities in honor of Shrovetide are only being prepared, this enthusiasm is joined by the repentant mood of the beginning of Great Lent, a time of spiritual enlightenment and abstinence from animal food, as well as fun. In ancient times, they said: "Remember the hour of death and you will never sin," therefore, Shrovetide should not become an orgy, but pass peacefully, cheerfully and in joyful communication with loved ones.

The Religious Significance of the Universal Parental Sabbath.

Firstly, why is this day called “parental”, because, as a rule, they commemorate all those who have already departed to another world? Firstly, this can be due to the fact that, as a rule, parents leave our world first, and therefore children pray for them. But it is not main reason. The fact is that in the religious world - the initial duty of a Christian's prayer is a prayer for the parents who gave life. That is, of all those who have departed to another world, the first prayer is always for the parents, since it was they who became the guides to life.

What to do on the Ecumenical Meat-Feast Saturday.

The clergy take it upon themselves to pray on this day for all the dead Christians, but what should the believer do on this day?

First, you should go to the temple, and it is advisable to defend the entire service, praying with the priest. Also, you should order a mass or commemoration for the dead.


If for some reason it is not possible to go to the temple, then you can pray for the dead at home, choosing a quiet and quiet place so that no one interrupts the prayer. Special prayers for the Ecumenical meat week can be found in church calendars, or in prayer books, you can also read "Our Father".

Prayer for the dead.

Give rest, O Lord, to 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.

It is known that one cannot pray for those who committed lynching, for women who died due to abortion, for the unbaptized, unbelievers and heretics. AT this case, alms should be distributed to those in need in order to honor the memory of the souls listed.

Although it is impossible to indulge in fun, it is also impossible to be sad and mourn. The fact is that memory and sorrow are not the same thing. Sorrow, sadness and sadness is negative emotions that clog the soul, while memory is a bright and worthy cause. No matter how hard the loss is, the dead must be remembered with warmth and a smile, this gives peace not only to the living soul, but also to the soul that is in the other world.

How to cook kutya for memorial day

In ancient times, Kutya was called kolivo, which means boiled millet with honey.This dish is traditional for a funeral litia and memorial service and serves as a reminder of the Resurrection of the deceased. This remembrance lies in the fact that just as a grain, in order to ripen and become an ear, must be planted in the soil and decay, so the body of the deceased must be buried in the earth and experience decay in order to rise for another life. Honey here personifies the sweetness of the new life of the soul.
For a memorial meal, it is imperative to make kutya; on Ecumenical Saturday, it is placed near candles, even in churches.

Despite the fact that millet is traditionally used in the kutya recipe, it is not always available, so you can take pearl barley as an alternative or makerice kutya. The selected cereal must first be soaked for several hours. Further, from the selected cereal, it is necessary to cook porridge so that the grains are crumbly and do not stick together, that is, each grain is separate. When the porridge is ready, it can be supplemented, in the classic version honey is an addition, but you can also add raisins or other dried fruits, any nuts, seeds, poppy seeds, pieces of fresh fruit, and even marmalade. The selected filler (or you can add everything at once, it all depends on personal tastes) must be crushed like this. To make it convenient to eat porridge. Next, the porridge is mixed with filler and placed in a convenient container to be taken to the church and consecrated.

The meal on the Ecumenical Sabbath should begin with kutya, once again praying for those who are in the other world.

Why is it important to pray for the dead on Memorial Day?

As already noted, first of all, you need to pray for your parents and grandparents, and if they are alive, then remember other relatives, even distant ones, friends, acquaintances. The fact is, love for neighbor lives as long as there is a memory of them in the soul. The prayers of the living help souls find peace, find their way in another world. Nothing more than prayer can the living give to the dead.

The fact is that the body of the deceased no longer feels anything, his eyes do not see, therefore he cannot feel and see how his grave is decorated, what flowers they bring to him, and what the gravestone looks like. But their soul can hear the prayer and go to the call of prayer, which, unlike the body, continues its life in the other world.