May 3 is parent's day. Parental Saturdays in Great Lent

In the 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 Meat Empty means parent saturday, it should be said that meat is banned on this day, and it is named parental because of the need to commemorate close relatives, in the list of which parents are in the first place.

According to 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 fasting, 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 in fact, in Orthodox traditions, it is necessary to pray at the memorial table. 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 is a time to attend a 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 Saturday is and what needs to be done, it should be mentioned that according to the 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.

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What does the soul of the deceased do for 9 and 40 days, how should one pray for health and for the repose of the souls of loved ones, what did the holy fathers say about such a prayer, and how to help those who do not think about their salvation?

In response to the accumulated questions of readers, we provide detailed information about the coming days of special commemoration of the dead - parental Saturdays, a selection of relevant quotes from the holy fathers from the nun Livia, and information on how to pray for those who can only conditionally be called Orthodox people.

Sincere prayer can melt even the coldest ice...

Commemoration of the dead- a special tradition inherent in Orthodoxy, and distinguishes it from many other religious movements, including Christian ones. For example, declaring formal adherence to their version of the Bible, they completely reject the commemoration of the dead and all the rituals associated with it.

Saturday March 2 - a week before the start of Lent - before the Meat Week (Shrovetide week) for the Orthodox, a day of special veneration for the memory of the departed is set.

At the service on Friday under the Ecumenical Parental Saturday and on Saturday itself, women wear only dark scarves to the temple.

Of the seven days of the year, intended for enhanced commemoration of the ancestors, two stand apart. Ecumenical Memorial Saturdays : Meat and meat.

The main meaning of the Ecumenical (common to the whole Orthodox Church) funeral services - in prayer for the salvation of the souls of all deceased Orthodox Christians, regardless of their personal closeness to us. Remember your parents, ancestors: do not miss the service and remember!

On Rogozhsky during parental Saturdays and prayers is always lively

"And we were just like you and you will be just like us"

This is what silent fraternal tombs in a separate monastic state on Mount Athos tell their visitors. For monks, this inseparable connection between the visible and invisible worlds is especially sensitive, according to the appropriate way of life, when all inner spiritual aspiration is directed towards ascending into that future invisible and unknown world that will inevitably meet each of us and determine its place for endless ages.

“... On this day, we create a memory for all people who have died from the age in faith and piety, for the sake of the fact that many have raised a worthless death: in the sea, and impassable mountains, rapids and abysses, from gladness and inflamed, from warfare and studeniya, and otherwise suffered death. Therefore, for the sake of philanthropy, the holy fathers legitimized the memory of this from the Catholic Church, the apostolic tradition is acceptable.

On Saturday, we create a memory for souls, because Saturday is a day of rest, the dead come to rest from worldly temptations. The holy fathers commanded to make remembrance for the departed, saying that alms and services great theme serve weakness and benefit.

Memorial cross in the village of Slobodischi, erected by the forces of the Rogozhsky Cossacks

The Tale of St. Macarius the Great.

St. Macarius asked, having found on his way the dry skull of the wicked Elin: do they ever have some weakness in hell.

The same one answered him We also have much weakness when Christians pray for their dead. And Gregory, the verbose, with the prayer of Tsar Trajan, delivered him from hell. And the queen of saints for the sake of the confessor of husbands stole from torment the bogomerzsky Theophilus Theodore.

Verb same Great Athanasius, even if a person dies of a holy life, do not deny alms and candles on the tomb, invoking Christ God, set fire, that is, it is pleasant to God and brings a lot of retribution. If a person is sinful, sins are allowed, if he is righteous, he accepts a large reward.

A memorial prayer placed by the Rogozhsky Cossacks on one of their worship crosses

The holy fathers say that they know each other's souls in a place of light, they know everyone, and those whom they have never seen before, as St. John Chrysostom presenting the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. But they see not in a bodily way, but in some other way, and they all have the same age.

A verb about that Great Athanasius:

And until the general Resurrection, the saints are granted to know each other and rejoice. Sinners are deprived of this. It is known that the souls of the righteous and sinners dwell in excellent places. The righteous rejoice in hope, but the sinners are tormented and saddened by the hope of the evil ones. But this is only still in part, and not in a perfect way, until the general Resurrection.

The cross erected at the Rogozhsky cemetery according to the project of Ataman Rogozhskaya Cossack village in memory of all the Old Believers buried in the cemetery

It is also fitting to know that baptized babies, if they introduce themselves this way, will enjoy eternal food, while unbaptized and pagans will not go either to the Kingdom or hell, but there is a special place for them. As the soul departs from the body, it no longer remembers a single earthly care, but only cares about those there.

Tretiny We create according to the dead, for the sake of the fact that on the third day a man of his kind changes.

nines because on the ninth day the whole body melts, only the heart is preserved.

fortieth day- when the heart is already dying.

You should not be afraid of death, you need to prepare your life for the Terrible Judgment

In conception, this happens to an infant: on the third day, the heart is painted. In the ninth the flesh is formed. IN fortieth- the perfect view is imagined. Glory to our God, now and forever, and forever and ever, amen.” (Lenten Triodion, synoxarion for Meat-Feast Saturday).

Instructing us to spiritual knowledge, the holy fathers remind us that the one last hour of death, as soon as it comes, will determine the entire value of the past. human life. To be ready to meet that hour with a bright mind, faith and hope. The great battle then arises, on the border of eternity.

Evil spirits know that the first judgment is now being decided on the human soul and terrible force they attack that soul in order to keep it for themselves. Then there is no time for repentance by a grave unrepentant sinner, but they will clearly reveal, to others for fear and edification, all their internal indecency, from crafty thoughts and deeds that they kept in this life in the recesses of hypocritical hearts.

The memorial cross, installed by the Rogozhsky Cossacks, made according to the author's project of Dimitri Vlasov

Many earthly despots and blasphemers died in terrible agony and frenzy of mind, such as Ulyanov-Lenin, who, according to eyewitnesses, did not recognize anyone in the last hours and asked for forgiveness in his room near cabinets and chairs for the crimes committed.

There is a story about one famous American actress that, dying, she ordered to give her her favorite dress, and she died, clinging to it even with her teeth with an irresistible iron grip.

Rogozhskoye cemetery. Photo by Deacon Alexander Govorov

The other, a Jewish banker, in front of the dumbfounded heirs, managed, with incredible dexterity and speed for the last minutes of his life, to extract from a cache under his own mattress and swallow a precious masonry with diamonds ...

When they understood what the matter was and tried to take countermeasures, the last diamond was already buried in his womb. With that he died.

The holy fathers say that all this life is like long road, a person carries what he collects on it. If sins and passions - in their place, virtues and striving for perfection - in their own. No matter how many people and where not to go, everyone comes to one of their grave mounds.

An old coffin-domovina, which prudent Old Believers tried to make for themselves during their lifetime

One should never forget this, but, in pious reflection, remember and think about impermanence present century in which even the most wise person cannot know exactly for himself - what this day or night is preparing for him, and whether eternity is waiting for him now. Therefore, the teachers also legitimized church memorial Saturdays for us, so that we looked at them with our souls, as at a mirror in which our eternal spiritual essence is reflected, and, remembering this, retreated from all sin.

Ural. Worship cross in the city of Rezh on the site of the Old Believer cemetery

How to pray for health and peace?

Some time ago, a custom-made prayer service to the Monk Paisius the Great took place on Rogozhsky. The service was led by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Eminence Metropolitan Kornily.

On the eve of the next Parental Saturday, we decided to bring a few important thoughts on the rules and practice of praying in the Russian Orthodox Church for those who are in the Church and outside its fence.

Prayer around the head

The pious tradition of ordering prayers for one reason or another has been inherent in Orthodox Christians for centuries, but in Lately on Rogozhsky, such additional services do not occur as often as they used to.

Despite the fact that the service adds about an hour and a half to the already long Sunday service, there are always many who want to join and write notes about health (there are no prayers for the dead).

Vladyka Cornelius himself leads the prayers, and often he is also their organizer. For example, during fasts, especially Great, he announces prayers almost every Sunday.

Lenten, organized on the initiative of Metropolitan Kornily

In addition to worldly concerns, the biggest drawback of the established practice in Moscow is the lack of information about such prayers in advance. The most active parishioners hear about the plans through word of mouth in the morning, and some hear about the plans after Vladyka's sermon. To what saint and for what reason the divine service will take place - usually immediately acquires mutually exclusive versions ... As a result, not all those present at the Liturgy know that immediately after the service there will be a good opportunity to pray purely for their relatives, which means that you should not rush to leave the church.

Sermon by Metropolitan Kornily after a prayer service with a wish to pray more fervently for peace on Earth

Holy Father Paisios the Great, pray to God for us!

In this case, the reason for the delay turned out to be very serious: a prayer service was ordered to St. Paisius the Great who has grace from God to ease the afterlife of Orthodox Christians who have died without repentance. They especially pray to him for those who were baptized in the Orthodox faith, but for one reason or another move away from attending divine services and confession.

A large image of the Monk Paisios the Great adorns the vault of the northern facade

Pray for the enlightenment of truants

A cursory survey of those present in the temple showed that people are well aware of all kinds of prohibitions and restrictions on persons whom we have the right to indicate in notes on health and repose, but not everyone remembers their “rights”. We now remind readers of the "Old Believer Thought": in the Church there is a legal way of praying for those who do not go to church.

Council of the Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church, held on February 4-5, 2015, reminded in his decision about the ancient patristic practice, according to which the Old Believers are not forbidden to perform prayers for health, including those who are heterodox and excommunicated. In addition to home prayer, custom-made prayers are intended for this.

On Church Prayer for the Heterodox and the Excommunicated

8.1. Do not forbid the clergy to perform prayers for the health of the heterodox and excommunicated, guided by the admonition of the Apostle Paul: “I ask you to make prayers, petitions, prayers, thanksgiving for all people, for kings and for all those in authority, in order to lead us a quiet and serene life in all piety and purity, for this is good and pleasing to our Savior God, who wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:1-4); as well as the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom: “Do not be afraid to pray for the pagans; and He (God) wants it. Just be afraid to curse others. Because He doesn't want it. And if it is necessary to pray for the pagans, then obviously for heretics, because it is necessary to pray for all people, and not to persecute them ”(The Creation of St. John Chrysostom. Interpretation of the 1st Epistle to Timothy of the Apostle Paul. Conversation 6, volume 11, p. 659).

Related material

Parental Saturdays in 2019 are days of special remembrance for the departed. At this time, a special commemoration of deceased Christians is performed in Orthodox churches, and believers visit the graves of their relatives who have left this world in cemeteries. parent Saturdays in church calendar over the course of seven years.

Special days of commemoration 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, "departed to their fathers."

Universal Parent Saturdays

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

On the eve of the feast of Pentecost, the Trinity Ecumenical Saturday is celebrated. On Trinity Saturday, all baptized Christians are also remembered in prayers. On these days, special ecumenical requiems are performed. They serve a memorial service "The memory of all the departed Orthodox Christians from the age, our father and brethren."

Five Other Parent Saturdays

Radonitsa or Radunitsa falls on Tuesday after St. Thomas' week, that is, the second week after Christ's Bright 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 resurrected Son of God at the graves of deceased relatives.

May 9 on the day of victory in the Great Patriotic War in temples they serve a memorial service for the multitudes of warriors who gave their lives for the salvation of the Motherland. Many families have lost someone close in this terrible and long war. Therefore, on this day, they commemorate all the dead soldiers, thanks to whose feat the a great victory, and their loved ones who died during the war.

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

Later this day was transformed into the day of commemoration 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 in memory of the soldiers who died for the Motherland "For faith, the tsar and the Fatherland, who laid their lives on the battlefield."

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

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

Features of parental Saturdays

On the days of ecumenical parental Saturdays, memorial services are performed, funeral services, during which believers read prayers for their deceased relatives, asking God for forgiveness of sins for them. According to the charter, during the parental Saturdays of the second, third and fourth during Great Lent, they do not perform funeral commemorations, that is: funeral litanies, litias, memorial services, commemoration of the 3rd, 9th and 40th day after death, magpies. These days are specially set aside so that believers can pay tribute to the memory of loved ones.

On the Friday evening on the eve of parental Saturday, a great memorial service (parastas) is served in the temples. to 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 products and Cahors to the temple for the celebration of the liturgy. Wine and fasting products brought to the temple on Friday are called brought "on the eve."

In the old days, it was customary for believing parishioners to bring Lenten dishes for a common table in the temple, where they could commemorate dear to my heart deceased relatives. 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 the transfer to poor people who are under the care of one parish or another.

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

You can read a prayer for the departed: “God rest 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 celebrate Memorial Day

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

On the days of special commemoration of the departed, it is very important to think for yourself about what death is, perhaps to rethink own life and relationships with loved ones, try to reconcile in all contentious issues.

Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh 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 should repeat to himself and to 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 guardian of the orphans, the grieving refuge and the weeping comforter. I am running to you, orphan, groaning and crying, and I pray to You: hear my prayer and do not turn Your face away from the sighing of my heart and from the tears of my eyes. I pray to You, merciful Lord, quench my grief about separation from my parent who gave birth and raised (who gave birth and raised) me (my mother), (name) (or: with my parents who gave birth and raised me, their names) - his soul ( or: her, or: theirs), as if departed (or: departed) to Thee with true faith in Thee and with firm hope in Thy philanthropy and mercy, receive into Thy Kingdom of Heaven. I bow before Your holy will, it has already been taken away (or: taken away, or: taken away) be 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, 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 kind: 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 Thee, merciful Judge, do not punish eternal punishment the deceased unforgettable (departed unforgettable) for me your servant (your servant), my parent (my mother) (name), but release him (her) all his (her) sins, free and involuntary, in word and deed, knowledge and ignorance created by him (by her) in his (her) life here on earth, and according to Your mercy and philanthropy, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Theotokos and all the saints, have mercy on him (s) 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 my deceased parent (my deceased mother) in your prayers, and beg Thee, the righteous Judge, and put him (s) in a bright place, in a cool place and in a place of peace, with all the saints, all sickness, sorrow and sighing will flee from here. Gracious 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 (taught) me first of all lead Thee, your Lord, in reverently pray to You, trust in You alone in troubles, sorrows and illnesses and keep Your commandments; for his (her) care for my spiritual success, for the warmth of the prayers he (she) brings about me before You and for all the gifts he (she) asked me from You, reward him (her) with Your mercy. With 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 ever and forever and ever. Amen.

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

On the days of commemoration of the dead, you will mentally play these moments again and again: when you could spend a few more minutes with a loved one, and not refer to employment and daily important things, you could give him more heartfelt warmth, but did not.

These days are important both for the dead, 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 take care not only of earthly, but also of eternal life.

Parental Saturdays are days of special commemoration of the departed, when with our prayers we can provide great help to our relatives and friends who have passed away from earthly life. Five of them are reserved for the commemoration of deceased relatives, two more and the requiems performed at the same time are called ecumenical. Parental Sabbaths involve the observance of certain rules that all believers should be aware of.

Parents Saturday is a special day in Orthodox calendar when it is customary to remember loved ones who have passed away and pray for them to help. First of all, the deceased parents, and then the rest of the people dear to the heart. Respectful attitude to parents in Christian families should be formed in the child in childhood.

What should you do when parental Saturday comes?

First of all, performing the actions taken on this day, visiting the grave loved one, or attending a service in the temple, open your heart and sincerely answer yourself the questions: what is my true attitude to the deceased, have I forgiven him in everything and what feelings do I really experience? The effectiveness of your prayer directly depends on your sincerity in these moments. This is the main answer to the frequently asked question of what to do on parental Saturday in church.

Parental Saturday before the Intercession in 2018, when

Parental Saturday before the Intercession in 2018 falls on October 13th. On this day, memorial services and memorial services will be held in Orthodox churches. It happens that people neglect visiting the church and prefer to visit the graves of the dead. But for the repose of the souls of loved ones, prayer and participation in the service in the temple is much more important.

Going to the funeral liturgy, you will need to prepare notes with the names of deceased relatives or friends. According to the rules, one cannot submit requests for the commemoration of unbaptized people and suicides; all others may be mentioned without restriction. Believers lower these notes into prepared urns or hand them over to the priest.

You can read in the temple or at home a prayer for the departed:

“God give rest, Lord, to the souls of your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, free and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Earlier on this day in churches they covered festive table, behind which one could taste consecrated food and wine. Now in the same place you can simply bless the food and wine brought with you, and the clergy distribute alms to the poor. After visiting the temple, you can go to the cemetery, clean the graves and bring flowers and sweets, or any other food there.

As you know, the festive table on the day of the Intercession Parental Saturday should be modest, and the dishes should be Lenten, since such a restriction demonstrates our grief for those who have died and whom we commemorate.

As noted, during the day of parental Saturday in temples and churches, priests perform memorial services, commemorating the deceased relatives and loved ones. After they are held, people come to the graves to their relatives and dear people in order to rid them of garbage, paint fences, change flowers and the like. Arriving from the cemetery, funeral meals are served. It is important to remember that on this day it is not advisable to eat excesses in dishes. It is best to set a modest table, emphasizing grief for all the dead.

The tradition of visiting the church for services and the graves of the dead in the northern parts of the country is very popular. Residents are in a hurry to put the graves in order before the frosts and snow fall, and often this happens the next day after the Intercession. The central regions do not honor Pokrovskaya Saturday so much, devoting time only to Dmitrievskaya Saturday, which is considered the most significant and obligatory event.

Belarus celebrates this day in a different way. There, they prepare for the holiday on Friday, laying out exclusively lenten and light dishes for dinner, which cleanse the body for eating the heaviest food on the Sabbath meal.

Customs and signs

On this day, according to tradition, the Orthodox arrange modest meals and remember those who are not around - they put more cutlery on the table, and among the funeral food they always serve a ritual dish - kutya (wheat porridge with raisins, nuts, poured with honey) - symbolizing faith V eternal life and resurrection.

Sorrow for loved ones who had gone to another world was closely intertwined with entertainment in villages and villages - the last festivities fell on Pokrovsky Saturday.

And after the Intercession, the time of Pokrovsky evenings and home gatherings began - this tradition has its roots in the pre-Christian period of the Slavs.

The custom of commemorating the dead existed even among the pagans - they had special Saturdays on which they remembered their loved ones who had died untimely.

The main sign that has been preserved for many centuries of the existence of the holiday is associated with the weather. It is generally accepted that on Parental Saturday, autumn and winter meet for the first time in a year, and the snow that fell on this day is a Divine sign - “cover”.

“On Pokrov before lunch - summer, after lunch - winter,” they said among the people.

Pokrovsky Saturday in Belarus is called - "Pokrovsky Grandfathers". Belarusians believe that on this day the dead come to the homes of their living still close people, and therefore they prudently prepare a memorial dinner for them.

The people believed that Grandfathers should be pleasing in every possible way, because they, holy guests from the Other World, miss the living, wish people well and grieve about separation.

People believed that not to remember the soul was to show disrespect for the dead. But along with respect, there was also the fear that if you offend souls of the dead, they will not help the living in their affairs.

A wonderful spring holiday that bears the name International Women's Day, or, simply and briefly " March 8', noted in many countries of the world.

In Russia, March 8 is an official holiday, an additional day off .

In general, in our country this date was declared a holiday from the moment of the widespread establishment of Soviet power, and after half a century it also became a day off. In the USSR, the celebration largely had a political context, since historically the event in honor of which the holiday was established was an important day in the struggle of workers for their rights. And also on March 8, 1917 (according to the old style, according to the new - February 23, 1917) from the strike of workers of St. Petersburg manufactories, into which the celebration of the International women's day the February Revolution began.

International Women's Day on March 8 is a memorable date for the UN, and the organization includes 193 states. Memorable dates, announced by the General Assembly, are designed to encourage UN members to show increased interest in these events. However, on this moment not all member states of the United Nations have approved the celebration of Women's Day in their territories on the specified date.

Below is a list of countries that celebrate International Women's Day. Countries are grouped into groups: in a number of states, the holiday is an official non-working day (day off) for all citizens, somewhere around March 8, only women have a rest, and there are states where they work on March 8.

In which countries is March 8 a public holiday (for everyone):

* In Russia- March 8 is one of the most beloved holidays, when men congratulate all women without exception.

* In Ukraine- International Women's Day continues to be an additional public holiday, despite regular proposals to remove the event from the list non-working days and replace it, for example, with Shevchenko's Day, which will be celebrated on March 9.
* In Abkhazia.
* in Azerbaijan.
* In Algeria.
* In Angola.
* In Armenia.
* In Afghanistan.
* In Belarus.
* To Burkina Faso.
* in Vietnam.
* In Guinea-Bissau.
* In Georgia.
* In Zambia.
* In Kazakhstan.
* In Cambodia.
* In Kenya.
* In Kyrgyzstan.
* In North Korea.
* In Cuba.
* In Laos.
* In Latvia.
* In Madagascar.
* In Moldova.
* In Mongolia.
* In Nepal.
* In Tajikistan Since 2009, the holiday has been renamed Mother's Day.
* In Turkmenistan.
* In Uganda.
* In Uzbekistan.
* In Eritrea.
* In South Ossetia.

Countries where March 8 is a day off for women only:

There are countries in which only women are released from work on International Women's Day. This rule has been approved:

* In China.
* In Madagascar.

Which countries celebrate March 8, but it's a working day:

In some countries, International Women's Day is widely celebrated, but is a working day. This:

* Austria.
* Bulgaria.
* Bosnia and Herzegovina.
* Germany- in Berlin since 2019, March 8 is a day off, in the whole country it is a working day.
* Denmark.
* Italy.
* Cameroon.
* Romania.
* Croatia.
* Chile.
* Switzerland.

Which countries do NOT celebrate March 8:

* In Brazil - most of the inhabitants of which have not even heard of the "international" holiday on March 8. The main event of late February - early March for Brazilians and Brazilians is not Women's Day at all, but the world's largest Brazilian festival, also called the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, according to the Guinness Book of Records. In honor of the festival, Brazilians rest for several days in a row, from Friday to noon on the Catholic Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent (which for Catholics has a movable date and begins 40 days before Catholic Easter).

* In the USA, the holiday is not an official holiday. In 1994, an attempt by activists to get the celebration approved in Congress was unsuccessful.

* In the Czech Republic (Czech Republic) - most of the country's population considers the holiday as a relic of the communist past and main character the old regime.