Parental. Parents' Saturday. Memorial days and the Orthodox calendar

We invariably show a desire to pay honor to deceased relatives and friends. It is so important to pay tribute to their memory and respect. This helps maintain the connection between generations and is prerequisite spiritual life. Very little is required of us - to know when these days will be celebrated, only in this case can we adequately prepare for them.

What is Radonitsa?

Called Radonitsa or sometimes Radunitsa, this day is one of the special holidays set aside by the church to honor the dead. Such special days (there are 8 of them in a year) are celebrated on Saturdays, which is where their name comes from - “parental Saturdays”.

However, Radonitsa stands apart in the series of these memorable days, since for the most part it almost always falls on a Tuesday. The peculiarity of this most important parent's day of the year is not only that it is celebrated on Tuesday, but also that in terms of its significance it ranks first among all memorial days.

Not assigned to Radonitsa exact date, every year the time of this day changes depending on when Easter is celebrated. You just need to count 9 days from Easter Sunday and we will get the exact date of Radonitsa. That is, in other words, this is the first Tuesday after Krasnaya Gorka (Fomina Sunday). Thus, the date of parent's day in 2017 falls on April 25.

Memorial days

In order to be able to timely honor the memory of deceased relatives and friends, taking care of their souls by reading prayers and visiting the cemetery in order to maintain order at the graves, it is simply necessary to know the exact days of commemoration. Orthodox parenting days in 2017 fall on the following dates:

Now that you know the parents’ days to visit the cemetery in 2017, you will be able to properly prepare and arrange a memorial rite worthy of your deceased relatives and friends.

Origins and meaning of Radonitsa

According to the testimony of many scientists and biblical figures, including John Chrysostom, the history of Radonitsa goes back to ancient times. Even in the times of paganism, it was a great holiday of remembrance of the dead, held on a wide scale. People, gathering on burial mounds, held a funeral feast (funeral feast) and noisy celebrations, trying to appease the souls of the deceased. IN popular consciousness this holiday is embedded so deeply that the official church, after a long time, recognized this day, elevating it to a special rank.

The meaning of this holiday is hidden in its name, which varies from person to person. Slavic peoples may sound different. These are Radovnitsa (some regions of Russia), and Mogilki, and Grobki (Ukraine), and Naviy Den (Belarus).

The joy of resurrection on special days

However, in any case, “Radonitsa” in its origin is equated to both the word “joy” and the concept of “kindred”. What kind of joy can we talk about on such a mournful day? The Church explains: when visiting the temple and graves of our ancestors on Radonitsa, we should not fall into despondency and melancholy, but rejoice for loved ones who appeared before the face of the Lord. They are now close to God and their souls rejoice, being in love and happiness.

So, why shouldn’t we, their descendants, rejoice for them by offering prayers? By putting the grave in order, we also perform a certain ritual action, symbolically meaning preparation for the resurrection of the soul.

The main thing that we must and can do on this day for deceased relatives is to devote sufficient time to prayers. If it is not possible to invite a priest to the grave to read the litiya (funeral prayer service), then you can do it yourself. It is prayers that our family and friends need, and not excessive eating and drinking alcohol. This is what the Church teaches, and this is how you need to act according to your conscience and the dictates of your heart.

Procedure and basic rules

In the morning of any parent's day, Orthodox Christians go to church, taking with them a Lenten lunch, which is donated either to the church or to poor people who are in dire need of help. After holding the funeral service, they usually go to cemeteries, where they also read prayers and clean up. Traditions such as commemorating food and drinking directly at graves are still very strong. Traditionally, this can be understood, but the church is against such actions. In principle, everyone acts according to their own concepts, but still, organizing a drunken feast at graves is not a godly thing.

Radonitsa in Rus'

By the way, in Rus', towels and tablecloths were laid out on Radonitsa right on the grave mound, and, having laid out a rich meal, the whole family enjoyed the meal. They ate and drank so much that sometimes they immediately fell asleep. The list of obligatory dishes included those painted yellow or green eggs, dry pies according to a special recipe, pancakes, porridge.

Before the start of the funeral feast, the head of the family rolled eggs along the grave and then buried one of them in the ground, as if allowing the deceased to join the Easter meal. A glass of vodka was always poured onto the grave, which is also not welcomed by the modern church. After dinner, to which the beggars were always invited and treated, they remained in the cemetery for a short time, peacefully spending time in conversations, and only then went home. In the evening, the youth organized festivities with songs, dances and fun activities.

Signs and beliefs for parent's day

among the people great value attached importance to the weather that fell on Radunitsa. We were especially looking forward to the rain.

• It was believed that the rain on this day had a special power - to preserve and prolong youth and health, beauty, prosperity, and happiness. Small children sang special songs to invite rain. If it really rained, they washed themselves with its water, exposing their face to the rain. And the girls did this in a special way, passing rainwater through a gold or silver ring in order to be beautiful and happy.
• The rain foreshadowed a year rich in harvest.
• It was strictly forbidden to plant or sow anything - this led to the possibility of losing the entire harvest.
• If the weather was warm on Radonitsa, they said “the parents breathed in the warmth.”

Now we can take a different look at the meaning of this holiday of remembrance. And by setting the right example for our children, we can hope that this tradition will be passed on further, uniting the representatives of the clan into a single whole.

The first parental memorial Saturday of 2017 is set on February 18th. On this day, the church charter provides for the performance of divine services universal meat-free Saturday. The name of this memorial day indicates the time of commemoration - the last Saturday before the holy Great Lent, on which the consumption of food of animal origin is allowed. After the Meat Week, Cheese Week begins, and then believers enter the Holy Pentecost.

During Lent in 2017, the deceased are remembered three times. The Charter reserves the Saturdays of the middle of Pentecost for this (in particular the 2nd, 3rd and 4th). The strictest Orthodox fast involves prayer not only for the personal salvation of the soul, but also the remembrance of dead people. Parental Saturdays falling on Pentecost, 2017 fall on March 11th, 18th and 25th, respectively.

One of the most famous memorial days in the world is considered Trinity Parents' Saturday. On this day in Orthodox churches All Orthodox Christians who have died since centuries are commemorated, and the cemeteries are full of people as never before. In 2017, Trinity Parents' Saturday falls on June 3 (the very next day, Sunday, the Church celebrates in honor of the feast of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity).

In the fall of 2017, a service is held Dimitrievskaya Parents' Saturday. This memorial day falls on last Saturday before the honoring of the great Christian martyr Demetrius, called Thessalonica. In 2017, Dimitrievskaya Saturday is determined by the calendar on November 4th.

It is especially worth mentioning other significant parental days in 2017 that do not fall on Saturdays. First of all, this is the commemoration of the dead in the post-Easter period. On April 25, the ninth day after Easter in 2017, it is celebrated Radonitsa- the time when after Easter joy Orthodox people They prayerfully remember the dead (always falls on Tuesday).

Another memorial date is May 9th. The date itself indicates the prayerful commemoration of soldiers and the special honor given to the heroes - participants in the Great Patriotic War. The Gospel clearly says that the highest feat of love is the sacrificial sacrifice of one’s life for the sake of one’s neighbor.

The Russian state has designated another significant day for commemorating soldiers, which has become part of church liturgical practice. February 15th warriors are remembered. This day in 1989 was marked by the withdrawal Russian troops from Afghanistan. Orthodox Church in Russia holds special memorial services on February 15th in memory of the deceased. Despite the fact that this day of the calendar is marked by the great twelfth feast of the Presentation of the Lord, in many Orthodox parishes, at the end of the liturgy, a memorial service is performed, where special petitions are inserted at the funeral litanies for the fallen internationalist soldiers.

If we are interested in when the memorial days are in 2017 in Ukraine, this means that we do not forget our relatives, who, unfortunately, are no longer with us. Like a lot Orthodox holidays every year have different date, so are these days. For help, please contact orthodox calendar. When visiting graves and churches in order to pray for deceased loved ones, we give good example to the younger generation. In this way, we do not let these traditions be forgotten, and the family connection between generations is not broken.

Days for remembrance

In order to timely remember deceased relatives, friends, acquaintances, to pray for the repose of their souls, with the help of a prayer read and a cemetery visited in order to maintain order at the grave, you need to know when exactly the memorial days are. The Orthodox Church allocates eight days for Parents' Day in 2017, namely the following Saturdays:

universal parent (January 18th);
second memorial (March 11th);
third memorial (March 18);
fourth parent's Saturday (March 25th);
radonitsa (April 25th);
memorial day for fallen soldiers (May 9);
Trinity Saturday (June 3rd);
Dmitrievskaya (October 28th).

Now knowing what date the memorial days are in 2017, you will be able to arrange a memorial dinner in a timely manner with dignity to remember kind words everyone who has already passed on to another world. Days for remembrance

Radonitsa

The day, which is called Radonitsa, is a holiday specially designated by the church to commemorate the dead. These special days fall on Saturday, hence the name “parents' Saturday.”

But Radonitsa is special among all memorial days, since it almost always falls on Tuesday. Its importance ranks first among all others.

Clearly specific date no one names it, it falls every year various numbers it all depends on the date and month when Easter is celebrated. If you want to find out the exact day when Radonitsa is in 2017, you can use church calendar, and you can calculate it yourself by adding nine days from the day when Bright Day is celebrated Christ's Resurrection. Therefore, this year we need to prepare for Radonitsa by April 25th.

What is the essence of Radonitsa

This day has been established since ancient times. During pagan times, this holiday was considered loud, despite the fact that the memory of the dead was celebrated. It was held quite loudly. People gathered at the graves and held a memorial meal, noisy feasts, thereby trying to appease the souls of the deceased. In the popular understanding, the holiday of Radonitsa gained great popularity, and the official church also recognized this day, considering it special.

The name of this action interprets its meaning, because “Radonitsa” is derivative word from "joy". Each of the Slavic peoples calls this day differently. Graves or Funerals - this is what the Ukrainians say, Navy Day - the Belarusians, Radonitsa - this is what they say in some regions of Russia.

Joy for those who have risen

Is it possible to talk about any joy on the day of mourning for the dead? The Church forbids mourning relatives and friends on such days, or missing them excessively. On the contrary, we must rejoice for them, they have become closer to God, their souls rest in joy, warmed by love and happiness.

The only way we can help our relatives after their death is to pay enough attention to prayers for them and take good care of their graves. Our relatives need our prayer, and not excessive eating of food and drinking alcoholic beverages. This is what the church teaches, and this is what our conscience should allow us to do.

What to do on parenting days

On any Saturday, Orthodox Christians go to church first in the morning, taking with them a Lenten lunch to donate to the church, or to give to low-income families. After serving the service for the repose of the soul, they go to the cemetery, where they clean the grave and read a prayer. A frequent tradition of many families is to commemorate the dead with food and alcoholic beverages at the graveside. The Church is against such an action. But everyone chooses for himself how, where and when it is better for him to remember the dead. And organizing a drunken banquet in a cemetery is, first of all, uncivilized.

Conclusion

Having learned more information about parenting days, we can look with different eyes at the meaning that this day carries. Setting the right example for your descendants that you need to take care of your relatives even after their death will help preserve traditions in the future.

In this article we will talk specifically about Parents' Day in 2017 and what date Radunitsa is. This year it falls on April 25th. In general, if we look at it in succession of years, then you just need to look for the date of the second Tuesday from the onset of Orthodox Easter.

Of course, it is not the only day during the year when Orthodox believers commemorate their parents. Despite the fact that memorial days are called “parental” days, it is not at all necessary to go to the cemetery just to honor the memory of your parents. You can visit the person you loved and miss, regardless of the degree of relationship.

It is customary to rejoice on Radunitsa

The day of April 25 is the exact date when Parents' Day will be in 2017, what date (Tuesday). This is the second Tuesday after Easter, which falls on St. Thomas week. It is interesting that “Fomina” week is called because it is dedicated to the Apostle Thomas (it was because of him that the saying “Doubter Thomas” became popular among the people).
Radunitsa falls on this Tuesday for several reasons. Firstly, if you refer to folk traditions and by the time of paganism, around this day it was customary to go to the cemetery. Supporters of this theory even claim that the name of the day comes from the word “genus”. Then, when Christianity was adopted, this day was made a day of remembrance of the dead after Easter as an important holiday.

As for modern church traditions, then, indeed, is a holiday. People are wondering when Parents' Day begins in 2017, what date, because since Easter this is the first day when you can go to the cemetery. If you are used to doing this on Easter itself or during yuletide week, then you need to change the wrong habit. On the day of Radunitsa, we rejoice at the coming of Easter together with our departed ancestors and loved ones. The second part of historians believes that the name of the holiday comes from the word “rejoice.”

Other memorial days after Easter

With Radunitsa, of course, memorial days during the Orthodox church year do not end. There will still be days when you must go to church in the morning for a service and pray for your ancestors, and then go to the cemetery to show them your respect.

We offer a calendar of parental days in 2017 (what date after Easter):
On Victory Day, the church celebrates the day of remembrance of the dead. Churches hold services in honor of people who died during wars. Especially, of course, during the Great Patriotic War. This year, All Souls Day falls on Saturday.
Before Trinity, on Saturday, there is a parenting period. This day is called: Trinity Parents' Saturday. During the service, special attention is paid to prayers. In general, this parenting day in the spring-summer period is considered the main one.
Then only in the fall, on September 11, the cemetery is visited on the eve of the Intercession holiday. At services in churches on this day they remember John the Baptist and his painful death for his faith.
The last parent's day of the year is always Dmitrievskaya Saturday. It falls on November 4, and received this name in honor of Dmitry Donskoy. On these days, during the service, special attention, just like on Victory Day, is paid to fallen soldiers.

So, during the Orthodox year there is more than one parent’s day that needs to be remembered. But, if you are looking for the date of parent Tuesday, Radunitsa, then this year 2017 it falls on April 25. Can be prepared on this day

The memory of deceased parents and sincere prayers for their souls are an important support for a believer. Taking care that the spiritual connection between the deceased and the living is not interrupted, the Church appointed days called parental Saturdays. Almost all dates of memorial days are “floating”. After all, they are tied to the great church holidays (Easter, Pentecost). The Orthodox calendar reminds us of when the memorial days of 2017 will be. There are certain patterns and rules associated with each memorial day. They will be discussed further below.

All memorial days of 2017 (calendar)

Parents' Memorial Day falls on Saturday. But this pattern is not an immutable rule. For example, Radonitsa is a holiday weekday(Tuesday). So that an inexperienced person does not have confusion in his mind, we list the days set aside by the Church for the commemoration of deceased relatives:

In the hustle and bustle modern life some people simply cannot find time to celebrate all of the listed days in a proper manner - visit church, clean up the graves of deceased relatives. It happens that on parent’s day someone needs to go on a business trip or devote all their attention to a sick child. It is important to honor the memory of the deceased at least on such significant days as Radonitsa and Ecumenical Parental Saturdays.

A little about the meaning of memorial days

“Why is the Saturday set aside by the Church for commemoration called Ecumenical?” – people often ask. Two Saturdays with this name are intended by the Church to commemorate all deceased ancestors and all brothers in faith.

The first Saturday with the name “Ecumenical” falls on the eighteenth of February. The second memorial Saturday is close to Trinity (people will pray for deceased relatives and clean up their graves on the third of June). On these serious days, a believer should visit church, pray, and give alms to those who need it.

Another important holiday (we will celebrate it nine days after Easter) is Radonitsa. When figuring out when memorial days are in 2017 in Ukraine, most people will immediately remember this majestic and joyful holiday. This is not surprising: the Slavs celebrated Radonitsa on a special scale back in the era of paganism. The Orthodox Church has ennobled this day, giving it a more restrained tone. But even now Radonitsa is considered more a joyful holiday than a mournful one. After all, the souls of our deceased relatives are in better world, who is alien to injustice. This means that there is no point in groaning sorrowfully, remembering those we loved.

What you need to do on parent's day

What is advisable to do on Parents' Saturday:

• Visiting church. While in church, submit a note in memory of your deceased parents.
• A trip to the cemetery. At the graves of relatives, you should first pray. Then don’t forget to clean up the grave: pull out the dried grass, take dried flowers and everything that is no longer needed at the grave to a special place.
• Treating people in need.

Funeral meal: what should be prepared

When thinking about the dishes that you will prepare for the funeral, it is worth considering what significance this or that memorial day carries in itself in 2017, what date it is celebrated. If the day you are interested in falls on fasting, you will have to give up meat.

Let us remind you what dishes are traditional for memorial days:

What should you give up on your funeral day?

Having learned when the memorial days are in 2017, Orthodox Christians check with church ministers what actions are incompatible with the atmosphere of commemoration of relatives. On Parents' Saturday, refrain from such “provocations”:

1. Conflicts, gossip.
2. Violent manifestations of melancholy (wailing, nervous breakdown).
3. Excessive consumption of wine. Let us remind you that ideally there should be no vodka at all in the cemetery and on funeral tables.

Additionally