Dmitrievskaya parent's Saturday: traditions and prohibitions of this day. Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday: what needs to be done on this day - Panopticon

On the last Saturday before November 8, the Day of Remembrance of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki, it is customary for Orthodox Christians to remember deceased relatives.

In 2017 parent's Saturday moved to October 28 due to the coincidence with the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (November 4).

The Observer decided to find out what traditions should be observed on this day.

Dmitrievskaya Saturday is the last memorial day of the year, when deceased ancestors were remembered.

history of the holiday

The tradition of commemorating the dead on the Saturday before the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki was established by Prince Dmitry Donskoy after the Battle of the Kulikovo Field. The Battle of Kulikovo ended on Christmas Day Holy Mother of God September 8, 1380, after which Prince Dimitri Ioannovich visited the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. At the Trinity Monastery they commemorated the Orthodox soldiers who fell in the Battle of Kulikovo, with a funeral service and a common meal.

Archbishop Dimitri believed that Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday replaced the pagan funeral feasts that previously existed among the Slavs. Trizna is part of the pagan funeral rite of the Eastern Slavs, which consisted of songs, dances, feasts and military competitions in honor of the deceased. The funeral feast was performed near the burial site after the burning of the deceased. Later, this term was used as a synonym for the “wake” ritual.

Traditions, or what to do on this day

Since the beginning of the 20th century, Dmitrov Saturday was celebrated very solemnly: they went to the graves of their deceased relatives and served memorial services here, and made rich offerings to the clergy. Women wailed at the graves of their parents and closest relatives.

On the Saturday before Dmitriev's Day in Rus', a “farewell wake” was celebrated for the deceased. In central Polesie, funerals on Friday were fasting and were called “grandfathers”, and on Saturday they were fast and called “baba”. Dmitrov week is called parental and grandfather's week. In Lithuania and Belarus this day was called the “Feast of the Goat”, where the goat player, guslar, priest and singer took precedence.

On Dmitrievskaya Saturday It was customary to bake ritual pies, take them to the graves and leave them for the souls of the departed.

On Saturday night, Serbs, Montenegrins and Macedonians put bread, blessed water and wine on the table, because they believed that the souls of the dead would come at midnight. Among the Catholic neighbors (Croats and Slovenes), it was customary to go to the graves of their ancestors and light candles on them, bringing drink and food for the dead. In Serbia and Montenegro, small breads were baked for the dead, different in shape for men and women.

Like any memorial day, Dmitrov Saturday is celebrated with memorial services, funeral prayers, visits to cemeteries and special memorial meals. The folk tradition of Dmitrov Saturday also imprinted the former pre-Christian customs of the Slavs associated with the cult of ancestors. So, for example, in addition to church funeral prayers, on the eve of Saturday it was customary to leave clean water and new brooms for the souls of the departed. In a similar way, a specially prepared dinner was left on the table at night so that the visiting ancestors could be satisfied. Treats for the deceased were also taken to the cemetery. In general, the very scope and scale of the celebration on this day in Rus' testifies to the merging of two traditions - the pagan holiday of ancestors and the Christian day of remembrance of the dead.

In modern tradition, on this day Orthodox Christians first attend a service in the church, and then go to the graves of the dead, where they commemorate the deceased.

The day before, on Friday evening, the so-called Parastas is served in churches - a memorial evening service. And on Saturday itself, in the morning, a funeral liturgy with a memorial service takes place. As donations on this day, it is customary to take food to the temple, with the exception of strong alcoholic drinks and meat.

Please note that Dimitrievskaya Saturday is the last parents' Saturday in 2017. Next Parents' Saturday is February 10, 2018.

News

Dimitrievskaya Parents' Saturday is the closest Saturday before the day of remembrance of St. Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki (October 26 / November 8). To primarily commemorate people dear to us personally, there are other parental Saturdays, including Dimitrievskaya Parental Saturday, which was originally intended to commemorate the soldiers who fell in the Battle of Kulikovo, but gradually became a general memorial day.

Parents Saturday, what is it?

Parents' Saturday - on Orthodox tradition a day of special remembrance of deceased Orthodox Christians, and especially of their deceased parents. Canonical days for visiting the graves of ancestors and other relatives, where memorial services are held. The days of special remembrance of the dead in the Orthodox Church are five parental Saturdays: Meat-free universal parental Saturday (Saturday 2 weeks before Lent); Trinity Ecumenical Parental Saturday (Saturday before the Holy Trinity, on the 49th day after Easter); parents' 2nd Saturday of Great Lent; parents' 3rd Saturday of Great Lent; parents' 4th Saturday of Great Lent.

Big Parents' Saturday in October 2017: when will it be

Dimitrievskaya Parents' Saturday in 2017 falls not in November, as is usually the case, but at the very end of October. In 2017, Parents' Saturday was moved to October 28 due to the coincidence with the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (November 4).

The Day of Remembrance of the Dead on Saturday on the eve of the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica (November 8, new style) was established after the bloody battle on the Kulikovo Field, which took place on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1380. First, on this day they prayed for the repose of those at the cost of whose lives the victory was won. Over time, Dimitrievskaya Saturday became the day when all Christians “dead from time immemorial (from the beginning of time)” are remembered.

As on other parental Saturdays, the funeral Liturgy and requiem service are celebrated in the morning. The night before, the Great Requiem Service - Parastas - is celebrated. The translation of this word from Greek - “anticipation”, “intercession” - reflects the meaning and significance of parental Saturdays for believers. People whose earthly journey has ended can no longer correct their mistakes and repent of their sins, but the living can ask the Lord for mercy for them. Every day Christians pray for their deceased loved ones, and 7 times a year the entire Russian Orthodox Church turns to God, interceding for all its deceased children.

When is the next Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday?

Dimitrievskaya Saturday is the last parents' Saturday in 2017. Next Parents' Saturday is February 10, 2018.

Big Parents' Saturday in October 2017: what not to do

On this day it is forbidden to scold the deceased. You should remember only good things about them, otherwise you may anger their soul.

Also, during remembrance, you should not laugh or sing songs. Despite the fact that the holiday is not of a mourning nature, do not forget that on this day you remember loved ones who are no longer among the living. Therefore, fun will be inappropriate.

Big Parents' Saturday in October 2017: what to do on Parents' Saturday

Parents' Saturdays are days of special remembrance of the dead, when with our prayers we can provide great help to our family and friends who have passed on from earthly life. Five of them are reserved for commemorating deceased relatives, two more and the memorial services performed at the same time are called ecumenical. Parental Saturdays require observance certain rules which all believers should know.

On Demetrius Saturday, as on other memorial Saturdays, they visit the temple, where funeral services and memorial services are held, light a candle and pray. As on many parental Saturdays, on this one it is customary to help the poor and needy. It is believed that Dmitrievskaya Saturday is the time when winter replaces autumn, so you need to finish all preparations for frost before this day. Traditionally, on the eve of Saturday, people go to the bathhouse. It was believed that if someone had not gotten married before this day, they would not get married this year, since severe frosts were coming. And if it’s cold and snowing on Dmitry, spring will be late and cold, but if there’s a thaw, spring will be warm.

It is believed that Dmitrievskaya Saturday is the time when winter replaces autumn, so you need to finish all preparations for frost before this day. Traditionally, on the eve of Saturday, people go to the bathhouse. It was believed that if someone had not gotten married before this day, they would not get married this year, since severe frosts were coming. And if it’s cold and snowing on Dmitry, spring will be late and cold, but if there’s a thaw, spring will be warm.

According to ancient custom, on parental Saturdays it was customary to eat kutya - an obligatory dish for the 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. True, today few people follow it.

This memorial service falls on the Saturday preceding the memory of St. Vmch. Demetrius of Thessalonica - patron saint of the prince. Dmitry Donskoy, at whose suggestion, after the Battle of Kulikovo, an annual commemoration of soldiers was established.

Big Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday in 2017, what date

It happens that parents' memorial Saturdays coincide with others Orthodox holidays, therefore, to avoid confusion, memorial days are postponed to another date. What Christians are warned about in advance.

This year, Dmitrievskaya Saturday also coincides with another holiday. November 4 is celebrated as Kazan Day Mother of God, so the memorial Saturday was moved a week earlier and will be celebrated on October 28.

Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday, as celebrated

October 28 is the last memorial parental Saturday of the year, Dimitrievskaya, according to the secular calendar established by Peter I, and according to the Church calendar Gregorian calendar, which begins the church year on September 1 (14), is the first parental Saturday of the year.

Each day of the week in the Orthodox Church is dedicated to a special memory. Saturday is dedicated to the memory of all Saints and deceased. The Holy Church prays every Saturday for its deceased members and asks God for eternal peace for them after a sorrowful earthly life. In addition to daily prayers and prayers on Saturdays, there are separate days of the year, mainly dedicated to prayers for the deceased - parental days.

On these special memorial Saturdays, the Church calls on the living to come to church to make a special prayer for their departed relatives, and on ecumenical Saturdays, the Church prays for the repose of all who have ever lived on earth, all Christians who have died from time immemorial.

In the liturgical circle of the Russian Orthodox Church, Ecumenical memorial parental Saturdays are noted: Meat, three Lenten parental Saturdays, Trinity parental Saturday. Two memorial Saturdays, Radonitsa and Dimitrievskaya, arose on Russian soil, and are not Ecumenical.

There is also a commemoration of deceased soldiers on the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist on September 11, and on May 9, on Victory Day, our Holy Church commemorates “all the soldiers who were killed on the battlefield for the Faith and Fatherland, who laid down their lives.”

Dmitrovskaya Parents' Saturday in 2017 in Russia

Among the Slavs, memorial days in the national calendar do not coincide with “Parents' Saturdays” church calendar; Not all “parental Saturdays” of the church calendar are celebrated among the people. It was customary to remember “parents” on the eve of the birth. big holidays: before Shrovetide, before Trinity, before the Intercession and before Dmitrov's day. In Polesie, this list was supplemented by Michaelmas Saturday and memorial Fridays. Among the Eastern Slavs, the main calendar memorial days in many places were considered: Radonitsa, Trinity Saturday, Dmitrievskaya Saturday.

Parents Saturday, what is it?

Parents' Saturday is a day of special remembrance of the departed in the Orthodox tradition. Orthodox Christians, and above all, their deceased parents. Canonical days for visiting the graves of ancestors and other relatives, where memorial services are held. The days of special remembrance of the dead in the Orthodox Church are five parental Saturdays: Meat-free universal parental Saturday (Saturday 2 weeks before Lent); Trinity Ecumenical Parental Saturday (Saturday before the Holy Trinity, on the 49th day after Easter); parents' 2nd Saturday of Great Lent; parents' 3rd Saturday of Great Lent; parents' 4th Saturday of Great Lent.

Orthodox traditions of Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday

Those Christian believers who clearly adhere to church canons, come to church services on Friday evening before parental Saturday. At this time, a great funeral service, or parastas, takes place. All troparia, stichera, chants and parastas readings are dedicated to prayer for the dead. On the morning of the memorial Saturday itself, the funeral Divine Liturgy is celebrated in churches, after which a general memorial service is held.

To remember your deceased relatives in church, you need to prepare notes in advance with the names of the deceased. In the note, in large block letters, you must write the names of those who should be remembered. All names must be in church spelling and in the genitive case. It is customary to bring to the temple as a donation lean products- bread, sweets, fruits, vegetables. But meat products or alcohol (except Cahors) are not allowed to be donated.

On Dmitrievskaya Parental Saturday, all Christian believers visit the graves of their deceased relatives, memorial services and funeral litias are held in temples, churches and cemeteries, and funeral meals are held.

The morning of Demetrius Saturday must begin with visiting church and praying for the repose of the souls of deceased Christians. Unlike other parental days, Dmitrievskaya Saturday also carries a special meaning: established after the Battle of Kulikovo, it reminds us of all those who died and suffered for the Orthodox faith. If it is not possible to visit a temple or cemetery, you can pray for the repose of the deceased in home prayer.

Great parenting in 2017, do's and don'ts

Prayer for the departed

Rest, O Lord, the souls of Your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven. During church service, Orthodox people remember by name many generations of their deceased ancestors.

What to do on Parents' Saturday

Parents' Saturdays are days of special remembrance of the dead, when with our prayers we can provide great help to our family and friends who have passed on from earthly life. Five of them are reserved for commemorating deceased relatives, two more and the memorial services performed at the same time are called ecumenical. Parental Saturdays require the observance of certain rules that all believers should be aware of.

What to do in Church on Parents' Saturday

Believers often ask priests the question: what to bring to church on Parents' Saturday and what other important actions need to be performed in church. Before the start of the service, you must submit a note with the names of deceased relatives. Notes of repose can be submitted on those days when the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom or St. Basil the Great is served. These are: Saturdays and Sundays, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Thursday and Saturday of Holy Week.

After this, you can put candles for them on the funeral table, and then, listening to church hymns, sincerely pray for the departed. You can use this a short prayer: “O Lord, rest the soul of your deceased servant (name), and forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Parents' Saturday in Church

In memory of loved ones, it is also customary to give alms and do good deeds. Believers who do not have large funds can donate food. During the days of Great Lent, which also falls on Parents' Saturday, Lenten foods and Cahors are brought to the temple. It is customary to leave them on a special table, which stands either in front of or behind the funeral table. Read more about the rules of Lent in the Lent Calendar section.

Please note that it is not accepted to bring strong alcoholic drinks, such as vodka or cognac, as a donation.

If desired and possible, you can order a memorial service and after the prayers are completed, you are allowed to visit the cemetery, tidy up the grave, replace the flowers, thereby showing that you are preserving the memory of your loved one.

How to spend the rest of the day on Parents' Saturday and is it possible to clean up? Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko for the online publication “Orthodoxy and Peace” answers this question this way: the ban on cleaning the house on this day is nothing more than superstition, the day, of course, needs to start with visiting the temple, performing prayers, visiting the cemetery, and then If necessary, you can perform your usual household chores.

Another important question, which worries believers - is it possible to baptize a child on parental Saturday? Hegumen Alexy (Vladivostok diocese) and other priests of the Russian Orthodox Church remind us of a simple rule - you can baptize a child on all days without restrictions.

In Orthodoxy there are specially designated days for visiting cemeteries and commemorating the dead. There are only a few of them, so you need to keep a close eye on them and not miss them.

Several parental Saturdays fall during Lent. Demetrius Saturday is dedicated to the memory of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica and the feast of the Kazan Mother of God. It often happens that parental Saturdays coincide with their corresponding holidays, so funeral Saturday can be transferred.

Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday in 2017

In 2017, Dmitrievskaya Saturday falls on November 4, but due to the fact that the day of the Kazan Mother of God is celebrated on this date, Saturday will be moved to 28 of October. This year the rules will not change - churches throughout Russia will commemorate those who died for their country. This is a day of remembrance of deceased heroes and warriors. This parental Saturday is inseparably connected with Dmitry Donskoy and the Battle of Kulikovo.

Dmitrievskaya Saturday requires love for one's neighbor. This is the day when people who have left us are remembered only with love. Some people mistakenly believe that parents' Saturdays are dedicated only to remembering relatives, but this is not so. On October 28, all those who suddenly passed away will be remembered.

Traditions of Dmitrievskaya Saturday

Go to the temple to pray. Be sure to visit the church to confess and light a candle for the repose loved one. If you have the opportunity, visit a cemetery to clean up the gravesites of your deceased relatives.

Read prayers for the dead at home if you do not have the opportunity to visit the temple. Here is one of best prayers:“Our Father, accept God’s servant (name) into your kingdom, forgive sins and all the evil committed during life, because everything is Your holy will. Open the gates of Your Kingdom for all who are worthy of Your forgiveness. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Also on Dmitrievskaya Parent Saturday, October 28, you can read the prayer “I Believe” if you feel that you need to repent of your sins. It would be even better to simply visit the temple of God to take communion and confess.

What to do on Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday

In Rus' it was believed that this day marks the transition from autumn to winter. Severe frosts began, for which people prepared in advance. Despite the fact that many tried to complete their work on the farm even before Intercession on October 14, some for some reason did not have time to do this, and then they tried to complete the preparations before Dmitrievskaya Saturday.

The funeral meal is held after the service. On Dmitrievskaya Saturday, it is customary to set a rich table, which must include dishes that your deceased loved ones loved during their lifetime. The most important dish on the table was pies: the housewife had to prepare a lot of pastries with different fillings. In ancient times it was believed that this could appease and please the deceased.

During the funeral meal, it was necessary to place a separate clean plate on the table, where each relative put one spoon of his food. This dish was left overnight so that the deceased could come and eat with his family.

Before parents' Saturday, on Friday, the hostess after dinner must clear everything from the table and lay out a clean tablecloth. Then re-set the table and place freshly prepared dishes. Thus, in ancient times, the deceased was called to the table.

On Dmitrievskaya Parental Saturday, the family of the deceased should remember only good things about him, share warm memories that are associated with the deceased. This way you let the soul of the deceased know that you still remember and love him.

Despite the fact that during many church events it is strictly forbidden to do household chores, this does not apply to Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday. On the contrary, on this day you should do a general cleaning and then wash yourself. Our ancestors certainly left in the bathhouse fresh broom and clean water for the deceased to appease the soul of the deceased. The most important thing is that your household chores do not interfere with attending church.

On Parents' Saturday it is customary to go to the cemetery. The grave of the deceased needs to be put in order and cleaned. After this, pray for the repose of his soul.

On St. Demetrius Saturday, it is customary to feed the poor so that they pray for the soul of your deceased relative.

What not to do on Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday

On this day it is forbidden to scold the deceased. You should remember only good things about them, otherwise you may anger their soul.

It is believed that it is strictly forbidden to remember the dead alcoholic drinks. However, if there is such a tradition in your family, then try to do it in moderation. The souls of the deceased may become angry due to drunkenness during the funeral meal.

If your deceased relative committed suicide or was not a believer during his lifetime, then you will not be able to remember him in church and light a candle for the repose of his soul. In this case, you can pray for him at home.

It is probably difficult for each of us to come to terms with the death of our loved ones, but their soul is always with us. In order for our loved ones to feel peace in the other world, it is necessary to read memorial prayers for the deceased.

The Orthodox calendar is an obligatory and integral part of the life of believers.
By looking into it, you can find out the dates of Lent and holidays, the days of parental Saturday, and also plan your schedule for the next year - working days, weekends, planting days, fasting days and memorial days.

Parents' Saturdays in 2018 have clearly established dates. If you don’t have time to go to church and light a candle, then you should definitely go to the graves of the departed. Deliver flowers, clean up and pay respects.

There are not many parent's Saturdays throughout the year, but they allow us to stop in the daily bustle and remember, at least for a minute, about those people who were and remain very dear to us. It is important to have the whole meaning of Lent in your heart and limit yourself to weaknesses.

November 3, 2018 - Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday. The holiday is named in honor of Demetrius of Thessalonica, the holy great martyr. This day was originally set aside to commemorate the deceased soldiers who fought at the Battle of Kulikovo.

Now Dmitrievskaya Parental Saturday is a day of remembrance of all deceased Orthodox Christians.

Every Orthodox Christian sacredly honors church holidays and spends time in prayer. They open their souls to the Lord, cleanse their consciousness and help them take the righteous path.

Words coming from the heart always find a response in Heaven, so the place for prayer words does not play a huge role. You can pray at home in front of holy images, by candlelight, or simply in a moment of weakness and doubt.

What to do on Parents' Day

Enough a large number of People visit relatives and friends at the cemetery on Easter. Many, unfortunately, adhere to the blasphemous custom of accompanying visits to the dead with drunken wild revelry. And those who do not do this very often do not even know when on Easter days they can (and should) remember the dead.

The first commemoration of the deceased after Easter takes place on the second Easter week (week), after St. Thomas Sunday, on Tuesday.

And the widespread tradition of going to the cemetery on the Easter holiday itself sharply contradicts the institutions of the Church: before the ninth day from Easter, commemoration of the dead cannot be performed. If a person passes into another world on Easter, then he is buried according to a special Easter rite.

Like many Orthodox clergy, priest Valery Chislov, rector of the Church of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Dormition Cemetery in Chelyabinsk, warns against rash actions and other actions committed out of ignorance on the feast of Radonitsa:

“It should be remembered that a cemetery is a place where one should behave with reverence. It is sad to see how some people drink vodka there and sing worldly songs. Someone is crumbling on burial mound bread and eggs, alcohol pours. Sometimes they get into a real riot.

All this is more reminiscent of pagan funeral feasts and is unacceptable for Christians. If we already took food to the cemetery, it is better to distribute it to the poor. Let them pray for our departed, and then the Lord may send some consolation to our relatives.”

When you come to the cemetery on the feast of Radonitsa, you need to light a candle and perform litia (pray intensely). To perform litia during the commemoration of the dead, a priest should be invited. You can also read the Akathist about the repose of the dead. Then you need to clean up the grave, be silent for a while, remembering the deceased.

There is no need to drink or eat in a cemetery, it is unacceptable to pour alcohol on a grave mound - these actions insult the memory of the dead.

The tradition of leaving a glass of vodka with bread on a grave is a relic of pagan culture and should not be observed in Christian Orthodox families. It is better to give food to the poor or hungry.

Calendar of parental Saturdays in 2018

Calendar Parents' days and Saturdays in 2018