Parents' Saturday. Memorial days and the Orthodox calendar. Ecumenical Parents' Saturday - what to do and how to properly remember deceased relatives

In Christianity there are certain days of remembrance of the dead, they are called Parental Saturdays. For what reason these days were named so, no one knows for sure. There are several versions of the origin of the name, the first says that on the day when deceased people are remembered, a person first of all remembers those closest to him.

If parents are no longer alive, then naturally they are the first to be remembered. The second theory says that when a Christian goes to another world, that is, dies, he returns to his forefathers. In other words, after death on Earth, he meets with his deceased father and mother, grandfathers and grandmothers. Saturday was chosen for a reason; it has always been considered the busiest day among the other days of the week.

What date is Parents' Day in 2018, 5 Parents' Saturdays

There are 5 Parental Saturdays in the Orthodox Church. Meat-free universal Parental Saturday, on this day Orthodox believers ask God for mercy to all departed Christians. Trinity Ecumenical Parental Saturday - before the day of the Holy Trinity, on the 49th day after Easter.

Private parents' day, this Saturday, according to Christian tradition, deceased parents are remembered in the Russian, Bulgarian and Serbian Orthodox churches. Similar days include Mikhailovskaya, Dmitrievskaya and Intercession Saturdays.

Parental 2nd, 3rd, 4th Saturdays during Great Lent exist in order not to deprive the deceased of prayers for their repose throughout Great Lent, since during this period, according to Christian regulations, the usual commemorations of the deceased are canceled.

What date is Parents' Day in 2018, exact dates

According to Christian customs, the graves of deceased relatives must be kept in order and cleanliness. This is a sign of respect. But leaving food and alcoholic drinks on graves is not permissible. In Orthodoxy, such actions are considered desecration of the souls of deceased Christians. It is recommended to give food to the poor or distribute it with a request to commemorate a certain person who is no longer alive.

Dates for Parents' Saturdays in 2018:

In Orthodoxy, it is customary to show concern for the souls of deceased loved ones. This phenomenon is an integral part of Christianity as a whole, since this religion is one of the spiritual teachings that preach life after death and, in general, spiritual immortality.

It is also known that in Christianity there is a ban on commemorating deceased suicides. This means that they are not buried as those who died against their will, and also church ministers do not have the right to perform memorial prayers for them. With the blessing of a clergyman, relatives of suicides can pray for them on their own.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But extra tears are not welcome on this day. Bright memory, the best memories and kind words addressed to the departed are the best memory of them.

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

TO THE POINT

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

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

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

Parental Saturdays in Orthodoxy

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

Orthodox calendar with memorial dates for 2018

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

Correct behavior on funeral days

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

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

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

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

Sayings and signs on Parents' Saturdays

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

As for signs, there are even more of them.

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

, in 2019 coming on March 2 is one of the special days when a service is held in all churches to commemorate departed Christians. The prayerful sighs of the living for the departed are a precious gift for both.

Service for the remembrance of departed Christians

According to one of the poets, there are no non-believers in heaven, souls acquire faith. The task of all living people is to unite in the universal petition sounding in churches at this time for the repose of the departed servants of God. Being in Heaven, deceased souls see our faith from above, even those who were once ardent fighters against religion.

The second name of this day is Meat Saturday, when “farewell” to meat dishes occurs until Easter.

What is the essence of parental universal Saturday

7 days before Lent, a week begins dedicated to thinking about the Last Judgment. In prayer, Orthodox people, in unity of faith, in a common petition, pray to God for mercy for all the departed and forgiveness of the sins of the living.

Why do we always remember the dead on Saturday?

The answer is found in the Bible (Matthew 27:57-66). Jesus was buried in the rock on Friday, but on Saturday the Pharisees and scribes demanded that the entrance to the tomb be sealed so that the disciples would not steal the body to proclaim the resurrection by deception. For Jews, Saturday has always been and remains a day of rest. So the body of Jesus remained in peace until the true Resurrection.

Why is Saturday called parental Saturday?

On this day, the elders of the clan, mother, father and parents are remembered. Also, it is generally accepted that all the deceased go to their ancestors to meet them in heaven.

Respect for parents runs like a thread throughout the Bible. The 10 Commandments say honor your father and mother. This is the fifth commandment. It is not stated here that only the good and the living.

About the commandments of God:

Throughout their lives, children should remember, honor and remember those through whom God gave them life.

Fifth Commandment of God's Law

People's days on earth are not limited to their own lives. Human life is extended through children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Returning to the fifth commandment of God, we can see that every person is responsible to his children and grandchildren for their longevity.

Children must be raised to honor their parents, not for the sake of their father and mother, but for the sake of their future life. Failure to fulfill the commandments is a sin; honoring parents is higher than the commandment “thou shalt not kill.”

Are there many Orthodox Christians in the world who live according to God’s commandments? How many people among us truly honor our parents? Sin leads to not only physical death; the Last Judgment awaits every person. Honor your father and mother before and after death, and you, your children and grandchildren will be granted a life of abundance according to the promise of God.

But parents must also remember that they need to raise their children correctly. Honoring your parents does not mean indulging them in any whim. Just as there are ungrateful children who do not value their elderly parents at all, there are also parents whose behavior and attitude towards their children has led to a reluctance to communicate and help. This is always a mutual process, the result of which depends on both parties.

On Christian parenting:

Ecumenical Parents' Saturday is the day of remembrance of all those who have died, because they went to their ancestors. Out of great love for mankind, the apostles left the instruction to perform universal universal prayers for everyone, regardless of who, when and where died.

Why do Orthodox Christians pray for the dead?

According to the Holy Fathers of the Church, the human soul meets Eternity, but this is not the end, then the Last Judgment. The soul of the deceased undergoes only a small trial, awaiting the Second Coming of Christ. Living on earth, a person, through fasting and prayer, taming his body, can correct his sins; the dead have only a soul, which is very difficult to correct.

But the Apostle James gave instructions to all Orthodox Christians to pray for each other in order to receive healing. (James 5:16)

Prayer for the dead

Memorial Saturday is a universal prayer for the healing of the souls of the departed, deceased, or in other words, fallen asleep people, liberating them from original sin. The triune principle of a person consists of spirit, soul and body, but the deceased have a soul and spirit, only a physical body is missing. By praying for those who have passed into another world, Orthodox Christians help them receive God's mercy - forgiveness of sins for the salvation of their souls.

The philosopher Plato compares the body to a violin case; a broken string does not mean the death of a musician.

A person dying does not know where his soul is going. The surviving people cannot imagine this either. The child, being inside the mother, cannot imagine life outside the mother’s womb, but the time comes, the baby appears with a cry. Of course, he is uncomfortable and scared; he finds himself in a different, initially seemingly hostile environment. Time passes, the child understands that he is welcome here, they were waiting for him, he gains a feeling of comfort.

So the human soul ends up in another world, it is doomed to immortality. A deceased person cannot repent or change anything in his sinful earthly life. Time doesn't go backwards. The remaining grieving relatives, friends and simply acquaintances in prayers for the deceased can ease their fate in Heaven.

One of God’s gifts for making petitions for the dead was given the Ecumenical Parental Saturday before Great Lent.

There is no death, there is a transition from earthly life to heavenly existence, there is a kind of door that always opens in one direction.

On Meatless Saturday, all the dead, starting from Adam, are remembered, which is why this day is called universal.

Basic rules of conduct on Ecumenical Memorial Saturday

The morning of Ecumenical Saturday begins with Proskomedia, a funeral liturgy, after which a general memorial service is served. Before the start of Proskomedia, Christians submit notes with the names of the dead who were baptized according to Orthodox traditions. They are prayed for by name during all services.

Relatives can pray for unbaptized people themselves.

Notes cannot be submitted for the deceased:

• suicides;
• unbaptized;
• atheists;
• heretics.

Without naming their names, beggars are asked to remember such deceased people by giving them alms.

Important! During prayer, candles are placed near the Crucifixion, and not near the icons of Saints.

During Meat Eating Day, the dead are remembered during meals. On this day, Psalm 118 is read (kathisma 17)

Psalm 118 Blessed are the blameless on their journey on Ecumenical Memorial Saturday

Special All Souls' Day in church

In addition to Meat, the second, third and fourth Saturdays of Great Lent are a time of remembrance and prayer for the deceased. The Fathers of the Church emphasize the great mission of Christians to give love to the world, for God is love! If God has no dead, all souls are alive, then our calling is to love them, forgive and bless them.

The commemoration of the dead begins on Friday evening, when a memorial service or parastas will be performed. The Great Friday requiem or parastas (intercession) is a great petition before God for all those who have died.

“The continuation of the parastas, that is, the great requiem, for our departed fathers and brothers and for all Orthodox Christians who have passed away”

The beginning of the parastas is the same as an ordinary memorial service (which is an abbreviated parastas).

After Alleluia and troparions, “In the depth of wisdom” the immaculate ones are sung.

The blameless are divided into 2 sections.

First article: “Blessed, immaculate, on your way.”

Chorus: “Remember, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant” (or “the soul of Thy servant”, or “the soul of Thy servant”).

After the first article there is a small funeral litany and an exclamation: “God of spirits...”.

Second article: “I am yours, save me.”

Chorus: “Rest, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant” (or “the soul of Thy servant,” or “the soul of Thy servant”).

Immediately after this, troparia for the immaculates are sung:

“Blessed are you, O Lord...

You will find the holy face the source of life...”

After the troparia and in the small funeral litany the rest of the sedal is sung: “Peace, our Savior”, the 50th psalm is read and the canon “The water has passed through” is sung - its capstone: “I sing to the dying faithful” (placed in the Octoechos, tone 8, on Saturday).

Choruses to the canon: “Wonderful is God in His saints, the God of Israel” and “Rest, O Lord, for the souls of Thy servants who have fallen asleep.”

According to the 3rd song, katavasiya is irmos: “The circle of heaven,” and sedalen: “Truly all is vanity.”

According to the 6th song of Katavasia Irmos: “Cleanse me, Savior.”

After the small funeral litany - kontakion and ikos: “Rest with the saints” and “Thou art alone, the Immortal One.”

According to the 8th song, the priest makes an exclamation: “Theotokos and Mother of Light...”.

Chorus: “The spirits and souls of the righteous...” and Irmos: “Be afraid of every hearing.”

After canon the Trisagion according to Our Father is read and the troparia of the lithium are sung: “With the spirits of the righteous who have passed away, the soul (or souls) of Thy servant (Thy servant), O Savior, give rest...” and so on.

During the Saturday Liturgy, words of consolation are heard, giving hope for a future meeting in Heaven.

All those present in the church during the Liturgy are covered by the real grace of God, showing that Christ lives in His worshipers, and we are one body with Him, this is the secret of His Divine Love.

Divine Liturgy. Ecumenical parental (meat-free) Saturday

At the end of the Liturgy, Orthodox people take communion, receiving the Grace of Holy Communion. According to Saint Seraphim of Sarov, those who did not receive holy communion on this day turned away from the One who gave us Love in the Cup of salvation, which God’s hand extended.

Prayer for the departed

Rest, O Lord, the souls of Your departed servant: 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.

When and by whom was the Ecumenical Memorial Saturday established?

The history of commemorating the deceased goes back to the distant past. Confirmation of this ritual can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible (Num. 20:19; Deut. 34:9; Mac. 7:38-46).

The apostles James and Mark performed prayers for the deceased during ancient liturgies. The Apostolic Constitutions clearly indicate on which days those who have passed on to another world are commemorated. The Fathers of the Church, among them Gregory the Great and John Chrysostom, revealed the true meaning of funeral prayers.

The tradition of praying for your deceased parents and relatives is inherent in every people on earth. The patricians, respected in Rome, differed from the rootless plebeians not only in their wealth, but primarily in that they knew and remembered their ancestors many generations ago.

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthian church writes that there is no one on earth who could foretell what God has prepared in Heaven for those who love Him.

Christian doctrine says that human perfection occurs only on earth. The Divine Liturgy read by the Great Dismissal gives hope to all living, emphasizing that Christ, through the prayers of His Mother Mary, grants us salvation, for Christ is a lover of mankind.

The people who remain on earth will never learn the secrets about the afterlife of the Saints, they will not find answers to why their bodies do not smolder and how incense emanates from a dead body. It is the duty of every Orthodox Christian to provide assistance to the departed. Universal petition has great power to untie ties in Heaven. Meat-eating Saturday was established in the fifth century by order of the Monk Sava the Sanctified.

Icon of Sava the Sanctified

Why is Kolivo prepared for Ecumenical Memorial Saturday?

When holding a memorial service or litia, they bring kolivo or kutia to the temple. This is one dish made from wheat (sometimes I replace it with rice) with the addition of honey and raisins. The grain is a prototype of the deceased person. Just as a grain dies to form an ear, so the body of the deceased is buried in the earth so that his soul can be resurrected in paradise, where life will be sweet as honey.

Recipe for funeral kutia

To prepare coliva you will need peeled wheat, which should be soaked overnight in cold water before cooking. Add clean water to the swollen grains in a ratio of 1:3 and cook until tender. Add raisins soaked in boiling water and salt to taste to the finished porridge. When the porridge with raisins becomes warm, add honey.

Unlike the rich Christmas kutia with many ingredients, poppy seeds, nuts and dried fruits are not added to the hungry kolivo.

Preparing a funeral meal

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

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

Ecumenical Parents' Saturdays

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

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

Five other parenting Saturdays

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

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

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

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

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

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

Features of parenting Saturdays

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

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

In former times, it was customary for believing parishioners to bring Lenten dishes for the common table in the church, where they could remember deceased relatives dear to their hearts. This tradition has been preserved, only on a smaller scale.

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

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

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

How to spend All Souls' Day

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

On days of special remembrance of the dead, it is very important to think about what death is, perhaps to rethink your own life and relationships with loved ones, and try to come to terms with all controversial issues.

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

Children's prayer for deceased parents

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

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

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

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