Pokrovsk Parents' Saturday October 10, 2021: what you can and cannot do

Each person has his own days of commemoration for deceased relatives and dear people, coinciding in date with the days of their death. Usually, on the anniversary of the death of a relative, it is customary to visit a temple, go to the cemetery to the grave, and set the table at home with a memorial meal.

Also, the Orthodox Church holds church-wide commemorations of deceased Christians nine times in 2021. According to ancient church tradition, days of remembrance of the dead are most often held on Saturday, with the exception, for example, of Radonitsa, celebrated 9 days after Easter, on Tuesday. Such dates are called parental days or parental Saturdays and are written in the church calendar. It should be noted that the dates of parental Saturdays change annually, in accordance with moving church holidays, which in turn are related in date to the day of Orthodox Easter, which in 2020 is celebrated on April 19.

Among the population of our country, several memorial days are also accepted, which have developed in folk tradition, but are also tied to church holidays.

Below is a complete list of Parents' Days for 2021.

Here you will learn:

Traditions and rituals on Intercession Parents' Saturday

Parents' Saturdays were always given special importance. On October 10, 2021, Pokrovskaya is celebrated, as the name is associated with the holiday of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Parents' Saturday has its own traditions and rituals.

During the commemoration, Orthodox Christians remember their near and dear people who have long been dead. On this day, it is customary to go to church and cemetery, light candles for the repose of the soul and read a prayer.

If you believe history, then at first, on Parental Pokrovskaya Saturday, they commemorated the brave warriors who defended Kazan and gave their souls for the sake of their family and friends in 1555. The battle took place on the eve of the holy feast of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

But if you believe the traditions, Intercession Saturday is also considered a parental Saturday to remember deceased relatives. This memorial Saturday is not much different from the others. On this day, it is customary to go to the cemetery and clean the graves, and then arrange a wake.

Previously, this was done at graves to “feed” the dead, but since it can be cold and damp outside, they arrange the meal at home. After visiting the cemetery and church, they go home and set the table. They put on everything that the hostess has prepared.

Parents' Saturdays in 2021 - Orthodox calendar. Table of memorial Saturdays

The memory of deceased relatives constantly lives in the hearts of loved ones. To especially preserve the memory of the dead, the calendar of Orthodox holidays has special days on which clergy recommend praying for the deceased.

Parents' days or memorial Saturdays have been called this way since ancient times, when the tradition of praying for departed Christians first appeared in churches. Tradition also recommends visiting cemeteries. From the name “parental” it is clear that first people remember their deceased father and mother, and also mention other relatives, loved ones and friends in prayer.

Orthodox calendar

The Orthodox calendar of dates is filled with moving and permanent holidays. There is also a place here for parental memorial Saturdays - special days when they pray and perform good deeds in memory of the deceased. Funeral Saturdays, although they do not have a fixed date, they move annually, are inextricably linked with the great Orthodox celebrations - Easter and Trinity. Depending on the date of these holidays, a certain number of weeks are counted and parental days are designated.

Memorial Saturday dates

The Orthodox calendar in 2021 has eight parental Saturdays, if we take into account the day of remembrance of deceased soldiers. The first falls on the last Saturday of February and is called the Ecumenical Meat Festival or Little Maslenitsa. Three more dates in March are March 14, 21 and 28 - Saturdays of the second, third and fourth week (week) of Easter Lent. Radonitsa, which next year falls on April 28, is also intended to commemorate parents.

Traditionally, on the day of remembrance of soldiers, May 9, one can also remember parents; this is also done on Trinity Saturday, June 6, and Dmitrievskaya Saturday, which falls on November 7. On each of these dates, except for Radonitsa, you can go to the temple and to the burial place of the deceased. You can find your way in more detail using the calendar presented above.

Table of memorial days

February 22	Ecumenical Meat Saturday, which is celebrated 8 days before the start of Easter Lent. The second name of this day is Little Maslenitsa. On this day they pray for all the departed.
March 14th	The dates fall on the second, third and fourth Saturdays of Lent. The presence of special designated dates during Lent is due to the fact that the third, ninth and fortieth calendar days after death cannot be celebrated, so relatives of the deceased can remember them exclusively on these days.
21 March
March 28
April 28	This day is called Radonitsa. In essence, it is a holiday, although it is associated with such a sad event as the commemoration of a person who has left us. On Radonitsa, it is customary to prepare a good dinner, but a person is commemorated not in a cemetery, but at home, so as not to intrude into the world of the dead.
June 6	Ecumenical Trinity Saturday is associated with the need to visit church and the grave of a deceased person. It is decorated with greenery. This is the main day when the souls of all deceased people are remembered.
November 7	Dmitrievskaya Parental Saturday, during this day memorial services are served in churches. During the day you need to go to the cemetery, and in the evening you need to gather relatives for dinner and remember the dead.

Orthodox memorial days in 2021

Memorial days are a special date in the calendar of Orthodox holidays. It is on these days that relatives remember those who have passed away. Parents' Saturdays have their own characteristics and recommendations for visiting cemeteries, churches, and organizing a memorial dinner.

Ecumenical meat-eating parental Saturday

The first of the year is Ecumenical Meat-Fast Parents' Saturday. On this day it is customary to remember all dead Christians, i.e. You can pray not only for your parents, but also for your friends and loved ones. The memorial day once again speaks of the salvation of souls, because the living must pray for those who have already left this world.

Memorial Saturday is necessarily accompanied by a ritual meal, the main dish of which is kutia. It is prepared from wheat with honey. If there is no wheat, cereals are replaced with rice or pearl barley. The prepared dish must be taken to the Church and blessed at the funeral service.

Parental Saturdays of Holy Pentecost

Holy Pentecost are the days of Great Lent, during which the Church especially calls for repentance and concern for doing good for others. Since funeral liturgies are not held on weekdays of fasting, three Saturdays are specially set aside for commemorating the dead.

Radonitsa

On the 9th day after Easter, Orthodox Christians celebrate Radonitsa. This memorial day in 2021 falls on April 28th. On the memorial day, after the service in the evening, a memorial service is celebrated with Easter chants. It is not recommended to go to cemeteries on Radonitsa; church ministers note that there is no need to disturb the souls of the deceased on this particular day. Moreover, leave food and alcoholic drinks there, and remember the dead at their graves.

It is recommended to go to church on Radonitsa. Here it is necessary to pray for the souls of the departed, and the prayer will be pious and pure, because the church does not require the offering of gifts. The most important thing is to submit a note with the name of the deceased for commemoration at the proskomedia. Of course, gifts to the church are not prohibited. If you wish, you can bring food and Cahors and bless the food.

Trinity Parents' Saturday

On the eve of Holy Pentecost, a funeral service is also performed. The correct way to remember the departed on this day is to come to church early in the morning and pray at the Divine Liturgy. Before the liturgy, a note is written with the name of one or more people and submitted to the temple. Prayer can be not only for parents or close relatives, but also for all the dead whom one would like to mention.

After visiting the temple, you are allowed to go to the cemetery for individual funerals. A private funeral service at a cemetery is a time of unity with the souls of loved ones. Here it is necessary to pray for their souls, but leave the grave with bright thoughts, since the next day the Trinity holiday will come.

Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday

Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday is traditionally associated with the name of Dmitry Solunsky and is celebrated in late October - early November. The date is transitional. On Parents' Saturday, it is recommended to attend churches, order memorial services or liturgies, and arrange memorial meals.

On St. Demetrius Saturday, Orthodox Christians pray for deceased souls, but mainly for parents. If you cannot visit the temple on this day, then you can pray both at home and in the cemetery.

Memorial days in March

Memorial days in March are associated with Great Lent. These are three Saturdays. Consecutive and in 2021 they fall on March 14, 21 and 28. Since Easter is a moving holiday, the dates of March parental Saturdays change every year. On the first Saturday, it is recommended to go to the temple and pray for the souls of the dead, as well as visit the graves and clean up there.

On this day it is customary to bake pancakes. The first one is left for the deceased, and the rest is eaten with the family. It is recommended to bring a small part to the temple or distribute it to the poor. The second and third parental Saturdays should be marked by liturgy. After attending the liturgy, relatives pray for the deceased and also ask for forgiveness of sins. It is recommended to bring small gifts to church, mostly sweets, which are then distributed to people in need.

Memorial days in June

Trinity Saturday falls in June. On this day, the Divine Liturgy is held in the morning, followed by a memorial service. The peculiarity of June Saturday is that you can pray not only for those who died a “natural” death, but also were killed or went missing. This is very important so that the souls of the deceased find peace and tranquility, and their loved ones remember them and ask the Lord for forgiveness and salvation of the souls of those who died untimely and were unable to repent of their sins before death.

Memorial days in October

In October, memorial days are associated with Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday. Often this day falls at the end of the month, but in 2021 it is the beginning of November. This is the last parent's Saturday of the year. On this day, Parastas serve in the church and pray for the dead.

Celebrating parental Saturdays is the sacred duty of every Christian. In this we show love for our neighbor, support the memory of the dead and spiritual connection with them. The church has a number of ritual services for this, and it is also recommended to pray at the graves of the deceased.

What can you do on Parents' Saturday?

Parental Saturdays have a clear purpose - to commemorate the dead, so some “worldly” activities may be prohibited. Believers most often want to know the restrictions regarding work, baptism, cleaning and communion.

Is it possible to work on parent's Saturday?

Working on parental Saturday is not prohibited, but priests insist that time be set aside for going to church. It is extremely important to come to the temple in the morning, submit notes for the deceased, and only then you can go to work. If there is no opportunity to go to church, then you can read a prayer at work, but be sure to pay spiritual attention to the deceased. There is no need to work in the garden - according to legend, the planted plants will not grow and will not bear fruit.

Is it possible to heat a bathhouse on Parents' Saturday?

On Parents' Saturday, lighting the bathhouse is encouraged. For the Slavs, Thursday and Saturday were considered clean days - on these days they most often went to the bathhouse. Moreover, after bathing it is necessary to leave a broom in the bathhouse for the deceased - this is the tradition. Historical sources testify to this.

Is it possible to clean the house

The Church has a negative attitude towards cleaning the house on Parents' Saturday. It is believed that the holiday must be celebrated in a clean house, but on Parents' Saturday there is no need to get involved with dirt - this is disrespect for the memory of the dead. Therefore, washing floors, cleaning carpets, and doing laundry should be rescheduled for another time. It is clear that minor cleaning in the house, for example, washing dishes and clearing the table after a meal, is acceptable.

Is it possible to baptize on parental Saturday?

There are no restrictions on the baptism of a child on parental Saturday. However, there are no restrictions on other days, fasts and even great holidays. Baptism is considered a very important rite and should be carried out as a matter of priority, regardless of the date. The only thing you need to think about in advance is to agree on the time of the ceremony, so as not to get to the liturgy and not wait for a long time.

Is it possible to receive communion on parental Saturday?

It is recommended that the church receive communion once or twice a month, but it is best to set aside Sunday for this rite, not Saturday. On this day, the priests are more free, and there are fewer people in the temple, so they feel more comfortable.

The invaluable help that living relatives can provide to the deceased is frequent prayers for repose. The souls of the dead, according to the church, should rest in peace precisely thanks to the constant prayers of living people. Parental Saturdays become a manifestation of the fact that the dead are remembered, and it is recommended to read prayers not only on parental days, but also every day.

Source

What you can do and what you can refuse during Intercession Parents' Week

On Mother's Saturday of Intercession it is worth remembering the departed people. It is advisable to say only good things about them. It is believed that bad words can attract nightmares and cause negative emotions. You can’t cry too much on this day and work a lot in the garden. They do not hold gatherings with alcoholic beverages in the cemetery near the grave.

They bring some food to the graves and leave them near the monuments. This is so that the dead can see that they have not been forgotten. You need to be restrained in food and nutrition; be sure to give some food to those who need it after visiting church.

You can gather relatives around the same table and remember those who left them. On Intercession Saturday you can go to visit, but only to friends and relatives, you can pray, read prayers for the repose of your soul, cook different foods and feed the homeless and needy people.

Parents' Saturday: 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 services, Orthodox people remember by name many generations of their deceased ancestors

The next nearest Parents' Saturday will be in a couple of weeks: November 2 is Parents' Saturday in November or Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday. It is no less significant than the Ecumenical Trinity Parents' Saturday.

During this day, memorial services are held in churches. During the day you should definitely go to the cemetery, and in the evening you should remember your deceased relatives at a family dinner.

Signs and rituals for Intercession Parents' Saturday

Particular attention is paid to folk signs.

If snow falls on Intercession Saturday, you should expect a change in weather.
If there are showers and rains, then winter will not come soon.
Birds are screaming loudly - expect strong winds.
If the animals are hiding, there will be bad and cold weather for several days.
It's warm and sunny on Saturday, which means winter won't be knocking on the door anytime soon.

Thanks to the signs on October 10, people learned what the winter and harvest would be like for the next year.

What is a sin to do on Parents' Saturday?

Parents' Saturday is a day dedicated to all departed Christians. It is accompanied by certain traditions and prohibitions. Sinful on memorial days:

engage in work related to land:

- gardening work;

- planting vegetables;

— transplantation, planting and others;

clean the house, do laundry - this must be done before Saturday;
engage in any chores;
drink alcohol and overeat;
to swear;
argue;
organize noisy events.

Any fun will be inappropriate.

History of the memorial day

The memorial day on the eve of the celebration of the Intercession is not included in the general calendar of parental Saturdays. However, many believers still go to the cemetery on this date and bring a funeral lunch to the temple. Intercession Saturday is a tribute to the memory of Orthodox soldiers who died during the capture of Kazan. Later, believers began to remember on this day not only the fallen soldiers, but also all the relatives who gave their souls to the Lord.

Funeral dates in 2021

In the Orthodox faith, Saturdays are usually reserved for funerals. The exception is Radonitsa, which is held 9 days after Easter, on Tuesday. These dates are updated annually and are marked on the church calendar.

Parents' Saturdays in 2021:

March 6 is an Ecumenical holiday that is celebrated all over the world. It is held before Maslenitsa and is dedicated to all the dead, fathers and brothers.
March 27 is the second week from the beginning of Lent before Easter. During the service, the funeral liturgy is read.
April 3 is the third week of the Main Multi-day Fast. Also accompanied by the reading of the funeral liturgy.
April 10 is the fourth week of the Main Multi-day Fast. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated in the church.
May 11 – Radonitsa. This is a joyful event when Christians celebrate victory over death. Death in Orthodoxy is simply a transition to a new life. This Tuesday you can visit the temple to listen to the funeral service, clean up the graves and leave flowers.
May 9 is a memorial service for all people who suffered during the Second World War, which claimed millions of innocent victims. During the church service they talk about the fallen soldiers and thank the Lord for the victory.
June 17 – Semik. On this day, suicides and drowned people are remembered. This is not an Orthodox holiday, but a folk tradition, since the church does not drink alcohol to suicide victims. But at home, relatives can independently pray for the forgiveness of the souls of people who voluntarily left this world.
June 19 – Trinity Saturday. It is held before the great holiday of Trinity and is intended for prayer for all the departed.
October 9 – commemoration before the Intercession (feast of faith and protection). It is recommended to visit the cemetery, clean up, bring flowers to the grave, and light a lamp.
November 15 is a day of remembrance for people who died in a plane crash. But usually all victims of transport accidents are remembered. Markers appeared in church calendars only in 2021.

You can remember your relatives on September 11 (the day of the death of John the Baptist) and November 6 (Demetrius Saturday). These dates are not marked on the calendar. The first holiday was introduced by Catherine II to remember the soldiers who died in the Russian-Turkish War. Now they are holding funeral services for people who died on the battlefield, after which they are praying for alcoholics, asking God to save them from addiction. In November, the heroes of the Battle of Kulikovo were commemorated.

History of the origin of the holiday

Since the time of Ivan the Terrible, a tradition has appeared in Russia before the Day of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the coming Saturday to remember deceased relatives and visit cemeteries and churches.

This tradition is associated with the commemoration of soldiers who gave their lives during the battles near Kazan during its conquest by Ivan the Terrible. During these events, many ordinary people and warriors died.

What to do on this day

On this date, it is allowed to go into the fields and gardens to carry out work. You can clean the house and heat the bathhouse, as well as baptize a child. All this is allowed to be done only if the procedures do not interfere with going to church and prayers. Representatives of the clergy say that prayer is the main gift of the departed; it is imperative to pray on this day.

Early in the morning, people go to church, leave a note with the name of a deceased relative so that he will be remembered in the church during a solemn funeral service, and also pray for his soul. If you do not have the opportunity to go to church on this day, you can pray at home. If possible, you can go to the cemetery to process the graves and clean the sacred place. Standing at the grave of the deceased, you can read a prayer.

Sometimes believers hold funeral dinners at home on this date. People prepare kutya, and put additional cutlery on the table, which is intended for the deceased person.

What do we have to do?

In 2021, Intercession Parents' Saturday will be October 10, and you need to know what you can and cannot do on this day. Traditionally, memorial services are held, and cemeteries are also visited, where graves are cleaned. It is also customary to remove fallen leaves and faded plants, repair benches and fences, tidy up the burial places of loved ones and relatives, and bring candles and flowers to the graves.

According to tradition, you need to remember your loved ones in cemeteries not only with prayers, but also with food. The priests do not approve of this and recommend leaving a memorial in churches or giving treats to beggars or passers-by. Remember loved ones at home, gathering relatives for lunch to pray together and remember the deceased with kind words.

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When visiting a temple, people give the priest notes so that he can pray for the souls of their deceased loved ones. If for some reason it was not possible to visit church, then you should pray for your deceased loved ones at home by placing a candle for them in front of the icons.

On the day of remembrance, according to a long-standing tradition, fairly modest meals are held. At the same time, you need to put more cutlery on the table than there is a person at the table, and among all other dishes there must be kutia on the table. This dish symbolizes a kind of belief in eternal life and resurrection.

Radonitsa

Like Meat Saturday, Radonitsa is important for all believers. This is the first memorial day after strict fasting, when a liturgy can be held for the dead. Radonitsa is one of the days of parents, but it is celebrated not on Saturday, but on Tuesday of the week of Thomas.

The Feast of Radonitsa follows immediately after Easter, so the Church views it as an opportunity to share the joy of the Resurrection of Christ with all the dead. However, some clergy criticize this approach and say that church celebrations cannot be combined with funeral services.

“Forbidden” traditions - what not to do on October 10

Representatives of the clergy do not prohibit believers from working on this Saturday. However, if household chores distract you from going to church or praying, such work remains prohibited. All other prohibitions of this date relate to behavior in the cemetery.

It is prohibited to drink alcohol, especially in a cemetery. Also, picnics are not allowed; the funeral lunch must be left in the temple along with a special note. Also, do not refuse alms to those who ask for it. When you give alms, ask the person to pray for deceased relatives.

Rules of remembrance

On Friday you need to attend church and attend the evening service. In the morning you should come to the funeral liturgy. To honor the memory of the deceased, write the deceased's full name and baptismal information on a piece of paper and give the note to the priest.

It is recommended to visit a temple in memory of the deceased, even if the rest of the time a person rarely goes to church. It is important to remember deceased relatives with respect for the afterlife. Do not forget to mention the deceased in your prayers, asking the Lord for forgiveness of all their earthly sins.

In the church, a candle is always lit for the repose and money is donated to charity. You are allowed to bring groceries if desired. Clean up the cemetery, light a candle and let it burn for a few minutes (it is believed that souls from another world come to warm themselves by the fire).

Then you can organize lunch at home or in a cafe. A modest meal is prepared, without lush feasts, a rich variety of dishes and alcoholic drinks. Usually kutia and pancakes are made. Cookies and sweets are distributed to people we know and in need.

How to spend Intercession Saturday on October 10

According to tradition, Mother's Saturday of the Intercession in the church begins to be celebrated late on Friday evening with a memorial service. On Saturday itself, a memorial liturgy is held, which is dedicated to the memory of all deceased Orthodox Christians who passed on to another world by the will of God. With the help of prayer, forgiveness is sought from the Lord for sins committed by the deceased during life in order to make their afterlife easier.

After the temple, believers can go to the cemetery and pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased. You are allowed to tidy up the grave and paint the fences and benches.

If you can’t go to church, you can pray for the deceased at home. To do this, you should light a candle near the icon and read a prayer for the departed. Then the funeral meal is allowed to take place. The first dish at a funeral should be kutia, which means eternal life. It is prepared from wheat grains with the addition of honey, nuts, poppy seeds and raisins.

The church charter does not prohibit remembering the deceased with a glass of vodka or other alcoholic drink. The main thing is that you need to wash down your meal with alcohol, and not get drunk and not turn the wake into an ordinary party.

On Parents' Saturday you cannot make noise, shout or sing. This day should be spent in peace and quiet.