What prayers to read on Parents' Saturday at home, and how to properly remember the departed

• Parents' Saturday Deacon Andrey
• Why remember the dead? Alexander Tkachenko
• The mystery of death N. Vasiliadis
• On the commemoration of the dead according to the charter of the Orthodox Church of St. Afanasy (Sakharov), Spanish, bishop. Kovrovsky
• Parents' Saturday (stories from different years) B.P. Ekimov
• Christ is Risen! Go for it!
• All Souls Days

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Parents' Saturdays are nine days of special remembrance of deceased Orthodox Christians. Every Saturday is dedicated in the church calendar to the remembrance of the dead, but there are also specially designated Saturday days. They are called parental because parents are the people closest to us, but these days they pray not only for relatives.

All parental Saturdays, except one (May 9), have a moving date.

On these days, funeral services are performed - parastases, memorial services, funeral litias. It must be borne in mind that church services may begin the night before (i.e. on Friday), because... The liturgical day begins in the evening.

Of the nine days of special commemoration of the dead, two Ecumenical Memorial Saturdays stand out: Meat Saturday and Trinity Saturday. The main meaning of these “ecumenical” (common to the entire Orthodox Church) funeral services is prayer for all deceased Orthodox Christians, regardless of their personal closeness to us.

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Parents' Saturday is a generalized name for the day of special remembrance of the dead. Special, not in terms of something different, but in terms of intensified ones. On this day, the entirety of the Church prays for the repose of the souls of deceased Orthodox Christians. For us – the living – this day of remembrance of our loved ones should, if possible, be spent in prayer. The leitmotif of all prayers for repose is forgiveness of sins. The dead have no time to repent and ask for forgiveness, but we can make every effort and ask God for mercy towards them. And the Lord, seeing our zeal, taking into account our deeds of prayer and alms (and alms can be given for the deceased), can forgive all the sins of a deceased person.

On parental Saturdays, an Orthodox Christian, if possible, needs to attend the funeral liturgy and memorial service, pray during the service not only for our loved ones, but also for all deceased Orthodox Christians (in Church Slavonic - “those who have died from eternity”), then visit the cemetery and there perform a private prayer - a memorial service, litia, or, if time permits, read the 17th kathisma of the Psalter. It is most important. As for the meal, this side of life is not regulated in any way by church rules. There is only one rule - moderation. In everything. And don’t forget: the main thing on this day is prayer.

Priest Pavel Konkov (magazine “Foma”)

Why do they bring food to the temple?

Initially, food was brought for a joint funeral meal. In our time - as a sacrifice to clergy and clergy for the remembrance of the soul.

One should be sober about the tradition of bringing food “on the eve”, based on modern realities. No matter how hard the priests try, they can’t eat 30 loaves of bread or 20 packs of gingerbread, so it makes sense to bring food that will last for a long time. You can also make a donation to the church mug; the church has many needs, not just food.

The meaning of Parents' Saturday

From Greek, this concept means “Saturday of souls.” In Christianity, Parents' Saturday is a special day of remembrance of all deceased Christians, but above all parents. During this event, special services are held in churches and temples. Thus, we remember the Cross of the Lord, the Mother of God, angels, archangels.

Parents' Saturdays are days of special remembrance of the dead

Why did such days get the name “parents’ Saturday”? There are two hypotheses:

1. On such days, people remember, first of all, their closest and dearest people - their father and mother.
2. Often all the deceased are called “Parents” because they have already gone to heaven to their ancestors.

In Orthodoxy, there are several Parental Saturdays:

• Universal;
• Trinity;
• Radonitsa;
• Dmitrievskaya.

There are actually more, but these are just the main ones.

Read about the commemoration:

• Commemoration of deceased soldiers on May 9
• What is parastas
• Children's prayer for deceased parents

How to remember the dead at home

The custom of remembering deceased relatives through a meal has existed for a long period of time. Unfortunately, some people view funerals as a reason to gather all relatives under one roof, where they can discuss various news and simply have dinner at the same table. In fact, this tradition was started for the purpose of prayers for deceased relatives by the entire large and friendly family.

What can you do on Trinity Parents' Saturday?

• On the day of Trinity Parental Saturday they are sure to pray, asking for peace for the souls of deceased relatives. Prayers can be offered not only in church, but also at home.
• Traditionally, on Memorial Day, people visit cemeteries to clean the graves and once again pray for the souls of the dead. You should not leave treats at churchyards: it is better to take the commemoration to the church or distribute it with a request for remembrance of loved ones. On Memorial Day, you can invite a priest to serve a memorial service at the cemetery, but in 2021, due to self-isolation, such an event may not take place.
• On Memorial Day, memorial dinners are held, to which loved ones are invited to share a meal and remember the deceased with a kind word. Dejection and tears are not accepted, because souls continue their immortal path and find peace in the Kingdom of Heaven.
• On Trinity Parent Saturday it is not customary to refuse help. Those who need support are always given a hand so as not to stop in their spiritual development.

What is the meaning of Trinity Parents' Saturday on June 19

The celebration of the Holy Trinity is a great holiday that returns believers to the memories of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. This holiday does not have a fixed date; it is celebrated on the 50th day from Easter. But Trinity always falls on Sunday. In the Orthodox calendar, the Saturday before Trinity is a memorial day. It is dedicated to remembering, remembering and praying for the dead to help them find the path to eternal life.

Funeral prayers on Trinity Saturday are especially important. Sincere prayerful appeals to the Trinity can bring enormous help to the deceased. There is a belief that with such prayers one can save the deceased even from hell. The main thing is to approach prayers with special awareness.

What not to do June 19, 2021

• On the day of church celebration, it is not customary to attend mass events and have fun at the expense of prayers. On this day, clergy remind us of the importance of spiritual growth and thoughts about the transience of life. Sincere appeals to higher powers protect the peace of not only the deceased, but also the living, allowing them to forgive sins while turning to the Lord.
• During the funeral dinner, you should not overeat and remember the deceased with alcohol. On Memorial Saturday, it is not forbidden to carry out everyday activities, but clergy remind us of the importance of prayers, which should not be neglected.
• Trinity Parents' Saturday is not the time to remember those who were not baptized or took their own lives. They pray for them at home, asking the Lord to forgive the sins of the souls of the departed and to admit them to the Kingdom of Heaven.
• There are no weddings in churches on this day, so lovers should agree in advance with the clergy and find a more suitable date for the celebration.
• It is worth refusing to perform rituals, not guessing and not casting spells, so as not to anger higher powers. Gambling is also prohibited.
• On the day of remembrance of the dead, it is important not only to pray for the souls of those who left the world of the living, but also to realize the transience of life, so as not to waste time on bad attachments, habits and deeds that are not pleasing to the Lord. The clergy call for spending this day with loved ones to strengthen family ties.

What you need to do on the eve of Trinity

• The most important thing we can and should do is to pray for the repose of deceased loved ones, both relatives and just acquaintances with whom life has encountered us. It would also be good to say a prayer for all departed Christians.
• Go to church for the morning service and write memorial notes, indicating the names of all the deceased whom we remember (many even specifically turn to older relatives to find out as many names of ancestors as possible).
• Order a magpie for the repose of someone closest to you. Then the priests will pray for the deceased person for forty days in a row, remembering his name in the altar. You can also order a memorial service for the deceased.
• Bring donations to the canon and give out alms. You can gather your relatives for a memorial dinner, where you can honor the memory of all the deceased and remember the good moments from the lives of the deceased.

Reading rules

It is worth saying that there are no specific rules for reading such prayers. The main conditions are strong faith and sincerity. Only in this way will the cherished words touch God and the deceased. Don't be afraid of emotions or opening up your feelings. Be honest and speak sincerely. It is best to pray in front of holy icons, if there are any in the house.

Prayer on Parents' Saturday - a request sent to God for the soul of the departed

The best option is to read the prayer silently or in a whisper within the walls of the temple during a visit. Often the holy fathers advise coming to church during Parents' Saturday. You need to write a funeral card, which will list the names of all deceased relatives and close people.

On a note! On the day of each Parent's Saturday, special services are held in the church. This can be a separate memorial service or an Ecumenical one.

The hour comes when the remains of the deceased are buried in the earth, where they will rest until the end of time and the general resurrection. But the love of the Mother of the Church for her child who has departed from this life does not dry out. On certain days, she makes prayers for the deceased and makes a bloodless sacrifice for his repose. Special days of commemoration are the third, ninth and fortieth (in this case, the day of death is considered the first). Commemoration on these days is sanctified by ancient church custom. It is consistent with the teaching of the Church about the state of the soul beyond the grave.

The third day.

The commemoration of the deceased on the third day after death is performed in honor of the three-day resurrection of Jesus Christ and in the image of the Holy Trinity.

For the first two days, the soul of the deceased is still on earth, passing along with the Angel accompanying it through those places that attract it with memories of earthly joys and sorrows, evil and good deeds. The soul that loves the body sometimes wanders around the house in which the body is placed, and thus spends two days like a bird looking for a nest. A virtuous soul walks through those places in which it used to do the truth. On the third day, the Lord commands the soul to ascend to heaven to worship Him, the God of all. Therefore, the church commemoration of the soul that appeared before the face of the Just One is very timely.

Ninth day.

The commemoration of the deceased on this day is in honor of the nine ranks of angels, who, as servants of the King of Heaven and representatives to Him for us, petition for pardon for the deceased.

After the third day, the soul, accompanied by an Angel, enters the heavenly abodes and contemplates their indescribable beauty. She remains in this state for six days. During this time, the soul forgets the sorrow that it felt while in the body and after leaving it. But if she is guilty of sins, then at the sight of the pleasure of the saints she begins to grieve and reproach herself: “Woe is me! How much I have become fussy in this world! I spent most of my life in carelessness and did not serve God as I should, so that I too would be worthy of this grace and glory. Alas for me, poor one!” On the ninth day, the Lord commands the Angels to again present the soul to Him for worship. The soul stands before the throne of the Most High with fear and trembling. But even at this time, the Holy Church again prays for the deceased, asking the merciful Judge to place the soul of her child with the saints.

Fortieth day.

The forty-day period is very significant in the history and tradition of the Church as the time necessary for preparation and acceptance of the special Divine gift of the gracious help of the Heavenly Father. The Prophet Moses was honored to talk with God on Mount Sinai and receive the tablets of the law from Him only after a forty-day fast. The Israelites reached the promised land after forty years of wandering. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself ascended into heaven on the fortieth day after His resurrection. Taking all this as a basis, the Church established commemoration on the fortieth day after death, so that the soul of the deceased would ascend the holy mountain of Heavenly Sinai, be rewarded with the sight of God, achieve the bliss promised to it and settle in the heavenly villages with the righteous.

After the second worship of the Lord, the Angels take the soul to hell, and it contemplates the cruel torment of unrepentant sinners. On the fortieth day, the soul ascends for the third time to worship God, and then its fate is decided - according to earthly affairs, it is assigned a place to stay until the Last Judgment. That is why church prayers and commemorations on this day are so timely. They atone for the sins of the deceased and ask for his soul to be placed in paradise with the saints.

Anniversary.

The Church commemorates the deceased on the anniversary of their death. The basis for this establishment is obvious. It is known that the largest liturgical cycle is the annual circle, after which all the fixed holidays are repeated again. The anniversary of the death of a loved one is always marked with at least a heartfelt remembrance by loving family and friends. For an Orthodox believer, this is a birthday for a new, eternal life.

UNIVERSAL MEMORIAL SERVICES (PARENTAL SATURDAYS)

In addition to these days, the Church has established special days for the solemn, general, ecumenical commemoration of all fathers and brothers in faith who have passed away from time to time, who have been worthy of Christian death, as well as those who, having been caught by sudden death, were not guided into the afterlife by the prayers of the Church. The memorial services performed at this time, specified by the statutes of the Ecumenical Church, are called ecumenical, and the days on which the commemoration is performed are called ecumenical parental Saturdays. In the circle of the liturgical year, such days of general remembrance are:

Meat Saturday.

Dedicating the Meat Week to the remembrance of the Last Last Judgment of Christ, the Church, in view of this judgment, established to intercede not only for its living members, but also for all who have died from time immemorial, who have lived in piety, of all generations, ranks and conditions, especially for those who died a sudden death , and prays to the Lord for mercy on them. The solemn all-church commemoration of the departed on this Saturday (as well as on Trinity Saturday) brings great benefit and help to our deceased fathers and brothers and at the same time serves as an expression of the fullness of the church life that we live. For salvation is possible only in the Church - the community of believers, the members of which are not only those living, but also all those who have died in the faith. And communication with them through prayer, their prayerful remembrance is an expression of our common unity in the Church of Christ.

Saturday Trinity.

The commemoration of all dead pious Christians was established on the Saturday before Pentecost due to the fact that the event of the descent of the Holy Spirit completed the economy of human salvation, and the deceased also participate in this salvation. Therefore, the Church, sending up prayers on Pentecost for the revival of all living by the Holy Spirit, asks on the very day of the holiday that for the departed the grace of the all-holy and all-sanctifying Spirit of the Comforter, which they were granted during their lifetime, would be a source of bliss, since by the Holy Spirit “every soul is given life.” " Therefore, the Church devotes the eve of the holiday, Saturday, to the remembrance of the departed and prayer for them. Saint Basil the Great, who composed the touching prayers of Vespers of Pentecost, says in them that the Lord especially on this day deigns to accept prayers for the dead and even for “those kept in hell.”

Parental Saturdays of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of the Holy Pentecost.

On Holy Pentecost - the days of Great Lent, the feat of spirituality, the feat of repentance and charity to others - the Church calls on believers to be in the closest union of Christian love and peace not only with the living, but also with the dead, to perform prayerful commemorations of those who have departed from this life on designated days. In addition, the Saturdays of these weeks are designated by the Church for the remembrance of the dead for another reason that on the weekdays of Great Lent no funeral commemorations are performed (this includes funeral litanies, litias, memorial services, commemorations of the 3rd, 9th and 40th days by death, sorokousty), since there is no full liturgy every day, the celebration of which is associated with the commemoration of the dead. In order not to deprive the dead of the saving intercession of the Church on the days of the Holy Pentecost, the indicated Saturdays are allocated.

Radonitsa.

The basis for the general commemoration of the dead, which takes place on Tuesday after St. Thomas Week (Sunday), is, on the one hand, the remembrance of the descent of Jesus Christ into hell and His victory over death, connected with St. Thomas Sunday, and on the other hand, the permission of the church charter to perform the usual commemoration of the dead after Holy and Holy Weeks, starting with Fomin Monday. On this day, believers come to the graves of their relatives and friends with the joyful news of the Resurrection of Christ. Hence the day of remembrance itself is called Radonitsa (or Radunitsa).

Unfortunately, in Soviet times, the custom was established to visit cemeteries not on Radonitsa, but on the first day of Easter. It is natural for a believer to visit the graves of his loved ones after fervent prayer for their repose in the church - after a memorial service has been served in the church. During Easter week there are no funeral services, for Easter is an all-encompassing joy for believers in the Resurrection of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, during the entire Easter week, funeral litanies are not pronounced (although the usual commemoration is performed at the proskomedia), and memorial services are not served.

CHURCH FUNERAL SERVICES

The deceased must be commemorated in the Church as often as possible, not only on designated special days of remembrance, but also on any other day. The Church makes the main prayer for the repose of deceased Orthodox Christians at the Divine Liturgy, offering a bloodless sacrifice to God for them. To do this, you should submit notes with their names to the church before the start of the liturgy (or the night before) (only baptized Orthodox Christians can be entered). At the proskomedia, particles will be taken out of the prosphora for their repose, which at the end of the liturgy will be lowered into the holy chalice and washed with the Blood of the Son of God. Let us remember that this is the greatest benefit we can provide to those who are dear to us. This is how it is said about commemoration at the liturgy in the Message of the Eastern Patriarchs: “We believe that the souls of people who fell into mortal sins and did not despair at death, but repented even before separation from real life, only did not have time to bear any fruits of repentance (such fruits could be their prayers, tears, kneeling during prayer vigils, contrition, consolation of the poor and expression in actions of love for God and neighbors) - the souls of such people descend into hell and suffer punishment for the sins they have committed, without, however, losing hope for relief. They receive relief through the infinite goodness of God through the prayers of priests and charity done for the dead, and especially through the power of bloodless sacrifice, which, in particular, the priest makes for every Christian for his loved ones, and in general the Catholic and Apostolic Church makes for everyone every day.”

An eight-pointed Orthodox cross is usually placed at the top of the note. Then the type of commemoration is indicated - “On repose”, after which the names of those commemorated in the genitive case are written in large, legible handwriting (to answer the question “who?”), and the clergy and monastics are mentioned first, indicating the rank and degree of monasticism (for example, Metropolitan John, schema-abbot Savva, archpriest Alexander, nun Rachel, Andrey, Nina).

All names must be given in church spelling (for example, Tatiana, Alexy) and in full (Mikhail, Lyubov, and not Misha, Lyuba).

The number of names on the note does not matter; you just need to take into account that the priest has the opportunity to read not very long notes more carefully. Therefore, it is better to submit several notes if you want to remember many of your loved ones.

By submitting notes, the parishioner makes a donation for the needs of the monastery or temple. To avoid embarrassment, please remember that the difference in prices (registered or plain notes) only reflects the difference in the amount of the donation. Also, do not be embarrassed if you did not hear the names of your relatives mentioned in the litany. As mentioned above, the main commemoration takes place at the proskomedia when removing particles from the prosphora. During the funeral litany, you can take out your memorial and pray for your loved ones. The prayer will be more effective if the one commemorating himself on that day partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ.

After the liturgy, a memorial service can be celebrated. The memorial service is served before the eve - a special table with an image of the crucifixion and rows of candlesticks. Here you can leave an offering for the needs of the temple in memory of deceased loved ones.

It is very important after death to order the sorokoust in the church - continuous commemoration during the liturgy for forty days. After its completion, the sorokoust can be ordered again. There are also long periods of commemoration - six months, a year. Some monasteries accept notes for eternal (as long as the monastery stands) commemoration or for commemoration during the reading of the Psalter (this is an ancient Orthodox custom). The more churches where prayer is offered, the better for our neighbor!

It is very useful on the memorable days of the deceased to donate to the church, give alms to the poor with a request to pray for him. On the eve you can bring sacrificial food. You cannot just bring meat food and alcohol (except for church wine) to the eve. The simplest type of sacrifice for the deceased is a candle that is lit for his repose.

Realizing that the most we can do for our deceased loved ones is to submit a note of remembrance at the liturgy, we should not forget to pray for them at home and perform acts of mercy.

MEMORY OF THE DECEASED AT HOME PRAYER

Prayer for the departed is our main and invaluable help to those who have passed into another world. The deceased, by and large, does not need a coffin, a grave monument, much less a memorial table - all this is just a tribute to traditions, albeit very pious ones. But the eternally living soul of the deceased experiences a great need for constant prayer, for it cannot itself do good deeds with which it would be able to appease the Lord. Home prayer for loved ones, including the dead, is the duty of every Orthodox Christian. St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, speaks about prayer for the dead: “If the all-discerning Wisdom of God does not forbid praying for the dead, does this not mean that it is still allowed to throw a rope, although not always reliable enough, but sometimes, and perhaps often, saving for souls who have fallen away from the shores of temporary life, but have not reached eternal refuge? Saving for those souls who waver over the abyss between bodily death and the final judgment of Christ, now rising by faith, now plunging into deeds unworthy of it, now elevated by grace, now brought down by the remains of a damaged nature, now ascended by Divine desire, now entangled in the rough, not yet completely stripped of the clothes of earthly thoughts..."

Home prayerful commemoration of a deceased Christian is very diverse. You should pray especially diligently for the deceased in the first forty days after his death. As already indicated in the section “Reading the Psalter for the Dead,” during this period it is very useful to read the Psalter about the deceased, at least one kathisma per day. You can also recommend reading an akathist about the repose of the departed. In general, the Church commands us to pray every day for deceased parents, relatives, known people and benefactors. For this purpose, the following short prayer is included in the daily morning prayers:

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.

It is more convenient to read names from a commemoration book - a small book where the names of living and deceased relatives are written down. There is a pious custom of keeping family memorials, reading which Orthodox people remember by name many generations of their deceased ancestors.

FUNERAL MEAL

The pious custom of remembering the dead at meals has been known for a very long time. But, unfortunately, many funerals turn into an occasion for relatives to get together, discuss news, eat delicious food, while Orthodox Christians should pray for the deceased at the funeral table.

Before the meal, a litia should be performed - a short rite of requiem, which can be performed by a layman. As a last resort, you need to at least read Psalm 90 and the Lord’s Prayer. The first dish eaten at a wake is kutia (kolivo). These are boiled cereal grains (wheat or rice) with honey and raisins. Grains serve as a symbol of resurrection, and honey - the sweetness that the righteous enjoy in the Kingdom of God. According to the charter, kutia must be blessed with a special rite during a memorial service; if this is not possible, you need to sprinkle it with holy water.

Naturally, the owners want to provide a tasty treat for everyone who came to the funeral. But you must observe the fasts established by the Church and eat permitted foods: on Wednesdays, Fridays, and during long fasts, do not eat fasting foods. If the memory of the deceased occurs on a weekday during Lent, then the commemoration is moved to the Saturday or Sunday closest to it.

You must abstain from wine, especially vodka, at the funeral meal! The dead are not remembered with wine! Wine is a symbol of earthly joy, and a wake is an occasion for intense prayer for a person who may suffer greatly in the afterlife. You should not drink alcohol, even if the deceased himself liked to drink. It is known that “drunken” wakes often turn into an ugly gathering where the deceased is simply forgotten. At the table you need to remember the deceased, his good qualities and deeds (hence the name - wake). The custom of leaving a glass of vodka and a piece of bread at the table “for the deceased” is a relic of paganism and should not be observed in Orthodox families.

On the contrary, there are pious customs worthy of imitation. In many Orthodox families, the first to sit down at the funeral table are the poor and the poor, children and old women. They can also be given clothes and belongings of the deceased. Orthodox people can tell about numerous cases of confirmation from the afterlife of great help to the deceased as a result of the creation of alms by their relatives. Moreover, the loss of loved ones prompts many people to take the first step towards God, to begin living the life of an Orthodox Christian.

Thus, one living archimandrite tells the following incident from his pastoral practice.

“This happened in the difficult post-war years. A mother, tearful with grief, whose eight-year-old son Misha drowned, comes to me, the rector of the village church. And she says that she dreamed of Misha and complained about the cold - he was completely without clothes. I tell her: “Are any of his clothes left?” - "Yes, sure". - “Give it to your Mishin friends, they’ll probably find it useful.”

A few days later she tells me that she again saw Misha in a dream: he was dressed in exactly the clothes that were given to his friends. He thanked him, but now complained of hunger. I advised to organize a memorial meal for the village children—Misha’s friends and acquaintances. No matter how difficult it is in difficult times, what can you do for your beloved son! And the woman treated the children as best she could.

She came for the third time. She thanked me very much: “Misha said in a dream that now he is warm and nourished, but my prayers are not enough.” I taught her prayers and advised her not to leave acts of mercy for the future. She became a zealous parishioner, always ready to respond to requests for help, and to the best of her ability she helped orphans, the poor and the poor.”

Text of the prayer for the dead

Orthodox Christians commemorate their dead relatives almost every day. If you use a prayer book, you will find special prayers for the deceased, because they are an integral part of the prayer rules. You can also remember them while reading the Psalter. Every day Christians can read one kathisma from the Psalter.

A short prayer for the deceased

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.

Prayer for the deceased

Remember, Lord our God, in the faith and hope of eternal life, Your departed servant (name), and as the Good and Lover of mankind, forgiving sins and iniquities, forgive and forgive all his (her) sins, voluntary and involuntary, deliver him (her) ) from eternal torment and fiery hell, and grant him (her) communion and enjoyment of Your eternal blessings prepared for those who love You. After all, although he (she) sinned, he (she) did not retreat (did not retreat) from You, and without a doubt in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God glorified in the Trinity, he believed (believed), and Orthodoxy confessed the Consubstantial Trinity even until his last breath (confessed). Be merciful to him (her), and put faith in You instead of deeds, and rest with Your saints, as the Generous One: for there is no man who lives and does not sin. But You are the only sinless one, and Your truth is eternal, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity and love for mankind, and we send up glory to You, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen

Prayer for parents

Lord, hear our prayers for our parents who left this earth and went to Your Kingdom, where there is eternal life. Only You are able to console our grieving souls. Please forgive all the sins of the deceased and give him life in joy and happiness in Heaven. I cry and pray for the soul of God’s servant (name) with faith and hope for consolation. Don’t leave me alone in the sorrow of mourning, help me survive the loss. Forgive him all his sins, let his soul rest in peace and find eternal life. I will pray for him and glorify Your name, our Lord! For you are our Father, and only you know when our last hour on earth will strike, in order to take our souls to the Kingdom of Heaven. May we find eternity next to you. Forever and ever. Amen.

It is important to remember that the texts of the prayer may be in Russian, but it is advisable to use it during the initial stage of churching in order to better understand the meaning of the prayer, but then move on to prayer in Church Slavonic. Home prayers for deceased parents must be performed every day.

All Souls' Day Traditions

It should be remembered that like most major Christian holidays, the Orthodox Trinity is intertwined with earlier Slavic cults and beliefs. In the folk calendar, the time preceding Trinity and the Trinity week following the holiday is the period when our ancestors celebrated the final onset of summer. At this time, the main spring field work was already completed, and people had time for ritual life.

To this day, some of the rituals of commemorating the dead on Trinity Saturday have ancient pre-Christian roots. So, two days before Trinity Saturday - on Thursday, which is called Semik, those who did not receive a worthy Christian burial, including those who died a violent death, are remembered.

On Trinity Saturday in Russia they commemorate not only deceased loved ones, but also all deceased Christians.

Tradition prescribes a mandatory visit to the temple on this day, where memorial notes are given for the deceased and candles are lit. Then believers visit cemeteries.

In Russia, visiting graveyards involves several obligatory actions: cleaning the grave and decorating it with flowers, lighting funeral candles, and also commemorating the deceased. Such an action is usually symbolic in nature, after which you can still see on the graves, in addition to a lit candle, a little funeral porridge (kutya) for birds, as well as other food, usually sweets. Sometimes they even leave a glass covered with a piece of bread. This is a symbolic rite of “feeding the dead,” who invisibly share a meal with the living, awaiting the general resurrection and reunification with their neighbors.

After visiting the graveyard, it is customary to arrange a memorial meal at home, which takes place with lit candles, in remembrance of deceased loved ones. Our traditional funeral dishes are kutia, pancakes, jelly and eggs.

On Trinity Saturday, alcoholic drinks are prohibited, except red wine. Abuse of alcohol during a funeral meal, as well as drinking at graves, is considered simply indecent.

What not to do on Trinity Saturday

• There is no need to turn the wake into magnificent celebrations.
• You cannot drink alcohol in the cemetery.
• You cannot leave a glass of vodka, bread or any treat on the grave. This is not a Christian, but a pagan tradition.
• You cannot be baptized in photographs, monuments or monuments.
• On Parents' Day there is no need to quarrel and conflict, much less use foul language.
• There is no need to remember the sins and shortcomings of the deceased.