Parent days (Radonitsy) or the days of remembrance of all the dead are the most important days for Christians, especially for deeply religious people. At this time, the holy church calls upon the Orthodox to recall their relatives and friends who have gone into the world of another. There are several such days in one year. Some of the holidays are not rolling, that is, their dates do not change. Others may fall into different numbers. Among them, the day of solemn commemoration of the deceased - Radonitsa - stands out especially. Not to miss important dates will help the church calendar for 2020.
Dates of memorial holidays
The tradition of remembering the dead came from the distant past. Even the ancient Slavs gathered at the burial places of their ancestors. In the church-liturgical book "Typicon of the Great Church" the rules are established. You can pray for the repose of a loved one at any time. In temples, such prayers are performed daily. But the Orthodox Church established eight special days (parental) in a year to commemorate the deceased. Each of them corresponds to one of the great Orthodox holidays. According to the 2020 Orthodox calendar, parental days fall on the following dates:
| Date in 2020 | Title | Features |
| February 22 | Ecumenical Meatless Parent Saturday
| Memorial Day for all Christian believers. Celebrated two days before Pancake week. From ancient times, it was customary to commemorate the deceased on this day with pancakes. The first baked pancake is supposed to be left on the grave of ancestors. The rest should be distributed to small children or those in distress, asking them to remember their loved one. |
| March 14th | Saturday Lent | During Lent, it is not customary to hold memorial services, so the Church established special days for prayers for the repose of the dead. They fall on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Saturday of Lent. These days, churches accept alms for the poor in the form of lean dishes and products. |
| 21 March | ||
| March 28 | ||
| 9th May
| Memorial Day of the Fallen Warriors | Established to commemorate "the entire heavenly immortal regiment" - all the killed soldiers in the second world war and all the victims who died. Every year since 1994, memorial services have been held in churches on the Victory Day state holiday. The only fixed-day memory day. |
| June 6th
| Trinity (Ecumenical) Parent Saturday | It is celebrated on the eve of the feast of the Holy Trinity. Another Saturday of the year, in which it is customary to remember absolutely all the deceased - from Adam, the ancestor of our family to our days. This Saturday it is customary to pray fervently for those who have not had time to confess and partake before death, as well as for those who have left for the Kingdom of Heaven far from their homeland. |
| November 7th | Dmitrievskaya parent Saturday | The Russian Orthodox have the last among the memorial days in the calendar year. It falls on the last Saturday on the eve of the day of memory of the great martyr Dmitry Solunsky. Dedicated to the dead participants of the Battle of Kulikovo. |
Another oldest day, called “spring commemoration” in folk rumor, occupies a special position in the annual cycle of the Holy Church holidays - this is “Radonitsa”.
Main day of remembrance of the dead
"Radonitsa", "Radunitsa", "Easter of the dead", "Parental" - all these are the names of one main memorial feast among Orthodox Christians. Radonitsa does not have a specific date, it changes annually and depends on what day the Great Easter will happen.To find out the exact number of the holiday, eight days must be counted from Easter. That is, on Tuesday, on the ninth day after the Resurrection of Christ, the main memorial day falls. In 2020, this date falls on April 28th.
Interesting! “Radunitsa” has been known since pagan times. The name was formed from the words "joy" and "kinship." From ancient times on this holiday it was not customary to be discouraged and cry for departed loved ones.
How to spend parental day
There is a belief: "on this day the dead are waiting for us, languishing at the gates of the churchyard ...". Therefore, the Orthodox try not to miss this date and visit the temple and the grave of relatives. God's ministers remind us that Radunitsa is not a time for sorrow. Visiting the cemetery, Christians restore order and rush to share with the departed loved ones the joyful news about the Resurrection of Christ. "Radonitsa" is considered Easter for the dead.
Orthodox clergy recommend starting a parent with a visit to the temple of the Lord. The church begins to prepare for the feast on the eve, but it is necessary to come to God's house, to the beginning of the service, on a festive Tuesday. In 2020, this day falls on April 28th. A prayer for the repose of their soul is very important to the departed relatives and friends. Asking the Lord in prayer for the repose of loved ones, candles should be placed on the eve, and not on the icons. You can write memorial notes with the names of loved ones of the deceased. Ministers of the Church will surely read prayers so that the Lord will grant blessed paradise and his kingdom of heaven to everyone who rests. On the way to the church you can give alms to those who ask and need.
After visiting the church with a church candle, you can drive to the cemetery, where once again read prayers for repose. The priests urge not to cover the festive tables in the cemeteries, but to begin the funeral meal after returning home after visiting the grave.
On the table on this holiday must be kutia, jelly and, if desired, all kinds of Easter treats.
Advice! To prepare the main memorial dish, it is necessary to soak rice or wheat in advance. From well-washed grains you need to cook friable porridge and flavor it with honey, raisins or other dried fruits. Ready cutia should be taken to the Church for sanctification.
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