Dmitrievskaya parent Saturday history of occurrence. Dmitrievskaya Saturday: history of the day

The days of the general commemoration of the dead in Orthodoxy are usually called "parental Saturdays." It is believed that Saturday, which in the Old Testament was called the day of rest, and in the New - the day of forgiveness and remission of sins, is the most suitable time for prayers for the repose of the dead.

On such days, it is customary to go to church for services, commemorate deceased loved ones, visit cemeteries and put in order the graves of relatives, give alms and treat the poor. It is believed that the more generous the alms in the church, the better the soul of the deceased feels in the next world.

The church Orthodox calendar has established several such days: in addition to Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday, this

• Trinity parental Saturday
• meatless saturday,
• The beheading of John the Baptist,
• days of commemoration of the dead in Great Lent (second, third and fourth Saturdays from the beginning of Lent),
• Radonitsa.

The Day of Remembrance of those who died in the Great Patriotic War was also established, which has a fixed date - May 9, all other days of commemoration are rolling.

On Dmitriev's parental Saturday, we remember the heavy bloody battle led by Dmitry Donskoy on the Kulikovo field in 1380. Then the prediction of St. Sergius of Radonezh was fulfilled, who predicted victory for the prince's troops at a high price.

Thousands of soldiers who fought for the Fatherland died in this battle. Initially, all the soldiers who fell in that battle were commemorated on this day. Over time, Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday became the day of the requiem commemoration of all the departed Orthodox Christians.

When will be Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday in 2019?

Its date changes every year, so it should be checked against the church calendar. The commemoration takes place annually on Saturday before the Day of Remembrance of the Great Martyr Dmitry of Thessalonica, celebrated on November 8 (October 26, old style). In 2019, Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday falls on November 2.

The night before, on Friday, a memorial service is performed in the temples, during which the clergy offer prayers for the dead. Believers bring food to churches as a donation (vegetables, fruits, sweets, bread, flour for prosphora, Cahors for liturgy), candles and oil for lamps. It is not allowed to bring meat products and spirits.

Although this memorable date does not apply to the ecumenical Saturdays, like Trinity and Meat-Pustnaya, when ecumenical requiems are performed, it is also of great importance.

On Parents' Day, on Dmitriev Saturday, the commemoration of the dead will be held in churches, funeral liturgies and panikhidas will be served for all the soldiers who fell on the battlefield. (Emperor Nicholas II even issued a decree in 1903 to perform a special memorial service for the soldiers who fell for the Fatherland - “For faith, the tsar and the Fatherland, who laid their lives on the battlefield”).

Also in the temples they will remember all the people who died suddenly, who were not admonished to eternal life by the prayers of the Holy Church.

At the liturgy, you can order the commemoration of loved ones. To do this, parishioners prepare notes with the names of the deceased. In such a note, you need to write in large legible handwriting the names of the commemorated, which are listed in the genitive case. All names must be given in church spelling (for example, “Tatiana, Alexia”, and not “Tatiana, Alexei”) and in full (“Michael, Lyubov”, and not “Misha, Lyuba”).

If you do not have the opportunity to visit the temple and visit the cemetery on Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday November 2, 2019, you can pray for the repose of the deceased at home. At this time, it is important to tune in to a serious mood and put aside all homework that distracts you from prayer for the departed and thoughts.

Prayers for the dead on Dmitriev parental Saturday

“God give rest, Lord, to the souls of your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, free and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.”

“Put rest to the souls of those who have departed in the place of cooling, as it is not the dead who will praise Thee, O Lord; the confessions that are in hell below will dare to bring Thee, but we, the living, will bless Thee and pray, and we bring prayers and sacrifices to Thee for their souls.”

On Dmitriev Saturday, believers honor the memory of St. Demetrius, the patron saint of Russian soldiers. This Christian saint, who lived during the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian in the city of Thessalonica, preached Christianity during the persecution of adherents of this religion and was executed.

Many temples erected in our country are dedicated to him. On the eve of the Battle of Kulikovo, Dmitry Donskoy solemnly transferred to Moscow from Vladimir the main shrine of the Vladimir Dmitrievsky Cathedral - the icon of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, written on the board of the Holy Sepulcher.

Believers offer a prayer to St. Demetrius:

“Holy Great Martyr of Christ Demetrius! Standing with boldness to the Heavenly King, ask Him for forgiveness of our sins and get rid of us, cursed (names), from the all-destructive ulcer, fire and eternal punishment. Pray for His goodness, hedgehog to the parish (or house) of this and our temple. Ask us for a grace-filled strengthening for good deeds, and let us do what is pleasing to our Lord Christ God here, let us be honored by Your prayers to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and glorify Him there, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen".

How the deceased were commemorated on Dmitrievskaya Saturday

In the old days, on Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday in Russia, it was customary to arrange feasts, commemorating the deceased relatives and friends. The day before, people cleaned and washed their houses. In the bath, they left a fresh broom and clean water for the deceased, in order to appease the soul of the deceased.

The memorial table had already been covered with a white tablecloth since Friday and candles were placed on it. The hostesses prepared meat dishes, the main of which was a stuffed pork head.

Traditional funeral dishes were served at the table: kutya, pancakes, pies and other favorite foods of deceased relatives. The shape of pies that were prepared with different fillings (meat, cabbage, cottage cheese) had to be oblong.

For the deceased, a separate plate was placed on the table, where each relative put one spoonful of his food. This offering was left overnight so that the deceased could eat with his family.

There are many signs associated with Dmitrievskaya Saturday. It is believed that if it is cold on this day and snow has already fallen, then spring will be late, and if a thaw occurs, spring will be warm. In the old days, they said: “Dmitriev’s Saturday is work for the gourmands,” since on the eve of the holiday it was customary to serve a ritual dish - kutya to the table, commemorating the dead.

We hope that when you find out when Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday will be in 2019, you will spend it in accordance with long-established traditions and pay tribute to the memory of your family, following Orthodox customs.

Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday is the day on which Orthodox believers pay tribute to the memory of their ancestors.
The commemoration of the dead is traditionally performed on the first Saturday of November, this is November 3, 2018.
It is very old and probably many do not remember why it is at this time that the Orthodox people commemorate their dead. There are several parental Saturdays throughout the year, and this special ...

Saturday in Holy Scripture is a special day. In the Old Testament - the day of rest, and in the New - the day of forgiveness, remission of sins. And it is no coincidence that the Church chose the Sabbath day for the cathedral commemoration of the heroes of the Battle of Kulikovo. On the eve of the feast day - Sunday, when, according to custom, all Christians should be in the temple, believers gathered to pray for the repose of the souls of their brothers in faith.

…That day was a day of great joy and great sadness. The messenger of Prince Dimitri reached the gates of Moscow in a matter of days, and by the time the militia returned, the inhabitants - priests, monks and laity, old and young - with icons and banners went to the outskirts of the city, to that place, lower than Yegoryevskaya Gorka, from where the street leading to Kremlin and big bargaining.

Now it is called Varvarka (in honor of the church of St. Barbara the Great Martyr, built later, at its very beginning).

From Kulishki one could see the domes of the church in honor of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George - "Egoria", as he was called by the people. Along this very street, asking for a blessing from the patron saint of Moscow, the Russian militia marched to the Battle of Kulikovo. Along the same street, it was decided to return back. The road of hope, prayer, thanksgiving and tears - that's what it has become for the militias and the townspeople.

Wives, mothers, children and elders were looking forward to theirs. - The messenger brought the news that the losses are huge. - They went out to meet the prince and the squad, knowing that they were followed by a great many carts with the wounded and dead. Exclamations of joy, lamentation, glorification of God, and over all this sea - a heartfelt prayer for the repose of the souls of the Orthodox soldiers killed on the Kulikovo field.

Never before has the Russian army known such a victory. It was similar to the holy wars from the history of the Old Testament, when God Himself fought on the side of ancient Israel, when victory was given not by numbers and military skill, but by faith in His undoubted and close help.

Just as Tsar David, still a youth, went out to meet the giant with a sling in his hand, and with the invocation of the Name of God crushed the wicked, so this time the monk Alexander Peresvet rode out of the timid camp towards Chelubey, dressed in heavy armor, with only a spear in his hands.

On September 8, 1380, thousands of Russian troops saw a similar miracle. Having struck the enemy with one blow, the monk fell dead and betrayed his soul to God, but this was enough for the Russian regiments to come forward with a prayer.

On that day, the word of St. Sergius of Radonezh was fulfilled, announcing victory to Prince Dimitri Ioannovich, but victory at a high price. Of the 150,000 militias, only 40,000 returned to Moscow. However, from that moment on, Russia began to live in hope of liberation from the Horde yoke.

Immediately upon his return, Prince Dimitri ordered memorial services for the murdered to be served in all churches and monasteries. Lists of the dead were compiled and sent to parishes and monasteries. Many warriors remained forever unknown, and in those days the Orthodox Church collectively prayed for the granting of forgiveness of sins and for the repose of all Russian soldiers, known and unknown, who laid down their lives for Russia, for the Orthodox faith.

The city lived with one prayerful sigh. In front of the altars, in the light of chandeliers and under the vaults of monastic cells, in the boyar chambers and in cramped huts, with the lights of penny candles, the Gospel and the Psalter were read with the commemoration of the fallen governors, thousands and centurions and all Orthodox militias. People who did not know how to read and write prayed from the heart with tears and with bows to the earth in front of dark images and on the church porches. Every year on the same autumn Sabbath day, Prince Demetrius was appointed to serve requiems in memory of those killed.

Over time, the established custom changed somewhat: the prayer for the fallen soldiers began to be joined by the prayer for the deceased relatives and for all the Orthodox Christians who had died from time immemorial. It was then that "Dimitrov Saturday" - as it was called in memory of Prince Dimitri Donskoy - began to be called "parental".

Since ancient times in the Russian Orthodox Church it has been a day of common prayer for the departed, a day of hope for God's mercy. The custom established in the Church since the time of Prince Dimitry Ioannovich turned out to be that “connecting thread” that united many generations of Russian people with a sense of catholicity, church unity.

What to do on Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday

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

A memorial meal is held after the service. On Dmitriev Saturday, it is customary to lay a rich table, on which there must be dishes that your deceased loved ones loved during their lifetime.

The most important dish on the table was pies: the hostess had to cook a lot of pastries with different fillings. In ancient times, it was believed that this could appease and please the deceased.

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

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

On Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday, the family of the deceased should remember only good things about him, share warm memories that are associated with the deceased. So you make it clear to the soul of the deceased that you still remember and love him.

Despite the fact that on many church events it is strictly forbidden to do household chores, this does not apply to Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday. On the contrary, on this day you should do a general cleaning, and then wash yourself.

Our ancestors certainly left a fresh broom and clean water in the bath for the deceased in order to appease the soul of the deceased. The most important thing is that your household chores do not interfere with church attendance.

On parental Saturday, it is customary to go to the cemetery. The grave of the deceased must be put in order, cleaned. After that, pray for the repose of his soul.

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

How to Remember: Prayer for the Dead

Give rest, Lord, to the souls of your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, free and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.

It is more convenient to read the names from the commemorative book - a small book where the names of living and deceased relatives are recorded.

There is a pious custom to keep family commemorations, reading which both in home prayer and during church services, Orthodox people commemorate many generations of their deceased ancestors by name.

As a rule, bread, sweets, fruits, vegetables, etc. are placed on the canon. You can bring flour for prosphora, Cahors for liturgy, candles and oil for lamps. It is not allowed to bring meat products or spirits.

Signs on Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday and sayings

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When it was warm in the yard, they said: "The dead are happy for us." On grandfather's week and parents will sigh. Alive parents - honor, and died - remember. Grandfathers did not know trouble, but grandchildren knew torment. Do not commemorate the deceased with dashing, but with kindness - as you wish.

• Remember the living with kindness, and the dead with green wine.
• Without beer, but without wine - and no wake.
• Man is born for death, dies for life.
• The earth is heavy, but when you douse it with beer and wine, everything will feel better.
• Remember good, forget evil.
• A Russian person does not live without relatives.
• The man is strong by his family. And the field is great, but not native.
• Dmitriev's Saturday - work for the cheerleaders.
• Drink, do not regret - remember more cheerfully.
• With cheerful commemorators and the dead, it’s more fun.
• The girls are cunning for Dmitry (they are going to get married, so after this day there are rarely weddings in the villages before the winter meat-eater).
• Round dances from Yegorya, gatherings from Dmitry. It's not always Dmitriev's Saturday for the priest's guys. On grandfather's week, parents will have a rest, there is a thaw - the whole winter-winter should be with teplins.
• On Grandfather's Week, all of Russia resembles a single great candle.

What is Dmitrievskaya Parental Saturday

Parents' Saturday is the day of commemoration of the departed. There are several such days in a year, they are established by the Orthodox Church. Some of them have fixed dates, and some are counted in connection with the transitional Orthodox holidays. In order not to get confused about the dates for the next year and not to miss parental Saturdays, follow all the posts and important Christian dates according to the Orthodox calendar for 2017. Dmitrievskaya Saturday is special in that it is actually the last day of commemoration of the dead in the year. As always, in 2016 it will be November 5th. At the same time, the name and date were not chosen by chance.

Why parental Saturday is called Dmitrievskaya

It is more correct to call it Dmitrovskaya, and it is connected with the events of the distant XIV century. These were the times of the reign of Dmitry Donskoy and the Battle of Kulikovo. Returning after the battle and victory, the prince visited the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, where a memorial service was served for the dead soldiers and honored their memory with a general meal. It was these events that became the beginning of the commemoration of the dead on November 8 or on the Saturday closest to this day. However, this day is called Dmitrievskaya Saturday in honor of the memory of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica, and not in honor of the great Russian prince.

Saint Demetrius of Thessalonica

In the Orthodox Church on November 5, the memory of the Holy Great Martyr Dmitry of Solounsky is venerated, who, like many other saints, died for the faith in Christ. He was the son of a rich and noble man who secretly professed Christianity and baptized his son. Having accepted a significant post in the state after the death of his father, he began to openly preach Christianity and converted many townspeople to the faith. On this day, it is very important to pray for the salvation of your soul. For example, the prayer "I believe" will have a strong effect, which can be read on an equal basis with others.

The emperor was informed about this and he took Dmitry of Thessalonica into custody. The Christians were also arrested and forced to fight in the arena with the emperor's favorite gladiator. Saint Dmitry strengthened the spirit of one of the Christians and he was able to defeat a strong fighter, which greatly angered the emperor. He executed the Christian on the same day, and the next he sent his soldiers to prison to St. Dmitry. They caught him in prayer and immediately pierced him with spears.

Traditions of Dmitrov parental Saturday

Believers visit cemeteries on this day and order prayers for deceased relatives. The Church honors on this day the soldiers who fell in the war for the Fatherland. But it is possible and necessary to remember on this day all the deceased loved ones. After all, Dmitrov Saturday is the last memorial day of the year, as opposed to spring parental Saturdays.

They pray to Dmitry Thessalonica for help in many ailments and illnesses. It is believed that this saint returns sight. It adds courage and patience, which are simply necessary for many things in life. Warriors also turned to Dmitry Thessalonica before the battle, asking for victory.

The people stopped the autumn mating season and people began to prepare for the Christmas post. The tradition of commemorating the dead in early November is characteristic not only of the Eastern Slavs, but also of many other peoples. In the Catholic Church a few days before that, Parents' Saturday is also held. During this period, the Macedonians and Serbs left bread and water for the dead, while the Croats celebrated the "Day of Souls" in early November.

In addition to praying and going to church, there are always many other very important things to do. You will always learn how to distribute them correctly and attract good luck in. We wish you all the best and don't forget to press the buttons and

03.11.2016 02:13

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Dimitri's parental Saturday is the day of general commemoration of the dead. It takes place annually on Saturday before the day of memory of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, which falls on October 26 (November 8).

According to legend, the commemoration of the soldiers - the defenders of the Russian land - was established by the holy noble prince Dimitry Donskoy and with the blessing of St. Sergius of Radonezh after a difficult and bloody battle on the Kulikovo field, which took place on the day of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos on September 8/21, 1380 (summer 6888 from the creation of the world ).

Appearance of the Mother of God to Prince Dimitry Donskoy

Initially, Demetrius Saturday was a day of commemoration of Orthodox soldiers who laid down their lives on the battlefield for Faith and Fatherland. This day also reminds us of all those who died and suffered for Orthodoxy. Because every Christian at Baptism receives the title of Christ's warrior, then gradually Demetrius Saturday became the day of the funeral commemoration of all the departed Orthodox Christians.

The history of the establishment of Dimitrievskaya memorial Saturday

During the reign of Demetrius Donskoy, Khan of the Horde Mamai brought his entire horde to Russia. Dmitry Donskoy came to Sergius of Radonezh for advice: “Will you go to fight against such a strong enemy?” The monk blessed the prince with the words: “You, sovereign, must take care of the Christ-named flock entrusted to you by God, and with His help you will win.” At the same time, he gave him two monks: Alexander Peresvet and Andrey Weak. Both monks fell in battle and were buried near the walls of the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in the Old Simonov Monastery. In their memory, inextinguishable lamps were lit, which was the first eternal fire on the graves of fallen soldiers. Is it not from here that the custom came to honor the memory of the fallen by lighting an eternal flame?

On the Kulikovo field, in 1380, the Grand Duke remained the winner. This brilliant victory was the beginning of the liberation of Russia from the enslavement of the Horde. Returning from the battlefield, the prince came to St. Sergius. In the Trinity Monastery, they commemorated the Orthodox soldiers who fell in the Battle of Kulikovo, with a funeral service and a common meal, and it was proposed to the Church to make a commemoration every year on Saturday before the day of memory of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica. The proposal of the Grand Duke was accepted, because the victory that went to the Russian army was stained with the blood of thousands of Orthodox soldiers - the loss of sons, husbands, fathers brought tears of grief and despair to Russian families.

More than 250 thousand soldiers who fought for the Fatherland did not return from the Kulikovo field. Together with the joy of victory, the bitterness of loss came to their families, and this private parental day became in fact a universal day of remembrance in Russia.

Over time, a tradition developed to make such a commemoration every year: on Saturday before November 8, funeral services were performed everywhere in Russia. Subsequently, on this day they began to commemorate not only the soldiers who laid down their lives on the battlefield for their faith and the Fatherland, but also all the departed Orthodox Christians and became a universal parental memorial Saturday, therefore, on this day, Orthodox Christians commemorate all their deceased relatives in the same way, as in other parental commemorations.

And Ivan the Terrible confirmed by a special decree the decision of the church and "ordered to sing memorial services and serve masses in all churches and give general alms, and put feed" on this day.

Funeral traditions

Demetrius Saturday was always celebrated solemnly: they went to the graves of their relatives, served requiems. If it is not possible to visit a temple or a cemetery these days, you can pray for the repose of the deceased in home prayer.

Prayer for the dead
Give rest, Lord, to the souls of your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, free and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.

It is more convenient to read the names from the commemorative book - a small book where the names of living and deceased relatives are recorded. There is a pious custom to keep family commemorations, reading which both in home prayer and during church services, Orthodox people commemorate many generations of their deceased ancestors by name.

To commemorate your deceased relatives in church, you need to come to the temple for worship on the evening of Friday on the eve of parental Saturday. At this time it takes place great dirge, or parastas. All troparia, stichera, chants and parastas readings are dedicated to prayer for the dead. On the morning of Memorial Saturday itself, funeral divine liturgy, after which serve common memorial service.

For church commemoration for the parastas, separately for the liturgy, parishioners prepare notes with the commemoration of the departed. In the note, the names of those commemorated in the genitive case are written in large legible handwriting (answer the question “who?”), with the clergy and monastics being the first to be mentioned, indicating the rank and degree of monasticism (for example, Metropolitan John, Sheikhumen Savva, Archpriest Alexander, nun Rachel, Andrei, Nina). All names must be given in church spelling (for example, Tatiana, Alexy) and in full (Michael, Lyubov, not Misha, Lyuba).

In addition, it is customary to bring food to the temple as a donation. As a rule, bread, sweets, fruits, vegetables, etc. are placed on the canon. You can bring flour for prosphora, Cahors for liturgy, candles and oil for lamps. It is not allowed to bring meat products or spirits.

About our duty to the departed

The love that our Lord Jesus Christ commanded us should extend not only to the living, but also to our loved ones who have left us. Our love for the dead should be even greater, because our living loved ones can help themselves by repentance or doing good deeds and thus alleviate their lot, but the deceased can no longer help themselves, all their hope for easing their afterlife is only on surviving members of the Church. We must sympathize with them in this, especially since their fate is unknown to us. As Saint Theophan the Recluse said: “The fate of those who have departed is not considered decided until the general Judgment. Until then, we cannot consider anyone finally condemned, and on this basis we pray, affirming ourselves with the hope of God’s immeasurable mercy!” (Collected letters. Issue 6, letter 948). For the most part, people die with sins. The word is true that we are born in sins, we spend our lives in sins, and although we repent and partake of communion, nevertheless we sin again, so that death always finds us in sins.

Only for a while a person leaves his body, leaving this visible and moving to another, invisible to us, world, in order to rise again in the general resurrection. The body disintegrates, but the soul continues to live and does not cease to exist for a moment. The Savior says that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for with Him all are alive (Luke 20:38).

Some souls are in a state of anticipation of eternal joy and bliss, while others are in fear of eternal torment, which will fully come after the Last Judgment. Until then, changes in the state of souls are still possible, especially through the offering of the Bloodless Sacrifice for them (commemoration at the liturgy), as well as through other prayers.

According to Orthodox teaching, through the prayers of the Church, the dead can receive relief or release from afterlife punishments. “Anyone who wants to show his love for the dead and give them real help can best do this by praying for them, and especially by commemoration at the Liturgy, when the particles taken for the living and the dead are immersed in the Blood of the Lord with the words: “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of those who are remembered here with Thy precious Blood, by the prayers of Thy saints” (St. John (Maximovich). Life after death). We can do nothing better and more for the departed than to pray for them, offering commemoration for them at the liturgy.

How important is the commemoration at the liturgy, shows the following event. Before the opening of the relics of St. Theodosius of Chernigov (1896), the priest who was reclothing the relics, tired, sitting near the relics, dozed off and saw the saint in front of him, who said to him: “ Thank you for working hard for me. I also ask you, when you celebrate the Liturgy, remember my parents”, - and called their names (Priest Nikita and Maria). " How do you, saint, ask me for prayers when you yourself stand at the throne of heaven and give people the mercy of God?!' asked the priest. “Yes, that’s true,” Saint Theodosius answered, “but the offering at the Liturgy is stronger than my prayer.”

And about how necessary and important prayer for the departed, apart from other examples, we are assured by a characteristic incident described in the life of St. Macarius the Great.

Once the Monk Macarius, walking through the desert, found a dry skull on the ground. Turning it with his wand, he noticed that the skull was making a sound.

Whose skull are you? asked the holy elder.

- I was the head of all the priests who lived here, - a voice was heard from the skull. “And you are Abba Macarius, filled with the Spirit of God. When you pray for us who are in torment, we experience some joy.

- What kind of joy do you experience and what torment? the Reverend asked the skull again.

“As the sky is far from the earth, so great is the fire in which we are tormented, scorched from everywhere, from head to toe,” a voice said with a groan, “and we cannot even see each other. When you pray for us, we partly see each other, and this gives us some joy.

The Reverend shed tears and said:
- Unfortunate is the day when a person transgressed the commandment of God.

Then he asked:
- Are there other, greater torments?

There was an answer:
– There are other people who are under us, deeper. We who have not known God still have some consolation from God's mercy, but those who, having known God, rejected Him and did not fulfill His commandments, experience the most severe, unspeakable torments.

After these words, Macarius buried the skull in the ground and went in deep thought.

It must be remembered that prayer for the departed is our main and invaluable help to those who have departed to another world. The deceased does not need, by and large, either a coffin, or a grave monument, and even more so a memorial table - all this is just a tribute to traditions, albeit very pious ones. But the eternally living soul of the deceased feels a great need for constant prayer, for she cannot do good deeds herself, with which she would be able to propitiate the Lord.

Every Orthodox Christian should strive to fulfill his duty to his parents and other departed relatives and submit notes for the Liturgy and Panikhida these days. Pray for the departed, take care of his soul. Remember that we all have one road and everyone has that path; how we will then wish that they would remember us in prayer!

How Dmitrievskaya Saturday differs from other days of commemoration of the dead - Hierodeacon John (Kurmoyarov)

Dimitrievskaya (Dmitrievskaya) parental Saturday - Saturday before the day of memory of the saint martyr. Demetrius of Thessalonica (October 26, old style), when the dead are commemorated, despite the fact that this day is not marked as a memorial day in the liturgical charter. In Russian manuscripts, Dmitriev's Parental Saturday is rarely mentioned, it is not noted in translated liturgical books (Typicons, Menaia), and only occasionally is indicated in original Russian monuments - cathedral "Officers" and monastery "Obykhodniks". One of the first mentions of Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday as a day of commemoration of the dead is contained in a collection of Novgorod origin of the 15th century. In the monastery "Obikhodniki" Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday is the day of commemoration of the deceased brethren.

Why Saturday? Because on Saturday the Lord with His soul dwelt with the dead in hell: Christ descended into hell immediately after the separation of the soul from the body, and on Saturday the Lord dwelt in hell and led the Old Testament righteous out of there.

Outside the monasteries, Dmitriev's parental Saturday was perceived as a day of prayer for the dead for all the departed faithful. Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible ordered this Saturday "to sing memorial services and serve masses in all churches and give general alms, and put food." The “Officer” of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral on October 23 contains the following entry from the 2nd half of the 17th century: “Before the memory of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius, on Friday evening there is a memorial service for all Orthodox Christians.” In the Old Believer manuscripts there is a compilation from "Obikhodnikov" and "Charters", dedicated to Dmitriev's parental Saturday with the title: "It is fitting to know about Saturday before the feast of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica."

In the 17th century, Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday, in all likelihood, was not yet associated with the commemoration of the soldiers who fell in the Battle of Kulikovo. The legends about the Battle of Kulikovo also do not contain an indication of the establishment of the Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday by Prince Dmitry Donskoy. Only in the Cyprian edition of the “Tale of the Mamaev Battle”, created in the middle of the 16th century and which has come down to us as part of the Nikon Chronicle, it is told that blgv. The prince turned to St. Sergius with the words: “And so that you sing a ponafida and serve mass for all those who were beaten for them. And so be it, and give alms, and feed the Monk Abbot Sergius, and feed all his brethren, ”but even in these words Dmitriev’s parental Saturday is not associated with the Battle of Kulikovo. It can be assumed that the association of Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday with the commemoration of the fallen on the Kulikovo field appeared only in the 18th or even in the 19th century.

St. Filaret of Moscow (Drozdov) wrote in a letter to A. N. Muravyov dated November 26, 1845: “I don’t know the resolution about Dmitriev’s Saturday, except for our Russian tradition. Perhaps the commemoration by St. Sergius of those who fell in the Mamaev battle was the beginning of a common commemoration? Memorial Day, perhaps, was determined by the first convenience upon returning from a campaign. Or, perhaps, after the death of Dmitry Donskoy, on the nearest next to the angel, his Saturday (the usual day of commemoration of the departed in the week, because on this day our Lord was in the departed) they determined to commemorate him and his associates, and, as with everyone, by the way it was to commemorate their relatives, then the commemoration has become universal.

In the 19th century, the opinion about the connection of Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday with the Battle of Kulikovo spread and became dominant. On August 22, 1903, an imperial decree was issued ordering military units to perform requiems for the deceased soldiers on Dmitrievskaya Parental Saturday. According to some contemporaries, even before the issuance of this decree, "the Russian army honored the memory of all those who fell in the Battle of Kulikovo" on this Saturday.

In Russia, among the people, Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday was considered one of the main memorial days. In the period between the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and the day of memory of the Great Martyr. Demetrius, or Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday, did not play weddings.

In the event that Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday coincides with a holiday (for example, from October 22 - the day of memory of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God), the commemoration of the departed is transferred to the previous Saturday. In 1885, 1900 and 1906, when Dmitrievskaya parental Saturday coincided with October 21 - the day of the accession to the throne of the emperor. Nicholas II, the Holy Synod postponed the commemoration to Friday, October 20 - the day of the death of Emperor Alexander III.

(The article "Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday" // Orthodox Encyclopedia. Published by the Russian Orthodox Church with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II. Church Scientific Center. "Orthodox Encyclopedia". M., 2006. V. 14. "Yes-Dee pp. 719–721).