What to cook for parent's day. Orthodox traditions: what they do on parental day at the cemetery

Parental Saturdays are days of special commemoration of the departed, when with our prayers we can provide great help to our relatives and friends who have passed away from earthly life. Five of them are reserved for the commemoration of deceased relatives, two more and the requiems performed at the same time are called ecumenical. Parental Sabbaths involve the observance of certain rules that all believers should be aware of.

The Deep Meaning of Parental Saturday

Please note that hard liquor, such as vodka or cognac, is not accepted as a donation.

If desired and possible, you can order a memorial service, and after prayers are completed, you are allowed to visit the cemetery, put the grave in order, replace the flowers, thereby showing that you keep the memory of a loved one.

How to spend the rest of the day on parental Saturday and can I clean up? Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko for the online publication Pravoslavie i Mir answers this question as follows: the ban on cleaning the house on this day is nothing more than superstition, of course, you need to start the day with visiting the temple, praying, visiting the cemetery, and after if necessary, you can perform the usual household chores.

Another important question that worries believers is whether it is possible to baptize a child on parental Saturday? Hegumen Alexy (Diocese of Vladivostok) and other priests of the Russian Orthodox Church recall a simple rule - you can baptize a child on all days without restrictions.

For the period of Lent in 2020, the following parental Saturdays fall:

• March 14 - Parent ecumenical Saturday of the second week of Great Lent
• March 21 - Parent ecumenical Saturday of the third week of Great Lent
• March 28 - Parent ecumenical Saturday of the fourth week of Great Lent.

P.S. Prayer for the deceased is the sacred duty of every Christian. A great reward and great consolation awaits the one who, through his prayers, will help his departed neighbor receive the forgiveness of sins.

In Orthodoxy, Radonitsa is considered to be a special parental day, which in 2018 fell on April 17. Every year the day of this holiday is different, since it is counted from the date of Easter and falls on the 9th day after the Resurrection of Christ.

It is on April 17 that the Orthodox Church remembers the dead. People come to the temple to light a candle for the repose.

But most modern believers go to the cemetery on this parental day and commemorate their loved ones there in their own way. Today, not all Orthodox Christians know how to properly commemorate the dead, what is possible and what is prohibited by the church.

According to Orthodox canons, the cemetery is the resting place of the dead until the moment of their resurrection. Since ancient times, all peoples have revered this place and treated it as sacred. If earlier huge burial mounds were piled at the burial site, today the grave is made with a small mound or a tomb, near which there is a monument or a cross.

It is not the dead, but the deceased or the deceased, that is customarily called in Orthodoxy those who left the world of their neighbors. It is generally accepted that at some point they will be able to rise from the coffin, as if they were sleeping.

Based on this, it turns out that the grave is a place from which loved ones will be resurrected in the future. Therefore, the church strongly recommends keeping it clean and tidy.

The cross is the preacher of eternal immortality and resurrection. One end of it is immersed in the ground - as a sign that the body rests in the ground, and the other end rises to the sky - a symbol of the soul that has ascended to heaven. It must be at the feet so that the deceased can be placed facing the Crucifixion on the day of Resurrection.

How to remember the dead on parent's day April 17, 2018

All souls are waiting for relatives to pray for her, since she can no longer do a good deed on her own. It is important to pray not only at home on Radonitsa, but also at the cemetery. It would be best to go to the temple and submit a note for the liturgy with the name of the deceased at the baptism. A relative who came to church to remember should also confess and take communion, as this will help the soul.

However, what to do if a relative passed away of his own free will. Priests recommend praying for them at home, because commemoration in the liturgy of suicides is prohibited.

In the modern world, it is customary to take food and alcohol with you to the cemetery - and this is categorically prohibited by the church. These are the remnants of paganism, in which it is believed that the dead also eat and have fun.

The correct commemoration is prayer, not drinking alcohol at the grave. Thus, people show disrespect for the deceased, and not vice versa, as many believe.

It is better not to eat at the cemetery, but to distribute food to the needy - orphans, the poor and the disabled with the words "Remember the servant of God ...". And the one who commemorates, in turn, must answer “Kingdom of Heaven…” and give the name of the person being commemorated. A good deed will be credited not only to the living, but also to his dead relatives.

At home, it is allowed to gather relatives and friends of the deceased. During the meal, it is necessary to remember only good moments, character traits, as well as instructions and wishes of a relative.

Today is a sad day

and the holiday is not easy,

All people remember those who have gone to another world,

This day is called parental, friends,

And we can't forget our roots.

Let's pray for the souls that have left us

And may they feel better in heaven at this hour,

We will clean up the sad graves in the cemetery,

And remembering your loved ones

take a breath...

One queen of antiquity, they say, left a will, according to which her successor, who will most need money for the needs of the state, has the right to open her tomb and use the hidden treasures.

Years and decades passed.

Changed kings and queens on the throne. Each reign had its own problems, but no one dared to open the mentioned coffin. Finally, one of the kings considered that his difficulties were the most difficult, and gave the order to open the tomb.

What did they see?

There were no treasures, but there was an inscription: “You can be seen as a completely worthless person, since you dared to disturb the peace of the dead.”

Cemeteries are sacred places where the bodies of the dead rest until the future resurrection.

Even according to the laws of pagan states, the tombs were considered sacred and inviolable.

From deep pre-Christian antiquity, there is a custom to mark the burial places with a hill above it.

Having adopted this custom, the Christian Church decorates the grave mound with the victorious sign of our salvation - the Holy Life-Giving Cross, inscribed on the tombstone or placed over the tombstone.

We call our dead dead, not dead, because at a certain time they will rise from the tomb.

The grave is the place of the future resurrection, and therefore it is necessary to keep it clean and tidy.

The cross on the grave of an Orthodox Christian is a silent preacher of blessed immortality and resurrection. Planted in the ground and rising to heaven, it marks the belief of Christians that the body of the deceased is here in the earth, and the soul is in heaven, that under the cross there is a seed that grows for eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

The cross on the grave is placed at the feet of the deceased so that the Crucifix is ​​facing the face of the deceased.

It is necessary to take special care that the cross on the grave does not look askance, it is always painted, clean and well-groomed.

A simple, modest cross made of metal or wood more befits the grave of an Orthodox Christian than expensive monuments and tombstones made of granite and marble.

How to behave in a cemetery

Arriving at the cemetery, you need to light a candle, make a lithium (this word literally means intensified prayer. To perform the rite of lithium when commemorating the dead, you need to invite a priest. and in the cemetery).

Then clean up the grave or just be silent, remember the deceased.

It is not necessary to eat or drink at the cemetery, it is especially unacceptable to pour vodka into the grave mound - this offends the memory of the deceased. The custom of leaving a glass of vodka and a piece of bread “for the deceased” on the grave is a relic of paganism and should not be observed in Orthodox families.

It is not necessary to leave food on the grave, it is better to give it to the beggar or the hungry.

How to commemorate the dead

“Let us try, as much as possible, to help the departed, instead of tears, instead of sobs, instead of magnificent tombs, with our prayers, alms and offerings for them, so that in this way both they and we will receive the promised blessings,” writes St. John Chrysostom.

Prayer for the departed is the biggest and most important thing we can do for those who have passed away.

By and large, the deceased does not need a coffin or a monument - all this is a tribute to traditions, albeit pious ones.

But the eternally living soul of the deceased feels a great need for our constant prayer, because she herself cannot do good deeds with which she would be able to propitiate God.

That is why prayer at home for loved ones, prayer at the cemetery at the grave of the deceased is the duty of every Orthodox Christian.

Commemoration in the Church provides special assistance to the deceased.

Before visiting the cemetery, one of the relatives should come to the temple at the beginning of the service, submit a note with the name of the deceased for commemoration in the altar (it is best if it is a commemoration on the proskomedia, when a piece is taken out of the special prosphora for the deceased, and then in the sign of the ablution of his sins will be lowered into the Chalice with the Holy Gifts).

After the liturgy, a memorial service should be served.

Prayer will be more effective if the one who commemorates this day himself partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ.

On certain days of the year, the Church commemorates all fathers and brethren who have passed away from time immemorial, who were honored with a Christian death, as well as those who were overtaken by sudden death, were not sent to the afterlife by the prayers of the Church.

Complete collection and description: a prayer read on parental day for the spiritual life of a believer.

The hour is coming 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 passed away from this life, does not dry out. On certain days, she prays for the deceased and brings a bloodless sacrifice for his repose. Special days of commemoration are the third, ninth and fortieth (while the day of death is considered the first). Commemoration these days is consecrated by an ancient church custom. It is consistent with the teaching of the Church about the state of the soul beyond the grave.

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 her to those places that attract her with memories of earthly joys and sorrows, evil and good deeds. The soul that loves the body sometimes wanders around the house where the body is laid, and thus spends two days like a bird looking for its nest. The virtuous soul, on the other hand, walks in those places where it used to do the right thing. 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, which appeared before the face of the Just, is very timely.

Ninth day. The commemoration of the deceased on this day is in honor of the nine orders of angels, who, as servants of the King of Heaven and intercessors to Him for us, intercede for mercy on the deceased.

After the third day, the soul, accompanied by an Angel, enters the heavenly abodes and contemplates their inexpressible beauty. She remains in this state for six days. For 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 enjoyment of the saints, she begins to grieve and reproach herself: “Alas for me! How busy I am 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, poor me!” On the ninth day, the Lord commands the Angels to again present the soul to Him for worship. With fear and trembling the soul stands before the throne of the Most High. 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, for the acceptance of the special Divine gift of the grace-filled 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 a commemoration on the fortieth day after death, so that the soul of the deceased ascended the holy mountain of Heavenly Sinai, was rewarded with the sight of God, achieved the blessedness promised to her and settled in heavenly villages with the righteous.

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

Anniversary. The Church commemorates the dead 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 fixed holidays are repeated again. The anniversary of the death of a loved one is always celebrated with at least a hearty commemoration of his loving relatives and friends. For an Orthodox believer, this is a birthday for a new, eternal life.

In addition to these days, the Church has established special days for the solemn, universal, ecumenical commemoration of all fathers and brothers who have passed away from the age of faith, who have been honored with a Christian death, as well as those who, having been overtaken by sudden death, were not sent to the afterlife by the prayers of the Church. The requiems performed at the same time, indicated by the charter 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:

Saturday is meatless. Dedicating the Meat-Feast Week to the remembrance of the last Last Judgment of Christ, the Church, in view of this judgment, has established intercession not only for her living members, but also for all those who have died from time immemorial, who have lived in piety, of all genera, ranks and conditions, especially for those who died a sudden death. and pray 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 dead 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 - a community of believers, whose members are not only those who live, but also all who die in the faith. And communion with them through prayer, prayerful commemoration of them is the expression of our common unity in the Church of Christ.

Saturday Trinity. The commemoration of all the 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 the salvation of man, and the departed 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 feast that for the departed the grace of the all-holy and all-sanctifying Spirit of the Comforter, which they were honored during their lifetime, would be a source of bliss, since by the Holy Spirit “every soul is alive.” ". Therefore, the eve of the holiday, Saturday, the Church dedicates to the remembrance of the dead, to prayer for them. St. Basil the Great, who compiled the touching prayers for the Vespers of Pentecost, says in them that the Lord, most of all, on this day deigns to accept prayers for the dead and even for "those who are held in hell."

Parental Saturdays of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of Holy Forty Days. On Holy Forty Days - the days of Great Lent, spiritual feat, the feat of repentance and doing good 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 make prayerful commemoration on the appointed days of those who have departed from this life. In addition, the Saturdays of these weeks are appointed by the Church to commemorate the departed also for the reason that no funeral commemorations are performed on the weekly days of Great Lent (this includes funeral litanies, litias, memorial services, commemoration of the 3rd, 9th and 40th days after death, forty-mouthed), since there is no daily full liturgy, with the celebration of which the commemoration of the dead is associated. In order not to deprive the dead of the saving intercession of the Church on the days of Holy Forty Days, the indicated Saturdays are singled out.

Radonitsa. The basis of 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, combined with St. Thomas Sunday, on the other hand, the permission of the church charter to perform the usual commemoration after Holy and Bright weeks, starting with Fomin Monday. On this day, believers come to the graves of their loved ones with the joyful news of the Resurrection of Christ. Hence the very day of commemoration 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 an earnest prayer for their repose in the temple - after a memorial service served in the church. During the Easter week there are no requiems, for Easter is an all-encompassing joy for those who believe in the Resurrection of our Savior Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, during the entire Paschal week, litanies for the dead are not pronounced (although the usual commemoration is performed at the proskomedia), and memorial services are not served.

It is necessary to commemorate the deceased in the Church as often as possible, not only on the designated special days of commemoration, but also on any other day. The Church performs the main prayer for the repose of the departed Orthodox Christians at the Divine Liturgy, bringing a bloodless sacrifice to God for them. To do this, before the start of the liturgy (or the night before), a note with their names should be submitted to the church (only baptized Orthodox can be entered). On the proskomedia, particles for their repose will be taken out of the prosphora, which at the end of the liturgy will be lowered into the holy cup and washed with the Blood of the Son of God. Let us remember that this is the greatest good that we can give to those who are dear to us. Here is how the commemoration at the liturgy is said in the Epistle 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 being separated from real life, only those who did not have time to bear any fruits of repentance (such fruits could be their prayers, tears, kneeling during prayerful vigils, contrition, consolation of the poor and expression in deeds of love for God and neighbor), - the souls of such people descend into hell and suffer for what they have done sins of punishment, without losing, however, the hope of relief. They receive relief through the infinite goodness of God through the prayers of priests and good works done for the dead, and especially through the power of bloodless sacrifice, which, in particular, the clergy brings for every Christian for his loved ones, and in general for everyone, the Catholic and Apostolic Church daily brings.

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

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

The number of names in the note does not matter; it is only necessary 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 confusion, remember that the difference in prices (registered or simple notes) only reflects the difference in the amount of the donation. Nor should you be embarrassed if you have not heard the names of your relatives mentioned in the litany. As mentioned above, the main commemoration takes place on the proskomedia, when particles are taken out of the prosphora. During the funeral litany, you can take out your commemoration book and pray for loved ones. Prayer will be more effective if the one who commemorates himself on that day partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ.

After the liturgy, you can serve a memorial service. A memorial service is served before the eve - a special table with the image of a crucifix and rows of candlesticks. Here you can also leave an offering for the needs of the temple in memory of the departed loved ones.

It is very important after death to order a magpie in the temple - an unceasing commemoration at the liturgy for forty days. At the end of the magpie, you can order 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 that pray, the better for our neighbor!

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

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

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. Prayer at home for loved ones, including the dead, is the duty of every Orthodox. St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, says this about prayer for the departed: “If the all-pervading 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 maybe often, salvific for souls who have fallen away from the shore of temporal life, but have not reached the eternal home? Salvatory for those souls who vacillate over the abyss between bodily death and the last judgment of Christ, now rising by faith, now plunging into deeds unworthy of it, now exalted by grace, now being brought down by the remains of a damaged nature, now ascending by Divine desire, now becoming entangled in coarse, not yet completely stripped off attire of earthly thoughts. »

The home prayer commemoration of the deceased Christian is very diverse. One should especially pray 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 about the deceased Psalter, at least one kathisma a day. You can also recommend reading an akathist for the repose of the dead. In general, the Church commands us to pray every day for the deceased parents, relatives, known and benefactors. For this, the following short prayer is included in the number of daily morning prayers:

Give rest, O Lord, to 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 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 Orthodox people commemorate many generations of their deceased ancestors by name.

The pious custom of commemorating the dead at a meal has been known for a very long time. But, unfortunately, many commemorations turn into an occasion for relatives to get together, discuss the news, eat tasty food, while Orthodox Christians should also pray for the departed at the memorial table.

Before the meal, one should perform a lithium - a short rite of memorial service, which can be performed by a layman. In extreme cases, you need to at least read the 90th psalm and the prayer "Our Father". The first dish that is eaten at the wake is kutya (kolyovo). These are boiled grains of cereals (wheat or rice) with honey and raisins. Grains are a symbol of resurrection, and honey is a sweetness enjoyed by the righteous in the Kingdom of God. According to the charter, kutya should be consecrated with a special rite during a memorial service; if this is not possible, it is necessary to sprinkle it with holy water.

Naturally, the desire of the owners to treat everyone who came to the commemoration to taste better. But you need to observe the fasts established by the Church, and eat the allowed food: on Wednesday, Friday, during long fasts - do not eat fast. If the memory of the deceased happens on a weekday of Great Lent, then the commemoration is transferred to the next Saturday or Sunday.

It is necessary to refrain from wine, especially from vodka, at the memorial meal! The dead are not commemorated with wine! Wine is a symbol of earthly joy, and a commemoration 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" commemorations 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 - commemoration). The custom of leaving a glass of vodka and a piece of bread “for the deceased” at the table is a relic of paganism and should not be observed in Orthodox families.

On the contrary, there are pious practices worthy of emulation. In many Orthodox families, the poor and the poor, children and old women are the first to sit down at the memorial table. They can also distribute clothes and belongings of the deceased. Orthodox people can tell about numerous cases of certificates from the afterlife about the great help to the dead 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 to live the life of an Orthodox Christian.

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

“It was in the difficult post-war years. Comes to me, the rector of the village church, a mother crying with grief, in which her eight-year-old son Misha drowned. And she says that Misha dreamed of her and complained about the cold - he was completely without clothes. I say to her: "Are any of his clothes left?" - "Oh sure". - "Give it to your friends Mishin, they will surely come in handy."

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

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

Orthodox prayers for the dead

Prayers for the dead are considered an important church ritual that helps the soul of the deceased find peace. Which prayer to read for the deceased up to 40 days every day, which prayer for the repose of the soul up to 1 year for parents, relatives, husbands, wives, should be chosen in order to correctly commemorate the newly deceased (recently departed to another world) loved one, a long-dead father, mother?

Up to 40 days, the souls of the departed need prayer. Prayers for the dead, as a rule, are read by relatives at home or in the temple, the texts of prayers can be short, long, prayers uttered in one's own words are suitable on memorial days.

The first 3 days after death, according to the narration of the Holy Fathers, the soul is near the body. After 3 days, the soul of the newly reposed deceased passes from earthly life to the spiritual world, where each soul has the opportunity to bear the responsibility for the earthly deeds done, to answer for the sins committed. On the 40th day, God's Judgment ends, and the soul moves to heaven or hell. The first 40 days are very important for the souls of the departed, prayers are especially needed these days.

Razgadamus considers it educational. The most important for Orthodox Christians are prayers for the departed; an Orthodox prayer is read at the Liturgy in the church during the service, in the process of the funeral service by the priests. At home, in addition to prayer, you can read the Psalter - this is the sacred book of psalms, which is read collectively, individually in the church or at home before the icons. Psalms for the dead can be read on the anniversary of the death of parents, husband, wife, on any other day, it should be read correctly at home with a burning candle or lamp.

How to pray on memorial days, what kind of prayers for the departed should Orthodox Christians have? We offer the strongest Orthodox prayers of commemoration, which can be read on Parental memorial Saturdays, after the death of parents (father, mother) up to 40 days or a deceased wife, husband, relative every day. After Christ's Easter, according to the church Orthodox calendar, every year Orthodox Christians celebrate the holiday Radonitsa or Parents' Day (in 2017, the date is April 25); we hope that the accessible texts published in this article will be used by many believers on the approaching day of remembrance.