According to Orthodox tradition, a certain number of days a year are dedicated to commemorating the dead. Most of them fall on Saturday. They have appropriate names: parent's Saturdays. One of these memorial days is called Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday. It closes a kind of annual circle of all existing in Orthodox calendar parent's Saturdays. This year, 2018, Dimitrievskaya parent's Saturday falls on November 3rd.
General information about the date
The origin of Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday is connected with another Orthodox holiday: day of remembrance of the warrior and great martyr. Before this significant Christian celebration, parental Saturday was established in due time, intended for prayers and memories of those who have left this mortal world. The history of the establishment of this date goes back many centuries.
The idea of establishing Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday came to the head of the Grand Duke. The background to this event mentions one of the most famous battles in the history of our Fatherland: the Battle of Kulikovo. As you know, it took place between Prince Dimitri Ioannovich and Mamai. The first emerged victorious from the Battle of Kulikovo. This happened on September 8, 1380. It must be said that among the prince’s warriors there were two monks, whom the abbot of the above-mentioned monastery, St. Sergius of Radonezh, gave to the crowned person. The names of those monks were Andrei Oslyablya and Alexander Peresvet.
In addition, the abbot blessed Demetrius for the battle with his enemies. Alas, both Alexander and Andrey laid down their lives on the battlefield. They were buried in the Old Simonov Monastery near the Church of the Nativity Holy Mother of God, right next to its walls. Having honestly fulfilled his princely, state and human duty to his homeland, Dimitri Donskoy returned home and, being a religious and pious man, did not fail to go to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. There he remembered the Christian soldiers who died at the hands of the wicked in battle. And, having performed the rite of remembrance, he invited the clergy to make this a good Orthodox tradition. Same Grand Duke Demetrius Donskoy took the initiative to annually remember the Russian soldiers who fell on the battlefield during the Battle of Kulikovo on a specific day - the Saturday preceding the day of remembrance of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki, the namesake of the Russian ruler, October 26, old style.
Dimitrievskaya Parents' Saturday is the day of universal remembrance of the dead. It is performed annually on the Saturday before the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, which falls on October 26 (November 8).
According to legend, the commemoration of the warriors - defenders of the Russian land - was established by the holy noble prince Demetrius 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 Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8/21, 1380 (summer 6888 from the creation of the world ).
Appearance of the Mother of God to Prince Dimitri Donskoy
Initially, Dimitrievskaya Saturday was a day of remembrance for Orthodox soldiers who laid down their lives on the battlefield for the 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 a warrior of Christ, then gradually Demetrius Saturday became the day of funeral commemoration of all deceased Orthodox Christians.
The history of the establishment of Dimitrievskaya memorial Saturday
During the reign of Dmitry Donskoy, Khan of the Horde Mamai brought his entire horde to Rus'. Dmitry Donskoy came to Sergius of Radonezh for advice: “Should I go to fight against such strong enemy? The monk blessed the prince with the words: “You, sovereign, must take care of the flock of Christ entrusted to you by God, and with His help you will win victory.” At the same time, he gave him two monks: Alexander Peresvet and Andrei Oslabya. Both monks fell in battle and were buried near the walls of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Old Simonov Monastery. In their memory, unquenchable lamps were lit, which was the first eternal flame on the graves of fallen soldiers. Is this where the custom of honoring the memory of the fallen by lighting the eternal flame came from?
On the Kulikovo Field, in 1380, the Grand Duke remained victorious. Siya brilliant victory became the beginning of the liberation of Rus' from Horde enslavement. Returning from the battlefield, the prince came to the Monk Sergius. At 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 that they commemorate each year on the Saturday before the day of remembrance of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica. The Grand Duke's proposal was accepted because the victory achieved by the Russian army was stained with the blood of thousands of Orthodox soldiers - the loss of sons, husbands, and 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. Along with the joy of victory, the bitterness of loss came to their families, and this private parent’s day became essentially a universal day of remembrance in Rus'.
Over time, a tradition developed to perform such a commemoration annually: on the Saturday before November 8, funeral services were performed everywhere in Rus'. Subsequently, on this day they began to commemorate not only soldiers who laid down their lives on the battlefield for faith and the Fatherland, but also all deceased 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, by a special decree, confirmed the decree of the church and “ordered to sing requiems and serve mass in all churches and give general alms and put out food” on this day.
Traditions of funeral rites
Dimitrievskaya Saturday was always celebrated solemnly: we went to the graves of relatives, and requiem services were served. If it is not possible to visit a temple or cemetery these days, you can pray for the repose of the deceased in home prayer.
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 conducting family memorials, reading which both in home prayer and during church services, Orthodox people remember by name many generations of their deceased ancestors.
To remember your deceased relatives in church, you need to come to church for a service on Friday evening before parental Saturday. At this time it takes place great funeral service, or parastas. All troparia, stichera, chants and parastas readings are dedicated to prayer for the dead. On the morning of the memorial Saturday itself, it is performed funeral Divine Liturgy, after which they serve general funeral service.
For church commemoration at parastas, separately for the liturgy, parishioners prepare notes commemorating the deceased. In the note, in large, legible handwriting, the names of those commemorated are written in the genitive case (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).
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 the liturgy, candles and oil for lamps. You are not allowed to bring meat products or strong alcoholic drinks.
About our duty to the dead
The love that our Lord Jesus Christ commanded us should extend not only to the living, but also to our loved ones and relatives who have left us. Our love for the departed should be even greater, because our living loved ones can help themselves by repentance or doing good deeds and thus ease their fate, but the deceased can no longer help themselves, all their hope for easing their lot in the afterlife lies only in 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 completely condemned, and on this basis we pray, strengthened by the hope of God’s immeasurable mercy!” (Collected letters. Issue 6, letter 948). Most people die with sins. The word is true that we are born in sins, and spend our lives in sins, and although we repent and receive communion, we nevertheless sin again, so that death always finds us in sins.
Only for a while does a person leave his body, leaving this visible one and moving to another world, invisible to us, 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 that will completely come after 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 liberation from afterlife punishments. “Anyone who wants to show their love for the dead and give them real help can the best way make this a prayer for them and especially a remembrance 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 were remembered here with Your honest Blood, with the prayers of Your saints.” (Saint John (Maximovich). Life after death). We cannot do anything better or more for the departed than to pray for them, offering commemoration for them at the liturgy.
How important the commemoration during the liturgy is is shown by the following event. Before the opening of the relics of St. Theodosius of Chernigov (1896), the priest who was performing the reveiling of the relics, exhausted, sitting near the relics, dozed off and saw the saint in front of him, who told him: “ Thank you for working hard for me. I also ask you, when you celebrate the liturgy, remember my parents“- and named 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 God’s mercies?!"- asked the priest. “Yes, this is true,” answered Saint Theodosius, “but the offering at the liturgy is stronger than my prayer.”
And about how necessary and important prayer for the dead is, in addition to other examples, we are assured by a characteristic incident described in the life of St. Macarius the Great.
One day the Monk Macarius, walking through the desert, found a dry skull on the ground. As he turned it with his staff, he noticed that the skull was making some kind of sound.
-Whose are you, skull? – asked the holy elder.
“I was the leader 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 joy and what torment do you experience? – 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 everywhere, from head to toe,” the voice said with a groan, “and we cannot even see each other.” When you pray for us, we partially see each other, and this gives us some comfort.
The Reverend shed tears and said:
- Unhappy is the day when a person transgresses the commandment of God.
Then he asked:
– Are there other, greater torments?
The answer came:
– There are other people who are below us, deeper. We who have not known God still have some consolation from the mercy of God, but those who, having known God, rejected Him and did not fulfill His commandments, experience the most severe, unspeakable torment.
After these words, Macarius buried the skull in the ground and walked away in great thought.
It must be remembered that 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 forever alive soul The deceased feels a great need for constant prayer, because she cannot do good deeds with which she would be able to appease the Lord.
Every Orthodox Christian must strive to fulfill his duty to his parents and other departed relatives and on these days submit notes for the Liturgy and memorial service. Pray for the deceased, take care of his soul. Remember that we all have one road and everyone has that path ahead of them; How then we will wish that they would prayerfully remember us too!
Dimitrievskaya Parents' Saturday is the closest Saturday before the day of remembrance of St. Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki (October 26 / November 8). Installed after the Battle of Kulikovo Field. Initially, commemoration was performed for all the soldiers who died in this battle. Gradually, Dimitrievskaya Saturday became a day of funeral commemoration of all deceased Orthodox Christians. Some are associated with Dimitrievskaya Saturday folk traditions, probably dating back to the pre-Christian past.
Autumn commemoration of the dead among non-Slavic peoples
Among the ancient Celts, one of the main holidays of the year was Samhain - the celebration of the end of the warm season. On this day, according to the beliefs of the Celts, the usual barriers between the mortal world and the other world disappeared, so that people could visit the afterlife, and spirits - to come to earth and even interfere in the affairs of mortals. Some people associated with this day important events in Celtic mythology and history. The idea of special closeness to the inhabitants of the other world became the basis for combining Samhain with the commemoration of the dead.
Such customs are also known among other peoples of Eurasia. Thus, among the Chuvash, October (Yupa) is considered a month of special commemoration of departed ancestors, the time for holding “Yupa Irterni,” i.e., wakes.
In the 8th century in Rome, and from the 9th century. everywhere in the West 1 Nov. began to be celebrated as All Saints' Day. In 994-1048 Abbot of the Cluny Monastery of St. Odilo pinned for 2 Nov. commemoration of all the departed faithful; this tradition became widespread in the Latin Church. Mn. researchers see in the establishment of these memories an attempt to churchize the pagan traditions of European peoples.
Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday in Slavic countries
In Russian manuscripts, Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday is rarely mentioned, is not noted in translated liturgical books (Typikon, Menaia) and is only occasionally indicated in the original Russian monuments - cathedral Officials and monastic Obikhodniki, reflecting the features of the real liturgical practice of ancient Russian cathedral churches and monasteries not described in the Typikon.
One of the first mentions of Demetrius Saturday as a day of remembrance of all the dead is contained in a collection of Novgorod origins of the 15th century, but the tradition of commemoration on this day is probably much older.
In the monastic Obikhodniki, Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday is the day of remembrance of the deceased brethren. So, the dining room of the Trinity Lavra, 1st floor. XVI century orders to offer “monastic food to all the brethren in this monastery of those who have passed away, and they feed on Saturday on Demetrievskaya” in the Charter of the Volokolamsk Monastery of the same time it is said that “on Saturday of Dmitrovskaya, according to our reverend father, the head of the holy monastery of this monastery, Abbot Joseph, and throughout all the brethren.” Dimitrievskaya Saturday is also mentioned in the decree on the meal of the Tikhvin Monastery, written in 1590, in the Obikhodnik of the Holy Trinity Lavra of 1645 and in the consolidated Charter of the Holy Trinity and Kirill Belozersky monasteries early. XVII century
Outside the monasteries, Demetrius Saturday was perceived as a day of funeral prayer for all the faithful departed. Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible ordered on Demetrius Saturday “to sing requiems and serve mass in all churches and give general alms and put out food.” In the Official of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral on October 23. contains the following entry 2nd floor. 17th century: “Before the memory of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius, on Friday evening there is a pannikhida for all Orthodox Christians.” In Old Believer manuscripts there is a compilation of the Obikhodniks and Ustavov, dedicated to Demetrius’s parental Saturday with the title: “It is appropriate to know about the Saturday before the feast of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki.”
In the 17th century Dimitrievskaya Saturday , in all likelihood, has not yet been associated with the commemoration of the soldiers who died in the Battle of Kulikovo. So, in the Synodic of the RSL. Trinity No. 818, 17th century, the names of the monks of the Trinity Monastery who fell in the Battle of Kulikovo are written down, but this commemoration is not linked to Dimitrievskaya Saturday. The legends about the Battle of Kulikovo also do not contain instructions about the establishment of the Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday of the bgv. book Dimitry Donskoy. Only in the Cyprian edition of “The Tale of Mamaev's massacre", created in mid. XVI century and which has come down to us as part of the Nikon Chronicle, it is narrated that Blgv. The prince turned to St. Sergius with the words: “And so that you may sing in praise and serve mass for all those who were beaten. And so it happened, and gave alms, and fed the venerable abbot Sergius, and all his brethren,” but even in these words, Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday is not associated with the Battle of Kulikovo.
It can be assumed that the association of Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday with the commemoration of those who fell on the Kulikovo field appeared only in the 18th or even 19th centuries. There is a well-known spiritual verse of late origin, published by several collectors of spiritual verses of the 19th century, called “The Verse about Dimitrov’s Parental Saturday, or the Vision of Dimitri Donskoy” (beginning: “On the eve of Dimitrov’s Saturday...”).
The verse describes the vision of the blessed. book Demetrius Donskoy during the Divine Liturgy: the prince sees the Russians fallen on the battlefield. and Tatars. warriors, hears predictions about his death and about the tonsure of the princess as a monk. The verse ends with the words: “And in memory of the wondrous vision, he set Dmitrov Saturday.” Thus, even this verse, which is considered an argument in favor of establishing Dimitrievskaya Saturday as a day of remembrance of soldiers who fell on the Kulikovo field, interprets Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday differently.
DImitrievskaya parental Saturday was established after the battle on the Kulikovo field. Initially, commemoration was performed for all the soldiers who died in this battle. Gradually, Dimitrievskaya Saturday became a day of funeral commemoration of all deceased Orthodox Christians. It takes place on the coming Saturday before the day of remembrance of St. Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki (October 26 / November 8).
History of establishment
Dimitrievskaya Saturday was established by Grand Duke Dimitri Donskoy. Having won the famous victory on the Kulikovo field over Mamai on September 8, 1380, Dimitri Ioannovich, upon returning from the battlefield, visited the Trinity-Sergius monastery. The Monk Sergius of Radonezh, abbot of the monastery, had previously blessed him for the battle with the infidels and gave him two monks from among his brethren - Alexander Peresvet and Andrei Oslyabya. Both monks fell in battle and were buried near the walls of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Old Simonov Monastery.
At the Trinity Monastery they commemorated the Orthodox soldiers who fell in the Battle of Kulikovo with a funeral service and a common meal. Over time, a tradition developed to perform such a commemoration annually. More than 250 thousand soldiers who fought for the Fatherland did not return from the Kulikovo field. Along with the joy of victory, the bitterness of loss came to their families, and this private parent’s day became essentially a universal day of remembrance in Rus'.
Since then, on the Saturday before October 26 / November 8 - the day of remembrance of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki (the name day of Demetrius of Donskoy himself) - funeral services were performed everywhere in Rus'. Subsequently, on this day they began to commemorate not only the soldiers who laid down their lives on the battlefield for their faith and Fatherland, but also all deceased Orthodox Christians.
Traditions
On Dimitrievskaya Parents' Saturday, they traditionally visit the graves of deceased relatives, requiem services and funeral litias are held in churches and cemeteries, and funeral meals are held.
On this day, like on others parenting days(on Meat and Trinity Saturdays, on Saturdays of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of Great Lent), Orthodox Christians pray for the repose of the souls of deceased Christians, mainly parents. But Dimitrievskaya Saturday also carries a special meaning: established after the Battle of Kulikovo, it reminds us of all those who died and suffered for the Orthodox faith.
Photo: Anatoly Goryainov Photo: Anatoly Goryainov
If it is not possible to visit a temple or cemetery these days, you can pray for the repose of the deceased in home prayer. In general, the Church commands us not only on special days of remembrance, but every day to pray for deceased parents, relatives, known people and benefactors. For this purpose, among the daily morning prayers The following short prayer is included:
Prayer for the departed
U rest, 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 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 conducting family memorials, reading which both in home prayer and during church services, Orthodox people remember by name many generations of their deceased ancestors.
Church commemoration on Parents' Saturday
To remember your deceased relatives in church, you need to come to church for a service on Friday evening before parental Saturday. At this time, a great funeral service, or parastas, takes place. All troparia, stichera, chants and parastas readings are dedicated to prayer for the dead. On the morning of the memorial Saturday itself, the funeral Divine Liturgy is celebrated, after which a general memorial service is served.
For church commemoration at parastas, separately for the liturgy, parishioners prepare notes commemorating the deceased. In the note, in large, legible handwriting, the names of those commemorated are written in the genitive case (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).
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 the liturgy, candles and oil for lamps. You are not allowed to bring meat products or strong alcoholic drinks.
Must be remembered
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.
Any church date has its own characteristics that every believer should know. On the Day of Remembrance of the Dead, it is very important to observe all traditions and prohibitions in order to ward off troubles and not bring grief to your family.
Every year people celebrate Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday. On this day, Orthodox believers visit churches and temples to light a candle for the repose of their loved ones, and also remember relatives who have already passed on to another world. The history of the holiday begins in 1380, and the date was set by Prince Dmitry Donskoy. Previously, on Parents' Saturday, people held memorial services for fallen soldiers. It was believed that Russian soldiers are always under God's protection, and even after their death it is necessary to pray for the people who gave their lives for their homeland.
Now on memorial day people pray for their loved ones, attend services and divine liturgies, and after that they remember the dead kind words. This can be done at home or near the grave of the deceased. It is believed that on this day the souls of the dead descend to earth, so all traditions and prohibitions should be observed in order to please them and not anger them.
What to do on Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday
In Rus' it was believed that this day marks the transition from autumn to winter. Began very coldy, for which people prepared in advance. Despite the fact that many tried to complete their work on the farm even before Intercession on October 14, some for some reason did not have time to do this, and then they tried to complete the preparations before Dmitrievskaya Saturday.
The funeral meal is held after the service. On Dmitrievskaya Saturday, it is customary to set a rich table, which must include dishes that your deceased loved ones loved during their lifetime. The most important dish on the table was pies: the housewife had to prepare a lot of pastries with different fillings. In ancient times it was believed that this could appease and please the deceased.
During the funeral meal, it was necessary to place a separate clean plate on the table, where each relative put one spoon of his food. This dish was left overnight so that the deceased could come and eat with his family.
Before parents' Saturday, on Friday, the hostess after dinner must clear everything from the table and lay out a clean tablecloth. Then re-set the table and place 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. This way you let the soul of the deceased know that you still remember and love him.
Despite the fact that during 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 spend general cleaning, and then wash yourself. Our ancestors always left a fresh broom in the bathhouse and clean water for the deceased, to appease the soul of the deceased. The most important thing is that your household chores do not interfere with attending church.
On Parents' Saturday it is customary to go to the cemetery. The grave of the deceased needs to be put in order and cleaned. After this, pray for the repose of his soul.
On St. Demetrius Saturday, it is customary to feed the poor so that they pray for the soul of your deceased relative.
What not to do on Dmitrievskaya Parents' Saturday
On this day it is forbidden to scold the deceased. You should remember only good things about them, otherwise you may anger their soul.
It is believed that it is strictly forbidden to remember the deceased with alcoholic beverages. However, if there is such a tradition in your family, then try to do it in moderation. The souls of the deceased may become angry due to drunkenness during the funeral meal.
Also, during remembrance, you should not laugh or sing songs. Despite the fact that the holiday is not of a mourning nature, do not forget that on this day you remember loved ones who are no longer among the living. Therefore, fun will be inappropriate.
If your deceased relative committed suicide or was not a believer during his lifetime, then you will not be able to remember him in church and light a candle for the repose of his soul. In this case, you can pray for him at home.
It is probably difficult for each of us to come to terms with the death of our loved ones, but their soul is always with us. In order for our loved ones to feel peace in another world, it is necessary to read memorial prayers for the deceased. We wish you and your family health, and don't forget to press the buttons and
27.10.2017 05:10
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