What to do on a parent's day
What to do on a parent's day
Parent's Day is held on Tuesdaythe second week after the Great Easter. On this day the Orthodox celebrate Radonitsa, the commemoration day of all the dead. For centuries, traditions and customs of this day were developing not only among Orthodox Christians, but also among Jews and Catholics.
"Radonitsa" means the spring commemoration of the dead. Just in this period, when nature begins to blossom, the living pampered the dead, remembering them, tried to undress with the dead the joy of resurrection. Radonitsa urges believers not to worry and not to cry because of the death of relatives, but, on the contrary, to rejoice in their rebirth for a new eternal life. This holiday is recognized by the church, but it has pagan, folk roots.
Orthodox Traditions
On this day, people visit churches and temples, as well aslisten to the funeral services. In addition, it is customary to bring refreshments to commemorate the deceased in the home of relatives, in the work collective or near the grave of the deceased. In the temple it is also customary to bring treats (cookies, sweets), which after the memorial service are distributed to the needy, something is transferred to the orphanages in the church. Traditionally, on a parental day, people visit the cemetery to bring to a worthy appearance the graves of their resting relatives. Before arriving at the cemetery, you need to perform the following ritual: one of the relatives of the deceased needs to visit the church at the beginning of the memorial service to give a leaf with the name of the deceased. The deceased is remembered in the altar. Also it is welcomed, if remembering on this day will be involved themselves. Traditions of the people and pagan
There is another tradition in the parental day: to leave food on the grave of the deceased. And some leave a glass next to the grave with vodka. But this tradition is not Orthodox, but refers to paganism. On this day it is important to pray for the soul of the deceased, and it is recommended that the food be given to the poor, but not left to the cemetery. Many relatives seek to decorate the graves of their loved ones with artificial flowers. The church strongly refuses to do this, as this ritual is a fraudulent process. Artificial flowers are a symbol of everything that is not real. To decorate a grave costs only fresh flowers and it is desirable that the flowers come from your own garden. From the purchase of flowers, too, it is worthwhile to abstain, it is more correct to give money to the hungry. Deceased relatives need a memory, not your meaningless embezzlement. Having visited the grave of a deceased relative, one must remember his good deeds, call good deeds. It is important to remember all the positive aspects of character and to conduct a conversation with the deceased. Family funeral dinner is also a good tradition of the parental day.
