One of the main folk traditions for Easter is the commemoration of deceased relatives in the cemetery. Millions of people on this holiday, instead of going to church to praise the Resurrection of God, go to commemorate the dead. Does the Orthodox Church support visiting a cemetery at Easter?
In order to answer the question, is it possible to go to the cemetery on Easter, you need to remember the meaning of this holiday. Easter is a holiday of freedom, the liberation of souls, the day of the victory of light over darkness. Initially, it is a holiday of joy. And visiting the graves of relatives in the cemetery implies grief, longing and sadness. In this sense, visiting the cemetery on Easter, believers are removed from the essence of the holiday.
On the other hand, according to the clergy, Easter is "the day of the dead", since on this day, according to the gospel, Jesus descended into hell to free the souls of the dead and proclaim eternal life and salvation. Not a single Christian can object that the Easter of Christ is the feast of the resurrection of all living things, of all human nature.
The Orthodox Church does not forbid going to the cemetery on Easter. There is no prohibition for a person, day, circumstance due to which it would be impossible for him to visit the graves of his relatives. But do not forget that Easter is a day of joy, light and there is no place on this day of sadness, tears and sorrow. Meanwhile, in the church calendar there is a special day for commemoration of the dead - Radonitsa, Parents' Day. In 2015, Radonitsa is celebrated on April 21, on the 9th day after Easter. It is on this day that priests advise to come to the graves of their relatives and have a memorial meal.
Interestingly, the tradition of visiting cemeteries for Easter appeared after the split of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 17th century and during the persecution of the Old Believers. They had to pray in secret from everyone, in special rooms. So, it was the Old Believers who developed the custom of going to the cemetery on Easter. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and
04.04.2015 09:54
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"Christ is Risen!" - you hear this exclamation on the first day of Easter, and the soul is filled with such incredible joy that there is no strength to keep it inside. I want to run away and share it with the living and the dead. But is it possible to visit the graves of relatives and friends on a bright holiday, if a separate day is set aside for this in the religious calendar - Radonitsa?
Catholics do not have a ban on visiting the cemetery at Easter. Many on this day, having visited the service in the church, rush to the graves. We will not find a ban on visiting a cemetery on any given day in the Charter of the Orthodox Church. But, given human psychology, the Orthodox Church still advises against commemorating the dead on this day. It is not for nothing that Easter is called the Bright Holiday, and the week after it is called Bright Week. This is a time of joy and jubilation, even during the divine service we hear mostly songs alone. And in all this there is no place for sadness and regret about what happened. And when we come to the cemetery, especially to the graves of those who have recently left us, we will surely shed a tear, we will be sad that a dear person is not with us on this day.
According to one version, the folk tradition of going to graves on Easter appeared in Soviet times. Since believers did not have the opportunity to visit churches, and there was a desire to share the joy of the holiday, they began to gather at the cemetery, which partly replaced the church for believers. However, times have changed. Of course, no one will drive you from the graves today on Easter Day. After the Easter service, you can go to the cemetery to congratulate those who have gone to another world on the holiday. But it should be remembered that both on the day of Easter and the whole Bright Week in the church they do not commemorate the dead and do not serve memorial services, that is, the usual way to “communicate” with the dead will not work. The church charter allows for the usual commemoration of the dead after Passion and Bright Week, starting from Fomin Monday.
We come to Radonitsa to the graves of our loved ones not just for the purpose of another visit, but with the joyful news of the Resurrection of Christ. It is joy that underlies the name of this day. It is quite natural, resurrecting in memory the image of a person dear to us, to cry a little, but weeping inconsolably over the grave is not worth it. By His Resurrection, the Lord shows that there is a future life, so we must come to the graves of loved ones with faith that our separation is relative and temporary. However, since we are all not without sin, we must understand that our loved ones may need help to get to a better place in that other world. And our duty is to pray for them, do good deeds in their memory and give alms. This is what the departed saints want from us. And not sweets left at the monument, or a red testicle buried in the ground of the grave.
The church is categorically against bringing any food to the cemetery. Indirectly, this can serve to desecrate the graves. Birds and animals, which are attracted by the smell of food, will start tearing them apart at the graves, leaving their mark on the burial sites. Even worse, when the graves are poured with alcohol. These are all remnants of paganism, - says Archpriest Yevgeny Svidersky. - Everyone understands that the dead do not need material food. They need much more spiritual food - prayer.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW
Five rules for celebrating Radonitsa
Before visiting the cemetery, come to the temple. Submit a note with the names of deceased loved ones, stay in the service, serve a memorial service.
You can light candles for the repose - they are placed near the crucifix, large or small. The small one is on a special table called “eve”. There are small candlesticks on it, where candles purchased in the church shop should be warmed.
A candle should be lit when you come to the cemetery. Perform a litia (literally means “intensified prayer”) - a rite that can be found in an Orthodox prayer book.
Clean up the grave, just shut up and remember the deceased.
Do not have a meal in the cemetery, do not leave food on the graves - it is better to give the excess to the poor or the needy. Donations in the form of food can also be left on the funeral table in the temple. Subsequently, they will be distributed to the employees of the temple, the poor, or sent to orphanages and other institutions that this or that temple takes care of.
Easter is the greatest Christian holiday. On it, around the passions of Christ and his resurrection, the main pillars of Christianity rest.
Many people are surprised to hear that even on Easter, the church prescribes a number of prohibitions and restrictions for parishioners. There are many official church rules and folk signs about what not to do on Easter - we previously introduced our readers to them.
Easter is the time when the dead and the living meet
One of the most ancient Christian beliefs says that the souls of dead people return from Paradise and walk the Earth with us. This happens throughout the week during which Easter is celebrated.
The Bright Resurrection of Christ means the triumph of life over death and victory over evil, so this holiday is bright and cheerful, despite the fact that Jesus Christ gave his life for us and for our sins.
The Savior returned from heaven to be with his disciples and complete the work he had begun, passing on the remaining knowledge. Since ancient times, many have believed that for this reason, all the dead are allowed to leave Paradise during the holiday so that they can meet with their relatives. Do not be afraid of this ancient legend, because people come to us only from Paradise. Those who were wicked and ended up in hell remain there forever.
Cemeteries are empty at this time, as the souls of people return home, so it was not customary to go to graveyards before Easter, disturbing someone's peace. When Christianity was persecuted in our country, this belief was erased from the memory of the people. But now, when everything is in order, traditions are again above all.
Signs for Easter about the dead
- Many folk signs are associated with the belief about the return of our loved ones. We talked about the most important signs for Easter earlier.
- If the dead return and they are sad, it is usually rainy weather on such a Resurrection of Christ.
- If you have a weak appetite during the festival, it is better to determine some dishes for the dead, not removing them, but leaving them, for example, on the windowsill.
- If you are overtaken by discouragement, and you think a lot about what you could have done wrong in the past, then this is not accidental. Such a sign says that one of the dead is trying to ask you for forgiveness.
- If you go to the cemetery on Bright Sunday, do not take food with you to commemorate the deceased, as this promises you great failure. Try to just clean up and clean up the grave, but nothing more.
- In conclusion, I would like to note one interesting sign - if you dream of a dead person on Easter, then everything he tells you, or everything he does, happens as if in reality. This is real dialogue. Many people at Easter see their dead mothers or fathers, who give them instructions or simply say that they love them.
Easter is the time when the dead come to us to see how we live, and not vice versa. According to the sages of the people, this is a gift from God to those who are not with us, and a reminder that the two worlds are interconnected. Everyone who is alive now, sooner or later, will meet with their loved ones in heaven.
The bond between us and those who have died is not only strengthened at Easter. Whether this is good or bad is up to you. You can learn about what the deceased dreams of on ordinary days from our dream book: he will tell you the interpretation of such a dream. May the real world and the world of dreams be filled with love and kindness for you on any day, and not just during the Great Easter. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and
28.04.2016 02:13
Parental Saturdays are widely known among the people. These days it is customary to go to cemeteries and commemorate ...
Although the church calendar for visiting cemeteries highlights, some people go to the churchyard on the days of the holidays themselves. Many people want to visit the cemetery on Easter. How correct is this, and is it possible to go to the cemetery on Easter?
Why can't you go to the cemetery on Easter?
As you know, the second Sunday after Easter is Radonitsa. On this day, you need to visit cemeteries and commemorate the dead.
The Resurrection of the Lord and the entire week following it are holidays. At this time, you need to have fun and rejoice, and not think about the sad. That is why on Easter you should not go to the grave of deceased loved ones.
Where did the tradition of going to the cemetery on Easter come from?
The fact is that in the 16th century in Russia churches were not built in every village. Temples were erected in large villages, and the villagers went there on Easter to defend the service and bless the food. Often the cemetery was located near the church.
After serving in the temple, people did not immediately go home, as the road to their native village was not close. And so they went to the graves of their relatives. There, spreading the consecrated food, they ate and talked. This happened from year to year.
With the advent of Soviet power, churches and monasteries began to be destroyed everywhere. Many people remembered the tradition of going to the cemetery at Easter, and began to consider it Christian. Actually it is not.
Why you can’t go to the cemetery on Easter: the priest’s answer
There is no strict and direct prohibition in the sacred books that one should not go to the cemetery on Easter. But the clergy agree that it is not worth going to the graveyard on this day. After all, for these purposes there are specially allotted days. Only during Great Lent, which lasts 48 days before Easter, three parental days fall to visit the churchyard. The second Saturday after Easter is the next suitable day.
Christians have a tradition of visiting graves on certain days. If a person is a believer, observes Great Lent and lives according to church laws, then he should not go to the cemetery on Easter. If you believe only formally, then if you wish, you can visit the graves of deceased loved ones. After all, this is not considered a great sin.
If you still want to visit the cemetery on this day, then before that go to the temple for a service, and only after that go to the cemetery. Do not cry and grieve on the graves on this day. After all, Easter is a day when you need to rejoice and have fun.
Video: Is it possible to go to the cemetery on Easter?
Easter is the most important holiday of the year.
The Church, taking into account the psychology of people, separates the days of celebration and the days of sorrow. That joyful exultation that the Church communicates to the faithful at Easter is separated from the mood of sadness that accompanies the commemoration of the departed. Therefore, on the day of Easter, it is not supposed to go to the cemetery and not perform requiems.
If someone dies, and death on Pascha is traditionally considered a sign of God's mercy, then the funeral service is performed according to the Paschal rite, which includes many Easter hymns.
To visit the cemetery, the Church appoints a special day - Radonitsa (from the word joy - because the Easter holiday continues), and this holiday takes place on Tuesday after Easter week.
On this day, a memorial service is served and believers visit the cemetery to pray for the departed, so that Easter joy is passed on to them.
IT IS IMPORTANT! Visiting cemeteries for Easter began only in Soviet times, when churches were closed. People who felt the need to get together, to share the joy, could not go to churches that were closed, and went to the cemetery at Easter instead of going a week later. The cemetery, as it were, replaced the visit to the temple. And now, when the temples are open, so this tradition of the Soviet era cannot be justified, it is necessary to restore the church tradition: to be in the temple on Easter day and celebrate a joyful holiday, and go to the cemetery on Radonitsa.
It must be remembered that the tradition of leaving food, Easter eggs on the graves is paganism, which was revived in the Soviet Union when the state persecuted the right faith. When faith is persecuted, heavy superstitions arise. The souls of our departed loved ones need prayer. From a church point of view, the ritual is unacceptable when vodka and black bread are placed on the grave, and next to it is a photograph of the deceased: this, in modern terms, is a remake, because, for example, the photograph appeared a little more than a hundred years ago, which means that this tradition new.
As for the commemoration of the dead with alcohol: any booze is unacceptable. The Holy Scriptures allow the use of wine: “Wine gladdens the heart of a man” (Psalms 104:15), but warns against excess: “Do not get drunk with wine, for there is fornication in it” (Eph. 5:18). You can drink, but you can't get drunk. The deceased need our fervent prayer, our pure heart and sober mind, alms given for them, but not vodka.
How the dead are commemorated on Easter
Many people visit the cemetery on Easter, where the graves of their loved ones are located.
Unfortunately, in some families there is a blasphemous custom to accompany these visits to the graves of their relatives with wild drunken revelry. But even those who do not celebrate pagan drunken feasts on the graves of their loved ones, which are so offensive to any Christian feeling, often do not know when it is possible and necessary to commemorate the departed on Easter days. The first commemoration of the departed takes place on the second week, after Fomin Sunday, on Tuesday.
The basis for this commemoration is, on the one hand, the memory of the descent of Jesus Christ into hell, connected with St. Thomas Sunday, and on the other hand, the permission of the Church Charter to make the usual commemoration of the dead, starting with St. Thomas Monday. By this permission, believers come to the graves of their neighbors with the joyful news of the Resurrection of Christ, hence the very day of commemoration is called Radonitsa.
How to commemorate the dead
Prayer for the departed is the greatest and most important thing that we can do for those who have departed to another world.
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. But commemoration in the Church provides special help to the deceased.
Before visiting the cemetery, you should come to the temple at the beginning of the service, submit a note with the names of the deceased relatives for commemoration in the altar (best of all, if this is a commemoration at the proskomedia, when a piece is taken out of a special prosphora for the deceased, and then as a sign of the washing of his sins dipped 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. It is very useful to donate to the church, to give alms to the poor with a request to pray for the departed.
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. Then clean up the grave or just keep quiet, remember the deceased. You don’t need to eat or drink at the cemetery, especially it is unacceptable to pour vodka into the grave mound - this offends the memory of the dead. 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. Food should not be left on the grave, it is better to give it to the poor or the hungry.
When can you visit the cemetery?
* on the day of the funeral;
*on the 3rd, 9th and 40th day after death;
*every year on the day of the death of a person;
*on memorial days - Monday and Tuesday of the week following Paschal;
*Meat-fare Saturday preceding the week of Great Lent;
*2nd, 3rd and 4th Saturdays of Great Lent;
* Trinity Saturday - the day before the feast of the Holy Trinity;
* Dmitrov Saturday is the first Saturday in November.
When not to go to the cemetery:
* Orthodoxy does not welcome visiting the graves of relatives on such Christian holidays as Easter, the Annunciation and Christmas;
*The Trinity is not celebrated at the cemetery either. On Trinity they go to church;
* it is believed that you do not need to go to the churchyard after sunset;
*Women are not advised to visit the place of the dead during pregnancy or menstruation. But this is a personal choice of each of the fair sex.
Some sources report that it would be wrong to go to the tomb on the birthday of the deceased. You can just remember him with a kind word, in the circle of the family and loved ones of the deceased.
Upon arrival at the grave, a positive action will be to light a candle, to remember the deceased. Do not drink or eat near the tombstone. Have a funeral dinner at home.
Do not step on the graves and do not jump over them. You don’t need to touch other people’s graves, put things in order there, unless the relatives of the person buried there asked you to do so.
In the case when you dropped something on the dead earth, it is better not to pick up this thing. If the fallen item is very important to you, pick it up and put something in return (candy, cookies, flowers).
When leaving the cemetery, do not turn around and, moreover, do not return. When you get home, wash your hands thoroughly (and it’s better to do it at the cemetery), be sure to wash off the cemetery soil from your shoes, and wash the tool that was used to clean the grave.
According to the materials of the news agency "Orthodoxy and the World"
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