Who is remembered on Trinity Sunday? What to do on Trinity Parents' Saturday Who is commemorated on Trinity Saturday.
Great religious holiday Many people celebrate, but not all of us know what can and cannot be done on the Saturday before Trinity. If you want to observe all the customs and rules associated with this day, then you need to familiarize yourself with the traditions that our ancestors have followed for centuries.
Signs and customs of Saturday before Trinity
First, let's figure out what you can do on this day according to church rules. First, you need to attend the service and light candles for the repose. Secondly, our ancestors went to church on this day, where they cleaned up the graves and left flowers on them. And finally, it is not forbidden to go to Trinity parent's Saturday arrange a ritual funeral meal.
If you did not have time to go to church and attend the service, you can pray at home on your own. The clergy completely allow this to be done; such a commemoration would not be a sin or a violation of the rules.
Now let's talk about what is prohibited from doing on this day, because not everyone knows whether, for example, it is possible to clean on the Saturday before Trinity. So, church rules they say that if homework does not interfere with visiting church and services, then it is quite possible to do it. That is, the answer to the question, is it possible to do laundry on Saturday? before, or washing the windows that day will be positive. But what you really shouldn’t do is submit notes to churches in memory of those who took their own lives; this is a great sin. Such dead people are not buried or commemorated in churches, and those who believe that Trinity Parental Saturday is an exception to this rule are mistaken.
There are no strict prohibitions on this day, so you can calmly go about your usual activities, just don’t forget to visit the church and cemetery, where deceased relatives should be remembered.
The last twelfth holiday that ends the Triodion of Colors (the liturgical period associated with Easter) is the Day of the Holy Trinity, which is also very aptly called the Birthday of the Church, since on this day on Holy Mother of God and the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles.
God affirms not only the earthly Church, at war with the devil, demons and sins, but also the heavenly Church - triumphant, the Victorious Church. Our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, by His Redemptive feat, unites the heavenly Church and the earthly Church into a single whole. This harmony of conciliarity and eternal indissoluble union is completed by the Comforter - the Holy Spirit - on the day of Pentecost.
Therefore, we, dear brothers and sisters, must always remember that the Church is not just a public organization that can be closed, modified, transformed to suit fashion or political interests. No. The Church is a single living organism, which we make up here on Earth, we - living and celestials, Angels, holy ascetics of God and all deceased Orthodox Christians. This organism is chained to the Throne of God the Father, has God the Son as its Head and is held together by the grace of the Holy Spirit. And we must be fully aware of this. As God told the holy prophet Moses to take off his shoes, for the ground on which he stands is holy. Entering Orthodox churches and while performing divine services, we invade some completely unknown and mysterious area, where our souls and bodies, like healing water, are washed and enveloped by the grace of the Holy Spirit, healing our wounds inflicted by sin and life.
The Church is the realm and kingdom of God. And this should always be understood very clearly when coming to the temple with the greatest reverence and love. After all, the beginning of the Church, let’s say figuratively, is at the threshold of the gates of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, and the end is at the Throne of God in the Kingdom of Heaven. And it is into heaven that we enter when we enter an Orthodox church. This is also always with God's help important to realize.
Precisely because the earthly Church and the heavenly Church are a single whole, we celebrate the central final holiday of the Colored Triodion - the Day of the Holy Trinity, which has around it a number of satellite holidays, satellites revolving around His “planet”.
This is also Fathers Week Ecumenical Council, and the Sunday of All Saints, and the Sunday of All Saints who shone in the Russian land, and Trinity Parental Saturday. With all these holidays we honor the inhabitants of the heavenly Church, namely on Trinity Memorial Saturday we prayerfully intercede before God for our departed relatives and all deceased Orthodox Christians. After all, the evening service on Friday on the eve of the Saturday funeral Liturgy was called “parastas”, that is, from Greek - “intercession”. They - the deceased - cannot change their fate after death, but with God's help we can improve it for them if we intercede for them before the Almighty and stand in fervent heartfelt prayer.
Typically, on Trinity Parents' Saturday, services are held as follows. The day before, on Friday evening, “parastas” is served: vespers with matins, connected with the ninth and first hours. At Matins, the clergyman reads the funeral 17th kathisma of the Psalter in the middle of the church, combined with the litanies for the departed. The funeral litany is also pronounced after the sixth song of the canon. In these prayers, notes with the names of your deceased relatives are read, dear brothers and sisters, and prayer is offered for all Orthodox Christians who have departed from now to eternity. On Saturday itself, the Liturgy is served, into which a special funeral litany is also inserted. And after the Divine Liturgy, a requiem service is served (the word translated from Greek means “all-night vigil”; earlier in ancient times, the first Christians prayed at night because of the danger of being executed by the Roman authorities).
I would like to remind you, dear brothers and sisters, that neither on Holy Trinity nor on any other day are suicides and unbaptized people remembered in church during public prayer. Therefore, do not lead either the priest or your brothers and sisters into sin. Trust in the mercy of God and, with the blessing of the priest, pray for such people at home.
I would especially like to emphasize: it is also advisable to take children to funeral services, so that they get used to praying not only for themselves, but also for the departed, so that in the future there will be someone to pray for us sinners. After all, it is on their shoulders that the responsibility of being our intercessors before God and atonement for our sins will fall.
May we never lose confidence that our deceased have not sunk into oblivion, but have gone on a short business trip, from which they will definitely return. Death is a thin wall. It is destined to be destroyed, and we, God willing, will enter the golden heavenly city - the new Jerusalem.
Priest Andrey Chizhenko
Every Orthodox Christian living on earth should pray and remember their departed ancestors, thereby helping to save their souls before the end of the world. Every year the Orthodox Church celebrates Trinity Saturday, which got its name in honor of the Trinity.
In the Orthodox world, on Mother's Saturday before Trinity, it is customary to remember Christians who have passed on to another world. This tradition takes its starting point from apostolic times. This is one of the most important dates on the eve of Trinity. The Church has long called for commemoration of the departed, sisters and brothers, fathers and forefathers before the holiday Holy Trinity.
Trinity Saturday, why is it called universal?
Trinity Saturday received its second name, namely ecumenical, due to the fact that on this day ecumenical memorial services are celebrated in all Orthodox churches without exception. These are dedicated to every deceased believer throughout the world.
Trinity Memorial Saturday 2020
Funeral Saturday on the eve of Trinity comes exactly 24 hours before the Great Feast. This day changes its date every year and comes 50 days after the celebration of Easter. In 2020, Ecumenical Saturday falls on June 6, and Trinity Sunday falls on June 7.
Who is remembered on Trinity Saturday?
On this day, not only relatives and friends are remembered, but also all those Christians who have ever lived and died. Each of the believers has brought and is bringing his contribution to the construction of the Kingdom of God, therefore Trinity Saturday is considered the most important among all memorial days, when parishioners and clergy can prove in deeds and words that they remember those who have departed from this world and are waiting for their return.
How to remember the departed on Trinity Saturday
On this day, everyone can be remembered, but it is important to know how to do it correctly.
First of all, a believer must go to church for the universal memorial service. The day before (on Friday), a note is sent to the Church of God with the names of the deceased, written in Old Church Slavonic. After the service, you need to visit the graves of the deceased, and spend the rest of the day modestly and without drinking.
Trinity Saturday as commemorated in church
The day preceding Trinity in the Orthodox tradition is a day of special remembrance of departed Christians. Traditionally, memorial services for deceased Christians are held in all churches and temples. Parishioners, as we have already mentioned, need to write a note in advance with the names of their deceased loved ones and be sure to come to the funeral service. During the funeral service, the clergyman prays both for the souls of the deceased and for the souls of the living. Parishioners, in turn, light candles and pray for the souls of their departed relatives. After the funeral service ends, believers proceed to the cemetery.
What prayers are read on Trinity Saturday?
When remembering the closest relatives before Trinity, prayer takes special place and very important. You will bring the greatest help to the deceased soul if you say a funeral prayer. It is believed that prayers said on Parents' Saturday can save the deceased even from hell.
Since prayers of this kind bring salvation to souls, they must be approached with special awareness. If all principles are not followed funeral prayer, then you can anger God, sadden the departed and turn your existence into vain.
If you have decided to pray on Parents’ Saturday, consider the following facts:
- go to church the day before and order a liturgy or memorial service for the deceased;
- light candles for the repose;
- try to visit the graves on this day;
- read prayers at home;
- Don't drink alcohol.
Trinity Saturday as remembered in the cemetery
On this day, it is customary for Christians to visit graves, decorate them with flowers (real and artificial), wreaths, and arrange them. Delicacies for the deceased are also laid out on the graves, in most cases these are confectionery products. The delicacies serve in some way as alms for the needy, who can taste the treats right next to the grave, but taking them out, much less resell them outside the fence, is reprehensible.
Also, many believers at the cemetery remember the deceased with a small ritual meal, and then the meal continues at home, where family and friends gather. Traditionally, eggs, kutia and pancakes are served on the table on this day.
What you can do on Trinity Saturday
On Saturday morning you need to come to church. After church, believers go to the graves of relatives, clean them and commemorate their relatives. If you are unable to visit the graves, you are allowed to pray for peace at home. Under any circumstances, visiting a church is more important than visiting graves.
On Parents' Saturday, they give alms to the poor and ask them to pray for the deceased.
It is allowed to arrange a funeral meal, serving kutya on the table. It is believed that the souls of deceased relatives and friends will also attend this meal.
There is an opinion that on this day you cannot clean the house and do other household chores, but the church does not prohibit this.
What not to do on Trinity Saturday
There is an opinion among the common people that on this Saturday parishioners can submit a note for the repose of the souls of suicides. This opinion is wrong. The church will not pray for those who have taken their own lives, but they are allowed to pray independently for their souls.
Since parental Saturday is considered a day of respect and remembrance, various types of fun are prohibited on this day. We need to pray and think more about death and life.
Commemoration of the dead does not need to be turned into a banquet and drinking alcoholic beverages. It is worth refraining from going into the forest, as well as swimming in reservoirs. The Saturday before Trinity is considered the day of revelry of all evil spirits, which can destroy a careless person.
It is also prohibited on this day to sew, wash and rinse clothes, spin, cut and use sharp objects.
Signs for Trinity Saturday
This day, like any other important day for believers, has its own signs, namely:
- there are a lot of mosquitoes in the yard - to a good harvest of mushrooms;
- rain on Trinity Saturday - to a rich harvest of berries;
- if there are many swallows and swifts in the sky, warm days are ahead;
- If you plant hemp and barley on this day, they will grow well.
Pray for the deceased, because their souls themselves cannot repent for their sins, thereby you will help them find consolation and find peace.
Parents' Saturday is always celebrated before Trinity (June 15, 2019, June 6, 2020, June 19, 2021). On this day it is customary to remember all deceased Christians, regardless of the specific denomination. Therefore, this entire memorial Saturday before Holy Pentecost is called Ecumenical Trinity Parental Saturday.
The church hosts a special service - the Ecumenical Memorial Service, which you should definitely attend. This helps to cope with sad thoughts and helps to tune in to bright waves.
This day comes exactly one day before the holiday of the Trinity, and the Great Trinity, in turn, 50 days after Easter. According to the calendar in the coming years it will be like this:
How to remember the dead on Parents' Saturday
The Church calls departed people not dead, but departed. After all, the human soul is immortal, which means it simply left, and the human body fell asleep.
That is why we can and should remember our loved one - whether he is a relative, a friend, or simply good man. Therefore, it is useful to know who and how is commemorated on Parents’ Saturday before Trinity:
- As already mentioned, any dead Christian can be commemorated. Usually the church offers the following criterion: every baptized person is already a Christian. There is one important caveat associated with who is remembered on the Saturday before Trinity. It is not customary to remember the names of suicides. This issue is very delicate, and in some cases exceptions are even made. Therefore, it is better to ask a priest for additional advice.
- A believer should definitely go to church. Fortunately, Saturday is a day off, so there is every opportunity for this. The ecumenical memorial service begins in the morning, at approximately 08:30. It is better to check the schedule in advance by going to the temple the day before.
- By the way, the night before, it is better to submit a note with the names of the deceased. They just write on it full name person in Old Church Slavonic, for example “Tatiana”, “Boris”, “Theodore”, etc.
- After the service, you should not indulge in drunkenness, and in general consume even a few strong drinks. Such traditions go back partly to pagan, partly to Soviet times. If you think about it, what will our feast give to the deceased?
- Then how to behave on Memorial Saturday before Trinity? You should spend this day modestly, pray in the temple, for example like this:
Or you can simply say these words of prayer:
Remember, Lord, Name, your servant, and rest his soul, and forgive him his sins, voluntary and involuntary. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
- Another important point, associated with commemoration on parents' day on Trinity, as on any other, is the distribution of alms. This must be done from pure heart, without any thought of greed, much less self-interest. Moreover, alms can be expressed not only in money, but also in any feasible act, helping a person in need.
Parents' Day before Trinity: comments from priests
Representatives of the Orthodox Church are unanimous on how and who to remember on Saturday before Trinity (as well as on any other memorial day - Radonitsa or. First of all, a person must come to church in the morning.
At the same time, on Friday the day before, you can arrange a small memorial dinner - without alcohol and rich treats. After the morning funeral service in the church, they go to the cemetery and clean up the grave.
The commemoration takes place both in the church and in the cemetery. To do this, they bring a church candle (necessarily consecrated) to the grave, light it and read the funeral prayer.
You can use any text, including . Or you can even say the words that come to your heart. If a person is uncomfortable, he has the right to pray silently - the main thing is to do everything sincerely, from the heart.
At the same time, the priests especially emphasize that commemorating people at graves with food or, especially, alcohol is a pagan tradition. And for Orthodox man such behavior is unacceptable.
Is it possible to go to the cemetery on Holy Trinity Day?
This is the rare case when the answer is unequivocal: no, on the bright day of Holy Pentecost itself it is not customary to visit the cemetery, tidy up the graves and remember the dead.
But, as you know, in fact, very often people do just that. Moreover, this folk tradition has been going on for a long time. Why is that? Everything is explained very simply, however, for this you need to remember our history.
Historically, it coincided that it is celebrated around the same time when the Slavs welcomed the onset of Rusal Week. By folk signs and it is believed that at this time the souls of the deceased finally leave earthly boundaries and go to their new refuge. And mermaids and mermen, on the contrary, come out of their sea kingdom to lure random travelers to the bottom.
That is why, both on the eve of Trinity and on this day itself, people still continue to go to the cemetery according to the old custom. Besides, it’s a day off, and it’s also quite warm outside, because summer is coming.
However, it is important to understand that there is a special Trinity Parent Saturday for commemoration. Moreover, the spirit of this holiday does not quite correspond to the feelings that surround the grave of a loved one.
Certainly, life situations cannot always be reduced to a common denominator. How, for example, should we remember a person if the anniversary or 40 days fell on Trinity Sunday? It’s better, of course, to pay attention to this event, but you shouldn’t forget about the holiday.
If there are any doubts, you can simply consult with a priest or spiritually close person. A kind word helps to navigate the situation, and in general, warm communication undoubtedly brings people closer together.
Trinity (parental) Saturday is the day of remembrance of the dead, falling on the Saturday before. In Russia, this day was also called: Semitskaya Saturday, Klechalnaya Saturday, Soulful Wake, Spiritual Day.
What is Parents' Saturday?
It's a special day in church calendar when a pan-church commemoration of the departed is performed. It is believed that on Trinity Parents' Saturday even suicides can be commemorated in church.
History of Trinity Parents' Saturday
The history of Trinity Saturday goes back to the tradition of celebrating the holiday of Trinity (Pentecost). If the Day of the Holy Trinity is a kind of birthday of the Universal Apostolic Church, then Trinity Saturday represents, as it were, the last day of the Old Testament Church before the revelation of the Church of Christ in its entirety. Therefore, the Orthodox Church considers it important to remember before the Day of the Most Holy Trinity all those who have fallen asleep from the ages.
Holiday traditions
To remember your deceased relatives in church, it is advisable to come to the church for a service on Friday evening, the day before Parents' Saturday. The most important part of the commemoration takes place on Saturday morning. Divine Liturgy, after which a general memorial service is served. During the commemoration, the priest immerses pieces of prosphora into a bowl with the Body and Blood of Christ and says the prayer: “Wash away, Lord, the sins of those here remembered by Your Honest Blood, by the prayers of Your saints.” Thus, the church sends prayers to the Trinity for the revival by the Holy Spirit of all living and deceased. Saint Basil the Great, the author of the prayers that are read at Vespers on Trinity Day, says that “The Lord especially on this day deigns to accept prayers for the dead and even for those in hell.”
By folk tradition On this day, the deceased should be remembered at the cemetery, bringing funeral food, birch branches, flowers and wreaths. Since ancient times, in order to remember their dead, it was customary to arrange a ritual meal. Traditional dishes of this meal are kutia, eggs and pancakes.
Another custom of Trinity Saturday is the obligatory distribution of alms to all those in need.
On what days is it customary to commemorate the dead?
1. - eight days before the start of Lent, on the eve of the Last Judgment Week.
2. Parents' Saturdays - in the second, third and fourth weeks of Lent.
3. Trinity Parental Saturday - on the eve of the Holy Trinity, on the ninth day after the Ascension.
On the eve of each of these days, special funeral all-night vigils are held in churches.
In addition to these general church days, Russian Orthodox Church I installed a few more, namely:
4. (Radunitsa) - Easter commemoration of the departed, occurs in the second week after Easter, on Tuesday.
5. - a day of special commemoration of killed soldiers, originally established in memory of the Battle of Kulikovo, and later became a day of prayer for all Orthodox soldiers and military leaders. It happens on the Saturday preceding the eighth of November - the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica.