Christian traditions, based on eternal life, call to remember the ancestors, to pray for their reassurance. The best place for commemoration - this is a church, but there are 8 days in the year of general worship, the main one is Parents' Day 2017, which is celebrated on the 9th day after, it falls on Tuesday.
Parents' Day Traditions
On the day of remembrance, even non-believers go to the grave to visit their parents and other deceased loved ones. On Parents' Day in 2017, in the morning you need to visit the temple of God, pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased, leave a memorial note and light a candle. The whole family usually goes to the cemetery, they remember all the good things that are connected with the deceased, it is not customary to be sad and cry - even the name speaks of the joy in which the soul of the deceased rests. But to invite a priest and order a lithium means to take care of the forgiveness of sins and a calm stay of a relative in the next world. One should behave with restraint, speak in low tones in order to maintain respect for the resting souls. If you decide to take communion at the graves of relatives, these are mainly Easter treats, you need to lay out a towel, set out food, and with a kind word drink a glass of wine or vodka for the repose of the soul of a loved one. The remnants of food are distributed to the poor in the cemetery or left on the gravestone, here they also put a memorial lighted lamp or a church candle.
When is Parent's Day and other memorial dates celebrated?
Throughout the year, departed relatives and friends are commemorated, these are individual dates - births and deaths, and common ones. Keeping track of the holidays will help church calendar, since only the main memorial day is especially honored among the people, almost everyone knows what date Parents' Day in 2017 is April 25th. But other days special commemoration:
- February 18 - Universal parental Saturday. They commemorate all the dead without exception, this is the day of unity of all souls and communication with the departed;
- March 11, 18, 25 - 2nd, 3rd, 4th Saturdays of Great Lent, during which no other church mass services are held;
- May 9 - a solemn service dedicated to the fallen for the liberation of the country during the Great Patriotic War;
- June 3 - Trinity parental Saturday, all relatives are commemorated, but the main attention is devoted to the memory of parents;
- November 4 - Dimitrov parental Saturday - was established at the initiative of Dmitry Donskoy in honor of those who fell on the Kulikovo field in the battle with Mamai.
On all of the above dates, solemn services are held in the churches, but it is the Parent's Day in 2017, on which date the great liturgy is performed, that Christians especially honor. On the church services It is customary to bring food with you and lay it out on the eve (requiem table). Offerings, after the end of the service, are distributed to the poor and wretched, transferred to shelters.
Parental days of visiting the cemetery in 2017 are any of the above list, but usually it is the general holiday of Radonitsa and, at the request of relatives, the birthdays and deaths of departed loved ones. If relatives live in another city or country, they simply go to the temple, pray and light a candle for the repose. Prayers addressed to God help souls find eternal peace, save them from sins committed during life.
Pagan beliefs accompanying Parents' Day
Before the advent of Christianity, there was also the holiday of Radonitsa, in which the pagan deities of Radunitsa were glorified, protecting the souls and peace of the dead. Gifts were brought, left on a hillock in order to appease the deity. Orthodox celebrate Parents' Day 2017 with some traditions that came from pagan times, they try not to be sad, but on the contrary, to rejoice for their relatives who have moved to the eternal kingdom of peace. The resurrection of Christ, as a victory over death, helps to overcome the sadness of loss. But the ancient, pre-Christian customs - to have fun in the cemetery, drink alcohol and pour vodka on the grave, fortunately, have disappeared from our lives. Church canons are categorically against drinking alcohol in a cemetery and singing worldly songs there - this is an insult to the memory of the deceased. Parents' Day 2017, on what date the Orthodox honor relatives, should be held with restraint, with prayer and reverence. Clean up the grave, stand silently and distribute alms and food to the destitute - these are the actions that befit a true believer.
(1 votes, average: 5,00 out of 5)The first parent memorial Saturday of 2017 is determined by the date of February 18th. On this day, the church charter provides for the celebration of worship ecumenical meat-fare Saturday. The name of this memorial day indicates the time of commemoration - the last Saturday before the holy Great Lent, on which the use of food of animal origin is allowed. After the meat-fare week, the cheese week begins, and then the believers enter the holy Forty Day.
During Great Lent in 2017, the dead are commemorated three times. The Charter assigns for this purpose the Sabbaths of the middle of Lent (in particular, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th). The strictest Orthodox fast implies a prayer not only for the personal salvation of the soul, but also the commemoration of dead people. Parental Saturdays that fall on Fortecost, 2017 falls on March 11th, 18th and 25th respectively.
One of the most famous memorial days in is considered Trinity parental Saturday. On this day in Orthodox churches a commemoration of all Orthodox Christians who have died from the century is performed, and the cemeteries are full of people as never before. In 2017, Trinity parental Saturday falls on June 3rd (the very next day on Sunday the Church celebrates in honor of the feast of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity).
In the fall of 2017, a service is performed Dimitriev parental Saturday. This memorial day falls on the last Saturday before the celebration of the great Christian martyr Demetrius, called Thessalonica. In 2017, Dimitrievskaya Saturday is determined by the calendar for November 4th.
It is especially worth mentioning about other significant parental days of 2017 that do not fall on Saturdays. First of all, this is the commemoration of the dead in the post-Easter period. April 25, the ninth day after Easter in 2017, is celebrated Radonitsa- the time when, after Easter joy, Orthodox people prayerfully commemorate the dead (always falls on Tuesday).
Another memorial date is May 9th. The date itself indicates prayer commemoration soldiers and a special honor given to the heroes - participants in the Great Patriotic War. The Gospel clearly says that the highest feat of love is the sacrificial slaughter of one's life for the sake of one's neighbor.
The Russian state has determined another significant day for the commemoration of the soldiers, which has become part of church liturgical practice. February 15th warriors are remembered. This day in 1989 was marked by the withdrawal of Russian troops from Afghanistan. Orthodox Church in Russia performs special memorial services on February 15 in memory of the deceased. Despite the fact that this day of the calendar is marked by the great twelfth feast of the Presentation of the Lord, in many Orthodox parishes, at the end of the liturgy, requiems are performed, where special petitions are inserted on the funeral litanies for the dead internationalist soldiers.
The canons of the Christian faith prescribe commemoration of deceased relatives and friends in the church. Commemorations for Orthodox believers are performed on parental Saturdays, of which there are 7 in Orthodox Christianity, of which 2 are called Ecumenical, when prayers for all the dead on earth take place. The only day of special remembrance, which does not take place on Saturday, but on the 9th day after happy holiday Easter - Tuesday, is Radonitsa (Radunitsa). Radonitsa 2019 will be celebrated on 7 may, and the rest of the dates on which parent Saturdays fall in 2019, you can see in the Orthodox calendar 2019.
The history of the holiday and its name
The historical roots of the holiday go back to paganism. There are several suggestions why this parental day is called Radonitsa. One of them is based on an old legend that such a name comes from the names pagan gods who were the guardians of dead souls. Funeral days in those days were called Radavanitsa, Triznami or Navi day.
Before the adoption of Christianity in Russia, it was customary for our ancestors to arrange weekly feasts on burial mounds in the spring. There they kindled fires, sang, danced and ate. The pagans believed that in this way they honor, treat and please the souls of the ancestors who come from the heavenly kingdom to earth these days. After all, if they are met badly, the eternally deceased can get angry and send hunger and disease to the earth. It was believed that it was necessary to meet the souls of the dead with joy, so the spring commemoration began to be called "Radonitsa".
According to another version, the name came from the words "clan" and "kinship", as they commemorated deceased relatives on this day. Most researchers are inclined to believe that “Radonitsa” means joy and attribute this to the fact that on the Sunday after Easter, according to church writings, the Savior descended into hell and triumphed over death. Therefore, the "Radonitsa" carries the joy caused by faith in the resurrection and eternal life.
The Orthodox Christian Church, taking the essence of the spring commemoration as a basis, gave it its own content and features. The date of the celebration of the "Radonitsa" was set based on the fact that in the temples in weekdays, following the second Sunday after the feast of Easter, the singing of litia for the dead was resumed, which had not been held since Maundy Thursday itself. Therefore, the commemoration of the dead falls on Tuesday or in some settlements- on Monday.
Traditions and rituals of Radonitsa: history and modernity
Visiting the graves of relatives is the main tradition of Radonitsa. In the old days, on Radonitsa, as in our days, Easter food and Easter eggs were brought to the graves. If now Easter Egg they simply put it on the grave, then it used to be customary to bury it under the cross or, breaking it on the cross, cleanse it and the poor for “remembrance of the soul”. This ceremony was called "Christening with relatives." Then it was customary to arrange plentiful meals with alcohol on the grave, after which some even fell asleep near the graves. Nowadays, the church does not welcome the drinking of alcoholic beverages at the graves.
In some areas it was not customary to go to the cemetery. It was believed that on this day the dead come to the homes of their relatives. In order to welcome them well, from the very morning they kindled a bathhouse in which they put clean linen for them all day and night. At this time, everyone was forbidden to enter the bathhouse. With the onset of morning, all the household members went there and looked for traces indicating the arrival of the dead. It was possible to wash in the bath only after the end of the Radonitsa.
In the traditions of Radonitsa, it was obligatory to put water and pieces of bread on the windowsill. In the evening, a memorial dinner was arranged, where there were always three extra plates on the table: for breakfast, lunch and dinner of the dead. It was customary to distribute the food left after the festive meal to the poor and homeless. After dinner, the youth gathered on the street and arranged merry festivities.
The most ancient tradition of Radonitsa is the rite of calling rain. Now this tradition is forgotten, and earlier our great-great-grandmothers said that on the day of Radonitsa, the sky should send at least a few drops of rain to the earth. Therefore, the children were forced to look at the sky and shout at the top of their voices: "Pour rain on the woman's rye, on the grandfather's wheat." Having caused rain, it was necessary to wash with water from heaven for happiness. If thunder was heard on Radonitsa, the girls hurried to wash themselves with rainwater in order to preserve their youth longer. To do this, heavenly water had to be passed through a silver or gold ring.
Children living separately from their parents should visit their father and mother on this day, otherwise Radonitsa will not be joyful for them, but sadly, and if their parents get angry, they may unconsciously bring some kind of trouble to negligent children.
The Church advises to start Radonitsa 2019 with a visit to the temple, where you should pray for relatives who have left the earth and order a memorial service. A service is held in the church on this day, and any parishioner can ask the priest to pray for the deceased close person. On Radonitsa, it is customary to make donations for the church, bring Easter dishes and food there, and distribute alms to those in need. It is believed that our good deeds bring joy to deceased relatives. Only after visiting the church should you go to the cemetery.
How to behave in the cemetery in Radonitsa
The church does not allow visiting the cemetery on Easter, but this should be done on Radonitsa. Also, Orthodoxy is not welcomed when food is left on the grave. The church considers this tradition a pagan rite. No need to put a glass of vodka with bread on the grave, which has become an undeclared tradition these days. Such remembrances are unacceptable for Orthodox Christians and are considered a sin. You can drink alcohol only at a festive dinner or dinner at home, but in no case should you get carried away with it. A family holiday should be held without obvious fun, but also without tears and bitter sadness.
It is recommended that the food that you were going to leave at the grave be distributed to those in need. The Church claims that in this way you enable the deceased person to help people after death, and only a lit one should remain on the grave. church candle. According to Orthodox canons, when you come to a cemetery, you need to get out there and remember your relatives as they were during their lifetime, remember them with a kind word and pray for them.
Signs on Radonitsa
- When a new moon falls on Radonitsa, a rich harvest should be expected.
- The more alms and treats to give out for remembrance, the more they will give in the next world.
- If a person forgets to remember his parents on Radonitsa, then they will not remember him after death and will not treat him in the kingdom of heaven.
- The first person who came to the cemetery on the day of Radonitsa will receive special favor from the departed.
- Pregnant women should not come to the cemetery in Radonitsa.
- If you disturb the earth on this day: dig up, sow or plant, there will be a bad harvest.
- When it rains on Radonitsa before noon, it blows in the afternoon and in the evening strong wind, then the deceased relatives are worried why they do not come to the cemetery. If it rains without wind - to a generous harvest.
Fortune telling on Radonitsa
In the old days, on Radonitsa, unmarried friends gathered together and wondered. Special fortune-telling peculiar only to Radunitsa is unknown, but fortune-telling was used that was carried out on other Christmas time:
- recognizing fate from a book. They guessed the page number and the line on which the answer was read, predicting fate;
- divination with a wreath. The girls wove a wreath of birch branches and let it float down the river. Where the wreath goes, from there to wait for the groom, if the wreath sinks - to wait for death;
- divination on a birch branch. To do this, the girl plucked a twig from a birch and put it under her pillow before going to bed. The man who dreamed that night will become her betrothed;
- prophetic dream. In the old days, they firmly believed that on Radonitsa the souls of the dead visit the earth and tried to resort to their help in order to see a prophetic dream. To this end, people went to the cemetery in the evening and asked their relatives near their grave to send a prophetic dream at night.
Correctly fulfilling the Orthodox canons of the celebration of Radonitsa, parental day 2017 will become a holiday for you, where you will feel an invisible spiritual connection with your loved ones who left our land. Recall that Radonitsa is not the only day when memorial days in 2017. Take your deceased relatives a few days a year on parental Saturdays 2017 to remember them with a kind word, light a candle in the church and pray for their souls.
Summary.
Radonitsa in 2019 falls on May 7th.
Visiting the graves of loved ones is the main tradition of memorial days.
On Radonitsa, it is customary to make donations and give alms.
The dates of parent Saturdays can be found in the Orthodox calendar 2019.
What time will the Closing Ceremony of the Universiade 2019 start, where to watch:
Start of the Closing Ceremony of the Universiade 2019 - 20:00 local time, or 16:00 Moscow time .AT live the show will show federal TV channel "Match!" . The start of the live television broadcast is 15:55 Moscow time.
Also live broadcast will be available on the channel "Match! Country".
On the Internet, a live online broadcast of the event can be launched on the Sportbox portal.
International Women's Day on March 8 is a memorable date for the UN, and the organization includes 193 states. Commemorative dates announced by the General Assembly are designed to encourage UN members to show increased interest in these events. However, on this moment not all member states of the United Nations approved the celebration women's day in their territories on the specified date.
Below is a list of countries that celebrate International Women's Day. Countries are grouped into groups: in a number of states, the holiday is an official non-working day (day off) for all citizens, somewhere on March 8, only women have a rest, and there are states where they work on March 8.
In which countries is March 8 a public holiday (for everyone):
* In Russia- March 8 is one of the most beloved holidays, when men congratulate all women without exception.
* In Ukraine- International Women's Day continues to be an additional holiday, despite regular proposals to exclude the event from the number of non-working days and replace it, for example, with Shevchenko's Day, which will be celebrated on March 9.
* In Abkhazia.
* in Azerbaijan.
* In Algeria.
* In Angola.
* In Armenia.
* In Afghanistan.
* In Belarus.
* To Burkina Faso.
* in Vietnam.
* In Guinea-Bissau.
* In Georgia.
* In Zambia.
* In Kazakhstan.
* In Cambodia.
* In Kenya.
* In Kyrgyzstan.
* In North Korea.
* In Cuba.
* In Laos.
* In Latvia.
* In Madagascar.
* In Moldova.
* In Mongolia.
* In Nepal.
* In Tajikistan Since 2009, the holiday has been renamed Mother's Day.
* In Turkmenistan.
* In Uganda.
* In Uzbekistan.
* In Eritrea.
* In South Ossetia.
Countries where March 8 is a day off for women only:
There are countries in which only women are released from work on International Women's Day. This rule has been approved:
* In China.
* In Madagascar.
Which countries celebrate March 8, but it's a working day:
In some countries, International Women's Day is widely celebrated, but is a working day. This is:
* Austria.
* Bulgaria.
* Bosnia and Herzegovina.
* Germany- in Berlin since 2019, March 8 is a day off, in the whole country it is a working day.
* Denmark.
* Italy.
* Cameroon.
* Romania.
* Croatia.
* Chile.
* Switzerland.
Which countries do NOT celebrate March 8:
* In Brazil - most of the inhabitants of which have not even heard of the "international" holiday on March 8. The main event of late February - early March for Brazilians and Brazilians is not Women's Day at all, but the world's largest Brazilian festival, also called the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, according to the Guinness Book of Records. In honor of the festival, Brazilians rest for several days in a row, from Friday to noon on the Catholic Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent (which for Catholics has a movable date and begins 40 days before Catholic Easter).* In the USA, the holiday is not an official holiday. In 1994, an attempt by activists to get the celebration approved in Congress was unsuccessful.
* In the Czech Republic (Czech Republic) - most of the country's population considers the holiday as a relic of the communist past and the main symbol of the old regime.
Traditions and customs of Maslenitsa:
The essence of the Maslenitsa holiday in the Christian sense is as follows:Forgiveness of offenders, restoration of good relations with neighbors, sincere and friendly communication with relatives and friends, as well as charity- that's what is the main thing in this Cheese week.
You can no longer eat on Maslenitsa meat dishes, and this is also the first step to fasting. But pancakes are baked and eaten with great pleasure. They are baked fresh and leavened, with eggs and milk, served with caviar, sour cream, butter or honey.
In general, during Shrovetide week one should have fun and attend festive events (skating, skiing, snowtubes, slides, horseback riding). Also, it is necessary to devote time to the family - to have fun together with relatives and friends: go somewhere together, the "young" should visit their parents, and the parents, in turn, should come to visit the children.
Date of Maslenitsa (Orthodox and pagan):
In church tradition Maslenitsa is celebrated for 7 days (weeks) from Monday to Sunday, before the most important Orthodox Lent, so the event is also called "Pancake Week".
The time of the Maslenitsa week depends on the beginning of Great Lent, which translates Easter, and every year it shifts in accordance with the Orthodox Church calendar.
So, in 2019, the Orthodox Maslenitsa takes place from March 4, 2019 to March 10, 2019, and in 2020 - from February 24, 2020 to March 1, 2020.
As for the pagan date of Maslenitsa, then d the ancient Slavs celebrated a holiday according to the solar calendar - at the time of the onset of astronomical spring, which occurs in . The Old Russian celebration lasted for 14 days: it began a week before the Day spring equinox and ended a week later.
Description of Maslenitsa celebration:
The tradition of celebrating Maslenitsa with a merry festivity has survived to this day.Most Russian cities host events called "Wide Maslenitsa"
. In the capital of Russia, the city of Moscow, the central platform for festive festivities is traditionally the Vasilyevsky Spusk of Red Square. Also held abroad "Russian Maslenitsa" to promote Russian traditions.
It is customary, especially on the last Sunday, when workers and students can take a break, organize mass holidays like in the old days, with songs, games, seeing off and burning an effigy of Maslenitsa. Carnival towns organize stages for performances, places to sell food (pancakes are a must), and souvenir products, attractions for children. Masquerades with mummers and carnival processions are held.
What are the days of Pancake week, what are they called (name and description):
Each day of Maslenitsa has its own name and has its own traditions. Below is the name and description for each day.Monday - Meeting. Since the first day is a working day, in the evening father-in-law and mother-in-law come to visit the parents of the daughter-in-law. The first pancakes are baked, which can be given to the poor in remembrance of the dead. On Monday, a straw effigy is dressed up and displayed on a hill in the place where the festivities are held. In dances and games, stylized fisticuffs "wall to wall" are held. The "first pancake" is baked and solemnly eaten as a reminder of the soul.
Tuesday - Gamble. The second day is traditionally the day of the young. Youth festivities, skiing from the mountains ("pokatushki"), matchmaking are signs of this day. It should be noted that the church forbids weddings on Maslenitsa, as well as in Lent. Therefore, on Maslenitsa Tuesday, the bride is married to play a wedding after Easter on Krasnaya Gorka.
Wednesday - Lakomka. On the third day, the son-in-law comes to mother-in-law for pancakes.
Thursday - Revelry, Revelry. On the fourth day, folk festivals become massive. Wide Maslenitsa- this is the name of the days from Thursday to the end of the week, and the day of generous treats itself is called "riotous quarter".
Friday - Mother-in-law evening. On the fifth day of Shrove Tuesday mother-in-law with friends or relatives comes to visit son-in-law for pancakes. Pancakes, of course, should be baked by her daughter, and her son-in-law should show hospitality. In addition to the mother-in-law, all relatives are invited to visit.
Saturday - Zolov's gatherings. On the sixth day husband's sisters come to visit(you can also invite other relatives of the husband). good tone It is considered not only to feed guests plentifully and tasty, but also to give gifts to sisters-in-law.
Sunday - Seeing off, Forgiveness Sunday. On the last (seventh) day, before Lent, one should repent and show mercy. All relatives and friends ask each other for forgiveness. In places of public celebrations, carnival processions are organized. The effigy of Maslenitsa is solemnly burned, thus turning into beautiful spring. With the onset of darkness, festive fireworks are launched.
In churches, also on Sunday, at the evening service, the rite of forgiveness is performed, when the priest asks for forgiveness from church servants and parishioners. All believers in turn ask for forgiveness and bow to each other. In response to a request for forgiveness, they say "God will forgive."
What happens at the end of the Maslenitsa celebration:
And at the end of the Maslenitsa holiday, Orthodox believers begin one of the most important fasts. We all remember the saying: Not everything is Shrovetide for the cat - there will be Great Lent".
We invariably show a craving for paying honors to the deceased relatives and friends. After all, it is so important to pay tribute to them and respect them. This helps to keep the connection between generations and is prerequisite spiritual life. Very little is required of us - to know when these days will be celebrated, only in this case we can adequately prepare for their holding.
What is Radonitsa?
Called Radonitsa or sometimes Radunitsa, this day is one of the special holidays set aside by the church to honor the dead. Such special days (there are 8 of them in a year) are celebrated on Saturdays, hence their name - "parental Saturdays".
However, Radonitsa stands apart in a series of these memorable days, since for the most part it almost always falls on Tuesday. The peculiarity of this most important parental day of the year is not only that it is celebrated on Tuesday, but also that, in terms of its importance, it ranks first among all memorial days.
There is no fixed date for Radonitsa, every year the time of this day changes depending on when Easter is celebrated. It is only necessary to count 9 days from the Light Sunday of Christ and get the actual exact date of the Radonitsa. That is, in other words, this is the first Tuesday after Krasnaya Gorka (Fomin Sunday). Thus, the date of parental day in 2017 falls on April 25th.
memorial days
In order to be able to honor the memory of the deceased relatives and friends in time, taking care of their souls by reading prayers and visiting the cemetery in order to maintain order at the graves, it is simply necessary to know the exact days of commemoration. Orthodox parent days in 2017 fall on the following dates: 
Now, knowing the parental days of visiting the cemetery in 2017, you will be able to competently prepare and arrange a memorial ceremony worthy of your deceased relatives and friends.
Origins and meaning of Radonitsa
According to many scientists and biblical figures, including John Chrysostom, the history of Radonitsa goes back to ancient times. Even in pagan times, it was a great feast of remembrance of the dead, held on a large scale. People, gathering on grave mounds, arranged a trizna (memorial feast) and noisy festivities, trying to appease the souls of the deceased. This holiday is so deeply rooted in the people's minds that the official church, after a long time, recognized this day, raising it to a special rank.
The meaning of this holiday is hidden in its name, which different Slavic peoples may sound different. These are Radovnitsa (some regions of Russia), and Graves, and Grobki (Ukraine), and Navi Day (Belarus).
The joy of resurrection on special days
However, in any case, "Radonitsa" in its origin is equated with the word "joy" and the concept of "kindred". What kind of joy can we talk about on such a mournful day? The Church explains: when visiting the temple and the graves of our ancestors on Radonitsa, we should not fall into despondency and longing, but rejoice for loved ones who have come before the face of the Lord. They are now close to God and their souls rejoice, being in love and happiness.
So, why shouldn't we, their descendants, rejoice for them by offering prayers? Putting the grave in order, we also perform some ritual action, symbolically meaning preparation for the resurrection of the soul.
The main thing that we must and can do on this day for deceased relatives is to devote sufficient time to prayers. If it is not possible to invite a priest to the grave in order to read the litia (funeral prayer service), then you can do it yourself. It is prayers that our relatives and friends need, and not excessive eating and drinking alcohol. This is what the Church teaches, and this must be done according to conscience and the dictates of the heart. 
Procedure and basic rules
In the morning on any parental day, the Orthodox go to church, taking with them a Lenten lunch, which is donated either to the church or to poor people who are in dire need of help. Having defended the funeral service, they usually go to cemeteries, where they also read prayers, clean up. Still very strong are such traditions as commemoration with food and drink right on the graves. Traditionally, this can be understood, but the church is against such actions. In principle, everyone acts according to their own ideas, but still it is not a charitable thing to arrange a drunken feast on the graves.
Radonitsa in Russia
By the way, in Russia, on Radonitsa, towels and tablecloths were spread directly on the grave hill, and, having laid out plentiful food, they were given a meal by the whole family. They ate and drank so much that sometimes they immediately fell asleep. The list of obligatory dishes included dyed yellow or green color eggs, dry pies according to a special recipe, pancakes, porridge.
Before the feast began, the head of the family rolled eggs over the grave and then buried one of them in the ground, as if allowing the deceased to join the Easter meal. Be sure to pour a glass of vodka on the grave, which is also not welcomed by the modern church. After dinner, to which the beggars were necessarily invited and treated, they remained at the cemetery for a short time, peacefully spending time in conversations, and only then they went home. In the evening, young people organized festivities with songs, dances and merry amusements.
Signs and beliefs for parent's day
among the people great importance attached importance to the weather that fell on Radunitsa. Especially looking forward to rain.
- It was believed that the rain on this day had a special power - to preserve and prolong youth and health, beauty, prosperity, happiness. Small children sang special songs calling for rain. In the event that it really rained, they washed themselves with its water, exposing their faces to the downpour. And the girls did it in a special way, skipping rain water through a gold or silver ring to be beautiful and happy.
- The rain foreshadowed a year rich in harvest.
- It was strictly forbidden to plant or sow anything - this led to the fact that it was possible to lose the entire crop.
- If on Radonitsa stood warm weather, said "parents breathed warmly."
Now we can take a different look at the meaning that this feast of commemoration has. And showing correct example to our children, we can hope that this tradition will continue to be passed on, uniting the representatives of the family into a single whole.
