On which Easter days can you visit the cemetery? History and significance

For the Jews, and later for the Christians who separated from them, Easter has always been a bright holiday. At first, words with the same root for Passover denoted two important events in Jewish history. The first of them is the tenth “Egyptian plague,” when the pestilence passed through all houses, striking all the first-born of people and livestock, passing only Jewish families. The second is the exodus of Jews from Egypt. The word "Passover" is related to the term "passover", which in Hebrew means "passed by", "passed by". In any case, the word carried a positive connotation for Jewish people even in Old Testament history.

Later, when, in accordance with biblical history, the Resurrection of Christ fell on the date of the celebration of the exodus of the Jews, Easter began to be associated with it: moreover, not all of our contemporaries who consider themselves Christians know about the “Egyptian plagues” and the exodus from Egypt as once on Easter. Although, of course, for Christians and non-Jews it is precisely this aspect of Easter that is the main one: moreover, it is the most ancient and one of the most joyful holidays in this faith - along with Christmas and the Annunciation.

That is why the church considers it sinful to indulge in gloomy and sad thoughts about the departed on that day, which believers should associate precisely with victory over death.

Another reason why the visit should be postponed is that we usually clean up the grave when visiting a cemetery, and on Easter, like other church holidays, you can't do this.

Where did the tradition of going to the cemetery on Easter come from?

But why did it happen that our grandparents and parents stubbornly believe that it is on Easter that we need to go to the cemetery for cleaning and remembrance? The fact is that in Soviet times, excessive religiosity, as you know, was not approved - at least. Temples were closed and cemeteries were open. And the believers tried to preserve some kind of ritual as best they knew how and could; Maybe, the only solution It was just a visit to the cemetery on this day: then we met with living relatives and could remember the departed.

Now that you can safely go to church on Easter, this is exactly what you should do - although, out of old memory, people of older generations still stubbornly gravitate to cemeteries. You shouldn’t do this: there are specially designated days for this.

By the way, there is also an opinion that the custom of visiting a cemetery on Easter developed even before the ban on churches, that is, before the Revolution: in rural areas churches and graveyards were often located nearby, so people simply went to the dead immediately after the Easter service.

When to go to the cemetery in honor of Easter?

First of all, in order to pay a visit to the departed with the news that Christ is Risen, there is Radonitsa: Tuesday of St. Thomas (next after Easter) week. Contrary to established traditions, you should not bring food to the grave, much less vodka, as they like to do in Russia; however, a red-painted egg can and should be brought - it is a symbol of the Resurrection and the victory of life over death.

Commemoration of the dead on Easter days - how is it carried out? Is this approved by the Orthodox Church? Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko will answer these questions.

Commemoration of the departed at Easter

Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko, rector of the Church of the All-Merciful Savior b. Sorrowful Monastery, Chairman of the Editorial Board of the site:

- this is the most main holiday per year. The Church, taking into account the psychology of people, separates days of celebration and days of sadness. The joyful rejoicing that the Church communicates to believers at Easter is separated from the mood of sadness that accompanies the remembrance of the dead.

Therefore, on Easter Day you are not supposed to go to the cemetery and perform funeral services. If someone dies, and death on Easter is traditionally considered a sign of God’s mercy, then the funeral service is performed according to the Easter rite, which includes many Easter hymns.

To visit the cemetery, the Church appoints a special day - Radonitsa (from the word joy - after all, the Easter holiday continues) and this holiday is celebrated on the Tuesday after Easter week. On this day it is served funeral service and believers visit the cemetery to pray for the departed, so that Easter joy may be passed on to them.

They began to visit cemeteries on Easter only in Soviet time when the temples were closed. People who felt the need to gather and share joy could not go to churches, which were closed, and went to the cemetery on Easter instead of going a week later. The cemetery seemed to replace a visit to the temple. And now that churches are open, so this Soviet-era tradition cannot be justified, it is necessary to restore church tradition: be in church on Easter Day and celebrate the 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-wing faith. When faith is persecuted, severe superstitions arise.

The souls of our departed loved ones need prayer. From a church point of view, the ritual when they place vodka and black bread on the grave, and next to it a photograph of the deceased, is unacceptable: this, speaking modern language– a remake, because, for example, photography appeared a little over a hundred years ago: this means that this tradition is new.

As for commemorating the dead with alcohol: any kind of drunkenness is unacceptable. IN holy scripture the use of wine is permitted: “Wine makes glad the heart of a man” (Psalm 103:15), 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. And I repeat again, the deceased need our fervent prayer, our pure heart and sober mind, alms given for them, but not vodka.

How are the dead remembered on Easter?

On Easter, many people visit the cemetery where the graves of their loved ones are located. Unfortunately, in some families there is a blasphemous custom of accompanying these visits to the graves of their relatives with wild drunken revelry. But even those who do not celebrate pagan drunken funeral feasts at the graves of their loved ones, which are so offensive to every Christian feeling, often do not know when on Easter days it is possible and necessary to remember the dead.
The first commemoration of the dead takes place on the second week, after St. Thomas Sunday, on Tuesday.
The basis for this commemoration is, on the one hand, the remembrance of the descent of Jesus Christ into hell, connected with the Resurrection of St. Thomas, and, on the other, the permission of the Church Charter to carry out the usual commemoration of the dead, starting with St. Thomas Monday. According to this permission, believers come to the graves of their loved ones with the joyful news of the Resurrection of Christ, hence the day of remembrance itself is called Radonitsa.

How to properly remember the dead?

Prayer for the departed is the greatest and most important thing we can do for those who have passed on to another world.
By and large, the deceased does not need either a coffin or a monument - all this is a tribute to traditions, albeit pious ones.
But forever alive soul the deceased experiences a great need for our constant prayer, because she herself cannot do good deeds with which she would be able to appease God.
That's why home prayer for loved ones, prayer in the cemetery at the grave of the deceased is the duty of everyone Orthodox Christian.
But commemoration in the Church provides special help to the deceased.
Before visiting the cemetery, you should come to the church at the beginning of the service, submit a note with the names of your deceased relatives for commemoration at the altar (it is best 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 washing away his sins will be lowered into the Chalice with the Holy Gifts).
After the Liturgy, a memorial service must be celebrated.
The prayer will be more effective if the person commemorating this day himself partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ.
It is very useful to donate to the church, 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 and perform lithium(this word literally means intense prayer. To perform the rite of litia in commemoration of the dead, a priest must be invited. A shorter rite, which can also be performed by a layman, is given in “Complete Orthodox prayer book for the laity” and in the brochure “How to behave in a cemetery”, published by our publishing house).
Then clean up the grave or simply remain silent and remember the deceased.
There is no need to eat or drink in a cemetery; it is especially unacceptable to pour vodka into a grave mound - this insults the memory of the dead. The custom of leaving a glass of vodka and a piece of bread at the grave “for the deceased” is a relic of paganism and should not be observed in Orthodox families.
There is no need to leave food on the grave; it is better to give it to the beggar or the hungry.

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Easter is the most important holiday of the year.

The Church, taking into account the psychology of people, separates days of celebration and days of sadness. The joyful rejoicing that the Church communicates to believers at Easter is separated from the mood of sadness that accompanies the remembrance of the dead. Therefore, on Easter Day you are not supposed to go to the cemetery and not perform a funeral service. If someone dies, and death on Easter is traditionally considered a sign of God’s mercy, then the funeral service is performed according to the Easter rite, which includes many Easter hymns. To visit the cemetery, the Church appoints a special day - Radonitsa (from the word joy - after all, the Easter holiday continues) and this holiday is celebrated on the Tuesday after Easter week. On this day, a funeral service is served and believers visit the cemetery to pray for the departed, so that the Easter joy will be passed on to them.
IT IS IMPORTANT!

People began to visit cemeteries on Easter only during Soviet times, when churches were closed. People who felt the need to gather and share joy could not go to churches, which were closed, and went to the cemetery on Easter instead of going a week later. The cemetery seemed to replace a visit to the temple. And now, when churches are open, therefore this Soviet-era tradition cannot be justified, it is necessary to restore the church tradition: to be in church on Easter Day and celebrate the joyful holiday, and to go to the cemetery on Radonitsa. We must remember that the tradition of leaving food and Easter eggs on graves is paganism, which was revived in the Soviet Union when the state persecuted the right-wing faith. When faith is persecuted, severe superstitions arise. The souls of our departed loved ones need prayer. From a church point of view, it is unacceptable from a church point of view a ritual when vodka and black bread are placed on the grave, and next to it is a photograph of the deceased: this, in modern language, is a remake, since, for example, photography appeared a little over a hundred years ago: this means that this is a tradition new. As for commemorating the dead with alcohol: any kind of drunkenness is unacceptable. The Holy Scriptures allow the use of wine: “Wine makes glad the heart of man” (Psalm 103:15), 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. And I repeat again, the deceased need our fervent prayer, our pure heart and sober mind, alms given for them, but not vodka. How the dead are remembered on Easter Days 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 of accompanying these visits to the graves of their relatives with wild drunken revelry. But even those who do not celebrate pagan drunken funeral feasts at the graves of their loved ones, which are so offensive to every Christian feeling, often do not know when on Easter days it is possible and necessary to remember the dead. The first commemoration of the dead takes place on the second week, after St. Thomas Sunday, on Tuesday. The basis for this commemoration is, on the one hand, the remembrance of the descent of Jesus Christ into hell, connected with the Resurrection of St. Thomas, and, on the other, the permission of the Church Charter to carry out the usual commemoration of the dead, starting with St. Thomas Monday. According to this permission, believers come to the graves of their loved ones with the joyful news of the Resurrection of Christ, hence the day of remembrance itself is called Radonitsa. How to properly remember the departed Prayer for the departed is the greatest and most important thing we can do for those who have passed on to another world. By and large, the deceased does not need either a coffin or a monument - all this is a tribute to traditions, albeit pious ones. But the eternally living soul of the deceased experiences a great need for our constant prayer, because it itself cannot do good deeds with which it would be able to appease God. That is why prayer at home for loved ones, prayer in 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 church at the beginning of the service, submit a note with the names of your deceased relatives for commemoration at the altar (it is best 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 washing away his sins will be lowered into the Chalice with the Holy Gifts). After the Liturgy, a memorial service must be celebrated. The prayer will be more effective if the person commemorating this day himself partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ. It is very useful to donate to the church, give alms to the poor with a request to pray for the departed. How to behave at the cemetery Having arrived at the cemetery, you need to light a candle and perform a lithium (this word literally means intense prayer. To perform the rite of lithium when commemorating the dead, you must invite a priest. A shorter rite, which can also be performed by a layman, is given in “Complete Orthodox prayer book for the laity” and in the brochure “How to behave in a cemetery”, published by our publishing house). Then clean up the grave or simply remain silent and remember the deceased. There is no need to eat or drink in a cemetery; it is especially unacceptable to pour vodka into a grave mound - this insults the memory of the dead. The custom of leaving a glass of vodka and a piece of bread at the grave “for the deceased” is a relic of paganism and should not be observed in Orthodox families. There is no need to leave food on the grave; it is better to give it to the beggar or the hungry.

Easter is the main thing Orthodox holiday, a symbol of rebirth and victory over death. Precedes this holiday Lent, observing which, a person is spiritually cleansed.

There has been a long-standing tradition in the world of putting in order not only thoughts, but also one’s home for the Resurrection of Christ. Before Easter, the graves of loved ones are usually cleaned up after winter.

On what days should you clean up the cemetery?

The Church Charter designates “Parental Saturdays” - days on which special services for the repose are held in churches. On these same days, they visit cemeteries, tidy up graves, and visit the deceased.

Before Easter, during Lent, three Parents' Day: 2, 3 and 4th from the beginning of Saturday. If you adhere to Orthodox canons, then it is better to visit the cemetery at this time.

However, not everyone may be able to do this on the days specified by the church. For example, in areas where there is snow for a long time, you may not be able to physically get to the grave. The last day before Easter when you can clean up the cemetery is the Saturday before Palm Sunday.

Do people go to cemeteries on Easter?

On Holy Week and for another 8 days after Easter, you cannot go to cemeteries.

Visiting graves on Easter itself is the height of misunderstanding of the meaning of celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord.

In order to share the joy of this event with the deceased, it is customary to come to their graves in Radonitsa, which is celebrated on the ninth day from the main holiday. Radonitsa is Easter for those who are in the other world.

How to properly spend memorial days?

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

• light a candle and leave a memorial note in the church;
• give alms with a request to pray for the soul of the deceased;
• in a cemetery, place a candle near an icon or cross; candles are not lit in front of a monument;
• read a prayer;
• remember the deceased good deeds, mentally talk to him;
• remove debris from the grave;
• update the paint on a fence, monument or straighten a cross;
• cut the grass, plant flowers, whitewash the trees.

What can’t you do at the cemetery on Parents’ Day? Prohibited:

• indulge in grief;
• have a feast;
• drink alcohol or pour it on a grave;
• leaving food at the cemetery is better to give to the poor;
• decorate the grave with artificial flowers;
• To talk loudly;
• leave trash.

If you are unable to visit the cemetery in parents' Saturdays, then there is no need to suffer from feelings of guilt. There are no clear instructions by what day the graves should be cleaned or the windows in the house should be washed. Worldly habits do not always reflect a person's true spirituality.

Light a candle in the church, serve the liturgy and memorial service, give alms and spend the day thinking about the departed. Your good deeds are the best thing you can do for their blessed memory.

"Christ is Risen!" - you hear this exclamation on the first day of Easter, and your soul is filled with such incredible joy that you have no strength to keep it within yourself. 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 are not prohibited from visiting a cemetery on Easter. Many on this day, having attended services in the church, rush to the graves. We will not find a ban on visiting a cemetery on any day in the Charter of the Orthodox Church. But considering human psychology, Orthodox Church nevertheless, he advises to refrain from commemorating the dead on this day. It’s not for nothing that Easter is called the Holy Holiday, and the week after it is called Holy Week. This is a time of joy and rejoicing, even during worship we hear mostly only songs. 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 recently left us, we will probably shed a tear, we will be sad that dear person not with us on this day.

According to one version, folk tradition going to graves on Easter appeared in Soviet times. Since believers did not have the opportunity to visit churches, but 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 be driven away from the graves today on Easter Day. After the Easter service, you can go to the cemetery to congratulate those who have passed on to another world on the holiday. But it should be remembered that both on Easter Day and throughout Bright Week, the church does not remember the dead and does not serve memorial services, that is, it will not be possible to “communicate” with the dead in the usual way. The church charter allows for the usual commemoration of the dead after Holy and Bright Week, starting on St. Thomas Monday.

We come to Radonitsa to visit the graves of our loved ones not just for the purpose of next visit, but with the joyful news of the Resurrection of Christ. It is joy that underlies the name of this day. It’s quite natural, recalling the image of a person dear to us, to cry a little, but you shouldn’t sob inconsolably over the grave. By His Resurrection the Lord shows that future life there is, so we must come to the graves of loved ones with the belief 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 into that other world. the best place. And our duty is to pray for them, do good deeds in memory of them and give alms. This is what the departed saints long for from us. And not sweets left at the monument, or a red egg buried in the ground of the grave.

The Church is categorically against bringing any food products to the cemetery. Indirectly, this can serve to desecrate graves. Birds and animals, attracted by the smell of food, will begin to tear it apart at the graves and leave their mark on the burial sites. It’s even worse when they start pouring alcohol on the graves. These are all remnants of paganism, says Archpriest Evgeniy Svidersky. - Everyone understands that the deceased do not need material food. They need spiritual food much more - prayer.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW

Five rules for those celebrating Radonitsa

Before visiting the cemetery, come to the temple. Submit a note with the names of deceased loved ones, stay at 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 the candles purchased in the church shop should be lit.

It is worth lighting a candle when you come to the cemetery. Perform litia (literally means “intense prayer”) - a rite that can be found in the Orthodox prayer book.

Clean up the grave, just be silent and remember the deceased.

Do not have a meal in a cemetery, do not leave food on graves - it is better to give the excess to the poor or needy. Donations in the form of food can also be left on the funeral table in the church. Subsequently, they will be distributed to temple employees, the poor, or sent to orphanages and other institutions that are cared for by one or another temple.