Is it possible to work on Trinity Saturday? Saturday before Trinity - what not to do? What to do on Trinity Saturday

Often these special days commemoration of the dead is called “ecumenical parental Saturdays.” This is not true. There are two Ecumenical Memorial Saturdays: Meat Saturday (on the Saturday preceding the Sunday of Last Judgment) and Trinity (on the Saturday preceding the Feast of Pentecost, or also called the Feast Holy Trinity- the birthday of the Church of Christ).

The main meaning of these “ecumenical” (common to the entire Orthodox Church) funeral services is to pray for all deceased Orthodox Christians, regardless of their personal closeness to us. This is a matter of love that does not divide the world into friends and strangers. The main attention these days is to all those who are united with us by the highest kinship - kinship in Christ, and especially to those who have no one to remember.

Parents' Saturdays in 2019 fall on the following dates:

  • – March 4, 2019.
  • Saturday of the 2nd week of Great Lent – ​​March 23, 2019.
  • Saturday of the 3rd week of Great Lent – ​​March 30, 2019.
  • Saturday of the 4th week of Lent – ​​April 6, 2019.
  • Commemoration of deceased warriors– May 9, 2019.
  • Radonitsa– May 7, 2019.
  • Trinity Parents' Saturday in 2019– June 15, 2019.
  • – November 2, 2019.
  • Parents' Saturdays in 2020 fall on the following dates:

    • Ecumenical Parental Saturday (meat-free)– February 22, 2020.
    • Saturday of the 2nd week of Great Lent – ​​March 14, 2020.
    • Saturday of the 3rd week of Great Lent – ​​March 21, 2020.
    • Saturday of the 4th week of Lent – ​​March 28, 2020.
    • Commemoration of deceased warriors– May 9, 2020.
    • Radonitsa– April 28, 2020.
    • Trinity Parents' Saturday in 2020– June 6, 2020.
    • Dimitrievskaya Parents' Saturday– October 31, 2020.
  • Parents' Saturdays in 2021 fall on the following dates:

    • Ecumenical Parental Saturday (meat-free)– March 8, 2021.
    • Saturday of the 2nd week of Great Lent – ​​March 27, 2021.
    • Saturday of the 3rd week of Lent – ​​April 3, 2021.
    • Saturday of the 4th week of Lent – ​​April 10, 2021.
    • Commemoration of deceased warriors– May 9, 2021.
    • Radonitsa– May 11, 2021.
    • Trinity Parents' Saturday in 2021– June 19, 2021.
    • Dimitrievskaya Parents' Saturday– November 6, 2021.

Table of memorial days 2019

The 2019 calendar contains several such memorial days. In the table you can see the dates when parental Saturdays fall:

March 2 Ecumenical Meat Saturday, which is celebrated 8 days before Easter Lent. The second name of this day is Little Maslenitsa. On this day they pray for all the departed.
March 23 The dates fall on the second, third and fourth Saturdays of Lent. The presence of special designated dates during Lent is due to the fact that the third, ninth and fortieth calendar days after death cannot be celebrated, so relatives of the deceased can remember them exclusively on these days.
March 30
April 6
May 7 This day is called Radonitsa. In essence, it is a holiday, although it is associated with such a sad event as the commemoration of a person who has left us. On Radonitsa, it is customary to prepare a good dinner, but a person is commemorated not in a cemetery, but at home, so as not to intrude into the world of the dead.
June 15 Ecumenical Trinity Saturday is associated with the need to visit church and the grave of a deceased person. It is decorated with greenery. This is the main day when the souls of all deceased people are remembered.
November 2 Dmitrievskaya Parental Saturday, during this day memorial services are served in churches. During the day you need to go to the cemetery, and in the evening you need to gather relatives for dinner and remember the dead.

The meaning of parental Saturdays in Orthodoxy

Parental Saturdays in Orthodoxy are so closely mixed with Ecumenical Saturdays that in practice there are many more days of remembrance for the dead. In addition to the above parental Saturdays, the deceased are commemorated on the third day, ninth day, fortieth day and anniversary. As a rule, on next year commemorated only on the anniversary of death.

The significance of parental Saturday is very great. First of all, Orthodoxy speaks of the memory of deceased relatives, parents, brothers and sisters, which is why the days of remembrance are called parental Saturdays. On Ecumenical memorial days - Meat and Trinity Saturday - it is customary to remember not only relatives, but also all the dead.

This reminds a person that life on earth is short and it is necessary to carry the memory of relatives, thereby setting an example for children. Only then will the soul find peace after death. Thanks to this, parental Saturdays connect entire generations, and children honor the memory of relatives down to several generations.

Orthodox calendar of parental Saturdays

Memorial Saturday dates

Memorial Saturdays in 2019 fall on the following dates:

  • March 2, 23, 30;
  • April 6;
  • May 7, 9;
  • June 15;
  • November 2.

Dimitrievskaya Parents' Saturday

Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday in the calendar is in close proximity to the feast of St. Great Martyr Dmitry of Thessalonica. According to historical data, it began to be celebrated after the battle on the Kulikovo Field, where more than 250 thousand people died, and was initially dedicated to the memory of those who died in this battle, but gradually became a significant day for all Orthodox Christians.

Since then, every Saturday before the day of memory of D. Solunsky, the Slavs celebrated a memorial day, not only for those killed in battles, but also for other deceased relatives. This date became firmly established in church practice and became parents' Saturday.

Correct behavior on funeral days

On parental Saturday, it is necessary to visit the graves of the dead, go to church, serve memorial services in the cemetery, order funeral litias and commemorate with a meal. Praying in Dmitrievskaya Saturday mainly about the souls of deceased relatives.

If it is impossible to visit church, they must pray at home, reading the Prayer for the Dead. When reading a prayer, you can use a memorial book - a special small book (you can use a notebook) in which the names of all deceased relatives who need to be remembered in prayer are written down.

Church commemoration begins with coming to church on the eve of parent's day, i.e. on Friday evening. At this time, parastas is read - a great memorial service dedicated to the remembrance of the dead. The funeral liturgy is celebrated the next day in the morning, followed by a general memorial service. Notes with the names of deceased relatives (in the genitive case) are submitted to the church for liturgy and parastas. Donations are placed on the canon - everything except meat and alcohol.

What can you do on Parents' Saturday?

Parental Saturdays have a clear purpose - to commemorate the dead, so some “worldly” activities may be prohibited. Believers most often want to know the restrictions regarding work, baptism, cleaning and communion.

Is it possible to work on parent's Saturday?

Working on parental Saturday is not prohibited, but priests insist that time be set aside for going to church. It is extremely important to come to the temple in the morning, submit notes for the deceased, and only then you can go to work. If there is no opportunity to go to church, then you can read a prayer at work, but be sure to pay spiritual attention to the deceased. There is no need to work in the garden - according to legend, the planted plants will not grow and will not bear fruit.

Is it possible to heat a bathhouse on Parents' Saturday?

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On Parents' Saturday, lighting the bathhouse is encouraged. For the Slavs, Thursday and Saturday were considered clean days - on these days they most often went to the bathhouse. Moreover, after bathing it is necessary to leave a broom in the bathhouse for the deceased - this is the tradition. Historical sources testify to this.

Is it possible to clean the house

The Church has a negative attitude towards cleaning the house on Parents' Saturday. It is believed that the holiday must be celebrated already in clean house, but on Parents' Saturday there is no need to get involved with dirt - this is disrespect for the memory of the dead. Therefore, washing floors, cleaning carpets, and doing laundry should be rescheduled for another time. It is clear that minor cleaning in the house, for example, washing dishes and clearing the table after a meal, is acceptable.

Is it possible to baptize on parental Saturday?

There are no restrictions on the baptism of a child on parental Saturday. However, there are no restrictions on other days, fasts and even great holidays. Baptism is considered very important rite and must be carried out as a matter of priority, regardless of the date. The only thing you need to think about in advance is to agree on the time of the ceremony, so as not to get to the liturgy and not wait for a long time.

Is it possible to receive communion on parental Saturday?

It is recommended that the church receive communion once or twice a month, but it is best to set aside Sunday for this rite, not Saturday. On this day the priests are more free, and in the temple fewer people to feel more comfortable.

The invaluable help that living relatives can provide to the deceased is frequent prayers for repose. The souls of the dead, according to the church, should rest in peace precisely thanks to the constant prayers of living people. Parental Saturdays become a manifestation of the fact that the dead are remembered, and it is recommended to read prayers not only on parental days, but also every day.

Trinity or Ecumenical Parental Saturday is the day of remembrance of the dead, one of the four all-Russian calendar days of remembrance of the dead. It falls on the Saturday before Trinity. In 2019 it falls on June 15th. Trinity Parents' Saturday is a special day in the 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.

What is Trinity Parents' Saturday?

Trinity Parents' Saturday is a day of remembrance and honor for the dead. This is very important date for believers, on the eve of the great Orthodox holiday Trinity. The history of Trinity Saturday goes back to the tradition of celebrating the holiday of Trinity (Pentecost). Trinity Saturday represents the last day of the Old Testament Church before the opening of the Church of Christ in its entirety. That's why Orthodox Church considers it important to remember before the Day of the Most Holy Trinity all those who have departed from eternity.

What traditions should be observed on this day?

On Trinity Parents' Saturday it is customary to remember deceased relatives. To do this, you need to come to church for a service on Friday evening before parental Saturday. At this time a great funeral service is celebrated. The most important part of the commemoration takes place on Saturday morning during the Divine Liturgy, after which a general memorial service is served.

When praying for the deceased, candles are placed at the Crucifixion, and not at the icons. In order for deceased loved ones to be remembered at a liturgy or memorial service, you need to submit notes with their names. The notes contain only the names of those who were baptized; Everyone can prayerfully remember the rest themselves.

What should you take with you to the cemetery?

On Memorial Saturday, after a morning trip to the temple, it is customary to visit the graves of departed relatives and friends. Arriving at the cemetery, you need to light a candle, remain silent, remember the deceased, and pray for the repose of the souls of your loved ones. Then people clean up the graves. On this day, graves are decorated with flowers and greenery and ritual meals are held. The main dishes are kutia, pancakes, eggs, painted with fresh green birch leaves.

For the deceased, eggs were crumbled at the crosshairs or at the foot of the cross, grain and kutya were sprinkled. It is necessary that the cross on the grave is not askew, is always painted, clean and well-groomed.

As the clergy note, the tradition of leaving easter eggs and Easter cakes on graves is paganism. There is no need to leave food on the grave; it is better to give it to the beggar or the hungry so that they remember your relative. The church also disapproves of drinking alcohol in a cemetery.

What should you not do on Trinity Parents' Saturday?

There is an opinion among the people that on Trinity Parents' Saturday in the church one can submit a note for the repose of the souls of those who have taken their own lives. This opinion is wrong - the church never prays for suicides. But you can pray for their souls yourself.

It is believed that on this day you cannot do housework: cook, wash and clean. In fact, this can be done. Trinity Parents' Saturday is a day of remembrance and honor for the dead, therefore various entertainments are prohibited on this day. We need to think more about life and death and pray.

Hello! Trinity Parents' Saturday is approaching - the day of remembrance of the dead. This day falls on the Saturday before Trinity. And the Day of the Holy Trinity or Pentecost is celebrated 50 days after Easter and on the 10th day after the Ascension.

Solemnity of the Holy Trinity

- one of the 12 main church celebrations. The holiday does not have a clearly designated date, because its date is associated with the celebration of Easter.


What date will be Trinity Parents' Saturday this year? In 2019, Parents' Saturday falls on June 15, and Trinity Sunday is celebrated on June 16.

The holiday is called Trinity because the Holy Spirit descended to earth, denoting the Trinity of God, endowing the apostles - followers of the teachings of Jesus Christ - with Divine power.

Holy Trinity- God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit - this is the foundation from which the Apostolic Church began. The descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles marks the salvation of people, the sanctification of the world, eternal Church

How many days after Mother's Day is Trinity? The next day, Trinity follows the universal parental Saturday.

Why Ecumenical? The name is given because all the dead Christians, starting with the first people, Adam and Eve.

To commemorate deceased relatives, you should come to the temple on Friday evening for a service, that is, on the eve of Parents' Saturday. But the main commemoration of the dead takes place in the morning the next day. First, the Divine Liturgy is served, followed by a general memorial service.

After the Trinity Liturgy, it is served Great Vespers when prayers are addressed to Triune God. Priests and parishioners pray on their knees on Trinity Sunday.

Who is remembered on Ecumenical Parental Saturday?

Saint Basil the Great said:

“The Lord especially on this day deigns to accept prayers for the dead and even for those in hell.”

Before the celebration of the Most Holy Trinity, the Orthodox Church commemorates all departed Christians, even those who died a long time ago.

During the commemoration, the confessor drops small pieces of prosphora into a bowl with the Body and Blood of Christ, while saying the prayer:

“Wash away, Lord, the sins of those here remembered with Your Honest Blood, the prayers of Your saints.”

That is, the church seems to revive the heart of every person and the whole world with the Holy Spirit.

Trinity Day- is considered the birthday of the Universal Apostolic Church, and the Saturday before Trinity represents the last day of the Old Testament Church, when the full revelation of the Church of Christ takes place.


There are only two Ecumenical Parental Saturdays a year: Meat Saturday, on the Saturday before Maslenitsa, and Trinity, before Trinity.

Holiday traditions

Memorial Saturday has its own traditions:

  • All Christians go to the cemetery, bringing with them a meal for the memorial, flowers, and birch branches.
  • Traditional funeral meal: kutia, pancakes, etc.
  • On this day, it has been customary for a long time to give alms.
  • Commemorating on such an important day, Christians believe that the Holy Spirit will descend on the souls of all deceased relatives, opening the gates of heaven for them. But not only the living pray, the dead also care about those living on earth.


What not to do on memorial day:

  • It is impossible not to remember the dead.
  • Many people think that they cannot work around the house. You cannot do only dirty work, as well as sewing, embroidery, but the rest, for example, washing dishes, tidying up the house a little, is possible.
  • You can't swear or drink alcoholic drinks, steal, get angry, wish harm to other people, commit any sinful acts.
  • You should not swim in rivers or lakes - it is dangerous. Since pagan times, people believed that mermaids come ashore, which does not bode well for people.

About the wedding on Trinity Saturday

Many young couples are interested: is it possible to get married on Trinity Saturday? There is a clear answer to this question: you should not start the birth of a new family on a memorial day. A wedding and a wake do not go well together and do not bring real fun, because in your heart you will feel awkward about what is happening, and then all the failures in family life associated with the fact that they got married on a memorial day.

In any case, the wedding does not take place in the church. The registry office does not pay attention to this; the newlyweds themselves must think about this. It is better to devote the parents' day before Trinity to the commemoration of deceased relatives and friends. Visit the temple, give notes to the priest, go to the cemetery.

If it is impossible to postpone the wedding, then it is better to hold the celebration in the most modest surroundings. Yes and intimate relationships the Church does not approve of this day. But to send matchmakers to Trinity - good omen for the happiness of the young family, and the wedding should take place after Trinity.

Young people can start decorating their house with green tree branches, and the more abundantly, the better. It is customary to consecrate branches and flowers in the temple, and only then decorate your home with them.

It’s good to pick it on this day and put it at home. Even in dry form, it will cleanse the house of negativity.

Dear friends, is a very important day not only for the dead, but also for the living, since the good church traditions continue to serve as an example of how to treat the deceased for other generations.

Trinity is a major Orthodox holiday, on the eve of which there is another important date called Trinity Parental Saturday. In general, there are several special days a year when it is customary to remember deceased relatives. These days you need to pray not only for your parents and grandparents whom you knew personally, but also for all your ancestors. It is important to know what is customary to do on this day and what should be avoided. In 2017, the parental date is June 3.

What are you supposed to do?

This is the day when we remember the dead. It is believed that if on this day we pray for those who have passed into another world, then they too will pray to God for us from heaven. You can remember not only your parents and relatives, but also your friends, relatives, acquaintances - everyone you want to remember on this day. Of course, the first thing you should do is pray for your deceased parents. On this day in the morning you should go to the temple to light candles for the repose and give prayer notes to the church. They write the names of those you want to remember - parents, relatives and just loved ones. On Trinity Parental Saturday, every church, temple, and parish holds an ecumenical memorial service, which occurs only on this day.

If you cannot go to church and attend a service, then hold a prayer service at home. There is a special memorial service, which is read when the light is lit. church candle in front of the icons. The only requirement is that the prayer must be read thoughtfully, understanding the meaning of its words. Otherwise, there will be no benefit for the departed souls from your prayer service. Formal thoughtless reading of prayer will not bring relief to the dead.

After attending the funeral service, you should go to the cemetery. Trinity Parents' Saturday is a great day for cleaning graves, decorating them, and putting them in order. Weed out the weeds on and around the grave, wipe down the monument and tie a beautiful bow on it. Plant new flowers or put up artificial bouquets. The funeral meal can be held at home or directly at the cemetery.

What can't you do?

Any parent's Saturday, including Trinity, is not a church holiday. On the contrary, this is a mournful and sad day when we remember all those who have passed on to another world. Thus, it is quite logical that on this day you should not have too much fun, celebrate holidays and visit entertainment venues. Keep a low profile.

There is a belief that it is on Trinity Saturday that parents can be commemorated in church and pray for people who have committed suicide, and unbaptized people. However, church officials claim that this is not so. On no day will the church pray for the repose of those who voluntarily took their own lives. The same applies to people who died unbaptized. If you have a desire, pray for these people yourself, at home, without visiting the temple.

There is another belief among housewives that states that no housework should be done on Trinity Saturday. This statement is completely false. Firstly, usually such a ban (and even then a weak one) occurs on major church holidays. Parents' Saturday cannot be attributed to holidays. Secondly, if household chores do not interfere with spiritual ones, then they can be done absolutely any day. The only thing is that in the morning you should visit the temple or pray for the souls of the departed at home, you need to find time to visit the cemetery and the graves of all people close to you. But after that you can take on any work.

Trinity Parents' Saturday is a time for mourning the dead, when the living pay tribute to the memory of the dead. Spend this day in prayer and thoughts about the salvation of your soul, and you can have fun on June 19, the day of the Trinity celebration.

Trinity Parents' Saturday is an annual day of remembrance of the dead in late May and early June. The name comes from church holiday– Holy Trinity Day, which is celebrated on the Sunday after Parents’ Saturday, when it is customary to offer prayers for all deceased Orthodox Christians.

Trinity Saturday is one of two “big” memorial days of the year

The name “parental” comes from the fact that those praying first remember their deceased relatives and only then other believers. Trinity Saturday is one of two “big” memorial days known as Ecumenical Parental Saturdays. Unlike private parental Saturdays, Ecumenical Saturdays are held in all Orthodox churches.

What date is Trinity Parents' Saturday?

Held annually, usually in June, less often in May, on the Saturday before Trinity Day. Like many other days church calendar, this is a floating date. The date of Trinity Parent Saturday changes every year:

  • Trinity Parents' Saturday will be celebrated on June 15 in 2019;
  • in 2018 the day was celebrated on May 26;
  • In 2020, Trinity Saturday falls on June 6th.

The meaning of Trinity Parental Saturday

According to the traditions of Russian Orthodoxy, on this day they pray for the deceased. Relatives should submit funeral notes (requiem service) in advance, and on the day itself come to the temple, light candles and offer prayers. It is customary to visit cemeteries and hold funeral services. The word "parent" in the title memorial day means that a Christian prays for the repose of his family and friends.

Why is Trinity Parent Saturday called that?

Saturday is named after Trinity Day, which is celebrated the following day. Trinity Day is a major church festival dedicated to the Gospel tradition about the Descent of the Holy Spirit. It is believed that the Descent of the Holy Spirit marked the creation apostolic church. This day is also important because it marked the economy of the salvation of the human soul.

It is believed that the custom of commemorating the dead stems from the words of the holy Apostle Peter, who, addressing the Jews, said: “God raised Him up, breaking the bonds of death.” Basil of Caesarea, one of the church fathers, wrote that on this day the Lord will accept prayers even for sinners who are in hell. For this reason, the day before the Holy Trinity, Orthodox Christians pray for the repose of all dead Christians.

What to do on Trinity Parent Saturday?

On Parental Saturday, a Christian believer should come to church and offer a prayer for deceased brothers and sisters in faith. You should pray for repose at the graves of your loved ones, honor their memory and care for the graves. This is a special day to clean the tombstone, renew the cross, cut the grass in the area and around the grave, and lay flowers on it.

Funeral lunch on Trinity Saturday

The tradition is to organize on this day funeral dinner dates back to pre-Christian funeral feasts. For many centuries, in many villages it was customary to organize a large and noisy feast for dozens of people. Such events were organized in the spirit of pagan funeral feasts, but had little to do with Christian ethics and customs.

Funeral meal - to honor the memory of the deceased

The funeral meal is held not for the sake of a feast, but for the sake of honoring the memory of the deceased - to talk about them and remember them kind words. This is a day of family remembrance, education and transmission of tradition, so on Trinity Saturday the whole family gathers and invites relatives.

Although many people bring treats to the graves of their deceased loved ones, from the point of view Orthodox faith- this is nothing more than a custom that has remained in the practice of folk life since pagan times. Therefore, from the standpoint Orthodox canon this custom is reprehensible. Instead, it is better to bring Lenten products to the temple, which the priests will give to those in need. It is considered a good deed to bring Cahors (wine) to church, which will be used during the liturgy.

Trinity Saturday Service

On the Friday before Memorial Day, a great memorial service (Greek: parastas) is held in churches. On Parent's Saturday itself a funeral service is held Divine Liturgy and a general memorial service, the priests give sermons dedicated to the deceased and their remembrance.

The day before parental Saturday, a note is submitted to the temple or church with the names of the deceased who will be remembered at the parastasis or in the liturgy. On Memorial Day, they visit the temple and pray for all the deceased. Sick and infirm believers read a prayer according to the prayer book at home.

An example of a canonical prayer for reading on Trinity Saturday

“Rest the souls before those who depart in the place of refreshment, for it is not the dead who will praise Thee, Lord, those in hell will dare to bring confessions to Thee, but we, the living, bless Thee and pray, and offer purifying prayers and sacrifices to Thee for their souls.”