Transfer of the holy relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Finding the relics of the saint

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 Easter denoted two important words for Easter. Jewish history events. 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”, “passed by”. In any case, the word carried a positive connotation for Jewish people even in Old Testament history.

Later, when, according to 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 “ Egyptian executions"and the exodus from Egypt just in time for the Passover holiday. 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, but on Easter, as on other church holidays, this cannot be done.

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; perhaps the only solution was to visit the cemetery on that day: then they 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 deceased 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.

On this important question Let's give a detailed answer. In the old days, there were certain church holidays in Rus'. And one of them is called Easter.

What is Easter

Easter-Bright Sunday of Christ. Celebrated by people Orthodox faith. At the religious level, it is considered the most important holiday for all people who believe in God. Only by lunar calendar this is calculated important date, which is different every time. Since there is no specific date. This holiday came to us from the history of the Jews. Jesus Christ was a purebred Jew. Such a nation still honors this with great respect in the celebration of the soul.

On this designated day, Lent ends, which lasts forty days. From early morning people paint eggs and bake royal cakes. They are having fun, dancing and singing. They rejoice that Jesus Christ has risen! They exchange eggs, passing each other three times, and then knock or otherwise fight. The one whose egg is not broken wins and at the same time takes the broken egg. A piece of Easter cake must be eaten on an empty stomach. Make jokes and treat everyone to delicious food. You can eat blood food, it is advisable to cook jellied meat.

Cemetery

So anyway Why can't you go to the cemetery on Easter? The cemetery is a quiet, calm place with silent silence. In other words, the final resting place of the dead. You can’t have a party or have fun at graves. Strictly prohibited. This would be considered blasphemy towards the dead. They pay their last respects at the cemetery when they are buried. Loved ones of the deceased express their loss with tears and howls. The grief of an immeasurable loss is present at every step in the form of graves, monuments and crosses. And only the croaking of a crow can be clearly heard.

the dead souls of deceased relatives or just acquaintances will not forgive you
Holidays and deathly silence are not compatible
any religion prohibits
only after Easter on the next day does heaven release the souls of the dead
they don't remember the whole Easter week
the resurrection of the Lord, not his death
there is no need to visit the cemetery during Easter week
there is no funeral service in the church
Pregnant women should not go to the cemetery
It is a great sin to visit graves, much less commemorate them.

Exceptions

If a funeral takes place on this holiday, only a red egg is placed in the hand of the deceased. They only say good things for such people. Like the Lord himself called. A good reason that the church allows, but at the same time order a service.

Disagreements on this issue began under the Soviet Union. After all, churches were destroyed or burned. Everything was done exactly the other way around. So it turns out that that immoral, provocative principle has remained to this day. There is Parents' Day, and then you need to go to the cemetery. Bring food, but under no circumstances should you drink alcoholic beverages. Thus, every time you tie yourself to drunkenness, which is very difficult to get rid of. Even the strongest masters will not help you. Only a very knowledgeable person can remove the binding.

Easter is the most joyful and great Orthodox holiday. Therefore, on this day it is best to go to church, and then gather with your closest and dearest people for festive table. However, many people on this day prefer to visit the graves of relatives. This is due to the fact that in Soviet times it was not possible to attend church on Easter, and people had a need to gather on this day to share joy and happiness. Let's figure out when you need to go to the cemetery - on Easter or on Krasnaya Gorka, based on church norms and rules.

Is it possible to go to the cemetery on Easter?

Easter is a holiday of joy and miracle, so it is better to spend it in a church rather than in a cemetery. Priests recommend that on this day you refuse to visit the graves of deceased relatives, but come a week later on a specially designated day for this. This day is called Red Hill or Radonitsa.

You can start visiting the graves of your relatives on Saturday after Easter. Officially, Red Hill is celebrated on Sunday, but Saturday is a common day throughout the year when it is necessary to remember deceased relatives. Therefore, many people prefer to visit the cemetery on the first Saturday after Easter. For residents of large cities this is a practical necessity. After all, it’s quite difficult to go around all the cemeteries if relatives are buried in more than one place on Sunday.

However, most people go to cemeteries on Sunday. Although in some villages the day for visiting the graves of deceased relatives is the Monday after Krasnaya Gorka. On this day you should go to the cemetery with prayers, flowers, Easter cakes and dyes. However, only prayers and flowers should be left at the cemetery. Official church against leaving food and sweets in the cemetery, and even more so against drinking alcoholic beverages on the territory of the cemetery or turning the final resting place into a picnic area. Easter cakes, sweets, colored eggs and other treats are prohibited from being left in graves. It is best to distribute them to people in need so that they remember your deceased relatives.

Why you need to go to the cemetery on Krasnaya Gorka

The priest’s answer will help clarify the question of whether it is possible to go to the cemetery on Krasnaya Gorka. Church officials do not recommend visiting the graves of the dead on Easter Day. IN bright holiday It is customary to rejoice and have fun among the living, and not to visit the dead.

In addition, on Easter, the souls of the dead descend from heaven to visit living relatives and remain among us throughout the week. Therefore, there is no need to visit the cemetery to read a prayer for the repose. However, after the end of Easter week, the souls of the deceased must be escorted back. That is why it is customary to go to the cemetery and remember deceased relatives there.

When choosing the most the right day In order to go to the cemetery, many believers forget about the existence of special memorial Saturdays, when it is necessary not only to go to remember the dead, but also to order a service in the church. However, many believers forget about this possibility, therefore, as a rule, they visit the graves of deceased relatives only on Krasnaya Gorka.

Many people visit the cemetery before Easter, for example, to clean up after winter. Isn't this against the rules? By church canons You can visit the graves of the deceased on any day before and after Easter. It is forbidden to do this only on Easter itself. After all, every believer should rejoice on Easter. And visiting a cemetery in any case evokes sad thoughts that are not allowed on this day.

However, if it is not possible to visit the grave of the deceased both before and after Easter, it is best to do it on the Red Hill holiday, which was specially created so that every believer could visit deceased relatives and read a prayer in the cemetery.

Why and when to visit graves before Easter

Visiting the graves of deceased relatives on Krasnaya Gorka is a traditional event in which everyone takes part Orthodox people. However, many people prefer to go to the cemetery before Easter.

This is due to the fact that during Lent there are four parent or memorial Saturdays. And precisely on these days, according to church canons, it is necessary not only to go to the cemetery, but also to order a service in the church for the repose. In addition, on memorial Saturdays, it is recommended to read prayers for the repose not only at the graves of deceased relatives, but also in the temple.

Traditions and customs

Easter is the most joyful and bright Orthodox holiday, associated with many rituals, traditions and signs, about which there are constant disputes not only between the clergy, but also among ordinary believers. One of the topics of debate is the optimal day to place the graves of the deceased. During the time of the ban on churches, believers went to the cemetery on Easter. But this was due to the inability to visit the temple.

According to church canons, visiting the cemetery is not allowed on Easter. This can be done before or after the great holiday. Before Easter, you can visit the cemetery for cleaning work, as well as on parental Saturdays, and after the Resurrection of the Lord you need to visit the resting place of relatives on Krasnaya Gorka. It is not recommended to remove garbage from graves earlier than two weeks before Red Hill, otherwise, during the absence of visitors, grass will have time to grow at the tomb, and the grave will lose its neat appearance.

However, the main and compulsory visit The cemetery takes place on Krasnaya Gorka, which is most often celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. However, in some regions it is customary to go to the cemetery on Saturday or Monday.

The question is often asked: is it possible to go to a cemetery on Easter? No matter how we feel about church holidays Whether we are believers or not, we need to gratefully honor and remember our deceased loved ones.

However, on the bright holiday of Easter, which in 2019 is celebrated on April 28, there is no tradition of visiting the graves of deceased relatives.

Is it possible to go to the cemetery on Easter?

Throughout Easter week (Holy Week) in churches they do not perform funeral services, do not light candles for the repose and do not remember the dead. People who die at this time are buried in a special way.

The Orthodox Church does not bless believers to visit the burial places of the dead on Easter Day. IN church calendar private and common days remembrance of the dead. Commemoration takes place in churches mainly on Saturdays.

Days of special general remembrance of the dead are called “ parent's Saturdays" In the church Orthodox calendar there are eight such days a year.

This is Meat Saturday, Trinity Saturday, Dmitrievskaya Saturday, Beheading of John the Baptist, days of remembrance in Lent(second, third and fourth Saturdays from the beginning of Lent) and Radonitsa.

At this time, commemoration of the dead is performed in churches.

When explaining why you can’t go to a cemetery on Easter, you need to remember that the Holiday Christ's Resurrection, otherwise called the Easter of the Lord, is the brightest day for Orthodox Christians. At this time, it is customary to rejoice and not indulge in despondency.

Easter is, first of all, joy about future life, saving people, the triumph of life over death.

To be fair, it must be said that the tradition of going to the cemetery on Easter appeared in the Soviet years, when many churches were closed. In those days people were deprived spiritual communication and were removed from the church.

Then the custom developed to visit the graves of relatives on this day. On Easter, people visited their deceased relatives and friends in order to somehow celebrate the holiday and get closer to it.

Now that churches are open and believers can go to Easter services, it is better to go to the cemetery on other days. For example, on Radonitsa, when, according to tradition, the church commemorates the dead.

Radonitsa is celebrated on Tuesday of the second week after the resurrection of Christ (on the ninth day after Easter). On this day, people tidy up the graves of the deceased and treat their friends with sweets so that they, in turn, also remember the deceased.