Most Christians know that during the period Orthodox holidays and every Sunday you cannot do hard work, because by doing so people show respect to God and all the saints. But it's just about hard work, but is cleaning really such a type of activity? Especially about this, there are many myths when Spiritual Day comes, parent's Saturday and, of course, doubts about this arise in a person at the end of each week, because the question is whether it is possible to clean up on Spiritual Day and others church holidays, many Orthodox people ask.
Cleaning on Spirits Day - pros and cons, modern vision of this issue
To answer the question of whether it is possible to clean the house on Spiritual Day and other church holidays, you first need to find out what kind of holiday it is and what significance it has for Christians. Spiritual Day is celebrated immediately after Trinity. According to religious tenets, during this period the Holy Spirit descends to earth and remains on it all day long. From the origins of antiquity came the statement that on this day you need to walk barefoot on the ground, but you cannot work or harvest. However, there is no mention of cleaning the home in Orthodox writings.
Today, Christians believe that it is a sin to work on Spiritual Day, as on other holidays, because these days are intended for rest and attending church. The words about the prohibition of labor should not be taken literally, since every day it is necessary to provide food, put the house and things in order, feed animals - isn’t this work?
Indeed, the Church recommends other holidays refrain from work, but if we are talking about preparing food and tidying up the home, there is nothing sinful in this. If anyone still doesn’t know whether it is possible to clean on Spiritual Day and other church holidays, the answer will be obvious: if there is an urgent need for this, you can do minor cleaning, but you cannot do a general cleaning.
Is it possible to clean the house on Parents' Saturday or how to learn to avoid superstitions?
Parents' Saturday is the day when Christians go to church and remember their deceased relatives with prayer. According to ancient beliefs, you should never clean your house on this day. People once said that by cleaning a home on this day, a person desecrates the memory of the dead and pours all sorts of dirt on their heads. That is, it turns out that cleaning up Parents' Saturday It’s strictly forbidden at home.
The Church has its own ideas on this matter. Absolutely all the priests insist that all these are superstitions and relics of the past. Church ministers, when asked whether it is possible to clean the house on Orthodox Parents' Saturday, strongly recommend visiting common prayer in the temple and commemorate deceased relatives in the cemetery. After this, you can go home and calmly go about your business without worrying that something bad might happen. Since Saturday is a weekday, from the point of view of faith, you can not only clean on own home, and do more difficult work.
Is it possible to clean the house on Sunday?
According to Christian beliefs, God gave man six days so that he could work and one for rest and worship of the Almighty. Christians observe this rule practically without deviation, but sometimes situations arise when it is urgently necessary to clean the house. What should a believer do in this case? There are few options here and before you start cleaning it’s worth:
- go to church for a service - you still can’t do anything until the end of the service;
- additionally pray at home asking for help and forgiveness for having to do work on Sunday;
- start doing work.
Cleaning on Christian holidays: it all depends on faith
To the question whether it is possible to clean up on Spiritual Day and other Christian holidays, there cannot be the same answer for everyone. It all depends on how important it is to the person himself and how necessary it is. For example, if there are small children in the house, you need to clean it constantly and even several times a day. In this case, the church has nothing against it. And if a person decides to simply get away from the fact that he is bored or has nothing to do, this is not approved.
Church holidays exist in order to:
- go to church;
- relax with friends or visit close relatives;
- chat with good people and forget about problems.
Why bother with additional cleaning on days like these? You need to be able to allocate your own time correctly and then there will be no tasks left for holidays and Sundays that need to be completed. If anyone still doubts whether it is possible to clean up on Spiritual Day and other church holidays, it is worth asking knowledgeable people, - priests. They will be able to explain what, when and how to do better. And if a person is not a believer at all, it is better for him not to pay attention to these prohibitions and continue to go about his usual activities. Should I clean up on church holidays or not? This is decided not by written rules, but by the conviction of the person himself and his faith in certain phenomena. If a person believes the experience of his ancestors, he should follow it, and if he considers himself a Christian, he should act as they teach in the church.
Days of remembrance of the dead, also known as Parents' Saturdays, occupy a special place in Orthodox tradition. According to Christian doctrine, the death of a person does not terminate the relationships that connected him with the living. Their continuation is expressed and carried out in prayerful remembrance of the departed.
Every Saturday is a special day for Orthodox Christians, a time of rest and reflection. On this day the Lord created the world and rested from business. All churches hold services on Saturday. But the most special for the Orthodox are the second, third and fourth Saturdays of Lent. They are designed to awaken in us a special craving for memories of loved ones. Because when a tragedy occurs in our lives and we part with people dear to us, it seems to us that we will never forget their faces and will always grieve for them. But time passes, and a person gradually begins to forget, and his memory fades. This means that a person needs a special reminder, and the Church helps with this.
It is for this purpose that special parental days have been established - Radonitsa and Dimitrievskaya Saturday. Also on May 9 we commemorate deceased soldiers. It's comparative new tradition, but already accepted by the Church.
Parents' Saturday begins with a divine service
It is better to come early to the liturgy and pray. It is also good to pass a note with the names of your loved ones (baptized), so that the priest reads their names in his prayer. Of course, in view of them large quantity these names are not read aloud, but this does not negate the main thing - the prayer itself. This note is called a “repose note.” In any temple, even a beginner can easily figure out where to get this blank piece of paper. It is enough to write only names on it. It’s a good idea to place a candle on the funeral table. Usually it is located in the temple on the left, it is a large table, there are always a lot of candles on it, and there is a crucifix above it. In a difficult case, you can always turn to a priest for help.
A trip to the cemetery
Since ancient times, it has been customary to visit cemeteries on Parents' Saturday. For our ancestors, the cemetery was a place where they regularly came to pray for their deceased relatives, a place that was thought-provoking, where they received important decisions about your life.
Priest Grigory Mansurov tells how to behave there and what not to do:
“The tradition itself of having a funeral meal at the graves of relatives is very ancient. And Christianity does not oppose this custom. The Church does not bless, but does not prohibit the tradition of eating in a cemetery. But it is insulting for an Orthodox Christian to be superstitious, and superstitions are firmly entrenched in the minds of the Russian people. One of the most common superstitions is to leave food on a grave, thinking that the soul will somehow be “treated.” This is usually explained this way: for the birds. But you can feed the birds in another place; you shouldn’t do it at the grave, but it’s better to make a feeder with your own hands. But what the Church does not approve of and prohibits is the use of alcohol, because drunkenness in itself big sin. You can think about the reasons for such persistent misconceptions. A person has a need to do something for the soul of a deceased loved one. But we are all materialists in one way or another, and we need tangible confirmation of our cause. And so the person thinks: if I feel good when I drink, then I need to “pour it” for the deceased as well. Hence the unacceptable tradition of pouring some alcohol on a grave.
It is better to put the graves of relatives in order in advance. But given that we busy people, The Church does not condemn if this is done on Parent’s Day itself. Not everyone has time to go to the cemetery twice. By the way, if you follow the canons, it is better to clean up the grave before Radonitsa, in April, when the snow has already melted. But the most correct thing to do would be to pray and light a candle or lamp on the grave.
Is it possible to work in Radonitsa in the garden or in the house and do household chores, which we try to avoid during major church holidays? On the one hand, this day, sad and joyful at the same time, is not one of the most solemn Orthodox dates. On the other hand, it is on Radonitsa that believers strive to pay tribute to the memory of loved ones who have passed on to another world, remembering them in prayers and putting things in order in the cemetery. Is there a garden here?! Let's see what long-standing traditions and church canons say about this?
On Radonitsa it is customary to remember departed loved ones
Radonitsa - a joyful holiday
There are many days a year set aside Orthodox Church to commemorate the dead, but the name of only one of them is consonant with the word “joy”. And not by chance. It is also no coincidence that Radonitsa is firmly tied to the Easter holiday and moves along the calendar with it, sometimes falling on the first days of April, sometimes moving towards mid-May.
And let this holiday be permeated with sad memories of loved ones who have passed on to another world; let it begin with the memorial service that follows on Radonitsa Divine Liturgy; let Orthodox Christians celebrate it by visiting the cemetery, which clearly does not fit with the word “holiday”! All the same, it is not customary to become despondent and indulge in grief at this time, because just as Easter serves for believers as a reminder of the great victory of Christ over death, so the Radonitsa, which follows on its heels, is called upon to fill souls with firm confidence: parting with people who have left us is temporary, and one day it will end.
Our sincere prayer can help those who have passed into another world.
In the meantime, we can show our love for the departed by praying for them and maintaining their final resting places. Without tears, without despair, but with quiet joy for loved ones who did not die forever, but who found birth for eternal life. Therefore, the main concern of a Christian on the day of the first church holiday after Easter is not the question of whether it is possible to work in Radonitsa, but the thought of how to honor the memory of people dear to him.
In 2019 Easter falls on April 28, and Radonitsa, respectively, on May 7, the first Tuesday after the end of Easter week.
When is work a sin?
Honest work is never a sin. All the prohibitions associated with it during church holidays were conceived not for the sake of an extra reason to be idle, but with a clear goal: to help a person break out of the whirlwind of everyday affairs and, without being distracted by earthly concerns, devote time to God and Eternity. By the way, there are few holidays during which you are supposed to give up work in order to attend church services and prayers - only 13 a year - and Radonitsa is not one of them. However, it is unacceptable for a Christian to treat her without due respect. What should I do?
The list of truly major church holidays is small
To understand whether it is possible to work on the land and in the house, do cleaning, cook dinner on Radonitsa, let us remember what is the duty of a believer on this day.
The first thing you need to do is go to the temple. Preferably before the memorial service in order to have time to submit notes with the names of the deceased.
And a contradiction immediately arises: how to do this in the midst of working week, if we live in a secular state where religious celebrations do not coincide with official ones? It’s good if in your region the authorities meet the believers halfway, declaring this day a day off, as was done in 2018 in Stavropol and Krasnodar region, Penza, Bryansk, Orenburg and Saratov region and the Republic of Adygea. And if not? What should a believer do - neglect spiritual responsibilities for the sake of work or go into direct conflict with his superiors and get absenteeism for the opportunity to visit the temple?
In this case, the church charter says unequivocally: working on a holiday is not considered a sin to a person if his behavior is dictated not by a personal decision, but by official duties.
That is, if you manage to free up Tuesday morning and, together with other parishioners, offer prayers for the repose of the departed, that’s good. If you can’t, come to church the day before, on Monday evening, when litias and memorial services will be served, this is a common practice.
You can honor the memory of loved ones on the eve of the holiday
Second duty Orthodox Christian Radonitsa becomes a visit to the cemetery. Here you need to remember the departed with kind words, pray for their souls and distribute funeral treats to the poor: eggs, sweets, pieces of Easter cakes. But the Church strongly does not recommend leaving food brought at the grave. This tradition is an echo pagan custom It is not welcomed to celebrate funeral feasts and Orthodoxy.
Let me explain in case you have a question: Is it possible to work at the cemetery on this day: starting from Palm Sunday and up to Radonitsa, Christians do not perform funeral services or care for graves, focusing entirely on preparing for the coming Easter. It is logical that it is Radonitsa that becomes the day on which it is appropriate to bring last refuge the deceased is in order, and there is no sin in collecting random rubbish blown by the wind from the grave, raking the old grass and wiping the dust off the monument. But if you completed the cleaning before Palm Sunday, come just to remember your loved one.
The custom of leaving alcohol in a cemetery has nothing to do with Orthodoxy
Please note that the word “remember” does not imply drinking alcohol. Remember the deceased with warmth and kindness, read the appropriate prayer for the occasion and go home with a clear conscience.
Is it possible to work at Radonitsa after lunch? Yes. When church service completed, and the debt to the dead has been repaid, use the remaining time as you please. For example, start your professional duties if you took 2-3 hours off and are forced to return to work again. Or put personal matters in order that require attention.
In the spring, every day counts for a gardener
Is it possible to work for Radonitsa in the country house or in the garden? Contrary to popular rumor, which states: a seed planted in the ground on the day of the holiday will not sprout, the sprouts will not produce a harvest, and ancestors offended by neglect will send bad weather, Christian tradition does not prohibit throwing a shovel and rake over your shoulder and going to put things in order. personal plot. True, it does not bless. But if you took time to pray and remember the dead in the morning, then in the afternoon you can do urgent work in the garden. As you know, a spring day feeds the year!
Is it possible to work for Radonitsa at home? According to custom, in the old days in Rus', the duties of the housewife, upon returning from the cemetery, were to prepare a funeral dinner for the household - hearty, tasty, without frills. It already follows from this that housework cannot be avoided, especially if we remember dirty dishes, which will have to be washed after dinner, and a kitchen waiting to be cleaned. Here you should do the same as with garden work: what needs to be done quickly, do it with a calm soul. Whatever can easily be tolerated until tomorrow, put it aside.
Video: Rules of conduct on Radonitsa
More about the rules of conduct during Radonitsa and spiritual sense watch the holiday from the Morning channel on STS:
Finally, let’s say that with a high degree of probability the priest’s answer to the question of whether it is possible to work for Radonitsa, if you ask it to the priest, will sound like this: listen to your conscience. In other words, when urgent, but not quite proper special day the matter falls on your shoulders exactly on the eve of the holiday, ask yourself honestly: is it really impossible to postpone what you have planned? And act according to the circumstances.
Radonitsa is a special day in the calendar when, regardless of belief or disbelief in Christian traditions, thousands of people go to cemeteries to visit the graves of their relatives and remember the deceased kind words. It is needed so that the souls of those who are no longer alive can also know the joy of the great holiday of Easter. Therefore, Radonitsa, Radunitsa or Parent's Day is considered a festive and joyful day. After all, even the name of the holiday “Radonitsa” comes from the word “joy”.
Kurgan residents will be able to travel to city cemeteries by bus - additional routes have been launched today.
Although Parents' Day is not considered a day off, at many enterprises employees were allowed to visit cemeteries today, and in some, their working hours were shortened. But if, due to work or for some other reason, it is not possible to get to the cemetery on that day, you can visit the graves on another day. It’s good to go to the temple on Radonitsa and pray for your departed relatives.
It is strictly forbidden to come to the cemetery drunk, drink or smoke on the graves themselves. You cannot pour alcohol on the grave, or leave a glass, bread or treats on the grave, because this is not a Christian, but a pagan tradition. There is no need to be baptized on photos, monuments or monuments. On Parents' Day, you should not quarrel or conflict. The commemoration on Radonitsa does not need to be turned into a feast and discussion of the deceased.
Orthodox traditions prohibit mourning deceased relatives and grieving over their death, since Radonitsa is considered a bright holiday. Pregnant women should not go to cemeteries. But meeting with family and friends is highly desirable, because the memory of the deceased brings people very close. This day should teach every person to appreciate those who are nearby and who are dear.
Beliefs on Parents' Day, which occurs nine days after Easter Sunday, are no less important than. From this article you will learn how to properly remember the dead.
In the article:
On the ninth day after Easter, they visit the graves of relatives. This is a bright day on which you should not be sad and remember death. Think better about what will be given to all the dead immortal life. Before going to the cemetery, they usually order a memorial service and pray for the souls of the deceased family members. 
The first thing you should do upon arriving at the cemetery is clean up; this is the main sign for Parents' Day. Graves must be kept clean. The burial area is cleared of debris, weeds are removed, and gravestones are wiped free of dust and dirt.
After cleaning is completed, the burial is usually decorated with artificial flowers. There is also a tradition of placing candles on graves, which are placed in special lamps so that they do not go out from the wind. You can buy them at any big store
or at the market, especially on the eve of Christian holidays. Closer to our time, a tradition has emerged of organizing feasts near graves on Parents' Day. This is not entirely correct. You shouldn’t set a lavish table, but you should take traditional Easter dishes with you. Alcoholic drinks are allowed, but getting drunk, as in Bright Sunday
, it is forbidden. Our ancestors even drank jelly and compotes during funerals, and gave vodka only to those who dug graves in the cold to protect them from the cold. At the cemetery you should pray, remember the deceased only good words
. You can be silent for a while, think about him, mentally talk with the deceased. Signs and customs Parents' Day It is allowed to lay food and drinks on the grave - Easter, eggs and sweets, sometimes vodka. This controversial issue
, many do not agree with such actions.
On Parents' Day they try to treat the poor. They can be seen in the cemetery during church holidays, because they have long been aware of this tradition. Treats include candy, eggs and Easter. You should not take leftover food from the cemetery with you; distribute it or leave it at the grave.
Customs of the feast
In some regions of our country, on Parents' Day they did not go to the cemetery, but held a memorial feast. Some believed that the spirits of the dead came to their homes and visited living family members.
The table was usually set with Easter dishes, but not as richly as on Easter Sunday. Everything that was left after the feast was distributed to the poor and the priests were treated. They put water and a plate of bread crumbs for the spirits on the windowsill, and they also left extra utensils for them. At the table they always remembered the deceased with good words; it was believed that this way one could get a powerful memory.
Under no circumstances should you get drunk during a funeral feast; this will lead to problems for the whole year and can even be compared in effect to. Many contemporaries prefer not only to organize home memorial feasts, but also to visit graves.
Signs for Parents' Day after Easter
All beliefs promise rain, and most often it actually comes. This is not necessarily long-term precipitation, but at least a little water is pouring from the skies. Increased winds are also observed. It is believed that these are the consequences of the worry of a large number of souls that they will be forgotten, not visited or remembered.
There is one more weather sign on Parent's Memorial Day. It says that the weather on Easter and Parents' Day will be the same as in Palm Sunday. A good day foreshadowed a happy and successful year.
Previously, everyone visited the graves of relatives. If a person moved to another city, memorial days were another reason to visit his native place. But it is not recommended, just like going to a funeral. If you are expecting a child, remember your deceased loved ones at home.
As mentioned above, before visiting graves they usually stop by the church. Another tradition of this holiday is donations to temples and distribution of alms to the poor. They do this near churches, and at the cemetery they only hand out treats.
In the past, if there was thunder on that day, the girls would dial rainwater, put a gold or silver object in it and washed. It was believed that this way one could preserve beauty and youth for a long time. Fortune telling was also common, which was not much different from Christmas.
Agricultural work cannot be done on Parents' Day, otherwise there will be no harvest.
Since the chances are high at this time, you can try to see prophetic dream from parents or other deceased members of your family. To do this, before leaving the cemetery they said the following words:
Radunitsa, St. Thomas Week, Day of All Souls, I call you to help. Please give me a prophetic dream. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In general, knowledge of such signs will help you not only make the death of your loved ones easier, but also understand what exactly to expect from life in the future.
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