Today, Saturday, October 25, in some parts of the country, All Souls' Day before Dimitrovden is celebrated - this is the All Souls' Day before Dimitrovden, which falls on October 26. According to popular beliefs, St. Demetrius and Archangel Michael are brothers, and therefore there is both the Archangel's All Souls' Day and the Dimitrov's All Souls' Day.
All Souls' Day before Dimitrovden - what you need to know about it
On this All Souls' Day, prayers are served for all deceased Orthodox Christians. In monasteries, it was a day of remembrance of deceased brothers, with memorial services and a hearty meal for the monks. In the lay community, it was a day of memorial services and almsgiving.
All Souls' Day before Dimitrovden is also connected with the feast of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki, primarily through church tradition and the logic of the liturgical calendar.
Don't miss it! What to do and what not to do on All Souls' Day
On Saturday, the day of All Souls' Day before Dimitrovden, a special memorial service is traditionally held for deceased Orthodox Christians – not only for relatives and friends, but often for all the deceased. A large memorial service (parastas) is held in churches on Friday evening, and on Saturday morning a divine liturgy with a memorial service and a general memorial service is served.
After the church service, many people head to the cemetery to visit the graves of deceased loved ones and clean them up – they remove debris and grass, repair fences, plant flowers and light candles. Memorial meals are also held at the cemetery. Drinks, food, cakes and, of course, boiled wheat are distributed. Often, on the eve of the memorial service, believers bring food to the church for the needs of the parish or for the poor. It is believed that the recipient of the donation will pray for all the deceased before the meal.
In the past, according to tradition, a generous memorial meal was prepared, and in some regions, separate spoons were placed on the table during the meal in memory of the deceased.
The deceased are honored on Saturday, because the Sabbath symbolizes peace and rest, established by God from the very creation, and for Christians it has become a day of prayer and spiritual peace, foreshadowing eternal peace in the Kingdom of Heaven.
As on every holiday, on this day, the Church condemns profanity. It is forbidden to speak badly not only about the living, but also about the dead. On this day, help and food should not be denied to those in need.
After this All Souls' Day, the last All Souls' Day of the year follows - the All Souls' Day of the Archangel, which this year falls on November 1.
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