What date is celebrated in Radonitsa in 2024 History and origin of Radonitsa Folk rituals and traditions in Radonitsa What can and cannot be done on the holiday How to remember the dead correctly from a church point of view Other days of commemoration of the dead Folk signs in Radonitsa
What date is Radonitsa celebrated in 2024?
According to the canons of the Russian Orthodox Church, Radonitsa (formerly known as Radunitsa) is an event where believers commemorate the dead. In the church calendar, this day is also called Tuesday (week) of Thomas Week – the second week after Easter, named after the Apostle Thomas, who did not immediately believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but after believing, became one of the holy days. The most ardent preachers of Christianity.
Radonitsa always falls on the ninth day after Easter. in 2024 Tuesday, May 14. In some regions of Russia – Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Circassian Republics, Saratov region, Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories – this day was declared a day off by decrees of local authorities.
Religious scholar Yulia Kovaleva explained to socialbites.ca that the name of the holiday literally means “joy”. to Radonitsa Orthodox believers do not grieve the loss of family and friendsbut, on the contrary, they mentally share with them the joy, remembering the miraculous resurrection of Christ and the victory of life over death.
History and origin of Radonitsa
Radonitsa has pagan roots: the ancient Slavs commemorated their dead on this day even before accepting Christianity in Russia. The gods who protected the dead and protected their souls were called rainbows.
In pagan times, people believed that anyone who died a natural death was transported to a land far from the living, called Iriy. It was believed that only birds could visit this place and the rest of the road was closed. The deceased received the right to visit relatives at certain times of the year, when the boundaries between the world of the living and the world of the dead blurred.
According to legend, after death, people turned into spirits with mystical abilities: they knew how to dispatch natural disasters, rich harvests, animal offspring or good weather. Therefore, they tried in every possible way to please the dead. This was also done on Radunitsa, and lavish dinners, dances and games were organized on Memorial Day.
“Festival on Maryina Roshcha”, Astakhov, 1852
Wikimedia Commons
Also, Radunitsa was called the week before the arrival of real spring. People came out to the field in large groups and tried to call out to the spirits to inform them of the approaching heat.
Radunitsa first appeared in the church calendar in Russia in the 14th century. The pagan rite was Christianized and today’s ancient traditions were combined with some Orthodox traditions. However, the liturgical charter still does not contain any special provisions regarding the celebration of this day. Public ceremonies commemorating the dead held in cemeteries today are not very welcomed by the official Church, but the attitude towards them remains quite tolerant.
Folk rituals and traditions in Radonitsa
Eastern Slavs always left a glass of water and a piece of bread on the windowsill of Radonitsa, and during the funeral meal, they put three more plates on the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner of the dead. At the end of the night, the remaining food was distributed to those in need.
In the evening on Radonitsa, our ancestors prepared a bathhouse where they left clean clothes, soap, towels and birch brooms. The bathhouse was kept empty all night because they believed that the deceased would come here to wash. The next morning, all family members went there and performed rituals using the remaining ash.
“Radonitsa”, Fyodor Shurpin
An important part of this for the public is considered cemetery food, where special dishes are prepared to commemorate the dead: boiled colored eggs and kutya. Some people bury food wrapped in cloth underground so that only the deceased can collect it. Eggs are broken at the grave cross and the shell is hidden under it to “share Christ” with the deceased in honor of Easter.
During these rituals, it is customary to communicate out loud with the dead as if they were alive and to say nice things about them. They often leave food on the grave when they leave. And sometimes – alcoholic beverages and cigarettes, which the Church clearly does not support.
Shutterstock
Another Radonitsa tradition is to distribute food to the poor and homeless who gather near the cemetery. Rejecting these is considered behavior unbecoming of a true Christian.
What you can and cannot do on holiday
From a Christian point of view, the most important thing to do on Radonitsa is to pray for the dead. Believers try to visit churches and begin reading prayers for those who died the night before.
At all-night evening services, Parastas (translated from Greek as “intercession”) or the Great Requiem is held – this is a church service for all departed Orthodox Christians. Personal presence is required. You should also send a note with the names of your deceased loved ones and pray for the Lord to rest their souls.
“Funeral ceremony in a rural cemetery”, Nikolai Nevrev, 1867
Wikimedia Commons
After church services, believers often go to the cemetery to clean the graves. There you can independently perform lithium – a short funeral – with a secular ceremony or call a priest for this. If the service is performed in the absence of the clergyman, it is enough to read the prayer “Rest in peace, O Lord” and sing “Rest in peace with the saints” or “Eternal memory”.
Among the Eastern Slavs, Rainbow Week was always accompanied by weddings: people hurried to get married before the start of the field work season. The tradition continued later and the tradition that preceded Radonitsa Red Hill – The first day after Lent, when you can perform the ritual in the temple. But you cannot get married on Radonitsa: this is not because of the holiday itself, but because the sacrament is not celebrated on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Orthodox traditions do not prohibit baptism on Radonitsa, because this event is performed on any day, regardless of fasting and church holidays. However, it is not easy to perform baptism in Radonitsa because the priests are busy with other concerns, namely commemorating the dead.
How to remember the dead correctly from the perspective of the Church?
According to church teachings, only the remains of the deceased remain in the cemetery, and their souls are with God. That’s why during Radonitsa The important thing is not the funeral meal at the grave, but the prayer.
Yulia Kovaleva warned that the clergy strongly does not recommend holding a commemoration with alcoholic beverages. Although drinking wine is permissible according to holy texts, excessive wine consumption should still be avoided. You should not put vodka and black bread in front of the photo of the deceased – this is also against church rules.
According to Christian doctrine, the soul of the deceased is not capable of independently performing good deeds to appease the Almighty, so he needs the help of his family and friends. Before visiting relatives in the cemetery, the believer must come to the church to attend the service.
Ramil Sitdikov/RIA Novosti
In proskomedia – the stage of the liturgy in which bread and wine are prepared – it is recommended to order a commemoration by name, so that part of the prosphora is brought for the deceased and immersed in the chalice containing the Holy Gifts. This ritual symbolizes the forgiveness of sins. A memorial service should be celebrated following the service. And performing the ritual on this day will increase the effect of prayer.
In the cemetery, you must clean the grave, pray, light candles and stay silently next to the gravestone. Clothing should be careful. It is important to avoid laughter, arguments, fights, loud conversations and strong emotions. It is strictly forbidden to leave garbage, especially after visiting other people’s graves. Those living in the cemetery are merely guests, so they must show respect and behave respectfully.
Other days when the dead are commemorated
In addition to Radonitsa in the Orthodox calendar, there are six more special days to commemorate the deceased – parental Saturdays. According to one version, this day was called because all the dead who went to their fathers were called “parents”. Another version states that deceased close relatives are commemorated first.
Upcoming Parent Saturdays in 2024:
- May 14 – Radonitsa;
- June 22 – Trinity Parents Saturday;
- November 2 – Dimitrievskaya Parents’ Saturday.
Folk signs in Radonitsa
- In Russia, it was forbidden to engage in farming in Radonitsa: planting, plowing or digging, as it could negatively affect the harvest.
- It was believed that washing with rainwater with a gold or silver ring on this day would help preserve youth and beauty for many years. It was also used for rinsing purposes to cleanse from sins and diseases.
- The ancient Slavs believed that if you do not arrange a festive meal in honor of the dead, failures, bad harvests and animal diseases may come.
- It was believed that if a person does not visit the graves of his relatives on this day, no one will remember him after his death. They believed that the first person to arrive at the cemetery would receive special gratitude and protection from the deceased.
- It was not worth crying and suffering in Radonitsa, so as not to attract the attention of spirits who could take her with them without mercy.
- It was believed that a child born on this holiday would have the qualities of a deceased relative commemorated.
- Dreams seen on the night before Radonitsa can be prophetic. People tried to remember them.
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Source: Gazeta
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