When can you go to the cemetery after Easter in 2020

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The growing number of Orthodox people in Russia leads to the fact that converts are increasingly asking questions about how to properly observe the rituals of the Russian Orthodox Church. For example, when to go to the cemetery after Easter? See below for an explanation of the matter and dates for Church-allowed days in 2020.

Russian tradition of visiting cemeteries on important church holidays

The tradition of visiting the graves of one's relatives in different seasons of the year has taken root in Russian culture for a long time. After the end of winter, many rush to the cemeteries to put the graves of relatives in order, in order to conduct Radonitsa with dignity, without wasting time clearing the grave of accumulated garbage.

Often, lay people cannot figure out whether such behavior is contrary to church rules. The question is especially acute in connection with the visit to the graves during the Easter period. Priests explain to people when to go to the cemetery after Easter in 2020, so as not to violate Orthodox rituals.

Parental and Ecumenical Saturdays 2020 to visit the graves of loved ones before Easter

Everyone has the opportunity to put in order the graves of relatives before Easter on special memorial dates, when prayers for the deceased are served in all churches:

1. The first Ecumenical parental Saturday, which falls on the meat-eating week 8 days before Lent, which is celebrated on February 22 in 2020.
2. Parental Saturdays that fall on the 2nd, 4th and 5th weeks of Lent are March 14, 21 and 28.

In addition, the church does not prohibit visiting the graves of loved ones on any other day. You cannot do this only on Bright Sunday.

You cannot visit the graves of loved ones a week before Easter. Holy Week should be devoted to prayers and comprehension of the great feat of the Son of God, who took upon himself all human sins and thereby saved the immortality of human souls.

When can you visit the graves of relatives after Easter

In Russian Orthodoxy, there is a tradition of the so-called Easter of the dead, when lay people go to the cemetery to the graves of close relatives, as if trying to share with them the great joy of the Resurrection.

This day always comes 9 days after Bright Sunday and is always celebrated on Tuesday. In 2020, it falls on April 28th. They call him Radonitsa. In the culture of the three fraternal peoples - Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian, it is considered one of the brightest religious holidays after Easter.

On this day, they not only honor the memory of their ancestors, but also rejoice together with them on the Great Feast of the Resurrection, remembering the immortal souls of loved ones and loved ones. This tradition comes from deep pre-Christian eras, in which the East Slavic tribes and nationalities worshiped their departed ancestors, considering them to be defenders from evil forces and deities protecting the clan.

The attitude of the Orthodox Church towards visiting cemeteries after Easter

The Orthodox Church does not recommend visiting the cemetery on the day of Bright Resurrection and in the first bright week following Easter Resurrection, if this is not related to the process of burying the deceased.

At this time, you need to rejoice with the living on the brightest Orthodox holiday. When can you go to the cemetery after Easter 2020:

1. On Radonitsa, which falls on April 28 in 2020, traditionally 9 days after Easter on Tuesday.
2. On May 9, when the Russian Church celebrates the day of memory of the soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War.
3. On the second Ecumenical Saturday, which comes a month after Easter, which is also called Trinity Saturday. This year it starts on June 6th.

The Orthodox Russian Church teaches the laity to believe in the immortality of the human soul, which is achieved by a righteous earthly life. The best manifestation of love for the deceased will be prayer to the Lord God for the souls of departed relatives, reverence and observance of the Christian foundations of Orthodox life.

Even John Chrysostom said that the best glorification of a deceased relative would be charity to a suffering living person, and not a waste of huge financial resources on luxurious monuments and decoration of the deceased, as well as a funeral liturgy in churches.

Summarize

The following should be remembered about visiting the graves of relatives after Easter:

1. You cannot go to the cemetery to visit your deceased relatives on Easter and in the first week after it.
2. To visit the cemetery in order to bow to the graves of loved ones and pay them a tribute to memory and love, the Orthodox calendar provides for special parental, ecumenical and memorial days.
3. On Bright Sunday, on Holy Saturday and on Bright Week, you also cannot come to the graves of loved ones.
4. The best way to show love for departed parents, ancestors and relatives will be an Orthodox memorial prayer for the repose of their immortal souls.