Dimitrievskaya (Dmitrievskaya) parent's Saturday
Dmitrievskaya Parental Saturday is the day of remembrance of the dead in the calendar of Orthodox holidays, which appeared there as a memory of the Russian army that died in the Battle of Kulikovo
The moving date is directly related to the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr Dmitry of Thessaloniki - November 8 The closest Saturday before the celebration of the saint sometimes coincides with other important Orthodox dates and then it is moved forward a week
The choice of this particular date for commemoration was not accidental, and took place in 1380 by the will of Dmitry Donskoy Saint Dmitry of Thessalonica was greatly revered in Rus' in the early Christian period and was even revered as an assistant in the fight against the Tatar-Mongol yoke His personality aroused special respect among the Russian princes (not only Donskoy was baptized in honor of the saint), and Dmitriev's day was traditionally considered a great holiday among all Slavs
After the battle on the Kulikovo Field, Dmitry Donskoy visited the Trinity-Sergius Monastery and his spiritual mentor Sergius of Radonezh had recognized ecclesiastical influence for his monastic activities, and at the same time was a wise politician This ascetic of the Russian land strove to unite the people, and his spiritual and moral authority allowed him to become Dmitry’s advisor and help in the affairs of the principality Sergius approved the idea of commemorating the fallen army, because in that fateful battle many defenders from different parts of Rus' were killed
Historians estimate that numbers have been distorted over time, bringing the number of combatants on both sides to hundreds of thousands, which is not true What researchers agree with chroniclers who tend to embellish reality is that almost half of the entire Russian warriors actually died (approximately 20-30 thousand people)
Traditions of commemorating the dead are rooted in the pre-Christian past There were also autumn commemorations in the calendar of the ancient Slavs - Grandfather's Saturday Traditional rich food and symbolism, for example, spoons for the dead, were adopted by the Orthodox Church, but ennobled and improved In the church practice of that time, performed according to the Greek model, Demetrius Saturday did not appear until 1380 But even after its establishment, changes occurred over time
From surviving documentary sources it is known that in the 15th-17th centuries they did not limit themselves to memorial services in a number of parishes; the charter of worship equates the importance of Demetrius Saturday with the ecumenical Saturday, although this is not entirely true (Meat Empty and Trinity Saturday are considered such) Today, the liturgical rite includes evening and morning services Before visiting the graves, you should come to the church where the memorial service is being served in order to have time to submit a note with the names of the deceased and order commemorations on the altar It is worth giving up household chores if this interferes with visiting the temple and praying for loved ones
On this day, cultural events are organized aimed at spiritual, moral and patriotic education, because this particular Saturday serves as a reminder of the ancestors who gave their lives to protect the Russian land and Orthodoxy The importance of this holiday and the duty of every believer is to help the dead receive relief through prayer, which serves as a way of communication between the living and the dead