Meat Saturday — Day of Remembrance of the Dead: traditions, notes, cemetery and help MosGupRitual

Parents' Saturday February 14: briefly and to the point on how to remember loved ones

Every year in the Orthodox calendar there are special days, in full dedicated to the memory of those who have passed away. One of the main ones is Ecumenical Meat-Free Parents' Saturday. In 2026 it falls on February 14th. We tell you what needs to be done on this day in order to adequately honor the memory of your loved ones.

Why is this day special

Meat Saturday is not an ordinary memorial day. It is called Ecumenical because the Church commemorates all Orthodox Christians who have ever died. Not only your relatives, but also those for whom there is no one else to pray: the lonely, the forgotten, those who died in disasters and wars. This is a day of universal Christian solidarity — the living with the dead.

It always falls on the Saturday before the Week of the Last Judgment — the last Sunday before Maslenitsa. On the eve, the Church reminds believers that every person is mortal, and the best thing we can do for the departed is to pray.

What exactly needs to be done

Commemoration of the deceased includes several simple steps:

• Submit a note for repose in the temple. Write the names of deceased loved ones in the genitive case, in the baptized form of the name. It is best to submit notes the night before or early in the morning before the service begins.
• Come to the funeral liturgy and memorial service. The day before, on Friday evening, parastas is served, and on Saturday morning — liturgy and ecumenical requiem.
• Place a candle for repose on the eve — a special memorial table with a crucifix.
• Bring food to the funeral table in the temple: bread, cereals, sweets, fruits. It is not customary to bring meat.
• Pray at home if you were unable to get to the temple. Read the 17th kathisma of the Psalter or at least the prayer “Rest, O Lord, the souls of your departed servants.”

Is it worth going to the cemetery in February

Many people believe that on Parents' Saturday it is necessary to visit the cemetery. In fact, the Church does not make such a requirement. The main commemoration takes place in the temple. But if you want to visit the grave, this is a good and correct desire.

In winter, the cemetery requires special attention. The paths are snow-covered, the fences are swept away, and it is sometimes difficult to get to the monument. If you do not have the opportunity to put the burial in order yourself, professional help will be very helpful.

MosGupRitual is a company that has been helping Muscovites and residents of the Moscow region with a variety of ritual issues for many years. Winter care of graves, snow removal, minor repairs to fences and monuments, installation of new headstones — all this can be entrusted to specialists who will carry out the work carefully and with respect for the memory of your loved ones.

In addition, MosGupRitual provides a full range of funeral services: organizing funerals, processing documents, providing transport, selecting and installing monuments. If you are faced with a loss or want to take care of a worthy farewell in advance, contact professionals you can trust.

Details and consultations are on the website https://mosgupritual.ru/

The memory of loved ones is not measured by the distance to the cemetery. She lives in prayer, in good deeds, in the way we keep their names. Remember your loved ones this Saturday — with a candle, a note, a quiet word. They are nearby.

Funeral services in Moscow and the Moscow region

8 (499) 410 00 00

https://mosgupritual.ru/

Xrust Meat-eating Saturday — Day of Remembrance of the Dead: traditions, notes, cemetery and help MosGupRitual