Nine days after the celebration of the bright holiday of Easter, Radonica is celebrated, the day when the living go to the dead to tell about the joy of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is then that relatives visit the graves of the dead, they are remembered with prayers and just kind words. But always people who are not too well versed in church laws were concerned with the question of whether it is possible to work on the Radonitsa in the garden, dig and plant. In order to understand the meaning of Radonitsa and whether it is possible to work on this day, one should turn to the origins of the celebration and understand its meaning. The roots of Radonica go to pagan times, but in the course of history this day passed to Christian holidays, although there is no such red number in the church calendar on this day.
How do Christians celebrate Radonitsa?
Depending on the region, Radonitsa is celebrated on different days, although according to church laws it falls on the ninth day after Easter. But since most people just at this time starts a working week, a tradition appeared to come to the deceased in the cemetery exactly one week after Easter, namely on Sunday.
To understand whether it is possible to work in Radonitsa with the land (at the dacha), as the clergy advise, it is necessary to listen to the voice of your heart. An Orthodox Christian, he suggests that in the first half of the day he should visit the burial places of relatives and friends (cemetery) in order to restore order there, bring a souvenir to the soul's remembrance, and after a funeral dinner it is possible to work in the garden when absolutely necessary.
But the order of the action can not be violated, because in the priority on this day it is the prayer for the departed, for their soul and tranquility in another (beyond the grave) world. It is advisable to visit the church on the eve, put the candles on the peace of the soul of the relatives, take communion and confess.
This can also be done immediately before going to the cemetery. With some, there are small chapels, just so that relatives can order a memorial service. You can also invite the priest to the grave, where he will conduct the necessary church ritual. In the cemetery you need to bring the cleaning tools - a broom, rags, water. With the help of them they wipe a fence, a tombstone, a monument. If necessary, we can weed out the overgrown weeds, plant flowers. It is believed that the better the groom is, the better the family in the next world.
How to behave in the cemetery?
After harvesting, relatives are remembered. It is believed that they are very expecting that they will come to this day, they will remember about them with a warm word. Depending on the locality there are different customs - somewhere on the graves put candy, easter eggs, painted eggs, somewhere all this is distributed begging at the gates of the cemetery.
Often you can find a richly laid table right at the cemetery, where there are all kinds of snacks and hot drinks. In all church canons, this is absolutely unacceptable. Acceptance of alcohol is in no way connected with the repose of the dead, than the lovers often drink.
But what about the memorial dinner, because traditionally he must have
What to do after dinner at Radonice?
On this day, you can afford to relax and spiritually and bodily, that is, hold it in thoughts of eternity. But especially to restless dacha owners there is no direct prohibition on work in the garden, so they, armed with a shovel and rake, can safely go to the garden, giving due deceased.