St. Archangel’s Feast is the largest of the three feasts celebrated each calendar year. In 2024, it falls on Saturday, November 2.
Every year, this holiday, in which we honor the memory of our deceased loved ones, falls on a different date in the first week of November, but necessarily on Saturday, on the sixth day of the week and on the Saturday preceding the great church feast of Archangel’s Day.
What must be done on Archangel Stew?
On this day, it is mandatory to go to the cemetery, where flowers, wine, bread and handouts are brought, so-called communal meals are prepared.
The latter must include 7 foods, necessarily among them must be the favorite of the deceased. Boiled wheat is distributed, as well as any meat (it is mandatory because of the approaching Christmas fasts), desserts, fruits.
You can put bread, chicken, lamb or meat in general, small cakes, candies, apples and other fruits, cake, but in fact you can put whatever you want.
Wheat symbolizes the resurrection, bread and wine – in memory of Christ’s sacrifice for us.
Food and drinks prepared for distribution are distributed to relatives of the deceased, to neighbors, to people who are currently at the cemetery (acquaintances and strangers).
The visit to the grave begins with the lighting of candles, the burning of incense and the pouring of wine, the second act being performed from where the deceased’s head is towards his feet. In this case, the casting direction is to the left, making a total of 3 repetitions of one round each. It is desirable that the procedure be performed by the oldest woman, according to the tradition.
The first sip of wine must be poured on the ground – it is not drunk. This also applies to the first bite of bread – it is left on the ground, not consumed. In this case, breads or specially prepared ritual cakes can be used.
During the transfusion, the person who performs it begs God for forgiveness for the sins of the deceased. The procedure is performed first by the oldest woman, and after her, the rest of the relatives of the deceased who have decided to honor his memory by coming to the cemetery can line up after her. Flowers are also left on the grave.
According to the superstitions in which our ancestors believed, if on the day of the holiday a person sees insects (flies, butterflies, etc.) flying around him, it means that the soul of the deceased has come down to earth and rejoices that it is not forgotten by your closest ones.
On this day, services are held in the church, during which prayers are addressed to God for the forgiveness of the sins of the deceased and the repose of their souls.
As on most Christian holidays, household activities such as laundry and house cleaning are prohibited on St. Archangel’s Day. It is believed that the day should be spent in honoring the memory of the deceased, and performing any daily activities shows that he has been forgotten by those closest to him.
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