When in 2023 Radonitsa and Antipascha and how to spend these important days, we remember the departed

Easter and Radonitsa in 2023 They fall on the warm April days. The main religious holiday Orthodox Christians will celebrate on the 16th. Catholics celebrated Easter on April 9. A week later, on April 22, Fomina Week begins. It opens an important event for Christians – Radonitsa. This is a day of mourning, when it is customary to remember dead relatives and other close people. How to do this correctly, we will tell later in the article.



Easter and Radonitsa in 2023 When preparing to write this article, I learned that there is such a thing as Antipascha. It is celebrated on the first Sunday after the great Christian holiday. Previously, this day was called the Red Hill, and many traditions are associated with it.

The red slide opens the week when people remember the Apostle Thomas, who did not believe in the resurrection of Christ until he saw him. “Unless I see the wounds of nails in His hands, and put my hands in His ribs, I will not believe.” Hence the familiar expression “Thoma the unbeliever.” But this does not mean that Thomas did not doubt the Son of God, but rather that he wanted to experience the joy of meeting him personally, rather than from the words of his neighbors.



Red hill is a spring holiday, in which, according to pagan customs, it is customary to rejoice in the arrival of spring and praise it with songs and dances. In ancient Russia, this holiday was associated with the arrival of spring. It was on this day that the most weddings took place, magnificent festivities and celebrations were arranged.

And on Tuesday, after the Red Hill, it is customary to remember relatives and friends who have gone to heaven. In church circles, this day is called Radonitsa. In 2023, it falls on April 25. It is very important to spend this day correctly, namely to pray in memory of those who are no longer with us.



St. John Chrysostom said that deceased relatives should be helped with our prayers and alms instead of bitter sobs. Prayer is the most important thing to do for those who have passed away. And through prayer, we convey Easter joy to our deceased relatives. Hence the name of the day - Radonitsa.

On April 25, you can go to the churchyard to remove the places of eternal rest of your relatives. The priests also recommend lighting a candle and making lithium. This is a special prayer, the text of which can be found in the “Full Orthodox Prayer Book for Laity”. In addition, it will not be superfluous to invite a priest to the parish.



There is also a tradition to leave Easter treats on marble slabs. The priests do not like this gesture, as they call it pagan. However, ordinary parishioners very often do just that. But we urge you not to drink hot drinks on the churchyard, for it is sinful to do so!

Prayer for the dead is the most important thing to go to church and make a memorial there. Of course, home prayer also makes sense. But it's better to go to the temple for that. There you can submit a memorial note about a deceased relative or friend.



In churches, there are special leaflets that you just need to fill out by writing the name of the person you remember. A note can be brought from home. It does not matter if it is written by hand or baked on a computer. If you are going to write a note on an ordinary sheet of paper, then at the top draw a cross, and below place the inscription “On rest”. In the note, you can write the names of several people, but there should be no more than ten.

In a family where children grow up, you need to accustom to the memory of relatives and explain the importance of this event. Dear people do not dissolve in the air, their soul is close to us and our children, always needs memory and sincere prayer.



There are different prayers for the dead. I share the text of one of them below.

Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of eternal life, your dead servant (your) (your name), and as the Good and the lover of mankind, who forgives sins and iniquities, let go and forgive all his free sins and involuntary sins, save him from the eternal torments and fire of Gehenna, and grant him (her) communion and enjoyment of your eternal blessings, prepared for those who love You, for he did not, even from his own Trinity, and confessed to the Holy One God.

Prayer will help you to calm your soul, and the deceased will find peace in heaven. On this day you can grieve and cry, but do not forget to remember all the good things. Take care, let this holiday be bright, no matter what!