The Orthodox calendar features several special days, known as Parental Saturdays, dedicated to commemorating the departed. In 2025, the first of these significant dates falls on February 22. This article provides a comprehensive schedule of these memorial days, delves into their meaning and associated traditions, and clarifies the distinctions between Ecumenical and regular Parental Saturdays.
Parental Saturdays in 2025
Each year, the church calendar includes several important memorial days, traditionally referred to as “Parental Saturdays.” While most indeed fall on a Saturday, some may occasionally occur on other days of the week.
In 2025, Parental Saturdays are observed on the following dates:
- February 22 — Ecumenical (Meatfare) Parental Saturday
- March 15, 22, 29 (2nd, 3rd, and 4th Weeks of Great Lent)
- April 29 — Radonitsa
- June 7 — Trinity Parental Saturday
- September 11 — Day of Commemoration for Orthodox Warriors
- November 1 — Demetrius Parental Saturday
Additionally, May 9 marks the Day of Commemoration for all those who perished during the Great Patriotic War.
The designation “Parental” has multiple interpretations. One theory suggests that, in ancient times, “parents” referred not only to biological mother and father but also to all ancestors, including those who had already passed away.
Demetrius Parental Saturday
The Essence of Each Commemoration Day
Generally, Orthodox believers are encouraged to honor the memory of their deceased relatives and loved ones almost every Saturday. However, Parental Saturdays hold a special significance, as many are linked to major Christian holidays and events, such as Easter and Great Lent.
On these days, congregants visit churches to pray for the departed, light memorial candles, and tidy gravesites at cemeteries. It is important to pray not only for one`s own kin but also for all who have ever passed away.
Beyond Parental Saturdays, there are other crucial memorial dates: the third, ninth, and fortieth days after a person`s passing, as well as their anniversaries. The prayers of relatives and close friends during these periods are particularly vital for the soul of the deceased.
Rakity Cemetery in the Novomoskovsky administrative district of Moscow
Days of Commemoration for the Departed According to the Orthodox Calendar
All Parental Saturdays can be broadly categorized into two groups. Some have fixed dates, while others, being linked to movable Christian holidays, vary from year to year.
Parental Saturday Dates in 2025
According to the Orthodox calendar for 2025, February 22 is marked as the first Ecumenical Parental Saturday, also known as Meatfare Saturday. It is followed by Maslenitsa (Shrovetide week), after which Great Lent begins.
The majority of these special memorial days occur in the spring months. Three of them (March 15, 22, 29) fall within the period of Great Lent. In late April, believers observe Radonitsa, whose date shifts depending on when Easter is celebrated in a given year. Another spring commemoration is May 9, when the faithful honor those who died in the Great Patriotic War.
Trinity Parental Saturday is also connected to Easter, falling on June 7 in 2025. The final Parental Saturday of the year, Demetrius Parental Saturday, is on November 1.
Ecumenical Parental Saturdays
Among all commemoration days, two stand out as Ecumenical Parental Saturdays. On these days, it is customary to pray not only for one`s own deceased relatives, friends, and loved ones but also to remember in prayers all Orthodox Christians who have died “from ages past.”
These include Meatfare and Trinity Saturdays.
Meatfare Parental Saturday
Meatfare Parental Saturday in 2025, on February 22, precedes the start of Great Lent by just over a week. It is followed by Maslenitsa (Shrovetide), and the week before it is known as Meatfare Week.
Trinity Parental Saturday
Trinity Parental Saturday in 2025, on June 7, precedes one of the major Christian feasts – the Day of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost). Its date is directly dependent on the date of Easter celebration.
Radonitsa
The name “Radonitsa” derives from the word “radost” (joy), and this holiday is a prime example of a memorial day that does not fall on a Saturday, but rather on a Tuesday. Specifically, it is the ninth day after the celebration of Easter. In 2025, Radonitsa is observed on April 29.
As with other commemoration days, on Radonitsa, it is customary to visit the graves of the departed, offer prayers for their souls, and attend church.
Demetrius Parental Saturday
Demetrius Parental Saturday, which falls on November 1 in 2025, is directly associated with the feast day of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki. The history of this memorial day also references another Demetrius – Dmitry Donskoy: it was after the Battle of Kulikovo that the tradition emerged to commemorate first the fallen warriors on this day, and subsequently all departed Orthodox Christians.
Parental Saturdays in Honor of Fallen Warriors
The church calendar includes specific memorial days to honor the memory of warriors who sacrificed their lives defending their homeland.
Day of Commemoration for All Who Perished in the Great Patriotic War
The tradition of observing May 9 not only as Victory Day but also as a day of commemoration for those who died during the Great Patriotic War is relatively recent, established in 1994. On this day, it is also customary to pray for those who survived the war but passed away later in peacetime.
Day of Commemoration for Orthodox Warriors Who Died on the Battlefield for Faith, Tsar, and Fatherland
The Day of Commemoration for Orthodox Warriors who died on the battlefield for Faith, Tsar, and Fatherland is observed on September 11. This tradition originated in the 18th century during the Russo-Turkish War. However, it is not universally observed today, and requiem services are often not held on this particular day.
Church Services and Prayers
Memorial days, known as Parental Saturdays, are accompanied by specific traditions. Orthodox believers begin remembering the departed on the eve of the appointed day: a special requiem service called “Parastas” is performed on the evening before Parental Saturday. Parental Saturday itself begins with a divine service: first, a memorial Divine Liturgy, followed by a general requiem service.
During these services, believers pray not only for their own relatives and loved ones but also for all the departed, especially for those who have no one else to pray for them. One can submit “for repose” slips with the names of those to be mentioned during the prayer.
Prayers on Parental Saturdays are offered not only in churches but also during visits to cemeteries, where the departed are remembered directly at their graves.
