Saturdays of souls

[Michael Astley]

When are they?

I only know that the Saturdays before a) the Sunbday of the Last Judgment and b) Pentecost are soul sabbaths and, while I know that there are others, I don't know when they occur. Are the Liturgy propers the same for all of them?

Thank you.

In Christ,
Michael

[Eric Peterson]

They are liturgies on certain Saturdays set aside for praying for the departed. Actually, I think a liturgy for the departed can be performed every Saturday. Rubrically, I think this would involve the troparia for the departed. Matins has the most changes.

[Herman Blaydoe]

The Saturday of Meatfare Week (the second Saturday before Great Lent)—the day before the Sunday of the Last Judgement
The second Saturday of Great Lent
The third Saturday of Great Lent
The fourth Saturday of Great Lent
Radonitsa (Monday or Tuesday after Thomas Sunday)
The Saturday before Pentecost
Demetrius Saturday (the Saturday before the feast of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki—26 October)

[Olga]

Radonitsa (Monday or Tuesday after Thomas Sunday)


A small clarification: Herman is indeed correct, but in many Russian parishes outside of Russia, the memorials are held on Thomas' Sunday itself, and a shortened panikhida (what Greeks would call a trisagion) is conducted not in church towards the end of the liturgy as is normally done, but at cemeteries, at each grave of the faithful departed.

[Paul Cowan]

Being this Saturday is the first one for 2010 Lent, what is etiquette for commemoration of the dead? I know only Orthodox, but how does this differ from the Sunday commemorations for Proskomedia service? Is this where Fr. puts out the tablet for all to come up and write their names during the service and later in the service (during the Great Entrance?) he then reads them all and each Saturday thereafter the list gets longer and longer?

[Owen]

In my (Greek Orthodox) parish, we put out blanks for the people to submit names of Orthodox Faithful Departed. These are commemorated as usual during Liturgy, then the collected lists are read out during the Memorial sung after Liturgy. This is repeated on Theodore Saturday (which is, technically, not a Saturday of Souls), and yet again on the eve of Pentecost.

[Olga]

This is what is done in Russian tradition as well. What makes it easier for priest and family alike is the pomyannik - a booklet in which any individual or family can write the names of the living (the red section), and the departed (the black section). New names can be added as the need arises. Many folks keep their pomyanniki at the church, some bring them to church from home, and others keep two booklets, one at church and one at home.

[Kusanagi]

In the Greek church i usually attend, the All souls is the time where all souls can be prayed for.

[Nina]

As Owen said the Memorial Service is after the Liturgy. I have been in Greek Orthodox churches where the Memorial Service is longer than the Liturgy because of the number of departed names submitted, and the kolivas are on several tables in front of the iconostasis and the candles on the kolivas create a little brook of fire. :) It is really beautiful. Also there are several Saturday of the Souls one after the other starting this coming Saturday, and most of the lists are brought in church during the 1st Saturday of Souls and Frs keep them and there may be additional ones added later. This Sunday I was planing to attend the General Panikhidia at my SF chapel where Nicholas is buried, and I was so interested to experience it because it is MP and it is Russian tradition, but this may be canceled due to the storm they are expecting here :( I bought all the ingredients for the Koliva but I have to wait and call my SF tomorrow to learn if it will be canceled, or not. If I do not have a possibility to attend the Memorial Service due to the snow storm can I PM someone here with the names of the departed for the first Saturday I am missing, please?

[Paul Cowan]

If I do not have a possibility to attend the Memorial Service due to the snow storm can I PM someone here with the names of the departed for the first Saturday I am missing, please?

I would be honored to receive them Nina