Mitrovske zadušnice (Herbst-Totengedenken) – Samstag, 7. November

Mitrovske zadušnice (Autumn Memorial Saturday) – Saturday, 7 November

On Saturday, 7 November, the Serbian Orthodox Church observes the Mitrovske zadušnice (Autumn Memorial Saturday). They always fall on the Saturday before Mitrovdan, the feast of Sveti velikomučenik Dimitrije (Holy Great Martyr Demetrius) on 8 November, and therefore bear his name. Among the people they are also called jesenje zadušnice (autumn zadušnice). They are the last zadušnice of the church year: a day on which the whole Church prays for the departed, for parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters, friends and all who have gone into eternity before us.

What are Zadušnice?

The word zadušnice comes from duša (soul) and roughly means days for the souls. The Serbian Orthodox Church observes four great zadušnice each year: the zimske or velike zadušnice (winter or great zadušnice) before Great Lent, the Duhovske zadušnice before Pentecost, the Miholjske zadušnice before Miholjdan in October and finally the Mitrovske zadušnice before Mitrovdan. In addition there is Pobusani ponedeljak, the eighth day after Vaskrs (Easter), when the graves are adorned.

All zadušnice fall on a Saturday. There is a deep reason for this: on Saturday Isus Hristos lay in the tomb. That is why Saturday has always been the day in the Orthodox Church on which the departed are especially remembered.

Why we pray for the departed

For the Church, love does not end with death. The departed can no longer do anything themselves to change their lives, but we can pray for them. The zadušnice are therefore not only a day of mourning, but a day of hope in the resurrection and of the bond between the living and those who have fallen asleep. On this day the clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church like to recall the exhortation of Sveti Jovan Zlatousti (Saint John Chrysostom) to stand by the departed with prayer and not to hesitate to pray for them:

Помозите покојнима и помињите их.
Help the departed and remember them.
– Свети Јован Златоусти

Liturgy, Proskomidija and Parastos

The most important prayer for the departed takes place in the Holy Liturgy. During the Proskomidija, the preparation of the gifts, the priest takes small particles from the prosphora (offering bread) for the departed and names each one of them. That is why it is important to bring the names of the departed to church. Many of the faithful write them on a piece of paper or enter them in a pomenik, a small book with the names of the living and departed members of the family, and give it to the priest.

After the Liturgy the parastos is served, the memorial service for the departed. The priest pours red wine over the boiled wheat. Afterwards the faithful go to the cemetery and light candles at the graves, and the priest serves a short memorial prayer and censes the graves. Those who cannot reach the graves of their loved ones have the commemoration served in church.

Žito, wine and candle: what they mean

The koljivo, usually simply called žito (boiled wheat), is at the centre of every commemoration of the departed. It goes back to a word of the Lord, who speaks of the grain of wheat that must fall into the earth and die in order to bear fruit. The grain stands for the mortal body that is laid in the earth, and at the same time for the hope of the resurrection.

Заиста, заиста вам кажем: Ако зрно пшенично паднувши на земљу не умре, оно једно остане; ако ли умре много рода роди.
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
– Јован 12,24

The red wine the priest pours over the žito stands for the mercy of God, which heals the wounds of sin. The candle stands for the light of Isus Hristos, which is to illumine the souls of the departed, and is at the same time a small offering to God. Read more about the meaning of the candle in our article Beeswax candles in the Serbian Orthodox faith.

Almsgiving instead of a feast

Milostinja (almsgiving) belongs to the zadušnice. The Church emphasises that the food at the cemetery is not there to feed the departed. It is meant to be shared with people, especially with those in need, together with prayer for the soul of the departed. Just as well, one can help a poor family, the sick or orphans in the name of the departed. The Church also knows a spiritual almsgiving: giving spiritual books to people who cannot afford them, or donating them to a church library.

Customs and folk beliefs

Traditionally, boiled žito, red wine and candles are brought to the grave, and in many regions also pita, pastries, coffee or other food. One takes as many candles as the number of departed being remembered. Everyone who comes to the grave is offered something and should take at least one bite. Sending someone away from the grave on zadušnice is considered a great sin. According to old custom, the women prepare the food, and zadušnice are never held during a fasting period.

In some parts of Serbia people do not go to the cemetery on this day, but set the table at home while prayers for the departed are said in church. The head of the household brings the names of the departed ancestors to church on a piece of paper, so that each of them is mentioned in prayer. In eastern Serbia it is believed that a candle lit on zadušnice burns until the next zadušnice, and that a departed person for whom no candle is lit remains in darkness for a year.

Zadušnice far from home

Many Serbian families in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, America and Australia have their departed buried in Serbia. Not everyone can make the journey to the grave on this Saturday. But prayer is not bound to any place. In Serbian parishes abroad, too, the Liturgy and the parastos are served on zadušnice. The faithful write down the names of their departed and give them to the priest before the service, so that he can read them all. In this way everyone can remember their loved ones wherever they live, in church with their parish and at home with a candle before the icon.

The following day, Sunday, 8 November, the Church celebrates Mitrovdan. Read more about the saint in our article Sveti velikomučenik Dimitrije – Mitrovdan on 8 November.

A day of love that remains

The Mitrovske zadušnice remind us that we remain bound to our departed. A candle, a name spoken in prayer, a plate of žito shared with a stranger: these are small signs, but they carry the greatest hope of the faith, that death does not have the last word.

Бог да им душу прости.
May God forgive their souls.

Вечнаја им памјат.
Memory eternal.

For remembrance in church and at home

For all who remember their departed on this day, in church, at the grave or at home before the icon. You will find our candles in the Beeswax Candles collection, incense and accessories in the Incense, Kandilo and Accessories collection and spiritual books in the Books collection. How to set up icons at home with dignity is explained in our article Kućni ikonostas.

Pomenik – book of commemoration for the living and the departed
View the Pomenik in our shop

Serbian Orthodox beeswax prayer candles, 37 × 2 cm, pack of 3
View the prayer candles in our shop

Orthodox beeswax prayer candles, 33 cm, pack of 5
View the prayer candles in our shop

Orthodox beeswax prayer candles, 26 cm, pack of 5
View the prayer candles in our shop

Kandilo with gold-coloured stand and red glass
View the kandilo in our shop

Fitilji za kandilo – wicks with plovak (float)
View the wicks in our shop

Tamjan 25 g from the Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate
View the tamjan in our shop

Monastery tamjan from the Sukovo convent
View the monastery tamjan in our shop

DILOS incense charcoal 22 mm
View the incense charcoal in our shop

Kadionica for Serbian Orthodox incense
View the kadionica in our shop

Sources

Back to blog
  • Sveto pismo (Lateinische Schrift) - svetazvezda
1 2

svetazvezda

Sveto pismo (Latin script)

CHF 49.90
CHF 49.90
Sale Sold out
VAT included. Shipping CHF 7, free from CHF 39.
Colors: Schwarz
View full details