Every year, Orthodox Christians look forward to the arrival of a holiday called Palm Sunday.
Its date varies depending on what date Easter falls on. Palm Sunday is celebrated seven days before Easter.
This holiday is imbued with many traditions that have come to us from ancient times.
There are certain prohibitions and permissions. And Orthodox Christians try to honor them.
At this time, many believers decide to visit the burial place of their deceased relatives. But the church does not always welcome the moment when parishioners go to the cemetery on big bright holidays.
The action is explained by the fact that the cemetery is a place of sadness, where the deceased are remembered. There are specially designated days for the commemoration, which are designated in the church calendar. Their name is Parental Saturday.
Is it allowed to visit a cemetery on a major church holiday?
On Palm Sunday, this action is not prohibited. There is even a tradition where people bring willow branches to the graves of deceased relatives.
The Orthodox custom came to us from ancient times, when after the service the eldest member of the family went to the cemetery and left a willow branch on the grave. And there the person who came prayed for the deceased relative.
The church tradition is still honored today. Therefore, no one forbids visiting the cemetery on the holiday.
The only condition that the priests put forward is that the visit to the cemetery must take place after the church service.
When should you not visit the graves of deceased relatives on Palm Sunday?
If for some reason it is painful for a person to come to this place, the visit to the cemetery should be postponed to another time. Grief can leave deep wounds in the soul and heart.
Palm Sunday is a bright holiday when we should honor the Son of God and praise him for the great miracle after which the righteous Lazarus was resurrected.
This is a time for joy and celebration, but not for sadness and tears. Indulging in melancholy on a holiday is considered a great sin. And if a person visits a cemetery and cannot come to terms with the loss of a close relative, then he will not be able to rejoice at the arrival of a bright holiday.
At a certain time after Palm Sunday comes Radonitsa. This is the day when, according to all church canons, the dead are remembered. The day of remembrance is usually celebrated on the first Tuesday after Easter week.
A cemetery is a place that is filled with sadness and where you need to pray for a deceased person. But Palm Sunday is a day of joy and happiness. And in order not to darken it, each person must decide for themselves how to act in a certain situation.
