A strong prayer for the repose of the soul on Intercession Parents' Saturday

Before the feast of the Intercession of the Mother of God, Orthodox believers celebrate Intercession Parents' Saturday, a special day of commemoration of the dead. In 2025, it falls on October 11th. Izvestia tells us how to remember loved ones at home, in the temple, and what prayers to read at the same time.

To whom and what to pray on Intercession Parents' Saturday

Pokrovskaya Parental Saturday is one of the common days of commemoration of the dead in the Orthodox Church. It is not celebrated in all dioceses, but it attracts more and more people every year.

On Intercession Saturday, believers pray for the souls of the deceased, asking God for forgiveness of their sins and granting them eternal rest. On this day, it is customary to remember not only relatives and friends, but also all Christians, especially those for whom there is no one to pray. It is believed that after death, a person can no longer repent on his own — instead, the living must do it. In this way, it is possible to alleviate the fate of the deceased, even if he did not have time to atone for his sins.

Day of Prayer for the Dead: when is the Intercession Parents' Saturday in 2025

Believers honor their ancestors in the temple and at home, continuing the ancient customs of commemoration.

Most often, they turn to God or the Mother of God with prayer, since Parental Protection Saturday is associated with the celebration of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. It is also customary on this day to visit the cemetery, put the graves in order and do good deeds on behalf of the deceased: help those in need, donate to charity.

A strong prayer for the deceased

There are many different prayers for the dead. The Orthodox Church does not divide them into "strong" and "weak" ones — every prayer has weight if it is uttered from the bottom of your heart. Nevertheless, it is important to understand when a particular prayer will be appropriate. The following texts can be used for commemoration on Intercession Parents' Saturday:

A short prayer for the dead

"Rest, Lord, the souls of Your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (names), and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all their sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven."

Another prayer for the dead

"Remember, O Lord our God, the name of Your eternal servant in the faith and hope of your life, and as you are good and lover of mankind, forgive sins and consume unrighteousness, weaken, forsake, and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary transgressions, raising him up at Your holy second coming to partake of Your eternal blessings, which are for the sake of a single faith in You. the true God and Lover of Mankind. For Thou art the resurrection, and the life, and the rest of Thy servant, O Christ our God. And to You we ascribe glory, together with Your beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages, amen."

The most powerful prayer for intercession: "Hail Mary, Virgin"

Prayer for the repose of the soul of the newly deceased

During the first 40 days after death, a person is considered newly deceased. A special prayer is read for the repose of his soul.:

"Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the eternal life of Thy newly departed servant (or Thy maidservant), (name), and as thou art good and lovest mankind, absolve sins and consume unrighteousness, weaken, forsake, and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary transgressions, raising him up at Thy holy second coming to the communion of the eternal Your blessings, for the sake of the One faith in You, the true God and Lover of Mankind. For Thou art the resurrection, and the life, and the rest of Thy servant, name, O Christ our God. And to You we ascribe glory, together with Your beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages, amen."

How to pray at home on Parents' Day

If it is not possible to visit the temple on Intercession Parents' Saturday, it is allowed to pray for the dead at home. Commemoration of the dead is an integral part of the morning prayer rule, so the necessary text is in every prayer book. You can also read the Canon of Repose or the Psalter.

The Psalter is usually read in the first 40 days after death, but you can continue to remember the deceased after this period. As a rule, they read one kafisma a day, naming relatives, friends and acquaintances who have passed away.

How to pray in a church for the repose, where to put a candle

On Intercession Parents' Saturday, the clergy recommend nevertheless visiting the temple and praying with other parishioners. The deceased are commemorated at liturgies and memorial services. Believers can say a prayer in front of the icon of the Virgin or saints, submit a note for the repose, and order a prayer service.

Another option for commemoration is to light a candle. For this purpose, there are special Eve tables in temples, most often they are located to the left of the entrance. You can recognize them by the rectangular candlestick and the crucifix. If there is no Christmas Eve in the temple, a candle can be lit next to any icon.

The Strongest prayer to the Life-Giving Cross: Orthodox traditions, rules of reading and spiritual power

You definitely need to buy a candle at a church store — this is a form of donation to the temple. It should be lit from other candles, as lighters and matches cannot be used in the church. After the candle is placed, a short prayer for the repose is said, the believer crosses himself, bows and steps aside. If there are no empty places for candles, you can leave your own on the table next to the candlesticks — the priests will put it in the vacant slot.

How to write a memorial and repose note correctly

Memorial notes are another important part of the prayer for the dead in the temple. To submit a note, you need to purchase a special sheet (memorial) at the church store, carefully fill it out and give it to the priest. When making notes, you should follow several rules::

• what is written should be easy to read;
• The names of the deceased are written in the genitive case.;
• Notes are submitted only for those baptized in the Orthodox Church.;
• it is necessary to specify the full forms of names (for example, "Arseny", not "Senya");
• It is necessary to use the names given in baptism.;
• you do not need to write surnames, patronymics, professions, etc., the exception is the names of priests, they are indicated along with the rank.;
• you can add the words "baby" (children under 7 years old), "boy" (children from 7 to 15 years old), "warrior" or "monk";
• In the notes, you can also use the words "newly deceased" (if less than 40 days have passed since the day of death), "memorable" or "murdered".

The notes are submitted to the Proskomedia, which is part of the liturgy. They can also be used during prayer services and memorial services.

Earlier, Izvestia told us what prayers are read on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.