Radonitsa or red hill. How to behave on the memorial day and why you shouldn't bring food to the cemetery.

Nine days after Easter, Orthodox Christians celebrate Radonitsa or, as the people say, Krasnaya Gorka - the Day of Remembrance of the Dead, which falls this year on Tuesday, May 2. Etymology, that is, the origin of the word "radonitsa" goes back to the words "kind" and "joy". On Radonitsa, there is a tradition to go to the graves of relatives and loved ones, thereby remembering them and praying for them. It is on Radonitsa that there is a custom to bring painted eggs and Easter to the graves of the deceased. On this day, funeral services (memorial services) are performed in churches.

Christians on Radonitsa should not be bitterly worried about the death of loved ones, but on the contrary, rejoice at their birth into another life - eternal life, which Christ gave us through his death and resurrection. Even St. John Chrysostom wrote: "Let us try, as much as possible, to help the departed, instead of tears, instead of sobs, instead of magnificent tombs - with our prayers, alms and offerings for them, so that in this way both them and us receive the promised blessings."

Archpriest Georgy Gulyaev, press secretary of Metropolitan of Donetsk and Mariupol Hilarion of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, tells how to behave on Radonitsa, how to remember the dead correctly.

- Father George, is it necessary to go to church first before going to Radonitsa at the cemetery?

Of course. It is difficult for an Orthodox person to start a business without church prayer. When there are some important moments in his life, they are necessarily sanctified by church prayer and sacraments. A man is born - he is baptized, he grows - we confess and receive communion in the temple of God, a young man goes to the army - we bless him, when a man takes a husband or wife - the Church crowns them, and, finally, the man dies, we accompany him to last way. When an Orthodox Christian goes to Radonitsa at the cemetery to pay tribute to the memory of his ancestors - parents, grandmothers, grandfathers, relatives, naturally he will first go to the church. After all, the temple is a place of the special presence of God.

- Tell me, after all, according to church canons, the Memorial Day falls on Sunday or another day?

In fact, Radonitsa or the memorial day falls on Tuesday, that is, on the ninth day after Easter. Descending to human weakness, we begin to perform memorial services on Sunday. This is all due to the fact that in pre-revolutionary Russia this day was a non-working day. Then the attitude towards the Church was different. Now, many have a day off mainly on Sunday, and only on this day can people go to the cemetery.

- What services will be held in churches these days?

And on Sunday, and on Monday, and on Tuesday, funeral liturgies and panikhidas are performed in churches - special services associated with the commemoration of the dead.

What is desirable to bring to the cemetery? People sometimes come to the cemetery as if they were on a picnic, bringing with them a lot of food and preserves. Often they bring and drink alcoholic drinks to the graves. How does the church view it?

The problem of godly behavior in the cemetery has been around for a long time. Even the holy fathers, centuries ago, spoke about her and admonished the flock. The holy fathers spoke about the feasts on the graves only in a negative context. You cannot turn a gravestone into a large table with food and songs. Initially, the memorial meal is alms given to those in need. This means that the less relatives eat, the better. Distribute to those people who once a year have the opportunity to eat hot soup or meat, which, alas, they find in the trash heap on ordinary days.

Unfortunately, human sinfulness and passion is transferred even to such holy things as the remembrance of loved ones. I myself had to deal with similar cases. On Radonitsa, when I come to the cemetery and pray for the dead, I try to be there no more than an hour. Because soon the pretty drunk people begin to ask "to sing something for the soul" ... Often people put cigarettes on the tombstone, because, they say, "the deceased loved to smoke." To my reproach, if the deceased loved to fornicate, you will bring a girl here for him now, for some reason they are offended. Often people pour vodka on the grave, arguing that the deceased loved to drink. But if the deceased loved to drink, one must cry about it, water the grave with one's tears. After all, the drinker beat his wife, children, drank his property, and in addition we pour vodka into the coffin for him.

You see, we do not know what his afterlife fate is, maybe he suffers greatly from the fact that he drank this very vodka, maybe he already there three thousand three hundred times regretted that he did it, and we remind him once again about that this is how you, brother, sinned.

In no case do not take alcohol with you to the cemetery, do not turn it into an entertainment event. The Church is very strict about these things.

- How is it necessary to behave in a cemetery and what to do?

The ideal option is as follows. After the church, you come to the cemetery, cross yourself with the banner of the cross, read a short prayer, for example, "Christ Risen from the dead, correct death with death and bestowed upon those in the grave," that is, the Easter Troparion, thus testifying that those who are lying in the grave The Lord gives life. You can read several funeral prayers, for example, "Lord rest the souls of the departed, your servants ..." and list their names. Maybe in the Temple you will come across some kind of book or a small leaflet, where it will be painted how to pray correctly. You can remember something good that connects you with the deceased. At the cemetery, someone will cry, and someone, on the contrary, will be glad that a loved one, who was seriously ill, went to God, and death for him became a relief of bodily suffering. The Church here does not strictly regulate the manifestation of human feelings, if they are not of a sinful nature.

You can also give alms, it is to distribute, and not to eat in the cemetery. If there is no one next to you, you can leave the testicle, pasochki, in some minimal amount. After all, we know that people in need, the poor, the poor, will pass, who will collect and, God willing, eat what you left them. You can hang a wreath and tidy up the grave, if you did not have time to do this in advance.

If you see other people doing things differently - drinking, shouting songs - don't imitate them. Let's start fixing ourselves. Someone has to set a positive example. After all, as you remember the dead, so your children will also remember you when the time comes.

Is it possible to light a candle on a tomb if there is no monument? They say that the church does not allow lighting a candle not on a monument (stone).

You can build an impromptu icon lamp from a jar, put a candle in it or pour butter into it and make a wick. How long it will burn in the wind is not so important, the main thing is that you, like a part of the Easter joy, transferred from the temple and to these tombs.

- Is it possible to put candles in the ground if there is no monument?

You can put a candle in the ground, even if there is no pebble. The minimum that an Orthodox Christian should have on a tomb is a cross. If you have erected large beautiful monuments, but there is not even the smallest cross on it, be sure to do it. Work hard for your relatives, because the way you act, your children and grandchildren will put you on the funeral board.

- Does it matter from which side to enter the cemetery, from the central entrance or from other places?

The custom of entering the cemetery from the central entrance is associated initially with the existence of cemetery temples and chapels. An Orthodox person, entering from the central entrance, performed prayer in the chapel, lit a candle, and then went to the graves of loved ones. This is what we should do today. But if there is no church at the cemetery, then it does not matter from which place to enter, because nowadays cemeteries can occupy more than one hectare, and there can be several entrances.

- Is it true that on this day the dead are really waiting for us to come?

When we say that the souls of the dead are waiting for us, it is true, but not in terms of place and time. Because when we talk about faith, about the spiritual, any spatio-temporal moments fade into the background. The church always prays for its parishioners - both the living and the dead. To this we are moved by the commandment to love our neighbors. As for Radonitsa, we must immediately make a reservation that the souls of the dead are found in the state and in the place in which the Lord blessed them.

The Orthodox Church does not detail many things due to the fact that much remains a mystery to us. If we told in detail what life is like behind the grave, then we would say that this religion was simply invented. The revelations that were given to saintly people regarding the afterlife indicate that prayer, alms, and the creation of good deeds in memory of the dead gives them relief in the afterlife. What is known for sure is that God does not allow souls to be carried back and forth, to appear to someone, because they have a certain place. In rare cases, in order to admonish a person, the Lord can allow someone to dream of a deceased person, to stop him from committing a sin. But so that everyone came to the cemetery en masse, this does not happen. There are things that need a sober look.

The dead expect from us, first of all, prayer. Because prayer is not just words. Prayer is an appeal to God, an appeal to the Saints, and we reach a different, inexplicable to the human mind, spiritual level of communication. This is precisely the area of ​​faith, the belief that we are really awaited, waiting for a special commemoration, our special pious behavior. A certain family cohesion is also felt on Radonitsa, because on this day the whole family gathers and tells the children that they had a grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother. And this memory of ancestors carries a certain instructive educational, pedagogical moment.

- What advice would you give to people who come to their loved ones on the memorial day?

Behave so that your deceased are not ashamed of your behavior, so that their memory is not defiled by your behavior. When we talk about remembering the dead, we are talking about the manifestation of certain religious feelings by a person. After all, belief in the afterlife is one of the signs of a person's religiosity. If you want to go to Radonitsa not just to go to a "cemetery picnic", but to really remember your ancestors, let it be just a spiritual remembrance expressed in prayer and alms.

After Orthodoxy was established as the dominant religion in Russia, many customs and traditions passed from paganism. This also applies to the Radonitsa holiday. He does not have a clearly established date, since the holiday is celebrated 9 days after Easter. This day is considered special in commemoration of the departed.

Radunitsa is celebrated in Fomin week on Tuesday. This is a working day, if it does not fall on calendar holidays on which it is not customary to work. But, despite this, in the churches at the end of the evening service or after the liturgy, a memorial requiem is performed. It happens in a special way. Easter songs are sung that speak of joy and eternal life.

“Let us try, as much as possible, to help the departed, instead of tears, instead of sobbing, instead of magnificent tombs - with our prayers, alms and offerings for them, so that, in this way, both them and us receive the promised blessings,” St. John Chrysostom writes.

Is it possible to work for radon in the garden, plant flowers, seedlings?

It is believed that in Radunitsa it is not necessary to work in the garden. The same applies to garden beds, front gardens. You cannot plant anything, otherwise the harvest will be bad. If you plant seeds on this day, you will gain a year for crop failure and drought.

It is better not to touch the ground until Radunitsa. The departed feel everything. First of all, you need to clean up the cemetery. If you forget about your buried relatives, they will be saddened and send bad weather.

Is it possible to wash, remove to radon?

There is nothing wrong with doing homework. You can iron, wash, clean. This is not prohibited by the Church. Just light a candle first and pray for the dead.

Just imagine, in a house with small children, washing and cleaning is an integral part of every day. Therefore, on this day, works of such a plan are allowed.

Is it possible to clean up the cemetery for radonitsa?

On the day of Radonitsa, the living commemorate the dead and celebrate the victory of life over death, piously believing that their loved ones have entered the Kingdom of Heaven. Hence the name of the holiday (from the word "joy").

Until that day, the graves of deceased relatives must be put in order. The monuments were washed, the fences were painted, the earth was removed from foliage and weeds. It is also allowed to clean up in Radonitsa. After cleaning the grave of the deceased, light a candle, pray and commemorate with a food treat.

Is it possible to go to the cemetery before radonitsa?

Before Radonitsa, they go to the cemetery on Fomino Sunday or, in other words, Krasnaya Gorka. You don't need to go to church on Easter Sunday. Since this tradition came from Soviet times, when it was impossible to attend church. People went to the cemetery in droves to honor the dead.

The Church Charter prohibits visiting the cemetery during Holy Week and Bright Week. On other days, you can go to the graves of the dead at will. This is not prohibited by the Church.

If you didn't manage to get to the cemetery completely that day, then you need to set the table at home. It should contain the deceased's favorite treats, as well as three empty plates. They commemorate this day's breakfast, lunch and dinner for the departed.

Is it possible to remember the suicide?

Suicides are not commemorated in Radonitsa. For this there is a special day - Trinity parental Saturday. During the memorial service, the words of mourning for the suicides are read out in the church.

But! There are exceptional cases for which the Bishop gives permission. In the case of unauthorized murder under pressure, in a mental state, as well as in those cases when a person gave his life, saving others, when a gun misfire, and other accidents, then you can remember the dead. And not only to Radonitsa. Moreover, these dead people can be buried in the church. They are not to blame for their passing away.

Is it possible to wash, swim in radon, go to the bathhouse?

There is a special tradition, which is especially revered in suburban households. In Radonitsa, you need to light up a bathhouse. Leave clean linen and a towel there. But living people cannot wash on this day, so as not to frighten off the deceased. It is believed that on this day he should wash away all worldly sins and cleanse himself of dirty thoughts.

Is it possible to cut and dye your hair on Radonitsa?

In the laws of God about hair cutting and dyeing on Radonitsa, nothing is written. And this means, when you need to cut and dye your hair, then do it. But before the procedure on this joyous holiday of God, it is necessary to pray. And closer to lunch or evening, you can take care of yourself.

Some believers are inclined to argue that on this day you need to rejoice in a spiritual meeting with the departed and, in relation to them, it will be disrespectful. Whether this is true or not, no one knows. This holiday goes back deep into centuries, when there was no hair coloring, as well as a large variety of haircuts.

Is it possible to listen to music at radonitsa, celebrate a birthday?

Radonitsa is a holiday of joy, not sorrow. And, if it so happened that both the birthday and the Christian holiday fell on this day, then remember the dead and celebrate your birthday, listen to music. Just do not turn this day into drunken revelry and chants. Drunkenness is considered a great sin.

Is it possible to baptize with radon?

It is believed that a child should be baptized the moment you are ready for it. The sooner, the better. And, if christening falls out with Radonitsa, then this is very good.

When you are in church, do not forget to pray for the souls of the departed.

Is it possible to bury on radonitsa?

It is believed that a person can be buried any day. Departure to another world on the week of the Easter holidays means that a person will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. A funeral service is read at the tombstone, and a funeral service can be ordered at the grave on Radunitsa. It can be read to clergymen, not only from those who died on that day, but also from those who have long since died.

Is it okay to have sex?

The Church does not forbid carnal pleasures between spouses on any day, except for the time allotted for fasting. For those who are out of wedlock, any intercourse according to the Bible is considered fornication.

The first letter of the apostle Paul to the Church in Corinth read: “In order to avoid fornication, each one should have his own wife, and each one should have her own husband. Husband show his wife due favor; like a wife also to a husband. The wife has no power over her body, but the husband; likewise, the husband has no power over his own body, but the wife. Do not deviate from each other, unless by agreement, for a while, for exercise in fasting and prayer, and then again be together, so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance. "

What they do for radonitsa: customs, signs.

• First of all, they pay attention to the weather on Radonitsa. If the wind blows and it rains, then the departed grieve that they are not remembered. To keep your soul calm, go to the morning service at church, light a candle for the repose of the deceased. Next, go to the cemetery. You can remember him in the same place, but the main commemoration should be done at home at a laid table.
• On parent's day, this is what this holiday is also called, it is customary to fill the table with treats. In addition, appliances are placed on the "otherworldly" guest. You can light a candle and read a prayer. Before the meal, the words are spoken: "Kingdom of Heaven (name of the deceased)." It is also customary in the house to open the vents and put colored eggs, cookies, sweets on the windowsill.
• During the feast, you can not drink alcohol and be sad about the departure of the dead. This holiday marks a quick meeting of loved ones in another world. Also, on this day, you cannot swear. It is believed that swearing and quarrels upset the departed.

Also on this day, the channel is considered open not only for a spiritual meeting with loved ones, but also for good requests. On this day, after prayer, people ask for health improvement, the birth of children, a good harvest, something that is not associated with material benefits.

In Russia, it was believed that if it rains on that day, then you need to wash under it. If there was no rain, then it was called. With requests to go down for at least a few minutes. For girls, washing in the rain through a gold or silver ring was considered an extension of youth and beauty, and for men, a gain of happiness.

What should be done for radonitsa in the cemetery?

According to the traditions of pagan holidays, the people brought gifts to the deities who guarded the peace of the dead on Radunitsa. These gods were called Radovalki and Mogilki. After people treated them to the cemetery, they went home.

There they set the table, commemorated the dead, and on the street, when meeting with the beggars, they gave them gifts and treats. So, it is believed that the once living family members are not forgotten, and their souls are still revered.

The tradition has survived to this day. You must bring boiled eggs to the cemetery for commemoration. Break one egg on the cross. Scatter the cleanings on the ground, and give the inside to the beggars.

At the grave, it is allowed to remember the deceased with treats, but not to turn it into a large-scale celebration. You can also invite a clergyman to read the memorial prayer. It is better to transfer the rest of the commemoration to the home table.

If you don't go to the cemetery with your loved ones, it means that no one will remember about you when the soul goes to another world. Therefore, do not forget traditions and memorable parental days. Just a couple of hours for the commemoration of loved ones will not take much of your time.

Video: A word about radonitsa and remembrance of the dead

Radonitsa, one of the main parenting days in the Orthodox calendar, falls on April 17 in 2018. How, according to church customs, one should conduct general day of remembrance of the departed, what are the prohibitions and folk signs?

Radonitsa is celebrated on the ninth day after Easter. For Orthodox Christians, this is the main day of remembrance of the dead, in order to "share with them the great joy of the resurrection of Christ."

Mentions of this holiday are found in chronicles from the XIV century. There are several versions of the appearance of the word: from the Russian "joy", the Baltic raudine "prayer for the dead with crying and lamentation" or the Greek holiday Rosalia with the same meaning "the holiday of remembrance of the dead."

How should you spend your day?

On Radonitsa, Liturgy is served in all churches, and funeral services (funeral services), which were not performed during Great Lent and Passion Week, are resumed.

According to the church canon on Radonitsa, believers should go to church for services and give the priest notes with the names of deceased relatives, and then visit the cemetery. It is worth taking a prayer book with you and independently performing a litiya (short dirge) in a secular rite.

You should also light a candle. On this day, it is customary to put things in order at the grave, throw out the trash, plant flowers, shrubs and trees. In the Orthodox tradition, it is believed that the grave is the place of the future resurrection, therefore it should be kept clean.

What not to do in a cemetery

The church strongly opposes the popular tradition of leaving food for the dead on the grave, as well as drinking and eating in the cemetery. According to Bishop Jonah of Obukhov, the Orthodox Christians adopted the pagan tradition of bringing food and provisions to the poor.

“In Soviet times, this tradition was forgotten. There was a return to paganism in such a rather crude form - the commemoration of the dead turned into pagan feasts. We must strive to avoid such things, ”the bishop said.

On Radonitsa, one should not be in deep sorrow, despondency, and when visiting the cemetery, one should not be sad and cry.

You cannot get married on this day, but only because Radonitsa always falls on Tuesday, and on Tuesdays, on the eve of fasting day - Wednesday, the sacrament of the wedding is not performed.

Rain on Radonitsa

In Russia, there was a tradition to "call out" the rain. If, after the invocative words, it started to rain, then they washed themselves with this water for good luck.

If a thunderstorm thundered, then women and girls passed drops through gold or silver rings and washed themselves with them in order to preserve beauty and youth.

Downpour on Radonitsa was considered a good omen. Cloudy and gloomy weather, on the contrary, is bad.

It is celebrated on the ninth day after Easter. goes back to ancient times.

In the ancient Slavic figurative language, the concept of "Radonitsa" had a lot of meaning and denoted the names of all the keepers of the souls of the dead.

On this day, treats were brought to the graves of deceased relatives and left on the burial mounds. These offerings helped souls to receive energy and ascend to another world. Our ancestors brought eggs and pancakes to the cemetery, some they ate themselves, and some left on the graves. In some villages, it was customary to break eggs on a cross and crush them on the grave.

Our ancestors had a mandatory ritual to visit the churchyard on Radonitsa. It was believed that those who do not remember relatives will not be remembered either.

The tradition of commemorating the dead on Radonitsa has survived to this day. People come to the cemetery, put memorial gifts on the graves:

• colored eggs;
• pancakes, which have long been considered a symbol of the sun;
• biscuits;
• candies;
• baked goods;
• millet porridge;
• oatmeal jelly.

It is believed that on this day the souls of deceased people return to earth to taste Easter treats and celebrate the coming of Great Easter.

Also on this day, it is customary to give alms to the poor in commemoration of the soul of the deceased.

Radonitsa is a special memorial day - the mood on this day should be light and joyful. Remember good and funny moments from the life of your ancestors.

Radonitsa: customs

Radunitsa is a parental day when you need to go to the cemetery, remember the deceased loved ones and give alms to those in need.

Not everyone knows how to properly ask another person to remember a deceased relative. To do this, give treats with the words "Remember the servant of God (name of the deceased)." Having tasted the treat, a person should say "Kingdom of Heaven ..." and say the name of the person being remembered.

There is a belief that on this day the souls of the dead visit their homes. Therefore, do not forget to put the window open on Radonitsa and leave a plate with sweets, cookies, eggs or pastries on the windowsill. When laying the table on this day, increase the number of appliances according to the number of relatives you remember.

In some villages, it is customary to flood the bathhouse in the evening, as if inviting the souls of those who have passed away to take a steam bath there.

You cannot swear at Radonitsa: by swearing you upset the souls of loved ones who are next to you that day.

The church does not welcome the drinking of alcoholic beverages in the cemetery. In general, it is believed that drinking at the commemoration is not worth it.

Radonitsa: signs and superstitions

You cannot sow anything on Radonitsa and plant it in the ground. The Belarusians had a strict ban on planting something before this holiday. It was believed that first you need to put things in order at the graves, and then do agricultural work. Otherwise, it could turn into a crop failure due to the summer drought.

If it is raining on Radonitsa, this is a good sign. Our ancestors went out into the street during the rain and washed themselves with rainwater "for luck."

It is believed that those who did not visit the cemetery on this day will not be remembered after death.

To keep the harvest well, the peasants threw the egg three times across the threshing floor. It was important that the egg did not break.

If there is a new moon on Radunitsa, expect a good harvest. If the moon is waning, there will be a crop failure.

Whoever comes to the cemetery first to Radunitsa will receive protection and gratitude from the dead.

Pregnant women on Radunitsa were strictly forbidden to go to the cemetery.

What is Radonitsa?

On the second Tuesday after Easter, the Orthodox Church celebrates Radonitsa - a day of special commemoration of the dead. Christians, as usual, come to the cemetery to pray for the souls of deceased relatives and to clean up the burial place.

The cleaning and ennobling of graves, habitual for everyone, are actually justified by the Christian doctrine. Christians call the deceased "asleep" (asleep), but not "dead", because they believe that in due time they will rise from the grave, which means that the grave is the place of the future resurrection. Therefore, it must be kept clean and tidy.

As for the decoration of graves, for Christians the main decoration is the Christian cross, which marks the salvation and resurrection of a person. But few people actually think about it when they come to the cemetery, and they always bring with them an additional decoration - flowers. This is how our memory and love for the departed are manifested. This is natural for a person, and there is nothing strange here (the main thing is not to turn the grave into a flower bed). It is customary to bring flowers even to the temple, to place them in front of the icons. But if Christians bring fresh flowers to the church, then the overwhelming majority bring artificial flowers to the cemetery. However, this should not be done for several reasons.

Why you shouldn't bring artificial flowers to the cemetery

Let us ask ourselves the question, what makes us go to the cemetery to the graves of our relatives and friends? Public? Because everyone does this and is the custom - to clean up the grave? “Nobody forces us to go to the cemetery on the day of Radonitsa. We go to the graves voluntarily. Our sincere Love leads us. Love for the departed family and friends, which, despite the years of separation, is still alive and genuine. That is why our offerings to their graves must be alive and genuine, ”says Deacon Ioann Lyaschenko, Master of Theology at the University of Friborg (Switzerland).

Artificial flowers do not have deep historical roots, this tradition has no more than 10-15 years. The use of this kind of plastic jewelry does not bear any theological symbolism and is most often due to a person's desire to save money. It is generally accepted that artificial flowers are cheaper than real ones and retain their external "freshness" longer. In part, this is a myth. Artificial flowers in open spaces and in the sun quickly lose their presentation. Someone will say that real flowers will wither much faster than artificial ones will deteriorate. Let's not forget, however, that some real flowers can be planted near the grave and they will decorate it for a long time. In addition, in terms of cost, such flowers are only slightly more expensive than artificial ones (1 artificial flower costs 1 Belarusian rubles, and a seedling - 1 rubles 50 kopecks). Of course, you will have to visit the cemetery more often than once a year ...

It must be admitted that the flashy, bright artificial flowers do not at all correspond to the atmosphere of the cemetery in its Christian understanding. We repeat once again: the graves are the place of the resurrection of our deceased loved ones. This means that the cemetery is not only a place of sorrow and sadness, black, etc. (remember that during the funeral service, the priest wears white clothes, not black). But at the same time, this is not a platform for demonstrating bright "acidic" colors, tasteless artificial decorations, but a place where the living can recall in silence in prayer the dead and, without being distracted, "be with them."

After all, artificial flowers are, in a sense, discarded material - garbage. And the problem here is much more complicated than it seems ...

What are artificial flowers made of?

“Artificial flowers, despite their attractiveness and ease of use, pose a serious threat to the environment and human health,” says Daria Chumakova, Head of the Environmentally Friendly Lifestyle Program at the Center for Environmental Solutions.

Typically, artificial flowers are made from the following components. Petals are synthetic fabrics, for example, polyester, latex, organza, treated with various chemical compounds to give flexibility and resistance. For coloring, aniline dyes are most often used, which are quite toxic compounds that can have a negative effect on health, causing dizziness, headache, and weakness.

Stems, buds and other decorative elements of artificial flowers in most cases are made of plastic, most often PVC, which is also quite toxic.

Flower cores and small decorations can be made of foam, colored or not. When heated, polystyrene can release the carcinogen styrene.

Artificial flowers, like other artificial funerary decorations, end up in a landfill sooner or later. Discarded artificial flowers can continue to emit toxic substances, contaminating soil, air and groundwater. But when artificial flowers are burned, heavy metals and dioxins can be released into the environment.

Artificial flowers cannot be recycled: it is difficult to establish the type of plastic for proper sorting of waste, there are many by-materials. Thus, no matter how we do with artificial flowers, it will not be possible to get rid of them without harming nature and man.

How much money do we spend on Radonitsa

By purchasing artificial flowers, we are, in fact, buying garbage, which subsequently harms nature and can harm human health.

According to the data of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for 2015, about 1.5 million people visited the cemeteries in Belarus on Radonitsa. About the same number of visitors is expected this year. Let's try to calculate how much money we spend on buying artificial flowers. Suppose that if a third of all those who visited the cemetery take 2 artificial flowers, then there will be 1 million artificial flowers on the graves of our deceased. One artificial flower costs 10 thousand Belarusian rubles today. rub. Multiplying the total number of flowers by the cost of one flower, we get 10 billion Belarusian rubles. rub., or approximately 500 thousand. $. This amount is spent to pollute not only the cemetery, but also the surrounding nature.

It is difficult to find an excuse for using artificial flowers to decorate graves. There is no theological rationale, no natural science, no ecological, or even financial. Could it be that the reason for using artificial flowers is in our indifference and laziness? It is much more difficult to do a good deed in memory of the deceased than to just buy flowers, and artificial ones, and clean up the grave. Radonitsa is not a holiday for us, so that we rejoice at how beautifully we have decorated the grave. Radonitsa is a holiday for our deceased relatives and friends, so that they rejoice at how beautifully we adorned our souls with good deeds, remembering them and the good they once did for us.