Today is a stifle, tomorrow Pentecost (Duhovden)

Orthodox Christians today celebrate Kujushnica in memory of the deceased, and tomorrow they celebrate Pentecost – the descent of the Holy Spirit (Duvidna).

The church prescribed special days – stifles, four times a year, when believers pray for the souls of the deceased. Zavushnica is always on Saturday, a day the church has set for memory and prayer for the deceased.

Suzhushnica goes to a church where Liturgy and Parastos are served. On this day, the cemetery is visited where with prayer, wheat and bread consecrated with red wine is a commemoration of the deceased. The faithful gives the poor to the poor in the name of the deceased and pray for the rest of their souls.

Duhovden, on the other hand, marks the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, or as the Holy Fathers call the « birthday of the Church ». On the 10th day of the Ascension of Christ, and on the 50th of His Resurrection, on the Jewish feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of flaming languages, and they were fulfilled with strength and received a gift to speak in various languages.

For the Church, this event is of particular importance because the Holy Spirit of that time, until today, does not abandon it and incessantly descend to the Church of the Liturgy, in prayers, in all works. He is the spirit that Christian life is called spiritual. Pentecost is one of the brightest holidays in Christianity and is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. In the Old Testament, people knew only about God, with the birth of Christ the only -born Son, and at Pentecost they met the third person of the Holy Trinity – the Holy Spirit.