Parishioners attending the Zadusnice Memorial Service brought forward 192 names of departed loved ones to be shared and recognized Saturday morning, Oct. 10 at 9:00 a.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Merrillville, IN.
The purpose of the memorial service was to bring comfort to both the living and the dead. As is sung in the concluding song – Memory Eternal – it also helps us keep the memory of the loved one alive.
Zadusnice, also known as Saturday of Souls or All Souls’ Day, is a day commemorating the faithful departed, particularly but not exclusively one’s relatives. This special observance takes place on a Saturday, a traditional day for prayer for the dead, because Christ lay dead in the Tomb on Saturday.
For the Zadusnice observance, parishioners write down the names of their departed loved ones and share them with clergy prior to the start of the service. The Panikhida (memorial service) is then served on the Saturday morning for which Koliva (a dish made of boiled wheatberries and honey) is prepared and placed in front of the cross or icon with a lit candle, before which the Panikhida is served.
After the service, the priest blesses the koliva and it is then eaten as a memorial by all present.
Zadusnice Memorial Service takes place four times per year. If you were not able to attend this most recent service, we encourage you to save-the-date for November 7 to join us for the next Zadusnice Memorial Service .
We also encourage you to join us at any of our events at St. Sava by visiting our online calendar at https://www.saintsava.net/calendar/.
