Orthodox Christians mark Cherry All Souls’ Day

Today is Cherry All Souls’ Day, the day when we honor our deceased relatives and pray for the souls of the departed always falls on Saturday. A common mass for the dead is served in all Orthodox temples. Later, wheat, bread and the first cherries are given away as offering - hence the name of the ritual.

In our folklore calendar, Cherry All Souls’ Day is also called Spasovska Zadushnitsa, because it is marked after the Holy Ascension (Spasovden). The All Souls’ Day before Pentecost is known in Bulgaria as the Cherry All Souls’ Day, because cherries are the most popular fruit of the season, present on the table at all feasts. It is also a day of charity, as the food left after the shared meal is given to the needy.

Text by: Gergana Mancheva
English version: Kostadin Atanasov