Lentorama 2021: Take Your Holiday to Go

Day 32: Demetrius Saturday

Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches recognize a number of Saturdays as Soul Saturdays, when prayers are given for departed relatives and others who would not be recognized as saints. Saturday was chosen as it was the day where Jesus lay dead in the tomb. Not surprisingly, many of the Soul Saturdays happen around Lent and Easter.

Demetrius Saturday, however, takes place on the Saturday closest to October 26, the feast day of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki. Its celebration is generally like that of the other Soul Saturdays, where the regular Divine Service has added hymns to remember the dead. There is also usually a memorial service held either before Divine Service or after Friday night Vespers, and the blessing of koliva, a dish of boiled wheatberries and honey that is eaten after the service in memory of the departed.

A much fuller discussion of Saint Demetrius and the establishment of this day can be found here.