Archangel's All Souls' Day is today – on the Saturday before the Feast of the Archangels, which the Orthodox Church celebrates on November 8. This is the last of the three major All Souls' Days observed during the year and a day for prayerful remembrance of deceased loved ones.
In Orthodox churches, a requiem Divine Liturgy and a communal memorial service are held. In church tradition, Saturday is associated with commemorating the dead, while prayer is directed toward the repose of their souls. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church designates Archangel's All Souls' Day as a day to commemorate deceased Christians on the Saturday before the Feast of the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael.
“Wash away, O Lord, the sins of those commemorated here with Your precious Blood, through the prayers of Your saints,” reads part of the prayer cited by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in its explanation of the All Souls' Day.
Commemorating loved ones and honoring soldiers
People visit the graves of their loved ones, clean them and decorate them with fresh flowers. Candles are lit, incense is burned and wine is poured over the graves. Traditional offerings include wheat, bread and wine, which are handed out “for God to forgive them.”
Archangel's All Souls' Day is also known as Soldiers' or Men's All Souls' Day. On this day, special honor is paid to the officers and soldiers who died for Bulgaria, as well as to all those who fell in the ranks of the Bulgarian Army. The Bulgarian National Radio reports that it is precisely the commemoration of the fallen soldiers that is the reason the day is called “Men's All Souls' Day.”
In Tryavna, for example, a requiem Divine Liturgy is scheduled at the Church of St. Archangel Michael, followed by a memorial service in front of the “Wall of Courage” memorial complex. The municipality notes that the military ceremony honoring the fallen is part of the tradition of Archangel's All Souls' Day.
The Feast of the Archangels and the winter fast follow
The Feast of the Archangels is celebrated on November 8, following All Souls' Day – the Feast of the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Bodiless Powers of Heaven. The church calendar for November 7 also includes the commemoration of the 33 Holy Martyrs of Melitene and Venerable Lazarus of Galisian.
Sources: bnrnews.bg, darik.bg