The bishop of the Chisinau Church “Saint Dumitru” Pavel Borshevski called on the Christians who will go to the cemetery on Low Sunday to give up taking gifs and food as this is a pagan practice. “From Greek, ‘cemetery’ means bedroom and we come to the cemetery to those who ‘sleep’ and must realize that we cannot take food into the bedroom, especially because those who ‘sleep’ do not need food as they are fed spiritually by Jesus Christ,” the priest stated for IPN.
Pavel Borshevski said that when we go to the cemetery, we must kiss the cross from the grave, which symbolizes the redemption weapon by which God redeemed us all. Afterward, we must put the cake and red painted eggs on the grave. The red egg symbolizes Easter, while the cake – the body of Jesus Christ. We must also put a beeswax candle in the cake as the wax is gathered by the bees, which are the cleanest beings.
He added that we must also take coal and incense to cover the graves with these three times, saying “Jesus has risen!”. Then the people stay near the graves and do not smoke and do not drink alcohol. Wine is poured onto the grave only if the dead person wasn’t embalmed with a special solution consisting of wine and holy oil, as Jesus Christ was.
“Only the pagans ate near the graves, considering that if they ate the food liked by those who ‘sleep’ that food will get to them. But we know that no matter how much someone eats instead of us, we will never be sated. If somebody loves another person, that love is transmitted and we feel it,” said the priest.
As to flowers, the priest said the living flowers are welcome, not yet the artificial ones. “We go to the cemetery with sincerity and love. Monday and Tuesday are the most suitable days for remembering the dead. We can also go on Wednesday or Thursday. It does not matter when. It is important that we go not only once a year. And not the monument on the grave, but the cross by which Jesus Christ brought joy to all the people matters. We do not go to take plates and dishes to the dead one. We must give alms to the poor ones,” said Pavel Borshevski.
In Moldova, Low Sunday, which is also known as Antipascha, St Thomas Sunday or Renewal Sunday, takes place the next Sunday and the next Monday after Easter.
