Saturday of Souls 2025, tomorrow 22 February 2025 – Why the orthodox church established it before Meatfare Sunday.
The Saturday before Meatfare Sunday is called “Saturday of Souls” or “Psychosavato.”
It is the first of the two Saturday of Souls 2025 celebrations of the year (the second occurs on the Saturday before Pentecost Sunday).
The reason the Church established this tradition, even though every Saturday is dedicated to the departed, is as follows:
Because many people throughout history died young, in foreign lands, at sea, in mountains and cliffs, or some, due to poverty, never had the opportunity to receive the prescribed memorial services, the “Holy Fathers, moved by love for mankind, established this memorial for all the faithful departed Christians who have passed away in piety since time immemorial.”
Since on Meatfare Sunday, we commemorate the Second Coming of Christ, and the departed have not yet been judged, we remember them today and, invoking His boundless mercy, we ask God, through the memorial service we conduct, to grant them rest.
At the same time, by remembering the death of others, we are “awakened to repentance…”