The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates a large number of religious dates dedicated to various saints. One of these dates is the day of St. Dmitry, when believers remember St. Dmitry Thessaloniki.
The Day of St. Dmitry in the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church is celebrated on October 26, when they commemorate St. Dmitry Thessaloniki, the Christian great martyr.
Saint Dmitry's Day
It should be taken into account that the Russian Christian tradition adheres to the Julian calendar when determining significant religious dates. Therefore, according to the Gregorian calendar, which is often called the new style and which corresponds to the chronology adopted in the secular world, St. Dimitri's Day falls on November 8th.
In the religious sense, the day of St. Dmitry is primarily interpreted as a date on which it is customary to commemorate deceased ancestors. It becomes especially important if Dmitriev's day falls on a Saturday; otherwise, it is customary to pay tribute to the memory of the ancestors on the Saturday preceding the onset of the day of St. Dmitry. This day is also often called Parent's Saturday.
In addition to religious significance, this day has its own interpretation in the national calendar. According to signs, it marks the final onset of the autumn-winter season, as well as the end of the wedding season. In addition to Russia, St. Dmitry's Day is also celebrated in a number of other Slavic countries, for example, in Bulgaria and Romania.
Dmitry Solunsky
Dmitry Solunsky himself, according to the information preserved about him, was the son of a Roman proconsul, and then he himself took over as his father after his death. His main responsibility was to ensure the protection of the city, today known as Thessaloniki, from the invasion of hostile invasions. However, in addition to this, Dmitry was actively involved in educational activities, preaching the Christian religion among the residents of the city.
This information reached the then Roman emperor Maximilian, who was dissatisfied with such activities of one of his military leaders and ordered his execution. According to legend, Dmitry Solunsky was pierced with many spears, and then his body was given to be torn apart by wild animals. However, legend says, wild animals did not touch his body, and Christians whom he converted to his faith carried out his burial, according to accepted traditions.
Subsequently, Dmitry Solunsky, for his torment, which he took for faith, was canonized, that is, canonized. Above the place where the saint was supposed to have been buried, a church was built, named in his honor, the Basilica of Saint Demetrius. And during the construction process, his remains were found, which were placed in a special marble tomb. Later, the relics of Saint Dmitry were transported to Italy, and in the 20th century they were returned to Thessaloniki again.
