Day off for all deceased
The day of rest for all deceased is a holiday of the Syrian Orthodox Church , which is observed on Easter Monday .
The day is first celebrated with a mass in which all deceased in a community are remembered. While the names are read aloud, the bells ring. Afterwards, the congregation gathers in the churchyard to eat the Birghil together while the priest repeats the prayer of the absolute. The Birghil consists of ground wheat, a kind of fried egg and yoghurt. For deacons and children's choirs there are additional Easter eggs as a reward for singing during Lent.
The priest and parishioners then visit the graves of the deceased and pray there again. Here, relatives distribute gifts such as Easter eggs to the visitors.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Gabriel Rabo: Easter in the Syrian Orthodox Church. Retrieved March 10, 2017