Radunitsa, Commemoration Day of the Departed

On Tuesday, 3 May, Belarus celebrates Radunitsa (Radonitsa), or Commemoration Day of the Departed. It is one of the ancient Slavonic holidays.

On the eve, everyone visits cemeteries, puts their ancestors’ graves in order and decorates them with flowers.

Every year on this holiday more than a million Belarusians go to the cemeteries. Christians also pray in churches for the salvation of souls of deceased relatives.

In Belarus, in contrast to many countries, this holiday is traditionally an official non-working day.