At present Radunitsa weather does not bode well: overcast sky, the wind, even small hail in the morning on the ground there was generous handful of small white peas. It seemed that people will take a holiday in the closed confines of their apartments, but in spite of weather forecasts cleared up in the afternoon: the sun and made it to the dust clouds and the temperature crept up, and citizens came to pay tribute and memory of their ancestors.

People were walking together, driving up the machines for the placement which is closely monitored by representatives of the traffic police. But despite the large number of people, it was obvious that each individual experienced life story of their ancestors, and not too flaunted their emotions. Especially no one wanted to talk. And it seemed to me that in some degree Radunitsa as, by the way, and the Trinity, for ordinary Belarusians remained almost the only place that does not extend to the power of the state, has made itself controlled almost every aspect of human life.

By and large, each had their own Radunitsa today: one is correlated with Christian rites, someone intentionally or unintentionally used elements of paganism, and someone directly adhered to the family tradition, but at the same time one does not impose its views on others. Therefore, in some degree, oddly enough, for the local human cemetery was on the territory of a certain freedom today. Maybe, and this implies a large annual pilgrimage to the graves of our ancestors of the population?

Here are three women, three generations of the same family, came to the graves of their relatives came with red colored eggs and flowers, but without drinks and food. By the way, a Christian approach to the holiday appears quite obvious. As the eldest of the women in the Soviet times Radunitsa went after work, and how much she can remember, in the cemetery that day went always.

– Maybe because Starosemenovsky cemetery arose long ago, on Radunitsa people gathered here always. Going to relatives, friends, and rejoice when all attend. Easter – a celebration of the living, but Radunitsa – a holiday for the living and the dead. People come to share the joy of Christ's resurrection with buried – said the elderly woman.

– I've already middle-aged woman, but as I can remember, my parents always visited the cemetery on Radunitsa, but the Trinity sought leave to stay with relatives in the village. Here we have a father, mother buried, but our Natasha, she died early, worked in Lukashenka's administration department manager. These are all the monuments made by her father, he was a sculptor. But vandals spoiled person repelled nose, thought bronze. So we made the inscription: "Made of concrete."

At this point in the neighboring tomb of candles lit artificial flowers, and the man suddenly rushed to fill the ensuing fire.

At the cemetery buried at Starosemenovsky and teacher Marc Chagall Yehuda Pen. With me to the grave approached by a group of five visitors. Pretty playful young woman is outraged by the fact that despite the presence of the past history of the city only two internationally renowned artists – Marc Chagall and Peng, special honors to the artist buried here not.

– Is this man deserves a monument on his grave? Construction is in full swing, there is money in the city, and no decent monument. That's what you and write. When we were vacationing in Nice, you've seen a huge Picasso Museum, and there part of the exhibition is reserved for Pan, and some – for Chagall. And we even have money for a decent monument was not. It's a shame.

Visited the cemetery and the rector Alexander Kovalev, head of the youth department of the Vitebsk diocese. That's what the priest said about today's holiday:

– Radunitsa – this ninth day of the Paschal. Therefore, on the ninth day after the resurrection of Christ all the faithful visit cemeteries. This holiday is a very good educational moment for young people, as today's generation of children and adolescents do not feel absolutely a no respect for those who came before them. In a joint visit to the cemetery with the older generation is precisely the most important educational moment. We can not pray for those who stepped into eternity, because we have always maintained that we are loving people. And if so, then we have a lifetime to learn this divine true love. What we can do besides praying for those who have been lying in the grave? We are all sinners. And I know for sure, as long as they were alive, they could change their lives and change themselves, but as soon as they died – all this is over. But we love them and through their prayer support of their deceased relatives. And today, we can not be indifferent, we ask the Lord to forgive the sins of our loved ones. There is no alternative. But we must remember that the memorial dinner – this is not the main thing, the main thing – to remember the deceased, say a prayer, speak well, to lay flowers. Leaving the same food at the cemetery – it's all from folk tales. Religious ignorance. But for every believer's guide to life should always be the text of Scripture.

When I went to the cemetery, it seemed that one of the most extreme graves came an angel – this angel was a girl dressed like her mother in white clothes ...

S. Horki