On Saturday before Mesni Zagovezni or Meat Shrovetide Orthodox Bulgarians commemorate the dead. It is one of the three All Souls' Day that Orthodox Christians mark each year.
The very name "Zadushnitsa" means a day for commemorating the souls of the departed and it is always on a Saturday designated by the church to honor the dead.
After the commemoration, relatives of the deceased make gifts with the words: "May God forgive." The bell tolls mournfully, with a measured stroke. On the day before, the relatives of the deceased visit the grave, clean it, then pour wine over it and burn incense. The next day, during the liturgy, the Gospel reading recalls the picture of the Last Judgment.
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