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Feast Days

The Church calendar (Liturgical Year) starts September 1st which is considered the Ecclesiastical New Year and ends August 31st with the feast day honoring the Holy Belt of Virgin Mary. There are many different feasts celebrated during the ecclesiastical year.

There are the fixed or unmovable feast days. These feast days either:

  • Commemorate the falling asleep or death of a Saint of the Church;
  • Honor a miracle that took place; or
  • Signify a very important ecclesiastical event like the ecumenical Synods.

We have feast days that honor the life of Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist. On the other hand, we have movable feast days that the date changes. These feast days are associated with Easter. These feast days are 70 days before Easter and 57 days after Easter.

Please, keep in mind that every day a saint or an event of the church is celebrated. Below is published the most popular feast days.

In the monastic communities, a Divine Liturgy is celebrated every day in honor of all these saints and events.

All the feast days are recorded starting from September and ending end of August.

THE UNMOVABLE FEAST DAYS HONORING THE EVENTS FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.

  • September 1 Jesus teaching in the temple
  • December 25 Nativity of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ
  • January 1 The Circumcision of our Lord
  • January 6 The Baptism of our lord Jesus Christ
  • February 2 Presentation of our Lord to the Temple (40 days after Christmas)
  • March 25 The Annunciation of Virgin Mary
  • August 6 The Transfiguration of our Lord

(The other events from the life of Jesus Christ are recorded at the movable Feast days).

THE FEAST DAYS HONORING THE LIFE OF VIRGIN MARY

  • September 8 *Nativity of Virgin Mary
  • September 24 *The miracle of the icon of Virgin Mary the Myhrtyrdioteesa.
  • October 1 The miracle of the icon of Virgin Mary the Ghorghoypeecoos. (who listens very rapidly)
  • October 28 or October 1 *The Holy Protection of Virgin Mary, Aghia Skepee.
  • November 21 *Presentation of Virgin Mary to the Temple
  • December 9 *Synaxis of St. Anne. Conception of Virgin Mary
  • December 26 Synaxis of Virgin Mary
  • March 25 *Annunciation of Virgin Mary
  • The Friday after Easter, commemoration of the miracles at the life giving Fountain of Virgin Mary in Constantinople, Balikli.
  • June 11 Miracle of the icon of Axion Esti
  • July 2nd Miracle of Virgin Mary in Vlacherne, 473 A.D.
  • August 15 *Dormition of Virgin Mary (small Easter)
  • August 22 *Miracle of the icon Ghorghoypeecoos, 9th day after her dormition.
  • August 31 *The miracle of the Holy Belt of Virgin Mary

THE FEAST DAYS HONORING SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST:

  • September 23 Conception of Saint John the Baptist
  • January 7 Saint John the Baptist
  • June 24 The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
  • August 29 The beheading of Saint John the Baptist (fast day)

UNMOVABLE FEAST DAYS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH CALANDER

SEPTEMBER

  • 1- St. Symeon the Stylite
  • 2- St. Mamandos, III rd century
  • 5- St. Zachariah the Prophet, father of St. John
  • 6- The miracle of Archangel Michael in Honaes
  • 9- Saints Joachim and Anna (parents of Virgin Mary)
  • 14- *The Exaltation of the Holy Cross (fast day)
  • 15- St. Nekeeta, 372A.D., Symeon Arc/shop of Thes/niki 1429A.D.
  • 16- St. Evphemia the great martyr 304 A.D.
  • 17- *Sts. Sofia, Agapi, Elpida, Pistis ( Wisdom, Love, Faith and Hope). 137A.D.
  • 21- St. Jonah the prophet
  • 22- St. Phoca Bishop of Sinope 117A.D.
  • 24- *St. Thecla, I st century
  • 25- St. Evfrosynee, V Th cent.
  • 26- *St. John the Theologian and Evangelist, IInd cent.
  • 28- St. Barouch the Prophet
  • 29- St. Kyriaco, 556A.D.
  • 30- St. Gregory the great of Armenia, 335A.D.

OCTOBER

  • 1- Anania the apostle, I St cent, St. Romanos the melodian, VI th cent.and St. John the Koukouzel
  • 2- Sts. Cyprian and Julitta, 304 A.D.
  • 3- St. Dionysios of Aeropaghite, 96 A.D.
  • 4- St. Ierotheos, I st century
  • 6- St. Thomas the disciple, I st cen.
  • 7- Sts. Sergius and Vachos the great martyrs, 290,303 A.D.
  • 9- Abrahaam the righteous and his nephew Lot 2000 B.C.
  • St. James the disciple, son of Alpheous, I st cent.
  • 11- St. Philp one of the first seven deacons martyred in Tralles, (Aydin) of Asia Minor.
  • 12- St. Symeon the New Theologian, 1022 A.D.
  • *2nd SUNDAY OF OCTOBER COMMEMORATION OF THE 7TH ECUMENICAL SYNOD IN NICEAE (787)
  • 16- St. Longin the martyr on the Cross. I st cent.
  • 17- Osiah the Prophet, 820 B.C. Sts Anargyree Cosmas and Damian from Arabia
  • 18- *St. Luke the Evangelist, I st cent.
  • 19- Joel the Prophet. 800 B.C.
  • 20- *St. Gerasimos of Cefallonia,1581 A.D.,St. Artemios the great, 362 A.D., St. Matrona of Chios, 1462 A.D.
  • 23- *St. James the Apostle and Archbishop of Jerusalem, I st cent.
  • 26- *St. Demetrios the great martyr, 306 A.D.
  • 27- St.Nestor the martyr, 306 A.D. Kyriakos Arc/shop of Constantinople, 595-606 A.D. St. Proklees, wife of Pontius Pilate.
  • 29- St. Anastasia the Roman, III rd cen.
  • 31- St. Stachys the apostle and first bishop of Byzantium, I st century.

NOVEMBER

  • 1- *Sts. Anargyree Cosmas & Damian and Theodota from Asia Minor
  • 8- *The Synax of Archangel Michael and Gabriel and all the heavenly Angels
  • 9- *St. Nectarios of Aegeena, 1920 A.D.
  • 11- *Sts. Meenas, Victor and Vincent,304 A.D., IInd cent., 304 A.D.
  • 13- *St. John Chrysostom Archbishop of Constantinople, 407 A.D.
  • 14-St. Philip the Apostle, I st cent.
  • 15- The official Lent for Christmas starts
  • 16- *St. Matthew the Evangelist, 60 A.D.
  • 17- St. Gregory Bishop of Neo Caessaria, 270 A.D., Gennadios Archbishop of Constantinople, 471 A.D.
  • 19- Avid the Prophet IX th cent. B.C.
  • 24- St. Clement,bishop of Rome, 101 A.D.
  • 25- *St. Katherine the great martyr, 313 A.D.
  • 30- *St. Andrew the first called Apostle, 62 A.D.

DECEMBER

  • 1- Naoum the Prophet, VIIth century B.C.
  • 2- Abacoum the prophet, VI th cen. B.C.
  • 4-* St. Barbara, 306 A.D.
  • 6- * St. Nicholas the wonder maker, 330 A.D.
  • 9- * St. Anne, the mother of Virgin Mary, Anna the prophet, mother of Prophet Samuel, 110 B.C.
  • 12- *St. Spyridon, the wonder maker, 348 A.D.
  • 15- * St. Elevtherios the great martyr IInd century.
  • 16- Aggaeus the Prophet, 500 B.C.
  • 17- Daniel the Prophet, St. Dionysios of Aegeena, 1624 A.D.
  • 20- St. Ignatius, 107 A.D.
  • SUNDAY Before Christmas the Family Tree of Virgin Mary and Joseph is celebrated as is depicted at the gospel according to St. Luke.
  • 22- St. Anastasia the great martyr the pharmacist of Rome, 304 A.D.
  • 23- Commemoration of the consecration of the Great Church of Christ, the Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Constantinople
  • 27- *St. Stephan the first martyr,( Ist. Cen.)
  • 29- The 14000 babies killed by Herod, I st cent.

JANUARY:

  • 1- St. Basil the great archbishop of Caessaria, 379 A.D.
  • 2- Prophet Malachaiah, 300 B.C.
  • 10- St. Gregory of Nyssa, 395 A.D.
  • 16- Veneration of the chains of St. Peter.
  • 17- *St. Anthony the great, 356 AD
  • 18- *SSTs. Athanasios, 373 A.D. and Cyrillus, 444 A.D. Patriarchs of Alexandria
  • 20- St. Evthimios the great
  • 21- St. Maximos the Confessor
  • 22- St. Timothy the apostle
  • 25- *St. Gregory Archbishop of Constantinople, 390 A.D.
  • 27- The removal of the relics of St. John Chrysostom from Komana, Cafacasus to Constantinople, 438 A.D.
  • 28- St. Ephrem the Syrian, 373 A.D.
  • 30- * The Three Hierarchs

FEBRUARY

  • 1- St. Tryphon
  • 2- St Symeon the receiver of God, and Anna the prophet, Ist cent.
  • 6- St. Bouculos bishop od Smyrna, I st cent. And St. Photius the great, Patriarch of Constantinople, 891 A.D.
  • 8- Zacharaiah the prophet, 620 B.C. St. Theodore the soldier and great martyr, 319 A.D.
  • 10- * St. Haralambus the great martyr
  • 11- St. Theodora the queen, VII th cent.
  • 12- St. Meletios of Antioch, 381 A.D.
  • 13- Sts. Akylla and Priscilly the apostles, I st cent.
  • 15- Onysimus the apostle, 109 A.D.
  • 17- St. Theodore of Tyr, 307 A.D.
  • 18- St. Leo Pope of Rome, 461 A.D.
  • 19- Archippus, Phelemon,and Apphias the apostles, Ist cent. ; St. Philotheaee of Athens, 1589 A.D.
  • 23- St. Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna, 166 A.D.
  • 25- St. Tarasius of Constantinople

MARCH

  • 3- St. Gerasimos of Jordan ,475 A.D.
  • 6- Memory of finding the Holy Cross and the nails by St. Helen, 326 A.D.
  • 12- St. Gregory Pope of Rome the Dialogue, 604 A.D.; St. Symeon the new theologian, 1020 A.D.
  • 17- St. Alexios man of God, 411 A.D
  • 18- St. Cyrillus of Jerusalem, 386 A.D.
  • 26- Synaxis of Archangel Gabriel

APRIL

  • 1- St. Mary of Egypt, 522 A.D.
  • 23- * St. George the great martyr, 303 A.D.
  • 24- St. Elizabeth the wonder maker.
  • 26- St. Mark the evangelist. I st cent.
  • 29- Sts. Raphael, Nicholas and Irene the new martyrs of Lesbos
  • 30- St. James the APOSTLE BROTHER OF St. John, 44 A.D.
MAY
  • 5- St. Irene the great martyr, II nd cent.
  • 6- Job the righteous prophet, 2000-1500 B.C.
  • 7- Memory of the apparition of the Holy Cross on the sky, 351 A.D.
  • 8-*St. John the Theologian and evangelist
  • 9- Isaiah the prophet, VIII the cent. B.C.,St. Christopher, 250 A.D.
  • 11- Memory of the consecration of the city of Constantinople, by Konstantine the Great in 402. Sts. Cyrillus and Methodius illuminators of the Slavs, 869 and 855 A.D.
  • 15- St. Pachomious the great, 385 A.D.
  • 21-* Sts. Konstantine and Helen the king and queen, equal to the disciples
  • 22- Memory of the IInd Ecumenical Council in Constantinople, 381 A.D..
  • 23- St. Mary of Klopa the myrrh bears woman. Ist cent.
  • 27- St. John the Russian, the confessor. 1730 A.D.
  • 29- St. Theodossia of Constantinople, 730 A.D. St. Alexander archbishop of Alexandria, April 17,328 A.D.

JUNE

  • 1- St. Justin the philosopher, 166 A.D.
  • 4- St. Metrophanous archbishop of Constantinople, 326 A.D.
  • 11- St. Bartholomew the apostle, I st century.
  • 14- Eliseos the prophet, IX th cent. B.C., St. Methodious Archbishop of Constantinople. 847 A.D.
  • 15- Amos the prophet, St. Augustine bishop of Ippon
  • 20- St. Jude the apostle, 80 A. D.
  • 29- *Sts. Peter and Paul the disciples
  • 31- *Synaxis of the 12 disciples

JULY

  • 1- *Sts. Cosma and Damian the Merceneries the Romans, 284 A.D.
  • 4- St. Andrew of Crete,712 A.D.
  • 5- St. Athanasios of Mount Athos, 100 A.D.
  • 7- *St Kyriaki the great martyr. IV th Cent.
  • 11- St. Evphimia, 451 A.D.
  • SECOND SUNDAY OF JULY MEMORY OF THE 4th Ecumenical Synod in Chalcedon
  • 13- Synaxis of Archangel Gabriel
  • 17- St. Marina, Ivth cent
  • 18- St. Macrina, sister of St. Basil, 380 A.D.
  • 20 Prophet Elijah Xth century B.C.
  • 22 St. Mary the Madeleine, equal to the apostles, Ist cent., St. Markella of Chios.
  • 24- Sts. Christina great martyr, 300 A.D., Athenagoras .
  • 25- Dormition of St. Ann, mother of Virgin Mary,Ist cent.
  • 26- *St. Paraskevi the virgin martyr and St. Ermolaos the martyr, 305 A.D.
  • 27- *St. Pandeleimon the physician and great martyr, 305 A.D.
  • 30- St. Sila the apostle, I st cent.

AUGUST

  • 1- The procession of the Holy Cross, the 7 children of Maccabee, 166 A.D.
  • 3- The 7 children of Ephesus
  • 8- St. Maththias the disciple
  • 11- Memory of the miracle of St. Spyridon, 1716
  • 16- The Holy Napkin of Christ, St. Gerasimos of Cephallonia, 1579, A.D. St. Stamatios the new martyr
  • 20- Samuel the prophet
  • 24- St. Cosmas the Aetolian, 1799 A.D.

MOVABLE FEAST DAYS

The 4 WEEKS BEFORE GREAT LENT The Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee is the 3rd Sunday Before Great Lent; Sunday of the Prodigal Son, the Saturday Ist Saturday of Souls, 2nd Sunday Before Great Lent Cheese Fare Sunday, Saturday is the Second Saturday of Souls the Last Sunday before Great Lent is Meat Fare Sunday and the next day is the 1st day of the Great Lent called Clean Monday.

During Great Lent special services called Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, are celebrated on Wednesdays and Fridays. On Friday evenings the Stations of the Akathist Hymn to Virgin Mary are chanted on four stations and the Last (5th Friday) all the stations together are chanted.

The first Saturday of the Great Lent is the Last Saturday of Souls and the Feast Day of Saints Theodores.

The 1st Sunday of Lent is the Sunday of Orthodoxy. On this Sunday the Decision of the 7th Ecumenical Synod is commemorated and a procession of the Holy Icons take place as a sign of the reinstitution of the Holy Icons, which took place on the 7th Century.

The Second Sunday is the Sunday dedicated to St. Gregory Palamas , who introduced the Jesus Prayer. The Holy Church introduces this prayer as a companion to fasting. The prayer gives strength to the faithful to continue this spiritual journey of the Holy Lent.

The third Sunday is called the Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross. This is the Sunday, which is in the middle of the Great Lent. At the end of the Divine Liturgy the Cross in flowers is taken to procession. The meaning is that the faithful who are exercising the lent to take strength from the power of the Holy Cross. Also to remind them that after the suffering on the Cross always Resurrection and salvation follows.

The Fourth Sunday is dedicated to St. John the Climax as an example of conquering the temptations and climbing the ladder towards God. The ladder of purification from the temptations of the world an reach the state next to God, state of holiness through spiritual exercise, prayer, fasting, repentance and control our actions and thoughts.

The Fifth and the Last Sunday of the Great Lent is dedicated to St. Mary of Egypt. The life of saint Mary of Egypt is taken as example of extreme humility. Also to show to the faithful that God after serious repentance forgives even the worst of the sins.

The Holy Lent period finishes with the Last Saturday, which is dedicated to the Resurrection of Lazarus. During the weekdays Monday, Tuesday and Thursday the Church sings a service called Great compline. All these services are introduced to enforce the spiritual state of the faithful and to call them to public prayer aside then the private prayer.

The Great and Holy Week starts with the Palm Sunday. The glorious entrance of our Lord and Savior to the Holy City of Jerusalem. At the conclusion of the service the Palm Crosses are blessed and are distributed to the faithful, who attended the church service.

In the evening the Holy Monday Matins service is celebrated and is called the Service of the Bride groom the icon of Jesus Christ with the crown of thorns and the red cloak is taken to procession in a solemn service. The church celebrates the memory of St. Joseph of Pagalos and the drying by the Lord of the fig tree which did not bear fruit.

Holy Monday evening the service is called again, the Bridegroom service. The church commemorates the parable from the gospel of the ten virgins.

Holy Tuesday evening, the church celebrates the matins of Holy Wednesday. The Church commemorates the woman who washed the feet of Jesus Christ with her hair with expensive oil.

Holy Wednesday morning, the Church celebrates the Vesper of that day with Pre- Sanctified Liturgy. The same Liturgy is performed on Holy Monday Morning and Holy Tuesday morning. On the eve of Holy Wednesday the Greek orthodox churches perform the Sacrament of Holy Unction for the faithful at the Church.

On Holy Thursday Morning the Church celebrates the events that took place on Holy Thursday evening, the Last Supper. Vespers with Divine Liturgy is celebrated. At this Divine Liturgy also the Holy Communion for the emergency cases is prepared for all the year.

On Holy Thursday evening the events that took place on Good Friday morning are commemorated. The church performs the Mat9ins of Good Friday by reading 12 times the gospel depicting the events that took place. After the Fifth Gospel the priest takes the Big Holy Cross from the Altar in a solemn procession in the Church places it in the middle of the Solea . Solea is the Part at front of the Icon screen and everybody kneels during the procession. Then the service concludes after the reading of the 12th gospel. Every body goes to the Crucifix and venerates it.

Good Friday Morning the Royal Hours are read. At 3 p.m. The Great Vesper of the Unnailing Service takes place. Hymns are chanted and the gospel is read, towards the end of the gospel reading the priests takes a shroud and takes down the body of the crucified Christ. Wraps it into the shroud and places it on the Altar table then the Special material called the shroud of Christ is taken out in a solemn procession in the Church and is placed in a special canopy decorated with flowers called Epitaphion.

Good Friday night is the Lamentation service, people with candles in their hand sing hymns to Jesus Christ and in one moment the Canopy with shroud is taken out of the Church in a very big solemn procession and people go behind the Epitaphion and sing hymns. The procession goes around the Church and comes into the Church and then the priest takes the shroud from the canopy and places it on the Altar. This signifies the burial of Christ.

On Holy Saturday Morning the Church celebrates the Descent of Our Lord to the Hades and the Resurrection of all the righteous soul from the Hades. This service is called the First Resurrection. It is a Vesper with Divine Liturgy.

In the evening at 11 p.m. the matins of Easter is sung and at 12 mid night the Holy Resurrection Gospel outside the church is Read and the Resurrection Hymn is proclaimed is Easter and then with a procession the priest and the faithful with their candles in their hands return in to the church. The matins are concluded and the Paschal Divine Liturgy is celebrated, the service concludes with Holy Communion and distribution of Red Eggs.

With Easter the Pentecostal Season starts.

The First week after Easter is called the Bright week. The Church considers the whole week as one Day from Easter Sunday to the 1st Sunday of Easter, which is dedicated to Saint Thomas. On Easter Morning the Vesper is celebrated and the Gospel is read in many languages. At the conclusion of the service red eggs are distributed.

The second Sunday is dedicated to the Myrrh bearing women

The third Sunday is dedicated to the Sunday of the Cananite woman

The Fourth Sunday is dedicated to the gospel account of the Paralytic.

The Fifth Sunday is dedicated to the gospel account of the blind man.

The following Wednesday is the Re-institution of Easter Holiday and Great Feast. The next Day is 40 days from Easter and the Glorious Ascension of Our Lord and Savior is celebrated. The next Sunday is the memory of the Holy fathers of the I St Ecumenical Synod in Nicea and the following Saturday is the last Saturday of Souls of the year.

The next day, is 50 days after Easter. It is the Feast Day of Pentecost. The descent of the holy Spirit upon the Disciples and the establishment of the Church on earth. The next Day is the Feast day of the Holy Trinity. So the Pentecostal season concludes the next Sunday which is dedicated to All the known and unknown Saints of the world.

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