Russian Orthodox Christian Menaion Calendar

May

Saints commemorated, links to lives of Saints,

Feasts, Scripture Readings, rubrics

Some Greek Calendar entries

May 1 (Civil Date: May 14)

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  1. Prophet Jeremiah.
  2. St. Paphnutius, abbot of Borovsk.
  3. Martyr Batas of Nisibis.
  4. Hieromartyr Macarius, Metropolitan of Kiev.
  5. New-Martyrs Euthymius, Ignatius and Acacius of Mt. Athos.
  6. St. Gerasimus, abbot of Boldinsk.
  7. St. Tamara the Queen of Georgia.
  8. Greek Calendar
    • St. Isidora.
    • St. Panaretus of Cyprus, Archbishop Martyr Sabbas.
    • St. Nicephorus of Chios, monk.
  9. Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Unexpected Joy".
  10. Repose of Schemamonk Luke of Clinsk Hermitage (1898).

May 2 (Civil Date: May 15)

  1. St. Athanasius the Great, Patriarch of Alexandria.
  2. St. Athanasius of Lubensk, Patriarch of Constantinople.
  3. Martyrs Hesperus, Zoe, and their sons Cyriacus and Theodulus, at Attalia.
  4. Translation of the Relics of the Holy Passion-bearers Boris and Gleb (in holy baptism, Romanus and David).
  5. St. Boris-Michael, prince of Bulgaria.
  6. Greek Calendar
    • St. Jordan the Wonderworker.

May 3 (Civil Date: May 16)

  1. Martyrs Timothy the Reader and his wife Maura of Antinoe in Egypt.
  2. St. Theodosius, abbot of the Kiev Caves Monastery and founder of coenobitic monasticism in Russia.
  3. St. Peter the Wonderworker, Bishop of Argolis.
  4. Greek Calendar
    • St. Ecumenius of Trikala, the wonderworker.
    • Great-Martyr Xenia of Peloponnesus, the wonderworker.
    • Translation of the Relics of St. Luke of Mt.
    • Stirion.
    • New-Martyr Ahmet the Calligrapher of Constantinople.
    • New-Martyr Mary of Crete.
  5. "Svenskaya" (Kiev Caves) Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

May 4 (Civil Date: May 17)

  1. Virgin Martyr Pelagia of Tarsus in Asia Minor.
  2. Hieromartyr Silvanus, Bishop of Gaza.
  3. Hieromartyr Albian (Olbian), Bishop of Anea in Asia Minor.
  4. Hieromartyr Erasmus, Bishop of Formia in Campania.
  5. Translation of the Relics of Righteous Lazarus and St. Mary Magdalen, Equal-to-the-Apostles.
  6. Martyrs Aphrodisius, Leontius, Anthony, Valerian, Macrobius, and others, monks of Palestine.
  7. St. Nicephorus, abbot of Medikion.
  8. St. Nicephorus of Mt. Athos.
  9. St. Athanasius, Bishop of Corinth.
  10. The Alfanov brothers: Saints Nicetas, Cyril, Nicephorus, Clement, and Isaac of Novgorod, founders of the Sikolnitzki Monastery.
  11. Greek Calendar
    • St. Hilary the Wonderworker of the desert.

May 5 (Civil Date: May 18)

  1. Great-Martyr Irene of Thessalonica.
  2. Martyrs Neophytus, Gaius and Caianus.
  3. St. Micah, disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
  4. St. Adrian, abbot of Monza Monastery.
  5. Opening of the Relics of St. James, abbot of Zheleznoborov.
  6. Greek Calendar
    • St. Euthymius, Bishop of Maditos in Thrace, the wonderworker.

May 6 (Civil Date: May 19)

  1. Righteous Job the Long-suffering St. Job, abbot and wonderworker of Pochaev.
  2. Martyrs Barbaruldier, Bacchus, Callimachus, an Dionysius, in Morea.
  3. Martyr Barbarus in Thessaly.
  4. Translation of the Relics of St. Pachomius of Nerekhta.
  5. Greek Calendar
    • Saints Mamas, Pachomius and Hilarion, monks.
    • Martyrs Demetrius, Danax, Mesiurs, Therin, and Donatus.
    • St. Seraphim of Mt. Domvu.
  6. Birthday of Royal Martyr Tsar Nicholas II.

May 7 (Civil Date: May 20)

  1. Commemoration of the Apparition of the Sign of the Precious Cross over Jerusalem in 351 A.D.
    LITURGY: I Cor 1:18-24; Jn 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35.
  2. Martyr Acacius the centurion at Byzantium.
  3. Repose of of St. Nilus, abbot of Sora.
  4. St. John of Zaden in Georgia, and 12 disciples: Saints Shio, David, Anthony, Thaddeus, Stephen, Isidore, Michael, Pyrrhus, Zeno, Jesse, Joseph, and Abibus.
  5. New-Martyr Pachomius of Patmos.
  6. Opening of the Relics of St. Nilus the Myrrh-gusher of Mt. Athos.
  7. "Zhirovits" Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
  8. Repose of Hieromonk Eulogius of Valaam (1969).

May 8 (Civil Date: May 21)

  1. Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian.
  2. St. Arsenius the Great.
  3. (services combined) St. Arsenius of Novgorod, fool-for-Christ.
  4. St. Arsenius the Lover of labor, of the Kiev Caves.
  5. St. Hierax of Egypt.
  6. Greek Calendar
    • St. Milles the Melode, monk.
    • Commemoration of the miraculous healing of blinded Stephen by the Mother of God of Cassiopia.
  7. Repose of Schemahieromonk Michael of Valaam, confessor for the Orthodox Calendar (1934), and Blessed Basiliscus of Uglich (1863).

May 9 (Civil Date: May 22)

  1. Translation of the Relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra to Bari.
  2. Prophet Isaiah.
  3. Martyr Christopher of Lycia, and with him Martyrs Callinica and Aquilina.
  4. Martyr Epimachus the New of Alexandria.
  5. Martyr Gordion at Rome.
  6. Translation of the Relics of Child-martyr Gabriel of Slutsk.
  7. Monk-martyr Nicholas who lived in Vuneni, of Larissa in Thessaly.
  8. St. Shio, monk, of Georgia.
  9. Repose of Schemahieromonk Joseph of Optina (1911).

May 10 (Civil Date: May 23)

  1. Apostle Simon Zelotes.
  2. St. Isidore the Fool of Tabenna in Egypt.
  3. Blessed Thais (Taisia) of Egypt.
  4. Martyr Hesychius of Antioch.
  5. Martyrs Philadelphus, Cyprian, Alphius, Onesimus, Erasmus, and 14 others in Sicily.
  6. St. Laurence, monk of Egypt.
  7. Blessed Simon of Yurievits, fool-for-Christ.
  8. Translation of the Relics of Blessed Martyr Basil of Mangazea in Siberia.
  9. Repose of Blessed Synesius of Irkutsk, friend of St. Sophronius (1787), and Eldress Thais (Taisia) of Voronezh (1840).

May 11 (Civil Date: May 24)

  1. Holy Equals-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril, first teachers of the Slavs.
  2. Hieromartyr Mocius (Mucius), presbyter of Amphipolis in Macedonia
    LITURGY: II Tim 2:1-10; Jn 15:9-16.
  3. Commemoration of the Founding of Constantinople.
  4. St. Nicodemus, Archbishop of Serbia.
  5. St. Sophronius, recluse of the Kiev Caves.
  6. St. Joseph, Metropolitan of Astrakhan.
  7. New-Martyrs Diosorus and Argyrus.
  8. St. Bessarion, Archbishop of Larissa.
  9. Martyr Acacius of Lower Moesia.

May 12 (Civil Date: May 25)

  1. St. Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus
  2. St. Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople.
  3. St. Sabinus, Archbishop of Cyprus.
  4. St. Polybius, Bishop of Cyprus.
  5. St. Dionysius, archimandrite of St. Sergius' Monastery.
  6. St. Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow.
  7. New-Martyr John of Walachia.
  8. Greek Calendar
    • St. Theodore of Cythera, monk.
  9. Commemoration of the Monk Dorotheus, disciple of St. Dionysius of St. Sergius' Lavra.

May 13 (Civil Date: May 26)

  1. Virgin Martyr Glyceria at Heraclea.
  2. Martyr Laodicius, jailer of St. Glyceria.
  3. Martyr Alexander of Rome.
  4. St. George the Confessor of Constantinople.
  5. St. Pausicacius, Bishop of Synnada.
  6. St. Euthymius the New, founder of Iveron Monastery, and his fellow Georgian saints of Mt. Athos. his father John, his cousin George, and Gabriel.
  7. Commemoration of monks of Iveron martyred by the Latins in the 13th century.
  8. Righteous Virgin Glyceria of Novgorod.
  9. Translation of the Relics of St. Macarius, archimadrite of Obruch or Kanev.
  10. St. Macarius, abbot of Glushets (Vologda).
  11. St. Sergius Georgius the Confessor of Constantinople.
  12. Greek Calendar
    • St. Nicephorus, priest of the Monastery of Ephapsios.
    • Hieromartyr Alexander of Tiverias.
  13. Repose of Righteous Priest Alexis of Bartsumany, disciple of St. Seraphim (1848),
  14. Repose of Ryasofor-monk John of St. Nilus of Sora Monastery (1863).

May 14 (Civil Date: May 27)

  1. Martyr Isidore of Chios.
  2. St. Isidore, fool-for-Christ, wonderworker of Rostov.
  3. Martyr Maximus.
  4. St. Serapion, monk of Egypt.
  5. St. Nicetas, Bishop of Novgorod and recluse of the Kiev Caves.
  6. New-Martyr Mark of Crete at Smyrna.
  7. New-Martyr John of Bulgaria.
  8. First Opening of the Relics of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk (1846).
  9. Greek Calendar
    • Martyrs Alexander, Barbarus and Acolythus, martyred at the Church of the Holy Peace by the Sea in Constantinople.
    • St. Leontius, Patriarch of Jerusalem.
  10. Commemoration of the martyrdom by the Poles of Abbot Anthony with 40 monks and 1000 laymen of St. Paisius of Uglich Monastery, and Abbot Daniel with 30 monks and 200 laymen of St. Nicholas' Monastery (1609).

May 15 (Civil Date: May 28)

  1. St. Pachomius the Great, founder of coenobitic monasticism
    LITURGY: II Cor 4:6-15; Lk 14:25-35.
  2. St. Isaiah, Bishop and wonderworker of Rostov.
  3. The slain Crown Prince Demetrius of Moscow.
  4. St. Achilles, Bishop of Larissa.
  5. St. Euphrosynus, abbot, wonderworker of Pskov, and his disciple St. Serapion.
  6. St. Isaiah, wonderworker of the Kiev Caves.
  7. St. Pachomius, abbot, and St. Silvanus, of Nerekhta.
  8. St. Demetrius, prince-prisoner, of Uglich (Vologda).
  9. New-Martyrs Archbishop Pachomius of Chernigov (1938), his brother Archbishop Avercius (1927), their father Priest Nicholas Kedrov (1936), and their brother-in-law Priest Vladimir Zagarsky (1937).
  10. Greek Calendar
    • St. Barbarus the Myrrh-gusher of Corfu.
    • St. Andrew the hermit and wonderworker.

May 16 (Civil Date: May 29)

  1. St. Theodore the Sanctified, disciple of St. Pachomius the Great.
  2. St. Ephraim, abbot of Perekos (Novgorod).
  3. Blessed child Musa of Rome.
  4. St. George, Bishop of Mitylene.
  5. Martyr Abdiesus, Bishop, and companions, in Persia.
  6. Martyr Peter of Blachernae.
  7. St. Nicholas the Mystic, Patriarch of Constantinople.
  8. Martyrs Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia at Lucania.
  9. New-Martyr Nicholas of Metsov, whose relics are at Meteora.
  10. Saints Cassian and Laurence, abbots of Komel (Vologda).
  11. Greek Calendar
    • St. Alexander, Archbishop of Jerusalem.
    • St. Euphemia near Neaorion.

May 17 (Civil Date: May 30)

  1. Apostle Andronicus of the Seventy and his fellow laborer Junia.
  2. St. Stephen, Archbishop of Constantinople.
  3. Martyrs Solochon, Pamphamer, and Pamphalon at Chalcedon.
  4. Saints Nectarius and Theophanes of Meteora.
  5. St. Euphrosyne (princess Eudocia) of Moscow.
  6. Greek Calendar
    • St. Athanasius the New, wonderworker of Christianopolis.
    • Repose of Righteous Priest Jonah of Odessa (1924).
    • Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra, and with him the seven Virgin Martyrs Alexandra, Tecusa, Claudia, Phaine, Euphraisa, Matrona and Julia.
    • Martyrs Peter, Dionysius, and those who suffered under Decius: Andrew, Paul, Christina, Heraclius, Paulinus, and Benedimus.
    • Martyrs Symeon, Isaac and Bachtisius of Persia.
    • Martyr Euphrasia of Nicaea.
    • Martyr Theodota at Ancyra.
    • Martyrs David and Tarechan of Georgia.
    • BEGIN:Greek Calendar:
    • Martyr Julian.
    • St. Stephen the New, Patriarch of Constantinople.
    • Hieromartyr Theodore, pope of Rome.
    • St. Anastaso of Lukada.
    • St. Martinian of Areovinthus, monk.
  7. Repose of Archimandrite Macarius, missionary to the Altai, Siberia (1847), and Blessed Philip, founder of the Gethsemane Caves Skete of St. Sergius' Lavra (1869).

May 19 (Civil Date: June 2)

  1. Hieromartyr Patrick, Bishop of Prusa, and his companions: Presbyters Acacius, Menander, and Polyenus.
  2. St. Cornelius, abbot of Komel (Vologda).
  3. Martyr Acolothus of the Thebaid.
  4. St. John, Bishop of Goths in Crimea.
  5. St. John, prince of Uglich, tonsured as Ignatius (Vologda).
  6. St. Sergius, monk of Shukhtov.
  7. St. Cornelius, abbot of Paleostrov.
  8. Greek Calendar
    • Martyrs Cyriaca and Theotima.
  9. Commemoration of ascetics of St. Anthony of Syandem Monastery: Elias (also of Valaam), Theophanes, and Dionysius.

May 20 (Civil Date: June 3)

  1. Martyr Thalalaeus at Aegae in Cilicia, and his companions, Martyrs Alexander and Asterius.
  2. Opening of the Relics of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow and wonderworker of All Russia.
  3. Martyr Asclas of Egypt.
  4. St. Thalassius the Myrrh-giver of Libya.
  5. Saints Nicetas, John, and Joseph, monks of Chios.
  6. St. Dovmont-Timothy, prince of Pskov.
  7. Greek Calendar
    • St. Mark the hermit.
    • St. Stephen, abbot of "Piper" in Serbia.
    • St. Dodo, disciple of St. David of Georgia.
  8. Repose of Schemamonk Cyriacus of Valaam, (1798).

May 21 (Civil Date: June 4)

  1. Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine and his mother Helen.
  2. St. Constantine and his children Saints Michael and Theodore, wonderworkers of Murom.
  3. St. Cassian the Greek, monk of Uglich.
  4. St. Agapitus, abbot of Markushev (Vologda).
  5. New-Martyr Pachomius of Patmos (Mt. Athos. .
  6. St. Basil, Bishop of Ryazan.
  7. St. Hospicius of Trier (Gaul).
  8. The Meeting of the "Vladimir" Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
  9. Repose of Elder Isaac of Dionisiou Monastery (Mt. Athos. (1932).

May 22 (Civil Date: June 5)

  1. Martyr Basiliscus, Bishop of Comana.
  2. St. John-Vladimir, ruler of Serbia.
  3. New Hieromartyr Zachariah of Prusa.
  4. Blessed James, youth, of Borovichi (Novgorod).
  5. Commemoration of the Second Ecumenical Council.
  6. Righteous Melchizedek, king of Salem.
  7. Greek Calendar
    • Martyrs Marcellus and Codratus.
    • Martyr Sophia and physician.
    • New Monk-martyr Paul of Tripoli.
  8. Repose of Cleopas of Valaam, disciple of St. Paisius Velichkovsky (1816).

May 23 (Civil Date: June 6)

  1. St. Michael the Confessor, Bishop of Synnada.
  2. Opening of the Relics of St. Leontius, Bishop and wonderworker of Rostov.
  3. Martyr Michael "the black-robed" of St. Sabbas' Monastery.
  4. Virgin Euphrosyne, princess of Polotsk.
  5. St. Paisius, abbot of Galich.
  6. Holy Myrrh-bearer, wife of Cleopas.
  7. Greek Calendar
    • Martyr Salonas the Roman.
    • Martyr Seleucus.
  8. Hieromonk Damascene of Valaam (1825).

May 24 (Civil Date: June 7)

  1. St. Symeon Stylites (the Younger) of Wonderful Mountain.
  2. St. Nicetas Stylites, wonderworker of Pereyaslavl-Zalesski.
  3. Martyrs Meletius Stratelates, Stephen, John, and 1,218 soldiers with women and children, including: Serapion the Egyptian, Callinicus the magician, Theodore, Faustus, the women Marciana, Susanna, and Palladia, two children, Cyriacus and Christian, and twelve tribunes, Faustus, Festus, Marcellus, Theodore, Meletius, Sergius, Marcellinus, Felix, Photinus, Theodoriscus, Mercurius, and Didymus, all of whome suffered in Galatia.
  4. St. Gregory, Archbishop of Novgorod.
  5. St. Vincent of Lerins.

May 25 (Civil Date: June 8)

  1. Third Finding of the Honorable Head of St. John the Baptist.
  2. Hieromartyr Therapon, Bishop of Cyprus.
  3. St. Dodo, prince of Georgia.
  4. Synaxis of Saints of Volhynia: Saints Yaropolk, Stephen, Macarius, Igor and Juliana.
  5. Righteous John and Mary of Ustiug (Vologda).
  6. Commemoration of the Reunion of the 3,000,000 Uniates with the Orthodox Church at Vilna in 1831.
  7. Greek Calendar
    • Martyr Celestine.
    • St. Olbian, monk.
  8. Repose of Recluse George of Zadonsk (1836).

May 26 (Civil Date: June 9)

  1. Apostles Carpus and Alphaeus of the Seventy.
  2. Martyrs Abercius and Helen, children of Apostle Alphaeus.
  3. Great-Martyr George the New at Sofia.
  4. St. John Psichaita the Confessor of Constantinople.
  5. Opening of the Relics of St. Macarius, abbot of Kolyazin.
  6. New-Martyr Alexander of Thessalonica, who suffered at Smyrna.

May 27 (Civil Date: June 10)

  1. Hieromartyr Therapon, Bishop of Sardis.
  2. Translation of the Relics of St. Nilus of Stolbensk.
  3. Virgin Martyr Theodora and Martyr Didymus the soldier at Alexandria.
  4. Translation of the Relics of Saints Cyprian, Photius and Jonah, Metropolitan of Kiev.
  5. St. Therapont, abbot of Byelozersk.
  6. St. Therapont, abbot of Monza.
  7. St. John the Russian, whose relics are on the island of Euboia.
  8. Greek Calendar
    • Martyr Eusebiotus.
    • Martyr Alypius.

May 28 (Civil Date: June 11)

  1. St. Nicetas, Bishop of Chalcedon.
  2. St. Ignatius, Bishop and wonderworker of Rostov.
  3. Hieromartyr Helladius, Bishop in the East.
  4. St. Eutychius, Bishop of Melitene.
  5. Martyr Heliconis of Thessalonica.
  6. St. Sophronius, monk of Bulgaria.
  7. New-Martyr Demetrius.
  8. New-Martyr Zachariah of Prusa.
  9. St. Germanus, Bishop of Paris.
  10. Greek Calendar
    • Martyrs Crescens, Paul and Dioscorus of Rome.

May 29 (Civil Date: June 12)

  1. Virgin Theodosia of Constantinople.
  2. Repose of Blessed John of Ustiug, fool-for-Christ.
  3. Virgin Martyr Theodosia of Tyre.
  4. St. Alexander, Patriarch of Alexandria.
  5. New-Martyr Andrew.
  6. New-Martyr John (or Nannus) at Smyrna.
  7. Commemoration of the First Ecumenical Council.
  8. Greek Calendar
    • Hieromartyr Olbian, Bishop of Aneus, and his disciple.
    • Two women of senatorial rank martyred with St. Procopius and others.
  9. Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Surety of Sinners".
  10. Repose of Schemamonk Michael of Valaam (1854).

May 30 (Civil Date: June 13)

  1. St. Isaac, founder of the Dalmation Monastery at Constantinople.
  2. St. James, monk of Galich monastery.
  3. Martyr Natalius.
  4. Martyrs Romanus, Meletius, and Euplius.
  5. Martyr Barlaam of Caesarea in Cappadocia.
  6. Repose of Abbot Ephraim of Sarov (1778).

May 31 (Civil Date: June 14)

  1. Apostle Hermes of the Seventy.
  2. Martyr Hermias at Comana.
  3. Martyr Philosophus at Alexandria.
  4. Martyr Marus the magician who was converted on witnessing the martyrdom of Hermias.
  5. New-Martyrs Hierotheus, Bishop of Nikolsk (1928), and his friend Schema-hieromonk Seraphim (1923).
  6. Greek Calendar
    • Five Martyrs of Ascalon.
    • Martyrs Eusebius and Charalampus.
  7. Repose of Philotheus, Metropolitan of Tobolsk (1727)
  8. Repose of Archimandrite Macarius of Peshnosha Monastery, disciple of Blessed Theodore of Sanaxar (1811).
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