Russian Orthodox Christian Menaion Calendar

December

Saints commemorated, links to lives of Saints,

Feasts, Scripture Readings, rubrics

Some Greek Calendar entries

December 1 (Civil Date: December 14)

january
  1. Prophet Nahum.
  2. Martyr Ananias of Persia.
  3. Righteous Philaret the Merciful of Amnia in Asia Minor.
  4. St. Ioannicius of Devich (Serbia).
  5. Greek Calendar
    • St. Onesimus, Archbishop of Ephesus.
    • Saints Ananias and Solochonus, Archbishops.
    • Ephesus.
    • St. Anthony the New of Chios, monk.

December 2 (Civil Date: December 15)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Prophet Habbakuk (Abbacum).
  2. St. Athanasius "the Resurrected," recluse of the Kiev Caves, whose relics are in the Near Caves.
  3. Saints John, Heraclemon, Andrew, and Theophilus of Egypt
    Also 12 June.
  4. Martyr Myrope of Chios.
  5. St. Cyril of Phileotes in Greece.
  6. St. Jesse (Ise), Bishop of Tsilkansk in Georgia.
  7. St. Stephen Urosh, king of Serbia.
  8. St. Solomon, Archbishop of Ephesus.
  9. St. Athanasius, recluse of the Kiev Caves whose relics are in the Far Caves.
  10. Greek Calendar
    • Martyr Abibus the New.
    • St. Ioannicius of Devich, monk.

December 3 (Civil Date: December 16)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Prophet Zephaniah (Sophonias).
  2. St. Sabbas, abbot of Zvenigorod, disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
  3. St. Theodulus, eparch of Constantinople.
  4. St. John the Silent of St. Sabbas' Monastery.
  5. Hieromartyr Theodore, Archbishop of Alexandria.
  6. New Hieromartyr Gabriel, Bishop of Ganos.
  7. New Martyr Angelos of Chios.
  8. St. Nicetius, Bishop of Lyons (Gaul).
  9. Greek Calendar
    • Martyrs Agapius, Seleucus and Mamas.
  10. Repose of King Magnus II of Sweden (Gregory in schema) of Valaam (1371)
  11. Repose of Archimandrite Theophanes of Novoezersk Monastery (1832).

December 4 (Civil Date: December 17)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Great Martyr Barbara and Martyr Juliana at Heliopolis in Syria
    LITURGY: Gal 3:23 29; Mk 5:24 34;
  2. St. John Damascene.
  3. St. John, Bishop of Polybotum.
  4. Repose of St. Gennadius, Archbishop of Novgorod.
  5. New Hieromartyr Seraphim, Bishop of the Phanar in Greece.
  6. Hieromartyrs Damascene, Bishop of Glukhov (1935) and his father Priest Nicholas (Tsedrick) (1917).
  7. Greek Calendar
    • Martyrs Christodula and Christodulus

December 5 (Civil Date: December 18)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Our Holy Father Sava the Sanctified.
  2. Our Holy Fathers, the Martyrs of Karyes.
  3. Our Holy Father Nectarius of Bitola.
  4. Our Holy Fathers Karyon and Zachariah.

December 6 (Civil Date: December 19)


Nativity Fast.
  1. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia
    Readings
    • VESPERS: (1) Prov 10:7, 6; 3:13 16; 8:6, 32, 34, 4, 12, 14, 17, 5 9; 1:23; (2) Prov 10:31 11:12; (3) Wis 4:7 15.
    • MATINS: Jn 10:9 16.
    • LITURGY: Heb 13:17 21; Lk 6:17 23.
  2. Blessed Maximus, Metropolitan of Kiev.
  3. New Martyr Nicholas of Karamania in Asia Minor.
  4. Namesday of Royal Martyr Tsar Nicholas II (1918).

December 7 (Civil Date: December 20)


Nativity Fast.
  1. St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan.
  2. St. Anthony, abbot of Siya Monastery (Novgorod).
  3. St. Nilus, monk of Stolbensk Lake.
  4. St. Paul the Obedient.
  5. St. John, faster of St. Sabbas' Monastery.
  6. St. John, faster of the Kiev Caves.
  7. Martyr Athenodorus of Mesopotamia.
  8. St. Gregory the Silent of Mt. Athos.
  9. Greek Calendar
    • Martyr Neophytus.
    • Martyr Dometius.
    • Martyrs Isidore, Acepsimas and Leo.
    • St. Ignatius, monk, near Blachernae.
    • Blessed Gregory of Serbia.

December 8 (Civil Date: December 21)


Nativity Fast.
  1. St. Patapius of Thebes.
  2. Holy Apostles of the Seventy: Sosthenes, Apollos, Cephas, Tychicus, Epaphroditus, Caesar and Onesiphorus.
  3. Holy 362 Martyrs of Africa, martyred by the Arians
  4. Martyr Anthusa, at Rome.
  5. St. Cyril, abot of Chelmogorsk.
  6. New Martyr Priest John (Kochurov) of Chicago.

December 9 (Civil Date: December 22)


Nativity Fast.
  1. The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos
    LITURGY: Gal 4:22 31; Lk 8:16 21.
  2. Prophetess Anna (Hannah), mother of Prophet Samuel.
  3. St. Stephen the "New Light" of Constantinople.
  4. St. Sophronius, Archbishop of Cyprus.
  5. Greek Calendar
    • Martyr Sositheus.
    • Martyr Narses of Persia.
    • Martyr Isaac.
  6. Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Unexpected Joy".

December 10 (Civil Date: December 23)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Martyrs Menas, Hermogenes and Eugraphus of Alexandria
    LITURGY: Eph 6:10 17; Lk 21:12 19.
  2. St. Ioasaph, Bishop of Belgorod (also 4 September).
  3. Martyr Gemellus of Paphlagonia.
  4. St. Thomas of Bithynia.
  5. Blessed John, king of Serbia, and his parents Stephen and Angelina Brancovich.
  6. Greek Calendar
    • Hieromartyr Theotecnus.
    • Martyr Marianus.
    • Martyr Eugene.

December 11 (Civil Date: December 24)


Nativity Fast.
  1. St. Daniel the Stylite of Constantinople.
  2. St. Luke the New Stylite of Chalcedon.
  3. St. Nicon the Dry of the Kiev Caves.
  4. Martyrs Acepsius and Aeithalas at Arbelus.
  5. Martyr Mirax of Egypt.
  6. St. Leontius, monk of Monembasia in the Peloponnesus.
  7. Martyr Barsabas in Persia.
  8. New Hieromartyr Theophan of Solikamsk (1918).
  9. Greek Calendar
    • Martyrs Terentius, Vincent, Emilian and Bebaia.
  10. Sunday of the Forefathers

December 12 (Civil Date: December 25)


Nativity Fast. Fish, Wine And Oil allowed.
  1. St. Spyridon (Spiridon) the Wonderworker of Tremithon.
  2. St. Herman of Alaska.
  3. Hieromartyr Juvenal.
  4. Martyr Peter the Aleut.
  5. New Martyr Anatole of Irkutsk and Seraphim of Uglich.
  6. Hieromartyr Alexander, Bishop of Jerusalem.
  7. Martyr Synesius (Razumnik) of Rome.
  8. St. Therapontes, abbot of Monza.
  9. Greek Calendar: Saints Amonathus and Anthus, monks.
  10. St. John, Metropolitan of Zichon, founder of the Monastery of the Forerunner on Mt.
  11. Menikion.
  12. Desert dweller Flegont of Maksha River, Penza.

December 13 (Civil Date: December 26)


Nativity Fast. Wine And Oil allowed.
  1. Martyrs Eustratius, Auxentius, Eugene, Mardarius, and Orestes at Sebaste
  2. Virgin Martyr Lucy of Syracuse.
  3. St. Arsenius of Latros.
  4. St. Gabriel, Archbishop of Serbia.
  5. St. Mardarius, recluse of the Kiev Caves.
  6. Greek Calendar
    • St. Ares, monk.
  7. Schemamonk Pantileimon "the Resurrected" of Glinsk Hermitage (1895).

December 14 (Civil Date: December 27)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucius and Callinicus of Apollonia.
  2. Martyrs Apollonius, Philemon, Arianus and Theoctychus of Alexandria.
  3. Greek Calendar
    • Four guards converted by St. Arianus and martyred.
  4. Repose of Blessed Recluse John of Sezenovo Convent (1839).

December 15 (Civil Date: December 28)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Hieromartyr Eleutherius, Bishop of Illyria, and his mother Martyr Anthia.
  2. St. Paul of Latros.
  3. St. Stephen the confessor, Archbishop Surozha in the Crimea.
  4. Martyr Eleutherius at Constantinople.
  5. St. Pardus, hermit of Palestine.
  6. Martyr Bacchus the New.
  7. Martyr Susanna the deaconess of Palestine.
  8. St. Tryphon, abbot of Pechenga or Kolsk, and his martyred disciple Jonah.
  9. NEW HIEROMARTYR Joseph, Metropolitan of Petrograd (1938)
  10. NEW HIEROMARTYR Ilarion (Troitsky) (1929).
  11. New Martyr Paul (Florensky).
  12. Greek Calendar
    • Martyr Koremon the Epatch and two executioners martyred with him.

December 16 (Civil Date: December 29)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Prophet Haggai (Aggaeus).
  2. Martyr Marinus of Rome.
  3. Blessed Empress Theophania.
  4. St. Memnon, Archbishop Ephesus.
  5. St. Nicholas Chrysoberges, Patriarch of Constantinople.
  6. St. Sophia, nun (in the world Solomonia), wife of Grand duke Basil III.
  7. Greek Calendar
    • Martyrs Promus and Hilarion.
    • St. Modestus, Archbishop of Jerusalem.

December 17 (Civil Date: December 30)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Youths Ananias, Azarias and Misael
    LITURGY: Heb 11:33 40; Lk 11:47 12:1.
  2. St. Daniel the Confessor (in schema Stephen) of Spain and Egypt.
  3. St. Dionysius of Zakynthos, Bishop of Aegina.
  4. Greek Calendar

December 18 (Civil Date: December 31)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Martyr Sebastian at Rome and his companions: Martyrs Nicostratus, Zoe, Castorius, Tranquillinus, Marcellinus, Mark, Claudius, Symphorian, Victorinus, Tiburtius, and Castulus.
  2. St. Modestus, Archbishop of Jerusalem.
  3. St. Florus, Bishop of Amisus.
  4. St. Micahel the Confessor at Constantinople.
  5. Martyr Eubotius at Cyzicus.
  6. St. Sebastian, abbot of Poshekhonye Monastery (Vologda).
  7. Righteous Simeon, Wonderworker of Verkhoturye.
  8. Greek Calendar
    • Hieromartyr Zacchaeus the Deacon and St. Alphaeus the Reader, of Caesarea.
    • St. Sophia the Wonderworker.

December 19 (Civil Date: January 1)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Martyr Boniface at Tarsus in Cilicia, and Righteous Aglae (Aglaida) of Rome.
  2. Martyrs Elias, Probus and Ares, in Cilicia.
  3. Martyrs Polyeuctus at Caesarea in Cappadocia, and Timothy the deacon in Mauretania.
  4. St. Boniface the Merciful, Bishop of Ferentino.
  5. St. Gregory, Archbishop of Omirits.
  6. St. Elias of Murom, Wonderworker of the Kiev Caves.
  7. Martyrs Hermylus and Phocas.
  8. Hieromartyr Capito, Bishop of Cherson.
  9. Greek Calendar
    • Martyrs Eutyches and Thessalonica and with them 200 men and 70 women.
    • Martyr Tryphon.
  10. Repose of Priest martyr Hermogenes, founder of Kirensk
  11. Repose of Albazin Monasteries in Siberia (1690).

December 20 (Civil Date: January 2)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
  2. Repose of Righteous John of Kronstadt
  3. Hieromartyr Ignatius the God bearer, Bishop of Antioch (also celebrated January 29)
    LITURGY: Heb 4:14 5:6; Mk 9:33 41.
  4. St. Philogonius, Bishop of Antioch.
  5. St. Daniel II, Archbishop of Serbia.
  6. St. Ignatius, archimandrite of the Kiev Caves.
  7. New Martyr John of the Isle of Thasos.
  8. Repose of Anthony, Archbishop of Voronezh and Zadonsk (1846), and Metropolitan Philaret of Kiev (Theodosius in schmea) (1857).

December 21 (Civil Date: January 3)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
  2. Virgin Martyr Juliana of Nicomedia, and with her 500 men and 130 women.
  3. Repose of St. Peter, Metropolitan of All Russia.
  4. Martyr Theomistocles of Myra in Lycia.
  5. St. Juliana, princess of Vyazma.
  6. Blessed Procopius of Vyatka, fool for Christ.
  7. St. Paisius Velichkovsky.
  8. Repose of Schemamonk Michael of Harbin (1939).
  9. Blessed Peter "the Nose" of Kama (1938?).

December 22 (Civil Date: January 4)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ
  2. St. Great Martyr Anastasia, deliverer from bonds, and her teacher Martyr Chrysogonus, and with them Martyrs Theodota, Evodias, Eutychianus, and others who suffered under Diocletian
    LITURGY: [Gal 3:23 29; Lk 7:36 50].
    LINKS:
  3. Greek Calendar
    • Martyr Zoilus.
  4. Repose of Dositheus, hermit of Roslavl forests and Optina (1828).

December 23 (Civil Date: January 5)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ
  2. Holy Ten Martyrs of Crete: Theodulus, Saturninus, Euporus, Gelasius,
  3. St. Paul, Bishop of Neo Caesarea.
  4. St. Niphon, Bishop of Cyprus.
  5. St. Nahum, Enlightener of the Bulgarians.
  6. St. Niphon, monk.
  7. St. Theoctistus, Archbishop of Novgorod.
  8. St. David of Echmiadzin in Armenia.
  9. New Martyr Priests John (1918).
  10. New Martyrs Priest Nicholas (1918).
  11. Greek Calendar
    • Martyr Schinon.

December 24 (Civil Date: January 6)


Nativity Fast.
  1. Nun martyr Eugenia of Rome, and with her Martyrs Philip her father, Protus, Hyacinth (Jacinth), Basilla, and Claudia.
  2. St. Nicholas the monk of Bulgaria.
  3. St. Antioch, monk of Palestine, and St. Bitimionus of Scete.
  4. St. Aphrodisius, monk of Palestine.
  5. New Martyr Achmed (Ahmet) the Calligrapher (or Architect) of Constantinople.
  6. Greek Calendar
    • Martyr Achaicus.

December 25 (Civil Date: January 7)

  1. THE NATIVITY ACCORDING TO THE FLESH OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
    LINKS:
  2. The Adoration of the Magi: Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthasar.
  3. Commemoration of the shepherds in Bethlehem who were watching their flocks and came to see the Lord.
  4. Massacre of monk martyr Jonah and with him 50 monks and 65 laymen at St. Tryphon of Pechenga Monastery, by the Swedes (1590).
  5. Commemoration of the holy and righteous Joseph the Betrothed, David the King, and James the brother of the Lord.
    LITURGY: Gal 1:11 19; Matt 2:13 23.

December 26 (Civil Date: January 8)

  1. Second Day of the Feast of the Nativity.
  2. Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos
    LITURGY: Heb 2:11 19; Matt 2:13 23
  3. Hieromartyr Euthymius, Bishop of Sardis.
  4. St. Evaristus of the Studion Monastery.
  5. St. Constantine, monk of Synnada.
  6. New Hieromartyr Constantius the Russian, at Constantinople.
  7. St. Nicodemus the Serbian.
  8. New Hieromartyr Andrew, Bishop of Ufa (1937).
  9. New Martyr Valentina (1937).
  10. Repose of Abbot Barlaam of Vallam (1849).

December 27 (Civil Date: January 9)

  1. Third Day of the Feast of the Nativity.
  2. Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen
  3. St. Theodore Graptus
    "The Branded", confessor, brother of St. Theophanes the Hymnographer.
  4. St. Theodore, Archbishop of Constantinople.
    (services combined)
  5. St. Luke, monk of Tryglia.
  6. New Martyrs Tikhon, Archbishop of Voronezh, and with him 160 martyred priests (1919).
  7. Repose of Athanasius of Grigorious Monastery, Mt. Athos (1953).

December 28 (Civil Date: January 10)

  1. Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ.
  2. The 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia, including: Glycerius, Zeno,
    LINKS:
  3. Apostle Nicanor the Deacon.
  4. St. Ignatius, monk of Lomsk (Vologda).
  5. St. Simon the Myrrh gusher, founder of Simonopetra Monastery on Mt. Athos.
  6. St Babylas of Tarsus in Cilicia.
  7. New Martyr Nikodim, Bishop of Belgorod (1918).
  8. Greek Calendar
    • Martyr Secundus.
  9. Repose of Blessed Cornelius, monk of Krypets Monastery in Pskov (1903).

December 29 (Civil Date: January 11)

  1. Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ.
  2. The 14,000 Infants (Holy Innocents) slain by Herod at Bethlehem
    LITURGY: II Cor 5:15 21; Matt 2:13 23
  3. St. Marcellus, abbot of the Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones.
  4. St. Thaddaeus, confessor, of the Studion.
  5. St. Benjamin, monk of Nitria in Egypt.
  6. St. Athenodorus, disciple of St. Pachomius the Great.
  7. St. George, Bishop of Nicomedia.
  8. St. Mark the Grave digger of the Kiev Caves.
  9. Saints Theophilus and John of the Kiev Caves.
  10. St. Theophilus of Luga and Omutch.
  11. Commemoration of all Orthodox Christians who died from hunger, thirst, the sword, and freezing.
  12. Repose of Elder Basiliscus of Siberia (1824).

December 30 (Civil Date: January 12)

  1. Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ.
  2. Virgin Martyr Anysia at Thessalonica.
  3. Martyr Zoticus, Keeper of Orphans.
  4. Martyr Philoterus of Nicomedia, and with him six soldiers and one Count.
  5. St. Theodora, nun of Caesarea in Cappadocia.
  6. St. Theodora, nun of Constantinople.
  7. Apostle Timon the Deacon.
  8. Martyrs Magistrianus, Paulinus, Umbrius, Verus, Severus, Callistratus, Florentius, Arianus, Anthimus, Ubricius, Isidore, Euculus, Sampson, Studius, and Thespesius, who suffered under
  9. New Martyr Gideon of Mt. Athos.
  10. Opening of the Relics of St. Daniel of Pereyaslavl.
  11. Greek Calendar
    • St. Leo the Archimandrite.

December 31 (Civil Date: January 13)

  1. Apodosis of the Nativity of Christ.
  2. St. Melania the Younger, nun of Rome.
  3. St. Gelasius, monk of Palestine.
  4. St. Gaius, monk.
  5. St. Theophylactus of Ochrid.
  6. Greek Calendar
  7. Repose of Metropolitan Peter Moghila of Kiev (1646).
Calendar Index   Next Month: February

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