December 20 Events Pre-1600 *AD 69 – Antonius Primus enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor for Nero's former general Vespasian. * 1192 – Richard I of England is captured and imprisoned by Leopold V of Austria on his way home to England a ...

Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar The Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar describes and dictates the rhythm of the life of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Passages of Holy Scripture, saints and events for commemoration are associated with each date, as are many times special rul ...

December 22 Events Pre-1600 *AD 69 – Vespasian is proclaimed Emperor of Rome; his predecessor, Vitellius, attempts to abdicate but is captured and killed at the Gemonian stairs. * 401 – Pope Innocent I is elected, the only pope to succeed h ...

All fixed commemorations below celebrated on January 3 by Orthodox Churches on the

Old Calendar Old Calendarists (Greek language, Greek: ''palaioimerologitai'' or ''palaioimerologites''), also known as Old Feasters (''palaioeortologitai''), Genuine Orthodox Christians or True Orthodox Christians (GOC; ), are traditionalist groups of Easte ...

. For December 21st, Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar commemorate the Saints listed on

December 8 Events Pre-1600 * 395 – Later Yan is defeated by its former vassal Northern Wei at the Battle of Canhe Slope. * 757 – The poet Du Fu returns to Chang'an as a member of Emperor Xuanzong's court, after having escaped the city durin ...

Feasts

Forefeast An Afterfeast is a period of celebration attached to one of the Great Feasts celebrated by the Orthodox Christian and Eastern Catholic Churches (somewhat analogous to what in the West would be called an Octave). The celebration of the Great Feast ...

of the

Nativity of Christ The nativity of Jesus, nativity of Christ, birth of Jesus or birth of Christ is described in the biblical gospels of Luke and Matthew. The two accounts agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judaea, his mother Mary was engaged to a man ...

.December 21/January 3
Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).

Saints

* Martyr Theomistocles of Myra in Lycia (251) * Virgin- martyr

Juliana of Nicomedia Saint Juliana of Nicomedia is said to have suffered Christian martyrdom during the Diocletianic persecution in 304. She was popular in the Middle Ages, especially in the Netherlands, as the patron saint of sickness. Historical background Both th ...

, and with her 500 men by the sword, and 130 women by beheading. (304) * Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of

Khakhuli Monastery Khakhuli Monastery ( ka, ხახულის მონასტერი, tr, Haho/Bağbaşi) was a Georgian Orthodox monastery in historical Medieval Georgian Kingdom of Tao (modern-day Turkey), in one of the gorges of the Tortum river. The m ...

(c. 1034)

Pre-Schism Western saints

* Saint Honoratus of Toulouse, born in Spain, he succeeded St Saturninus as

Bishop of Toulouse The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toulouse (–Saint Bertrand de Comminges–Rieux) ( la, Archidioecesis Tolosana (–Convenarum–Rivensis); French: ''Archidiocèse de Toulouse (–Saint-Bertrand de Comminges–Rieux-Volvestre)''; Occitan: ''A ...

in France (3rd century)December 21
Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome. * Saint Severinus of Trier, Bishop of Trier in Germany (c. 300) * Martyrs John and Festus, martyrs honoured in Tuscany in Italy. * Saint Baudacarius, A monk at

Bobbio Abbey Bobbio Abbey (Italian: ''Abbazia di San Colombano'') is a monastery founded by Irish Saint Columbanus in 614, around which later grew up the town of Bobbio, in the province of Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is dedicated to Saint Columbanus. I ...

in the north of Italy (650) * Saint Beornwald of Bampton (Bernwald), a righteous priest in Bampton in Oxfordshire in England (10th century) * Saint John Vincent, born in Ravenna, he became a monk at St. Michael in

Chiusa Klausen (; it, Chiusa ; Ladin: ''Tluses'' or ''Tlüses'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northeast of the city of Bolzano. Geography As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 5,144 and an a ...

, then a hermit on Monte Caprario, finally he became Bishop nearby (1012)

Post-Schism Orthodox saints

* Saint

Peter of Kiev Peter, Metropolitan of Kiev and all Rus (russian: Пётр; c. 1260 – 20 December 1326) was the Russian metropolitan who moved his see from Vladimir to Moscow in 1325. Later he was proclaimed a patron saint of Moscow. In spite of the move, t ...

, Metropolitan of Kiev and Moscow,

Wonderworker Thaumaturgy is the purported capability of a magician to work magic or other paranormal events or a saint to perform miracles. It is sometimes translated into English as wonderworking. A practitioner of thaumaturgy is a "thaumaturge", "thaumatu ...

of All Russia (1326) * Saint Juliana, Princess of

Vyazma Vyazma (russian: Вя́зьма) is a town and the administrative center of Vyazemsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River, about halfway between Smolensk, the administrative center of the oblast, and Mozhaysk. Throu ...

(Novotorzhok) (1406) * Blessed Procopius of Vyatka,

Fool-for-Christ Foolishness for Christ ( el, διά Χριστόν σαλότητα, cu, оуродъ, юродъ) refers to behavior such as giving up all one's worldly possessions upon joining an ascetic order or religious life, or deliberately flouting socie ...

(1627) * Saint Philaret (Theodosius in schema), Metropolitan of Kiev (1857)

New martyrs and confessors

* New Hieromartyr Michael Kiselev, Priest, at Perm (1918)January 3 / December 21
HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).The Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of Western Europe and the Americas (ROCOR). ''St. Hilarion Calendar of Saints for the year of our Lord 2004.'' St. Hilarion Press (Austin, TX). p.1.21 декабря (ст.ст.) 3 января 2013 (нов. ст.)
Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR). * New Hieromartyr Sergius, Deacon (1937) * New Hieromartyr Nicetas (Pribytkov), Bishop of Belev (Belevsk) (1937) * New Hieromartyr Leontius, Deacon (1940)

Other commemorations

* Repose of Blessed Peter “the Nose,” of

Kama ''Kama'' (Sanskrit ) means "desire, wish, longing" in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh literature.Monier Williamsकाम, kāmaMonier-Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary, pp 271, see 3rd column Kama often connotes sensual pleasure, sexual ...

(c. 1938) * Repose of Schemamonk Michael of Harbin (1939) * Finding of the relics (1950) of New Monk-martyr

Ephraim of Nea Makri St. Ephraim the Neomartyr, Ephraim the Martyr, or Ephraim of Mount Amomon (Greek: Άγιος Εφραίμ ο μάρτυρας / του Όρους των Αμώμων), believed to have lived from 1384 to 1426, is venerated as a martyr and miracle-wo ...

(1426) * Repose of Mother Stavritsa the Missionary, missionary in Kenya (2000)Constantine Cavarnos.
Blessed Elder Iakovos of Epiros, Elder Joseph the Hesychast, and Mother Stavritsa the Missionary: Their Life, Character, Thought, and Influence
'' Volume 14 of Modern Orthodox Saints. Belmont, MA: Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 2002. 156pp.

Icon gallery

File:Juliana of Nicomedia.jpg, St.

. File:Mitropolit petr of Moscow.jpg, St.

, Metropolitan of Kiev and Moscow,

of All Russia. File:Прокопије Вјатски.jpg, Icon of St. Tryphon of Vyatka and Procopius Vyatka (17th century, Vyatka (Kirov) Museum)

Notes

References

Sources

December 21/January 3
Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
January 3 / December 21
HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
December 21
OCA - The Lives of the Saints. * The Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of Western Europe and the Americas (ROCOR). ''St. Hilarion Calendar of Saints for the year of our Lord 2004.'' St. Hilarion Press (Austin, TX). p. 1.

Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome. *
The Roman Martyrology
'' Transl. by the Archbishop of Baltimore. Last Edition, According to the Copy Printed at Rome in 1914. Revised Edition, with the Imprimatur of His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons. Baltimore: John Murphy Company, 1916. Greek Sources * Great Synaxaristes:
21 ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ
ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. * Συναξαριστής.
21 Δεκεμβρίου
'' ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ). Russian Sources *

Православная Энциклопедия под редакцией Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла (электронная версия). (Orthodox Encyclopedia - Pravenc.ru). *
21 декабря (ст.ст.) 3 января 2013 (нов. ст.)
Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR). {{DEFAULTSORT:December 21 (Eastern Orthodox Liturgics) December in the Eastern Orthodox calendar