A synaxis ( "gathering";
Slavonic: собор, ''sobor'') is a liturgical assembly in
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises Christianity, Christian traditions and Christian denomination, church families that originally developed during Classical antiquity, classical and late antiquity in the Eastern Mediterranean region or locations fu ...
(the
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...
and those
Eastern Catholic Churches
The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also known as the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous (''sui iuris'') particular churches of ...
which follow the
Byzantine Rite
The Byzantine Rite, also known as the Greek Rite or the Rite of Constantinople, is a liturgical rite that is identified with the wide range of cultural, devotional, and canonical practices that developed in the Eastern Christianity, Eastern Chri ...
).
Synaxes of feast days
In
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
, the clergy and faithful would often gather together on specific
feast day
The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context does n ...
s at a church dedicated to the saint of that day for liturgical celebrations. These gatherings were referred to as ''synaxes''. These synaxes came to have services written specifically for them. A Synaxis often occurs on the day following a
Major Feast Day and is in honor of saints who participated in the event. For example, services on the Feast of
Theophany
Theophany () is an encounter with a deity that manifests in an observable and tangible form.. It is often confused with other types of encounters with a deity, but these interactions are not considered theophanies unless the deity reveals itse ...
(the revelation of the
Trinity
The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, thr ...
at the
Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus, the ritual purification of Jesus with water by John the Baptist, was a major event described in the three synoptic Gospels of the New Testament ( Matthew, Mark and Luke). It is considered to have taken place at Al-Maghta ...
in the
Jordan
Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
) would be held at
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia (; ; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (; ), is a mosque and former Church (building), church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively ...
; then, the next day, a Synaxis was observed in honor of
St. John the Forerunner at the church dedicated to him. Over time, the synaxes came into general use and are now celebrated in every church.
Synaxis can also refer to a common commemoration of a number of saints in a single service, such as the Synaxis of the
Seventy Apostles. Each individual saint may have his or her own separate feast day, but they are all commemorated together on their synaxis.
Most synaxes are observed as
fixed feasts, being celebrated on the same calendar date year after year, though some occur on the nearest Sunday to a particular date. Other synaxes are celebrated on the
Paschal cycle, moving backward or forward in the calendar according to the date of
Pascha (Easter) that year.
Rite of Constantinople
The following are Synaxes which are universally observed in the
Rite of Constantinople:
*Synaxis of the Theotokos (December 26)
Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles(January 4)
Synaxis of the Forerunner(January 7)
Synaxis of the Holy Fathers of the Sixth Ecumenical Council(January 23)
Synaxis of the Three Great Hierarchs(January 30)
Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel(March 26 an
July 13Synaxis of the Holy Fathers of the Second Ecumenical Council(May 22)
Synaxis of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council(Sunday before
Pentecost
Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christianity, Christian holiday which takes place on the 49th day (50th day when inclusive counting is used) after Easter Day, Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spiri ...
)
Synaxis of All Saints(first Sunday after Pentecost)
Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles(June 30)
Synaxis of the Holy Fathers of the Fifth Ecumenical Council(July 25)
Synaxis of the Holy Fathers of the Third Ecumenical Council(September 9)
Synaxis of the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council(Sunday on or after October 8)
Synaxis of the Holy Unmercenaries(November 1)
Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers(November 8)
Local observance
There are also synaxes which have been composed for local observance:
Synaxis of the Saints of Kostroma(January 23)
Synaxis of the Hierarchs of Novgorod(February 10, October 4, and the third Sunday after Pentecost)
Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of the Kiev Caves Lavra(second Sunday of
Great Lent
Great Lent, or the Great Fast (Greek language, Greek: Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή, ''Megali Tessarakosti'' or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, ''Megali Nisteia'', meaning "Great 40 Days", and "Great Fast", respectively), is the most impor ...
)
Synaxis of the Rostov and Yaroslavl(May 23)
Synaxis of the Saints of Ryzan(June 10)
Synaxis of the Saints of Siberia(June 10)
Synaxis of the Saints of Belarus(June 14)
Synaxis of the Saints of North America(second Sunday after Pentecost)
Synaxis of All Saints of Pskov(third Sunday after Pentecost)
Synaxis of the Saints of Vladimir(June 23)
*Synaxis of the Saints of
Tver
Tver (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative centre of Tver Oblast, Russia. It is situated at the confluence of the Volga and Tvertsa rivers. Tver is located northwest of Moscow. Population:
The city is ...
(first Sunday after June 29th))
Synaxis of the Saints of Radonezh(July 6)
Synaxis of the Saints of Smolensk(Sunday closest to July 23)
Synaxis of the Saints of Solovki Monastery(August 9)
*Synaxis of All Saints of
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
(Sunday before August 26)
Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of the Far Caves in Kiev(August 28)
*Synaxis of All Saints of
Serbia
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(August 28)
Synaxis of the Serbian Hierarchs(August 30)
Synaxis of the Saints of Tula(September 22)
Synaxis of All Saints of Alaska(September 24)
Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of the Near Caves in Kiev(September 28)
Synaxis of the Hierarchs of Kazan(October 4)
Synaxis of the Hierarchs of Moscow(October 5)
Synaxis of the Saints of Volhynia(October 10)
Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of Optina(October 11)
*Synaxis of the Enlighteners of
Karelia
Karelia (; Karelian language, Karelian and ; , historically Коре́ла, ''Korela'' []; ) is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Russia (including the Soviet Union, Soviet era), Finland, and Sweden. It is currentl ...
(Saturday between October 31 and November 6)
(December 11)
See also
*
Solemnity
In the liturgical calendar of the Roman Rite, a solemnity is a feast day of the highest rank celebrating a mystery of faith such as the Trinity, an event in the life of Jesus, his mother Mary, his legal father Joseph, or another important ...
References
{{reflist
External links
Catholic Encyclopedia
Eastern Orthodox liturgical days
Byzantine Rite
Christian terminology