December 23
Feasts
Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ; Ten Holy Martyrs of Crete (250): Theodulus, Saturninus, Euporus, Gelasius, Eunician, Zoticus, Pompeius, Agathopus, Basilides, and Evaristus; Martyr Schinon (Skinus), by the sword; Saint Paul, Bishop of Neo-Caesarea, a father of the First Ecumenical Council (4th c.)[ Saint Niphon, Bishop of Constantia on Cyprus (4th c.); Saint Chrysogonos (Chrysogonus); Venerable David of Echmiadzin in Armenia (693); Saint Nahum of Ohrid, Enlightener of the Bulgarians, disciple of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Wonder-worker (910) (see also May 11 and July 27); Virgin-Martyrs Victoria and Anatolia, two sisters martyred in Rome for refusing to marry pagans (250); Martyrs Migdonius and Mardonius, high officials at the imperial court in Rome, under Diocletian (303); Saint Servulus, the righteous cripple (ca.590); Saint Dagobert II, King of Austrasia, exiled to a monastery in 656, recalled in 675 and martyred by the tyrant Ebroin (679); Saint Egbert of Rathmelsigi Abbey (Ecgberht of Ripon), who organised the mission to Frisia (Neth.) (729) (see also April 24); Saint Frithbert, Bishop of Hexham (766); Saint Mazota, leader of a group of nineteen holy virgins who went from Ireland to Scotland and founded a monastery at Abernethy on the Tay (8th c.?); Saint Vintila, a monk who reposed as a hermit in Pugino in Galicia in Spain (890); Saint Theoctistus, Archbishop of Novgorod (1310); Venerable Theophan (Rikhlovsky), of the Nizhyn Eparchy (1977) (see also January 5); New Hieromartyrs John Piankov and Nicholas Yakhontov, Priests (1918); New Hieromartyr Basil Spassky, Priest, at Tver (1938); New Hieromartyr Macarius (Mironov), Hieromonk of Zavidovskaya Gorka (Tver) (1938); New Hieromartyr John (Smirnov), Hieromonk of Bolshoye Mikhailovskoye (Tver) (1938); New Hieromartyr Paul (Kratirov), Bishop of Starobelsk; Other Commemorations: Commemoration of the consecration and re-dedication of the Holy and Great Church of Christ, the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, by Patriarch Eutychius (562); Repose of Eldress Eudocia Rodionova of Leushino Monastery, Fool-for-Christ (1886).