Difference between revisions of "Feast day"
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A '''feast day''' (or festival) is the date a [[saint]], a holy event, or a holy object is commemorated in the liturgical life of the [[Orthodox Church]]. A feast day is primarily celebrated through the hymnography of the Church's divine services appointed to be celebrated on such day. | A '''feast day''' (or festival) is the date a [[saint]], a holy event, or a holy object is commemorated in the liturgical life of the [[Orthodox Church]]. A feast day is primarily celebrated through the hymnography of the Church's divine services appointed to be celebrated on such day. | ||
| − | The feast day of a saint is generally the date of his or her death. | + | The Orthodox Church commemorates certain saints or sacred events in its history every day of the year. The feast day of a saint is generally the date of his or her death. |
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | The feasts of the Orthodox Church, as with the canonization of saints, always comes from the living devotion of the Christian people. Feast days of the Church are not "institutions" which are legislated by some ecclesiastical authority apart from the interest and consent of the people. If there were no popular interest and veneration of a certain holy person, there would be no official canonization and no liturgical festival established in there honor. | ||
| + | |||
| + | However, if a someone is recognized as a saint, the Church hierarchy will set the day of the feast and will compose the proper liturgical service and hymns to be used in the celebration. But the celebration will then depend solely upon the will of the faithful. Once established, the feast could only disappear organically, in a way similar to its appearance. It could not be "disestablished" by the decree of any church authority, only by lack of interest. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Entire Orthodox Church== | ||
| + | As a whole, the Church celebrates the [[Great Feasts|Twelve Great Feasts Days]] and a number of other feast days with special liturgical and spiritual solemnity. Some preceded by prescribed fasting periods. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Universally celebrated by all the Orthodox are the feasts of Saint [[John the Baptist]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The feast days of each of the [[apostles]] are also celebrated by the entire Orthodox Church, above all, the [[Feast of Saints Peter and Paul]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Among the feast days of other saints universally celebrated by all the Orthodox are: | ||
| + | *Saint Nicholas | ||
| + | *Saint George | ||
| + | *Prophet Elias | ||
| + | *Archangel Michael | ||
| + | *Saint Basil the Great | ||
| + | *Saint John Chrysostom | ||
| + | * Saint Gregory the Theologian | ||
| + | ==Orthodox Churches== | ||
| + | Some feast days are celebrated locally by churches in particular regions, such as: | ||
| + | *In the Greek Church: | ||
| + | ** Saint Spiridon | ||
| + | ** Saint Demetrios, | ||
| + | ** Saint Nektarios, | ||
| + | *In the Russian Church: | ||
| + | ** Saint Sergius | ||
| + | ** Saint Seraphim, | ||
| + | ** Saint Tikhon | ||
| + | ** Saint Vladimir | ||
| + | *In the American Church: | ||
| + | ** Saint Herman | ||
| + | ==Local feast days== | ||
| + | Certain cities or monasteries have liturgical celebrations of holy persons, events, or icons appropriate to their own particular needs. Although a feast day may be very local, it is still a feast of the entire Church. | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
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== External links == | == External links == | ||
| − | |||
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp The Lives of the Saints] ([[OCA]]) | *[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp The Lives of the Saints] ([[OCA]]) | ||
*[http://goarch.org/en/chapel/calendar.asp Orthodox Calendar] and [http://goarch.org/en/chapel/search.asp Search for Saints and Feasts] ([[GOARCH]]) | *[http://goarch.org/en/chapel/calendar.asp Orthodox Calendar] and [http://goarch.org/en/chapel/search.asp Search for Saints and Feasts] ([[GOARCH]]) | ||
Revision as of 19:44, September 12, 2008
A feast day (or festival) is the date a saint, a holy event, or a holy object is commemorated in the liturgical life of the Orthodox Church. A feast day is primarily celebrated through the hymnography of the Church's divine services appointed to be celebrated on such day.
The Orthodox Church commemorates certain saints or sacred events in its history every day of the year. The feast day of a saint is generally the date of his or her death.
The feasts of the Orthodox Church, as with the canonization of saints, always comes from the living devotion of the Christian people. Feast days of the Church are not "institutions" which are legislated by some ecclesiastical authority apart from the interest and consent of the people. If there were no popular interest and veneration of a certain holy person, there would be no official canonization and no liturgical festival established in there honor.
However, if a someone is recognized as a saint, the Church hierarchy will set the day of the feast and will compose the proper liturgical service and hymns to be used in the celebration. But the celebration will then depend solely upon the will of the faithful. Once established, the feast could only disappear organically, in a way similar to its appearance. It could not be "disestablished" by the decree of any church authority, only by lack of interest.
Contents
Entire Orthodox Church
As a whole, the Church celebrates the Twelve Great Feasts Days and a number of other feast days with special liturgical and spiritual solemnity. Some preceded by prescribed fasting periods.
Universally celebrated by all the Orthodox are the feasts of Saint John the Baptist.
The feast days of each of the apostles are also celebrated by the entire Orthodox Church, above all, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.
Among the feast days of other saints universally celebrated by all the Orthodox are:
- Saint Nicholas
- Saint George
- Prophet Elias
- Archangel Michael
- Saint Basil the Great
- Saint John Chrysostom
- Saint Gregory the Theologian
Orthodox Churches
Some feast days are celebrated locally by churches in particular regions, such as:
- In the Greek Church:
- Saint Spiridon
- Saint Demetrios,
- Saint Nektarios,
- In the Russian Church:
- Saint Sergius
- Saint Seraphim,
- Saint Tikhon
- Saint Vladimir
- In the American Church:
- Saint Herman
Local feast days
Certain cities or monasteries have liturgical celebrations of holy persons, events, or icons appropriate to their own particular needs. Although a feast day may be very local, it is still a feast of the entire Church.
See also
External links
- The Lives of the Saints (OCA)
- Orthodox Calendar and Search for Saints and Feasts (GOARCH)
- Complete List of Saints (ROCOR - Protection of the Mother of God Church, Rochester, New York)
- The Prologue from Ochrid (Serbian Orthodox Church - Diocese of Western America)
- Lives of the Saints (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia)
- God is Wonderful in His Saints - John Brady
- Saint of the Day (Roman Catholic - Church of Saint Patrick, Washington, DC)
