The church calendar is full of important dates, and some of them are celebrated at different times from year to year. To avoid confusion, we suggest that you contact Orthodox calendar holidays and not to miss a single Christian holiday.

Calendar Orthodox holidays divided by months. Important Christian events are celebrated in each of them, about which you will find information here: you will find out when the holidays are celebrated and what they are connected with. Holidays are divided into twelfth and non-twelfth (great).

The Twelve Feasts include:

• Christmas - January 7
• The Baptism of the Lord (Theophany) - January 19
• Meeting of the Lord - February 15
• Annunciation Holy Mother of God— March 7
• Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem - April 9
• Ascension of the Lord - May 25
• Holy Trinity Day - June 4
• Transfiguration of the Lord - August 19, among the people - Apple Savior
• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin - August 28
• Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos - December 4

According to the Orthodox calendar Easter in 2017 will be celebrated on April 16th. This holiday is considered the most important of the year, so it is placed separately. In addition to these holidays, there are others called great. Including believers celebrate parental Saturdays, or days of commemoration of the dead, and observe fasts, which you can learn about below.

January

In the first month of the civil year, the feasts dedicated to the infancy of Jesus Christ are celebrated: Nativity and the Circumcision of the Lord. Also in January, believers celebrate baptism, traditionally bathing in an ice hole and collecting baptismal water, which is considered consecrated on this day.

Christmas - January 7

New Year - September 14

On this day the church begins New Year and the whole cycle of holidays is repeated from the very beginning. The tradition of celebrating the New Year in autumn came with the adoption of Christianity from Byzantium. If we consider this date according to the old style, then the New Year holiday is celebrated on September 1.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin - September 21

In September they celebrate twelfth holiday Nativity of the Virgin. The very birth of the Virgin Mary is an omen of the coming of the Messiah to earth. Moreover, the Virgin Mary is believed to have been born without original sin. It was from him that Jesus Christ saved mankind, accepting death on the cross.

Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 27

It's about about the Life-Giving Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. The twelfth holiday of the Exaltation has several interpretations. Firstly, believing people celebrate in itself the acquisition of the Life-Giving Cross. On the other hand, on this day the return of the Cross to Byzantium from Persia is celebrated.

October

In October, the soldiers who fell on the Kulikovo Field are commemorated. Thus, this month, the last commemoration of the deceased relatives of the year takes place. In addition to Parental Saturday, believers celebrate the Feast of the Intercession.

Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos – October 14

The feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos is associated with the event of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to St. Andrew. The event took place in Constantinople, during the war. The Mother of God, together with the saints who surrounded her, appeared in the temple during prayer. Her robe was kept in this temple. Andrew the Holy Fool describes in his life that the Virgin Mary covered the worshipers with her omophorion (a scarf covering her shoulders). Her defense made it possible to drive away enemy troops.

Dmitrievskaya Parental Saturday - October 28

Parental Saturday October 28 is the last day of commemoration of the dead in the year. It falls on the Saturday before the day of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica. Like many saints, he accepted death for the Christian faith, not wanting to renounce God. Also, this day is associated with the commemoration of the soldiers who fell during the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380.

November: Cathedral of the Archangel Michael and other incorporeal Heavenly Forces - November 21

On this day, the event is remembered that put an end to the heresy, which did not correctly honor the angels. This incorrect teaching called angels the creators and rulers of the world. Nine angelic ranks were established, which are still considered traditional for the church. Actually, the word "Forces" refers to the angels, who are considered the heavenly army.

December: Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos - December 4

According to legend, at the age of three, the Virgin Mary was transferred to the temple, because her parents promised to give the child in the service of God. According to the biblical description, she herself ran the stairs without crying and without turning around to her parents, without calling them. It is believed that the Virgin Mary lived in the temple, eating food brought to her by angels.

Calendar of Solid Weeks and Fast days in 2017

Solid weeks in the calendar of Orthodox holidays are days (there are no more than seven of them) in which there are no restrictions on food on Wednesday and Friday. These include:

• Christmas time: from January 7 to January 17
• Week of the Publican and the Pharisee: from February 6th to February 11th.
• Cheese Week (Shrovetide): from February 20 to February 26. Since that time, believers have already refused meat on the eve of Great Lent.
• Easter week: April 17 to April 22
• Trinity week: from July 05 to July 11

One day posts

In addition to the fact that believers fast every week on Wednesday and Friday, there are one-day fasts dedicated to special events or holidays.

• Eve of the Epiphany (Epiphany Christmas Eve) - January 18
• The Beheading of John the Baptist - September 11
• Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 27

Also church calendar includes four multi-day fasts before important celebrations. Depending on the year, each post may have different start and end dates.

• Great Lent - from February 27 to April 15
• Petrov Post - from 06/12/2017 to July 11
• Assumption Fast - from August 14 to August 27
• Christmas Post - from November 28 - January 06

In addition to these holidays, there are also local ones associated with miraculous icons or saints, which are widely celebrated in each individual region. Also, each temple can have its own special holiday, which only local parishioners know about. In order not to miss them, visit the church closest to you more often.

Consecrated Time of the Church: : church new year and peace circle. In the calendar, this day is marked as the beginning of the indiction. Christians did not want to share the beginning of the new year on the same day with the followers of Confucius, Allah, Buddha, so they decided to consider September 14 (September 1, O.S.) the beginning of the Orthodox New Year. The feast of the Church New Year was established by the holy fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, who decided to begin the reckoning of the church year on September 1/14. The first day of the annual liturgical circle opens the “entrance of summer”, and the service of this day is of a festive nature, the culmination of which is the Gospel read at the liturgy, which tells about the beginning of the preaching of Jesus Christ after His Baptism and temptations from the devil in the desert. According to legend, this happened on the first day of the Jewish holiday of the harvest, which was celebrated on September 1-8. In the Gospel we hear the Savior preaching to us the coming of the favorable “year of the Lord.” On this day, Jesus Christ began preaching the Kingdom of God and for the first time witnessed the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Messiah (the Son of God) and thus about the end of the Old and the beginning of the New Testament.
Righteous Joshua (XVI century BC).
Martyrs Callists and brothers of her martyrs Evoda and Hermogenes .
martyr Aifala deacon.
Martyrs 40 fasting virgins and a martyr Ammuna deacons, their teachers.
Reverend Simeon the Stylite and his mother Martha . Simeon the Stylite (5th century) became famous as a man of a selfless lifestyle. He discovered a new kind of asceticism. Wanting to test his spiritual strength, faith in God, he built a 4-meter-high pillar on the mountain with a platform on top, surrounded it with a wall, and read sermons to numerous pilgrims from this "mountainous" place. Then Simeon settled on a pillar in a small cell, indulging in intense prayer and fasting. Gradually, he increased the height of the pillar on which he stood. His last pillar was 40 cubits (16 meters) high. He spent 80 years in enhanced monastic deeds, of which 47 stood on a pillar. His life was well known in Rus', they learned from him to endure in the name of a holy cause the numerous difficulties of human existence. According to an ancient tradition, it was believed that on this day it is necessary to do charitable deeds, to be merciful. In Muscovite Rus', not a single beggar was left without abundant alms on this day, and even prisoners in dungeons were presented with gifts.
Flight Seed Day (Semyon, Simeon Stylite, Semyon the pilot, pilot, seeing off the summer, Semyon's day, Semyon's day, the first autumns, Indian summer, meeting of autumn, apiary day, onion day, ambush, end of summer, beginning of autumn, last sowing). The first meeting of autumn, the end of the young Indian summer and the beginning of the old one. Many beliefs and rituals were associated in the old days with this day. And it is not surprising, because in pre-Petrine Rus', September 1 was considered the beginning of a new year. In 1700, Peter I moved the celebration of the New Year from September 1 to January 1. Gradually, the holiday lost its former meaning, but many customs remained in the life of the peasants. For example, cockroaches and flies were buried in the villages on September 14th. They put them in a coffin carved from turnips or rutabagas and carried them with weeping and lamentations to bury them as far from home as possible. The rest of the houses drove the flies out of the house "a fly on a fly, fly to bury the flies." This custom has its roots in pagan times and is associated with the veneration of Belbog, the lord of all insects.
Another important custom was to extinguish an old fire and make a new one. The old men went out into the yard and rubbed two pieces of wood against each other until they began to smoke. A smoldering tree was fanned by a girl or daughter-in-law, and then a candle was set on fire from a flaring fire. This fire kindled the furnace. The next morning the coals were fanned again. So the fire was maintained in the furnace all year. On this day, four-year-old boys were put on horses. This custom came from ancient times and was associated with the transition from infancy to adulthood. September 14 was called Indian summer in the villages because at this time various agricultural work began (hemp scutching, flax urinating, etc.), which were usually performed by women in the open air. The so-called sit-ins began with Semyon, when they worked in the huts in the evenings. The first day of sittings was celebrated as a family holiday. All relatives met in the house of the eldest in the family. From the pilot (September 14) to Guria (November 28), in the old days time was set aside for wedding weeks.
From this day on, moles and mice move from fields to houses and gardens.
Signs of the weather on September 14: If Marfa is dirty, the autumn will be rainy. Indian summer (begins on September 14) is rainy - autumn is dry, and Indian summer is dry - autumn is wet. The drier and warmer September is, the later winter will come. If the cones on the spruce grew low, it will be early frost, and if at the top, real cold will come only at the end of winter.

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Designation of calendar background colors No post Food without meat Fish, hot food with vegetable oil Hot food with vegetable oil Hot food without vegetable oil Cold food without vegetable oil, unheated drink Refraining from food Big holidays

Great church holidays in 2017

	January 14
	January 19
	February, 15
	April 7
	April 9
	May 25
	July 7
	July, 12
	August 19
	August 28
	September 21
	September 27
	October 14
	December 4

Great Lent
(in 2017 falls on February 27 - April 15)

great post determined for the repentance and humility of Christians before the feast day of Easter, which celebrates the Bright Resurrection of Christ from the dead. This is the most significant of all Christian holidays.

The time of the beginning and end of Great Lent depends on the date of the celebration of Easter, which does not have a fixed calendar date. The duration of Lent is 7 weeks. It consists of 2 fasts - Lent and Holy Week.

Forty days lasts 40 days in memory of the forty-day fast of Jesus Christ in the wilderness. Thus, fasting is called the Forty Day. The last seventh week of Great Lent - Holy Week is defined in memory of the last days of earthly life, the suffering and death of Christ.

During Lent, it is allowed to take food only once a day, in the evening. During the entire fast, including weekends, it is forbidden to eat meat, milk, cheese and eggs. With special strictness it is necessary to adhere to fasting in the first and last weeks. On the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, April 7, it is allowed to relax the fast and add vegetable oil and fish to the diet. In addition to abstinence in food during Great Lent, one must diligently pray that the Lord God would give repentance, regret for sins and love for the Almighty.

Apostolic Fast - Petrov Post
(in 2017 falls on June 12 - July 11)

This post does not have a specific date. The apostolic fast is dedicated to the memory of the apostles Peter and Paul. Its beginning depends on the day of the feast of Easter and the Holy Trinity, which falls on the current year. Lent comes exactly seven days after the feast of the Trinity, which is also called Pentecost, since it is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. The week before fasting is called All Saints Week.

The duration of the Apostolic Fast can be from 8 days to 6 weeks (depending on the day of the celebration of Easter). The Apostolic Fast ends on July 12, the day of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. From this post and got its name. It is also called the fast of the Holy Apostles or Peter's fast.

Apostolic fasting is not very strict. Dry food is allowed on Wednesday and Friday, hot food without oil is allowed on Monday, mushrooms, vegetable food with vegetable oil and a little wine are allowed on Tuesday and Thursday, and fish is also allowed on Saturday and Sunday.

Fish is still allowed on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, if these days fall on a holiday with great doxology. On Wednesday and Friday, it is allowed to eat fish only when these days fall on a feast with a vigil or a temple feast.

Assumption post
(in 2017 falls on August 14 - August 27)

The Assumption Fast begins exactly one month after the end of the Apostolic Fast on August 14 and lasts 2 weeks, until August 27. This post prepares for the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is celebrated on August 28. Through the Dormition Fast, we follow the example of the Mother of God, who was constantly in fasting and prayer.

According to the severity, the Assumption Lent is close to Great Lent. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, dry food is supposed, Tuesday and Thursday - hot food without oil, on Saturday and Sunday, vegetable food with vegetable oil is allowed. On the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19), it is allowed to eat fish, as well as oil and wine.

On the day of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos (August 28), if the devil falls on Wednesday or Friday, only fish is allowed. Meat, milk and eggs are prohibited. On other days, fasting is cancelled.

There is also a rule until August 19 not to eat fruit. As a result of this, the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord is also called the Apple Savior, since at this time garden fruits (in particular, apples) are brought to the church, consecrated and given away.

Christmas post
(from November 28 to January 6)

The Advent period lasts from November 28 to January 6. If the first day of the fast falls on a Sunday, the fast is softened, but not cancelled. The Nativity Fast precedes the Nativity of Christ, January 7 (December 25), which celebrates the birth of the Savior. Fasting begins 40 days before the celebration and therefore is also called the Forty Day. The people call the Nativity Fast Filippov, because it comes immediately after the day of memory of the Apostle Philip - November 27th. Conventionally, the Nativity Fast shows the state of the world before the advent of the Savior. By abstinence in food, Christians express reverence for the feast of the birth of Christ. According to the rules of abstinence, the Nativity Fast is similar to the Apostolic Fast until the day of St. Nicholas - December 19th. From December 20 until Christmas, fasting is observed with particular strictness.

According to the charter, it is allowed to eat fish on the feast of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, and the week until December 20th.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays of the Nativity Fast, dry food is taken.

If there is a temple holiday or a vigil on these days, it is allowed to eat fish; if the day of a great saint falls, the use of wine and vegetable oil is allowed.

After the day of memory of St. Nicholas and before Christmas, fish is allowed on Saturday and Sunday. Fish is not to be eaten on the eve. If these days fall on Saturday or Sunday, meals with butter are allowed.

On Christmas Eve, January 6, on the eve of Christmas, it is not allowed to take food until the appearance of the first star. This rule was adopted in memory of the star that shone at the time of the birth of the Savior. After the appearance of the first star (it is customary to eat sochivo - wheat seeds boiled in honey or dried fruits softened in water, and kutya - boiled cereal with raisins. The Christmas period lasts from January 7 to 13. From the morning of January 7, all food restrictions are removed. Fasting is canceled for 11 days.

One day posts

There are many one-day posts. According to the strictness of compliance, they are different and in no way associated with a specific date. The most frequent of them are posts on Wednesdays and Fridays of any week. Also, the most famous one-day fasts are on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, on the day before the Baptism of the Lord, on the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist.

There are also one-day fasts connected with the dates of commemoration of famous saints.

These posts are not considered strict if they do not fall on Wednesday and Friday. It is forbidden to eat fish during these one-day fasts, but food with vegetable oil is permissible.

Separate fasts can be accepted in case of some kind of misfortune or social misfortune - an epidemic, war, terrorist action, etc. One-day fasts precede the sacrament of communion.

Posts on Wednesday and Friday

On Wednesday, according to the gospel, Judas betrayed Jesus Christ, and on Friday Jesus suffered torment and death on the cross. In memory of these events, Orthodoxy adopted fasts on Wednesday and Friday of each week. Exceptions are only in continuous weeks, or weeks, during which there are no existing restrictions for these days. Such weeks are Christmas time (January 7-18), Publican and Pharisee, Cheese, Easter and Trinity (the first week after the Trinity).

On Wednesday and Friday it is forbidden to eat meat, dairy food, and eggs. Some of the most pious Christians do not allow themselves to consume, including fish and vegetable oil, that is, they observe a dry diet.

Relaxation of fasting on Wednesday and Friday is possible only if this day coincides with the feast of a particularly revered saint, to whose memory a special church service is dedicated.

In the period between the Week of All Saints and before the Nativity of Christ, it is necessary to abandon fish and vegetable oil. If Wednesday or Friday coincides with the feast of the saints, then vegetable oil is allowed.

On major holidays, such as Pokrov, it is allowed to eat fish.

On the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany

The Baptism of the Lord is on January 18th. According to the Gospel, Christ was baptized in the Jordan River, at that moment the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. John was a witness that Christ is the Savior, that is, Jesus is the Messiah of the Lord. During baptism, he heard the voice of the Most High, proclaiming: "This is My beloved Son, on Him I am well pleased."

Before the Baptism of the Lord in the temples, the eve is performed, at this moment the rite of consecration of holy water takes place. In connection with this holiday, a post was adopted. At the time of this post, food is allowed once a day and only juicy and kutya with honey. Therefore, among Orthodox believers, the eve of Epiphany is usually called Christmas Eve. If the evening falls on Saturday or Sunday, fasting on that day is not canceled, but relaxed. In this case, you can eat twice a day - after the liturgy and after the rite of consecration of water.

Fasting on the Day of the Beheading of John the Baptist

The day of the Beheading of John the Baptist is commemorated on September 11th. It was introduced in memory of the death of the prophet - John the Baptist, who was the Forerunner of the Messiah. According to the Gospel, John was thrown into prison by Herod Antipas because of his exposure in connection with Herodias, the wife of Philip, Herod's brother.

During the celebration of his birthday, the King arranged a holiday, the daughter of Herodias - Salome, presented a skillful dance to Herod. He was delighted with the beauty of the dance, and promised the girl everything she wanted for him. Herodias persuaded her daughter to beg for the head of John the Baptist. Herod fulfilled the girl's wish by sending a warrior to the prisoner to bring him the head of John.

In memory of John the Baptist and his pious life, during which he continuously fasted, fasting was defined. On this day, it is forbidden to eat meat, dairy, eggs and fish. Vegetable foods and vegetable oil are acceptable.

Fasting on the Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

This holiday falls on September 27th. This day was established in memory of the acquisition of the Cross of the Lord. This happened in the 4th century. According to legend, the emperor of the Byzantine Empire, Constantine the Great, won many victories thanks to the Cross of the Lord and therefore revered this symbol. Showing gratitude to the Almighty for the consent of the church at the First Ecumenical Council, he decided to erect a temple on Golgotha. Elena, the mother of the emperor, went to Jerusalem in 326 to find the Cross of the Lord.

According to the custom then, crosses, as instruments of execution, were buried near the place of execution. Three crosses were found on Golgotha. It was impossible to understand which of them was Christ, since the plank with the inscription "Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews" was found separately from all the crosses. Subsequently, the Cross of the Lord was established by the power, which was expressed in the healing of the sick and the resurrection of a person through touching this cross. The fame of the amazing miracles of the Cross of the Lord attracted a lot of people, and because of the pandemonium, many did not have the opportunity to see and bow to him. Then Patriarch Macarius raised the cross, revealing it to everyone around him in the distance. Thus, the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord appeared.

The holiday was adopted on the day of the consecration of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, September 26, 335, and began to be celebrated the next day, September 27. In 614, the Persian king Khosra took possession of Jerusalem and took out the Cross. In 328, the heir of Khozroy, Syroes, returned the stolen Cross of the Lord to Jerusalem. It happened on September 27, so this day is considered a double holiday - the Exaltation and the Finding of the Cross of the Lord. On this day, it is forbidden to eat cheese, eggs and fish. Thus, believing Christians express their reverence for the Cross.

Holy Resurrection of Christ - Easter
(in 2017 falls on April 16)

The most key Christian holiday is Easter - the Bright Resurrection of Christ from the dead. Easter is considered the main between the transient Twelfth holidays, because in easter story everything on which Christian knowledge is founded is contained. For all Christians, the Resurrection of Christ means salvation and the trampling of death.

Christ's suffering, suffering on the cross and death washed away original sin, and consequently, gave salvation to mankind. That is why Christians call Easter the Triumph of Triumphs and the Feast of Holidays.

The following story formed the basis of the Christian holiday. On the first day of the week, the myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb of Christ to anoint the body with incense. However, a large block that blocked the entrance to the tomb was moved, an angel sat on the stone, who told the women that the Savior had risen. After some time, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and sent her to the apostles to inform them that the prophecy had come true.

She ran to the apostles, and told them the joyful news and told them the message of Christ that they would meet in Galilee. Before His death, Jesus told the disciples about the coming events, but the news of Mary plunged them into confusion. Faith in the Kingdom of Heaven promised by Jesus revived in their hearts again. However, the Resurrection of Jesus did not bring joy to everyone: the chief priests and Pharisees started a rumor about the loss of the body.

However, despite the lies and painful trials that fell on the first Christians, the New Testament Easter became the foundation of the Christian faith. The blood of Christ atoned for the sins of people and opened the way to salvation for them. From the first days of Christianity, the apostles established the celebration of Easter, which, in memory of the sufferings of the Savior, was preceded by Holy Week. Today they are preceded by Great Lent, which lasts forty days.

For a long time, discussions about the true date of the celebration of the memory of the events described did not subside, until at the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (325) they agreed on the celebration of Easter on the 1st Sunday, following the first spring full moon and spring equinox. In different years, Easter has the opportunity to be celebrated from March 21 to April 24 (old style).

On the eve of the Easter holiday, the service begins at eleven o'clock in the evening. First, the midnight office of Great Saturday is served, then the blagovest sounds and the procession takes place, which is led by the clergy, the believers leave the church with lit candles, and the blagovest is replaced by the festive chime of bells. When the procession returns to the closed doors of the church, which symbolize the tomb of Christ, the ringing is interrupted. A festive prayer sounds, and the door of the church opens. At this time, the priest proclaims: “Christ is risen!”, And the believers together answer: “Truly He is risen!”. This is how Easter comes.

At the time of the Paschal liturgy, as usual, the Gospel of John is read. At the end of the Paschal liturgy, the artos is consecrated - large prosphora, similar to Easter cake. During the Easter week, the artos is located near the royal gates. After the liturgy, on the following Saturday, a special rite of crushing the artos is served, and pieces of it are distributed to the faithful.

At the end of the Easter liturgy, fasting ends and the Orthodox can treat themselves to a piece of consecrated Easter cake or Easter, a painted egg, a meat pie, etc. On the first week of Easter (Bright Week), it is supposed to give food to the hungry and help those in need. Christians go to visit relatives, exchange exclamations: “Christ is risen!” “Truly Risen!” Easter is supposed to give colored eggs. This tradition is adopted in memory of the visit of Mary Magdalene to the emperor of Rome, Tiberius. According to legend, Mary was the first to tell Tiberius the news of the Resurrection of the Savior and brought him an egg as a gift - as a symbol of life. But Tiberius did not believe in the news of the Resurrection and said that he would believe it if the brought egg turned red. And at that moment the egg turned red. In memory of what happened, believers began to paint eggs, which became a symbol of Easter.

Palm Sunday. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
(in 2017 falls on April 9)

The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, or simply Palm Sunday, is one of the most key twelfth holidays celebrated by the Orthodox. The first mention of this holiday is found in manuscripts of the 3rd century. This event has great importance for Christians, since the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, whose authorities were hostile to Him, means that Christ voluntarily accepted the suffering on the cross. The entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is described by all four evangelists, which also testifies to the significance of this day.

The date of Palm Sunday depends on the date of Easter: the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is celebrated a week before Easter. To confirm the people in the belief that Jesus Christ is the Messiah predicted by the prophets, a week before the Resurrection, the Savior went to the city with the apostles. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus sent John and Peter to the village, indicating the place where they would find the colt. The apostles drove to the Teacher a colt, on which He sat down and went to Jerusalem.

At the entrance to the city, some people spread their own clothes, the rest accompanied Him with cut branches of palm trees, and greeted the Savior with the words: “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” because they believed that Jesus was the Messiah and the King of the people of Israel.

When Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem, he drove the merchants out of it with the words: My house will be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13). People listened with admiration to the teaching of Christ. The sick began to come to Him, He healed them, and the children at that moment sang His praise. Then Christ left the temple and went with the disciples to Bethany.

With vayami, or palm branches, in ancient times it was customary to meet the winners, from this came another name for the holiday: Vay Week. In Russia, where palm trees do not grow, the holiday got its third name - Palm Sunday - in honor of the only plant that blooms during this harsh time. Palm Sunday ends Lent and begins Holy Week.

As for the festive table, on Palm Sunday, fish and vegetable dishes with vegetable oil are allowed. And the day before, on Lazarus Saturday, after Vespers, you can taste some fish caviar.

Ascension of the Lord
(in 2017 falls on May 25)

The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on the fortieth day after Easter. Traditionally, this holiday falls on Thursday of the sixth week of Easter. The events associated with the Ascension signify the end of the Savior's earthly sojourn and the beginning of His life in the bosom of the Church. After the Resurrection, the Teacher came to his disciples for forty days, teaching them the true faith and the way of salvation. The Savior instructed the apostles what to do after His Ascension.

Then Christ promised the disciples to descend upon them the Holy Spirit, which they should wait for in Jerusalem. Christ said, “And I will send the promise of my Father upon you; but remain in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Then, together with the apostles, they went outside the city, where He blessed the disciples and began to ascend into heaven. The apostles bowed to Him and returned to Jerusalem.

As for fasting, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, it is allowed to eat any food, both lean and fast.

Holy Trinity - Pentecost
(in 2017 falls on June 4)

On the Day of the Holy Trinity, we commemorate the story that tells of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Christ. The Holy Spirit appeared to the apostles of the Savior in the form of tongues of flame on the day of Pentecost, that is, on the fiftieth day after Pascha, hence the name of this holiday. The second, most famous name of the day is timed to coincide with the acquisition by the apostles of the third hypostasis of the Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit, after which the Christian concept of the Triune Godhead received a perfect interpretation.

On the day of the Holy Trinity, the apostles intended to meet in the dwelling in order to pray together. Suddenly they heard a roar, and then fiery tongues began to appear in the air, which, separating, descended on the disciples of Christ.

After the flame descended on the apostles, the prophecy "...were filled...with the Holy Spirit..." (Acts 2:4) came true, and they offered up a prayer. With the descent of the Holy Spirit, the disciples of Christ had the gift of speaking different languages in order to carry the Word of the Lord throughout the world.

The noise coming from the house gathered a large crowd of curious people. The assembled people were amazed that the apostles could speak in different languages. Among the people there were also people from other nations, they heard how the apostles lifted up a prayer on their mother tongue. Most of the people were surprised and were filled with reverent awe, at the same time, among those gathered there were also people who skeptically spoke about what had happened, “drank sweet wine” (Acts 2, 13).

On this day, the Apostle Peter delivered his first sermon, which told that the event that happened on that day was predicted by the prophets and marks the last mission of the Savior in the earthly world. The sermon of the Apostle Peter was short and simple, but the Holy Spirit spoke through him, then his speech reached the souls of many people. At the end of Peter's speech, many accepted the faith and were baptized. “So those who willingly received his word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added” (Acts 2:41). Since ancient times, the Day of the Holy Trinity has been revered as the birthday of the Christian Church, created by Holy Grace.

On the Day of the Holy Trinity, it is customary to decorate houses and temples with flowers and grass. Regarding the festive table, on this day it is allowed to eat any food. There is no post on this day.

The Twelfth Everlasting Holidays

Christmas (January 7)

According to legend, the Lord God, even in Paradise, promised the sinner Adam the coming of the Savior. Many prophets foreshadowed the coming of the Savior - Christ, in particular the prophet Isaiah, prophesied about the birth of the Messiah to the Jews, who forgot the Lord and worshiped pagan idols. Shortly before the birth of Jesus, the ruler Herod proclaimed a decree on the census, for this the Jews had to come to the cities in which they were born. Joseph and the Virgin Mary also went to the cities where they were born.

They did not get to Bethlehem quickly: the Virgin Mary was pregnant, and when they arrived in the city, it was time to give birth. But in Bethlehem, because of the multitude of people, all the places were occupied, and Joseph and Mary had to stop in the barn. At night, Mary gave birth to a boy, named him Jesus, swaddled him and put him in a manger - a feeder for cattle. Not far from their lodging for the night, there were shepherds grazing cattle, an angel appeared to them, who told them: ... I proclaim to you a great joy that will be for all people: for now a Savior has been born to you in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord; and here is a sign for you: you will find a baby in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12). When the angel disappeared, the shepherds went to Bethlehem, where they found the Holy Family, bowed to Jesus, and told about the appearance of the angel and his sign, after which they went back to their flocks.

On the same days, the magi came to Jerusalem, who asked people about the born Jewish king, as a new bright star shone in the sky. Learning about the Magi, King Herod called them to him in order to find out the place where the Messiah was born. He ordered the magi to find out the place where the new Jewish king was born.

The Magi followed the star, which led them to the barn where the Savior was born. Entering the barn, the wise men bowed to Jesus and presented him with gifts: incense, gold and myrrh. “And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed by another way to their own country” (Matthew 2:12). That same night, Joseph received a sign: an angel appeared to him in a dream and said: “Get up, take the Baby and His Mother and run to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod wants to look for the baby in order to destroy Him” (Matt. 2, 13). Joseph, Mary, and Jesus went to Egypt, where they stayed until the death of Herod.

For the first time, the feast of the Nativity of Christ began to be celebrated in the 4th century in Constantinople. The holiday is preceded by a forty-day fast and Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, it is customary to drink only water, and with the appearance of the first star in the sky, they break the fast with juicy - boiled wheat or rice with honey and dried fruits. After Christmas and before Epiphany, Christmas time is celebrated, during which all fasts are cancelled.

The Baptism of the Lord - Epiphany (January 19)

Christ began to minister to people at the age of thirty. John the Baptist had to anticipate the coming of the Messiah, prophesying the coming of the Messiah and baptizing people in the Jordan for the atonement of sins. When the Savior appeared to John for baptism, John recognized Him as the Messiah and told Him that he himself must be baptized by the Savior. But Christ answered: "...leave it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3:15), that is, to fulfill what the prophets said.

Christians call the feast of the Baptism of the Lord the Epiphany, at the baptism of Christ, three hypostases of the Trinity appeared to people for the first time: the Lord the Son, Jesus himself, the Holy Spirit, who descended in the form of a dove on Christ, and the Lord the Father, who said: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased » (Mt. 3, 17).

The disciples of Christ were the first to celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, as evidenced by the set of apostolic canons. The day before the feast of the Epiphany, Christmas Eve begins. On this day, as on Christmas Eve, the Orthodox eat succulent, and only after the blessing of the water. Epiphany water is considered healing, it is sprinkled at home, it is drunk on an empty stomach for various diseases.

On the feast of the Epiphany itself, the rite of the great hagiasma is also served. On this day, the tradition has been preserved to make a procession to the reservoirs with the Gospel, banners and lamps. The procession accompanies bell ringing and singing the troparion of the feast.

Meeting of the Lord (February 15)

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord describes the events that took place in the Jerusalem temple at the meeting of the Infant Jesus with the elder Simeon. According to the law, on the fortieth day after the birth, the Virgin Mary brought Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. According to legend, the elder Simeon lived at the temple where he translated the Holy Scripture into Greek. In one of the prophecies of Isaiah, where the coming of the Savior is told, in the place where His birth is described, it is said that the Messiah will be born not from a woman, but from a Virgin. The elder suggested that there was a mistake in the original text, at the same moment an angel appeared to him and said that Simeon would not die until he saw the Most Holy Virgin and Her Son with his own eyes.

When the Virgin Mary entered the temple with Jesus in her arms, Simeon immediately saw them and recognized them as the Messiah. He took Him in his arms and spoke the following words: “Now let Your servant go, Master, according to Your word in peace, as if my eyes have seen Your salvation Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light for the revelation of tongues and the glory of Your people Israel” (Lk .2, 29). From now on, the elder could die in peace, because he had just seen with his own eyes both the Virgin Mother and Her Savior Son.

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (April 7)

Since ancient times, the Annunciation of the Mother of God was called both the Beginning of Redemption and the Conception of Christ. This lasted for the 7th century, until it acquired the name under which it is at the moment. In its significance for Christians, the feast of the Annunciation is comparable only to the Nativity of Christ. Therefore, there is a proverb among the people to this day that on this day “a bird does not nest, a girl does not weave a braid.”

This is the history of the holiday. When the Virgin Mary reached the age of fifteen, She had to leave the walls of the Jerusalem temple: in accordance with the laws that were at that time, only men had the opportunity to serve the Almighty for a lifetime. However, by this time Mary's parents had already died, and the priests decided to betroth Mary to Joseph of Nazareth.

Once an angel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who was the archangel Gabriel. He greeted her with the following words: "Rejoice, gracious one, the Lord is with you!" Mary was confused because she didn't know what the angel's words meant. The archangel explained to Mary that she was the chosen one of the Lord for the birth of the Savior, about whom the prophets spoke: He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father; and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end” (Luke 1:31-33).

Having heard the revelation of Arlachangel Gavria, the Virgin Mary asked: “... how will it be if I don’t know my husband?” (Luke 1, 34), to which the archangel replied that the Holy Spirit would descend on the Virgin, and therefore the Infant born from her would be holy. And Mary humbly answered: “... behold the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to thy word” (Luke 1:37).

Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19)

The Savior often told the apostles that in order to save people, He would have to endure suffering and death. And in order to strengthen the faith of the disciples, he showed them His Divine glory, which awaits Him and the other righteous of Christ at the end of earthly existence.

Once Christ took three disciples - Peter, James and John - to Mount Tabor to pray to the Almighty. But the apostles, tired during the day, fell asleep, and when they woke up, they saw how the Savior was transformed: His clothes were snow-white, and His face shone like the sun.

Next to the Teacher were the prophets - Moses and Elijah, with whom Christ spoke about his own suffering, which He would have to endure. At that very moment, such grace seized the apostles that Peter inadvertently suggested: “Master! It's good for us to be here; Let us make three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah, not knowing what he said” (Luke 9:33).

At that moment, everyone was enveloped in a cloud, from which the voice of God was heard: “This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him” (Luke 9, 35). As soon as the words of the Most High resounded, the disciples again saw Christ alone in His ordinary form.

When Christ with the apostles was returning from Mount Tabor, He ordered them not to testify until the time that they had seen.

In Rus', the Transfiguration of the Lord was popularly called the "Apple Savior", since on this day honey and apples are consecrated in churches.

Assumption of the Mother of God (August 28)

The Gospel of John says that before his death, Christ commanded the Apostle John to take care of the Mother (John 19:26-27). Since that time, the Virgin Mary lived with John in Jerusalem. Here the apostles wrote down the stories of the Mother of God about the earthly existence of Jesus Christ. The Mother of God often went to Golgotha ​​to worship and pray, and on one of these visits the Archangel Gabriel informed Her of Her imminent Assumption.

By this time, the apostles of Christ began to come to the city for the last earthly service of the Virgin Mary. Before the death of the Mother of God, Christ appeared to Her bed with angels, which caused fear to seize those present. The Mother of God gave glory to God and, as if falling asleep, accepted a peaceful death.

The apostles took the bed, on which the Mother of God was, and carried it to the Garden of Gethsemane. The Jewish priests, who hated Christ and did not believe in His resurrection, learned about the death of the Theotokos. The high priest Athos overtook the funeral procession, and grabbed the couch, trying to turn it over in order to desecrate the body. However, the moment he touched the bed, his hands were cut off by an invisible force. Only after this Athos repented and believed, and immediately found healing. The body of the Mother of God was placed in a coffin and covered with a large stone.

However, among those present in the procession was not one of the disciples of Christ - the Apostle Thomas. He arrived in Jerusalem only three days after the funeral and wept for a long time at the tomb of the Virgin. Then the apostles decided to open the Tomb so that Thomas could venerate the body of the deceased.

When they rolled away the stone, they found only the funeral shrouds of the Mother of God inside, the body itself was not inside the tomb: Christ took the Mother of God to heaven in Her earthly nature.

A temple was subsequently built on that site, where the burial shrouds of the Virgin Mary were preserved until the 4th century. After that, the shrine was transferred to Byzantium, to the Blachernae Church, and in 582 Emperor Mauritius issued a decree on the general celebration of the Assumption of the Mother of God.

This holiday among the Orthodox is considered one of the most revered, like other holidays dedicated to the memory of the Virgin.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin (September 21)

The righteous parents of the Virgin Mary, Joachim and Anna, could not have children for a long time, and were very sad about their own childlessness, since the Jews considered the absence of children as God's punishment for secret sins. But Joachim and Anna did not lose faith in the child and prayed to God to send them a child. So they took an oath: in the event that they have a child, they will give it to the service of the Almighty.

And God heard their requests, but before that, he put them to the test: when Joachim came to the temple to offer a sacrifice, the priest did not take it, reproaching the old man for childlessness. After this incident, Joachim went to the desert, where he fasted and begged for forgiveness from the Lord.

At this time, Anna also underwent a test: she was reproached for childlessness by her own maid. After that, Anna went into the garden and, noticing a bird's nest with chicks on a tree, she began to think that even birds have children, and burst into tears. In the garden, an angel appeared before Anna and began to calm her down, promising that they would soon have a child. Before Joachim, an angel also appeared and said that the Lord had heard him.

After that, Joachim and Anna met and told each other about the good news that the angels told them, and a year later they had a girl, whom they named Mary.

Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord (September 27)

In 325, the mother of the emperor of Byzantium, Constantine the Great, Queen Lena went to Jerusalem to visit the holy places. She visited Calvary and the burial place of Christ, but most of all she wanted to find the Cross on which the Messiah was crucified. The search yielded a result: three crosses were found on Golgotha, and in order to find the one on which Christ accepted suffering, they decided to conduct tests. Each of them was applied to the deceased, and one of the crosses resurrected the deceased. This was the same Cross of the Lord.

When the people learned that they had found the Cross on which Christ was crucified, a very large crowd gathered on Golgotha. There were so many Christians gathered that most of them could not come to the Cross to bow to the shrine. Patriarch Macarius proposed to erect the Cross so that everyone could see it. So in honor of these events, the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross was laid.

Among Christians, the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is considered the only holiday that is celebrated from the first day of its existence, that is, the day when the Cross was found.

The Exaltation gained general Christian significance after the war between Persia and Byzantium. In 614, Jerusalem was sacked by the Persians. At the same time, among the shrines they took away was the Cross of the Lord. And only in 628 the shrine was returned to the Church of the Resurrection, built on Golgotha ​​by Constantine the Great. Since that time, the Feast of the Exaltation has been celebrated by all Christians of the world.

Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos (December 4)

The Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated by Christians in memory of the consecration of the Virgin Mary to God. When Mary was three years old, Joachim and Anna fulfilled their oath: they brought their daughter to the Jerusalem temple and placed it on the stairs. To the amazement of her parents and other people, little Mary herself went up the stairs to meet the high priest, after which he led her into the altar. From that time on, the Most Holy Virgin Mary lived at the temple until the time came for Her betrothal to the righteous Joseph.

Great holidays

Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord (January 14)

Circumcision of the Lord as a holiday was approved in the IV century. On this day, they commemorate the event associated with the Covenant concluded with God on Mount Zion by the prophet Moses: according to which all boys on the eighth day after birth were to be circumcised as a symbol of unity with the Jewish patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Upon completion of this ritual, the Savior was called Jesus, as the archangel Gabriel commanded when he brought the good news to the Virgin Mary. According to the interpretation, the Lord accepted circumcision as a strict observance of the laws of God. But in the Christian Church there is no circumcision ritual, since according to the New Testament it has given way to the sacrament of baptism.

Nativity of John the Baptist, Forerunner of the Lord (July 7)

The celebration of the Nativity of John the Baptist, the prophet of the Lord, was established by the Church in the 4th century. Among all the most revered saints, John the Baptist occupies a special place, since he had to prepare the Jewish people to accept the preaching of the Messiah.

During the reign of Herod, the priest Zechariah lived in Jerusalem with his wife Elizabeth. They did everything with zeal, the Law of Moses pointed out, but God still did not give them a child. But one day, when Zechariah entered the altar for incense, he saw an angel who told the priest the good news that very soon his wife would give birth to a long-awaited child, who should be called John: “... and you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord; He will not drink wine and strong drink, and the Holy Spirit will be filled even from his mother's womb...” (Luke 1:14-15).

However, in response to this revelation, Zechariah smiled mournfully: both he and his wife Elisaveta were in advanced years. When he told the angel about his own doubts, he introduced himself as the archangel Gabriel and, as a punishment for unbelief, imposed a ban: because Zechariah did not believe the good news, he would not be able to talk until Elizabeth gave birth to a child.

Soon Elizabeth became pregnant, but she could not believe her own happiness, so she hid her position for up to five months. In the end, a son was born to her, and when the baby was brought to the temple on the eighth day, the priest was very surprised to learn that he was called John: neither in the family of Zacharias, nor in the family of Elizabeth there was anyone with that name. But Zakharia confirmed his wife's desire with a nod of his head, after which he again managed to talk. And the first words that escaped his lips were the words of a heartfelt thanksgiving prayer.

Day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (July 12)

On this day Orthodox Church commemorates the apostles Peter and Paul, who suffered martyrdom in the year 67 for preaching the Gospel. This feast is preceded by a multi-day apostolic (Petrov) fast.

In ancient times, the Council of the Apostles adopted church rules, and Peter and Paul occupied the highest places in it. In other words, the life of these apostles was of great importance for the development of the Christian Church.

However, the first apostles went to faith in somewhat different ways, that, realizing them, one can involuntarily think about the inscrutable ways of the Lord.

Apostle Peter

Before Peter began the apostolic ministry, he had a different name - Simon, which he received at birth. Simon fished on Lake Gennesaret until his brother Andrew led the young man to Christ. The radical and strong Simon was immediately able to take a special place among the disciples of Jesus. For example, he was the first to recognize the Savior in Jesus and for this he acquired a new name from Christ - Cephas (Heb. stone). In Greek, such a name sounds like Peter, and actually on this “flint” Jesus was going to erect the building of His own Church, which “the gates of hell will not prevail against.” However, weaknesses are inherent in man, and Peter's weakness was the threefold denial of Christ. Nevertheless, Peter repented and was forgiven by Jesus, who confirmed his destiny three times.

After the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, Peter was the first to deliver a sermon in the history of the Christian Church. After this sermon, more than three thousand Jews joined the true faith. In the Acts of the Apostles, in almost every chapter, there is evidence of Peter's active work: he preached the Gospel in various towns and states located on the shores of the Mediterranean. And it is believed that the Apostle Mark, who accompanied Peter, wrote the Gospel, taking the sermons of Cephas as a basis. Apart from this, there is a book in the New Testament written personally by the apostle.

In the year 67, the apostle went to Rome, but was caught by the authorities and suffered on the cross, like Christ. But Peter considered that he was not worthy of exactly the same execution as the Teacher, so he asked the executioners to crucify him upside down on the cross.

Apostle Paul

The Apostle Paul was born in the city of Tarsus (Asia Minor). Like Peter, from birth he had a different name - Saul. He was a gifted young man and received a good education, but grew up and was brought up in pagan ways. In addition, Saul was a noble Roman citizen, and his position allowed the future apostle to freely admire the pagan Hellenistic culture.

With all this, Paul was the persecutor of Christianity both in Palestine and beyond. These opportunities were given to him by the Pharisees, who hated the Christian doctrine and waged a fierce struggle against it.

One day, when Saul was traveling to Damascus with permission for the local synagogues to arrest Christians, he was struck by a bright light. The future apostle fell to the ground and heard a voice saying: “Saul, Saul! Why are you chasing me? He said: who are you Lord? The Lord said: I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It's hard for you to go against the pricks” (Acts 9:4-5). After this, Christ instructed Saul to go to Damascus and rely on providence.

When the blind Saul arrived in the city, where he found the priest Ananias. After a conversation with a Christian pastor, he believed in Christ and was baptized. During the rite of baptism, his sight returned again. From that day began the work of Paul as an apostle. Like the apostle Peter, Paul traveled widely: he visited Arabia, Antioch, Cyprus, Asia Minor and Macedonia. In those places where Paul visited, Christian communities seemed to form by themselves, and the supreme apostle himself became famous for his epistles to the heads of the churches founded with his help: among the New Testament books there are 14 epistles of Paul. Thanks to these epistles, Christian dogmas acquired a coherent system and became understandable to every believer.

At the end of the year 66, the Apostle Paul arrived in Rome, where a year later, as a citizen of the Roman Empire, he was executed by the sword.

The Beheading of John the Baptist (September 11)

In the year 32 from the birth of Jesus, King Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, imprisoned John the Baptist for talking about his close relationship with Herodias, his brother's wife.

At the same time, the king was afraid to execute John, as this could cause the anger of his people, who loved and revered John.

One day, during the celebration of Herod's birthday, a feast was held. The daughter of Herodias - Salome presented the king with an exquisite tanya. For this, Herod promised to everyone that he would fulfill any desire of the girl. Herodias persuaded her daughter to ask the king for the head of John the Baptist.

The request of the girl embarrassed the king, as he was afraid of the death of John, but at the same time he could not refuse the request, because he was afraid of the ridicule of the guests because of the unfulfilled promise.

The king sent a soldier to prison, who beheaded John, and brought his head on a platter to Salome. The girl accepted the terrible gift and gave it to her own mother. The apostles, having learned about the execution of John the Baptist, buried his headless body.

Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos (October 14)

The basis of the holiday was a story that happened in 910 in Constantinople. The city was besieged by an uncountable army of Saracens, and the townspeople hid in the Blachernae Church - in the place where the omophorion of the Virgin was saved. Frightened residents fervently prayed to the Mother of God for protection. And then one day during a prayer, the holy fool Andrei noticed the Mother of God above those who were praying.

The Mother of God was accompanied by an army of angels, with John the Theologian and John the Baptist. She reverently stretched out her hands to the Son, at this time her omophorion covered the praying inhabitants of the city, as if protecting people from future disasters. In addition to the holy fool Andrei, his disciple Epiphanius saw an amazing procession. The miraculous vision soon disappeared, but Her grace remained in the temple, and soon the Saracen army left Constantinople.

The Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos came to Rus' under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1164. And a little later, in 1165, on the Nerl River, in honor of this holiday, the first church was consecrated.

Twelfth holidays in 2017

• Nativity January 7, 2017.
• Baptism of the Lord (Theophany) January 19, 2017.
• Meeting of the Lord February 15, 2017.
• Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary April 7, 2017.
• Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem Palm Sunday) April 9, 2017.
• Ascension of the Lord May 26, 2017
• Holy Trinity Day (Pentecost) June 4, 2017.
• Transfiguration August 19, 2017.
• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary August 28, 2017.
• Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary September 21, 2017.
• Exaltation of the Holy Cross September 27, 2017.
• Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary December 4, 2017.

Great church holidays in 2017

• Circumcision of the Lord (St. Basil the Great) - January 14, 2017.
• The Nativity of John the Baptist is a holiday on July 7, 2017.
• Apostles Peter and Paul - July 12, 2017
• The Beheading of John the Baptist is a holiday on September 11, 2017.
• The Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos - a holiday on October 14, 2017.

Average church holidays in 2017

• February 12, 2017 - Three Saints - Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom
• May 6, 2017 - Great Martyr George the Victorious
• May 21, 2017 - Apostle John the Theologian
• May 22, 2017 - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Summer Nicholas).
• May 24, 2017 - Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius.
• July 28, 2017 - Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.
• October 9, 2017 - Apostle John the Theologian.
• November 26, 2017 - St. John Chrysostom.
• December 19, 2017 - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Winter Nicholas).

Church Orthodox posts in 2017

Multi-day posts

• Lent in 2017 - from February 26 to April 16
• Petrov post in 2017 - from June 12 to July 11.
• Assumption fast in 2017 - from August 14 to 27.
• Advent Fast - from November 28, 2017 to January 6, 2018.

One day posts

• Wednesday and Friday throughout the year, with the exception of continuous weeks and Christmas.
• Epiphany Christmas Eve - January 18, 2017.
• The beheading of John the Baptist - September 11, 2017.
• Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 27, 2017.

Continuous weeks in which there is no post

• Christmas time in 2017 - from January 7 to 17.
• Week of the Publican and the Pharisee in 2017 - from February 5 to 12.
• Maslenitsa in 2017 (Cheese week) - from February 20 to 26.
• Bright Easter week in 2017 - from 17 to 23 April.
• Trinity week in 2017 - from 5 to 11 June.

Note! According to the Church Charter, there is no fasting on the feasts of the Nativity of Christ and Theophany, which happened on Wednesday and Friday. On Christmas Eve and Epiphany Eve and on the feasts of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and the Beheading of John the Baptist, a meal with vegetable oil is allowed. On the feasts of the Presentation, the Transfiguration of the Lord, the Assumption, the Nativity and Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, Her Entry into the Temple, the Nativity of John the Baptist, the Apostles Peter and Paul, John the Theologian, which occurred on Wednesday and Friday, and also in the period from Easter to Trinity on Wednesday and Friday fish are allowed.

Parental Saturdays in 2017 (days of remembrance of the departed)

• Universal parental Saturday (meatless) in 2017— February 18, 2017.
• Saturday 2nd week of Great Lent - March 11, 2017.
• Saturday 3rd week of Great Lent - March 18, 2017.
• Saturday 4th week of Great Lent - March 25, 2017.
• Commemoration of the dead warriors— May 9, 2017.
• Radonitsa in 2017— April 25, 2017.
• Trinity parental Saturday in 2017— June 3, 2017.
• Dimitriev parental Saturday— November 4, 2017.

Church calendar for 2017 by months

Orthodox church holidays and fasts in January 2017

• January 1, 2017 is the day of memory of Ilya Murom the Wonderworker.
• January 1, 2017 - Week before Christmas.
• January 1, 2017 - Martyr Boniface of Tarsus.
• January 2, 2017 - Prefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
• January 2, 2017 - Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-bearer.
• January 2, 2017 - Righteous John of Kronstadt, miracle worker.
• January 3, 2017 - Glorification of the great martyr Juliana.
• January 3, 2017 - Prefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
• January 3, 2017 - Repose of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker
• January 4, 2017 - Prefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
• January 4, 2017 - Great Martyr Anastasia the Destroyer.
• January 5, 2017 - Prefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
• January 5, 2017 - Holy Martyr Basil and Martyrs Macarius and John.
• January 6, 2017 - Eve of the Nativity of Christ (Christmas Eve).
• January 7, 2017 - Nativity of Christ (The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ).
• January 7, 2017 - Adoration of the Holy Magi: Melchior, Gaspard and Belshazzar.
• January 8, 2017 - Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin.
• January 9, 2017 - Saturday after Christmas.
• January 9, 2017 - Apostle pervomch. and Archdeacon Stephen
• January 10, 2017 - 20,000 martyrs, victims in Nicomedia
• January 11, 2017 - Week after the Nativity of Christ.
• January 11, 2017 - Martyrs 14,000 babies, beaten by Herod in Bethlehem.
• January 12, 2017 - Saint Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow.
• January 13, 2017 - Commemoration of the feast of the Nativity of Christ.
• January 14, 2017 - Circumcision of the Lord.
• January 15, 2017 - The Feast of the Epiphany.
• January 15, 2017 - Repose, the second acquisition of the relics of St. Seraphim, Sarov miracle worker.
• January 16, 2017 - The Feast of the Epiphany
• January 16, 2017 is the day of remembrance of the holy prophet Malachi. They predicted the appearance of the Savior, the Forerunner and the Last Judgment.
• January 17, 2017 - The Feast of the Epiphany.
• January 17, 2017 - Council of the 70 Apostles.
• January 18, 2017 - Theophany Eve (Epiphany Eve).
• January 18, 2017 - Hieromartyr Theopemptus, Bishop of Nicomedia, and Martyr Theona Magus.
• January 19, 2017 - Holy Theophany. Baptism of the Lord (Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ)
• January 20, 2017 - Cathedral of the honest and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John.
• January 21, 2017 - St. Gregory, wonderworker of the Caves
• January 22, 2017 - St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker (1569).
• January 23, 2017 - St. Theophan, the Recluse Vyshensky.
• January 23, 2017 - Rev. Pavel Komelsky (Obnorsky).
• January 24, 2017 - Venerable Theodosius the Great, head of the communal lives.
• January 24, 2017 - Reverend Michael of Klopsky, Novgorod.
• January 25, 2017 - Tatyana's Day - the day of the Blessed Martyr Tatyana, who suffered for her faith.
• January 25, 2017 - Saint Sava, Archbishop of Serbia.
• January 26, 2017 - Martyrs Ermila and Stratonika.
• January 27, 2017 - Commemoration of the Feast of the Epiphany.
• January 27, 2017 - Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, Enlighteners of Georgia
• January 28, 2017 - Rev. Paul of Thebes and John Kuschnik.
• January 29, 2017 - veneration of the chains that bound the Apostle Paul
• January 30, 2017 - worship of the first hermit and monk Anthony the Great.
• January 31, 2017 - Saints Athanasius and Cyril, Archbishops of Alexandria.
• January 31, 2017 — Reverend schemamonk Cyril and schemamonk Mary (c. 1337), parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh.

Church fasts in January 2017

• Multi-day post in January 2017— The Advent Fast (multi-day) will begin on November 28, 2016 and end only on January 6, 2017.
• One day posts in January 2017 January 18th, January 20th, January 25th and January 27th.
• In the period from January 7 to January 17, there are no one-day fasts, since these days Christmas Christmas time is celebrated.

Orthodox church holidays in February 2017

• February 1, 2017 — Reverend Macarius Great, Egyptian.
• February 2, 2017 - Venerable Euthymius the Great.
• February 3, 2017 - Rev. Maximus the Greek.
• February 4, 2017 - Apostle Timothy.
• February 5, 2017 - Week of the publican and the Pharisee.
• February 6, 2017 - Blessed Xenia of Petersburg.
• February 7, 2017 - icons of the Mother of God Satisfy my sorrows.
• February 8, 2017 - Venerable Xenophon, his wife Mary and their sons Arcadius and John.
• February 9, 2017 - transfer of the relics of St. John Chrysostom.
• February 10, 2017 - Venerable Ephraim the Syrian.
• February 11, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of Holy Martyr Ignatius the God-bearer. Saint Lawrence, recluse of the Caves, Bishop of Turov.
• February 11, 2017 - Council of the Ecumenical Teachers and Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia.
• February 12, 2017 - Prodigal Son Week.
• February 13, 2017 - the unmercenary martyrs Cyrus and John and with them the martyr Athanasia and her daughters: Theoktista, Theodotia, and Eudoxia. Saint Nikita, recluse of the Caves, Bishop of Novgorod.
• February 14, 2017 - the fore-feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
• February 15, 2017 - Meeting of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• February 16, 2017 - Righteous Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess.
• February 17, 2017 - Venerable Isidore of Pelusiot. Venerable Kirill of Novoezersky miracle worker.
• February 18, 2017 - Ecumenical Meat-Feast Memorial Parental Saturday.
• February 18, 2017 - Icon of the Mother of God "Search for the Lost".
• February 19, 2017 - Week of the Last Judgment (meatless).
• From February 20 to February 26, 2017 - Maslenitsa (cheese week). A solid week, without meat.
• February 21, 2017 - Great Martyr Theodore Stratilates. Prophet Zechariah the Sickle-Seer of the 12 Minor Prophets.
• February 22, 2017 - Martyr Nicephorus, from Antioch in Syria.
• February 24, 2017 - Right-Believing Prince Vsevolod, in the Holy Baptism of Gabriel, Pskov. Rev. Demetrius of Prilutsky, Vologda.
• February 25, 2017 - Iberian Icon of the Mother of God.
• February 26, 2017 - Forgiveness Sunday (the last day of Maslenitsa).
• February 26, 2017 - incantation for Great Lent. Cheesy week. Memories of Adam's Exile.
• February 27, 2017 - clean Monday, the beginning of Lent.
• February 28, 2017 - Vilna Icon of the Mother of God.

Church fasts in February 2017

• Multi-day post in February 2017 On February 27, the beginning of Lent. The longest and most difficult post in the modern Orthodox Church.
• One day posts February 1st, February 3rd, February 15th and February 17th.
• Weeks with no post: Maslenitsa from 20 to 26 February.

Orthodox church holidays in March 2017

• March 1, 2017 - St. Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna.
• March 2, 2017 - Great Martyr Theodore Tyron. Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker.
• March 3, 2017 - Saint Leo, Pope of Rome. Rev. Cosmas of Yakhroma.
• March 4, 2017 - Venerable Eugene and Macarius Confessors, Presbyters of Antioch. Apostles Archippus and Philemon and Martyr Equal-to-the-Apostles Apphia.
• March 5, 2017 - the 1st week of Great Lent, the Triumph of Orthodoxy.
• March 6, 2017 - the 2nd week of Lent begins
• March 8, 2017 - Hieromartyr Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Venerable Polycarp of Bryansk.
• March 9, 2017 - the first and second finding of the head of John the Baptist.
• March 10, 2017 - St. Tarasius, Archbishop of Constantinople. Holy Martyr Alexander the Presbyter, Rev. Martyr Mstislava.
• March 11, 2017 - Parents' Saturday. Commemoration of the dead.
• March 12, 2017 - Sunday of St. George Palamas, 2nd week of Lent.
• March 13, 2017 - the 3rd week of Great Lent begins.
• March 13, 2017 - Saint Basil the Confessor.
• March 14, 2017 is the day of remembrance of the venerable martyr Eudoxia and the martyrs Nestor and Trivimius.
• March 15, 2017 - the celebration of the icon of the Mother of God, called "Reigning".
• March 16, 2017 - Volokolamsk Icon of the Mother of God.
• March 7, 2017 is the day of memory of the Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow.
• March 18, 2017 - parental Saturday, commemoration of the dead.
• March 19, 2017 — Holy Week, 3rd week of Great Lent.
• March 19, 2017 - the acquisition of the Holy Cross and nails by the holy Queen Helena in Jerusalem.
• March 19, 2017 - the celebration of the icons of the Mother of God: Czestochowa, Shestokovskaya and "Blessed Sky".
• March 20, 2017 - the 4th week of Lent begins.
• March 20, 2017 - Icon of the Mother of God "Guest of Sinners".
• March 21, 2017 - Venerable Theophylact the Confessor, Bishop of Nicomedia.
• March 22, 2017 is the feast of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste.
• March 23, 2017 - Martyrs Kodratus of Nicomedia, Satorin, Rufinus and others.
• March 24, 2017 - St. Euthymius, Archbishop of Novgorod, miracle worker.
• March 25, 2017 - Day of Remembrance of the Dead, Saturday parental.
• March 26, 2017 - Sunday of St. John of the Ladder, 4th week of Great Lent.
• March 27, 2017 - the 5th week of Lent begins.
• March 27, 2017 - the celebration of the Feodorovskaya-Komstromskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
• March 28, 2017 - Hieromartyr Alexy the Presbyter.
• March 29, 2017 - Venerable Christodoulos of Patmos the miracle worker.
• March 30, 2017 is the day of memory of the Monk Alexy, the man of God.
• March 31, 2017 - Saint Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem.

Church fasts in March 2017

• Multi-day post in March 2017 Lent lasts throughout March.
• One-day posts - no.

Orthodox church holidays in April 2017

• April 1, 2017 - Praise of the Most Holy Theotokos.
• April 1, 2017 - the celebration of the icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness". Righteous Sophia, Prince of Slutsky.
• April 2, 2017 - Week Reverend Mary Egyptian, 5th week of Great Lent.
• April 3, 2017 - the 6th week of Lent begins.
• April 4, 2017 - the celebration of the Izborsk Icon of the Mother of God. Hieromartyr Basil, Presbyter of Ancyra.
• April 5, 2017 - Venerable Martyr Nikon Bishop and 199 of his disciples.
• April 6, 2017 - Prefeast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos.
• April 7, 2017 - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin.
• April 8, 2017 - Lazarus Saturday. Cathedral of the Archangel Gabriel.
• April 9, 2017 - Palm Sunday. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
• From 10 to 15 April 2017 - Holy Week.
• April 10, 2017 - Good Monday.
• April 11, 2017 - Maundy Tuesday. Saint Eustathius the Confessor, Bishop of Bithynia.
• April 12, 2017 - Great Wednesday Passion Week. Saint John of the Ladder, hegumen of Sinai.
• April 13, 2017 - Saint Jonah, Metropolitan of Kyiv, Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker.
• April 13, 2017 - Icon of the Mother of God "Iberian".
• April 13, 2017 Maundy Thursday (Maundy Thursday).
• April 14, 2017 - Venerable Euthymius, Archimadrid of Suzdal, miracle worker.
• April 14, 2017- Good Friday (Good Friday).
• April 15, 2017 - Venerable Titus the Wonderworker.
• April 15, 2017- Holy Saturday.
• April 16, 2017 - Easter - Holy Resurrection of Christ. End of Lent.
• From April 17 to April 23, 2017 - Bright Week.
• April 17, 2017 - the celebration of the icons of the Mother of God "Gerontissa" and "Redeemer".
• April 18, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of St. Job, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
• April 19, 2017 - Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius, Archbishop of Moravia, the first teacher of the Slavs.
• April 20, 2017 - Byzantine Icon of the Mother of God.
• April 21, 2017 - Icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring".
• April 22, 2017 - Martyr Eupsychius.
• April 23, 2017 - Krasnaya Gorka. Week 2 after Easter, Antipascha or Fomin's day.
• April 23, 2017 - Martyrs Terenty, Pompius, Africanus, Maximus, Zenon, Alexander, Theodore and other 33.
• April 24, 2017 - Hieromartyr Antipas, Bishop of Pergamum of Asia.
• April 25, 2017 - Radonitsa, commemoration of the dead.
• April 26, 2017 - Hieromartyr Artemon, Presbyter of Laodicea.
• April 27, 2017 - Vilna Icon of the Mother of God.
• April 28, 2017 - Apostles Aristarchus, Puda and Trofim.
• April 29, 2017 - the Ilyinsk-Chernigov and Tambov icons of the Mother of God.
• April 30, 2017 - Week 3 after Easter, holy myrrh-bearing women.
• April 30, 2017 - Reverend Zosima, hegumen of Solovetsky.

Church fasts in April 2017

• Multi-day fast in April 2017 - from April 1 to April 15 Great Lent ends on April 15, 2017.
• One-day posts - April 26, April 28.
• A solid week in which there is no post - Bright Week from April 17 to April 23, 2017.

Orthodox church holidays in May 2017

• May 1, 2017 - Maximovskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
• May 2, 2017 is the day of memory of the blessed Matrona of Moscow.
• May 2, 2017 - St. John the Ancient Cave.
• May 3, 2017 - Rev. Theodore Trikhina (haircloth).
• May 4, 2017 - Holy Martyr John the Presbyter.
• May 5, 2017 - Venerable Theodore Sykeot, Bishop of Anastasiopol.
• May 6, 2017 - Great Martyr George the Victorious.
• May 7, 2017 - "Molchenskaya" Icon of the Mother of God.
• May 8, 2017 - Apostle and Evangelist Mark.
• May 9, 2017 - St. Stephen, Bishop of Great Perm.
• May 9, 2017 - Commemoration of the deceased soldiers.
• May 10, 2017 - Apostle and Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop of Jerusalem, relative of the Lord.
• May 11, 2017 - St. Cyril, Bishop of Turov.
• May 12, 2017 - Venerable Memnon the Wonderworker.
• May 13, 2017 - Apostle James of Zebedee, brother of John the Theologian.
• May 13, 2017 - St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, Bishop of the Caucasus and the Black Sea.
• May 14, 2017 - Reverend Pafnuty of Borovsky.
• May 15, 2017 - St. Athanasius the Great, Archbishop of Alexandria.
• May 15, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of the faithful princes of the passion-bearers Boris and Gleb, in the holy Baptism of Roman and David.
• May 16, 2017 - Reverend Theodosius, hegumen of the Kiev Caves.
• May 17, 2017 - Old Russian Icon of the Mother of God.
• May 18, 2017 - Great Martyr Irina.
• May 18, 2017 - the celebration of the icon of the Mother of God "The Inexhaustible Chalice".
• May 19, 2017 - Righteous Job the Long-suffering.
• May 20, 2017 - Commemoration of the appearance in heaven of the Cross of the Lord in Jerusalem.
• May 21, 2017 - Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian.
• May 22, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from the World of Lycia to Bar.
• May 23, 2017 - Apostle Simon the Zealot
• May 24, 2017 - Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril, teachers of Slovenia.
• May 25, 2017 - the feast of the Ascension of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
• May 26, 2017 - Martyrs Glyceria the virgin and with her the martyr Laodicea, prison guard.
• May 27, 2017 - Blessed Isidore, Christ for the Holy Fool, Miracle Worker of Rostov.
• May 28, 2017 - Venerable Pachomius the Great.
• May 28, 2017 - Saint Isaiah, Bishop of Rostov, miracle worker.
• May 28, 2017 - Blessed Tsarevich Dimitry of Uglich and Moscow (the day of the murder).
• May 29, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of St. Ephraim of Perekoma, Wonderworker of Novgorod.
• May 30, 2017 - Apostle Andronicus and St. Junia, his helper.
• May 31, 2017 - Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils.

Church fasts in May 2017

• Multi-day fast in May 2017 - no.
• One-day fasts - May 3, May 5, May 10, May 12, May 17, May 19, May 24, May 26, May 31.

Orthodox church holidays in June 2017

• June 1, 2017 - Venerable Cornelius, wonderworker of Komel.
• June 1, 2017 - Blessed Grand Duke Dimitry Donskoy.
• June 2, 2017 - Uncovering the relics of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker.
• June 3, 2017 - Icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir
• June 3, 2017 - Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Constantine and his mother Queen Helena.
• June 3, 2017 - Blessed Prince Konstantin (Yaroslav) and his children Michael and Theodore, Miracle Workers of Murom.
• June 3, 2017 - Trinity parental Saturday - the day of commemoration of the departed.
• June 4, 2017 - Holy Trinity Day. Pentecost.
• June 5, 2017 - Spirits Day (Day of the Holy Spirit).
• June 5, 2017 - Uncovering the relics of St. Leonty, Bishop of Rostov.
• June 6, 2017 - Venerable Simeon the Stylite on the Marvelous Mountain.
• June 6, 2017 - Rev. Nikita, Stylite of Pereslavl.
• June 7, 2017 - The third acquisition of the head of the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John.
• June 8, 2017 - Great Martyr George the New, who suffered from Tsar Selim of Turkey.
• June 9, 2017 - Uncovering the relics of St. Nil of Stolobensky.
• June 10, 2017 - St. Ignatius, Bishop of Rostov.
• June 10, 2017 - Reverend Elena Diveevskaya.
• June 11, 2017 - Blessed John, Christ for the sake of the holy fool, Ustyug.
• June 11, 2017 - All Saints Week, 1st week after Pentecost.
• June 12, 2017 - Beginning of Petrov Lent.
• June 13, 2017 - Apostle of the 70 Hermas.
• June 13, 2017 - Martyr Hermias of Koman.
• June 14, 2017 - Venerable Dionysius, Abbot of Glushitsky.
• June 14, 2017 - glorification of the righteous John of Kronstadt.
• June 15, 2017 - Great Martyr John the New, Sochavsky.
• June 16, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of the faithful Tsarevich Dimitry from Uglich to Moscow.
• June 17, 2017 - St. Methodius, hegumen of Peshnoshsky.
• June 17, 2017 - St. Mitrofan, 1st Patriarch of Constantinople.
• June 18, 2017 - 2nd Sunday after Pentecost.
• June 18, 2017 - Blessed Prince Theodore Yaroslavich (brother of St. Alexander Nevsky), Novgorod.
• June 19, 2017 - Pimenovskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
• June 20, 2017 - Holy Martyr Theodotos of Ancyra.
• June 21, 2017 - Great Martyr Theodore Stratilates.
• June 22, 2017 - Saint Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria.
• June 22, 2017 - Reverend Cyril, hegumen of Beloezersky.
• June 23, 2017 - Cathedral of the Ryazan Saints.
• June 23, 2017 - Cathedral of the Siberian Saints.
• June 24, 2017 - Icon of the Mother of God "It is worthy to eat."
• June 26, 2017 - Martyrs Akilina.
• June 26, 2017 - Saint Triphyllius, Bishop of Leukusia of Cyprus.
• June 27, 2017 - Prophet Elisha.
• June 27, 2017 - Saint Methodius, Patriarch of Constantinople.
• June 28, 2017 - St. Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker.
• June 29, 2017 - Rev. Tikhon of Medyn, Kaluga.
• June 30, 2017 - Martyrs Manuel, Savel and Ismail of Persia.

Church fasts in June 2017

• Multi-day post in June 2017 – Petrov Post. Starts June 12, 2017 and runs through July 11. This post can be classified as not too strict.
• One-day posts - June 2.

Orthodox church holidays in July 2017

• July 1, 2017 - Bogolyubskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
• July 2, 2017 - Apostle Jude, brother of the Lord.
• July 2, 2017 - St. John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco.
• July 2, 2017 - St. Job, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
• July 3, 2017 - Hieromartyr Methodius, Bishop of Patara.
• July 3, 2017 - Saint Mina, Bishop of Polotsk.
• July 4, 2017 - Martyr Julian of Tarsus.
• July 5, 2017 - Hieromartyr Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata.
• July 6, 2017 - Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.
• July 7, 2017 - Nativity of John the Baptist (Forerunner).
• July 8, 2017 is the feast of Peter and Fevronia of Murom. Blessed Prince Peter, in monasticism David, and Prince Fevronia, in monasticism Euphrosyne, Miracle Workers of Murom.
• July 9, 2017 - Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God.
• July 10, 2017 - Righteous Myrrh-bearing Joan.
• July 10, 2017 - Rev. Sampson the Hospice.
• July 11, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of martyr. unmercenaries and miracle workers Cyrus and John.
• July 11, 2017 - St. Sergius and Herman, Valaam Wonderworkers.
• July 12, 2017 is the feast of Peter and Paul.
• July 13, 2017 - Cathedral of the glorious and all-praise 12 apostles.
• July 14, 2017 - Cosmas and Damian Besrebrenikov, victims in Rome.
• July 15, 2017 - Deposition of the Holy Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos in Blachernae.
• July 16, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker.
• July 17, 2017 - Commemoration of the Holy Royal Martyrs: Tsar - Martyr Nicholas II and others like him killed.
• July 18, 2017 - Venerable Athanasius of Athos.
• July 18, 2017 - Uncovering the honest relics of St. Sergius, hegumen of Radonezh.
• July 19, 2017 - Cathedral of the Radonezh Saints.
• July 20, 2017 - St. Thomas, Malein.
• July 21, 2017 - Appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in the city of Kazan).
• July 21, 2017 - Great Martyr Procopius.
• July 22, 2017 - Hieromartyr Pankratius, Bishop of Tauromenia.
• July 23, 2017 - The position of the honest robe of our Lord Jesus Christ in Moscow.
• July 23, 2017 - Venerable Anthony of the Kiev Caves, chief of all Russian monks.
• July 24, 2017 - Commemoration of the miracle of the Great Martyr Euthymia the All-Praised, by whom Orthodoxy was established.
• July 24, 2017 - Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga, Grand Duchess of Russia, in Holy Baptism Elena.
• July 25, 2017 - Icons of the Mother of God of Three Hands.
• July 26, 2017 - Cathedral of the Archangel Gabriel.
• July 27, 2017 - Aquila the Apostle.
• July 28, 2017 - Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir.
• July 29, 2017 - Cathedral of Russian Wonderworkers.
• July 30, 2017 - Great Martyr Marina (Margaret).
• July 31, 2017 - Kaluga Icon of the Mother of God.

Church fasts in July 2017

• Multi-day post in July 2017— Continuation of Petrov Lent until July 11 (Petrov Lent. Begins June 12, 2017 and lasts until July 11). This post can be classified as not too strict.
• One day posts- July 14, July 19, July 21, July 26, July 28.

Orthodox church holidays in August 2017

• August 1, 2017 - Uncovering the relics of St. Seraphim, Sarov miracle worker.
• August 2, 2017 is the day of the prophet Elijah.
• August 3, 2017 - Hieromartyr Peter the Presbyter.
• August 4, 2017 - Myrrh-bearing Mary Magdalene Equal-to-the-Apostles.
• August 5, 2017 - Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God.
• August 6, 2017 - Martyr Christina.
• August 6, 2017 - Blessed Princes Strathorpians Boris and Gleb, in the holy Baptism of Roman and David.
• August 7, 2017 - Assumption of rights. Anna, Mother of the Blessed Virgin.
• August 7, 2017 - Reverend Macarius Zheltovodsky, Unzhensky.
• August 8, 2017 - Hieromartyr Ermolai, Hermipp and Hermocrates, Priests of Nicomedia.
• August 9, 2017 - Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon.
• August 10, 2017 - the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, called Hodegetria (Guide).
• August 11, 2017 - Martyr Kallinikos.
• August 12, 2017 - Martyr John the Warrior.
• August 13, 2017 - Hieromartyr Benjamin, Metropolitan of Petrograd and Gdov, and the murdered Hieromartyrs Archimadrid Sergius and Martyrs Yuri and John with him.
• August 13, 2017 - Prefeast of the Origin of the Holy Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.
• August 13, 2017 - Righteous Evdokim the Cappadocian.
• August 14, 2017 - The origin (wearing) of the honest trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.
• From August 14 to August 28, 2017, the Assumption Fast continues.
• August 15, 2017 - Transfer from Jerusalem to Constantinople of the relics of the first. Archdeacon Stephen and the acquisition of the relics of the righteous Nicodemus, Gamaliel and his son Aviv.
• August 15, 2017 - Blessed Basil, Christ for the sake of the holy fool, Moscow miracle worker.
• August 16, 2017 - Venerable Anthony the Roman, Wonderworker of Novgorod.
• August 17, 2017 - The Seven Youths, who are in Ephesus.
• August 18, 2017 - Prefeast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
• August 19, 2017 - Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• August 20, 2017 - Uncovering the relics of St. Mitrofan, Bishop of Voronezh.
• August 21, 2017 - St. Emilian the Confessor, Bishop of Cyzicus.
• August 22, 2017 - Apostle Matthias.
• August 23, 2017 - Blessed Lawrence, Christ for the Holy Fool, Kaluga.
• August 24, 2017 - Martyr Archdeacon Euplas.
• August 25, 2017 - Martyrs Photius and Anikita and many with them.
• August 26, 2017 - Commemoration of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
• August 27, 2017 - Prefeast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.
• August 27, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of St. Theodosius of the Caves.
• August 28, 2017 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.
• August 29, 2016 - Khlebny Savior, also referred to as Nut Savior or Savior on Canvas.
• August 29, 2017 - Transfer from Edessa to Constantinople of the Image Not Made by Hands (Ubrus) of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• August 30, 2017 - the celebration of the icon of the Mother of God "The Tsaritsa" "The Tsaritsa".
• August 31, 2017 - Martyrs Florus and Laurus.

Church fasts in August 2017

• Multi-day post in August 2017 - Assumption post. The beginning of abstinence begins on August 14 and lasts until August 27, 2017 -. Strict fasting, which begins with the celebration of the Honey Savior and continues until the bright feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
• One-day posts - August 2, August 4, August 9, August 11.

Orthodox church holidays in September 2017

• September 1, 2017 - Don Icon of the Mother of God.
• September 2, 2017 - Prophet Samuel.
• September 3, 2017 - Venerable Avramius, miracle worker of Smolensk.
• September 4, 2017 - Georgian Icon of the Mother of God.
• September 5, 2017 - Commemoration of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.
• September 6, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, Wonderworker of All Russia.
• September 7, 2017 - Return of the relics of the Apostle Bartholomew.
• September 7, 2017 - Apostle of Crete.
• September 8, 2017 - Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
• September 9, 2017 - Rev. Pimen the Great.
• September 10, 2017 - Uncovering the relics of St. Job, hegumen and miracle worker of Pochaev.
• September 11, 2017 - The beheading of the head of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John.
• September 12, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of Prince Alexander Nevsky.
• September 12, 2017 - Uncovering the relics of the faithful Prince Daniel of Moscow.
• September 13, 2017 - The position of the honest belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
• September 14, 2017 - The beginning of the indiction - church new year.
• September 15, 2017 - Venerable Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves.
• September 16, 2017 - Blessed John the Haired One, Wonderworker of Rostov.
• September 17, 2017 - Uncovering the relics of St. Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod.
• September 18, 2017 - Prophet Zechariah and Righteous Elizabeth, parents of St. John the Baptist.
• September 19, 2017 - the Miracle of St. Michael - a memory of the miracle of the Archangel Michael, who was in Khonekh (Colossae).
• September 20, 2017 - Prefeast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.
• September 20, 2017 - St. John, Archbishop of Novgorod.
• September 21, 2017 - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin.
• September 22, 2017 - After-feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin.
• September 22, 2017 - Righteous Father of God Joachim and Anna.
• September 22, 2017 - Venerable Joseph, hegumen of Volotsk, miracle worker.
• September 23, 2017 - Martyrs Minodora, Mitrodora and Nymphodora.
• September 24, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of St. Sergius and Herman, Wonderworkers of Valaam.
• September 24, 2017 - Venerable Silouan of Athos.
• September 25, 2017 - Commemoration of the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin.
• September 26, 2017 - Commemoration of the renovation (consecration) of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem (the Resurrection).
• September 27, 2017 - Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Lord.
• September 28, 2017 - Great Martyr Nikita.
• September 29, 2017 - Great Martyr Euphemia the All-Praised.
• September 30, 2017 - Martyrs of Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia.

Church fasts in September 2017

• September 2017 Multi-Day Fast - There are no multi-day posts in September.
• One-day fasts - September 6, September 8, September 11, September 13, September 15, September 20, September 22, September 27, September 29.

Orthodox church holidays in October 2017

• October 1, 2017 - Molchenskaya, called the Healer, and the Old Russian Icon of the Mother of God.
• October 2, 2017 - Blessed Princes Theodore of Smolensk and his children David and Konstantin, Yaroslavl miracle workers.
• October 3, 2017 - Great Martyrs Eustathius Plakida, his wife Theopistia and children Agapius and Theopist.
• October 3, 2017 - Martyrs and confessors Michael, Prince of Chernigov, and his boyar Theodore, miracle workers.
• October 4, 2017 - Commemoration of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.
• October 5, 2017 - Cathedral of the Tula Saints.
• October 6, 2017 - Conception of the honest, glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John.
• October 7, 2017 - First Martyr Equal-to-the-Apostles Thekla.
• October 8, 2017 - The death of St. Sergius of Radonezh, wonderworker of all Russia.
• October 9, 2017 - Repose of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian.
• October 9, 2017 - St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
• October 10, 2017 - Reverend Savvaty of Solovetsky.
• October 10, 2017 - Holy Martyr Peter, Metropolitan of Krutitsy.
• October 11, 2017 - Reverend Khariton the Confessor.
• October 11, 2017 - Venerable schemamonk Cyril and schemamonk Mary.
• October 12, 2017 - Venerable Kyriakos the hermit.
• October 13, 2017 - Hieromartyr Gregory Bishop, Enlightener of Greater Armenia.
• October 13, 2017 - Venerable Gregory of Pel'shemsky, Wonderworker of Vologda.
• October 13, 2017 - St. Michael, the first Metropolitan of Kyiv.
• October 14, 2017 - Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos.
• October 14, 2017 - Reverend Savva of Vishera, Novgorod.
• October 15, 2017 - Hieromartyr Cyprian, Martyr Justina and Martyr Theoktist.
• October 16, 2017 - Hieromartyrs Dionysios the Areopagite, Bishop of Athens, Presbyter Rusticus and Eleutherios the Deacon.
• October 17, 2017 - Uncovering the relics of Saints Gury, Archbishops of Kazan, and Barsanuphius, Bishop of Tver.
• October 18, 2017 - Saints Peter, Alexy, Jonah, Philip, Hermogenes and Tikhon, miracle workers of Moscow and all Russia.
• October 19, 2017 - Apostle Thomas.
• October 20, 2017 - Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus.
• October 21, 2017 - Venerable Pelagia.
• October 22, 2017 - Apostle Jacob Alfeev.
• October 23, 2017 - Venerable Ambrose, Elder of Optina and Wonderworker of All Russia.
• October 24, 2017 - Cathedral of the Venerable Elders of Optina.
• October 25, 2017 - Martyrs of Prov, Tarakh and Andronicus.
• October 26, 2017 - Iberian Icon of the Mother of God.
• October 27, 2017 - Reverend Paraskeva of Serbia.
• October 29, 2017 - Martyr Longinus centurion, like at the Cross of the Lord.
• October 30, 2017 is the day of Cosmas and Damian, the unmercenary martyrs of Arabia.
• October 31, 2017 - Apostle and Evangelist Luke.

Church fasts in October 2017

• Multi-day post in October 2017 — There are no multi-day posts in October.
• One-day fasts - October 4, October 6, October 11, October 13, October 18, October 20, October 25, October 27.

Orthodox church holidays in November 2017

• November 1, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of St. John of Rila.
• November 1, 2017 - St. John the Wonderworker of Kronstadt.
• November 2, 2017 - Great Martyr Artemy.
• November 3, 2017 - Venerable Hilarion the Great.
• November 3, 2017 - Transfer of the relics of St. Hilarion, Bishop of Meglin.
• November 4, 2017 - Dimitrievskaya (Parental) Saturday. Commemoration of the dead.
• November 4, 2017 - Celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
• November 5, 2017 - Apostle James, brother of the Lord according to the flesh.
• November 5, 2017 - Blessed Jacob of Borovichi, Wonderworker of Novgorod (transfer of relics).
• November 6, 2017 - Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow".
• November 7, 2017 - Martyrs Markian and Martyrius, Notaries of Constantinople.
• November 8, 2017 - Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica.
• November 9, 2017 - Venerable Nestor the Chronicler of the Caves, in the Near Caves.
• November 10, 2017 - Martyr Paraskeva, named Friday.
• November 10, 2017 - St. Arseniy I, Archbishop of Serbia.
• November 10, 2017 - Reverend Job, Abbot of Pochaev.
• November 10, 2017 - St. Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov.
• November 11, 2017 - Venerable Avramius, Archimadrite of Rostov.
• November 12, 2017 - Ozeryanskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
• November 13, 2017 - Martyr Epimakh of Alexandria.
• November 14, 2017 - Besrebrenikov and miracle workers Cosmas and Damian of Asia and their mother, Rev. Theodotia.
• November 15, 2017 - Shuya-Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God.
• November 16, 2017 - Martyrs of Bishop Akepsimos, Presbyter Joseph and Deacon Aifal.
• November 17, 2017 - Venerable Ioannikios the Great.
• November 18, 2017 - Saint Jonah, Archbishop of Novgorod.
• November 19, 2017 - Saint Paul, Patriarch of Constantinople, Confessor.
• November 19, 2017 - Repose of the Monk Varlaam Khutynsky.
• November 20, 2017 - Venerable Lazarus of Galicia.
• November 21, 2017 - Cathedral of the Archangel Michael and other disembodied Heavenly Forces.
• November 22, 2017 - Icon of the Mother of God, called the "Quick to Hear".
• November 23, 2017 - the Apostles of Erast, Olympus, Rodion, Sosipater, Quarta (Qarta) and Tertia.
• November 24, 2017 - Blessed Maxim, Christ for the sake of the holy fool, Moscow miracle worker.
• November 25, 2017 - St. John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria.
• November 26, 2017 - St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople.
• November 27, 2017
• November 27, 2017 - Apostle Philip.
• November 28, 2017 - Beginning of Advent.
• November 28, 2017 - Martyrs and confessors Guria, Samon and Aviv.
• November 29, 2017 - Apostle and Evangelist Matthew.
• November 30, 2017 - St. Gregory the Wonderworker.
• November 30, 2017 - Venerable Nikon, hegumen of Radonezh, a disciple of St. Sergius.

Church fasts in November 2017

• Multi-day post in November 2017 - Christmas post. In 2017, this post will begin on November 28 and will continue until January 6, 2018.
• One-day fasts - November 1, November 3, November 8, November 10, November 15, November 17, November 22, November 24.

Orthodox church holidays in December 2017