December 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

December 3 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - December 5

All fixed commemorations below celebrated on December 17 by Eastern Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar.^{[note 1]}

For December 4th, Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar commemorate the Saints listed on November 21.

Saints

Commemoration of the Twelve Prophets (Twelve Minor Prophets).^[1]^{[note 2]}
Apostle Crispus of the Seventy Apostles, Bishop of Chalcedon (1st century)^[2]
Great-martyr Barbara, at Heliopolis in Syria (306)^[3]^[4]^[5]^{[note 3]}^{[note 4]}
Martyr Juliana, at Heliopolis in Syria (306)^[4]^[8]^[9]
Martyrs Christodoulos and Christodoula, by the sword.^[10]^{[note 5]}
Saint John the Wonderworker, Bishop of Polybotum, in Phrygia Salutaris (716)^[4]^[11]^{[note 6]}
Saint John of Damascus (John Damascene), monk of St. Sabbas Monastery (749)^[4]^[13]

Pre-Schism Western saints

Saint Felix of Bologna, a Deacon of the Church of Milan with St Ambrose, and later the fifth Bishop of Bologna (429)^[14]^{[note 7]}
Saint Bertoara, Abbess of Notre-Dame-de-Sales in Bourges (614)^[14]
Saint Ada, niece of Engebert, Bishop of Le Mans, she became a nun at Soissons, and Abbess in Le Mans (7th century)^[14]

Post-Schism Orthodox saints

Venerable Cassian the Martyr (Kassianos), one of the "300 Allemagne Saints" in Cyprus (late 12th century)^[15]^{[note 8]} (see also October 6)
Saint Gennadius of Novgorod, Archbishop of Novgorod (1504)^[4]^[16]
New Hieromartyr Seraphim of Phanarion, Archbishop of Phanarion and Neochorion (1601)^[4]^[17]^{[note 9]}

New martyrs and confessors

Hieromartyr Nicholas (Tsedrik), Priest (1917)^[19]^[20]
New Martyrs of Perm (1918):^[19]^[20]^[21]
- Hieromartyrs Alexis Saburov, John Pyankov, Protopresbyters. (see also December 23)
- Alexander Posokhin and Nicholas Yakhontov, Priests.
- Basil Kashin, Deacon, and with him 10 Martyrs.
Hieromartyr Damascene (Tsedrik), Bishop of Glukhov, (son of priest Nicholas (Tsedrik)) (1935)^[19]^[20]
Hieromartyr Demetrius Nevedomsky, Priest (1937)^[19]^[21]
Virgin-martyrs Catherine Arskoy and Kyra Obolensky (1937)^[19]^[21]
Hieromartyr Alexander Hotovitzky, Hieromartyr of the Bolshevik yoke, Missionary of America (1937)^[20]^[22]

Other commemorations

Icon of the Mother of God of Damascus (Panayia Tricherousa, "Three-handed Theotokos") (c. 717)^[20]^[23]^{[note 10]}

Icon gallery

Northern rose window of Chartres Cathedral. The rose depicts the Glorification of the Virgin Mary, the twelve kings of Juda, and the Twelve Prophets.
Great-martyr Barbara.
Saint John the Wonderworker, Bishop of Polybotum (Menologion of Basil II, 10th century).
St. John of Damascus.
St. Gennady of Novgorod.
St. Alexander Hotovitzky, Hieromartyr of the Bolshevik yoke, Missionary of America.
Icon of Panagia Tricherousa ("Three-handed Theotokos").

Notes

^ The notation Old Style or (OS) is sometimes used to indicate a date in the Julian Calendar (which is used by churches on the "Old Calendar").
The notation New Style or (NS), indicates a date in the Revised Julian calendar (which is used by churches on the "New Calendar").
^ This commemoration is recorded in the "Jerusalemitic Canonarion".
^ "At Nicomedia, the passion of St. Barbara, virgin and martyr, in the persecution of Maximinus. After a series of sufferings, a long imprisonment, burning with torches and the cutting off of her breasts, she terminated her martyrdom by the sword."^[6]
^ St Barbara is a patron saint of the city of Kyiv (where her relics are enshrined) and there was a time when tourists to Kyiv received a free copy of the Akathist in her honour. Religious medals depicting Sts Anthony and Theodosius of the Kyiv Caves would often have a depiction of St Barbara on the other side. The daughter of an avidly pagan Roman senator, St Barbara was boiled in oil for her determination to remain a Christian. This led to the practice of boiling pyrohy in oil on her feast-day.^[7]
^ In some Synaxaria, Saint Christodoula is commemorated together with Saint Myrope of Chios (December 2).
^ The Monk John, Bishop of Polyboteia (in Phyrgia), was known as a denouncer of the heresy and impiety of the emperor Leo the Isaurian. The saint died at the beginning of the 8th century. For his holy life he was granted by the Lord the gift to heal the infirm and cast out evil spirits.^[12]
^ "At Bologna, St. Felix, bishop, who previously had been deacon of the church of Milan, under St. Ambrose."^[6]
^ The 300 Allemagne Saints came to Cyprus from Palestine, and lived as ascetics in various parts of the island. These people were Greek migrant workers who worked in Germany or «Alamania» (Allemagne). They had participated in the Second Crusade (1147 - 1149), and after its dissolution, after going on pilgrimage in Jerusalem, they decided to live the monastic life in the Jordan desert. However since the Latins there disturbed them, they relocated to Cyrus and dispersed over the island. Two others of these 300 saints are: Constantine of Cyprus (Constantine of Allemagne) (July 1); and Venerable Abbacum the Ascetic of Cyprus, Wonderworker (December 2).
^ The Hieromonk Seraphim, Bishop of the Phanar was from the village of Bezoula, Agrapha diocese in Greece. He lived in asceticism at first as a monk at the Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos at Koronis, and later was chosen as bishop of the Phanar and Neochorion. For his refusal to accept Islam, he was beaten and impaled by the Turks in 1601. His head is at the monastery at Koronis and has been glorified by numerous miracles.^[18]
^ The Damascene Icon of the Mother of God, by ancient tradition, was painted by St John of Damascus in gratitude to the Theotokos for the miraculous healing of his right hand, cut off through the perfidy of Emperor Leo the Isaurian. This icon is also known as "Of the Three Hands" Icon of the Mother of God (June 28, and July 12).

References

^ Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Μνήμη τῶν Δώδεκα Προφητῶν. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
^ Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Κρύσπος ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἐκ τῶν 70. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
^ Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ἡ Ἁγία Βαρβάρα ἡ Μεγαλομάρτυς. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f December 4/17. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
^ Greatmartyr Barbara at Heliopolis, in Syria. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
^ ^a ^b The Roman Martyrology. Transl. by the Archbishop of Baltimore. Last Edition, According to the Copy Printed at Rome in 1914. Revised Edition, with the Imprimatur of His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons. Baltimore: John Murphy Company, 1916. pp. 373-374.
^ Dr. Alexander Roman. December. Calendar of Ukrainian Orthodox Saints (Ukrainian Orthodoxy - Українське Православ'я).
^ Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ἡ Ἁγία Ἰουλιανὴ ἡ Μάρτυς. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
^ Martyr Juliana at Heliopolis, in Syria. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
^ Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Οἱ Ἅγιοι Χριστόδουλος καὶ Χριστοδούλη οἱ Μάρτυρες. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
^ Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Θαυματουργός Ἐπίσκοπος Πολυβότου. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
^ The Monk John, Bishop of Polyboteia. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
^ Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Δαμασκηνὸς. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
^ ^a ^b ^c December 4. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.
^ Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Κασσιανὸς ὁ Μάρτυρας. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
^ St Gennadius the Archbishop of Novgorod. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
^ Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Σεραφεὶμ ὁ Νέος Ἱερομάρτυρας. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
^ Hieromonk Seraphim, Bishop of the Phanar. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e December 17 / December 4. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e The Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of Western Europe and the Americas (ROCOR). St. Hilarion Calendar of Saints for the year of our Lord 2004. St. Hilarion Press (Austin, TX). p.91.
^ ^a ^b ^c (in Russian) 4 декабря (ст.ст.) 17 декабря 2013 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).
^ Glorification of the Priestmartyr Alexander Hotovitzky. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
^ Icon of the Mother of God of Damascus. OCA - Feasts and Saints.

Sources

December 4/17. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
December 17 / December 4. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
December 4. OCA - The Lives of the Saints.
December 4. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.
The Roman Martyrology. Transl. by the Archbishop of Baltimore. Last Edition, According to the Copy Printed at Rome in 1914. Revised Edition, with the Imprimatur of His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons. Baltimore: John Murphy Company, 1916. pp. 373–374.
Rev. Richard Stanton. A Menology of England and Wales, or, Brief Memorials of the Ancient British and English Saints Arranged According to the Calendar, Together with the Martyrs of the 16th and 17th Centuries. London: Burns & Oates, 1892. p. 583-585.

Greek Sources

Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) 4 ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
(in Greek) Συναξαριστής. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ).

Russian Sources

(in Russian) 17 декабря (4 декабря). Православная Энциклопедия под редакцией Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла (электронная версия). (Orthodox Encyclopedia - Pravenc.ru).
(in Russian) 4 декабря (ст.ст.) 17 декабря 2013 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).

[1] The notation Old Style or (OS) is sometimes used to indicate a date in the Julian Calendar (which is used by churches on the "Old Calendar").
The notation New Style or (NS), indicates a date in the Revised Julian calendar (which is used by churches on the "New Calendar").

[3] This commemoration is recorded in the "Jerusalemitic Canonarion".

[9] "At Nicomedia, the passion of St. Barbara, virgin and martyr, in the persecution of Maximinus. After a series of sufferings, a long imprisonment, burning with torches and the cutting off of her breasts, she terminated her martyrdom by the sword."^[6]

[11] St Barbara is a patron saint of the city of Kyiv (where her relics are enshrined) and there was a time when tourists to Kyiv received a free copy of the Akathist in her honour. Religious medals depicting Sts Anthony and Theodosius of the Kyiv Caves would often have a depiction of St Barbara on the other side. The daughter of an avidly pagan Roman senator, St Barbara was boiled in oil for her determination to remain a Christian. This led to the practice of boiling pyrohy in oil on her feast-day.^[7]

[15] In some Synaxaria, Saint Christodoula is commemorated together with Saint Myrope of Chios (December 2).

[18] The Monk John, Bishop of Polyboteia (in Phyrgia), was known as a denouncer of the heresy and impiety of the emperor Leo the Isaurian. The saint died at the beginning of the 8th century. For his holy life he was granted by the Lord the gift to heal the infirm and cast out evil spirits.^[12]

[21] "At Bologna, St. Felix, bishop, who previously had been deacon of the church of Milan, under St. Ambrose."^[6]

[23] The 300 Allemagne Saints came to Cyprus from Palestine, and lived as ascetics in various parts of the island. These people were Greek migrant workers who worked in Germany or «Alamania» (Allemagne). They had participated in the Second Crusade (1147 - 1149), and after its dissolution, after going on pilgrimage in Jerusalem, they decided to live the monastic life in the Jordan desert. However since the Latins there disturbed them, they relocated to Cyrus and dispersed over the island. Two others of these 300 saints are: Constantine of Cyprus (Constantine of Allemagne) (July 1); and Venerable Abbacum the Ascetic of Cyprus, Wonderworker (December 2).

[27] The Hieromonk Seraphim, Bishop of the Phanar was from the village of Bezoula, Agrapha diocese in Greece. He lived in asceticism at first as a monk at the Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos at Koronis, and later was chosen as bishop of the Phanar and Neochorion. For his refusal to accept Islam, he was beaten and impaled by the Turks in 1601. His head is at the monastery at Koronis and has been glorified by numerous miracles.^[18]

[33] The Damascene Icon of the Mother of God, by ancient tradition, was painted by St John of Damascus in gratitude to the Theotokos for the miraculous healing of his right hand, cut off through the perfidy of Emperor Leo the Isaurian. This icon is also known as "Of the Three Hands" Icon of the Mother of God (June 28, and July 12).

[2] Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Μνήμη τῶν Δώδεκα Προφητῶν. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[4] Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Κρύσπος ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἐκ τῶν 70. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[5] Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ἡ Ἁγία Βαρβάρα ἡ Μεγαλομάρτυς. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[PRAVOSLAVIE-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f December 4/17. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).

[7] Greatmartyr Barbara at Heliopolis, in Syria. OCA - Feasts and Saints.

[ROMAN-8] The Roman Martyrology. Transl. by the Archbishop of Baltimore. Last Edition, According to the Copy Printed at Rome in 1914. Revised Edition, with the Imprimatur of His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons. Baltimore: John Murphy Company, 1916. pp. 373-374.

[UKR-10] Dr. Alexander Roman. December. Calendar of Ukrainian Orthodox Saints (Ukrainian Orthodoxy - Українське Православ'я).

[12] Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ἡ Ἁγία Ἰουλιανὴ ἡ Μάρτυς. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[13] Martyr Juliana at Heliopolis, in Syria. OCA - Feasts and Saints.

[14] Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Οἱ Ἅγιοι Χριστόδουλος καὶ Χριστοδούλη οἱ Μάρτυρες. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[16] Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Θαυματουργός Ἐπίσκοπος Πολυβότου. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[17] The Monk John, Bishop of Polyboteia. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).

[19] Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Δαμασκηνὸς. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[LATIN-20] December 4. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.

[22] Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Κασσιανὸς ὁ Μάρτυρας. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[24] St Gennadius the Archbishop of Novgorod. OCA - Feasts and Saints.

[25] Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Σεραφεὶμ ὁ Νέος Ἱερομάρτυρας. 4 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[26] Hieromonk Seraphim, Bishop of the Phanar. OCA - Feasts and Saints.

[MOSPAT-28] December 17 / December 4. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).

[ROCOR-29] The Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of Western Europe and the Americas (ROCOR). St. Hilarion Calendar of Saints for the year of our Lord 2004. St. Hilarion Press (Austin, TX). p.91.

[DECR-30] (in Russian) 4 декабря (ст.ст.) 17 декабря 2013 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).

[31] Glorification of the Priestmartyr Alexander Hotovitzky. OCA - Feasts and Saints.

[32] Icon of the Mother of God of Damascus. OCA - Feasts and Saints.

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