www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology "Minor" feasts of the Lord

Are there any "minor" feasts of Christ celebrated by churches of the Byzantine Rite?

By "minor" I mean as opposed to the "major" ones -Nativity, Presentation, Theophany, Transfiguaration, Ascension, Resurrection, etc. )

The following Feasts come immediately to mind. I'm sure that there are more:

The Circumcision of the Lord, 1/14 January
The Feast of Mid-Pentecost, 25 days after Pascha
The Procession of the Holy Cross, 1/14 August
The Icon of Christ Made-Without-Hands, 16/29 August


Fr David Straut
St Elizabeth the New-Martyr Orthodox Church
Rocky Hill, New Jersey
www.saint-elizabeths.org [saint-elizabeths.org]

I would add:

Sept 13/26 Dedication of the Anastasis

May 7/20 The Appearance of the Sign of the Cross to St. Constantine

Also in the Ruthenian Liturgicon the Circumcision has a Cross in circle sign i.e it is considered a Great Feast.

Quite true. But I thought we were speaking of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Church. The Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord has a preeminent place among the Feasts that rank below that of the 12 Great Feasts. Similarly, in the Russian use at least, the Feast of the Protection of the Theotokos (1/14 October) occupies the same position vis a vis the Great Feasts of the Mother of God.

Fr David Straut

Fr. David,

We keep the Feast of the Protection of the Theotokos as a Great Feast. In addition we have raised the feast of her Conception to Great Feast as well.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Dear Fr Deacon Lance,

So if the Feast of Our Lady's Protecting Veil or her Immaculate Conception fell on the Lord's Day, the same rules of Ustav would apply as if it were the Feast of her Nativity or her Entry into the Temple? For example, the Gospel at Matins would not be that of the Resurrection, but of the Feast?

In the Orthodox Church, we always speak of the Twelve Great Feasts. Perhaps Eastern Catholics have the Fifteen Great Feasts (adding the Feasts of the Protection of the Mother of God, the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God, and the Circumcision of the Lord to the Twelve Feast)?

Fr David Straut

Fr. David,

Yes, that is correct.

Although I have to make a correction. The Conception of the Theotokos only has the Cross in half-circle sign, a vigil class feast.

But you can add three more for a total of 17 because the Feasts of SS Peter and Paul and the Nativity and Beheading of the Forerunner have the Cross in circle sign as well. Although these three would, on a Sunday, be combined with the Resurrection tone like a vigil class saint. So to be honest I don't really know why they even bother giving them the Cross in circle sign. As an honor I guess.

Fr. Deacon Lance