When is the Introduction and the beginning of the Christmas fast: an updated church calendar for November

Yulia Poterianko News02.11.2023 18:42

Starting from this year, the Christmas fast will begin earlier in Ukraine

Since September 1, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has adopted a new calendar, causing all dates to shift back 13 days. The Christmas Lent now begins not at the end of the month, but in the middle.

OBOZ.UA explains how the dates of holidays have changed and what Orthodox Christians now celebrate in November. The New Julian calendar is already in effect, and all the listed dates are accurate.

The most Orthodox holidays in November on the new calendar are as follows:

November 8 - the Cathedral of Archangel Mykhail
November 15 - the beginning of the Christmas fast
November 21 - the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the Temple
November 24 - St. Kateryna the Great Martyr
November 30 - St. Andrii the Apostle

Traditional fortune-telling and festivities for St. Andrew will now be held in November, rather than in the middle of December. Similarly, Catherine's name day will be celebrated in late fall.

In November and beyond, there are two memorial Saturdays when Orthodox Christians visit cemeteries and remember the deceased. According to the new calendar, these days will be:

November 4 - St. Mykhail's Parents' Saturday;
November 11 - Parents' Saturday before the Christmas fast.

The full Orthodox calendar for November 2023 now looks as follows:

November 1 - Holy Wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian;
November 2 - the holy martyrs Achindinus, Pigasius, Aphthonius, Elpidiphorus and Anempodistos;
November 3 - the holy martyrs Akepsimos, Joseph and Aytalos;
November 4 - St. Ioannicius the Great, the holy martyrs Nikandr and Ermei, St. Michael's Parents' Saturday;
November 5 - the holy martyrs Galaktion and Epistima;
November 6 - St. Paul, Archbishop of Constantinople;
November 7 - Commemoration of the 33 Martyrs at Melitinus;
November 8 - Sobor Archistratigos Mykhail;
November 9 - Venerable Matrona and Theoctista;
November 10 - Holy Apostles Erastus, Olympus, Rodion and those with them;

November 11 - the holy martyrs Mina, Victor and Vincentius, and the Monk Theodore the Studite, a parental memorial Saturday before the Christmas fast;
November 12 - the Holy Martyr Josaphat;
November 13 - St. John Chrysostomos, Archbishop of Constantinople;
November 14 - St. Philip the Apostle;
November 15 - the beginning of the Christmas fast, and the holy martyrs Guria, Samon and Aviv;
November 16 - St. Matthew the Apostle;
November 17 - St. Hryhorii, Bishop of Neocaesarea;
November 18 - the holy martyrs Platon and Roman;
November 19 - the holy prophet Abedius, the holy martyr Barlaam;
November 20 - St. Hryhorii the Decapolite;
November 21 - the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple;
November 22 - St. Philimon the Apostle and those with him;
November 23 - St. Amphilochius and St. Hryhorii;

November 24 - St. Catherine the Great Martyr, St. Mercury the Great Martyr;
November 25 - the Presentation of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, the Holy Martyr Clement;
November 26 - the Monk Alipiy, the pillar-bearer;
November 27 - the Holy Great Martyr James the Persian, the Monk Palladius;
November 28 - the holy martyr Stephen the New, the martyr Irinarchus;
November 29 - the holy martyrs Paramon and Philumenos;
November 30 - St. Andrii the Apostle.

Earlier OBOZ.UA told how many weekends and public holidays will be in November 2023.

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