What holiday is today, July 26, 2020

Orthodox believers will celebrate the Nativity of the Prophet John the Baptist in July 2020

On July 7, 2020, one of the most famous Orthodox holidays celebrated in the summer, “The Nativity of the Prophet John the Baptist,” will take place. The Forerunner is considered to be the closest predecessor of Jesus Christ. According to the New Testament, John the Baptist predicted the coming of the Messiah. Holy Scripture says that the forerunner was an ascetic and a person who performed the sacrament of baptism. It was John the Baptist who performed the sacrament and washed Christ in the waters of the Jordan River.

"The Nativity of John the Baptist" is a rare type of Orthodox celebration, as it aims to celebrate a birth. John the Baptist is the son of the righteous and elderly Zechariah and Elizabeth, who led a pious lifestyle, but could not conceive a child. One day, an archangel appeared to Zechariah and brought him the good news that his wife would soon be able to give birth to a son named “John.” The man doubted the angel’s words, which is why God punished him with muteness.

When Elizabeth gave birth to a boy, she decided to name him “John.” Zechariah expressed his agreement by writing this on a tablet, and immediately learned to speak again, since he was able to admit that he was wrong. It is these events that are celebrated by the Orthodox Church on July 7, 2020.

Orthodox church holidays in July 2020

July 1, 2020 Wednesday

4th Week after Pentecost.
Martyrs Leontius, Hypatius and Theodulus.
Bogolyubskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
The Apostolic (Petrov) Fast continues from July 1 to July 12.

July 2, 2020 Thursday

4th Week after Pentecost.
Apostle Jude, brother of the Lord.
Saint John, the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco.
Saint Job, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
The Apostolic (Petrov) Fast continues.

Friday July 3, 2020

4th Week after Pentecost.
Hieromartyr Methodius, Bishop of Patara.
Saint Mina, Bishop of Polotsk.
Blessed Prince Gleb of Vladimir.
Modena (Kosinskaya) Icon of the Mother of God.
The Apostolic (Petrov) Fast continues.

Saturday 4 July 2020

4th Week after Pentecost.
Martyr Julian of Tarsus.
Discovery of the relics of St. Maxim the Greek.
The Apostolic (Petrov) Fast continues.

Sunday July 5, 2020

4th Sunday after Pentecost.
Hieromartyr Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata.
Memory of the Council of the Reverend Fathers of Pskov-Pechersk.
Kazan Korobeinikovskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
The Apostolic (Petrov) Fast continues.

Monday 6 July 2020

5th Week after Pentecost.
Celebration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.
Memory of the Council of Vladimir Saints.
The Apostolic (Petrov) Fast continues.

July 7, 2020 Tuesday

5th Week after Pentecost.
Nativity of John the Baptist (Forerunner).
The Apostolic (Petrov) Fast continues.

July 8, 2020 Wednesday

5th Week after Pentecost.
Venerable Martyr Fevronia the Virgin.
Feast of Peter and Fevronia of Murom. Blessed Prince Peter, in monasticism David, and Princess Fevronia, in monasticism Euphrosyne, Murom miracle workers.
The Apostolic (Petrov) Fast continues.

Thursday July 9, 2020

5th Week after Pentecost.
Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God.
Venerable David of Thessalonica.
The Apostolic (Petrov) Fast continues.

Friday July 10, 2020

5th Week after Pentecost.
Discovery of the relics of St. Ambrose of Optina.
Righteous Joanna the Myrrh-Bearer.
Reverend Sampson the Stranger.
The Apostolic (Petrov) Fast continues.

Saturday 11 July 2020

5th Week after Pentecost.
Transfer of the relics of the unmercenary martyrs and wonderworkers Cyrus and John.
Saints Sergius and Herman, Valaam wonderworkers.
Celebration of the icon of the Mother of God of the Three Hands.
The Apostolic (Petrov) Fast continues.

Sunday July 12, 2020

5th Sunday after Pentecost.
Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul.
Celebration of the icons of the Mother of God of Kasperovskaya and Dunilovskaya.

Monday July 13, 2020

6th Week after Pentecost.
Cathedral of the glorious and all-validated 12 apostles.
Memory of the Synaxis of Saints of the Birobidzhan Diocese.
Gorbanevskaya, Balykinskaya and Volynskaya icons of the Mother of God.

Tuesday July 14, 2020

6th Week after Pentecost.
Unmercenary Cosmas and Damian, victims in Rome.
Martyr Potitus of Gargar.

Wednesday July 15, 2020

6th Week after Pentecost.
Position of the venerable robe of the Most Holy Theotokos in Blachernae.
Celebration of the icons of the Mother of God of Pozhaisk, Akhtyrskaya, Feodotyevskaya, and the Tree of Jesse.
Fast day.

Thursday 16 July 2020

6th Week after Pentecost.
Transfer of the relics of St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus', Wonderworker.
Martyr Jacinthos of Rome.

Friday July 17, 2020

6th Week after Pentecost.
Memory of the Holy Royal Martyrs: Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II and those like him killed.
Reverend Andrei Rublev, icon painter.
Galatian Icon of the Mother of God.
Fast day.

Saturday July 18, 2020

6th Week after Pentecost.
Venerable Athanasius of Athos.
Finding the honest relics of St. Sergius, abbot of Radonezh.
Venerable Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth.
“Ekonomissa” (“House-Builder”) icon of the Mother of God.

Sunday July 19, 2020

6th Sunday after Pentecost.
Cathedral of Radonezh Saints.
Venerable Sisoes the Great.
"Valaam"; Kazan (Bogorodsko-Ufa) icons of the Mother of God.

Monday July 20, 2020

7th Week after Pentecost.
Memorial Day of the Venerable Euphrosyne, in the world Evdokia, Grand Duchess of Moscow.
Venerable Akakios of Sinai.
Venerable Thomas, Malein.
Celebration of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God.

Tuesday July 21, 2020

7th Week after Pentecost.
Appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in the city of Kazan).
Memorial Day of the Great Martyr Procopius.
Righteous Procopius, Ustyug Wonderworker.
“Annunciation” by Ustyugskaya; Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

Wednesday July 22, 2020

7th Week after Pentecost.
Hieromartyr Pankratius, Bishop of Tauromenia.
Celebration of the icons of the Mother of God of Kolochskaya, Cyprus (Stromynskaya).
Fast day.

Thursday July 23, 2020

7th Week after Pentecost.
The position of the honorable robe of our Lord Jesus Christ in Moscow.
Venerable Anthony of Kiev-Pechersk, chief of all Russian monks.
Celebration of the Konevskaya Icon of the Mother of God.

Friday July 24, 2020

7th Week after Pentecost.
Remembrance of the miracle of the Great Martyr Euphemia the All-Valued, through which Orthodoxy was established.
Equal to the Apostles Olga, Grand Duchess of Russia, Helena in Holy Baptism.
Celebration of the icons of the Mother of God Borkolabovskaya, Rudnenskaya Ratkovskaya, Okovetskaya Rzhevskaya.
Fast day.

Saturday July 25, 2020

7th Week after Pentecost.
Memorial Day of the Martyrs Proclus and Hilary.
Venerable Mikhail Malein, abbot.
Icon of the Mother of God of Three Hands, Self-Painted.

Sunday July 26, 2020

7th Sunday after Pentecost.
Memory of the Holy Fathers of the Six Ecumenical Councils.
Cathedral of the Archangel Gabriel.
Reverend Stefan Savvait.

Monday July 27, 2020

8th Week after Pentecost.
Apostle Aquila from the 70th.
Venerable Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain.
Celebration of the “Elisavetgrad” Icon of the Mother of God.

Tuesday July 28, 2020

8th Week after Pentecost.
Equal to the Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir.
Memory of the Council of Kyiv Saints.
Martyr Kirik and Martyr Julitta.

Wednesday July 29, 2020

8th Week after Pentecost.
Memorial Day of the Hieromartyr Athenogenes and his ten disciples.
Celebration of the Pskov Icon of the Mother of God of Chira.
Fast day.

Thursday July 30, 2020

8th Week after Pentecost.
Celebration of the Svyatogorsk Icon of the Mother of God.
Great Martyr Marina (Margarita).

Friday July 31, 2020

The Day of the Apostles Peter and Paul and the end of Peter's Lent will be celebrated on July 12, 2020

According to the church calendar, July 12, 2020 is the date of celebration of the Orthodox holiday “Day of the Apostles Peter and Paul,” which is the end of Peter’s Lent. He sets himself to pay a tribute of respect and memory to the especially revered disciples of Christ. The appearance of this holiday is due to the fact that it was Peter and Paul who were the first apostles who decided to tell other people about what the Son of God taught them.

Peter and Paul are traditionally considered to be the people who managed to erect the pillar of the Christian church. According to historical data, the apostles died as martyrs on the same day, which is why the tradition arose of paying tribute to them on the same date. The Apostle Paul, being a citizen of Rome, was killed by the sword, and Peter was crucified on the cross. The holiday of “Peter and Paul” became significant for Christians in 324, since it was at this time that the persecution ended, marked by the construction of churches bearing the name of Christ’s disciples.

What Orthodox holidays are there in July?

On July 7, the Orthodox Church celebrates the great feast of the birth of John the Baptist. In church liturgical practice, this day is called the Nativity of the Honest, Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John. John the Baptist was called by Christ himself the greatest holy man who ever lived on earth. John prepared the Jewish people for the coming of the Savior. The holy prophet baptized people in the Jordan, as well as the Savior himself. The saint was miraculously born from Zechariah and Elizabeth, who were already advanced in years. Archangel Gabriel announced to John's father that their child would be great before the Lord. It was John the Baptist who was given the honor of starting a sermon on repentance immediately before the coming of Christ into the world.

Another great Orthodox church holiday in July is the day of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul (July 12th). On this day, St. Peter's Fast ends for Orthodox Christians. Solemn services are held in churches in honor of the great apostles; after the service, believers break their fast with various foods (unless the holiday falls on Wednesday and Friday, in which case the fast is maintained). The Apostle Peter had the most ardent and emotional character among the other apostles. He denied Christ three times, then repented of this all his life after being restored to the apostleship by the risen Lord. The Apostle Peter walked on the waters, witnessed many of the Savior’s miracles, and himself resurrected Aeneas. Peter is also the author of two conciliar epistles. The Apostle Paul worked the most in missionary preaching. Four missionary journeys of the holy apostle throughout the Roman Empire are known. He is the author of 14 epistles that are part of the New Testament canon. The recipients were both certain Christian communities and individuals.

In addition to these main church holidays in July, the following dates can be distinguished. July 1 - the memory of the Bogolyubsk Icon of the Mother of God, July 3 - the Kosinsk Icon of the Mother of God, July 6 - the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, July 8 - the memory of the noble princes Peter and Fevronia (family day), July 9 - celebration of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, July 18 is a special holiday in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh (abbot of the Russian land), July 24 is the day of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga (grandmother of the holy Prince of Kiev Vladimir), August 28 is the memory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.

ORTHODOX CHURCH CALENDAR JULY 2020

Orthodox holidays, fasts, memorable dates in July 2020.

1 Wed. Mchch. Leontius, Hypatia and Theodula. Bogolyubskaya Icon of the Mother of God. 2 Thu. Apostle Jude, brother of the Lord; St. Job, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. St. John Maksimovich, Archbishop. Shanghai and San Francisco. Mch. Zosima. St. Paisius the Great. St. Varlaam Vazhsky, Shenkursky. 3 Fri. Sschmch. Methodius, bishop Patarsky; blgv. book Gleb of Vladimir (son of St. Andrei Bogolyubsky); St. Guria, Archbishop Kazansky. 4 Sat. Mch. Julian of Tarsus; sschmch. Terentia, bishop Iconian. Finding the relics of St. Maxim the Greek. 5 Sun. Week 4. Voice 3. Shchmch. Eusebius, bishop Samosatsky. Mchch. Galaktion, Juliania. Cathedral of the Pskov-Pechersk St. 6 Mon. Week 5. Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Mts. Agrippina; Cathedral of Vladimir Saints Right Artemy Verkolsky. The second transfer of the relics of St. Herman, Archbishop. Kazansky. 7 W. Nativity of the honest, glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John. Right the youths Jacob and John of Menyuzh. 8 Wed. Prmts. Fevronia the maiden. Blgvv. book Peter, in monasticism David and Prince. Fevronia, in monasticism Euphrosyne, Muromsky, miracle workers. Prpp. Dalmat of Isetsky, Nikon of Optina. 9 Thurs. Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. St. Dionysius of Suzdal. St. David. 10 Fri. Prpp. Sampson, Serapion, George. St. Ambrose of Optina. 11 Sat. Transfer of the relics of the martyr. the unmercenaries and wonderworkers Cyrus and John. Prpp. Sergius and Herman of Valaam, miracle workers. Icon of the Mother of God, called “Three-Handed”. 12 Sun. Week 5. Tone 4. Glorious and all-praised supreme apostles Peter and Paul. St. Gregory, Met. Irakli. St. Paisius of the Svyatogorets. Kasperovskaya Icon of the Mother of God. 13 Mon. Week 6. Council of the glorious and all-praised 12 apostles. Glorification of St. Sophronia, bishop Irkutsk. 14 W. Unmercenary Cosmas and Damian, victims in Rome. Right Angelinas, despotis of Serbia. 15 Wed. Position of the venerable robe of the Most Holy Theotokos in Blachernae. St. Photius, Met. Kyiv, Moscow and all Rus', miracle worker. St. Juvenal, Patriarch of Jerusalem. Akhtyrskaya Icon of the Mother of God. 16 Thu. Mch. Iacinthos. Transfer of the relics of St. Philippa, Metropolitan Moscow and all Russia, miracle worker. St. Anatolia.St. Vasily, bishop Ryazansky. 17 Fri. St. Andrew, Archbishop Kritsky. St. Martha, mother of Simeon Divnogorets. St. Andrey Rublev, icon painter. Passion-bearers Tsar Nicholas, Tsarina Alexandra, Tsarevich Alexy, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia and the righteous passion-bearer Eugene the doctor. Blgv. led book Andrey Bogolyubsky. 18 Sat. St. Afanasy of Athos. Finding the honest relics of St. Sergius, abbot of Radonezh. Prmcc. led book Elizabeth and nun Varvara Yakovleva. Mts. Anna. 19 Sun. Week 6. Tone 5. Cathedral of the Radonezh Saints. Cathedral of Tver Saints Prpp. Tikhon, Vasily, Nikon. St. Arsenia. St. Sisoya the Great; right Virgin Juliana. 20 Mon. Week 7. St. Thomas, like in Maley. St. Evdokia, in the nuns Euphrosyne, led. book Moscow. 21 W. Appearance of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in the city of Kazan. Vmch. Procopy. 22 Wed. Sschmchch. Pankratia, ep. Tavromensky. Sschmch. Kirill, bishop Gortynsky. St. Theodora, bishop Edessa; St. Gabriel of Athos. 23 Thu. The position of the honorable robe of our Lord Jesus Christ in Moscow. 45 mph. in Nikopol Armenian. St. Anthony of Pechersk, Kyiv, chief of all Russian monks. 24 Fri. Memories of the miracle of the Military Medical Center. Euphemia of all praise, to whom Orthodoxy was established. Equal. Olga, lead. Princess of Russia, at the Holy Baptism of Helen. 25 Sat. Mchch. Procla and Ilaria. St. Mikhail Malein. Mchch. Theodore the Varangian and his son John, in Kyiv. St. Arseny Novgorodsky. Icon of the Mother of God, called "Three-handed". 26 Sun. Week 7. Tone 6. Memory of the Holy Fathers of the 6 Ecumenical Councils. Cathedral of the Archangel Gabriel. St. Stefan Savvait. Mch. Serapion. 27 Mon. Week 8. Ap. from 70 Akila. St. Stefan Makhrishchsky. St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain. 28 W. Mchch. Kirik and Iulitta. Equal. led book Vladimir, in Holy Baptism of Vasily. Cathedral of Kyiv Saints 29 Wed. Sschmch. Athenogen, ep. and 10 of his disciples. Mch. Pavel and mcc. Alevtina (Valentina). Mts. Julia the Virgin. 30 Thu. VMC. Marina (Margarita); prpp. Irinarchus, Lazarus. 31 Fri. Mchch. Emillian and Jacinth of Amastrida. St. John the Long-Suffering; St. Pamva.