December 29 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

The Eastern Orthodox cross

December 28 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - December 30

All fixed commemorations below are observed on January 11 by Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar. ^{[note 1]}

For December 29th, Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar commemorate the Saints listed on December 16 .

Feasts

• Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ ^{[1] [2]}

Saints

• The 14,000 Infants (Holy Innocents) slain by Herod at Bethlehem, the first Christian martyrs ^{[1] [3] [4]}
• Venerable Athenodorus the Leper, disciple of Saint Pachomius the Great (4th century) ^{[1] [5] [note 2]}
• Venerable Benjamin, Monk of Nitria in Egypt (392) ^{[1] [6] [note 3]}
• Venerable Marcellus, Abbot of the Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones ("the Ever-Vigilant"), ^{[note 4]} Constantinople (485) ^{[1] [7] [8]}
• Venerable Thaddeus the Confessor of the Studion Monastery (818) ^{[1] [9] [10] [11]}
• Saint George, Metropolitan of Nicomedia, composer of Canons and Troparia (9th century) ^{[1] [12] [note 5]}

Pre-Schism Western saints

• Saint Trophimus, first Bishop of Arles in France (c. 280) ^{[1] [13] [note 6]}
• Martyrs Callistus, Felix and Boniface, martyrs in Rome ^{[13] [14]}
• Martyrs Dominic, Victor, Primian, Lybosus, Saturninus, Crescentius, Secundus and Honoratus, martyrs in North Africa ^{[13] [14]}
• Saint Albert of Gambron, a courtier who became a hermit, later founding the small monastery of Gambron-sur-l'Authion in France (7th century) ^[13]
• Saint Ebrulfus (Evroult), Abbot, born in Bayeux, became a monk at the monastery of Deux-Jumeaux, later founding a monastery at Pays d'Ouche in Normany, and other smaller monasteries (596) ^{[1] [13] [note 7]}
• Saint Girald (Girard, Giraud), a monk at Lagny in France, later Abbot of Saint-Arnoul; he became Abbot of Fontenelle Abbey, where he was murdered (1031) ^[13]

Post-Schism Orthodox saints

• Venerable Mark the Grave-Digger of the Kiev Near Caves (11th century) ^{[1] [15] [16]}
• Venerable Theophilus the Weeper and John (Ivan) of the Kiev Near Caves (11th–12th century) ^{[1] [15] [16]}
• Venerable Theophilus (1412) and Jacob (James), Wonderworkers and Abbots of Luga and Omuch (Omutch), Pskov, disciples of Saint Arsenius of Konevets ^{[1] [17]}
• Saint Job Knyaginitsky, founder of Manyava Skete, Ukraine (1621) ^[1]
• Venerable Basilisk (Basiliscus) the Hesychast of Turinsk, Siberia (1824) ^{[1] [18] [19] [note 8]}
• Venerable Lawrence (Laurence) of Chernigov (1950) ^{[11] [18]}

New martyrs and confessors

• New Hieromartyr Arcadius, Bishop of Tver (1937) ^[20]
• New Hieromartyr Theodosius Belenky, Priest, at Chimkent (1938) ^{[11] [18] [20]}
• New Virgin Martyrs Natalia, Natalia, Eudokia, Anna, Matrona, Barbara, Anna, Eudokia, Ephrosia, Agrippina, and Natalia (1942) ^{[11] [18] [20]}

Other commemorations

• Commemoration of all Orthodox Christians who have died from hunger, thirst, the sword, and freezing ^{[1] [18] [20] [21]}
• Commemoration of the Consecration of the Church of the Holy Forty Martyrs near the Bronze Tetrapylon (four-way arch) ^[22]

Icon gallery

• 
  The 14,000 Infants (Holy Innocents)
  (Codex Egberti, 10th century)
• 
  Massacre of the Innocents.
• 
  The 14,000 Infants (Holy Innocents)
  (Saint Louis Psalter, 1190–1200)
• 
  St. Trophimus of Arles, stained-glass window.
• 
  St. Mark the Grave-digger, of the Kiev Caves.
• 
  St. Basiliscus, Hesychast of Siberia.
• 
  Venerable Laurence of Chernigov.

Notes

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").
2. In Parisian Codex 1578, Athenodoros is accompanied by other Venerable fathers, including Benjamin and Babylas.
3. Saint Nicodemus states that he died of dropsy, and that the Evergetinos contains some of his quotations.
4. (in Greek): Μονὴ Ἀκοιμήτων.
5. He composed two verses for the feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos, and set them to music for the Akolouthia (service). He also set to music the canon that is chanted for the forefeast of the Annunciation, as well as other canons of the Theotokos. In addition, he also composed other celebratory verses.
6. "At Arles, the birthday of St. Trophimus, mentioned by St. Paul in his epistle to Timothy. Being consecrated bishop by that apostle, he was the first sent to preach the gospel of Christ in that city. From his preaching as from a fountain, according to the expression of Pope St. Zosimus, all Gaul received the waters of salvation." ^[14]
7. "In Normandy, St. Ebrulphus, abbot and confessor, in the time of king Childebert." ^[14]
8. He was canonized on January 11, 2004. His memory is also celebrated on the Synaxis of All Saints of Siberia, on June 10.

References

1. December 29/January 11. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
2. Afterfeast of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
3. Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek): Τὰ Ἅγια Νήπια (περίπου 14.000) ποὺ ἐσφάγισαν μὲ διαταγὴ τοῦ Ἡρώδη. 29 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
4. 14,000 Infants (the Holy Innocents) slain by Herod at Bethlehem. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
5. Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek): Ὁ Ὅσιος Ἀθηνόδωρος. 29 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
6. Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek): Ὁ Ὅσιος Βενιαμίν. 29 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
7. Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek): Ὁ Ὅσιος Μάρκελλος. 29 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
8. Venerable Marcellus, Abbot of the Monastery of the "Unsleeping Ones". OCA - Feasts and Saints.
9. Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek): Ὁ Ὅσιος Θαδδαῖος ὁ Ὁμολογητής. 29 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
10. Venerable Thaddeus the Confessor of the Studion. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
11. (in Russian) 29 декабря (ст.ст.) 11 января 2013 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).
12. Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek): Ὁ Ὅσιος Γεώργιος Ἐπίσκοπος Νικομήδειας ποιητὴς ἀσματικῶν Κανόνων καὶ Τροπαρίων. 29 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
13. December 29. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.
14. 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. 400–401.
15. Venerable Mark the Grave-Digger, Theophilus, and John, of the Kiev Near Caves. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
16. (in Ukrainian) Прп. Марк гробокопатель (XI–XII) - Память 11 января. Свято-Успенская Киево-Печерская Лавра (мужской монастырь) Украинской Православной Церкви 1991–2025. Retrieved: 2025-12-31.
17. Venerable Theophilos and Jacob, wonderworkers of Omuch. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
18. January 11 / December 29. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
19. Venerable Basilisk the Hesychast of Siberia. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
20. 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. 3.
21. All Orthodox Christians who died as martyrs for the glory of Christ by hunger, thirst, freezing, and by the sword. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
22. Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek): Ἐγκαίνια τοῦ Ναοῦ Ἁγίων Τεσσαράκοντα πλησίον τοῦ Χαλκοῦ Τετραπύλου. 29 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

Sources

• December 29/January 11. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
• January 11 / December 29. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
• December 29. OCA - The Lives of the Saints.
• 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. 3.
• December 29. 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. 400–401.

Greek Sources

• Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) 29 ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
• (in Greek) Συναξαριστής. 29 Δεκεμβρίου. ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ).

Russian Sources

• (in Russian) 11 января (29 декабря). Православная Энциклопедия под редакцией Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла (электронная версия). (Orthodox Encyclopedia - Pravenc.ru).
• (in Russian) 29 декабря (ст.ст.) 11 января 2013 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).