December 21 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - December 23

All fixed commemorations below celebrated on January 4 by Eastern Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar.

For December 22nd, Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar commemorate the Saints listed on December 9.

Feasts Forefeast of the Nativity of ChristDecember 22/January 4. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).

Saints Great Martyr Anastasia of Rome and Sirmium, the Deliverer from Bonds and Poisons,Great Synaxaristes: : Ἡ Ἁγία Ἀναστασία ἡ Φαρμακολύτρια. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. and: her teacher Martyr Chrysogonus,Great Synaxaristes: : Ὁ Ἅγιος Χρυσόγονος. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. and with them: the Martyrs Theodota,Great Synaxaristes: : Ἡ Ἁγία Θεοδότη ἡ Μάρτυς καὶ τὰ τρία παιδιά της. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Evodos (Evodus, Evodias, Evodius), Eutychianus, Zoilos, and others, who suffered under Diocletian (304)Great Martyr Anastasia the Deliverer from Poisons, her teacher, Martyr Chrysogonos, and many with them. OCA - Feasts and Saints. Hieromartyr Zoilus, Priest, under Diocletian (304)Great Synaxaristes: : Ὁ Ἅγιος Ζωΐλος ὁ Μάρτυρας. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

Pre-Schism Western saints Martyrs Demetrius, Honoratus and Florus, in Ostia in ItalyDecember 22. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome. (see also: November 21) Thirty Holy Martyrs of Rome (c. 303) Martyr Flavian, former Prefect of Rome (362)Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould (M.A.). "S. FLAVIAN, M. (A.D. 380.)." In: The Lives of the Saints. Volume the Fifteenth: December. London: John C. Nimmo, 1898. p. 236. Saint Hunger (Hungerus Frisus), Bishop of Utrecht in the Netherlands from 856; during the Norman invasion he fled to Prüm in Germany where he died (866) Saint Amaswinthus of Málaga, Monk and Abbot for forty-two years at a monastery in Silva de Málaga in Spain (982)

Post-Schism Orthodox saints Saint Boris Talantov of Kostroma, Soviet teacher, participant in the dissident movement in the USSR, church publicist and political prisoner (1970–1971) ТАЛАНТОВ БОРИС ВЛАДИМИРОВИЧ. Открытая православная энциклопедия "Древо" (Open Orthodox Encyclopedia "The Tree"). Retrieved: September 15, 2026.

New martyrs and confessors New Hieromartyrs Dimitry (Demetrius) Kiranov, Archpriest of Yaroslavl, and Theodore Poroikov, Archpriest of Yalta (1937–1938)January 4 / December 22. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow). 22 декабря (ст.ст.) 4 января 2015 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).

Other commemorations Commemoration of the Thyranoixia (consecration) of the "Great Church of Christ", the Hagia Sophia.Great Synaxaristes: : Μνήμη Θυρανοιξίων τῆς μεγάλης Ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Repose of Monk Dositheus, hermit of the Roslavl Forests and Optina Monastery (1828)

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References

Sources December 22/January 4. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU). January 4 / December 22. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow). December 22. 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. 1. December 22. 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. Greek Sources Great Synaxaristes: 22 ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Συναξαριστής. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ). Russian Sources 4 января (22 декабря). Православная Энциклопедия под редакцией Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла (электронная версия). (Orthodox Encyclopedia - Pravenc.ru). 22 декабря (ст.ст.) 4 января 2015 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).