December 22 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

The Eastern Orthodox cross

Dec. 21 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - Dec. 23

All fixed commemorations below celebrated on January 4 by Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar.^{[note 1]}

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

Feasts

• Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.^{[1][note 2]}

Saints

• Great Martyr Anastasia the Roman (Anastasia of Sirmium), Deliverer from Bonds,^[3][4] and:

• her teacher Martyr Chrysogonus,^[5][6] and with them:
• the Martyrs Theodota,^[7][8] Evodius,^{[note 3]} Eutychianus,^[10] and others,^{[note 4]} who suffered under Diocletian (304)^[1]

• Hieromartyr Zoilus, Priest, under Diocletian (304)^{[12][note 5]}

Pre-Schism Western Saints

• Martyrs Demetrius, Honoratus and Florus, in Ostia in Italy.^[13]
• Thirty Holy Martyrs of Rome (ca.303)^{[13][note 6]}
• Saint Flavian, an ex-prefect of Rome (362)^{[13][note 7]}
• Saint Hunger of Utrecht (Hungerus Frisus), Bishop of Utrecht in the Netherlands from 856; during the Norman invasion he fled to Prüm in Germany where he died (866)^[13]
• Saint Amaswinthus of Málaga, monk and Abbot for forty-two years at a monastery in Silva de Málaga in Spain (982)^[13]

Post-Schism Orthodox Saints

New Martyrs and Confessors

• New Hieromartyrs Demetrius and Theodore, Priests (1938)^[14][15]
• New Martyr Vorisa Talantova (1970)^[16]

Other Commemorations

• Commemoration of the Thyranoixia (consecration) of the "Great Church of Christ", the Hagia Sophia.^[17]
• Repose of Monk Dositheus, hermit of the Roslavl Forests and Optina Monastery (1828)^[1]
• Icon of the Mother of God, Igumenia of Manjava Skete.^[18]

Icon Gallery

• 

  Great Martyr Anastasia, Deliverer from Bonds.

• 

  Great Martyr Anastasia, Deliverer from Bonds.

• 

  The Holy Great-martyr Anastasia the Deliver from Bonds (Menologion of Basil II)

• 

  St. Chrysogonus and St. Anastasia.

• 

  St. Chrysogonus (Archiepiscopal Chapel, Ravenna)

• 

  Mosaic of Virgin and Child with St. Chrysogonus (left) and St. James the Greater (right). (At the church of San Crisogono in Rome, ca.1273-1308)

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. The Forefeast of the Nativity of the Lord begins on December 20. From now on, most of the liturgical hymns will be concerned with the birth of the Savior.^[2]
3. Saint Evodus was the eldest son of St Theodota. He, his mother, and his two brothers stood bravely before the judge and endured beatings without protest. After lengthy torture, they were all thrown into a fiery furnace and so received the crown of martyrdom.^[9]
4. One hundred and twenty men became Christians when they witnessed the miraculous deliverance of the Great Martyr Anastasia and St Eutychianus from a sinking boat. St Theodota appeared and steered the ship to shore. These 120 martyrs were baptized by St Eutychianus and St Anastasia, then were captured and put to death for confessing Christ.^[11]
5. He suffered martyrdom under Diocletian, when together with the holy Virgin-martyrs Agape, Irene, and Chionia (see April 16), he recovered the relics of Saint Chrysogonous (whose memory is honored today) from the sea.^[12]
6. A group of thirty martyrs who suffered in Rome under Diocletian and were buried on the Via Lavicana.
7. An ex-prefect of Rome, branded on the forehead as a slave and exiled to the village of Acquapendente in Tuscany in Italy by Julian the Apostate. He reposed there while in prayer.

References

1. December 22/January 4. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
2. Forefeast of the Nativity of our Lord. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
3. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Ἡ Ἁγία Ἀναστασία ἡ Φαρμακολύτρια. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
4. Greatmartyr Anastasia the "Deliverer from Potions". OCA - Feasts and Saints.
5. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Ὁ Ἅγιος Χρυσόγονος. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
6. Martyr Chrysogonus the Teacher of the Greatmartyr Anastasia. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
7. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Ἡ Ἁγία Θεοδότη ἡ Μάρτυς καὶ τὰ τρία παιδιά της. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
8. Martyr Theodota who suffered under Diocletian. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
9. Martyr Evodus who suffered under Diocletian. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
10. Martyr Eutychianus who suffered under Diocletian. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
11. Martyrs who suffered under Diocletian. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
12. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Ὁ Ἅγιος Ζωΐλος ὁ Μάρτυρας. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
13. December 22. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.
14. January 4 / December 22. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
15. (Russian) 22 декабря (ст.ст.) 4 января 2013 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).
16. [Orthodox Calendar 2013 by Lesna Monastery, France, 2012.]
17. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Μνήμη Θυρανοιξίων τῆς μεγάλης Ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
18. Dr. Alexander Roman. December. Calendar of Ukrainian Orthodox Saints (Ukrainian Orthodoxy - Українське Православ'я).

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).
• Complete List of Saints. Protection of the Mother of God Church (POMOG).
• December 22. OCA - The Lives of the Saints.
• Dr. Alexander Roman. December. Calendar of Ukrainian Orthodox Saints (Ukrainian Orthodoxy - Українське Православ'я).
• 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: (Greek) 22 ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
• (Greek) Συναξαριστής. 22 Δεκεμβρίου. ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ).

Russian Sources

• (Russian) 4 января (22 декабря). Православная Энциклопедия под редакцией Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла (электронная версия). (Orthodox Encyclopedia - Pravenc.ru).
• (Russian) 22 декабря (ст.ст.) 4 января 2013 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).