November 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

The Eastern Orthodox cross

Nov. 20 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - Nov. 22

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

For November 21, Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar commemorate the Saints listed on November 8.

Feasts

• The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple.^{[1][2][3][4][5][note 2][note 3]}

Saints

—

Pre-Schism Western saints

• Saint Rufus of Rome, the disciple whom Saint Paul greets in Romans 16:13 (c. 90)^{[7][note 4][note 5]}
• Martyrs Celsus and Clement, in Rome.^{[7][note 6]}
• Martyrs Demetrius and Honorius, in Ostia in Italy.^{[7][note 7]}
• Martyrs Honorius, Eutychius and Stephen, in Asta in Andalusia in Spain under Diocletian (c. 300)^{[7][note 8]}
• Saint Gelasius I, Pope of Rome (496)^{[7][note 9][note 10]}
• Saint Digain, son of Constantine Corneu, King of Dumnonia (5th century)^{[7][note 11]}
• Saint Maurus of Verona, twelfth Bishop of Verona, Confessor (c. 600)^{[7][note 12]}
• Venerable Columbanus of Bobbio, Abbot and founder of Luxeuil Abbey, Gaul (615)^{[1][7][8][note 13]}
• Saint Amelberga of Susteren, Benedictine Abbess of Susteren Abbey in the Netherlands (c. 900)^[7]
• Saint Hilary, Benedictine Abbot of San Vincenzo in Volturno (1011-1045), who revived the monastic life there (c. 1045)^[7]

Post-Schism Orthodox saints

• Saint Yaropolk-Peter, Prince of Vladimir in Volhynia (11th century)^[8] ( see also: November 22 )
• Venerable Sozomenos, Bishop of Karpaseia in Cyprus, and Wonderworker (12th century)^{[3][9][note 14]} ( see also: November 20 )

New martyrs and confessors

• Vladimir Ryasensky of Tver, priest (1932)^[8]
• New Hieromartyr Alexander Hotovitsky of New York, Priest (1937)^[1][8][12]
• New Hieromartyrs Basil Bov of Chimkent, and Alexander Andreyev of Moscow, Protopresbyters (1937)^[8]
• New Hieromartyrs James Sokolov, John Smirnov, Paul Yevdokimov of Tver, and Theodore Gusiev of Moscow, Priests (1937)^[8]
• New Hieromartyr Gerasimus (Mochalov), Hieromonk of Moscow.^[8]
• New Hieromartyr Alexis Benemansky of Tver, Priest (1937)^[1] ( see also: November 22 )

Other commemorations

• Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Everlasting Hope".^[1][8]
• Synaxis of churches that are dedicated to the Entrance of the Most Holy Theotokos.^[13]

Icon gallery

• 

  Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple
  (16th century)

• 

  Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple
  (14th century)

• 

  Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple
  (Titian)

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 the temple at Jerusalem, the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God."^[6]
3. Name days celebrated today include:
   • Maria, Mary (Μαρία).
4. "The same day, the birthday of blessed Rufus, mentioned by the apostle St. Paul in his epistle to the Romans."^[6]
5. St. Mark says in his Gospel (xv, 21) that Simon of Cyrene was the father of Rufus, and as Mark wrote his Gospel for the Roman Christians, this Rufus is probably the same as the one to whom Paul sent a salutation [cf. Cornely, "Commentar. in Epist. ad Romanos" (Paris, 1896), 778 sq.].
6. "At Rome, the martyrdom of the Saints Celsus and Clement."^[6]
7. "At Ostia, the holy martyrs Demetrius and Honorius."^[6]
8. "In Spain, the holy martyrs Honorius, Eutychius and Stephen."^[6]
9. Born in Africa, he became Pope of Rome in 492. He was one of the most energetic bishops of his time.
10. "At Rome, St. Gelasius, pope, distinguished for learning and sanctity."^[6]
11. A son of Constantine, a lord in Cornwall. Llangernw in Clwyd in Wales is named after him.
12. "At Verona, St. Maurus, bishop and confessor."^[6]
13. "In the monastery of Bobio, the departure from this life of St. Columban, abbot, who founded many convents and governed a large number of monks. He died at an advanced age, celebrated for many virtues."^[6]
14. Venerable Sozomenos is possibly one of the "300 Allemagne Saints" in Cyprus. The 300 Allemagne Saints came to Cyprus from Palestine, and lived as ascetics in various parts of the island. Included among the "300 Allemagne Saints" are:

    • Venerable Anastasios the Wonderwoker of Cyprus, September 17
    • Venerable Abbacum the Ascetic of Cyprus, Wonderworker, December 2
    • Venerable Cassian the Martyr (Kassianos), December 4
    • Venerable Calantius of Tamassos (Kalandios), April 26
    • Martyr Constantine of Cyprus (Constantine of Allemagne), Wonderworker, July 1

    According to some of their lives in the Great Synaxaristes, after the dissolution of the Second Crusade (1147 - 1149), they decided to live the monastic life in the Jordan desert. However since the Latins there disturbed them, they relocated to Cyprus and dispersed over the island.^[10][11]

References

1. December 4 / November 21. Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
2. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Τὰ Εἰσόδια τῆς Θεοτόκου. 21 Νοεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
3. (Greek) Συναξαριστής. 21 Νοεμβρίου. ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ).
4. (Russian) 4 декабря (21 ноября). Православная Энциклопедия под редакцией Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла (электронная версия). (Orthodox Encyclopedia - Pravenc.ru).
5. The Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple. OCA - Lives of the Saints.
6. 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. p. 359-360.
7. November 21. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.
8. 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. 87.
9. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Σωζόμενος. 21 Νοεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
10. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Ἀναστάσιος ὁ Θαυματουργός ὁ ἐν Κύπρῳ. 17 Σεπτεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
11. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Ἀββακοὺμ ὁ ἀσκητὴς. 2 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
12. Dr. Alexander Roman. November. Calendar of Ukrainian Orthodox Saints (Ukrainian Orthodoxy - Українське Православ'я).
13. (Greek) 21/11/2015. Ορθόδοξος Συναξαριστής.

Sources

• November 21 / December 4. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
• December 4 / November 21. Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
• November 21. OCA - The Lives of the Saints.
• Dr. Alexander Roman. November. 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. 87.
• The Twenty-First Day of the Month of November. Orthodoxy in China.
• November 21. 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. p. 359-360.
• Rev. Richard Stanton. A Menology of England and Wales, or, Brief Memorials of the Ancient British and English Saints Arranged According to the Calendar, Together with the Martyrs of the 16th and 17th Centuries. London: Burns & Oates, 1892. pp. 561-562.

Greek Sources

• Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) 21 ΝΟΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
• (Greek) Συναξαριστής. 21 Νοεμβρίου. ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ).
• (Greek) 21/11/2015. Ορθόδοξος Συναξαριστής.

Russian Sources

• (Russian) 4 декабря (21 ноября). Православная Энциклопедия под редакцией Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла (электронная версия). (Orthodox Encyclopedia - Pravenc.ru).