Orthodox (Church) calendar for 2020

Content

1 January
2 February
3 March
4 April
5 May
6 June
7 July
8 August
9 September
10 October
11 November
12 December

It is important for any Orthodox person to know and honor the holidays associated with historical events of the time of Christ. You can find out about the memorable dates from the calendar. Traditionally, in 2020 there will be 18 enduring holidays and 7 posts.

To find out what holiday is today, just look at the color of the numbers on the calendar. All significant dates are divided into Great Holidays (Easter), twelve (12 events) and twenties (7 days).

We offer Download the Orthodox calendar for 2020:

January

Every year in the first month of the year, Orthodox Christians celebrate three great dates:

January 7 - Christmas. According to the church calendar, this is a constant number. In 2020, it will be Tuesday.
January 14th - Circumcision of the Lord. On this day they remember how they called Christ Jesus, and the little Savior accepted circumcision. On January 4, Russia is also the day of memory of Basil the Great.
January 19 - Baptism of the Lord (Holy Epiphany). One of the twelfth holidays. They recall the event described in the Gospel when Jesus came to the Jordan River and asked the prophet John to baptize him. At the moment of baptism, the sky opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Christ in the form of a dove.

The first decade of January 2020 is marked in the Orthodox calendar as a strict post. After Christmas, a continuous week begins: until Epiphany, you can not fast on Wednesdays and Fridays and have fun every day.

February

The enduring date marked on the Orthodox calendar is February 15th. On this day (in 2020 it will be Saturday), the church celebrates the Meeting of the Lord. In Church Slavonic, the word “meeting” is translated as “meeting”. This church holiday falls on the 40th day after Christmas and is established in memory of how Simeon the God-Receiver, the oldest person in Jerusalem at the time of Christ's birth, met with baby Jesus. This meeting was predicted by the Angel long before the birth of the Savior and symbolized the adoption of Christianity by the whole world.

The passing (non-constant) date is considered to be the Universal Parental Saturday. In the Orthodox calendar for 2020, this day is marked on February 22. This is the first day of the year for the commemoration of the dead, which always precedes the Shrovetide.

Candles in the church

March

The entire month on the calendar is marked as days of Lent. Only three numbers stand out in it: March 14, 21 and 28. These are Parental Saturdays when prayers for the dead are fully read at the liturgy. The dates of such memorial days change every year, as they relate to preparations for Easter.

April

Lent continues, but there will be holidays among strict days.

April 7 - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. One of the twelfth holidays, the date when the archangel Gabriel brought the Virgin Mary that she would become the mother of the Son of God. At the Annunciation, relaxation of fasting is allowed: fish and vegetable oil are allowed.
April 12, 2020 celebrate the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem. In the calendar, this date always changes and is set on the last Sunday before Easter. Christians remember the meeting of Jesus as the Messiah, and the salutation of him with palm branches. In Russia, a tradition has developed to consecrate willow, for which the holiday received the second name Palm Sunday.
April 19 according to the church calendar for 2020 is Easter, the most important holiday among believers. This date changes annually and depends on the lunar-solar calendar.Easter crowns Lent.
Another rolling event - Radonitsa (Easter for the departed) In 2020, it will be April 28th. In the church calendar, this is the first day of the commemoration of the dead after the Resurrection of the Lord.

Radonitsa

May

The Easter celebration continues throughout the month, and relaxation of fasting days on Wednesday and Friday is allowed.

May 28 - Ascension of the Lord. Magpies after Easter, when they celebrate Christ's ascension to heaven. This date also changes annually, but the holiday always falls on Thursday.
Among the dates highlighted in the calendar is May 9th. The Russian Orthodox Church commemorates the dead soldiers.

June

Easter holidays, called the Orthodox Pentecost, are ending.

Sunday, June 7, 2020 - Holy Trinity Day. This is a rolling twelfth holiday, which is celebrated on the 50th day after the Resurrection of the Lord. Remember the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles.
June 8 - Day of the Holy Spirit.
Before the Trinity - the Ecumenical Parental Trinity Saturday, and after it - the Solid Trinity Week, which has absolutely no fasting days.
On June 15, the Petrov Lent begins, which lasts 28 days.

July

This month there are three major church holidays:

July 7 - The Nativity of John the Baptist. Refers to unbroken holidays. This date was established on the basis of the interpretation of the Gospel, which says that the Future John the Baptist was born 6 months before the birth of Jesus.
July 12 is the day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Known since the time of early Christianity.
July 18 - acquisition of the relics of the miracle worker of all Russia, St. Sergius of Radonezh.

Also in July, Russia celebrates the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, established in memory of St. Prince Peter and his wife Fevronie (08.07.)

Day of love, family and fidelity

August

In the last month of summer, believers celebrate two twelfth holidays, the dates of which are constant:

August 19 - Transfiguration of the Lord God and Savior of Jesus Christ.
August 28 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when they remember the death of the Virgin Mary.

In August, believers have a multi-day Assumption fast (17-28.08.). The last month of summer is also rich in days when the memory of saints is celebrated.

08/02. - Ilyin’s day. This saint among Orthodox Christians is considered especially revered, like Nicholas the Wonderworker.
08/09. - The Day of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon, when they pray for all the sick.
10.08. - Day of Our Lady of Smolensk.
08/14. - The origin (wear) of the honest trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. This day is also called Honey Spas.

September

In the first month of autumn, believers note:

September 11 - Beheading of John the Baptist. A great unbroken holiday, when they remember the death of a saint.
September 21 - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Included in the number of twelve dates.
September 27 - Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord.
September 30 is the day of the saints of Faith, Hope, Love and their material Sophia.

Day of Faith, Hope, Love and Mother Sophia

October

October 17 - Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. An enduring date, which is popularly considered the time of the meeting of autumn with winter. At Pokrov, believers pray for intercession for women and for marriage.

November

November 4 - Day of Our Lady of Kazan. This date was established as far back as the 17th century in memory of the expulsion of Poles from Russian land.
Dmitrievskaya parent Saturday, the day of remembrance of the departed. Celebrated next Saturday before the feast of St. Great Martyr Dmitry Solunsky (08.11.). Installed after the battle on the Kulikovo field.
November 28 is the beginning of the Christmas Lent.

December

December 4 - Introduction to the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this day, parents brought the three-year-old Mary to the Temple to sanctify her life to God, as promised, praying for conception.
December 13 is the date of memory of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, to whom they pray for the defense of the Fatherland.
December 19 is the day of Nicolas the Wonderworker, one of the most revered saints among Christians. It is considered the patron saint of sailors and travelers.

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