Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Martyrology for January

The following are names, dates and some prominent facts from the lives of Saints especially honored in the Byzantine Catholic Church. (Source: Annual Parish Calendar, Byzantine Seminary Press)

January

January 1

• Feast of Circumcision of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
  • The name of Jesus given to the child on this occasion, means Savior.
• The Feast of St. Basil the Great
  • Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia
  • One of the four great Doctors of the Eastern Church.
  • He died in AD 379
  • (cf. January 30)

January 2

• Silvester, Pope of Rome
  • Under his Pontificate was held the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea AD 325, the decrees of which were approved by him.
  • He died AD 335 during the reign of Constantine the Great, Emperor.

January 3

• St. Malachias, Prophet. BC. 400
• St. Gordins, Martyr, who suffered death AD 320, during the reign of Lidnius, Emperor.

January 4

• Synaxis of 70 Apostles, whose names St. Dorotheus recorded.
• Our venerable father Theoktistus, Hegumen-Abbot in Cucume of Sykeleia.

January 5

• SS. Theopemptus and Theonas, Martyrs. AD 290 under Diocletian.
• Syncletica, Venerable.
• St. Michaes, Prophet.

January 6

• Theophany of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
  • Revelation of the Trinity at Christ's baptism in the Jordan River.
  • Third greatest Feast of the Eastern Church, following Pascha (Easter) and Pentecost.
  • One of the oldest Feasts in the East, traced back to the beginning of the 2nd century.
  • The Western (Roman) Catholic Church adopted this Feast in the 3rd century, calling it Epiphany.
  • The service of the Great Blessing of Water occurs on this day, and the blessed water is taken home by the faithful for private use.
  • Traditionally, the blessing of homes by the pastor is begun on this day.

January 7

• Synaxis of John the Forerunner & Baptist
  • Last of the Great Prophets and Forerunner of Our Lord

January 8

• Venerable George, the Chozebite and Emilian, Confessor.
  • They were martyred AD 820, in the reign of Nicephorus Gennicus.
• Venerable, Dominika of Carthage, who lived in the year AD 374, in the reign of Theodosius the Great.
• SS. Juliana and Basilissa, Martyrs. AD 300 under Diocletian.

January 9

• St. Polyeucte, Martyr. AD 255.
• Eustratius, Venerable, endured death in the reign of Leo Iconomachus, Emperor.

January 10

• St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa
  • Brother of St. Basil the Great
  • Consecrated in AD 372 and died in AD 395
• Venerable Dometian, Bishop of Melite. Died in AD 570
• Venerable Marcian, Presbyter & Treasurer of the Great Church of Holy Wisdom, Hagia Sophia

January 11

• Venerable Theodosius, Hegumen-Abbot
  • Died in AD 485 at the age of 105.

January 12

• St. Tatiana, Martyr
  • After many tortures, she and her father, a soldier and elder of the city, died by the sword in AD 227.
• Venerable Eupraxia

January 13

• SS. Hermylas and Stratonicus, Martyrs
• Hermylas, a Deacon of Singudunum (Belgrade), and his servant were tortured and drowned in the River Danube, AD 315, under Licinius, Emperor.

January 14

• Venerable Fathers of Sinai and Raitha
  • Suffered martyrdom from the Saracens AD 296, during the reign of Dicoletian, Emperor.

January 15

• Venerable Paul of Thebes
  • Paul was the First Hermit.
  • He fled into the desert of Egypt during the reign of Emperor Decius
  • He died about AD 343
• John the Tent-Dweller
  • Born of Famous Parentage, he received tonsure in the monastery of the Cenobites in the reign of Emperor Leo the Great.

January 16

• Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter
  • The chains with which St. Peter was bound in the prison and preserved at the stational church on the Esquiline in Rome attracted numerous Pilgrims in the Middle Ages.

January 17

• Venerable & Divinely-Inspired Anthony the Great
  • Egyptian by birth, he went into the desert during the reign of Constantine the Great in AD 312.
  • He was a friend of St. Paul of Thebes, and was one of the founders of cenobitical life.
  • He died in AD 356 at age 105.

January 18

• St. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria
  • One of the four great Doctors of the Eastern Church
  • Called the "Father of Orthodoxy"
  • He opposed Arianism with zeal and endured exile for 46 years.
• St. Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria
  • Opposing the Nestorian Heresy, he properly taught that:
    • The divine and human natures of Christ were in oneness of person.
    • The Blessed Virgin Mary ought truly be called Theotokos or Mother of God since she gave birth to Christ, who is truly God.
  • St. Cyril also presided over the 3rd Ecumenical Council at Ephesus AD 431

January 19

• Venerable Marcarius of Egypt, Monk AD 373
• Venerable Macarius of Alexandria, Monk AD 395
• St. Euphrosinia, Virgin

January 20

• Venerable & divinely inspired Euthymius the Great, Hegumen-Abbot
  • He lived at the time of the reign of Arcadius and Honorius, Emperors; died in the year AD 473.

January 21

• Venerable Maximus the Confessor
  • He died of torture in AD 662 in the reign of Constans II.
    • His tongue was cut out and his right hand cut off before being imprisoned.
• St. Neophitus, Youth Martyr. AD 310 under Diocletian
• SS. Eugene, Canidius, Valerian, & Aquilas, Martyrs
  • All four died by fire in AD 292

January 22

• St. Timothy, Apostle and most noted disciple of St. Paul
  • First Bishop of Ephesus in Asia Minor
• St. Anastasius, Martyr AD 619

January 23

• St. Clemens, Priest-Martyr
  • Lived in exile for 28 years before dying by the sword in AD 296
• St. Agathangel, Martyr

January 24

• Venerable Xenia
  • Born of a noble Roman family, she was named Eusebia.
  • Her parents were planning her marriage when she escaped from her bridegroom with two handmaids, fleeing to Alexandria for refuge.

January 25

• Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople
  • One of the four great Doctors of the Eastern Church.
  • Renowned as one of the greatest writers and poets.
  • For 12 years presided over Great Church of Holy Wisdom, Hagia Sophia
  • He died at age 80 in 389AD during the reign of Theodosius the Great
  • (cf. January 30)

January 26

• Venerable Xenophon, Martyred together with his wife (Mary) and sons (Arcadius and John)
• Theodore, Hegumen-Abbot, and his brother Joseph AD 826

January 27

• Translation of the Relics of St. John Chrysostom AD 435

January 28

• Venerable Ephraem, Deacon 373AD
  • Known as "Prophet of Syrians and an instrument of the Holy Spirit"
  • Was noted as a great poet, orator, and defender of the Faith.

January 29

• Translation of the Relics of St. Ignatius, Priest-Martyr
  • He was devoured by lions in Rome.
  • His disciples carried his relics to Antioch in 109AD in the reign of Trajan, the persecutor.
• SS. Roman, James, Philotheus, & Aphraates, Martyrs

January 30

• Feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs
  • This Feast honors the three great Fathers of the Eastern Church – St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, and St. John Chrysostom
• St. Hippolytus, Priest-Martyr.
  • Bishop of Porto. Put to death by drowning, under Emperor Alexander Severus.

January 31

• SS. Cyrus & John, Wonderworkers, Physicians, & Unmercenaries.
  • Suffered death along with St. Athanasia and her three daughters (Theodotia, Theophista, and Eudokia) in AD 292 under Diocletian.
  • (cf. June 28.)