December 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

The Eastern Orthodox cross

Dec. 15 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - Dec. 17

All fixed commemorations below celebrated on December 29 by Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar.^{[note 1]}

For December 16, Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar commemorate the Saints listed on December 3.

Saints

• Prophet Haggai (Aggaeus) (500 BC)^[1][2]
• Martyr Marinus of Rome (283)^[3][4]
• Martyrs Promus (Probus) and Hilary, by the sword.^[5][6]
• Saint Memnon, Archbishop of Ephesus (c. 440)^{[7][note 2]}
• Saint Modestus II, Patriarch of Jerusalem (634)^{[6][8][note 3]} (see also December 18)
• Saint Simeon, Archbishop of Antioch (834-840)^{[6][9][note 4]}
• Blessed Empress Theophania of Byzantium (893), wife of Byzantine Emperor Leo VI the Wise.^[10][11]
• Saint Nicholas Chrysoberges, Patriarch of Constantinople (995)^[12]

Pre-Schism Western Saints

• Martyrs Valentine, Concordius, Navalis and Agricola, martyrs venerated in Ravenna in Italy. (c. 305)^{[13][note 5]}
• Women Martyrs of North-West Africa, a great number of women martyred under Hunneric, Arian King of the Vandals (482)^{[13][note 6]}
• Saint Dabheog (Beoc, Beanus, Mobeoc), founder of a monastery on an island in Lough Derg in Donegal in Ireland (5th century)^[13]
• Saint Ado of Vienne (875)^{[13][note 7]}
• Saint Adelaide of Italy, daughter of the King of Burgundy, she was married to Lothair II of Italy, became a nun (999)^{[13][note 8]}

Post-Schism Orthodox Saints

• Saint Sophia of Suzdal, nun (Solomonia Saburova), wife of Grand Duke Basil III of Moscow (1542)^[8][15]

New Martyrs and Confessors

• New Hieromartyr Vladimir Alexeyev, Priest, of Okhansk (1918)^[6][8][16]
• New Hieromartyr Arcadius (Ostalsky), Bishop of Bezhetsk (1937)^{[6][8][17][note 9]}
• New Hieromartyr Alexander Kolokolov, Protopresbyter of Tver (1937)^[6][16]
• New Hieromartyr Paul Favoritov, Priest of Tver (1937)^[6][16]
• New Hieromartyr Macarius Smirnov, Priest-monk of Tver (1937)^[6][16][18]
• New Hieromartyr Peter Zinoviev, Priest of Tver (1937)^[6][16]
• New Hieromartyr Theodosius Boldiriev, Priest of Tver (1937)^[6][16]
• New Hieromartyrs Priests Elias Cheredeev, and Vladimir Damaskinus(1937)^[16][18]

Icon Gallery

• 

  Prophet Haggai, Russian icon from first quarter of 18th century

• 

  Saint Theophano and her husband the emperor Leo IV the Wise.

• 

  Saint Theophano (Menologion of Basil II, 10th century)

• 

  Seal of Patriarch Nicholas II Chrysoberges.

• 

  First Page of Martyrologium of Ado Viennensis. Edition: Rome, 1745.

• 

  Saint Adelaide of Italy.

• 

  St. Sophia of Suzdal.

• 

  New Hieromartyr Arcadius (Ostalsky), Bishop of Bezhetsk.

• 

  New Hieromartyr Arcadius (Ostalsky), Bishop of Bezhetsk - after NKVD tortures.

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. Certain Synaxaria mistakenly refer to him as the Bishop of Jerusalem.
3. Greek use: at Jerusalem.
4. His memory is recorded in the Synaxarion of Delahaye, pp.361, 53, together with that of St. Memnon, Archbishop of Ephesus.
5. "At Ravenna, the holy martyrs Valentine, military officer, Concordius, his son, Navalis, and Agricola, who suffered for Christ in the persecution of Maximian."^[14]
6. "In Africa, many holy virgins, who reached a happy termination of their martyrdom in the persecution of the Vandals, under the Arian king Hunneric, by having heavy weights tied to them, and burning plates of metal applied to their bodies."^[14]
7. Born in Burgundy in France, he became a monk at Prüm near Trier in Germany. From here he travelled to Rome. On his return he became Bishop of Vienne and was an excellent bishop. He is remembered for the martyrology which bears his name.
8. She was rescued from brutality after his death by Otto the Great who married her. Widowed again, she was maltreated by her son and daughter-in-law. In old age she became the regent of the Empire. At the end of her life she became a nun.
9. See: (Russian) Аркадий (Остальский). Википедии. (Russian Wikipedia.)

References

1. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Ὁ Προφήτης Ἀγγαῖος. 16 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
2. Prophet Haggai. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
3. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Ὁ Ἅγιος Μαρίνος ὁ Μάρτυρας. 16 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
4. Martyr Marinus of Rome. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
5. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Οἱ Ἅγιοι Πρόμος (ἢ Πρόβος) καὶ Ἰλάριος οἱ Μάρτυρες. 16 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
6. 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.94.
7. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Ὁ Ἅγιος Μέμνων Ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Ἐφέσου. 16 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
8. December 16/29. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
9. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Ὁ Ἅγιος Συμεὼν Ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Ἀντιοχείας. 16 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
10. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Ἡ Ἁγία Θεοφανώ. 16 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
11. Blessed Empress Theophano. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
12. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek): Ὁ Ἅγιος Νικόλαος ὁ Χρυσοβέργης. 16 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
13. December 16. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.
14. 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. pp.386-387.
15. St Sophia. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
16. December 29 / December 16. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
17. Dr. Alexander Roman. December. Calendar of Ukrainian Orthodox Saints (Ukrainian Orthodoxy - Українське Православ'я).
18. (Russian) 16 декабря (ст.ст.) 29 декабря 2013 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).

Sources

• December 16/29. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
• December 29 / December 16. 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 16. 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.94.
• December 16. 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) 16 ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
• (Greek) Συναξαριστής. 16 Δεκεμβρίου. ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ).

Russian Sources

• (Russian) 29 декабря (16 декабря). Православная Энциклопедия под редакцией Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла (электронная версия). (Orthodox Encyclopedia - Pravenc.ru).
• (Russian) 16 декабря (ст.ст.) 29 декабря 2013 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).