The Orthodox liturgical year is one of the most richly structured sacred calendars in all of Christianity. At its heart stand the Twelve Great Feasts — the Dodekaorton — a cycle of thirteen celebrations (twelve feasts plus Pascha, which stands above all of them) that together trace the entire story of salvation: from the birth of the Mother of God to the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, from the Incarnation of Christ to His Ascension into heaven. These are not simply commemorations of past events. In Orthodox theology, the liturgy makes each feast present — the faithful are not spectators of history but participants in it.
This guide presents all thirteen great Orthodox feasts in their correct liturgical order — beginning with the ecclesiastical new year on September 1 — with their dates, their nature (fixed or movable), their key theological meaning, and links to our complete in-depth articles on each feast.
Complete calendar overview: dates 2025–2029
All dates below are according to the Gregorian (revised Julian) calendar, used by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Greek, Romanian and Antiochian Orthodox churches. Julian calendar churches (Russian, Serbian, Georgian, Jerusalem) celebrate fixed feasts 13 days later.
| Feast | Type | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pascha | Movable | Apr 20 | Apr 12 | May 2 | Apr 16 | Apr 8 |
| Nativity of the Theotokos | Fixed | Sep 8 | Sep 8 | Sep 8 | Sep 8 | Sep 8 |
| Exaltation of the Cross | Fixed | Sep 14 | Sep 14 | Sep 14 | Sep 14 | Sep 14 |
| Entry of the Theotokos | Fixed | Nov 21 | Nov 21 | Nov 21 | Nov 21 | Nov 21 |
| Nativity of Christ | Fixed | Dec 25 | Dec 25 | Dec 25 | Dec 25 | Dec 25 |
| Theophany | Fixed | Jan 6 | Jan 6 | Jan 6 | Jan 6 | Jan 6 |
| Meeting of the Lord | Fixed | Feb 2 | Feb 2 | Feb 2 | Feb 2 | Feb 2 |
| Annunciation | Fixed | Mar 25 | Mar 25 | Mar 25 | Mar 25 | Mar 25 |
| Palm Sunday | Movable | Apr 13 | Apr 5 | Apr 25 | Apr 9 | Apr 1 |
| Ascension | Movable | May 29 | May 21 | Jun 10 | May 25 | May 17 |
| Pentecost | Movable | Jun 8 | May 31 | Jun 20 | Jun 3 | May 26 |
| Transfiguration | Fixed | Aug 6 | Aug 6 | Aug 6 | Aug 6 | Aug 6 |
| Dormition | Fixed | Aug 15 | Aug 15 | Aug 15 | Aug 15 | Aug 15 |
Table of contents
- How the Orthodox liturgical calendar works
- Pascha — The Feast of Feasts (movable)
- 1. The Nativity of the Mother of God — September 8
- 2. The Exaltation of the Holy Cross — September 14
- 3. The Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple — November 21
- 4. The Nativity of Christ (Christmas) — December 25
- 5. The Theophany (Baptism of the Lord) — January 6
- 6. The Meeting of the Lord in the Temple — February 2
- 7. The Annunciation of the Mother of God — March 25
- 8. The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) — movable
- 9. The Ascension of the Lord — movable
- 10. Pentecost (Descent of the Holy Spirit) — movable
- 11. The Transfiguration of the Lord — August 6
- 12. The Dormition of the Mother of God — August 15
- ↑ Calendar overview at top: dates 2025–2029
- FAQ — Frequently asked questions about Orthodox feasts
How the Orthodox liturgical calendar works
The Orthodox liturgical year begins on September 1 — not January 1. This date, inherited from the Byzantine Empire's fiscal calendar (Indiction), marks the renewal of the sacred cycle and is observed each year with a special service. The first great feast of the year — the Nativity of the Mother of God — falls just eight days later, on September 8.
The Twelve Great Feasts divide into two categories. Nine are fixed feasts, celebrated on the same date every year. Three are movable feasts — Palm Sunday, Ascension and Pentecost — whose dates shift annually because they are calculated from the date of Orthodox Pascha (Easter). Pascha itself stands above all twelve feasts as the "Feast of Feasts," in a category of its own.
A further complexity: some Orthodox churches follow the Gregorian (revised Julian) calendar — the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Greek, Romanian and Antiochian churches — while others follow the Julian calendar — the Russian, Serbian, Georgian and Jerusalem churches. For the Julian calendar churches, all fixed feasts fall 13 days later in the civil calendar (e.g. Christmas on January 7 rather than December 25). The movable feasts, calculated from Pascha, are sometimes shared between both calendar groups and sometimes differ by several weeks.
Eight of the Twelve Great Feasts honor Jesus Christ; four honor the Most Holy Theotokos (Mother of God). Each feast has a forefeast (one to five days of preparation) and an afterfeast (one to eight days of continuation), during which the liturgical character of the feast is maintained.
Pascha — The Feast of Feasts
Type: Movable feast — above the Twelve Great Feasts
2027 date: May 2, 2027 (Gregorian calendar churches) / May 2, 2027 (Julian calendar churches — same date in 2027)
Pascha — the Orthodox celebration of the Resurrection of Christ — is not counted among the Twelve Great Feasts because it transcends them all. Called the "Feast of Feasts" and the "Celebration of Celebrations," it is the supreme event of the entire Christian year and the foundation on which all other feasts rest. Without the Resurrection, the Orthodox Church teaches, no other feast has its full meaning.
Pascha is always celebrated on the Sunday after the Paschal full moon, following the formula established at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325). The date differs from Western Easter in most years because the Orthodox calculation uses the Julian calendar as its base. The Paschal night service — with its midnight procession, the proclamation "Christ is risen!" and the radiant Liturgy — is the most attended and most luminous of the entire Orthodox year.
1. The Nativity of the Mother of God
Type: Fixed feast
Date: September 8 (Gregorian) / September 21 (Julian)
Nature: Marian feast — honors the Theotokos
Preceded by: One day of forefeast (September 7)
Afterfeast: Through September 12
The first great feast of the Orthodox liturgical year celebrates the birth of the Virgin Mary to her elderly parents Joachim and Anna — a birth preceded by decades of barrenness and answered by an angelic promise. The account is drawn from the Protoevangelium of James (2nd century), not the canonical Gospels.
Theologically, the feast presents Mary's birth as the first link in the chain of salvation — the moment God begins preparing the human vessel through whom His Son will take flesh. The troparion calls her birth "the dawn of our salvation." The feast opens the Marian cycle of the year, which continues through the Entry into the Temple (November 21), the Annunciation (March 25) and concludes with the Dormition (August 15).
Quick facts:
- Parents: Saints Joachim and Anna, commemorated on September 9
- Source: Protoevangelium of James, chapters 1–7
- Liturgical color: Blue and gold (Marian colors)
- Apodosis (leave-taking): September 12
- Also known as: The Birthday of the Virgin Mary
2. The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Type: Fixed feast
Date: September 14 (Gregorian) / September 27 (Julian)
Nature: Feast of the Lord
Special rule: Strict fast observed even if it falls on a Sunday
Afterfeast: Through September 21
The most paradoxical of all Orthodox feasts — a great feast of joy observed with the same strict fast as Good Friday. The Exaltation commemorates three historical events: the discovery of the True Cross by Saint Helena (around 320), the dedication of Constantine's basilicas in Jerusalem (September 14, 335), and the return of the Cross from Persian captivity by Emperor Heraclius (630).
The central rite of the feast is the solemn elevation of the Cross by the bishop or priest toward the four cardinal points, while the choir chants the Kyrie eleison ("Lord have mercy") one hundred times at each turn — five elevations in total, symbolizing Christ's salvation offered to the whole world in every direction.
Quick facts:
- The only great feast with a strict fast even on Sundays
- Cross elevated toward East, South, West, North, and East again
- Liturgical color: Deep purple or royal crimson
- Gospel reading: John 19 (Passion narrative) — rare for a great feast
- Apodosis: September 21
3. The Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple
Type: Fixed feast
Date: November 21 (Gregorian) / December 4 (Julian)
Nature: Marian feast — honors the Theotokos
Preceded by: One day of forefeast (November 20)
Afterfeast: Through November 25 (or adapted if Cheesefare Week intervenes)
At the age of three, Mary was brought by her parents to the Temple of Jerusalem and led by the High Priest Zacharias into the Holy of Holies — the most sacred space in the Jewish world, which no woman had ever entered. She lived in the Temple until the age of twelve, fed daily by the Archangel Gabriel with bread from heaven according to the tradition drawn from the Protoevangelium of James.
Orthodox theology sees in this event a prophecy enacted: Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant, and the Temple recognizes in the child the living dwelling of God. The feast is also the last great feast before the Nativity cycle begins — and falls in the middle of the Nativity Fast (November 15 – December 24), on which day fish is permitted.
Quick facts:
- Note: Called "Entry" not "Presentation" in Orthodox tradition (Presentation = rite for firstborn males only)
- Falls during the Nativity Fast — fish dispensation granted on the feast day
- Liturgical color: Blue or white
- Apodosis: November 25
- Zacharias who received Mary: traditionally identified with the father of John the Baptist
4. The Nativity of Christ (Christmas)
Type: Fixed feast
Date: December 25 (Gregorian) / January 7 (Julian)
Nature: Feast of the Lord
Preceded by: 40-day Nativity Fast (November 15 – December 24)
Preceded by: Royal Hours on Christmas Eve morning; Great Vespers with Liturgy of Saint Basil on Christmas Eve evening
Afterfeast: Through December 31
The Nativity of Christ is the second most solemn feast of the Orthodox year after Pascha. Orthodox tradition places the birth in a cave, not a stable — a detail attested since the 2nd century by Saint Justin and Origen, and preserved in the iconographic tradition. The Royal Hours — four consecutive liturgical Hours chanted on Christmas Eve morning — are unique to this feast and recall the Byzantine emperors who attended them in person.
The day after Christmas (December 26 / January 8) is the feast of the Synaxis of the Mother of God; December 29 / January 11 is the feast of the Holy Innocents. The Nativity Fast, which precedes the feast, is one of the four great fasting periods of the Orthodox year — 40 days in total, milder than Great Lent but progressively stricter toward December 25.
Quick facts:
- Liturgy: Great Vespers + Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great on Christmas Eve; Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom on Christmas Day
- Liturgical color: White and gold
- Apodosis: December 31
- Key traditions: Sochelnik (12-dish Lenten meal on Christmas Eve), Koliadki carols (Slavic), Kalanta (Greek)
- Cave, not stable: The birthplace was a cave, confirmed by the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (founded 4th century)
5. The Theophany — Baptism of the Lord
Type: Fixed feast
Date: January 6 (Gregorian) / January 19 (Julian)
Nature: Feast of the Lord
Preceded by: Strict fast on the eve (January 5 / January 18)
Afterfeast: Through January 14
Unlike Western Epiphany (which commemorates the Magi), Orthodox Theophany celebrates the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan — the moment when the Holy Trinity was revealed simultaneously and distinctly for the first time in human history: the Father's voice from heaven, the Son in the water, the Holy Spirit descending as a dove. The Magi are commemorated in the Nativity feast (December 25), not here.
The feast's central rite is the Great Blessing of Waters (Haghiasmos), performed twice: once on the eve (inside the church) and once on the feast day itself, with a solemn procession to a nearby body of water. The blessed water — haghiasma mega — is kept in homes throughout the year and is held by tradition to be incorruptible. In Greece, Russia and other Orthodox countries, the priest throws a wooden cross into the water and the faithful dive in to retrieve it, even in freezing temperatures.
Quick facts:
- Not "Epiphany" (Magi) but "Theophany" (Trinitarian revelation at the Baptism)
- Great Blessing of Waters: the most anticipated rite of the feast
- The blessed water (haghiasma) is held to be incorruptible and kept year-round
- The eve (January 5) is a strict fast day, comparable to Good Friday
- Liturgical color: White and gold
- Apodosis: January 14
- House blessings: Priests bless homes with Theophany water in the weeks following
6. The Meeting of the Lord in the Temple
Type: Fixed feast
Date: February 2 (Gregorian) / February 15 (Julian)
Nature: Feast of the Lord (with strong Marian character)
Afterfeast: Through February 9
Forty days after the Nativity, Mary and Joseph brought the infant Christ to the Temple in Jerusalem for the purification rite and the consecration of the firstborn. There, the elderly Simeon — who had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Christ — took the child in his arms and sang the Nunc Dimittis: "Now, O Master, let your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation."
This canticle is sung at Compline (night prayer) in every Orthodox church every evening of the year. The feast is called the "hinge feast" — it closes the Nativity cycle and points toward the Passion: Simeon's prophecy of the sword that will pierce Mary's soul already casts its shadow toward Good Friday. The feast coincides with Candlemas in the Western calendar, and the blessing of candles is observed in Orthodox parishes as well.
Quick facts:
- Greek name: Hypapante — "the meeting" (not "Presentation," which is for firstborn males)
- Simeon is commemorated on February 3
- The Nunc Dimittis is sung at Compline every evening in the Orthodox Church
- Candles are blessed at this feast — the origin of Candlemas
- If it falls during Cheesefare Week, the liturgy is adapted per the Typikon
- Liturgical color: White or Marian blue
- Apodosis: February 9
7. The Annunciation of the Mother of God
Type: Fixed feast
Date: March 25 (Gregorian) / April 7 (Julian)
Nature: Feast of the Incarnation — honors both Christ and the Theotokos
Special rule: One of only two days in Great Lent when fish is permitted
Afterfeast: March 26 only (Apodosis the next day)
The Annunciation commemorates the moment the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary in Nazareth and announced that she would conceive and bear the Son of God. Mary's response — "Let it be to me according to your word" (Lk 1:38) — is the fiat that makes the Incarnation possible. Orthodox theology sees this as the free human consent without which God chose not to act.
The feast always falls during Great Lent, Holy Week, or even on Pascha itself (called Kyrio-Pascha — an extremely rare coincidence, considered a sign of special grace). March 25 is exactly nine months before December 25, confirming that the feast celebrates the literal conception of Christ. The Canon of Matins — a poetic dialogue between Gabriel and Mary composed by Saint Theophanes the Hymnographer — is one of the masterworks of Byzantine hymnography.
Quick facts:
- Greek name: Evangelismos — "the good-news-ing" (same root as "Gospel")
- Date: Always exactly 9 months before Christmas (March 25 / December 25)
- One of only 2 fish days in Great Lent (the other is Palm Sunday)
- Can fall on Good Friday, Holy Saturday or Pascha — exceptional liturgical situations
- Kyrio-Pascha (Annunciation on Pascha): extremely rare — last occurred 1991, next in 2075
- Liturgical color: Sky blue and gold
- Apodosis: March 26
8. The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)
Type: Movable feast — always the Sunday before Orthodox Pascha
2027 date: April 25, 2027
Nature: Feast of the Lord
Special rule: Sunday Resurrection hymns are suppressed (one of only two Sundays in the year)
Afterfeast: Holy Monday through Holy Wednesday (Apodosis on Wednesday)
Palm Sunday opens Holy Week — the most solemn week of the entire Orthodox year. Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy (Zech 9:9), is inseparable in the Orthodox liturgy from the Raising of Lazarus celebrated the day before (Lazarus Saturday). Both services share the same Troparion, and the liturgy presents Lazarus' resurrection as the direct cause of the crowd's welcome — and of the chief priests' decision to execute Jesus.
The blessing of palms, olive branches or pussy willows (in Slavic countries where palms don't grow) is the most distinctive popular custom of the feast. The blessed branches are kept at home throughout the year, often behind an icon.
Quick facts:
- Always the Sunday 7 days before Orthodox Pascha
- Preceded by Lazarus Saturday (the raising of Lazarus — John 11)
- Blessed plants: palms and olives (Mediterranean), pussy willows (Slavic countries)
- The Sunday Resurrection troparia are omitted — one of only two such Sundays in the year
- Second fish day in Great Lent
- Liturgical color: Green or white and gold
- Dates: 2025: April 13 | 2026: April 5 | 2027: April 25 | 2028: April 9 | 2029: April 1
9. The Ascension of the Lord
Type: Movable feast — always the 40th day after Pascha (Thursday)
2027 date: June 10, 2027
Nature: Feast of the Lord
Afterfeast: Eight days, through the eve of Pentecost
Forty days after His Resurrection, Christ ascended bodily into heaven from the Mount of Olives before the eyes of His disciples (Acts 1:9–11). The Ascension closes the earthly phase of Christ's redemptive mission and inaugurates His heavenly intercession at the right hand of the Father. The Orthodox Church teaches that in the Ascension, human nature itself — Christ's glorified humanity — is enthroned in heaven for the first time, transforming the relationship between God and all creation.
The feast always falls on a Thursday, 40 days after Pascha, and is one of the most striking of the movable feasts: a day of paradoxical joy, since the disciples rejoiced at what appears to be a departure (Lk 24:52). The Orthodox troparion captures this: "You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, granting joy to Your disciples."
Quick facts:
- Always a Thursday, 40 days after Pascha
- Biblical account: Acts 1:1–12; Luke 24:44–53
- The Paschal greeting "Christ is risen!" ceases to be used after Ascension
- Liturgical color: White and gold
- Apodosis: The eve of Pentecost (the Friday before)
- Dates: 2025: May 29 | 2026: May 21 | 2027: June 10 | 2028: May 25 | 2029: May 17
10. Pentecost — Descent of the Holy Spirit
Type: Movable feast — always the 50th day after Pascha (Sunday)
2027 date: June 20, 2027
Nature: Feast of the Holy Trinity — also called Trinity Sunday
Special rule: Sunday Resurrection hymns are suppressed
Afterfeast: Six days
Fifty days after Pascha, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the Upper Room in Jerusalem in tongues of fire (Acts 2:1–13), empowering them to preach the Gospel in all languages and founding the Church. Pentecost is the birthday of the Church — the feast at which the third Person of the Trinity is fully revealed and the community of believers is constituted as the Body of Christ in the world.
In the Orthodox tradition, Pentecost is also called Trinity Sunday, and the day after is dedicated to the Holy Spirit. Three long prayers of kneeling (gonyklisia) are chanted on Pentecost evening — the first time kneeling returns since Pascha (kneeling is forbidden during the 50-day Paschal season). The Monday after Pentecost opens the Apostles' Fast.
Quick facts:
- Always the 50th day (7 weeks + 1 day) after Pascha
- Also called: Trinity Sunday, Holy Trinity
- The Kneeling Vespers on Pentecost evening: three long prayers — first kneeling since Pascha
- Monday after Pentecost: feast of the Holy Spirit; start of the Apostles' Fast
- Liturgical color: Green
- Apodosis: The following Saturday
- Dates: 2025: June 8 | 2026: May 31 | 2027: June 20 | 2028: June 3 | 2029: May 26
11. The Transfiguration of the Lord
Type: Fixed feast
Date: August 6 (Gregorian) / August 19 (Julian)
Nature: Feast of the Lord
Preceded by: One day of forefeast (August 5)
Afterfeast: Through August 13
On Mount Tabor, before Peter, James and John, Christ was transfigured: "His face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light" (Mt 17:2). The Transfiguration reveals Christ's divine nature to His closest disciples forty days before the Crucifixion — and, in Orthodox theology, unveils the Uncreated Light (Taboric Light) that the saints behold in prayer and that the whole creation is called to share in the eschatological Kingdom.
The feast falls on August 6, exactly 40 days before the Exaltation of the Cross (September 14) — a theological link between glory and the Passion. The blessing of grapes and first fruits is one of the most beloved popular traditions of the feast: grapes, figs, apples and seasonal fruits are brought to church for blessing after the Divine Liturgy. The feast falls during the Dormition Fast (August 1–14), but the fast is lightened on this day.
Quick facts:
- Biblical account: Matthew 17:1–9; Mark 9:2–10; Luke 9:28–36
- Exactly 40 days before the Exaltation of the Cross
- Blessing of grapes and first fruits: the most distinctive popular custom
- The Uncreated Light of Tabor: central to the theology of Saint Gregory Palamas (Hesychasm)
- Liturgical color: White and gold
- Apodosis: August 13
12. The Dormition of the Mother of God
Type: Fixed feast
Date: August 15 (Gregorian) / August 28 (Julian)
Nature: Marian feast — the greatest feast of the Theotokos
Preceded by: 14-day Dormition Fast (August 1–14)
Afterfeast: Through August 23
The Dormition ("falling asleep") of the Mother of God commemorates her death, bodily resurrection and entrance into heavenly glory — called the "Pascha of Summer" in the Orthodox tradition. The Orthodox Church affirms Mary's death as real (unlike some readings of the Catholic Assumption) but believes her body did not see corruption: on the third day after her dormition, the Apostles found her tomb empty, filled with flowers. This belief has never been defined as a dogma in Orthodoxy — it is a unanimous pious tradition.
The feast is preceded by a 14-day strict fast — as severe as Great Lent — during which the Paraklesis (supplicatory canon to the Mother of God) is chanted every evening. In many parishes the Epitaphios of the Theotokos (a funeral bier of Mary) is carried in solemn procession on the eve or the feast day itself, recalling the Epitaphios of Christ on Holy Friday.
Quick facts:
- Called: "Pascha of Summer" — the greatest Marian feast
- Dormition Fast: August 1–14, as strict as Great Lent
- Paraklesis (Supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos): chanted every evening during the fast
- Blessing of flowers and herbs: brought to church for blessing after the Liturgy
- Epitaphios procession: practiced in many Greek and other parishes
- Not a defined dogma: the bodily resurrection of Mary is pious tradition, not dogmatic definition
- Liturgical color: Blue and gold (Marian colors)
- Apodosis: August 23
FAQ — Frequently asked questions about Orthodox feasts
What are the Twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church?
The Twelve Great Feasts (Greek: Dodekaorton) are the twelve most solemn celebrations of the Orthodox liturgical year, ranking just below Pascha (Easter) in importance. They are: the Nativity of the Mother of God, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple, the Nativity of Christ, the Theophany (Baptism of the Lord), the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple, the Annunciation, Palm Sunday, the Ascension, Pentecost, the Transfiguration, and the Dormition of the Mother of God. Eight honor Christ; four honor the Theotokos.
Why does Orthodox Easter (Pascha) fall on a different date from Catholic Easter?
Orthodox Pascha is calculated using the Julian calendar as its base, following the formula of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325). Western Easter uses the Gregorian calendar and a slightly different astronomical formula. The result is that the two dates sometimes coincide (as in 2025) but often differ by one to five weeks, with Orthodox Pascha generally falling later in the spring.
What is the difference between Orthodox and Catholic feast dates for fixed feasts?
Orthodox churches using the revised Julian (Gregorian) calendar — the Greek, Romanian, Antiochian churches and others — celebrate fixed feasts on the same civil dates as the Catholic Church (e.g. Christmas on December 25). Orthodox churches following the Julian calendar — the Russian, Serbian, Georgian and Jerusalem churches — celebrate fixed feasts 13 days later in the civil calendar (e.g. Christmas on January 7). The movable feasts (Palm Sunday, Ascension, Pentecost) are calculated from each church's own Pascha date.
How many feasts does the Orthodox Church have in total?
Above the Twelve Great Feasts stand Pascha, making thirteen major celebrations in all. Beyond these, the Orthodox calendar includes numerous other ranks of feasts: lesser feasts of the Lord and the Theotokos, feasts of the great saints (Apostles, prophets, martyrs, Church Fathers), and commemorations of local saints — resulting in virtually every day of the year being the feast of at least one saint. The full calendar is published annually as the Menologion.
What is the Orthodox liturgical year and when does it begin?
The Orthodox liturgical year begins on September 1 — called the Ecclesiastical New Year or the beginning of the Indiction. This date, inherited from the Byzantine fiscal calendar, is marked with a special service and hymns. The first great feast of the year is therefore the Nativity of the Mother of God (September 8), and the cycle concludes the following August with the Dormition (August 15) before the new year begins again in September.
Which Orthodox feasts involve strict fasting?
Several great feasts are preceded by fasting periods: the Dormition Fast (14 days, August 1–14, as strict as Great Lent), the Nativity Fast (40 days, November 15 – December 24), and the Apostles' Fast (variable, after Pentecost Monday). The eve of the Theophany (January 5) is also a strict fast. Uniquely, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14) itself is a strict fast day — even if it falls on a Sunday.
What is the "Feast of Feasts" in the Orthodox Church?
Pascha — the Resurrection of Christ — is called the "Feast of Feasts" and the "Celebration of Celebrations." It is not counted among the Twelve Great Feasts because it transcends all of them in importance. The Orthodox Church teaches that every other feast derives its meaning from the Resurrection: the Nativity is celebrated because of what it leads to; the Transfiguration reveals who the risen Christ is; the Dormition of the Theotokos anticipates the resurrection of all the faithful.
