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A '''feast day''' (or festival) is the date a [[saint]], a holy event, or a holy object is commemorated in the liturgical life of the [[Orthodox Church]]. A feast day is primarily celebrated through the hymnography of the Church's divine services appointed to be celebrated on such day. Sometimes the feast day commemoration involves a day of strict fasting.
The Orthodox Church commemorates certain saints or sacred events in its history every day of the year. The feast day of a saint is generally the date of his or her death.
Universally celebrated by all the Orthodox are the feasts of Saint [[John the Baptist]].
Also, [[Circumcision of our Lord|The Circumcision of Christ]] [[January 1]], [[Three Holy Hierarchs|The Three Great Hierarchs]] [[January 30]], [[Protection of the Mother of God|The Protecting Veil of the Mother of God]] [[October 1]], and [[Pentecostarion#Sunday_of_All_Saints|All Saints]] the First Sunday after Pentecost.
The feast days of each of the [[apostles]] are also celebrated by the entire Orthodox Church, above all, the Feast of Saints [[Apostle Peter |Peter]] and [[Apostle Paul|Paul]], [[June 29]].
Among the feast days of other saints universally celebrated by all the Orthodox are:
*[[Nicholas of Myra|Saint Nicholas]], [[December 6]]*[[George the Trophy-bearer|Saint George]], [[April 23]] *[[Elias|Prophet Elias]], [[July 20]]*[[Archangel Michael]], [[November 8]]*[[Basil the Great|Saint Basil the Great]], [[January 1]]*[[John Chrysostom|Saint John Chrysostom]], [[November 13]]* [[Gregory the Theologian|Saint Gregory the Theologian]], [[January 25]]
==Orthodox Churches==
Some feast days are celebrated locally by churches in particular regions, such as:
*In the [[:Category:Greek Saints|Greek ]] Church:** [[Spyridon of Trimythous|Saint Spiridon ]], [[December 12]] ** [[Demetrios of Thessaloniki|Saint Demetrios]], [[October 26]]** [[Nectarios of Aegina|Saint Nektarios]], [[November 9]]*In the [[:Category:Russian Saints|Russian]] Church:** [[Sergius of Radonezh|Saint Sergius]], [[September 25]]** [[Seraphim of Sarov|Saint Seraphim]], [[January 2]]** [[Tikhon of Zadonsk|Saint Tikhon ]], [[August 13]]
** Saint Vladimir
*In the [[:Category:American Saints|American ]] Church:** [[Herman of Alaska|Saint Herman ]], [[December 13]]
==Local feast days==
Certain cities or monasteries have liturgical celebrations of holy persons, events, or icons appropriate to their own particular needs. Although a feast day may be very local, it is still a feast of the entire Church.
