February 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

The Eastern Orthodox cross

Feb. 19 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - Feb. 21

All fixed commemorations below are observed on March 5 (March 4 on leap years) by Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar.^{[note 1]}

For February 20th, Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar commemorate the Saints listed on February 7.

Saints

• Hieromartyr Eleutherius of Byzantium, Bishop in Byzantium (136)^[1][2][3]
• Martyrs Didymos, Nemesios and Potamios, in Cyprus.^{[4][5][note 2]}
• Saint Eutropius, martyr (308)^{[5][6][note 3]}
• Hieromartyr Sadoc of Persia (Sadoth), Bishop of Persia, and 128 Martyrs with him (330)^{[1][5][7][8][note 4]}
• Saint Anianus (Aninas).^[5][9]
• Saint Bessarion the Great, Wonderworker of Egypt (466)^[1][5][10] (see also: June 6)
• Saint Agatho of Rome, Pope of Rome (682)^{[1][5][11][12]}
• Saint Mildrith, Anglo-Saxon abbess of the Abbey at Minster-in-Thanet, Kent (c. 700)^{[13][note 5]} (see also: July 13)
• Saint Leo of Catania (Leo the Wonderworker), Bishop of Catania in Sicily (785)^{[1][5][14][15][16][note 6]}
• Venerable Cindeus of Pisidia (Kindeos), Bishop of Pisidia.^{[1][2][5][17]}
• Venerable Plotinus, monk.^[5][18]

Pre-Schism Western saints

• Saint Bolcan (Olcan), baptised by St Patrick, Bolcan later became Bishop of Derkan in Ireland (c. 480)^[16][19]
• Saint Valerius (Valier), first Bishop of Couserans in France (5th century?)^[16]
• Saint Falco of Maastricht, Bishop of Maastricht in the Netherlands (512)^[16]
• Saint Eleutherius of Tournai, Bishop of Tournai (531)^{[1][2][16][note 7][note 8]}
• Saint Eucherius of Orléans, Bishop of Orleans (c. 740)^{[1][2][16][note 9][note 10]}
• Saint Colgan, called 'the Wise' and 'the Chief Scribe of the Irish' , he was Abbot of Clonmacnoise in Offaly in Ireland (c. 796)^[16]

Post-Schism Orthodox saints

• Saint Yaroslav the Wise, son of the Varangian (Viking) Grand Prince Vladimir the Great (1054)^{[2][20][21][note 11]}
• Saint Agatho, Wonderworker of the Kiev Caves Monastery (13th-14th centuries)^{[1][2][20][21][22][23][note 12]}
• Martyrdom of St. Cornelius, abbot of the Pskov-Caves Monastery, by beheading, and his disciple St. Bassian of Murom (1570)^{[1][2][20][24][25][note 13]}
• Venerable Martyrs 34 monks and novices of Valaam Monastery, martyred by the Lutherans (1578):^{[1][2][20][26]}

• Hieromonk Titus,
• Schemamonk Tikhon,
• Monks Gelasius, Sergius, Varlaam, Sabbas, Conon, Sylvester, Cyprian, Pimen, John, Samonas, Jonah, David, Cornelius, Niphon, Athanasius, Serapion, and Varlaam; and
• Novices Athanasius, Anthony, Luke, Leontius, Thomas, Dionysius, Philip, Ignatius, Basil, Pachomius, Basil, Theophilus, John, Theodore, and John.

New martyrs and confessors

• New Hieromartyr Nicholas Rozov, Priest (1938)^[2][20]

Icon gallery

• 

  Saint Agatho of Rome, Pope of Rome.

• 

  Hieromartyr Sadoc of Persia and 128 Martyrs with him.

• 

  Saint Mildrith, Abbess of the Abbey at Minster-in-Thanet.

• 

  St Leo of Catania the Wonderworker.

• 

  St Leo of Catania the Wonderworker.

• 

  Reliquary shrine of St. Eleutherius of Tournai.

• 

  Saint Eucherius of Orléans.

• 

  Saint Yaroslav the Wise.

• 

  St. Agatho, Wonderworker of the Kiev Caves Monastery.

• 

  St. Cornelius, abbot of the Pskov-Caves Monastery.

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. "In the island of Cyprus, the holy martyrs Pothamius and Nemesius."^[3]
3. His feast day is on March 3. It is unclear why he is listed here today.
4. "In Persia, in the time of king Sapor, the birthday of St. Sadoth, bishop, and one hundred and twenty-eight others, who refused to adore the sun, and by a cruel death purchased for themselves bright crowns."^[3]
5. One of the three daughters of St Ermenburgh of Minster-in-Thanet in England. She succeeded her mother as Abbess of Thanet. Her relics were enshrined in Canterbury and part of them survive. Her life describes her as 'ever merciful, of easy temper and tranquil'.
6. "At Catania, in Sicily, St. Leo, bishop, illustrious for virtues and miracles."^[3]
7. "At Tournai, in Belgium, St. Eleutherius, bishop and confessor."^[3]
8. Born in Tournai in Belgium, he became bishop there in 486 and enlightened the pagan Franks who had settled nearby. He died from wounds inflicted by Arian heretics.
9. "The same day, St. Eucherius, bishop of Orleans, whose miracles increased in proportion to the slanders of the envious."^[3]
10. Born in Orleans in France, he became a monk at Jumièges near Rouen in about 714. In 721 he became Bishop of Orleans, opposing the theft of church lands by Charles Martel. For this he was exiled to Cologne in Germany in 737. Here he became very popular and so was sent to Liège in Belgium. He spent the rest of his life at the monastery of St Trond near Maastricht in the Netherlands.
11. St. Yaroslav the Wise was the builder of St Sophia Cathedral in Kiev which, on September 21st, 2011, celebrated the 1,000th anniversary of its consecration.
12. See also: (Russian) Агафон Чудотворец. Википедии. (Russian Wikipedia).
13. See also: (Russian) Корнилий Псково-Печерский. Википедии. (Russian Wikipedia).

References

1. February 20 / March 5. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
2. March 5 / February 20. Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
3. 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. 53-54.
4. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Οἱ Ἅγιοι Δίδυμος, Νεμέσιος καὶ Ποτάμιος οἱ Μάρτυρες ἐκ Κύπρου. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
5. (Greek) Συναξαριστής. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ).
6. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Εὐτρόπιος. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
7. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Σαδὼκ ὁ Ἱερομάρτυρας Ἐπίσκοπος Περσίδος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι ὀκτὼ τελειωθέντες. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
8. Hieromartyr Sadoc (Sadoth) the Bishop of Persia. OCA - Lives of the Saints.
9. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἀνιανός. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
10. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Βησσαρίων ὁ Θαυματουργός. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
11. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἀγάθων Πάπας Ρώμης. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
12. St Agathon the Pope of Rome. OCA - Lives of the Saints.
13. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ἡ Ὁσία Μιλδρέδη ἐκ Βρετανίας. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
14. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Λέων ὁ Θαυματουργός Ἐπίσκοπος Κατάνης. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
15. St Leo the Bishop of Catania in Sicily. OCA - Lives of the Saints.
16. February 20. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.
17. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Κινδέος Ἐπίσκοπος Πισιδίας. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
18. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Πλωτίνος. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
19. The Twentieth Day of the Month of February. Orthodoxy in China.
20. (Russian) 20 февраля (ст.ст.) 5 марта 2014 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).
21. Dr. Alexander Roman. February. Calendar of Ukrainian Orthodox Saints (Ukrainian Orthodoxy - Українське Православ'я).
22. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Ἀγάθων ὁ Θαυματουργός. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
23. Venerable Agathon the Wonderworker of the Kiev Caves. OCA - Lives of the Saints.
24. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Κορνήλιος ὁ Ἱερομάρτυρας ἐκ Ρωσίας. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
25. Beheading of the Venerable Cornelius the Abbot of the Pskov Caves. OCA - Lives of the Saints.
26. Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Μακάριος ὁ Ὁσιομάρτυρας καὶ ὁ σὺν αὐτῷ ἀναιρεθέντες. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

Sources

• February 20 / March 5. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
• March 5 / February 20. Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
• February 20. OCA - The Lives of the Saints.
• Dr. Alexander Roman. February. 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. 16.
• The Twentieth Day of the Month of February. Orthodoxy in China.
• February 20. 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. pp. 53-54.
• Rev. Richard Stanton. A Menology of England and Wales, or, Brief Memorials of the Ancient British and English Saints Arranged According to the Calendar, Together with the Martyrs of the 16th and 17th Centuries. London: Burns & Oates, 1892. pp. 79-80.

Greek Sources

• Great Synaxaristes: (Greek) 20 ΦΕΒΡΟΥΑΡΙΟΥ. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
• (Greek) Συναξαριστής. 20 Φεβρουαρίου. ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ).

Russian Sources

• (Russian) 5 марта (20 февраля). Православная Энциклопедия под редакцией Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла (электронная версия). (Orthodox Encyclopedia - Pravenc.ru).
• (Russian) 20 февраля (ст.ст.) 5 марта 2014 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).