What are the church holidays in September 2023

Many important dates fall on the first month of autumn. For Orthodox believers, almost every day of September is either one or several events of the church calendar at once. The most important of them are often related to life. Jesus Christ and Mother of God.

Such holidays, in turn, are divided into twelfth and non-twelfth. In September 2023, we will have to prepare for the meeting of three such celebrations. What will church holidays in September 2023what should be done on these days and what is the history of these dates, tells Edition “With Taste”. The full calendar of Orthodox holidays can be found here.

Orthodox holidays, memorial days in September 2023

In September, the old church year ends and a new one begins. The most important dates for believers are the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Beheading of John the Baptist and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Learn more about this.

Twelfth holidays

September 21 is celebrated Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. This is the first great twelfth feast in the new church year. It began to be celebrated as far back as the 4th century. History tells us how the pious but childless Joachim and Anna prayed in vain to send them a child. And finally, an angel appeared to them, announcing that Anna would become the mother of one who would be “higher than all the daughters of the earth.” Soon the Blessed Virgin Mary was born to the couple.

September 27 – celebration Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This twelfth holiday is named in honor of finding one of the instruments of passion – the Cross of the Lord, on which Jesus Christ was crucified. According to legend, the mother of Emperor Constantine, Helen the Great, went to Jerusalem in search of a cross. The locals told her where the relic was. But in the indicated place they found not one, but three whole crosses. To understand which of them is genuine, all three were alternately applied to a seriously ill person. From touching the one on which the Savior was crucified, the man was immediately healed.

Non-Twelfth

The Beheading of John the Baptist – the most important non-twelfth holiday that the Orthodox celebrate 11 September. The day is dedicated to the memory of the martyrdom of John the Baptist, who was beheaded by order of Herod. On this day, it is better not to use sharp objects, such as chopping wood or cutting grass. Also banned are weddings, any celebrations with dances and songs. September 11 is not recommended to eat any round foods: potatoes, cabbage, apples. Any food of animal origin is also prohibited.

Church calendar by day of the month

10 September – acquisition of the relics of the Monk Job of Pochaev. It is recounted that a radiance was often seen on the grave of the saint. Seven years after his death, the incorruptible relics of St. Job were transferred to the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity. After that, many believers were healed with their help.
11 September – Beheading of John the Baptist; Commemoration of Orthodox soldiers killed on the battlefield. In 1769, during the Russian-Turkish war, Empress Catherine ordered that this day be honored those who died for their faith and homeland.
September 13 – The position of the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to legend, after the end of the earthly journey, the body and soul of St. Mary ascended to heaven. Therefore, instead of the relics, the Orthodox honor her belt, which the Mother of God independently wove from camel hair. The feast of the Position of the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary was introduced in the 12th century.
September 14 – Church New Year, the beginning of the indiction. This date has been celebrated since 1363, in order to pay tribute to the Byzantine tradition. On this day, Orthodox Christians ask God to grant blessings in the new year.
September 19 – Michael’s miracle. Archangel Michael is one of the most revered saints in Christianity. He guards the gates of paradise and meets the souls of the dead.
September 21 – Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. On this day, the Virgin Mary came to earth, giving the world salvation – Jesus Christ.
September 27 – Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. The day commemorates the martyrdom of Jesus and is equated with Good Friday. True Orthodox must observe a strict fast.
September 30th – Day of Martyrs Sophia, Faith, Hope and Love. In the second century A.D. e. Christianity was persecuted. For their faith, Emperor Hadrian first imprisoned Faith, Hope and Love, and then executed them. From such grief, their mother Sophia also died. Since then, the family has been considered a saint.

Church holidays in September: fasts

Fast days for Orthodox believers are Wednesday and Friday. On such days, meat and dairy foods should be avoided. An exception is if the celebration of one or another saint falls on these dates. In addition, there are other one-day posts. They revere the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord and the Beheading of John the Baptist. But there will be no multi-day fast in September. 14 days Dormition Fast ends on August 27. Behind him begins autumn carnivore – the time when it is allowed to eat any food. The Advent fast begins at the end of autumn and ends in the middle of winter (from November 28 to January 6).

In general, Orthodox believers celebrate quite a few holidays throughout the entire annual cycle. Since there was paganism in Rus’ earlier, many church dates still echo with pagan customs. One thing remains unchanged: autumn is harvest time. People thank God for the gifts of nature, pray, celebrate the end of the heat and prepare for the onset of winter cold. Earlier we wrote how to wear a cross correctly.