Memorial of Saints (December 27)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• John, apostle and evangelist
• Fabiola, widow
• Nicarete, virgin
• Theodore and Theophanes
• John Stone, priest and martyr

St. John was born in Bethsaida, Galilee. He and his brother James followed Christ and became apostles, with John becoming Christ's beloved disciple. In the hour of Christ's death on the Cross, John was with Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the foot of the Cross. It was there before the death of Christ, that Christ entrusted His mother to John.

St. John was not only an apostle but also an evangelist like his companion-apostle Matthew. John's gospel is the last gospel to be written. Three letters are also attributed to John in the New Testament. John is the only apostle not to die as a martyr.

December 27 Saints in the Byzantine Calendar

• St. Stephen, Protomartyr, Apostle and Archdeacon
• Theodore, brother of St. Theophanes

Sts. Theodore (ca. 775-841 A.D.) and Theophanes (born ca. 778 A.D.) were born at Kerak, Moab (Transjordan) and became monks at St. Sabas Monastery. He and his brother Theophanes were exiled to an island in the Black Sea when they opposed the iconclastic activities of Emperor Leo the Armenian. Upon the death of Emperor Leo in 820 A.D., the brothers returned to Constantinople. They were again banished by Emperor Theophilus in 829 A.D.. When Theophilus died, Theophanes was brought back and was later named bishop of Nicaea. Both brothers are called Graptoi (written-on) because twelve lines of verses had been cut into their skins for their opposition to iconoclasm.

St. Theodore is commemorated in both the Roman Calendar and the Byzantine Calendar this day, December 27. St. Theophanes (called the Chronicler) is commemorated in the Roman Calendar every 12th of March.