May 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

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May 4 in Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendars is a feast day and a day of commemoration of saints and martyrs. Although some Orthodox churches use the Revised Julian Calendar and others use the traditional Julian calendar, the fixed commemorations for their respective May4 are broadly the same, no matter which calendar is used.

Saints

Virgin-martyr Pelagia of Tarsus in Asia Minor (287)May 4/17. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).Ἡ Ἁγία Πελαγία ἡ Μάρτυς. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould (M.A.). "S. PELAGIA, V.M. (3RD CENT.)." In: The Lives of the Saints. Volume the Fifth: May. London: John C. Nimmo, 1898. p. 66. Hieromartyr Albian (Olbian), Bishop of Anaea in Asia Minor, and his disciples (284-303)Hieromartyr Albian the Bishop of Anaea in Asia Minor. OCA - Feasts and Saints. Martyrs Aphrodisius, Leontius, Anthony, Valerian, Macrobius, others, at Scythopolis of Palestine (4th c.)Οἱ Ἅγιοι Ἀντωνίνος, Ἀφροδίσιος, Βαλεριανός, Λεόντιος, Μακρόβιος καὶ Μίδας οἱ Μάρτυρες καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτοῖς μαρτυρήσαντες. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.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.33. Hieromartyr Silvanus of Gaza, bishop, and with him 40 martyrs (311)Hieromartyr Silvanus the Bishop of Gaza, and with him 40 Martyrs. OCA - Feasts and Saints.Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould (M.A.). "S. SYLVANUS, B.M. OF GAZA. (A.D. 311.)." In: The Lives of the Saints. Volume the Fifth: May. London: John C. Nimmo, 1898. p. 66. (see also: October 14) Saint Hilary of the desert, the Wonderworker.Ὁ Ὅσιος Ἱλάριος ὁ Θαυματουργός. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Συναξαριστής. 4 Μαΐου. ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ). Saint Nicephorus of Medikion, abbot and founder of Medikion Monastery (813)Ὁ Ὅσιος Νικηφόρος ἡγούμενος τῆς μονῆς Μηδικίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Saint Athanasios of Corinth, bishop (10th-11th century)Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος Ἐπίσκοπος Κορίνθου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

Pre-Schism Western saints

Hieromartyr Porphyrius (250)May 4. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome. Saint Curcodomus, a deacon in Rome sent to help St Peregrinus (2nd century) Hieromartyr Erasmus of Formiae, bishop in Campania, and 20,000 martyrs with him (303) Martyrs Florian and 40 companions, at Lorsch, Austria (304)Ὁ Ἅγιος Φλωριανὸς ὁ Μάρτυρας. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Saint Monica of Tagaste, the mother of St. Augustine of Hippo (387)Ἡ Ἁγία Μόνικα μητέρα τοῦ Ἁγίου Αὐγουστίνου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould (M.A.). "S. MONICA, W. (A.D. 388.)." In: The Lives of the Saints. Volume the Fifth: May. London: John C. Nimmo, 1898. pp. 67-73. Saint Nepotianus, nephew of St Heliodorus, Bishop of Altino near Venice in Italy (395)Ὁ Ἅγιος Νεποτιανὸς ὁ πρεσβύτερος. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Saint Venerius of Milan, second bishop of Milan, a loyal supporter of St John Chrysostom (409) Saint Conleth, first Bishop of Kildare (c. 519) (see also: May 3 and May 10) Saint Anthony du Rocher, a disciple of St Benedict and companion of St Maurus in his mission to France, founder of the monastery of Saint Julian in Tours (6th century) Saint Æthelred (Ethelred, Ailred), king of Mercia and monk (716) Saint Sacerdos of Limoges, Bishop of Limoges (720) Saint Gotthard of Hildesheim, became Bishop of Hildesheim in 1022 and did much to spread the Faith (1038)Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould (M.A.). "S. GOTHARD, B. OF HILDESHEIM. (A.D. 1038.)." In: The Lives of the Saints. Volume the Fifth: May. London: John C. Nimmo, 1898. p. 73.

Post-Schism Orthodox saints

Saint Theodosia (Fedosia, in monasticism Euphrosyne), princess of Vladimir, wife of Jaroslav Vsevolodovich, mother of St. Alexander Nevsky (1244)Ἡ Ὁσία Θεοδοσία πριγκίπισσα τοῦ Βλαδιμίρ, ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Venerable Nicephorus (the Hesychast) of Mount Athos, teacher of St. Gregory Palamas (1340)Venerable Nicephorus of Mt. Athos, Albania. OCA - The Lives of the Saints.Ὁ Ὅσιος Νικηφόρος ὁ ἐν Ἄθῳ ἀσκήσας. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Saint Maura of Mount Ceahlău, Schemanun, a great hesychast hermit (18th c.)Romanian Church proclaims canonization of 16 holy women (+VIDEO). Orthodox Christianity. February 7, 2026. Retrieved: February 12, 2026.

New martyrs and confessors

New Martyrs of Reskovac (sr), Republika Srpska, who suffered at the hands of the Turks (1688)Serbian Patriarchate Announces New Canonizations. Union of Orthodox Journalists. 20 May 2025 03:59. Retrieved: February 13, 2026. Саопштење за јавност Светог Архијерејског Сабора Српске Православне Цркве. СРПСКА ПРАВОСЛАВНА ЦРКВА. Објављено 18.05.2025. Retrieved: February 13, 2026. 4,000–5,000 New Martyrs of Batak, Bulgaria, by the Ottoman Turks (1876)Rasophore Monk Euthymius (Sofia,Bulgaria). THE NEW MARTYRS OF BATAK, Sparks Amidst the Gloom. Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece - Metropolis of Oropos and Phyle.(From source: Orthodox Tradition, No. 2, Vol. XXIII (2006), pp. 14-20.). Retrieved: February 18, 2026. (PDF) New Hieromartyr Dimitry (Lyubimov), Archbishop of Gdov (1935) New Hieromartyr John Vasiliev, priest, (1942)May 17, 2011 / May 4, HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow) 4 мая (ст.ст.) 17 мая 2013 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR). New Hieromartyr Nicholas Tochtuev, deacon, (1943) New Hieromartyr Vasily Martysz, Archpriest (1945)New Martyr Archpriest Vasily Martysz, OCA - The Lives of the Saints. (see also April 21)

Other commemorations

Translation of the relics of the Righteous Lazarus and Saint Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles, to ConstantinopleἈνακομιδὴ Τιμίων Λειψάνων Ἁγίου καὶ Δικαίου Λαζάρου καὶ τῆς Μαρίας τῆς Μαγδαληνῆς τῆς Μυροφόρου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Translation of the relics (1775) of the Alfanov brothers of Novgorod, founders of the Sokolnitzki Monastery (14th-15th c.):Οἱ Ὅσιοι Ἰσαάκ, Κλήμης, Κύριλλος, Νικήτας καὶ Νικηφόρος ἐκ Ρωσίας. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Saints: Nicetas, Cyril, Nicephorus, Clement, and Isaac. Icon of the Mother of God "Staro Rus" (Staraya Russa, Old Russian) (1570)Σύναξις Ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου τῆς «Παλαιᾶς» ἐν Ρωσίᾳ. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

Icon gallery

Notes

References

Sources May 3/16. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU). May 17, 2011 / May 4, HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow) May 4, 2011, OCA - The Lives of the Saints. May 4. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome. May 4, The Roman Martyrology. Greek Sources Great Synaxaristes: 4 ΜΑΪΟΥ, ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. Συναξαριστής. 4 Μαΐου. ECCLESIA.GR. (H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ). Russian Sources 17 мая (4 мая). Православная Энциклопедия под редакцией Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла (электронная версия). (Orthodox Encyclopedia - Pravenc.ru). 4 мая (ст.ст.) 17 мая 2013 (нов. ст.). Русская Православная Церковь Отдел внешних церковных связей. (DECR).