Sunday of the Holy Forefathers or Sunday of the Holy Forefathers of Jesus Christ is a Christian holiday that is always celebrated on a Sunday and always on the second Sunday before Christmas, in the Eastern Orthodox Church and in the Eastern Catholic Churches using the Byzantine Rite. The beginning of the celebration is December 11th.[1] If December 11th were to be a weekday then the holiday is postponed until the following Sunday. These cases can be perceived in the year 2019, December 11 was a Wednesday, therefore, the holiday was celebrated four days later on Sunday, December 15.
The Sunday that is usually from December 11 to 17 is known as the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers. The ancestors of the Old Testament. Those who lived before and under the Law, and those of the flesh, namely the Patriarch Abraham whom the Lord said unto “In thy seed shall all of the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3; 22:18).[2]
Main Verses
Apolytikion in the Second Tone
"You justified the Forefathers by faith, and through them betrothed yourself, aforetime, to the Church taken from out of the Gentiles. The saints boast in glory, for from their seed, there exists a noble crop, who is she who without seed has given You birth. By their intercessions, O Christ our God, save our souls."[3]
Kontakion in Plagal of the Second Tone
"You did not worship the graven image, O thrice-blessed ones, but armed with the immaterial Essence of God, you were glorified in a trial by fire. From the midst of unbearable flames you called on God, crying: Hasten, O compassionate One! Speedily come to our aid, for You are merciful and able to do as You will."[4]
Hymns
The Great Patriarchs and Matriarchs of the Old Testament, including the Patriarchs Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The feast also commemorates the Holy Prophets such as Daniel, Ezekiel, and Elijah, judges, kings, and all who lived of the flesh and under the Law.
Hymn of the Ancestors
- The Proto-created Adam and Eve
- the Righteous Abel
- the Righteous Seth
- the Righteous Enos
- the Righteous Kenan
- the Righteous Maleleel
- the Righteous Jared
- the Righteous Enoch
- the Righteous Methuselah
- the Righteous Lamech
- the Righteous Noah
- the Righteous Shem
- the Righteous Japheth
- the Righteous Arphaxad
- the Righteous Cainan
- the Righteous Salah
- the Righteous Eber
- the Righteous Peleg
- the Righteous Reu
- the Righteous Seruch
- the Righteous Nahor
- the Righteous Terah
- Patriarch Abraham
- Patriarch Isaac
- Patriarch Jacob
- Patriarch Reuben
- Patriarch Simeon
- Patriarch Levi
- Patriarch Judah
- Patriarch Zebulon
- Patriarch Issachar
- Patriarch Dan
- Patriarch Gad
- Patriarch Asher
- Patriarch Naphtali
- Patriarch Joseph
- Patriarch Benjamin
- Phares
- Zara
- Ezrom
- Aram
- Aminadab
- Nahshon
- Salmon
- Boaz
- Obed
- Jesse
- David king son of Jesse
- Solomonon of David
- Rehoboam the king son of Solomon
- Abijah the king son of Rehoboam
- Asa the king son of Abijah
- Jehoshaphat the king son of Asa
- Jehoram the king son of Jehoshaphat
- Uziu the king son of Jehoram
- Joatham the king son of Uzzi
- Ahaz the king son of Joatham
- Hezekiah the king son of Ahaz
- Manasseh the king son of Hezekiah
- Ammon the king son of Manasseh
- Josiah the king son of Ammon
- Jeconiah the king 's son Josiah
- Shelatiel son of Jeconiah
- Zerubbabel son of Salathiel who rebuilt the Jerusalem temple when it had burned
- Abiud son of Zerubbabel
- Eliakim son of Abiud
- Azor son of Eliakim
- Zadok son of Azor
- Achim son of Zadok
- Eliud son of Achim
- Eleazar son of Eliud
- Matthan son of Eleazar
- Jacob son of Matthan
- Joseph the Minister, son of Jacob
Other saints of Ancestors Sunday
- the Righteous Melchizedek
- the Righteous Job
- the Prophet Moses
- Hor and Aaron the Priests
- the Righteous Joshua
- the Prophet Samuel
- the Prophet Nathan
- the Prophet Daniel
- the Righteous Sarah , wife of Abraham
- the Righteous Rebekah wife of Isaac
- the Fair Leia first wife of Jacob
- the Righteous Rachel second wife of Jacob
- the Fair Asineth wife of Joseph of Jacob
- the Righteous Mary sister of Moses
- the Fair Deborah
- the Fair Ruth
- the Fair Sarafthia to whom Elias was sent
- the Righteous Somanitis who hosted Elisha
- the Fair Judith
- the Righteous Esther who redeemed Israel from death
- the Righteous Anna mother of Samuel
- Fair Sossana
See also
References
- ↑ The Orthodox Church in America. "Lives of the Saints: Sunday of the Forefathers". www.oca.org.
- ↑ The Orthodox Church in America. "Lives of the Saints: Sunday of the Forefathers". www.oca.org.
- ↑ John. "Sunday of the Holy Forefathers of Christ". Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ↑ John. "Sunday of the Holy Forefathers of Christ". Retrieved 2023-03-08.
External Links
- Sunday of the Holy Forefathers via antiochptriarchate.org
- Orthodox Church of the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers via johnsanidopoulos.com