The Great Feasts
The liturgical year in the Orthodox Church is organized around Pascha — the celebration of Christ’s resurrection — and the Twelve Great Feasts that surround it. Together they tell the story of salvation: from the conception and birth of Christ, through his baptism, transfiguration, and entry into Jerusalem, to his resurrection, ascension, and the descent of the Holy Spirit. Several feasts also commemorate the Mother of God.
Each article in this section explains what a feast remembers, where it came from historically, and how the Church teaches its meaning through hymns and icons.
The Annunciation
The March 25 feast of the angel's announcement to the Virgin Mary — the beginning of the Incarnation and the first feast of the new creation.
The Dormition of the Theotokos
The August 15 feast of the falling-asleep of the Mother of God — and how the Eastern tradition speaks about the end of her life.
The Transfiguration of Christ
The August 6 feast of Christ's transfiguration on Mount Tabor — and the Eastern Christian doctrine of the uncreated light.
Theophany — The Baptism of the Lord
The Orthodox feast of Christ's baptism in the Jordan on January 6 — the manifestation of the Trinity and the blessing of the waters.
The Nativity of Christ
The Orthodox feast of the birth of Christ on December 25 — its history, its hymns, and how Eastern Christianity has read the gospel of the Incarnation.
Pascha — The Feast of the Resurrection
Pascha, the celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead, is the central feast of the Orthodox year — the feast of feasts and the standard by which everything else is measured.