Saturday, January 3, 2026

The Various Major Apostolic Feast Days In Christianity

Apostle / DiscipleRoman CatholicGreek (Eastern) OrthodoxCoptic OrthodoxArmenian ApostolicSyriac OrthodoxGeorgian OrthodoxOther (Ethiopian, Assyrian, Maronite)Notes (feast rank/notes)
Peter & PaulJune 29 (Solemnity of SS. Peter & Paul)June 29 (New Calendar); July 12 (Old Calendar)July 12 (Coptic Epip 5)Dec 27 (Feast of SS. Peter & Paul)June 29June 29 (Julian: July 12 Gregorian)Ethiopia: July 12 (Epip 5); Assyrian: June 29; Maronite: June 29Joint major feast (martyrdom of both), ends Apostles’ Fast (Eastern)
James (son of Zebedee)July 25 (Feast of St. James)April 30 (Julian; May 13 Gregorian), June 30 (Synaxis)April 25 (Coptic Parmouti 17)(No separate feast)(likely April 30 as Eastern)April 30 (Julian; May 13 Gregorian)Ethiopia: April 30; Assyrian: April 30; Maronite: July 25July 25 (Western); April 30 (Orthodox); July 25 major feast (apostle; first martyr)
John (the Evangelist)Dec 27 (Feast of St. John)Sept 26; May 8 (Orthodox “Repose” and “Rod of Ephesus”)Jan 12 (Coptic Toba 4)(No fixed feast)(No fixed feast)Sept 26 (Julian: Oct 9 Gregorian)Maronite: Dec 27; (Maronites also May 8, Sept 26)Major feast (Nativity of John is June 24 – but John’s own feast is Dec 27 Western; Sept 26 Eastern)
Philip (Apostle)May 3 (together with James the Less)Nov 14; June 30 (Synaxis)Nov 18 (Coptic Hathor 18)Nov 17(similar to Greek)Nov 14 (Julian: Nov 27)Ethiopia: Nov 18 (like Coptic); Assyrian: Nov 14; Maronite: May 3Primary feast Nov 14 (Orthodox); Western celebrates May 3 (ancient joint feast)
Bartholomew (Apostle)Aug 24 (Feast)June 11 (with Barnabas)Sept 11 (Coptic Tout 1)Aug 24 (adopted Western date)(not fixed)June 11 (Julian: June 24)Ethiopia: likely Aug 24; Assyrian: June 11; Maronite: Aug 24Western: Aug 24 (major feast); Eastern: June 11 (with Barnabas)
Thomas (Apostle)July 3Oct 6 (primary); also June 20 (translation of relics) and Sunday after Pascha(not individually listed)(not separate)July 3Oct 6 (Julian: Oct 19)Assyrian: Oct 6; Maronite: July 3Western: July 3 (major); Orthodox: Oct 6 (major), and Sunday after Easter (“Thomas Sunday”)
Matthew (Apostle)Sept 21Nov 16Oct 24 (Coptic Babah 14)(Listed with Evangelists Oct 20)(not fixed)Nov 16 (Julian: Nov 29)Assyrian: Nov 16; Maronite: Sept 21Western: Sept 21 (major, Gospel writer); Eastern: Nov 16
Mark (Evangelist)Apr 25 (Latin); (also Apr 25 Eastern)Apr 25(First Patriarch) Apr 25 (Coptic Baramouda 30)(Evangelists Oct 20)(no fixed)Apr 25 (Julian: May 8)Ethiopia: Apr 25; Assyrian: Apr 25; Maronite: Apr 25Western/Orthodox: Apr 25 (joint evangelist feast); Coptic honors him Apr 25 (tradition)
James (son of Alphaeus)May 3 (with Philip)Oct 9July 25 (Epip 18)(none separate)(likely Oct 9)Oct 22 (Julian: Nov 4)Maronite: May 3Western: May 3 (with Philip); Orthodox: Oct 9
Thaddeus (Jude)Oct 28 (with Simon)June 19(not separately)(with Simon Oct 28)(likely June 19)June 19 (Julian: July 2)Maronite: Oct 28Western: Oct 28 (minor) – Feast of Sts. Simon & Jude; Orthodox: June 19 (with Bartholomew)
Simon (the Zealot)Oct 28 (with Jude)May 10(not separate)(with Jude Oct 28)(likely May 10)May 23 (Julian: June 5)Maronite: Oct 28Western: Oct 28 (minor; with Jude); Orthodox: May 10
Cleophas (Jude, Emmaus)Sept 25Sept 25 (Julian: Oct 8)(not in major calendars)(not separate)(not separate)Sept 25 (Julian: Oct 8)Ethiopia: Sept 25Feast of Cleophas on Sept 25 (Roman Martyrology) (minor commemoration)
Titus (companion of Paul)Jan 26 (with Timothy)Aug 25; Jan 4(no fixed)(no separate)(not fixed)Aug 25 (Julian: Sept 7)Assyrian: Aug 25Orthodox: Aug 25, Jan 4; Western: Jan 26 (memorial with Timothy)
Crescens (comp. of Paul)(no observance)(no fixed)Not commemorated liturgically in major calendars.
Eunuch of CandaceAug 27 (baptism)Aug 27 (Julian: Sept 9)Aug 27 (Ethiopian)Commemorated for baptism by St. Philip; Ethiopian Church commemorates Aug 27 (also Jan 4 in some sources).


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