What are the main feasts observed by Orthodox Christians?

The Church has appointed holy convocations in memory of the chief events of the Incarnation of the Son of God for our salvation, and, after these, in honor of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, the instrument of the mystery of the Incarnation. In the order of the ecclesiastical year, the Twelve Great Feasts are:

• The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos (September 8; Old Calendar, September 21); (this is the first feast of the ecclesiastical year, which starts on September 1).

• The Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Creating Cross (September 14; Old Calendar, September 27);

• The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple (November 21; Old Calendar, December 4);

• The Nativity of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ (December 25; Old Calendar, January 7);

• The Theophany (Epiphany) of our Lord (January 6; Old Calendar, January 19);

• The Meeting of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple (February 2; Old Calendar, February 15);

• The Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos (March 25; Old Calendar, April 7);

• The Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Pascha);

• The Ascension of our Lord (the fortieth day after Pascha);

• Pentecost, the Descent of the Holy Spirit (the fiftieth day after Pascha);

• The Transfiguration of our Lord (August 6; Old Calendar, August 19);

• The Falling Asleep (Dormition) of the Most Holy Theotokos (August 15; Old Calendar, August 28; see the Study: The Dormition of the Theotokos).

  Movable feasts (Palm Sunday, Ascension, Pentecost) do not have fixed O.S. (old style / old calendar) dates, so they remain unchanged. Dates follow the standard 13-day difference between the Julian (Old) and Gregorian (New) calendars.

  Pascha, the feast of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, holds a unique place as the Feast of Feasts and is not counted among the Twelve Great Feasts.