July 31 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

July 30 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - Aug. 1

An Eastern Orthodox cross

All fixed commemorations below are celebrated on August 13 by Old Calendar.^{[note 1]}

For July 31st, Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar commemorate the Saints listed on July 18.

Feasts

• Forefeast of the Procession of the Precious Wood of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord.^{[1][2][3][4][5][note 2]}

Saints

• Righteous Joseph of Arimathea, who buried the Master Christ (1st century)^{[1][3][4][6][7]}
• Righteous Eudocimus of Cappadocia, Military Commander of Cappadocia (9th century)^{[1][3][4][8][9][10]}
• Martyr Julitta (Juliet), at Caesarea in Cappadocia (304-305)^{[1][11][12][13]} (see also: July 30)
• Saint John the Exarch of Bulgaria (c. 917-927)^[1][12]

Pre-Schism Western saints

• Saint Calimerius, a Greek who became Bishop of Milan in Italy, Apostle of the Po Valley (c. 190)^{[14][15][note 3][note 4]}
• Saint Fabius, a soldier beheaded in Caesarea in Mauretania in North Africa under Diocletian, for refusing to carry a standard bearing idolatrous emblems (300)^{[14][note 5]}
• Twelve Soldier-Martyrs of Rome, by the sword.^{[3][4][12][17]}
• Saint Firmus of Tagaste, in North Africa, he was tortured and endured terrible sufferings rather than betray the hiding-place of one of his flock.^{[14][note 6]}
• Saint Germanus of Auxerre, Bishop of Auxerre in Gaul (448)^{[1][4][12][14][18][19][20][21][note 7][note 8]}
• Saint Neot, Hermit, in Cornwall (c. 877)^{[1][12][14][20][22][note 9]}

Post-Schism Orthodox saints

• Saint Arsenius, Bishop of Ninotsminda in Georgia (1082)^{[1][4][12][23]}
• Holy anonymous new martyr of Crete, at Alexandria in Egypt (1811)^[24][25]
• New Monk-martyr Dionysius of Vatopedi, Mt. Athos (1822)^[1][5][12]

New martyrs and confessors

• New Hieromartyrs, at Petrograd (1922):^[1]

• Benjamin (Kazansky), Metropolitan of Petrograd and Gdovsk;^{[26][27][note 10]}
• Sergius (Shein), Archimandrite;^{[5][28][note 11]}

• New Martyrs, at Petrograd (1922):^[1]

• George Novitsky^{[5][29][note 12]} and John Kovsharov.^{[30][31][note 13]}

• Martyr Maximus Rumyantsev (1928)^[5][12]
• New New Hieromartyr Vladimir Kholodkovsky, Priest (1937)^[5][12]
• New Hieromartyr John Rumyantsev, Priest;^[32] Martyr Constantine Razumov, Priest; Virgin-martyr Anna Serova;^{[33][note 14]} and St. Elizabeth Rumyantseva^[34] (after 1937)^[12]
• New Hieromartyr Nicholas, Priest (1941)^[12]
• New Hiero-confessor Basil (Preobrazhensky), Bishop of Kineshma (1945)^{[1][12][note 15]}

Other commemorations

• Consecration of the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos of Blachernae.^{[1][2][4][12]}
• Translation of the relics of Apostle Philip to Cyprus.^{[1][4][12][35]}
• Repose of Elder Gerasim the Younger, of the St. Sergius Skete, Kaluga (1918)^[1]

Icon gallery

• 
  Procession of the Precious Wood of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord.
• 
  Icon of the Descent from the Cross, including Righteous Joseph of Arimathea.
• 
  Fresco of St. Calimerius, Bishop of Milan (19th c.).
• 
  St. Germanus of Auxerre.
• 
  A processional banner of St. Germanus of Auxerre.
• 
  Stained glass window at St Neot, Cornwall, illustrating the miracle of the fishes associated with St Neot.
• 
  New Hieromartyr Benjamin (Kazansky), Metropolitan of Petrograd and Gdovsk.
• 
  New Hieromartyr Sergius (Shein), Archimandrite.
• 
  New Martyr George Novitsky.
• 
  New Martyr John Kovsharov.

Notes

1. The notation Old Style or (OS) is sometimes used to indicate a date in the Julian Calendar (which is used by churches on the "Old Calendar").
   The notation New Style or (NS), indicates a date in the Revised Julian calendar (which is used by churches on the "New Calendar").
2. See: (in Russian) Происхождение честных древ Животворящего Креста. Википедии. (Russian Wikipedia).
3. He was martyred under Commodus by being thrown into a well. He is buried under the altar of his church in Milan.
4. "At Milan, during the persecution of Antoninus, St. Calimerius, bishop and martyr, who was arrested, covered with wounds, and pierced through the neck with a sword. He terminated his martyrdom by being precipitated into a well."^[16]
5. "At Caesarea, the martyrdom of the blessed martyr Fabius. As he refused to carry the ensign of the governor of the province, he was thrown into prison for some days, and as he persisted twice in confessing Christ when brought before the judge, he was condemned to capital punishment."^[16]
6. "At Tagaste, in Africa, St. Firmus, bishop, illustrious by a glorious confession of the faith."^[16]
7. Born in Auxerre in France, he governed part of Gaul. In 418 he became Bishop of Auxerre. He came to Britain twice (in 429 and 447), where he succeeded in stamping out Pelagianism. He reposed in Ravenna in Italy.
8. "At Ravenna, the departure from this world of St. Germanus, bishop of Auxerre, a man most renowned for his birth, faith, learning, and glorious miracles, who freed England completely from the heretical doctrines of the Pelagians."^[16]
9. According to tradition he was a monk at Glastonbury in England, who became a hermit in Cornwall at the place now called Saint Neot. Some relics were later taken to the town now called St Neots in Cambridgeshire.
10. See: (in Russian) Вениамин (Казанский). Википедии. (Russian Wikipedia).
11. See: (in Russian) Сергий (Шеин). Википедии. (Russian Wikipedia).
12. See: (in Russian) Новицкий, Юрий Петрович. Википедии. (Russian Wikipedia).
13. See: (in Russian) Ковшаров, Иван Михайлович. Википедии. (Russian Wikipedia).
14. See: (in Russian) Серова, Анна Васильевна. Википедии. (Russian Wikipedia).
15. See: (in Russian) Василий (Преображенский, Вениамин Сергеевич). Википедии. (Russian Wikipedia).