In Orthodox tradition, we often celebrate what we call Name Days. A Name Day is essentially the day on which an Orthodox Christian celebrates the feast of his or her patron saint. Just like an feast in the life of the Church, it is an important part of the spiritual life. As such, it should become part of the life of your home, the rhythm of routine as you all work together toward salvation. In this post, we talk about some ways you can celebrate your Name Day, along with the Name Days of your spouse and children.
6 minutes
What is a Name Day?
For our non-Orthodox readers: a Name Day is the day upon which a particular Orthodox Christian would celebrate the feast of his or her patron saint. In both Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, the Church recognizes certain people who lived lives of exemplary holiness or likeness to God, which they received willingly through the Holy Spirit. These saints are part of the “great cloud of witnesses” spoken of in the Book of Hebrews, those who have gone before us in the faith.
In the life of the Church, we often send intercessory prayers to the saints, asking them to pray to God for us. During every worship service, we ask God to accept those prayers. The Church commemorates a saint on the day of his or her death. And according to the Orthodox Tradition, every day of the calendar year is dedicated to at least one Christian saint.
When someone is baptized and becomes Orthodox, they take on the name of one of these saints. That saint then becomes their patron. After adopting that saint as a patron, the day upon which that patron died becomes that Christian’s Name Day. That saint now becomes an intercessor for the Christian, a help and encouragement in the spiritual warfare we face every day.
Don’t have a patron saint, even though you are Orthodox? Or are you thinking about becoming Orthodox soon, but don’t have a patron saint picked out? Check out our post on how to choose a patron saint for yourself.
How should Orthodox Christians celebrate their Name Day?
In traditionally Orthodox cultures (ie. Serbian, Russian, Syrian, Greek, etc.) there may already be traditions for celebrating Name Days. There are certain things that transcend ethnicity, practices you will see (or should) in every Orthodox family when celebrating Name Days:
- Attend a service. If your parish has Liturgy on a family member’s Name Day, make it a point to attend and receive the Eucharist. You can also attend another non-Eucharistic service instead, if your parish does not serve Liturgy that day.
- Include the patron saint’s troparion and/or kontakion in the family’s prayers that morning/evening. You can (and should) also ask for their intercessory prayers. Not sure what the hymns are for a particular saint? Google them!
- Read the life of the saint together as a family. You can do this during or after dinner, and teach your children about the example the saint sets for everyone. You can find the lives of saints in the Synaxarion, or with a simple Google search. If you are unsure you have the right saint, check with your priest.
Additionally, people often give gifts on Name Days, usually spiritual in nature. Icons, crosses, prayer ropes, spiritual books or other religious items. Though this is not strictly required, it is a nice gesture toward the person celebrating!
Ways to celebrate Name Days as a family
If you are married or have children, Name Days can become a wonderful time for the family to be together and grow in faith. Here are some things you can do to make each person’s Name Day special.
1. Display the saint’s icon
Choose a prominent place to display the icon of the patron for that Name Day. Place it on your dining room table or on a stand near your icon corner with some flowers and a lit candle. You could even have the person hold the icon of their saint while the other members of the family venerate it!
2. Prepare a special dinner and dessert
It is important to take time as a family to celebrate. Plan a sit-down dinner for every Name Day in the family. Or if you have a couple close together, consider having a “party” for all the Name Days together. You might consider letting the person whose Name Day you are celebrating to choose the main dish for dinner and the dessert (and even help prepare everything with you). You could make a cake with candles, a favorite cookie recipe, or other special treat to commemorate the day.
Additionally, you could implement other small traditions to make it your own. Some families have a special plate for the celebrant, or a seat of honor at the table. Others have a special headband or hat, while still others sing “God Grant You Many Years” before dessert.
Brainstorm different tradition ideas with your family. Whatever you do, be sure that your celebration honors the person celebrating his or her Name Day and honors his or her patron saint.
3. Visit with the Godparents
Make it a point to reach out to your child’s godparents on his or her Name Day. (And of course, do the same for your own, or for your spouse!) If they live close, consider making plans to invite them to dinner. If they live too far away for something like that, a phone or video call would be a nice way for your children to connect with these important people on a day that is precious to them.
Related: 8 Ways To Deepen Your Spiritual Relationship With Your Godchild
Remember: the godparents are those who have taken a vow before God to help you raise your children in the Faith. Their presence is vital to the spiritual growth of your children and of your family!
Do what you can, when you can
While we would strongly encourage all parents to make Name Days a priority, we realize this may be difficult. Sometimes work obligations, assignments, extracurricular activities and the like can clutter up your week and make planning a small celebration seem overwhelming.
Do what you can to make this day special for each of your children, for yourself, and for your spouse. Even if that means celebrating on the weekend, or waiting until the next time the godparents come to town. But make it a priority, and your children will, too, with their children some day.
Keep Reading: Gratitude Journaling For 40 Days