Orthodox saints and name days on December 5

Name days on December 5

Savvas, Sabbas, Savas, Savvoula, Diogenis, Diogenes

Saints and feasts of December 5

• 

  Savvas the Sanctified

  Venerable, Σάββας ο Ηγιασμένος

  Venerable Savvas the Sanctified, born in Cappadocia in the fifth century, entered the monastic life as a boy and became one of the great fathers of the Judean desert. He founded the Great Lavra near Jerusalem, which bears his name to this day, and gathered thousands of monks under his guidance, while defending the Orthodox faith of the Council of Chalcedon.

  Name days: Savvas, Sabbas, Savas, Savvoula

• Diogenes the Martyr

  Martyr, Διογένης

  The holy martyr Diogenes confessed Christ before the pagans and, according to the Synaxarion, was perfected by stoning. His name is kept on this day in the Greek calendar.

  Name days: Diogenis, Diogenes

• Anastasius the Fuller

  Martyr, Αναστάσιος

  The holy martyr Anastasius was a cloth-fuller of Salona in Dalmatia in the time of Diocletian. Tradition relates that he painted a cross on the door of his workshop, and when he refused to deny Christ, he was drowned in the sea with a stone tied to his neck.

• Nektarios the Athonite

  Venerable, Νεκτάριος ο Αθωνίτης

  Venerable Nektarios was born in Bitola and came to the Holy Mountain, where he lived in obedience to the elder Philotheos at a cell in Karyes. He was known for his humility and unceasing prayer, and reposed in peace around the year 1500; his relics are venerated on Athos.

• Philotheos of Karyes

  Venerable, Φιλόθεος ο Καρεώτης

  Venerable Philotheos was a hesychast of Karyes on the Holy Mountain in the fifteenth century, the spiritual father of St. Nektarios of Bitola. He lived in stillness and prayer at his cell and reposed in peace.

• Cosmas the Protos and the Martyrs of Karyes

  Martyr, Κοσμάς ο Πρώτος

  Cosmas was Protos of the Holy Mountain in the thirteenth century, when the emperor Michael Palaiologos sought to impose union with Rome. Refusing to accept the union, he was hanged at Karyes and many monks of the cells were slain with him. The Holy Mountain honours them as martyrs for the Orthodox faith.