When is Mary’s name day?

Most people named Mary keep their name day on August 15, the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. The Orthodox calendar has 6 other feasts for the name.

Every feast on which Mary is celebrated

The saints behind the name

• 

  Dormition of the Theotokos

  August 15, Great Feast, Κοίμηση της Θεοτόκου

  The Great Feast of the Dormition commemorates the falling asleep of the Most Holy Theotokos. According to tradition, the Apostles were gathered from the ends of the earth to her bedside in Jerusalem, where she gave her soul into the hands of her Son; her body was laid in a tomb in Gethsemane and was found to have been taken up, for the Mother of Life was translated to life.

  Name days: Panagiotis, Panayiotis, Panos, Marios, Mario, Maria, Mary, Maro, Marika, Marianna, Mariam, Marie, Panagiota, Giota, Despina, Despoina, Panayiota, Yiota, Maroula, Marietta, Mairi, Despo

• 

  Mary of Egypt

  April 1, Holy Woman, Μαρία η Αιγυπτία

  St. Mary of Egypt is the great example of repentance. Living in Alexandria in the fifth and sixth centuries, she spent her youth in sin; traveling to Jerusalem, she was held back from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by an unseen power, and, praying before the icon of the Theotokos, she was converted. Crossing the Jordan, she lived some forty-seven years alone in the desert in fasting and prayer.

  Name days: Maria, Mary, Maro, Marianna, Marika, Mariam, Marie

• 

  Mary Magdalene

  July 22, Holy Woman, Μαρία Μαγδαληνή

  St. Mary Magdalene, the Myrrh-Bearer and Equal-to-the-Apostles, was healed by the Lord of seven demons and thereafter followed Him from Galilee, ministering to Him from her own means. She stood by the Cross when most had fled, and coming early to the tomb she was among the first to behold the risen Christ, who sent her to announce the Resurrection to the Apostles.

  Name days: Maria, Mary, Magdalini, Magdalene

The other feasts are listed in the table above, each with a link to the saint’s life.

Also celebrating on August 15

These names share the feast, many of them other forms of the same name:

Panagiotis, Panayiotis, Panos, Marios, Mario, Maria, Maro, Marika, Marianna, Mariam, Marie, Panagiota, Giota, Despina, Despoina, Panayiota, Yiota, Maroula, Marietta, Mairi, Despo

What to say on a name day

The Greek wish is Χρόνια Πολλά (Chronia Polla), “many years.” A call or a short message on the day is what people remember. See name day wishes you can send and what a name day is.