John the Theologian

Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, the Beloved Disciple.

St. John the Theologian, the Beloved Disciple, was the son of Zebedee and brother of James, called from his nets by the Lord. He leaned on the breast of Christ at the Mystical Supper, stood by the Cross when the others had fled, and received the Theotokos into his care. He wrote the Fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and the Revelation.

According to tradition he lived to a great age in Ephesus, teaching his disciples above all to love one another. One of the few saints the Church names Theologian, he is commemorated on May 8 and at his repose on September 26.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, John the Theologian is commemorated on May 8. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on May 21 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

People with these names keep their name day on this feast:

Ioannis, Giannis, Yiannis, Yannis, John

Also commemorated on May 8

• Arsenios the Great

  Venerable, Αρσένιος ο Μέγας

  Venerable Arsenios the Great, tutor of emperors who fled to the Egyptian desert.

  Name days: Arsenios, Arsenis, Arsenius, Arsenia

• Augustina the Martyr

  Holy Woman, Αυγουστίνα

  Holy Martyr Augustina of Constantinople.

  Name days: Augustina, Avgoustina

• Arsenios of Varnakova

  Venerable, Αρσένιος ο Βαρνακοβίτης

  Venerable Arsenios, founder of the Monastery of Varnakova in Nafpaktia.

• Miles the Hymnographer

  Venerable, Μήλης ο Υμνωδός

  Venerable Miles the Hymnographer, an ascetic and composer of church hymns.

• Cassian the Recluse of the Kiev Caves

  Venerable, Κασσιανός ο Έγκλειστος

  Venerable Cassian the Recluse of the Far Caves of Kiev.

Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.