Photios the Great

St. Photios the Great, Patriarch of Constantinople, Confessor and Pillar of Orthodoxy.

St. Photios was born in Constantinople in the ninth century to a devout family that had suffered for the holy icons. A man of immense learning, he served in the imperial administration before being raised to the patriarchal throne. He sent missionaries to the Slavs, among them Sts. Cyril and Methodios, and defended the Orthodox faith against the innovations of the Latins.

He was twice deposed and exiled through political intrigue, and reposed in exile, leaving a vast body of theological and literary writings. He is honoured as one of the great Fathers and Confessors of the Church.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Photios the Great is commemorated on February 6. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on February 19 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

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

Photios, Fotios, Fotis, Photis, Fotini, Photini, Foteini, Fotoula, Fay

Also commemorated on February 6

• 

  Bukolos of Smyrna

  Hierarch, Βουκόλος

  Bishop of Smyrna and disciple of John the Theologian.

  Name days: Voukolos, Voukoulas

• Julian of Emesa

  Martyr, Ιουλιανός ο εν Εμέσῃ

  Holy Martyr Julian the physician of Emesa in Syria.

  Name days: Ioulianos, Julian

• Fausta, Evilasios and Maximos

  Holy Woman, Φαύστα, Ευϊλάσιος και Μάξιμος

  Virgin Martyr Fausta of Cyzicus, with Evilasios and Maximos whom she converted.

  Name days: Fausta, Favsta

• Barsanouphios and John

  Venerable, Βαρσανούφιος και Ιωάννης

  Venerable Barsanouphios the Great and John the Prophet, elders of Gaza.

• Dorothea of Caesarea

  Holy Woman, Δωροθέα

  Virgin Martyr Dorothea of Caesarea in Cappadocia, with Christina, Kallista and Theophilos.

  Name days: Dorothea, Dorothy, Dora