Tarasios

Patriarch of Constantinople.

St. Tarasios was Patriarch of Constantinople at the end of the eighth century. A layman of high imperial office renowned for learning and virtue, he was raised to the patriarchal throne at a time when the Church was torn by the iconoclast heresy, and he accepted on the condition that the veneration of the holy icons be restored.

He presided over the Seventh Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 787, which vindicated the icons, and he shepherded the Church with charity toward the poor until his peaceful repose. He is commemorated on February 25.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Tarasios is commemorated on February 25. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on March 10 (a day earlier in leap years) of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

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

Tarasios

Also commemorated on February 25

• Riginos of Skopelos

  Hierarch, Ρηγίνος Σκοπέλου

  Hieromartyr Riginos, Bishop of Skopelos.

  Name days: Riginos, Reginos

• Alexander of Drizipara

  Martyr, Αλέξανδρος ο εν Δριζιπάρω

  Holy Martyr Alexander of Drizipara in Thrace.

• Antonios the Martyr

  Martyr, Αντώνιος ο Μάρτυς

  Holy Martyr Antonios, who was burned for Christ.

• Theodore the Fool-for-Christ

  Saint, Θεόδωρος ο δια Χριστόν σαλός

  Righteous Theodore, Fool-for-Christ.

• Markellos of Solea

  Hierarch, Μάρκελλος Σολέας

  St. Markellos, Bishop of Solea in Cyprus.

Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.