Zephaniah the Prophet

Prophet Zephaniah.

The holy prophet Zephaniah, one of the twelve minor prophets, prophesied in the kingdom of Judah in the days of King Josiah, before the Babylonian captivity. He proclaimed the great day of the Lord, calling the people to seek righteousness and humility, and he foretold that a meek and lowly remnant would trust in the name of the Lord and rejoice in His salvation.

The Church honors him among the prophets whose words point ahead to the joy of the Messiah's coming. He is commemorated on December 3.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Zephaniah the Prophet is commemorated on December 3. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on December 16 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

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

Sofonias

Also commemorated on December 3

• Theodoulos the Eparch

  Venerable, Θεόδουλος

  Venerable Theodoulos, former eparch of Constantinople, who became a stylite.

  Name days: Theodoulos, Theodoulis, Theodouli

• Theodore of Alexandria

  Hierarch, Θεόδωρος Αλεξανδρείας

  Hieromartyr Theodore, Archbishop of Alexandria.

• John the Hesychast

  Venerable, Ιωάννης ο Ησυχαστής

  Venerable John the Silent, Bishop of Colonia, monk of the Lavra of Saint Sabas.

• Angelis of Argos

  Martyr, Αγγελής ο Νεομάρτυς

  New Martyr Angelis, physician of Argos, martyred at Chios.

  Name days: Angelis

• Gabriel Patriarch of Constantinople

  Hierarch, Γαβριήλ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως

  Hieromartyr Gabriel, Patriarch of Constantinople, put to death by the Ottomans.

• George of Cernica

  Venerable, Γεώργιος της Τσερνίκα

  Venerable George of Cernica, restorer of monastic life in Romania.

Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.