Orthodox Feast Days 2026: New Calendar
Glory to Jesus Christ! This page gathers the great feasts and fasting seasons of the Orthodox Church year 2026 as our parish keeps them. St. Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church follows the New Calendar (Revised Julian) for fixed feasts, in common with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. Pascha and the feasts that move with Pascha follow the traditional Orthodox calculation that all canonical Orthodox jurisdictions share.
Below you will find Pascha 2026, the Twelve Great Feasts, the four fasting seasons, and a short list of beloved Ukrainian saints commemorated through the year. Every Sunday we serve the Divine Liturgy (Літургія) at 10:00 AM. To plan a feast day visit, call Fr. Stephen Siniari at 727-777-4450.
Pascha 2026: The Resurrection of Christ
Sunday, April 12, 2026 was Holy Pascha, the Feast of Feasts, the Resurrection of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ (Великдень). The Paschal greeting “Christ is risen!” answered by “Indeed He is risen!” (Христос воскрес! Воїстину воскрес!) remains on our lips through the forty days of the Paschal season, up to the Ascension.
Looking ahead, Pascha 2027 will fall on Sunday, May 2, 2027, and Pascha 2028 on Sunday, April 16, 2028. Great Lent, Holy Week, Bright Week, the Ascension, and Pentecost all move with Pascha.
The Twelve Great Feasts in 2026
The Twelve Great Feasts (Дванадесяті свята) are the highest celebrations of the Church year after Pascha. Eight commemorate events in the life of Christ; four commemorate the Theotokos (the Mother of God). At St. Michael, Sunday remains the heart of our worshipping life, and feast hymns are typically sung on the Sunday closest to the feast. Call the parish to confirm the schedule for a particular feast.
Fixed Feasts
| Date | Feast |
|---|---|
| January 6 | Theophany of Our Lord (Богоявлення / Водохреще), the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan |
| February 2 | Meeting of Our Lord in the Temple (Стрітення Господнє) |
| March 25 | Annunciation to the Theotokos (Благовіщення Пресвятої Богородиці) |
| August 6 | Transfiguration of Our Lord (Преображення Господнє) |
| August 15 | Dormition of the Theotokos (Успіння Пресвятої Богородиці) |
| September 8 | Nativity of the Theotokos (Різдво Пресвятої Богородиці) |
| September 14 | Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Воздвиження Чесного Хреста), a strict fast day |
| November 21 | Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple (Введення в храм Пресвятої Богородиці) |
| December 25 | Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Різдво Христове) |
Moveable Feasts (tied to Pascha 2026, April 12)
| Date | Feast |
|---|---|
| April 5 | Entrance of Our Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday, Вербна неділя) |
| May 21 | Ascension of Our Lord (Вознесіння Господнє), forty days after Pascha |
| May 31 | Holy Pentecost (П’ятидесятниця), Descent of the Holy Spirit |
To these we add Pascha itself, the Feast above all feasts, the radiant center from which the others draw their light.
The Four Fasting Seasons
Fasting in the Orthodox tradition is not a diet. It is the body’s way of joining the soul in prayer, a small turning aside from the goods of this world to make room for the Giver. Below are the four major fasting seasons of 2026.
Great Lent and Holy Week: February 23 through April 11, 2026, the long preparation for Pascha. We fast from meat, dairy, eggs, fish (except on Annunciation and Palm Sunday), wine, and oil to varying strictness as the weeks unfold. Holy Week is the most intense of the year.
Apostles’ Fast: Monday after All Saints (June 8, 2026) through the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29. The length varies year to year because it begins after Pentecost.
Dormition Fast: August 1 through August 14, 2026, two weeks of preparation for the Dormition of the Theotokos on August 15.
Nativity Fast (Pylypivka, Пилипівка): November 15 through December 24, 2026, forty days of preparation for the Nativity of Christ. Ukrainian families often keep a strict Holy Supper (Свята Вечеря) on Christmas Eve, with twelve Lenten dishes recalling the twelve apostles.
Single fast days throughout the year include the Beheading of St. John the Baptist (August 29) and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14). Wednesdays and Fridays through most of the year are also fast days in the Orthodox tradition.
For a closer look at Orthodox fasting practice, see our Orthodox Fasting page. If you are new to the Church, please do not feel that you must master the fasting rule all at once. Speak with Fr. Stephen; he will gladly help you begin where you are.
Notable Ukrainian Saints in 2026
The Ukrainian Orthodox tradition treasures a great cloud of saints whose names are sung in our litanies and whose stories form the spiritual memory of our people. These are a few of the most beloved commemorations of the year.
- January 30: Three Holy Hierarchs, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom (Іоана Золотоустого), pillars of the Orthodox teaching
- May 22: Translation of the Relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Святителя Миколая), to Bari. Beloved in every Slavic Orthodox land.
- July 11: Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olha of Kyiv (Свята рівноапостольна княгиня Ольга), grandmother of Holy Prince Volodymyr and the first ruler of Kyivan Rus to receive Holy Baptism
- July 15: Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr the Great (Свята рівноапостольний князь Володимир), who in 988 brought the Orthodox faith to the lands of Kyivan Rus
- July 24: Holy Royal Martyrs Princess Olha and her companions of Kyiv
- September 19: Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Chonae (Чудо Архистратига Михаїла), one of two feasts of our parish patron
- November 21: Synaxis of the Archangel Michael (Собор Архистратига Михаїла), our parish feast (храмовий празник). All are welcome at the festal Divine Liturgy and the meal that follows.
- December 6: St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Святителя Миколая), Bishop of Myra, the gift-bringer of Ukrainian Christmas tradition
Of these, the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael on November 21 is our храмовий празник, our parish feast day. See our page on the Holy Archangel Michael for the Scripture, the Miracle at Chonae, the troparion, and the kontakion of our patron.
How Our Parish Keeps the Feasts
St. Michael serves the Divine Liturgy on Sundays at 10:00 AM, with Hours and Confession at 9:30 AM. When a great feast falls on a Sunday, we serve the festal Liturgy in its full beauty, with festal hymns in Ukrainian and English. When a feast falls on a weekday, we celebrate the festal hymns on the Sunday nearest. Our храмовий празник each November is a full parish day, with Liturgy in the morning and a festal meal afterward.
Our parish also keeps the monthly Akathist to the Mother of God “Pantanassa” (“She Who Is Queen of All”) on the last Sunday of every month, served briefly after the Divine Liturgy. The icon was gifted to our parish by His Eminence Archbishop Daniel in May 2026.
The monthly parish bulletin lists exact feast day service times. It is your best week-to-week guide.
Plan Your Visit
If you are anywhere in Tampa Bay and would like to come to a feast day Liturgy, you are welcome. Our address is 9201 60th St, Pinellas Park, FL 33782, with free parking on site. Sunday Divine Liturgy is at 10:00 AM, with Hours and Confession at 9:30 AM. Coffee and fellowship follow in the parish hall. There is no dress code; modest, comfortable clothing is fine.
Call Fr. Stephen Siniari at 727-777-4450 to confirm feast day service times or to ask about preparing for Holy Communion, Confession, or Baptism. He will answer or return your call promptly.
Learn More
- The Divine Liturgy, what happens each Sunday
- Orthodox Fasting, how the Church keeps the fasts
- Orthodox Icons, what icons are and why we use them
- The Holy Archangel Michael, our parish patron
- Your First Visit, practical guide for newcomers
- Orthodox Church Near Me in Tampa Bay, our welcome to the wider region
St. Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church 9201 60th St, Pinellas Park, FL 33782 Phone: 727-777-4450 Web: stmichaeltampabay.org