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Calendar of saints (Lutheran)

The Lutheran Church has, from the time of the Reformation, continued the remembrance of saints. The theological basis for this remembrance is understood as being connected to the words of the Epistle to the Hebrews 12:1. The Apology of the Augsburg Confession states that the remembrance of the saints has three parts: thanksgiving to God, the strengthening our faith, and the imitation of the saints' holy living.

As a result, the Lutheran reformers retained a robust calendar of saints to be commemorated throughout the year. In addition to figures found in the Bible, early Christians such as Saint Lawrence and Martin of Tours were retained as saints on the calendar, as were extra-Biblical commemorations like the Assumption of Mary. Following the Reformation, most especially in the latter half of the twentieth century, many names were added to the calendar, both new and restored pre-Reformation commemorations.

The Calendar found below is a listing of the primary annual feasts, festivals and events that are celebrated liturgically by various Lutheran Churches in the English-speaking world. The calendars of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in their present forms are listed below, as found in the 2006 Lutheran Service Book of the LCMS, and the 2006 Evangelical Lutheran Worship of the ELCA. In addition to these, some historic observances not currently found on the aforementioned calendars but appearing in earlier Lutheran uses are also provided.

While extensive, the Lutheran sanctoral calendar is not presently as strictly ranked as that of the Roman Catholic Church. Principal festivals are marked with BOLD CAPS and lesser festivals with bold text. If a saint’s day is not commonly observed in North America, the country where that saint is observed is also noted. For individuals, the date given is generally the date of their death or "heavenly birthday." The liturgical color for vestments and paraments is noted as follows: White (W), Red (R) or Violet (V). Commemorations specific to the LCMS, ELCA, or an earlier source are noted following each entry. Commemorations and festivals held in common are not annotated.

January

February

  • 1
  • 2 Presentation of our Lord (W)
  • 3 Ansgar, Archbishop of Hamburg, missionary to Denmark and Sweden, 865 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • 4
  • 5 The Martyrs of Japan, 1597 (Commemoration) R – ELCA
  • Jacob, patriarch (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10 Silas, apostle (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13 Aquila, Priscilla, and Apollos (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 14 Cyril, monk, 869; Methodius, bishop, 885; missionaries to the Slavs (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • Valentine, martyr, 270 (Commemoration) R – LCMS
  • 15 Philemon and Onesimus (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 16 Philipp Melanchthon, confessor, 1560 (Commemoration) R – LCMS
  • 17
  • 18 Martin Luther, doctor and confessor, renewer of the church, 1546 (Commemoration) W
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23 Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, martyr 156 (Commemoration) R
  • 24 Matthias, Apostle (R) – LCMS (25th February in leap years)
  • 25 Elizabeth Fedde, deaconess, 1921 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29

March

April

May

  • 10
  • 11 Cyril, 869 and Methodius, 885, missionaries to the Slavs (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14 Matthias, apostle (Lesser Festival) R – ELCA
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18 Erik, King of Sweden, martyr, 1160 (Commemoration) R – ELCA
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21 Helena, mother of Constantine, c. 330 (W)
  • Emperor Constantine, Emperor of Rome, 337 (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24 Nicolaus Copernicus, 1543; Leonhard Euler, 1783; scientists (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • Esther, matriarch, (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 25 Bede, theologian, 735 (Commemoration) R – LCMS
  • 26
  • 27 John Calvin, renewer of the church, 1564 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • 28
  • 29 Juraj Tranovský, hymnwriter, 1637 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • 30
  • 31 Visit of Mary to Elizabeth -- minor festival (W) - modern date

June

  • 1 Justin, martyr at Rome, c. 165 (Commemoration) R
  • 2
  • 3 Martyrs of Uganda, 1886 (Commemoration) R – ELCA
  • John XXIII, Bishop of Rome, 1963 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • 4
  • 5 Boniface, Archbishop of Mainz, missionary to Germany, martyr, 754 (Commemoration) R
  • 6
  • 7 Seattle, chief of the Duwamish Confederacy, 1866 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • 8
  • 9 Columba, 597; Aidan, 651; Bede, 735; teachers, renewers of the church (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • 10
  • 11 Barnabas, Apostle (R)
  • 12 First Ecumenical Council, 325 (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 13
  • 14 Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea, 379; Gregory of Nazianzus, Bishop of Constantinople, c. 389; Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, c. 385 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • Macrina, theologian, c. 379 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • Elisha, prophet (Commemoration) R – LCMS
  • 15

July

August

  • 16 Isaac, patriarch (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • Leonard Kaiser ,Theologian / Student of Martin Luther/ Martyred at Schärding on the Banks of the River Inn, Austria 1527
  • 17 Johann Gerhard, theologian, 1637 (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 18
  • 19 Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, hymnwriter, theologian 1153 (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 20 Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, hymnwriter, theologian, 1153 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • Samuel, prophet (Commemoration) R – LCMS
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24 Bartholomew, Apostle (R)
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27 Monica, mother of Augustine 387 (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 28 Augustine, Bishop and Doctor, 430 (W)
  • Moses the Black, monk, martyr, c. 400 (Commemoration) R - ELCA
  • 29 The Martyrdom of John the Baptist (R) – LCMS
  • 30
  • 31

September

  • 1 Joshua, prophet (Commemoration) R – LCMS
  • 2 Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig, bishop, renewer of the church, 1872 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • Hannah, matriarch (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 3 Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, 604 (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 4 Moses, prophet (Commemoration)) R – LCMS
  • 5 Zechariah, prophet
  • Elizabeth, matriarch (Commemoration) W – LCMS
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8 Nativity of Mary (W) - LCMS (19th century)
  • 9 Peter Claver, priest, missionary to Colombia, 1654 (Commemoration) – ELCA
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13 John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople, 407 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • 14 Holy Cross Day (R)
  • 15
  • 16 Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, martyr, c. 258 (Commemoration) R
  • 17 Hildegard, Abbess of Bingen, 1179 (Commemoration) W – ELCA
  • 18 Dag Hammarskjöld, renewer of society, 1961 (Commemoration) W – ELCA

October

November

December

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography