Sunday of the Holy Forefathers

Sunday of the Holy Forefathers or Sunday of the Holy Forefathers of Jesus Christ is a holiday that is always celebrated on a Sunday and always on the second Sunday before Christmas, in the Eastern Orthodox Church and other churches using the Byzantine Rite. The beginning of the celebration is December 11th.[1] If December 11th were to be a weekday then the holiday is postponed until the following Sunday. These cases can be perceived in the year 2019, December 11 was a Wednesday, therefore, the holiday was celebrated four days later on Sunday, December 15.

Icon was likely painted in the village of Palekh, one of only a few major centers of icon-painting in nineteenth-century Russia, near the city of Vladimir. It depicts the Resurrection of Christ and the Twelve Church feasts.

The Sunday that is usually from December 11 to 17 is known as the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers. The ancestors of the Old Testament. Those who lived before and under Law, and those of the flesh, namely the Patriarch Abraham whom the Lord said unto “In thy seed shall all of the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3; 22:18).[2]

Main Verses

Apolytikion in the Second Tone

"You justified the Forefathers by faith, and through them betrothed yourself, aforetime, to the Church taken from out of the Gentiles. The saints boast in glory, for from their seed, there exists a noble crop, who is she who without seed has given You birth. By their intercessions, O Christ our God, save our souls."[3]

Kontakion in Plagal of the Second Tone

"You did not worship the graven image, O thrice-blessed ones, but armed with the immaterial Essence of God, you were glorified in a trial by fire. From the midst of unbearable flames you called on God, crying: Hasten, O compassionate One! Speedily come to our aid, for You are merciful and able to do as You will."[4]

Hymns

The great patriarchs and matriarchs of the Old Testament, including the patriarchs Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The feast also commemorates the holy prophets such as Daniel, Ezekiel, and Elijah, judges, kings, and all who lives of the flesh and under the law.

Hymn of the Ancestors
  • The Proto-created Adam and Eve
  • the Righteous Abel son of Adam
  • the Righteous Seth son of Adam
  • the Righteous Enos son of Seth
  • the Righteous Kainan son of Enos
  • the Righteous Maleleel son of Cainan
  • the Righteous Jared son of Maleleel
  • the Righteous Enoch son of Jared
  • the Righteous Methuselah son of Enoch
  • the Righteous Lamech son of Methuselah
  • the Righteous Noah son of Lamech
  • the Righteous Shem son of Noah
  • the Righteous Japheth son of Noah
  • the Righteous Arphaxad son of Shem
  • the Righteous Cainan son of Arphaxad
  • the Righteous Sala son of Cainan
  • the Righteous Ever son of Salah *from whom the Jews were called Jews
  • the Righteous Falek son of Ever
  • the Righteous Raghav son of Falek
  • the Righteous Seruch son of Raghav
  • the Righteous Nahor son of Seruch
  • the Righteous Thara son of Nahor
  • the Righteous and Patriarch Abraham son of Tarra
  • the Patriarch Isaac son of Abraham
  • the Patriarch Jacob son of Isaac
  • the Patriarch Reuben first son of Jacob
  • the Patriarch Simeon second son of Jacob
  • the Patriarch Levi third son of Jacob from whom the Levitical tribe also sprang
  • the Patriarch Judas son of Jacob from whose tribe Christ is descended
  • the Patriarch Zebulon son of Jacob
  • the Patriarch Issachar son of Jacob whose clan "gardener"
  • the Patriarch Dan son of Jacob from whose tribe were the Judges
  • the Patriarch Gad son of Jacob whose tribe always robbed and was robbed
  • the Patriarch Asher son of Jacob whose tribe was in rich and grain-bearing lands
  • the Patriarch Naphtali son of Jacob whose tribe was numerous
  • the Patriarch Joseph son of Jacob whose race was glorious and proud
  • the Patriarch Benjamin son of Jacob whose tribe was at first wild and then became calm and harmless
  • Phares and Zara , twin sons of Judah the Patriarch
  • Ezrom son of Pharez
  • Aram son of Hezrom
  • Aminadab son of Aram
  • Nahshon son of Amminadab
  • Salmon son of Naason
  • Boaz son of Salmon
  • Obed son of Boaz by Ruth
  • Jesse son of Obed
  • David the king son of Jesse
  • Solomon the king son of David
  • Rehoboam the king son of Solomon
  • Abijah the king son of Rehoboam
  • Asa the king son of Abijah
  • Jehoshaphat the king son of Asa
  • Jehoram the king son of Jehoshaphat
  • Uziu the king son of Jehoram
  • Joatham the king son of Uzzi
  • Ahaz the king son of Joatham
  • Hezekiah the king son of Ahaz
  • Manasseh the king son of Hezekiah
  • Ammon the king son of Manasseh
  • Josiah the king son of Ammon
  • Jeconiah the king 's son Josiah
  • Shelatiel son of Jeconiah
  • Zerubbabel son of Salathiel who rebuilt the Jerusalem temple when it had burned
  • Abiud son of Zerubbabel
  • Eliakim son of Abiud
  • Azor son of Eliakim
  • Zadok son of Azor
  • Achim son of Zadok
  • Eliud son of Achim
  • Eleazar son of Eliud
  • Matthan son of Eleazar
  • Jacob son of Matthan
  • Joseph the Minister, son of Jacob

Other saints of Ancestors Sunday
  • the Righteous Melchizedek
  • the Righteous Job
  • the Prophet Moses
  • Hor and Aaron the Priests
  • the Righteous Joshua
  • the Prophet Samuel
  • the Prophet Nathan
  • the Prophet Daniel
  • the Righteous Sarah , wife of Abraham
  • the Righteous Rebekah wife of Isaac
  • the Fair Leia first wife of Jacob
  • the Righteous Rachel second wife of Jacob
  • the Fair Asineth wife of Joseph of Jacob
  • the Righteous Mary sister of Moses
  • the Fair Deborah
  • the Fair Ruth
  • the Fair Sarafthia to whom Elias was sent
  • the Righteous Somanitis who hosted Elisha
  • the Fair Judith
  • the Righteous Esther who redeemed Israel from death
  • the Righteous Anna mother of Samuel
  • Fair Sossana

See also

References
  1. The Orthodox Church in America. "Lives of the Saints: Sunday of the Forefathers". www.oca.org.
  2. The Orthodox Church in America. "Lives of the Saints: Sunday of the Forefathers". www.oca.org.
  3. John. "Sunday of the Holy Forefathers of Christ". Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  4. John. "Sunday of the Holy Forefathers of Christ". Retrieved 2023-03-08.
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