November traditionally concludes the calendar autumn and opens one of the most intense church months of the year for Ukrainian believers. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) published a detailed calendar of key dates for November 2026 on its official Facebook page, reminding parishioners of revered saints, Twelve Great Feasts, and memorial days. According to the OCU press service, the month begins with the memory of the holy unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian and concludes with the glorification of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, revered as the founder of the Church of Christ in the ancient Ukrainian lands.
Beginning of the Month: Unmercenaries and Princess Anna Vsevolodivna
November 1 in the OCU church calendar is dedicated to the memory of the holy wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian, as well as their mother, Venerable Theodota. As the OCU specified, these wonderworking brothers received the gift of healing from God, yet treated people for free, which is why they were called unmercenaries. November 3 is the day of honoring the memory of Saint Venerable Princess Anna Vsevolodivna of Kyiv, granddaughter of the pious Prince Yaroslav the Wise and daughter of Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavovych. According to OCU reports, Anna was a nun and abbess of the St. Andrew Monastery in Kyiv, making this date especially significant for the history of the ancient capital.
Middle of November: Archangel Michael, Chrysostom, and Palamas
November 8 is marked by the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and other Heavenly Powers Bodiless, one of the major feasts associated with honoring the angelic world. On the twelfth, believers honor the memory of Saint John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, one of the three great hierarchs of the 4th century. November 14 combines several events at once: the day of the Apostle Philip, the memory of Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica, and Venerable Paisius Velichkovsky. The OCU emphasized that Gregory Palamas "prepares us to meet one of the most important Christian feasts—the Nativity of Christ," highlighting his role in the theological understanding of the pre-feast period. On November 16, the church honors the memory of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew.
The Presentation: The Start of the Nativity Fast
A key point in the second half of November is the twenty-first—the Twelve Great Feast of the Presentation of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. It is from the services of this day, as the OCU reminded, that Christmas hymns already sound in churches, effectively marking the beginning of spiritual preparation for Christmas. For believers, this feast serves as the starting point of the Nativity Fast, which will last until January 6, 2027, and includes a period of intensified prayer, repentance, and preparation of the heart for the main event of the liturgical year.
End of the Month: Memorial Saturday and Apostle Andrew
November 24 is dedicated to the memory of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine and Venerable Mercurius of Chernihiv. A special place in the calendar is held by November 28—the Memorial Saturday for all those starved to death in Ukraine, the Day of Remembrance of the Holodomor victims. The month concludes on November 30 with the day of honoring the memory of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called. The OCU summarized: "On the last day of November, we glorify the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, who, among other things, is revered as the founder of the Church of Christ in the ancient Ukrainian lands. Glory be to God for all things."
Context: November in the System of the Church Year
November in the Orthodox tradition occupies a special position between the departure of summer and autumn feasts and the approach of the winter Nativity cycle. According to the current OCU calendar, the month of 2026 contains both the commemoration of individual saints and hierarchs, as well as major synaxis feasts and memorial days. The publication by the OCU press service on Facebook, referenced by RBC-Ukraine, is designed to help believers plan church visits and participation in services throughout the entire month. An infographic with the full list of dates is posted on the page facebook.com/Orthodox.in.Ukraine.
