FEAST OF THE NAMING OF THE LORD

January 13th of each year

Circumcision of Christ, Menologion of Basil II, 979–984.

Circumcision of Christ, Menologion of Basil II, 979–984.

Every January 13, the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Naming of our Lord Jesus Christ, in accordance with the Hebrew custom. The commemoration of this event (see Matthew 1:20-23; Luke 1:30-32; Luke 2:21) comes seven days after the Feast of Theophany, which is the eighth day of the octave of Theophany. This event of the naming and circumcision of our Lord resulted in the tradition for newborn children of Christians to be baptized eight days after birth—a tradition that is rarely followed in modern times.