Name day
The feast day of the saint after whom an Orthodox Christian is named.
The name day is the feast day of the saint after whom an Orthodox Christian is named, observed as more spiritually significant than the secular birthday in Orthodox tradition. A man named Nicholas observes his name day on December 6 (the feast of Saint Nicholas); a woman named Catherine observes hers on November 25. Name days are often marked with attendance at Divine Liturgy where the patron saint's feast is celebrated, a family meal, and (in many Greek Orthodox traditions) the hosting of visitors who come to wish the celebrant well. Customary greetings differ by Orthodox culture: "Chronia polla" in Greek, "S imeninami" in Russian.