Church Calendar for February 2026
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) follow the Revised Julian calendar for fixed-date feasts, which they officially adopted on September 1, 2023. This calendar places these observances 13 days earlier than the traditional Old Julian style. For English-speaking Christians, this calendar is closely aligned with the Gregorian calendar used by most Western churches, though the date of Easter and related movable feasts can differ.
Several major feasts and the start of Lent are marked in February 2026:
- February 1 – Commemoration of the Holy Martyr Tryphon
- February 2 – The Meeting of the Lord (Presentation)
- February 3 – Saints Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess
- February 4 – Saint Isidore of Pelusium
- February 5 – Holy Martyr Agatha
- February 6 – Saint Bucolus and Holy Hieromartyr Silvanus
- February 7 – Saint Parthenius, Bishop of Lampsacus
- February 8 – Saint Theodore Stratelates and the Holy Prophet Zechariah
- February 9 – Day of the Holy Martyr Nicephorus
- February 10 – Holy Martyr Charalampus
- February 11 – Holy Hieromartyr Blaise, Bishop of Sebaste
- February 12 – Saint Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch
- February 13 – Saint Martinian
- February 14 – Meat-Fare Saturday (Soul Saturday)
- February 15 – Sunday of the Last Judgment
- February 16 – Holy Martyrs Pamphilus, Porphyry, and others
- February 17 – Saint Theodore the Tyro and Holy Great Martyr Mariana
- February 18 – Sunday of Zacchaeus and commemoration of Saint Leo the Great, Pope of Rome
- February 19 – Holy Apostle Archippus
- February 20 – Saint Leo, Bishop of Catania
- February 22 – Cheesefare Sunday (Forgiveness Sunday)
- February 23 – Beginning of Great Lent
- February 24 – First and Second Finding of the Head of John the Baptist
- February 25 – Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee; commemoration of Saint Tarasius, Archbishop of Constantinople
- February 26 – Saint Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza
- February 27 – Saint Procopius the Confessor of Decapolis
- February 28 – Saint Basil the Confessor, companion of Procopius
Therefore, February 2026 is set to be a spiritually significant month, featuring the commencement of Great Lent alongside numerous feast days.
The adoption of the Revised Julian calendar by the OCU and UGCC represents a significant shift in Ukraine's religious life. This change facilitates greater alignment with global Christian communities and allows the faithful to observe fixed feasts with a unified schedule.
The start of Great Lent in February 2026 underscores the period of preparation for Pascha (Easter), the most important celebration in the Christian faith. These observances are not merely about ritual; they offer a profound opportunity for spiritual reflection and for communities to unite around shared values and beliefs.