Church name day celebrations November 1 2025

Name Day Celebrations of Saints Cosmas and Damian the Anargyre1 November – A Day of Blessing for Our Parish

On Friday, 1 November, our parish community of Saints Cosmas and Damian the Anargyre in London gathered in prayer, joy, and deep gratitude to celebrate our annual name day. The Divine Liturgy and festal services were led with great reverence by His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Claudiopolis, who presided over the celebrations with warmth and pastoral care. He was joined by Archimandrite Vissarion, Father Gregory, Father Constantinos Garibaldinos, and other visiting clergy, all of whom honoured our parish with their presence and concelebration.

Our own priest-in-charge, Reverend Father Victor Ktorakis, coordinated and supported the services with dedication, ensuring that the feast was observed with the dignity befitting our holy patrons. The church was filled with faithful parishioners who came to pay tribute to the healing saints who have protected and inspired our community for decades.

Why We Celebrate on 1 November

Each year, our parish celebrates the feast of the Holy Unmercenary Saints Cosmas and Damian on 1 November, following the tradition of the Church which commemorates these two brothers from Asia Minor on this date. Although there are several pairs of Saints Cosmas and Damian in the Church calendar, the feast on 1 November honours the physicians from Mesopotamia who offered healing freely in the name of Christ.

These saints are known as the Anargyre—the “Unmercenaries”—because they refused payment for their healing work. Their ministry was an expression of pure Christian love, rooted not in personal gain but in service to humanity. Through their miracles, compassion, and unwavering faith, they became enduring examples of how the gifts we receive from God must be used for the benefit of others.

The Meaning of the Anargyre for Our Parish

The teaching of Saints Cosmas and Damian holds profound meaning for our church community. As healers who treated both physical and spiritual ailments, the Anargyre embody the Gospel call to selflessness, mercy, and service. Their lives remind us that charity, humility, and love are at the heart of Orthodox Christian living.

Their example continues to shape our parish identity. Our name day is not only a feast of remembrance but a call to emulate their virtues in our daily lives. It invites us to consider how we, too, can offer our gifts—our time, our compassion, our talents—for the healing and strengthening of one another.

A Parish United in Prayer and Fellowship

This year’s celebration was marked by a deep sense of unity and spiritual renewal. The presence of Bishop Iakovos and the concelebrating clergy was a blessing for our community, reminding us that we are part of the wider family of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. After the Divine Liturgy, parishioners gathered in fellowship, sharing table and conversation in the joyful spirit of the feast.

As we look ahead, we pray that the intercessions of the Holy Anargyre continue to guide and protect our parish, our families, and all those who seek the healing love of Christ. May Saints Cosmas and Damian inspire us to walk the path of mercy, faith, and service, today and always.