What is the Difference Between Birthdays and Name Days?

[matushka]

I am very pleased to hear that! I hope you enjoy the concert...

[bluetoria]

I am very pleased to hear that! I hope you enjoy the concert...

Thank you, Matushka. I wrote on another thread (the 'Orthodox religion' in 'Imperial Russian History') about how wonderful it was. I have NEVER heard such volume, such a wide range of notes & such beauty in the voices of only 5 men. It was a truly uplifting & inspirational experience, which totally enraptured me. I bought some CDs to hear it again and again!  

[Tasha_R]

RE: There is a pious tradition for naming the child for the saint celebrated (I think but can't remember) 8 days after the birth, but I don't know how many do that these days.

Ah... this may answer my question.  I had noticed that OTMA's name days followed fairly quickly after their birthdays and was wondering if the name days were actually their baptismal days.

Thank you

[Georgiy]

It could be, but you'd have to check back against an Orthodox Saints calendar and see who is commemorated on their day of baptism. I don't think it is actually that common to baptise on the Name Day, but you never know.

[Anastasia_R]

Listening to Star Wars theme song tight now...Anyway,I read somewhere in a book about like Mexicon or something and they named their children after saints and instead of celebrating their birthday they celebrated their "Saint Day",like if your name was Fransisca I guess you'd be named after St.Francis.

[etonexile]

In Mexico...boys named Jesus(Hay-sus)...are often nick-named "Chuy"(like chewy)....I love that....also a great restaurant chain in Arizona/California(Chuy's)...Teddy alles has the Baja-style fish tacos and a pail of Margaritas....

[Finelly]

It's become quite a secular thing in many countries.  I have a nameday, and I'm Jewish, but in Sweden, they don't have a religious thing about it at all.

[Romanov_fan]

Anastasia' name day is 22 december in the old style; so at the beginning of january in new style. Maria's name day is 22 of july, as her grand-mother, she was name in honnour of St Maria-Magdalina. In the Orthodox CHurch, anyone can be named in the honour of the Virgin Mary, it is not possible, as for a boy, it is impossible to be Jesus.
When a no orthodox man become orthodox, he receive a new name, if his name was not "christian" (there is no saint of this name). In the orthodox theology, the name is something very important, you are not only under the protection of the saint. You mysticcaly communie to the qualities of this saint.
As usal, sorry for my english!

That is very interesting, I like that concept ( the last one). Anyway, the whole thing about name days is very interesting, I think nowadays it might not mean what it meant then, but name days are still very interesting.  Were namedays or birthdays considered more important, then? Sorry if this thread has already explored the topic, but I could not seem to find it.

[Johnny]

Actually often only namedays were celebrated. Burthdays weren't even considered. My maternal grandparents didn't even remember when their birthdays were. It was utterly unimportant to them. They only celebrated their saints days, which was a big deal for them. In Tchaikovsky's (perhaps also Pushkin's) Eugene Onegin, the famous ball scene in the second act that is taken by most non-Russian audiences to be Tatiana's birthday party, is actually her namesday party.

[carkuczyn]

i am not clear on exactly what is meant when the romanovs and others talk about their "name day".  would that be the same as a saints day?  please clarify.

[Valmont]

Yes, you got it right. My name's day is St Arthur's day for my name is Arthur...same as saints day..

Arturo Vega-Llausás