Name day
Emmanuel: Name Day
Emmanuel keeps the name day on 25 December, or 7 January on the Old Calendar: the feast of the Nativity of Christ.
- New Calendar
- 25 December
- Old Calendar
- 7 January
- Next name day
- 25 December 2026 (New Calendar) · 7 January 2027 (Old Calendar)
- In the feast calendar
- The feasts of December · The feasts of January
The feast: the Nativity of Christ
Kept on 25 December, or 7 January on the Old Calendar · Nativity of Christ
The Pantocrator, “the Almighty, Ruler of all,” is the oldest and most central image of Orthodox iconography: Christ raising His right hand and holding the Gospel in His left, as He looks down from the dome of every Orthodox church. The letters IC XC are the first and last letters of “Jesus Christ” in Greek; with NIKA they proclaim “Jesus Christ conquers,” the confession stamped on prosphora, crosses and medallions. In Russia the beloved Zvenigorod Saviour, from the early fifteenth-century Deesis tier traditionally linked with St Andrei Rublev, was found near Zvenigorod in 1918 and is now in the Tretyakov Gallery; its gentle, searching gaze has made it one of the most loved faces of Christ in the world. Orthodox Christians keep an icon of the Saviour in the place of honor in every home, pray before it morning and evening, and make the sign of the Cross over a bridegroom with it on his wedding day. Through His icon the faithful turn to the Lord Himself, asking for mercy, healing and the salvation of their souls.
What the faithful pray for
- mercy and forgiveness of sins (the Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me)
- salvation of the soul
- healing of body and soul, as King Abgar of Edessa was healed through the Holy Face
- the protection of the home, where the icon of the Saviour holds the place of honor in the icon corner
- strength to keep the Gospel commandments
- victory over sin and temptation (IC XC NIKA: Jesus Christ conquers)
- the enlightenment of the mind by the uncreated Light of Tabor
- a bridegroom on his wedding day (the Saviour icon of the wedding pair)
- a peaceful Christian end and a good defense at the Last Judgment
Protection
- from the power of the devil and every evil
- from despair, for Christ has conquered death
- the household that keeps His icon
- from sickness of body and soul
Miracles
- King Abgar of Edessa, stricken with leprosy, received a cloth on which the Lord had imprinted His face after washing it; pressing it to his face, Abgar was healed. (source)
- On Mount Tabor the Lord shone with Divine Light before Peter, James and John, revealing the glory granted to those who unite the mind with God in prayer. (source)
- In 944 the Image Not-Made-by-Hands was solemnly carried from Edessa to Constantinople, an event the Church still keeps as a feast. (source)
Other saints named Emmanuel
the Synaxis of the Mother of God
Kept on 26 December, or 8 January on the Old Calendar · Synaxis of the Mother of God
The Most Holy Theotokos, the Virgin Mary who gave birth to God the Word in the flesh, is honored by Orthodox Christians “more honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim.” Her icons follow types the Church received from antiquity: the Hodegetria, “She who shows the way,” pointing to her Son as the path of salvation, and the Eleousa, “Tenderness,” in which the Child presses His cheek to His Mother’s. Her great feasts trace her life: her Nativity, her Entry into the Temple, the Annunciation and her Dormition, and the Slavic churches keep the Protection, when she was seen spreading her veil over the faithful at Blachernae. Orthodox Christians end almost every service crying, “Most Holy Theotokos, save us!” They pray to her for their children, their families, healing and comfort, and above all ask her to pray to her Son for their souls.
What the faithful pray for
- her intercession before her Son for the salvation of our souls (‘Most Holy Theotokos, save us’)
- protection under her veil from enemies visible and invisible
- the health and wellbeing of children
- comfort in sorrow and grief
- a good marriage and a peaceful family
- healing of illness
- guidance on the right path (Hodegetria, ‘she who shows the way’)
- a peaceful Christian death
Protection
- from enemies visible and invisible
- the family and the home
- children and mothers
- from despair
- travelers who ask her guidance
Miracles
- In tenth-century Constantinople, during the vigil in the Blachernae church, St Andrew the Fool-for-Christ saw the Theotokos spread her veil over the people, protecting them from enemies visible and invisible; this is the feast of Pokrov. (source)
- The original Hodegetria, said to have been painted by St Luke, was the most venerated icon of Byzantium; the Smolensk Hodegetria in Russia is held by many to descend from it. (source)
Emmanuel in other languages
| Language | The name | Short forms |
|---|---|---|
| English | Emmanuel, Immanuel, Manuel, Emanuel | Manny, Manolo |
| Greek | Εμμανουήλ, Emmanouil, Emmanuel | Μανώλης, Μάνος, Μανούσος, Manolis, Manos, Manousos |
| Russian | Эммануил, Emmanuil | |
| Spanish | Manuel | |
| Portuguese | Manuel |
Icons of the Nativity of Christ
Folding diptychChrist Pantocrator & Our Lady of Kazan
$99$69
Folding diptychChrist (Zvenigorod Saviour) & Vladimir Mother of God
$99$69
Folding diptychHoly Trinity (Rublev) & Christ (Zvenigorod Saviour)
$99$69
MedallionOrthodox IC XC NIKA
Gold Color · Stainless Steel Medallion$56$39
MedallionOrthodox IC XC NIKA
Silver Color · Stainless Steel Medallion$56$39
IconOrthodox Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary
Folding Wooden Icon$56$39
IconOrthodox Jesus Christ Pantocrator
Silver&Gold Color · Icon$41$29
IconOrthodox Christ & Virgin Mary
Silver&Gold Color · Folding Wooden Icon$56$39
Have it consecrated by our priest before it reaches you: Consecration, $49.
A name-day gift for Emmanuel
Name-Day Gift Set $213$149
A patron saint's folding diptych chosen by first name, a stainless steel crucifix and a prayer rope, in a gift box with a card giving the saint's life and feast day.
the Nativity of Christ's diptych is chosen and the name is filled in.
Other names with this saint
Questions
When is Emmanuel’s name day?
Emmanuel keeps the name day on 25 December on the New Calendar and on 7 January on the Old Calendar, the feast of the Nativity of Christ.
Which feast is Emmanuel’s name day?
the Nativity of Christ. The Pantocrator, “the Almighty, Ruler of all,” is the oldest and most central image of Orthodox iconography: Christ raising His right hand and holding the Gospel in His left, as He looks down from the dome of every Orthodox church.
How is Emmanuel written in other languages?
Greek: Εμμανουήλ (Emmanouil), Russian: Эммануил (Emmanuil), Spanish: Manuel and Portuguese: Manuel. Every form of the name keeps the same saint.
What is a good name-day gift for Emmanuel?
An icon of the Nativity of Christ, the saint Emmanuel bears: the Christ Pantocrator & Our Lady of Kazan Folding Diptych ($69), or the Name-Day Gift Set ($149) with that diptych, a crucifix and a prayer rope in a gift box.
More about name days
- Name Days Explained: What They Are, How Families Keep Them, and Gifts
A name day is the feast of the saint whose name you carry. Here is how to find yours on either calendar, how Greek and Russian families keep it, and what to give.
- Orthodox Patron Saint: How to Find Yours (by Name, Day or Choice)
Your Orthodox patron saint is the saint whose name you were given at baptism. Here is how to find yours by name, by the day of your birth or baptism, or by choice, and how to keep the name day.
- Find another name