Name day
Joel: Name Day and Patron Saint
Joel keeps the name day on 19 October, or 1 November on the Old Calendar: the feast of the Prophet Joel.
- Patron saint
- the Prophet Joel
- New Calendar
- 19 October
- Old Calendar
- 1 November
- Next name day
- 19 October 2026 (New Calendar) · 1 November 2026 (Old Calendar)
- In the feast calendar
- The feasts of October · The feasts of November
The patron saint: the Prophet Joel
Kept on 19 October, or 1 November on the Old Calendar · Holy Prophet Joel
The Holy Prophet Joel, son of Bethuel, is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. Orthodox tradition counts him among the earliest of them, prophesying in Judah some eight hundred years before Christ, and places him in the tribe of Reuben. His short book of four chapters speaks of a plague of locusts and a great drought as signs of the coming Day of the Lord, and it calls the whole people to return to God with fasting, weeping and mourning: “Rend your heart, and not your garments.” He foretold the desolation of Jerusalem, and he also proclaimed God’s promise that His people would never be put to shame. Above all he is remembered for the word that God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. That promise was fulfilled at Pentecost, when the Apostle Peter repeated Joel’s words to explain the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, and so the Church reads his prophecy at the Vespers of Pentecost and calls him the prophet of Pentecost. The hymns of the Sunday after the Nativity also see in his “blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke” the Incarnation, the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Church keeps his memory on 19 October (1 November on the Old Calendar). The faithful ask his prayers for true repentance, for hearts open to the Holy Spirit, and for hope in God’s mercy in hard times.
What the faithful pray for
- true repentance and a humble heart
- openness to the gifts of the Holy Spirit
- a fruitful Lent with fasting and prayer
- hope in God’s mercy in hard times
Joel in other languages
| Language | The name | Short forms |
|---|---|---|
| English | Joel, Joël, Yoel | |
| Greek | Ιωήλ, Ioil | |
| Russian | Иоиль, Ioil |
An icon for Joel
We don't carry an icon of the Prophet Joel yet. Ask for it below, and we will write to you when it is in.
Closest to it
For every name: the Guardian Angel, given at baptism
Have it consecrated by our priest before it reaches you: Consecration, $49.
A name-day gift for Joel
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 St Nicholas the Wonderworker & Guardian Angel Folding Diptych is chosen, for the Guardian Angel every Orthodox Christian receives at baptism, and the name is filled in.
Questions
When is Joel’s name day?
Joel keeps the name day on 19 October on the New Calendar and on 1 November on the Old Calendar, the feast of the Prophet Joel.
Who is the patron saint of Joel?
the Prophet Joel. The Holy Prophet Joel, son of Bethuel, is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament.
How is Joel written in other languages?
Greek: Ιωήλ (Ioil) and Russian: Иоиль (Ioil). Every form of the name keeps the same saint.
What is a good name-day gift for Joel?
We don’t carry an icon of the Prophet Joel yet, and you can ask for one on this page. Every Orthodox Christian has a Guardian Angel from baptism, so the Name-Day Gift Set ($149) with the Guardian Angel diptych is always fitting.
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