Name day
Malachi: Name Day and Patron Saint
Malachi keeps the name day on 3 January, or 16 January on the Old Calendar: the feast of the Prophet Malachi.
- Patron saint
- the Prophet Malachi
- New Calendar
- 3 January
- Old Calendar
- 16 January
- Next name day
- 3 January 2027 (New Calendar) · 16 January 2027 (Old Calendar)
- In the feast calendar
- The feasts of January
The patron saint: the Prophet Malachi
Kept on 3 January, or 16 January on the Old Calendar · Holy Prophet Malachi
The Holy Prophet Malachi was the last of the prophets of the Old Testament, and so the holy Fathers call him the seal of the prophets. He lived some four hundred years before the Birth of Christ, in the time of Nehemiah, after the Jews had returned from the Babylonian Captivity and the Temple in Jerusalem had been rebuilt. The people were poor and discouraged, and their worship had grown careless. His name means “angel” or “messenger”; tradition says his goodness and purity of life so astonished his people that they called him an angel. Little else is known of him: fragmentary sources place him in the tribe of Zebulun, and tradition says he died young and was buried with his fathers in his native village. In the last book of the Old Testament he rebuked priests and people for careless worship, for broken marriages, and for wronging the widow, the orphan and the hired worker. He foretold the Lord’s coming to His Temple, the messenger who would prepare His way, whom the Church recognises as St John the Forerunner, and the Last Judgment. After him no great prophet arose in Israel until John himself. The Church keeps his memory on 3 January (16 January on the Old Calendar), three days before the Baptism of the Lord, as she prepares for Theophany. The faithful ask his prayers for reverence in worship, for faithfulness in marriage, for justice to the poor, and for readiness to meet the Lord.
What the faithful pray for
- reverence and care in worship
- faithfulness in marriage
- justice for widows, orphans and workers
- a good preparation for Theophany
- readiness for the Lord’s coming
Malachi in other languages
| Language | The name | Short forms |
|---|---|---|
| English | Malachi, Malachy | |
| Greek | Μαλαχίας, Malachias | |
| Russian | Малахия, Malakhiya |
An icon for Malachi
We don't carry an icon of the Prophet Malachi 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 Malachi
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 Malachi’s name day?
Malachi keeps the name day on 3 January on the New Calendar and on 16 January on the Old Calendar, the feast of the Prophet Malachi.
Who is the patron saint of Malachi?
the Prophet Malachi. The Holy Prophet Malachi was the last of the prophets of the Old Testament, and so the holy Fathers call him the seal of the prophets.
How is Malachi written in other languages?
Greek: Μαλαχίας (Malachias) and Russian: Малахия (Malakhiya). Every form of the name keeps the same saint.
What is a good name-day gift for Malachi?
We don’t carry an icon of the Prophet Malachi 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