Name day
Maximus: Name Day and Patron Saint
Maximus keeps the name day on 21 January, or 3 February on the Old Calendar: the feast of St Maximus the Confessor.
- Patron saint
- St Maximus the Confessor
- New Calendar
- 21 January
- Old Calendar
- 3 February
- Next name day
- 21 January 2027 (New Calendar) · 3 February 2027 (Old Calendar)
- In the feast calendar
- The feasts of January · The feasts of February
The patron saint: St Maximus the Confessor
Kept on 21 January, or 3 February on the Old Calendar · Venerable Maximus the Confessor
St Maximus the Confessor was born in Constantinople around 580 into a devout Christian family and received an excellent education in philosophy and theology. He rose to become first secretary to the Emperor Heraclius, but when he saw the court drawn into the Monothelite heresy, which taught that Christ has only one will, he left it all and became a monk at Chrysopolis across the Bosphorus. From then on he spent his life defending the truth that Christ, being both God and man, has two natures and two wills, a divine will and a human will freely obedient to the Father. He travelled to Africa and Rome, debated the former patriarch Pyrrhus, and took part in the Lateran Council of 649, which condemned the heresy. For this he was arrested, tried as a traitor and imprisoned. In his old age his tongue was cut out and his right hand cut off, and he was sent into exile, where he died in 662. Lights were seen over his grave, and many were healed there. His writings, among them the Chapters on Love and the Mystagogy on the divine services, still feed the Church. His feast is kept on 21 January (3 February on the Old Calendar). The faithful ask his prayers for faithfulness to the truth and for growth in love of God.
What the faithful pray for
- faithfulness to the truth when it costs dearly
- growth in love of God and neighbour
- understanding of the faith and of the divine services
- those persecuted for their confession of Christ
Other saints named Maximus
Maximus the Fool for Christ of Tot'ma
Kept on 16 January, or 29 January on the Old Calendar
Venerable Maximus Kavsokalyvites of Mount Athos
Kept on 13 January, or 26 January on the Old Calendar
Maximus in other languages
| Language | The name | Short forms |
|---|---|---|
| English | Maximus, Maxim, Maximilian, Massimo, Maximos, Maksim | Max, Maxie |
| Greek | Μάξιμος, Maximos | |
| Russian | Максим, Maksim, Maxim | Макс, Максимка, Maks |
| Ukrainian | Максим, Maksym | |
| Bulgarian | Максим | |
| Serbian | Максим, Maksim | |
| Romanian | Maxim | |
| Georgian | Maksime | |
| Italian | Massimo |
An icon for Maximus
We don't carry an icon of St Maximus the Confessor yet. Ask for it below, and we will write to you when it is in.
Closest to it
Folding diptychSt Herman of Alaska & Guardian Angel
Another monastic saint$99$69
Folding diptychSt John the Silent & Guardian Angel
Another monastic saint$99$69
Folding diptychChrist (Zvenigorod Saviour) & Vladimir Mother of God
Christ and the Mother of God keep every Christian home$99$69
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 Maximus
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.
Other names with this saint
Questions
When is Maximus’s name day?
Maximus keeps the name day on 21 January on the New Calendar and on 3 February on the Old Calendar, the feast of St Maximus the Confessor.
Who is the patron saint of Maximus?
St Maximus the Confessor. St Maximus the Confessor was born in Constantinople around 580 into a devout Christian family and received an excellent education in philosophy and theology.
How is Maximus written in other languages?
Greek: Μάξιμος (Maximos), Russian: Максим (Maksim), Ukrainian: Максим (Maksym), Bulgarian: Максим, Serbian: Максим (Maksim) and Romanian: Maxim. Every form of the name keeps the same saint.
What is a good name-day gift for Maximus?
We don’t carry an icon of St Maximus the Confessor 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