Orthodox saint

St Demetrios of Thessaloniki

Holy Great Martyr Demetrios the Myrrh-streamer of Thessaloniki

Άγιος Μεγαλομάρτυς Δημήτριος ο Μυροβλύτης · Свѧты́й великомѹ́ченикъ Дими́трїй Мѵроточи́вый · Великомученик Димитрий Солунский, Мироточивый

St Demetrios of Thessaloniki is remembered on 26 October (8 November on the Old Calendar). Orthodox Christians pray to St Demetrios of Thessaloniki for courage in danger and in battle, protection of soldiers and of one's city and country and healing from illness.

Feast days

Feast: Martyrdom
Kept on: 26 October (8 November on the Old Calendar)
Next, New Calendar: 26 October 2026
Next, Old Calendar: 8 November 2026

The New Calendar is kept by the Greek, Antiochian, Romanian and Bulgarian churches, the OCA and most converts; the Old Calendar by the Russian, Serbian and Georgian churches, Jerusalem and Mount Athos, 13 days later on the civil calendar.

The life of St Demetrios of Thessaloniki

St Demetrios was the son of the Roman proconsul of Thessaloniki, secretly baptized and raised in the faith by his parents. When Emperor Galerius Maximian made him proconsul in his father's place, charged with defending the city and stamping out Christianity, Demetrios instead preached Christ openly. Arrested and imprisoned, he made the sign of the Cross over his young disciple Nestor, who went out and overthrew the emperor's champion wrestler Lyaeus. In fury the emperor had Nestor executed and sent soldiers to the prison, where they pierced Demetrios with spears in 306. His relics were later found incorrupt, and a fragrant myrrh has flowed from his tomb for centuries. Thessaloniki has called on him in every siege, and soldiers of Greece, Russia and Serbia carry his icon. Orthodox Christians pray to him for courage, for the protection of those who serve, and for the souls of the fallen.

What the faithful ask of St Demetrios of Thessaloniki

The faithful pray for

courage in danger and in battle
protection of soldiers and of one's city and country
healing from illness
strengthening of faith
the repose of departed parents and of soldiers who fell for faith and country (Dmitrievskaya Saturday)
victory over a stronger enemy, as Nestor received through his prayers

St Demetrios of Thessaloniki protects

soldiers in battle
the city from invaders and siege
from enemies visible and invisible
from illness

Patron of

Thessaloniki
soldiers and warriors
defenders of the homeland
fallen soldiers (commemorated on Dmitrievskaya Saturday)
farmers and shepherds (medieval Greek countryside)

Miracles

Signed with the Cross by Demetrios in prison, the young Christian Nestor defeated the emperor's champion wrestler Lyaeus and hurled him onto the soldiers' spears.
Source: OCA — Holy, Glorious Demetrios the Myrrh-gusher of Thessaloniki
Since the seventh century a fragrant myrrh has flowed beneath his crypt in Thessaloniki, earning him the title Myrrh-streamer.
Source: OCA — Holy, Glorious Demetrios the Myrrh-gusher of Thessaloniki
As the seventh-century Miracles of St Demetrius record, he defended Thessaloniki through repeated sieges.
Source: Wikipedia — Demetrius of Thessaloniki

Where the traditions differ

Greeks honor him chiefly as protector of Thessaloniki and as the Myrrh-streamer; Russians as a patron of warriors and through Dmitrievskaya Saturday, a day of prayer for all departed, especially parents and soldiers. The popular story that Dmitrievskaya Saturday was founded by St Dmitry Donskoy after the Battle of Kulikovo (1380) is a legend first found in a 16th-century text; the Orthodox Encyclopedia notes it was not linked to Kulikovo in older sources. Note that the Russian Saturday is kept by Old-Calendar (Russian) churches.

St Demetrios of Thessaloniki in our shop

We don't carry an icon of St Demetrios of Thessaloniki yet. Ask for it below, and we will write to you when it is ready.

Until then, the closest we carry

Have it consecrated by our priest before it reaches you — Consecration, $49.

Ask our priest

Our priest can serve a moleben to St Demetrios of Thessaloniki for the people and the need you name.

Prayer services

Name days

These names keep their name day on a feast of St Demetrios of Thessaloniki:

Prayed to for

Questions

When is the feast day of St Demetrios of Thessaloniki?

Martyrdom: 26 October (8 November on the Old Calendar).

What do Orthodox Christians pray to St Demetrios of Thessaloniki for?

Orthodox Christians pray to St Demetrios of Thessaloniki for courage in danger and in battle, protection of soldiers and of one's city and country, healing from illness, strengthening of faith, the repose of departed parents and of soldiers who fell for faith and country (Dmitrievskaya Saturday) and victory over a stronger enemy, as Nestor received through his prayers.

What is St Demetrios of Thessaloniki the patron saint of?

St Demetrios of Thessaloniki is the patron of Thessaloniki, soldiers and warriors, defenders of the homeland, fallen soldiers (commemorated on Dmitrievskaya Saturday) and farmers and shepherds (medieval Greek countryside).

What does St Demetrios of Thessaloniki protect from?

St Demetrios of Thessaloniki protects soldiers in battle, the city from invaders and siege, from enemies visible and invisible and from illness.

Whose name day is on a feast of St Demetrios of Thessaloniki?

The name day of Demetrios, Dimitrios, Dimitri, Dmitry, Dimitrije, Dumitru, Jim and Dimitra.

Sources

OCA — Holy, Glorious Demetrios the Myrrh-gusher of Thessaloniki (read 14 October 2026)
Azbuka very — Димитриевская родительская суббота (read 14 October 2026)
Altapress — Дмитрий Солунский: кому покровительствует и о чем молятся (read 14 October 2026)
Wikipedia — Demetrius of Thessaloniki (read 14 October 2026)