The saint or feast to which a church is dedicated; on that day the community holds a great celebration.
Fiecare biserică are un hram, ales la sfințire: un sfânt (Sfântul Nicolae, Sfinții Arhangheli Mihail și Gavriil) sau o sărbătoare (Adormirea Maicii Domnului, Înălțarea). Icoana hramului stă pe iconostas, iar numele lui apare adesea în denumirea bisericii.
Ziua hramului este sărbătoarea comunității: se face priveghere, Liturghie arhierească, se împart pachete și mâncare pelerinilor. La mănăstirile mari, hramul adună zeci de mii de oameni.
See also
- All-night vigilThe long night service on the eve of great feasts and patronal days, combining Vespers and Matins.
- PilgrimageA journey of faith to a holy place: a monastery, the relics of a saint, Jerusalem, Mecca or the tomb of a tzaddik.
- SlavaThe feast of the family patron saint, specific to Serbian Orthodox families; passed down from father to son.
In the same category
- AdventThe four weeks of preparation for Christmas in the Western tradition, with a candle lit on the Advent wreath each Sunday.
- All Saints / All Souls (Luminația)On 1–2 November Catholics and Protestants light candles on the graves of loved ones.
- Ash WednesdayThe first day of Lent for Catholics, when ashes are placed on the faithful as a sign of repentance.
- ChristmasThe feast of the Nativity of Christ on 25 December (or 7 January for those who keep the Old Style).
- Corpus ChristiThe Catholic feast of the Eucharist, with a street procession carrying the host in a monstrance.
- Easter (Pascha)The feast of the Resurrection of Christ, the greatest of the Christian year; Orthodox and Catholic dates sometimes differ.