The name of Saint Stephan the Great was included into the Sinaxarion of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
September – October 2014
The decision was made by the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Journal No. 49).
The commemoration day of St. Stephan is set on 2/15 July (new style/old style). Saint Stephan III the Great, Prince of medieval Moldova, was glorified by the Romanian Orthodox Church in 1992.
Currently, Orthodox Christians from certain regions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church largely venerate Saint Stephan, building and sanctifying churches in his name.
The holy and right-believing Prince Saint Stephen the Great (Romanian: Dreptcredinciosul Voievod Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt) was ruler of Moldova (in modern-day Romania) from 1457 to 1504. He was a great statesman and military tactician as well as being a devout Orthodox Christian. He was responsible for defending Moldova against the Ottoman invasion, building a church or monastery in thanks to God after each victory.
Stephen the Great was glorified, along with his spiritual father St. Daniel the Hermit of Voroneţ (Sf. Daniil Sihastru de la Voroneţ) and many other Romanian saints, by the Synod of the Church of Romania in 1992. His feast day is July 2.
