What Saint Day Is Today? September 4 Feast: St. Babylas, the Prophet Moses, and Other Saints

If you are asking what saint day is today for September 4, 2026, the Orthodox calendar commemorates Hieromartyr Babylas of Antioch and the Prophet Moses, together with several groups of early Christian martyrs and the "Unburnt Bush" icon of the Mother of God. September 4, 2026 is a Friday, so it also falls on a normal weekly Orthodox fast day.

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine uses the New Julian calendar for fixed feasts. That calendar point matters because older "old-style" resources can place the same saints on a different civil date.

What saint day is today: What is today's church holiday, September 4, 2026 on the Orthodox calendar (Julian date)

The September 4 commemorations include:

• Hieromartyr Babylas of Antioch;

• Urban, Prilidian, Epolonius, and Christodula;

• the Prophet Moses;

• St. Joasaph of Belgorod;

• the martyr Hermione;

• Babylas of Nicomedia and his 84 disciples;

• Theodore, Mian, Julian, and Kion;

• the "Unburnt Bush" icon of the Mother of God.

Two different saints named Babylas appear in the calendar, which is why brief saint lists can be confusing. One is the Bishop of Antioch; the other is associated with Nicomedia and a group of disciples.

Who is the hieromartyr Babylas of Antioch

St. Babylas was a bishop of Antioch in the third century and is remembered as a hieromartyr, meaning a member of the clergy who died for the Christian faith.

Church tradition presents him as a bishop who defended the moral independence of the church even when dealing with imperial authority. His memory became important in Antioch, one of the major centers of early Christianity.

The surviving accounts of his life combine historical memory with later church tradition. For modern readers, the central theme is pastoral courage and faithfulness under political pressure rather than the details of persecution.

Who are Urban, Prilidian, Epolonius, and Christodula

Urban, Prilidian, and Epolonius are remembered together with Christodula in the martyr tradition associated with the date. Their names can appear in different transliterations depending on whether a calendar is translated from Greek, Church Slavonic, Ukrainian, or another language.

Short liturgical calendars preserve far less biographical information about these saints than about Babylas or Moses. Their collective commemoration reflects the Orthodox practice of remembering local groups of early Christians whose witness became part of church tradition.

Because English spellings vary, readers should focus on the identity of the commemoration rather than assuming that a different spelling means a different saint.

Who is the prophet Moses the Seer of God

The Prophet Moses is one of the central figures of the Old Testament. According to biblical tradition, he leads the Israelites out of Egypt, receives the commandments at Sinai, and guides the people during their journey through the wilderness.

Orthodox tradition often calls him Moses the God-seer, emphasizing his encounters with God described in Scripture. His memory on September 4 shows that the Orthodox calendar includes Old Testament prophets alongside Christian martyrs, monastics, bishops, and other saints.

For Christians, Moses is also important because many New Testament and liturgical texts interpret events from his life as part of the wider biblical story that leads toward Christ.

Why is Ioasaf Bilhorodsky remembered on September 4

St. Joasaph of Belgorod was an eighteenth-century bishop remembered for pastoral work, personal discipline, and church leadership. In Ukrainian-language sources his name may be rendered Ioasaf Bilhorodskyi.

His commemoration is much later historically than those of Babylas or the Prophet Moses. This is common in the Orthodox calendar, where one date can bring together saints from many centuries.

Joasaph's inclusion also reflects the complex religious history of the Ukrainian and neighboring regions. Modern readers should distinguish the saint's historical commemoration from present-day political or state identities.

Who is the martyr Hermione

St. Hermione is remembered in Christian tradition as a woman connected with the apostolic era. She is often described as a daughter of Philip the Deacon and is associated with charitable service and care for people in need.

Her story places her among the early generations of Christians after the apostles. Church tradition remembers her for faith, service, and endurance during persecution.

Because the historical sources are ancient and relatively brief, modern accounts should avoid treating every later detail as equally certain. The important point is her place in early Christian memory.

Who is Babylas of Nicomedia and who were his 84 disciples

Babylas of Nicomedia is not the same person as Babylas of Antioch. He is remembered as a Christian teacher associated with a group of 84 disciples.

The church commemorates them together as a community that remained faithful during persecution in the early Christian centuries. Their story is one reason September 4 can appear to contain duplicate names in short calendars.

When reading a saint list, look for the location or title attached to the name: "of Antioch" and "of Nicomedia" identify two separate commemorations.

Who are Theodore, Mian, Julian, and Kion

Theodore, Mian, Julian, and Kion are remembered as Christian martyrs connected with the persecutions in Nicomedia. Like many collective martyr groups, they have much shorter surviving biographies than major biblical or episcopal figures.

Their commemoration highlights the breadth of the early Christian martyr tradition. Orthodox calendars preserve not only famous bishops and apostles but also groups whose individual life stories are less widely known.

The focus of the feast is their faithfulness rather than the details of violence associated with the persecution.

What does the "Unburnt Bush" icon mean

The "Unburnt Bush" icon of the Mother of God draws on the biblical image of the burning bush seen by Moses. In Christian interpretation, the bush that burns without being consumed becomes a symbol associated with the Virgin Mary and the mystery of the Incarnation.

The icon typically uses a highly symbolic composition rather than a simple portrait. Its imagery connects Old Testament themes with Christian theology.

Popular tradition sometimes associates the icon with protection from fire and disaster, but it should not be treated as a substitute for practical safety measures. Its primary meaning is religious and symbolic.

The date also shows why church calendars sometimes look inconsistent across websites. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine uses the New Julian calendar for fixed commemorations, while many older calendars and some other Orthodox jurisdictions continue to use the Julian calendar. In the twenty-first century that creates a 13-day difference for fixed feasts.

So when checking a saint's day, compare the calendar system as well as the saint's name. Transliteration can also vary: Babylas, Vavylas, and similar spellings may refer to the same saint rather than separate commemorations.

Is there a fast on September 4, 2026

Yes. September 4, 2026 falls on a Friday, which is one of the normal weekly Orthodox fast days.

The fast is connected with the weekly rhythm of Orthodox practice, not specifically with the commemoration of Babylas or Moses. The exact fasting rule may differ depending on parish practice, personal circumstances, and health.

People with medical conditions, children, pregnant people, or anyone for whom dietary restriction may be unsafe should follow appropriate professional and pastoral guidance.

What is important to know about the church holiday of September 4, 2026

The main names are Hieromartyr Babylas of Antioch and the Prophet Moses. The calendar also remembers other martyrs, St. Joasaph, Hermione, a second Babylas with 84 disciples, and the "Unburnt Bush" icon.

September 4 is a Friday in 2026, so it is a normal weekly fast day. There is no general church rule forbidding work, study, travel, or necessary household tasks.

If you want to mark the date, prayer, participation in worship where possible, and reading about the saints fit the church meaning better than internet lists of folk prohibitions.