Synaxis of St John the Baptist
7 January 2026 — Happy name day to all Ions and Ioanas! May the year be bright!
On 7 January Romania marks the Synaxis of St John the Baptist, a day dedicated to the prophet who, according to the Gospels, baptised Jesus in the River Jordan. It follows the Epiphany (6 January) and is closely linked to it. In Romania it has been an official public holiday since 2024. The Romanian Orthodox Church uses the revised Julian calendar, so the feast falls on 7 January in the civil calendar. Churches hold the Divine Liturgy, and many families gather together. It is also one of the biggest name days in the country: Ion, Ioana, Ionuț, Ionel and many other names are celebrated. In the days around Epiphany, priests visit homes and sprinkle them with holy water using a sprig of basil, which is why basil is a traditional symbol of this festive season. The sky connection is the calendar itself: the day falls in deep winter, shortly after the winter solstice, when light slowly begins to return. The oil lamp stands for that light.
Flying across the sky: An ethereal, bluish-silver figure made of luminous dots and fine lines, like a constellation: a small hanging oil lamp with a soft glowing flame, and beside it a sprig of basil with delicate leaves, drifting slowly across the night sky
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