Orthodox · 7th century BC
Prophet Habakuk
Commemorated: December 15 (December 2, Old Style)
Life
Habakkuk is the eighth of the Minor Prophets. Nothing certain is known of his life; his short book is usually dated to the late 7th century BC, when the Chaldeans (Babylonians) were rising to power. It opens as a dialogue in which the prophet asks God why injustice goes unpunished, and it contains the line “the righteous shall live by his faith” (2:4), later quoted by the apostle Paul.
The third chapter is a prayer in the form of a psalm; the fourth ode of the Orthodox canon at Matins is based on it. The Greek additions to the Book of Daniel tell a story in which an angel carries Habakkuk to Babylon to bring food to Daniel in the lions’ den.
Places
- Place of burial: Habakkuk Mausoleum (Tuyserkan)
- Place of burial: Habakkuk Tomb (Kadarim)
The commemorations of the day: Ponomar (ponomar.net), CC BY-SA 3.0.
Places and years: Wikidata (CC0), each saint matched by hand.