<P> The Jewish rabbis of the first millennium CE reckoned Daniel to be the most distinguished member of the Babylonian diaspora, unsurpassed in piety and good deeds, firm in his adherence to the Law despite being surrounded by enemies who sought his ruin, and in the first few centuries CE they wrote down the legends that had grown up around his name . His captivity was foretold by the prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah in these words, "they (Hezekiah's descendants) shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon ." This misfortune was turned to a blessing when Daniel and his three companions were able to show their mutilated bodies to Nebuchadnezzar and so prove their innocence of charges of leading an unchaste life . </P> <P> Daniel kept the welfare of Nebuchadnezzar in mind continually, and when the king was condemned by God to live as a beast for a certain period Daniel prayed that the period of punishment should be shortened, and his prayer was granted . When Nebuchadnezzar was dying he wished to include Daniel among his heirs, but Daniel refused the honour, saying that he could not leave the inheritance of his forefathers for that of the uncircumcised . Daniel also restored the sight of king Darius, who had wrongly thrown the pious Daniel into prison on false charges, upon which many converted to Judaism . </P> <P> The New Testament makes one reference to Daniel at Matthew 24: 15, which asserts that Jesus recognised Daniel as a prophet of God . He is commemorated in the Coptic Church on the 23rd day of the Coptic month of Baramhat . On the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar, the feast days celebrating St. Daniel the Prophet together with the Three Young Men, falls on December 17 (during the Nativity Fast), on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers (the Sunday which falls between 11 and 17 December), and on the Sunday before Nativity . Daniel's prophecy regarding the stone which smashed the idol (Daniel 2: 34--35) is often used in Orthodox hymns as a metaphor for the Incarnation: the "stone cut out" being symbolic of the Logos (Christ), and the fact that it was cut "without hands" being symbolic of the virgin birth . Thus the hymns will refer to the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) as the "uncut mountain" </P> <P> The Roman Catholic Church commemorates St. Daniel in the Roman Martyrology on July 21 . Some local liturgical calendars of dioceses also list his feast, sometimes on July 21 and sometimes on another day . For example, the archdiocese of Gorizia celebrates the feast of St. Daniel, prophet and confessor, on September 11 . The reading of the Mass is taken from the Book of Daniel, chapter 14; the Gradual from Psalm 91; the Alleluia verse from the Epistle of James 1; and the Gospel from Matthew 24 . The Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod commemorates Daniel, together with the Three Young Men (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), on December 17 . </P>

Where is daniel mentioned in the new testament