The Liturgical Year is an annual cycle of seasons and feasts
that celebrates the Paschal Mystery, especially focusing on
- Christ's Death and Resurrection (Easter Cycle)
- Birth (Christmas Cycle)
"In the Liturgical Year the various aspects of the
one Paschal mystery unfold. This is also the case
with the cycle of feasts surrounding the mystery of
the incarnation (Annunciation, Christmas, Epiphany).
They commemorate the beginning of our salvation and
communicate to us the first fruits of the Paschal
mystery."
The celebration of the Liturgical Year is meant to draw
the Catholic faithful into the Mystery of Christ,
helping them to experience His divine life more fully
and deeply. This includes remembering and celebrating
the lives of the saints, especially Mary, the Mother of
God.
"By keeping the memorials of the saints - first of
all the holy Mother of God, then the apostles, the
martyrs, and other saints - on fixed days of the
Liturgical Year, the Church on earth shows that she
is united with the liturgy of heaven. She gives
glory to Christ for having accomplished his
salvation in his glorified members; their example
encourages her on her way to the Father."
The Western and Eastern rites of the Catholic Church
hold the major feast days and seasons in common, but
differ on many of the solemnities and feasts. Below are
the most important feast days, plus some of the feasts
unique to the Eastern Catholic Churches.
2022-2023 Liturgical and Feast Days
Pascha and the 12 Great Feasts
Includes Major Civil Holidays in the United
States (USA)
In the Season of Pentecost
Sep 1:
The Beginning of the Church Year
Sep 8:
Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of
God
Sep 14:
Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving
Cross
Oct 1:
Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother
of God
Oct 16:
Sunday of the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical
Council
Nov 8:
Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other
Bodiless Powers
Preparation for the Nativity of Our Lord
Nov 15:
Nativity Fast (Philip's Fast also known as
Advent)
Nov 21:
The Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God
into the Temple
Nov 24:
Thanksgiving Day (USA)
Dec 6:
St Nicholas the Wonderworker and Archbishop of
Myra in Lycia
Dec 8:
Conception by Anne of the Most Holy Mother of
God (Immaculate Conception)
Dec 12:
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Season of the Christmas cycle
Dec 25:
The Nativity of our Lord God and Savior,
Jesus Christ
Holy Day of Obligation
Dec 26:
Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God
Dec 27:
Feast of St. Stephen
Jan 1:
Circumcision of Our Lord and the Memory of St.
Basil the Great
Jan 6:
Theophany (Baptism) of Our Lord
Holy Day of Obligation
Jan 8:
Sunday After Theophany
Pre-Paschal Season
Jan 16:
Martin Luther King Day (USA)
Jan 22:
Sunday of Zacchaeus
Jan 29:
Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
Jan 30:
Synaxis of the Ecumenical Teachers and
Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the
Theologian and John Chrysostom
Feb 2:
Presentation of Our Lord in the
Temple
Feb 5:
Sunday of the Prodigal Son
Feb 11:
First All-Souls Saturday
Feb 12:
Sunday of Meatfare
Feb 19:
Sunday of Cheesefare
The Great Fast
Feb 20:
First Day of the Great Fast
Feb 26:
First Sunday of the Great Fast (Sunday of
Orthodoxy)
Mar 4:
Second All-Souls Saturday
Mar 5:
Second Sunday of the Great Fast (St. Gregory
Palamas)
Mar 11:
Third All-Souls Saturday
Mar 12:
Third Sunday of the Great Fast (Veneration of
the Holy Cross)
Mar 18:
Fourth All-Souls Saturday
Mar 19:
Fourth Sunday of the Great Fast (St. John of the
Ladder)
Mar 25:
Annunciation to the Mother of God
Mar 25:
Akathistos Saturday
Mar 26:
Fifth Sunday of the Great Fast (St. Mary of
Egypt)
Holy Week
Apr 1:
Saturday of Lazarus
Apr 2:
Palm (Flowery) Sunday
Apr 3:
Great and Holy Monday
Apr 4:
Great and Holy Tuesday
Apr 5:
Great and Holy Wednesday
Apr 6:
Great and Holy Thursday
Apr 7:
Great and Holy Friday
Apr 8:
Great and Holy Saturday
Apr 9:
Pascha (Easter Sunday)
Season of Pentecost
May 18:
The Ascension of our Lord, God and Savior
Jesus Christ (40 days after Easter)
Holy Day of Obligation
May 28:
Feast of Pentecost Sunday (50 days after
Easter)
Jun 4:
Sunday of All Saints
June 13 to 28: The Apostles' Fast
Jun 24:
The Birth of John the Baptist
Jun 29:
Feast of SS Peter and Paul, Apostles
Holy Day of Obligation
Jul 4:
Independence Day (USA)
Jul 16:
Sunday of the Fathers of the First Six
Ecumenical Councils
Jul 20:
Elijah Great Prophet (the Holy Prophet Elias)
Aug 1 to 14: Dormition Fast
Aug 6:
Transfiguration of Our Lord
Aug 15:
Dormition of the Mother of God
Holy Day of Obligation
Aug 29:
Beheading of John the Baptist
