Liturgical Calendar and Feast Days
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."
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1171
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."
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1195
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.
Pre-Paschal Season
Jan 14:
Sunday of Zacchaeus
Jan 15:
Martin Luther King Day (USA)
Jan 21:
Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
Jan 28:
Sunday of the Prodigal Son
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 3:
First All-Souls Saturday
Feb 4:
Sunday of Meatfare
Feb 11:
Sunday of Cheesefare
The Great Fast
Feb 12:
First Day of the Great Fast
Feb 18:
First Sunday of the Great Fast (Sunday of Orthodoxy)
Feb 24:
Second All-Souls Saturday
Feb 25:
Second Sunday of the Great Fast (St. Gregory Palamas)
Mar 2:
Third All-Souls Saturday
Mar 3:
Third Sunday of the Great Fast (Veneration of the Holy
Cross)
Mar 9:
Fourth All-Souls Saturday
Mar 10:
Fourth Sunday of the Great Fast (St. John of the Ladder)
Mar 16:
Akathistos Saturday
Mar 17:
Fifth Sunday of the Great Fast (St. Mary of Egypt)
Holy Week
Mar 23:
Saturday of Lazarus
Mar 24:
Palm (Flowery) Sunday
Mar 25:
Annunciation to the Mother of God
Mar 25:
Great and Holy Monday
Mar 26:
Great and Holy Tuesday
Mar 27:
Great and Holy Wednesday
Mar 28:
Great and Holy Thursday
Mar 29:
Great and Holy Friday
Mar 30:
Great and Holy Saturday
Mar 31:
Pascha (Easter Sunday)
Paschal Season
Mar 31-Apr 6:
Bright Week
April 7:
Second Sunday of Pascha (Thomas Sunday)
April 14:
Third Sunday of Pascha (Ointment-Bearing Women)
April 21:
Fourth Sunday of Pascha (Healing of the Paralytic)
April 28:
Fifth Sunday of Pascha (Samaritan Woman)
May 5:
Sixth Sunday Sunday of Pascha (Man Born Blind)
May 9:
The Ascension of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ
(40 days after Easter)
Holy Day of Obligation
May 11:
Feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius
May 12:
Seventh Sunday of Pascha (Fathers of the First Council)
May 18:
Fifth All-Souls Saturday
Season of Pentecost
May 19:
Feast of Pentecost Sunday (50 days after Easter)
May 26:
Sunday of All Saints
May 27 to June 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 14:
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
Beginning of the Church Year
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 13:
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 28:
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 12:
Sunday After Theophany
