Michael Brooks
Holy days in the Catholic Church are known as Holy Days of Obligation, or precepts, and are days on which Catholic Christians are expected to attend Mass and rest from work. They are considered the most important days in the Church calendar, and there are a few key Holy Days of Obligation that Catholics are expected to observe. These include Christmas, which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, and Easter, which commemorates his death, burial and resurrection. In addition to these, there are several other Holy Days of Obligation, such as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The number of Holy Days of Obligation varies depending on the country and diocese, and some countries have reduced the number of obligatory holy days to just two.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of holy days of obligation | 9 in total, including Sundays |
| Holy days of obligation outside of Sundays | 6 |
| Holy days of obligation in the US in 2025 | January 1, May 29, August 15, December 8, December 25 |
| Holy days of obligation in Ireland | Feast of St. Patrick |
| Holy days of obligation in Mexico | Our Lady of Guadalupe |
| Holy days of obligation in Hawaii | Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Christmas |
| Holy days of obligation in the Ecclesiastical Province of Hanoi | Christmas, Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, Feast of the Assumption, Feast of Christ the King |
| Holy days of obligation in the Ecclesiastical Provinces of Huế and of Ho Chi Minh City | Christmas |
| Days when Catholics are obligated to attend Mass | Easter, All Saints' Day, Christmas |
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What You'll Learn
Holy days of obligation
In 2025, the holy days of obligation in the US are:
- January 1, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Observed on Sunday)
- May 29 (Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter), the Solemnity of the Ascension
- August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
- December 25, the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas)
In Ireland, the Feast of St. Patrick is a Holy Day of Obligation, while Mexico recognizes Our Lady of Guadalupe as a Holy Day. In Hawaii, the only Holy Days of Obligation are the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and Christmas.
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Mass attendance
Outside of Sundays, there are a few additional holy days of obligation. The Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church states that there are nine holy days of obligation other than Sundays, but local bishops can suppress or transfer some of them to a Sunday. For example, in the United States, the feast of Epiphany is always celebrated on a Sunday, and the feast of Saint Joseph and the feast of Saints Peter and Paul are not considered holy days of obligation. Similarly, in Ireland, the Feast of St. Patrick is a Holy Day of Obligation, while Mexico recognizes Our Lady of Guadalupe as a Holy Day. In Hawaii, only the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and Christmas are Holy Days of Obligation, as decreed in 1992.
The six holy days of obligation outside of Sundays in the United States are: the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1st); the Solemnity of the Ascension (May 29th or the Seventh Sunday of Easter); the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15th); the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th); and the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (December 25th). If these days fall on a Saturday or a Monday, the obligation to attend Mass is usually lifted, and Catholics are encouraged to attend Mass on the nearest Sunday instead.
Holy days of obligation are not just about obligation, but also about celebration. They are days when Catholics are invited to rejoice in their salvation in Christ and to live out this joy for the entire day. These days are also an opportunity to reflect on the mysteries of the Catholic faith and to remember the saints who serve as models for the faithful.
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Solemnities
The Catholic Church observes nine holy days of obligation outside of Sundays, although there are only six in the United States. These include the Feast of St. Patrick in Ireland, and Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. In the US, the number of holy days of obligation varies between six and nine, depending on the diocese. For example, in 2025, there were six holy days of obligation outside of Sundays.
The holy days of obligation include Easter, which always falls on a Sunday, as well as the Feast of Saint Joseph and the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, although these have been suppressed by bishops in the United States. The Epiphany is also always celebrated on a Sunday in the US.
The obligation to attend Mass on a holy day can be abrogated or lifted under certain circumstances. For example, if the Solemnity of Mary, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the Solemnity of All Saints falls on a Saturday or Monday, the obligation is often lifted, and the feast is celebrated on the Sunday instead. This was the case for the Solemnity of All Saints in 2025.
In Hawaii, the only holy days of obligation, besides Sundays, are the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Christmas.
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Country and diocese variations
There are variations in the observance of Catholic holy days between countries and dioceses. While Sunday is universally celebrated as a holy day, there are differences in the number and nature of other holy days. For instance, Hong Kong only observes one holy day of obligation, Christmas, while Canada has two: Christmas and Mary, Mother of God. In the United States, there are eight holy days of obligation, two to three of which have been transferred to Sundays, depending on the diocese. For example, the Ascension of Jesus is transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter in most US dioceses. Hawaii, a state in the US, has only observed two holy days of obligation since 1992: the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Christmas. This is due to Hawaii's alignment with the Episcopal Conference of the South Pacific (CEPAC), whose surrounding dioceses belong to the Conference of Bishops of the South Pacific.
In Vatican City, all ten days listed in canon 1246 are observed as holy days of obligation, including Sundays. This is also the case in the Diocese of Lugano in Switzerland. However, other parts of the world may have different holy days of obligation, such as Saint Patrick's Day in Ireland, and Saint Stephen on the "Second Christmas Day" (26 December) in Germany and Hungary.
The number of holy days of obligation can vary even within a country. In the United States, for example, certain archdioceses observed the Ascension on Thursday as a Holy Day of Obligation in 2022, while others transferred it to Sunday. Similarly, in China, the current bishops' conference does not include all of the country's bishops, as 'underground' bishops without state approval are excluded. This has resulted in variations in the observance of holy days, with mainland China being the only place where this situation exists.
The Code of Canon Law allows for these variations, stating that with the prior approval of the Apostolic See, bishops can suppress certain holy days of obligation or transfer them to Sundays. This flexibility enables different countries and dioceses to adapt the observance of holy days to their specific contexts and traditions.
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History of holy days
Holy Days of Obligation in the Catholic Church are the most important days in the liturgical year, when the faithful are required to participate in Mass, including Sundays. These holy days celebrate key events in salvation history and honour the central mysteries of the Catholic faith.
The history of holy days in the Catholic Church dates back centuries. In 1642, Pope Urban VIII reduced the number of Holy Days of Obligation to 36. In 1911, Pope Pius X further reduced the number of non-Sunday holy days from 36 to 8. The present list of Holy Days was established in the 1917 Code of Canon Law, which set forth the modern, full list of Holy Days. This code listed 10 days as Holy Days of Obligation, including Sundays. The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO) specifies five holy days of obligation beyond Sundays that are common to all Eastern Churches, including the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas).
The specific Holy Days of Obligation can vary by country and region. For example, in the United States, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) designates certain holy days of obligation in addition to every Sunday. These include Mary, Mother of God (January 1), the Ascension of Jesus Christ (May 29), the Assumption (August 15), the Immaculate Conception (December 8), and Christmas Day (December 25). In the Czech Republic, the Czech Bishops' Conference has reduced the number of Holy Days of Obligation to only two, which are also public holidays. In Germany, certain holy days such as the Solemnities of Saint Joseph and Saints Peter and Paul are not observed as Holy Days of Obligation and are not typically transferred to a Sunday.
Holy Days of Obligation are not merely requirements but are seen as opportunities for spiritual growth and a deeper encounter with God. Catholics are encouraged to use their prudential judgment and guidance from their priests to determine any dispensations from attending Mass on these days.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholic Holy Days, or Holy Days of Obligation, are days on which Catholics are expected to attend Mass and rest from work and recreation. These days are considered especially important to the Catholic Church, and they are celebrated as holidays.
There are six Holy Days of Obligation outside of Sundays, but this number can vary depending on the country and local traditions. For example, in the US there are six, in the Czech Republic there are two, and in Hawaii, there are just two.
Holy Days of Obligation include Christmas, the Ascension, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception, and the Epiphany. Easter is also a Holy Day of Obligation, but as it always falls on a Sunday, it is already considered part of the usual Sunday obligation.
