Ethan Walker
The Catholic liturgical year is divided into several seasons, each with its own mood, theological emphases, and modes of prayer. The liturgical seasons in the Catholic Church include Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time after Epiphany, Lent, and Easter. Each liturgical season is marked by different ways of decorating churches, colours of vestments for clergy, scriptural readings, and themes for preaching. The liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent, the season of preparation for Christ's birth, and ends with the final Saturday of Ordinary Time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of seasons | 6 or 7 |
| Season names | Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time (after Epiphany), Lent, Easter, Ordinary Time (after Pentecost) |
| Length of Ordinary Time | 33 or 34 weeks |
| First season | Weeks of Annunciation (Subara) |
| First season dates | Sunday before the first of December to the feast of Epiphany |
| Second season | Weeks of Epiphany |
| Second season dates | Sunday closest to the feast of Epiphany to the beginning of Great Fast |
| Advent dates | Between November 28 and December 3 until the Nativity of the Lord |
| Advent duration | 21-28 days |
| Advent liturgical colours | Purple and rose |
| Christmas dates | Christmas Eve to the Sunday after Epiphany or January 6 |
| Lent dates | Begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on the Saturday before Easter |
| Lent duration | 40 days (excluding Sundays) or 46 days (including Sundays) |
| Lent liturgical colours | Violet or purple |
| Easter dates | Begins on Easter eve, lasts 50 days until Pentecost Sunday |
| Easter liturgical colours | White, red for Pentecost |
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What You'll Learn
Advent: a time of watchful preparation for the coming of Jesus
The liturgical year is divided into several seasons, each with its own mood, theological emphases, and modes of prayer, which are signified by different ways of decorating churches, vestments for clergy, scriptural readings, and traditions observed at home or in church. The liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent, the season of watchful preparation for the coming of Christ.
Advent is a time of watchful, joyful, and hopeful preparation for the coming of the Lord, both the "first coming" of Jesus (Christmas) and his "second coming" (Parousia). The season is marked by Scripture Readings and Liturgical Prayers that are slightly different for its three parts. At the beginning of Advent, the focus is on Eschatology and Messianic expectations, with teachings about the future or end-times, especially from the prophet Isaiah. In the middle of Advent, readings from Isaiah continue, but the focus shifts to Gospel texts about John the Baptist, who prepared for the coming of Jesus. During the last week before Christmas, the focus is on the biblical events that immediately preceded the birth of Jesus, with readings from Matthew 1 and Luke 1, and special “O Antiphons”. The liturgical colours of Advent are purple and rose, with rose being used only on the third Sunday of Advent.
Advent begins on the Sunday closest to the feast of St. Andrew (November 30) and lasts until the Nativity of the Lord, with between 21 and 28 days. It is a period of joyful expectation but also of penance, as indicated by the liturgical colour purple, which is also the colour of Lent. Advent is sometimes called a "little Lent".
The season of Advent is followed by the Christmas season, which traditionally extended from First Vespers (or evening prayer) of Christmas (before Midnight Mass) through Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2)—a period of 40 days. With the revision of the calendar in 1969, the Christmas season was shortened to run "from evening prayer I of Christmas until the Sunday after Epiphany or after 6 January, inclusive".
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Christmas: the celebration of the birth of Jesus
Christmas is one of the most important days in the Catholic Church calendar, second only to Easter. It is a liturgical feast central to Christianity, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. The date of Christmas is observed primarily on December 25 and is celebrated as a religious and cultural festival by billions of people around the world.
The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The Christmas season is preceded by Advent, a season of preparation and anticipation, which begins four Sundays before Christmas. During Advent, the focus is on the biblical events leading up to the birth of Jesus, with readings from the Book of Isaiah and the Gospel texts about John the Baptist.
The tradition of the Nativity scene, depicting the birth of Jesus, is one of the oldest Christmastime traditions. The first reenactment of the Nativity is believed to have taken place in the Italian town of Greccio in 1223, when Francis of Assisi assembled a Nativity scene outside his church, accompanied by children singing Christmas carols. This tradition of the Nativity play then spread throughout Europe, where it remains popular.
The date of December 25 for Christmas was formally set by Pope Julius I, bishop of Rome from 337 to 352. The choice of this date may be related to the winter solstice and the popularity of solar worship in the later Roman Empire. The early Church linked Jesus to the sun, referring to him as the 'Sun of Righteousness' (Sol Justitiae). The date of December 25 is also significant as it is nine months after Annunciation on March 25, the Roman date of the spring equinox.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church and some other traditions, Christmas is celebrated in connection with the Epiphany on January 6, focusing on the baptism of Jesus rather than his birth. In the medieval era, Christmastide in Western Europe and Latin America extended for forty days, ending on the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple on February 2, also known as Candlemas.
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Ordinary Time: the longest liturgical season, focusing on Christ's teachings
The liturgical year is divided into several seasons, each with its own mood, theological emphases, and modes of prayer. The liturgical calendar is used to govern the liturgy or public worship of Christian churches, commemorating the main events in salvation history.
Ordinary Time is the longest liturgical season, lasting 33 to 34 weeks. It is divided into two distinct portions of the calendar. The first portion begins after the Christmas season, specifically after the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and runs until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent. The second portion of Ordinary Time begins on the Monday after Pentecost and continues until the evening prayer of the First Sunday of Advent, which commences the next liturgical year.
During Ordinary Time, the emphasis in the Mass and the Church's daily prayer is on Christ's teachings and his life among his disciples. The liturgical colour associated with Ordinary Time is green, although other colours may be worn on particular feast days. For example, white is typically worn for Marian feast days.
Ordinary Time is also referred to as "Ordered Time" or the "Season of the Year", with Sundays sequentially numbered. Anglicans and some Protestant Christians refer to the first part of Ordinary Time as the "Season of Epiphany".
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Lent: a season of penance and preparation for Easter
The liturgical year in the Catholic Church is divided into several seasons, each with its own distinct character, theological emphases, and modes of prayer and worship. One of these seasons is Lent, a period of penance and preparation leading up to Easter.
Lent is a solemn season observed by Catholics across the world. It is a time for introspection, fasting, and spiritual discipline. The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, during which Catholics receive a cross of ashes on their foreheads as a symbol of mortality and repentance. This marks the start of a 40-day journey, mirroring the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, as well as the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the desert.
During Lent, Catholics may engage in various penitential practices, such as fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. It is a time for self-reflection and turning away from sin, with a focus on the events leading up to Christ's passion and, ultimately, his crucifixion. The liturgical colours associated with Lent are violet or purple, a visual reminder of the solemn nature of this season.
In the weeks leading up to Easter, Lent concludes with Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Holy Week includes the Sacred Triduum, comprising Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. These days are particularly significant as they recall the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, forming the core event of Christianity.
Following Holy Week is Easter Sunday, a joyous celebration of Christ's resurrection. This day marks the beginning of the Easter season, which continues for fifty days until Pentecost, celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. The liturgical colours of Easter are predominantly white, symbolising joy and new life, with red used for Pentecost, signifying the Holy Spirit's fire.
Lent, therefore, serves as a preparatory season, leading both individuals and the Church as a whole through a period of penance and spiritual renewal, culminating in the joyous celebration of Easter and the promise of new life in Christ.
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Easter: a joyous celebration of Christ's resurrection
The liturgical year in the Catholic Church is divided into several seasons, each with its own unique focus, theological emphasis, and mode of prayer. One of the most important seasons in the Catholic liturgical calendar is Easter, a joyous celebration of Christ's resurrection.
Easter is a time of great joy and celebration for Christians, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his death on the cross. It is considered the most important liturgical season for Catholics, as it commemorates the core event of their faith: Christ's victory over sin and death, and the promise of salvation for all mankind. This season is a time to reflect on the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ—his suffering, death, and resurrection—and to proclaim and renew these events through liturgical celebrations.
The date of Easter is variable, falling on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox, between March 22 and April 25. The Easter season begins with Holy Week, which includes Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, culminating in Easter Sunday, the day of Christ's resurrection. The Easter Vigil, held on the Saturday before Easter Sunday, marks the end of Holy Week and the beginning of the Easter season, a time of new beginnings, salvation, and joy.
The octave of Easter, also known as the Easter season, lasts for eight days from Easter Sunday to the second Sunday of Easter, now known as Divine Mercy Sunday. This period is marked by intensive celebrations, with the faithful renewing their baptismal promises and receiving plenary indulgences. The colour of the priest's vestments during this time is white or gold, symbolising joy and resurrection.
The Easter season continues for a full fifty days, up to and including Pentecost Sunday, which celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the first disciples. This extended celebration underscores the importance of Easter in the Catholic liturgical year, as it is characterised by the joy of glorified life and the victory over death, expressed in the resounding cry of "Alleluia!" by Christians worldwide.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic liturgical seasons are Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time after Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time after Pentecost.
The liturgical year is a cycle of seasons in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. The liturgical year begins with Advent and ends with the final Saturday of Ordinary Time.
The liturgical colours of Advent are purple and rose. Christmas is white. Lent is violet or purple. Easter is white, and red for Pentecost. Ordinary Time is green.
