Joshua Bennett
The Catholic Church organises its year through the liturgical calendar, which is made up of a seasonal cycle and a sanctoral cycle. The liturgical year does not correspond with the calendar year, but instead begins on the First Sunday of Advent, which is the fourth Sunday before Christmas. The liturgical calendar is used to commemorate the saving work of Christ, with each week, on the day known as the Lord's Day, celebrating the resurrection of the Lord.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Start of Catholic liturgical year | First Sunday of Advent during the preceding calendar year |
| First day of Advent | Fourth Sunday before Christmas |
| Advent season ends | First vespers of Christmas Eve on December 24 |
| Christmastide begins | First vespers of Christmas on the evening of December 24 |
| Christmastide ends | Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, on the first Sunday after Epiphany |
| Epiphany | January 6 |
| Baptism of the Lord | Celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany; if Epiphany falls on January 7 or 8, then it is celebrated the following Monday |
| Ordinary Time | Begins after Christmastide and ends with the start of Lent |
| Lent | Begins on Ash Wednesday, 40 days before Easter (excluding Sundays) |
| Easter | First Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox |
| Easter Octave | Eight days of intensive celebration, from Easter Sunday to the second Sunday of Easter |
| Easter Season | Fifty days of celebration up to and including the Feast of Pentecost |
| Pentecost Sunday | Seven weeks or fifty days after Easter |
| Season of Ordinary Time II | Rest of the liturgical year (up to 34 weeks total), from the Monday after Pentecost Sunday until the First Sunday of Advent |
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What You'll Learn
- The Catholic liturgical year begins with Advent, a time of preparation for the birth of Christ
- The Christmas season is a time of celebration and rejoicing in the Incarnation, lasting several weeks
- Lent is a season of preparation for Easter, with a focus on penitence and baptism
- Easter is a 50-day celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, with Holy Week as its centrepiece
- Ordinary Time is the period between seasons, with a focus on the order of succession
The Catholic liturgical year begins with Advent, a time of preparation for the birth of Christ
The liturgical year is divided into a seasonal cycle and a sanctoral cycle, known as the Proper of Time and the Proper of Saints, respectively. It is organised and published in a liturgical calendar, which includes observances specific to local churches, whether national, diocesan, parish-level, or religious community. The liturgical calendar also specifies scripture passages for each Sunday and, in some traditions, every day of the year.
Following Advent is Christmastide, which begins on Christmas Eve and ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, generally celebrated on the first Sunday after Epiphany (January 6). The Christmas season is a time of rejoicing in the Incarnation, with four different Masses celebrated: Vigil, Mass during the Night ("Midnight Mass"), Dawn, and Daytime.
After the Christmas season comes Ordinary Time, which can also be called "Ordered Time" or the "Season of the Year". This liturgical season lasts until Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday. Ordinary Time varies in length, depending on when the Christmas season ends and when Lent starts. During Ordinary Time, Catholics may focus on the events leading up to Christ's passion and the Passion itself.
Lent is a season of preparation for Easter, with both a penitential and baptismal character. It lasts for 40 days, excluding Sundays, which are always days of rejoicing in the Resurrection. The liturgical colours of Lent are violet or purple, with rose used on Laetare Sunday and red on Palm Sunday and Good Friday.
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The Christmas season is a time of celebration and rejoicing in the Incarnation, lasting several weeks
The liturgical year in the Catholic Church is divided into several seasons, each with its own mood, theological emphases, and modes of prayer. The liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent, which is the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Advent is a time of preparation for both the nativity of Christ and his expected second coming at the end of time. The Advent season lasts until the first vespers of Christmas Eve on December 24.
The Christmas season, also known as Christmastide, begins with the celebration of the birth of Jesus, commemorated on Christmas Day or as a vigil on Christmas Eve. The Feast of Christmas lasts 12 days, until Epiphany. However, the Christmas season extends beyond Epiphany until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which is celebrated on the first Sunday after Epiphany (traditionally January 6). The Christmas season is a time of celebration and rejoicing in the Incarnation, with the liturgical colour of white. The season varies in length from year to year, but it can last up to several weeks, ending between January 8 and 13.
The Christmas Octave, an intensive eight-day celebration, extends from Christmas Day up to and including January 1. This period includes several special feasts. The Christmas season is followed by Ordinary Time, which is not a plain period but rather a time of ordered succession. Ordinary Time begins after the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and continues until the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.
The liturgical year continues with the season of Lent, a penitential season that prepares for Easter. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for 40 days, excluding Sundays which are always days of rejoicing in the Resurrection. The liturgical colours of Lent are violet or purple. This season focuses on the events leading up to Christ's passion and culminates in Holy Week, which includes Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
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Lent is a season of preparation for Easter, with a focus on penitence and baptism
The Catholic Church year begins on the first Sunday of Advent, which is the fourth Sunday before Christmas. The liturgical year is divided into several seasons, each with its own mood, theological emphases, and modes of prayer. One of these seasons is Lent, which is a solemn Christian religious observance in preparation for Easter.
Lent is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday or Holy Saturday, depending on the denomination and local custom. It is observed by Catholics, Lutherans, Moravians, Anglicans, United Protestants, and Orthodox Christians, among others. The season of Lent recalls the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, as well as the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the desert.
During Lent, Christians are called to seek the Lord through prayer and reading Scripture, to serve by giving alms, and to practice self-control through fasting. They are also encouraged to give up specific pleasures, such as sweets, alcohol, or social media, as a way to foster simplicity and self-control. In addition, Catholics traditionally choose additional penitential practices for the whole season, such as abstaining from meat on Fridays.
The focus on penitence and baptism during Lent is evident in the liturgical practices and traditions associated with this season. For example, on the first day of Lent, worshippers receive a memento mori in the form of ashes, as a reminder of their need for penitence and their own mortality. The season of Lent also includes the Easter Vigil, during which adults may be baptized and all Christians are invited to renew the promises of their own baptism.
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Easter is a 50-day celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, with Holy Week as its centrepiece
The Catholic Church follows a liturgical calendar that is divided into seasons, each with its own mood, theological emphases, and modes of prayer. The liturgical year in the Catholic Church begins with Advent, which is a time of preparation for both the nativity of Christ and his expected second coming at the end of time.
The liturgical year consists of a seasonal cycle and a sanctoral cycle, with the former being called the Proper of Time and the latter the Proper of Saints. The liturgical calendar is enriched by observances proper to local churches, whether national, diocesan, parish-level, or religious community.
The Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ—his suffering, death, and resurrection—is continuously proclaimed and renewed through the celebration of the events of his life and in the feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints. Easter, a principal festival of the Christian church, is a 50-day celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, with Holy Week as its centerpiece. It is a joyful affirmation of the belief that through Christ's conquering of death, all Christians will subsequently share in his victory over sin, death, and the Devil.
Easter Sunday, also known as Resurrection Sunday, is one of the most significant Christian holidays. It commemorates the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, who showed himself alive after three days in the tomb. The Gospels assert that both the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus occurred during the week of Passover, so the first Christians timed the observance of the annual celebration of the resurrection in relation to Passover.
The earliest recorded observance of Easter comes from the mid-2nd century, though it is likely that even the earliest Christians commemorated the Resurrection, which is an integral tenet of the faith.
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Ordinary Time is the period between seasons, with a focus on the order of succession
The Catholic liturgical year consists of a seasonal cycle and a sanctoral cycle, organised into a liturgical calendar. The liturgical year begins with Advent, which starts on the Sunday closest to the feast of St. Andrew (November 30) and ends on December 24. This is followed by Christmastide, which begins on Christmas Eve and ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The liturgical year then proceeds with Ordinary Time, which includes the days between Christmastide and Lent. Lent is a 40-day penitential season that recalls the events leading up to Christ's passion. After Lent comes Eastertide, a 50-day celebration of the Lord's resurrection. Ordinary Time then falls between Eastertide and Advent.
Ordinary Time, derived from the Latin "tempus per annum", is a period in the liturgical year of the Roman Rite. It falls outside the two great seasons of Christmastide and Eastertide, as well as their preparatory seasons of Advent and Lent. Ordinary Time is characterised by its liturgical colour green, symbolising hope and representing the period of growth and life that the seasons bring about.
The word "ordinary" in this context does not refer to something plain or routine. Instead, it originates from the Latin "ordinalis", meaning "showing order, denoting an order of succession", or numbered and ordered. The weeks of Ordinary Time are indeed counted and ordered, with ordinal numerals identifying each week, from the 1st week in January to the 34th week towards the end of November.
The first period of Ordinary Time, the Season after Epiphany, begins on Epiphany Day and ends the day before Ash Wednesday, marking the start of Lent. This season focuses on the calling of disciples and the early ministry of Jesus. The second period, the Season after Pentecost, follows the Easter cycle, starting the day after Pentecost and continuing until Advent. This season emphasises supporting new disciples and the congregation in living out their callings and gifts received during the Easter Season.
Ordinary Time serves as a period of preparation and anticipation before the major liturgical seasons. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the ongoing work of God in the world and to experience cycles of preparation, celebration, and action in ministry. The focus of Ordinary Time alternates between evangelism and discipleship, drawing from the Old Testament and Gospel readings.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent, which is the fourth Sunday before Christmas.
The liturgical year is divided into a series of seasons, each with its own mood, theological emphases, and modes of prayer. The scripture passages for each Sunday are specified in a lectionary.
The liturgical year begins with Advent, followed by Christmastide, and then a period of Ordinary Time. After this comes Lent, Easter, and another period of Ordinary Time.
