Joshua Bennett
The liturgical year in the Catholic Church is governed by the Church and integrated into a liturgical calendar. This calendar is based on the General Roman Calendar, which was promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI in 1969. It includes the seasonal cycle, known as the Proper of Time, and the sanctoral cycle, known as the Proper of Saints. The liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent, which falls in December, and ends on the feast of Christ the King. The liturgical calendar is used to organize the Church's liturgical celebrations and to assign importance to each one.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Liturgical year structure | Seasonal cycle (Proper of Time) and sanctoral cycle (Proper of Saints) |
| Liturgical calendar basis | General Roman Calendar and Proper Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States of America |
| Number of liturgical seasons | 6 |
| Liturgical seasons | Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time after Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time after Pentecost |
| Liturgical colors of Advent | Purple and Rose (Rose only on the third Sunday of Advent) |
| Liturgical colors of Ordinary Time | Green, but other colors on feast days (e.g., white for Marian feast days) |
| Liturgical colors of Lent | Violet or purple |
| Liturgical colors of Easter | White (most days) and red (Pentecost) |
| Longest liturgical season | Second period of Ordinary Time |
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What You'll Learn
The liturgical year is divided into seasons
The liturgical year, also called the church year, Christian year, ecclesiastical calendar, or kalendar, is divided into seasons, each with its own mood, theological emphases, and modes of prayer. The liturgical calendar uses terms and measurements similar to a typical calendar. However, its purpose is to celebrate and understand the mystery of Jesus Christ and the expectation of his return in glory. The liturgical year consists of a seasonal cycle and a sanctoral cycle, called the Proper of Time and the Proper of Saints, respectively. The seasons in liturgical western Christianity are Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time (Time after Epiphany), Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time (Time after Pentecost). Ordinary Time is the longest liturgical season and is divided into two parts. The first part of Ordinary Time begins on January 13 and ends on March 4, while the second part begins on June 9 and ends on November 29. During this season, the faithful consider the fullness of Jesus' teachings and works among his people.
The liturgical calendar is governed by the Church and integrated into a liturgical calendar. The Second Vatican Council emphasized the importance of Sunday as a unique liturgical category, stating that it "must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation". Thus, only a limited number of feasts of the Lord or the saints may take the place of the scheduled Sunday celebration. Saints and other celebrations are distinguished as Solemnities, Feasts, or Memorials, with Sundays and Solemnities beginning their celebration on the evening before, and Feasts and Memorials celebrated over one day. Memorials can be Obligatory or Optional.
The liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent during the preceding calendar year. Advent is the first season of the liturgical year, during which Christians prepare to celebrate Jesus' birth and await Christmas, the celebration of the coming of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The liturgical colour violet is used during Advent to signify preparation, while rose may be used on the Third Sunday of Advent, or Gaudete Sunday, to express the joy of anticipation for Christmas. Christmas is the season in which the Nativity of Jesus Christ and his manifestation to the world are recalled, and God's presence with humanity is celebrated. The Christmas season begins on Christmas Day, and the liturgical colour is white, symbolizing joy and victory.
The liturgical calendar includes both the entire cycle of celebrations of the mystery of salvation and that of the Saints, with specific liturgical colours, citations for the Lectionary for Mass, and Psalter cycles for the Liturgy of the Hours. The calendar is based on the General Roman Calendar promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI in 1969 and subsequently amended by the Holy See. The Proper Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States of America was approved by the USCCB and confirmed by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in 2010.
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The liturgical calendar
The calendar lists each day's celebration, rank, liturgical color, citations for the Lectionary for Mass, and Psalter cycle for the Liturgy of Hours. It provides a structure for the faithful to commemorate and honor the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints.
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The liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent
The liturgical year in the Catholic Church is a cycle of celebrations of the mystery of salvation, the mystery of Christ, and the birthdays of the Saints. The Second Vatican Council emphasised the importance of Sunday as the Lord's Day, the "original feast day", and the "primordial holy day of obligation".
The First Sunday of Advent in one calendar year marks the beginning of the next liturgical year. For example, the First Sunday of Advent in 2019 began the 2020 liturgical year. The liturgical calendar is governed by the Church and is based on the General Roman Calendar promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI in 1969, and the Proper Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States of America, approved by the USCCB and confirmed by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in 2010.
The liturgical calendar includes seasonal and sanctoral cycles, with the former dependent on the moveable date of Easter Day and the latter on the fixed date of Christmas. The sequence of all Sundays in the church year is based on the date of Easter, which falls on the first Sunday after the full moon on or after March 21. The date of Easter determines the beginning of the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday and the date of Pentecost on the fiftieth day of the Easter season.
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The liturgical colours
The primary colours in the liturgical calendar are red, white, gold, violet, green, and black. Green is the colour of Ordinary Time, which is any time of year between Easter and Advent and between Christmas and Lent. It symbolises life, hope, and anticipation. Red is worn during Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Pentecost. This colour signifies God’s Love, blood, fire, and the celebration of Martyrs. White and/or gold are worn during Christmas and Easter, symbolising the birth and resurrection of Christ. Violet is often worn during Advent and Lent, a period of penance and preparation.
In the United States, the liturgical calendar for the Dioceses is published annually by the Secretariat of Divine Worship of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This calendar lists each day's celebration, rank, liturgical colour, and citations for the Lectionary for Mass. The calendar is based on the General Roman Calendar, promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI in 1969, and the Proper Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States, approved by the USCCB and confirmed by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in 2010.
While the above colours are the most common, other liturgical colours include rose, blue, silver, and maroon or burgundy. The choice of colour depends on the specific denomination and tradition of the church. For example, the Byzantine Rite used by the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Byzantine Lutheran Churches, and the Eastern Catholic Churches of Byzantine Rite does not have a universal system of colours, only specifying "light" or "dark" vestments. In the Greek tradition, maroon or burgundy are common for solemn feast days, while a variety of colours are used at other times, with gold and white being the most common. The Coptic tradition, followed by the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Coptic Catholic Church, uses only white vestments, with gold and silver being considered variations of white.
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Saints and celebrations
The liturgical year in the Catholic Church is organised into a seasonal cycle, known as the Proper of Time or Temporale, and a sanctoral cycle, known as the Proper of Saints or Sanctorale. The Proper of Time is associated with the moveable date of Easter and the fixed date of Christmas, while the Proper of Saints is associated with fixed calendar dates. The liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent during the preceding calendar year. For example, the First Sunday of Advent in 2019 began the 2020 liturgical year.
The liturgical year is governed by the Church and integrated into a liturgical calendar. The Second Vatican Council emphasised Sunday as a unique liturgical category, with only a limited number of feasts of the Lord or the saints taking precedence over the scheduled Sunday celebration. Saints and other celebrations are distinguished in accordance with their assigned importance as a Solemnity, Feast, or Memorial. Sundays and Solemnities begin their celebration on the evening before, while Feasts and Memorials are celebrated over the course of one day. Memorials can be Obligatory or Optional.
The General Roman Calendar, promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI on February 14, 1969, serves as the basis for the liturgical calendar. It includes celebrations belonging to the Proper of Time and the Proper of Saints. The calendar is updated whenever the pope makes changes to the celebrations. The Proper Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States of America was approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and confirmed in 2010. It lists each day's celebration, rank, liturgical colour, citations for the Lectionary for Mass, and Psalter cycle for the Liturgy of the Hours.
The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organising the liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints, referring to the day as the feast day or feast of that saint. The word "feast" in this context refers to an annual religious celebration dedicated to a particular saint. The system originated from the early Christian custom of commemorating each martyr annually on the date of their death or their birth into heaven. As the number of recognised saints increased, eventually, every day of the year had at least one saint associated with it.
The General Roman Calendar lists the saints celebrated by the entire Church, but only includes a selection of saints for each day. A fuller list can be found in the Roman Martyrology, and some saints may be celebrated locally. Canonisation involves adding the saint's name to the Roman Martyrology, but their name is not always inserted into the General Roman Calendar. Saints' feast days may be moved to alternate days or removed to accommodate the large number of saints. For example, Saints Perpetua and Felicity's feast day was moved from March 7 to accommodate St. Thomas Aquinas, but after St. Thomas Aquinas's feast day was changed to January 28, they were moved back to March 7.
The liturgical year unfolds the mystery of Christ and celebrates the birthdays of the saints. The Blessed Virgin Mary is inseparably connected to the saving work of her Son, and the feasts of the saints proclaim the wonderful works of Christ in his servants, offering examples for the faithful to imitate.
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Frequently asked questions
The liturgical year is a seasonal cycle that consists of prescribed days for the Catholic Church to celebrate the saving work of Christ and the birthdays of the Saints. Each week, on the day called the Lord's Day, the Church commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord, which is also celebrated once a year during the great Paschal Solemnity.
Each liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent of the preceding calendar year. For example, the First Sunday of Advent in 2019 marked the beginning of the 2020 liturgical year. The liturgical year is governed by the Church and integrated into a liturgical calendar.
The liturgical colours vary depending on the season. Ordinary Time is green, but other colours may be worn on particular feast days. For instance, Marian feast days are usually white, while Lent is violet or purple. The liturgical colours of Easter are white and red for Pentecost.
