Rachel Evans
The Catholic Church sets aside certain days and seasons of each “year” to commemorate and celebrate various events in the life of Christ and his saints. The liturgical year is distinct from the calendar year and is based on the cycle of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. It is organized and published in a liturgical calendar, which includes seasonal and sanctoral cycles, and is also enriched by observances proper to local churches. The liturgical calendar is best illustrated in cyclic form to convey the infinite celebration of God’s love.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Basis | Cycle of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church |
| Seasons | Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time (Time after Epiphany), Lent, Easter, Ordinary Time (Time after Pentecost) |
| First day | Lord's Day (Sunday) |
| First week | Week before Christmas |
| First month | December |
| Calendar | ORDO, an annual calendar with directions for each day's Mass |
| Liturgical Calendar | Published by the USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship |
| Liturgical Calendar (UK) | Published by the Liturgy Office |
| Liturgical Calendar (universal) | The Roman Missal, 3rd edition |
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What You'll Learn
The liturgical year
The Christmastide season begins on Christmas Eve and ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, celebrated on the first Sunday after Epiphany (January 6). The period between Christmastide and the start of Lent is considered Ordinary Time. Lent is a period of purification and penance that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday. It is followed by the Easter Triduum, which includes Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. The Season of Easter celebrates the "Paschal Mystery"—the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The date of Easter varies each year, falling on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.
The Feast of Pentecost occurs seven weeks or fifty days after Easter, celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the first disciples. This is followed by another period of Ordinary Time, which lasts until the First Sunday of Advent, beginning the next liturgical year.
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Saints' days
The Catholic Church celebrates the birthdays of the saints throughout the liturgical year. The liturgical year consists of a seasonal cycle and a sanctoral cycle, called the Proper of Time and the Proper of Saints, respectively. The liturgical calendar includes observances proper to local churches, whether national or diocesan.
The liturgical year in the Catholic Church is characterised by alternating fasts and feasts. Generally, the seasons in liturgical western Christianity are Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time (Time after Epiphany), Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time (Time after Pentecost). 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 Second Vatican Council brought renewed emphasis to Sunday as a unique liturgical category: "the Lord's day is the original feast day" and it "must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation". 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 in accordance with the assigned importance of each one: each is 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 are either Obligatory or Optional. Holy days of obligation (also known as feasts of precept) are days when the faithful are obliged to participate in Mass and abstain from unnecessary work or other activities that hinder the suitable relaxation of mind and body. Each Sunday is a holy day of obligation, and six Solemnities are also observed as feasts of precept in the United States.
The General Roman Calendar lists a saint or feast for each day throughout the year. The liturgical calendar for the Dioceses of the United States of America is published annually by the USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship. It lists each day's celebration, rank, liturgical colour, citations for the Lectionary for Mass, and Psalter cycle for the Liturgy of the Hours.
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Holy days of obligation
The Second Vatican Council brought renewed emphasis to Sunday as a unique liturgical category, stating that it "must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation". Sundays and solemnities begin their celebration on the evening before, while feasts and memorials are celebrated over the course of one day. Memorials are either obligatory or optional.
The liturgical year in the Catholic Church consists of a seasonal cycle and a sanctoral cycle, known as the Proper of Time and the Proper of Saints, respectively. The liturgical seasons in Western Christianity are generally Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time (Time after Epiphany), Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time (Time after Pentecost). The liturgical year in the Eastern Orthodox Church is characterised by alternating fasts and feasts and is similar to the Catholic year.
The holy days of obligation outside of Sundays vary by country and diocese. In the United States, there are six holy days of obligation outside of Sundays, three of which are observed regardless of which day of the week they fall on. These are:
- January 1, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
- 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 addition, November 1, the Solemnity of All Saints, is usually a holy day of obligation. However, since it falls on a Saturday in 2025, the obligation to attend Mass is abrogated for Catholics in the United States.
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The liturgical calendar
The liturgical year in the Catholic Church begins with Advent, 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. Christmastide follows, beginning on Christmas Eve and ending with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, on the first Sunday after Epiphany (generally observed on January 6). A period of Ordinary Time includes the days between Christmastide and the start of Lent. Lent is a period of purification and penance that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday. During Lent, many Christians observe a period of fasting and abstinence from certain foods or luxuries.
The Triduum begins on the evening before Good Friday with the Mass of the Lord's Supper and often includes a ritual of ceremonial foot washing. On Good Friday itself, instead of celebrating Mass, the Catholic Church holds a Celebration of the Passion of the Lord in the afternoon or evening. This consists of three parts: a Liturgy of the Word, which includes a reading of the Passion by John the Evangelist, and concludes with a solemn Universal Prayer. The liturgical year ends with the great Paschal Solemnity, commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord, which is celebrated once a year, together with his blessed Passion.
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The Roman Rite
The Pre-Tridentine Mass was the earliest form of the Roman Mass, as witnessed in Justin Martyr's 2nd-century account. The Leonine and Gelasian Sacramentaries, which date back to the 6th century, are said to be similar to the present Roman Mass. The Tridentine Mass, also known as the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite or the Traditional Latin Mass, was the most widely used Eucharistic liturgy from its issuance in 1570 until its replacement by the Mass of Paul VI in 1969. The term "Tridentine" comes from the Council of Trent, which was held at the height of the Counter-Reformation. Pope Pius V promulgated the 1570 Roman Missal, making it mandatory throughout the Latin Church, except for religious orders with rites or uses from before 1370. The Tridentine Mass was celebrated almost exclusively in Ecclesiastical Latin.
The Mass of Paul VI, promulgated in 1969 and revised by Pope John Paul II in 2002, is the current form of the Roman Rite. It is celebrated in the form promulgated by Pope Paul VI, with revisions by Pope John Paul II in 2002. The Roman Rite is known for its sobriety of expression and formality, with the Tridentine Missal prescribing every movement in detail. The use of the Roman Missal of 1962 remains authorized under certain conditions indicated in the 2021 papal document Traditionis Custodes.
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Frequently asked questions
The liturgical year is a cycle of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, which is also followed by many Protestant churches. It is a calendar that sets aside certain days and seasons to celebrate various events in the life of Christ and his saints.
The seasons in the liturgical year are Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time (Time after Epiphany), Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time (Time after Pentecost).
The liturgical year is organised into a seasonal cycle and a sanctoral cycle, known as the Proper of Time and the Proper of Saints, respectively. Each week, on the Lord's Day, the Church commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord and, once a year, the Paschal Solemnity, celebrating the Passion of Christ. The liturgical year begins with Advent, which lasts until Christmas Eve. This is followed by Christmastide, which ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. A period of Ordinary Time follows until the start of Lent, which ends on Holy Thursday. The Season of Easter celebrates the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The liturgical calendar is published annually by the Church in the ORDO, which provides directions for each day's Mass. The USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship also publishes the Liturgical Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States of America.
